How to Backup Esxi Host Configuration

[sydq]

Please can anyone suggest me a simple method of backing up Esxi Host Configuration which can later be restored  on a freshly installed copy of Esxi( same version) if required. in the event of HDD Failure etc...

Normally, we use vsphere client on Windows Workstations to access Esxi Hosts. I was reading into different posts related backing up using vicfg-cfgbackup command using vCLI or vMA but couldn't really get a step-by-step how to....Will appreciate if someone guides me in a simplest manner possible.

[nilesh56]

Hi

Really good utility to take backup and restorinf configuration of ur hosts...
http://www.shogan.co.uk/?p=1095

[MarekZdrojewski]

Hi,

The easiest way to do this is indeed through vMA or vCLI. Here is a quick procedure with the vMA.

1. Open a console session on vMA with vi-admin

2. Add the host as target to the vMA: vifp addserver <FQDN or IP Address>

3. Enter password.

4. Set the server as target: vifptarget –s <FQDN or IP Address>

5. Save the configuration with: vicfg-cfgbackup –s /tmp/<Config_file_name>

Done, the config has been saved in the tmp directory of the vMA.

Cheers!

[sydq]

How does it run..I selected run from powershell it prompts a black window for few seconds and disappears...Will appreciate if you make it more easier to run...

[milton123]

Here is a nice article, have a look...

http://blogs.vmware.com/esxi/2009/10/backing-up-your-esxi-host-configuration.html

Cheers, Yours Udin

[sydq]

Thanks for your helpful ideas...It shows that it has backed up configuration to /tmp but how can i retrieve that configuration file on my windows xp workstation. I tried to enable remote administration but it showed requires installation of certain packages "xinetd tightvnc xorg-x11 ..." and I click install and nothing happens and comes back on same Yast2 screen....Please guide me as how to get that working for me.

[Shoganator]

Hi sydq,

I know this is an old post, but I noticed traffic to my ESXi Backup / Restore utility coming in from this thread so I came to check it out

To run the utility, you just need to launch the script from a PowerCLI prompt. The problem you are most probably having is that you are launching via normal PowerShell, which does not have the relevant modules loaded by default. Run VMware PowerCLI 5.0.1 and then type in the name of the file from there - i.e. C:\Downloads > .\nameofutilityfile.ps1

Don't forget to "unblock" the file once downloaded (right click it and choose properties).

I can see that launching it manually from PowerCLI is a bit of a pain, so I'll look into getting it "compiled" into an executable file instead - that would probably help a bit with making it user-friendly

You can download the latest version of the ESXi 5.0 Backup and Restore GUI from here: http://www.shogan.co.uk/?p=1095

Cheers,

Sean

[dekgun]

http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-51/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.vmware.vcli.ref.doc%2Fvicfg-cfgbackup.html