In a system with 3x DL385s all connected to an MSA1000, how might we approach backing up the 1TB of data that the VMs access? Daily backups, file level. We would like to automate this as much as possible.
It's more the hardware thats of interest here but any advice on process would also be welcome.
Thanks.
there are a lot of options: my favourite is mixed approach that get you easier/quicker restore path for exchange/active dir/sql
If you want to use mixed vcb/non vcb approach i would do this:
IF YOU HAVE EXCHANGE: install your backup agent on on virtual server with exchange server and do backup as you would do if it's not virtual
FOR FILE SERVER(S): incremental file level with VCB daily and full file level weekly and montly
INFRASTRUCTURE SERVER (DHCP; DNS, BES, ...): Full-VM weekly (this kinda VMs do not need daily backup IMHO)
FOR DOMAIN CONTROLLER: system state every day (backup without VCB)
FOR SQL: schedule an SQL plan for backup on local vmdk and do file level backup daily and full backup weekly
From a DR point of view you must plan with RPO / RTO based on your SLA with the businness.
For HW I will go with a biproc-dual core with FC tape library and a bunch of local disk for staging area
if you want some more info, pls be more specific (how many VMs, type of applivations,..etc
\aleph0
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Have you tried vRanger with VCB? It's great for complete recovery. You can also do file level restore, but I would not rely on vRanger alone for that, so if single file restore is your goal try something like CommVault Galaxy or NetBackup with or without VCB.
I use esXpress and love it. It does backups at the VM level for quick and easy restores. It's inexpensive and I just have it sending backups to an OpenFiler box via FTP. They have a new version 3.1 coming out soon which does file-level backup. I have used the release candidate which works fine but I haven't tried this feature yet.
-Jeff
What we have is 10 physical machines that are going to become virtual machines in ESX, 5 of the physical machines have their own connected backup device and Backup Exec. We will have 2 or 3 ESX Servers and VirtualCenter.
We want the best solution so that we can still do fully automated full and incrimental backups, we are looking for the best approach, nothing we do today is sacred.
So, I'd imagine we would have agents in each of the VMs, a central backup server (could this be a VM?), and a single backup device (what would be best where the backup sizes will be 500G-1TB?). We dont feel we can justify a VCB proxy.
Any advice would be well received. Thanks.
Hello,
I think that you can approach as per my previous email using VCB.
So you'll have one physical machine with W2003 and agent installed on it for your backup sw (just one agent). What's you backup sw?
you can do incremental file level daily and full backup weekly
You should also backup locally sql Database and Exchange mailboxes and save on tape during the daily incremental and weekly full (but the restore will be boring and longer).
So, with mixed approach, you can install application specific agent and do backup with those without VCB as per physical machine
HTH
\aleph0
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