ESX 3.02 and Netbackup v6.5

[gmreddy]

Hi Friends,

As the part of P2V, we are planning to deploy ESX 3.02 server. For backup purpose we are going to use Netbackup v6.5.

Please advise the advantages and disadvantages of this combination.

GMR

[JP78]

It depends on how do you want to install NBU client on ESX server.

there are two ways

1. install the linux client of NBU directly onto ESX server and take backup of the volumes.

Advantages :

1. These are "crash consistent" free backups and will be helpful in case of you san drives crashes.

Disadvantages

1. You need to shutdown the VMs while backup is happening.

2. Integrate NBU and ESX server using VCB module. this works fine for backing up smaller number of VMs. But you will need a separate proxy server (for the proxy server physical server is needed and vmware is about to release a version whereby this can be installed on VM's also).

But you have to have your vmdk files on a SAN environment and proxy server should see the SAN LUNs. But backed up files are crash consistent. which means that the restoration of the VM from these files are not 100% guaranteed.

Advantages

1. ESX server is not loaded as it is txed to proxy server.

2. No NBU client licenses are needed.

Disadvantages

1. need a physical proxy windows 2003 server.

2. crash consistent backups.

[gmreddy]

Hi JP,

Thanks for your reply.

As we don't have SAN environment, we are planning to install NBU client in all VMs. Apart from licenses, Is there any disadvantages in this?

GMR