Service Console backup ?

[Nicodemus]

In the Installation & Configuration pdf it recommends " Before upgrading an ESX Server host, back up the service console and the local VMFS2..."

How exactly do you backup the service console? Never seen this done...

Thanks, - Nicodemus

[vmroyale]

Nicodemus,

Check out this discussion.

[petedr]

One thing you could do to be save it to save the /etc directory

tar cxzf etc_save.tgz /etc

will create a tar/gzip file called etc_save.tgz ( sample file name ) of the /etc directory which you could then save.

[Nicodemus]

All right, (being fairly new to VMware).. so backing up /etc is considered backing up the Service Console...

So when and why would you need to do this? is not SC replaced if you rebuild the Host? Trying to understand the advantages and needs...

Thx, - Nicodemus

[petedr · Accepted solution]

I went back and read what Vmware had in the upgrade manual.

It recommended saving /etc/password and /etc/groups ( which is basically users and groups created ), any custom scripts, .vmx files and local files ( like .iso you may have ). I usually recommend saving all of /etc just to be safe, /etc hold most of the service console configuration values.

I guess the thinking with the backup is if there is an issue in the the upgrade and you want to go back to the prior version you would reinstall the earlier version and then copy back the saved files. If you prior install didn't not have many changes from a default install you may just be able to document those changes and reconfigure on a reinstall, that may be easier then dealing with saving console files.

[Nicodemus]

Thank you for the answer.. what you say makes sense. It just had never occurred to me to backup Service Console.

- Nicodemus

[JDLangdon]

The easiest way to back up the service console is to export the diagonsitics data from within VirtualCenter.

Jason

[petedr]

Thanks Nicodemus, good luck with your upgrade