Virtual machine file backup

[beckham007fifa]

guys,

Greetings!

we are going to move the data center from one location to other. For the safety purpose planning of using HP data protector for backing up the vm files , i mean to say vmdk, vmx and all the files. Can any one help me with this and how to take the backup? thanks in advance.

[AndreTheGiant]

You can use VCB to take the vmdk...

Or simple power-off the VM and use datastore browser or FastSCP.

Andre

[beckham007fifa]

how to do with fast SCP?

[AndreTheGiant]

See how to install on: http://www.veeam.com/vmware-esxi-fastscp.html

Then you can take files of powered-off VMs with this tool.

Andre

[idle-jam]

the other way is to use vmware converter to convert to vmware workstation format and stored in USB drive. that advantage is that if it's a FULL VMDK it will only captured the used space only. could be faster ..

[beckham007fifa]

having 12 tb of data...

[beckham007fifa]

if I have to go with Data protector then, how could I do it. please help me and if I take the backup of whole folder for the vm then will it be with snapshots also if created? what all the limitations with it? also, I would like to know for restorations too.

[beckham007fifa]

suppose if I am going with copying to USB hard disk, then do I have shutdown the VM's and take the copy or I can take the copy when its running?

also, in the case of Fast scp, do i have to shutdown the vm or take the backup or can i take without shuting it down also?

[AndreTheGiant]

suppose if I am going with copying to USB hard disk, then do I have shutdown the VM's and take the copy or I can take the copy when its running?

also, in the case of Fast scp, do i have to shutdown the vm or take the backup or can i take without shuting it down also?

When VMs are running you cannot copy the vmdk files (they are locked).

One solution is power-off the VMs... in that case backup is fully consistent.

Another solution is make a snapshot and copy the flat-vmdk files... in this case the backup is crash consistent.

Andre

[fraber01]

Having few tb of data to backup, you may look to solutions like Veeam Backup (www.veeam.com).  Cost a few bucks, but it'll do a live backup of all you want to where you want.  Or use VCB to copy the data somewhere your backup solution can take care of it.