VCB 1.1 How to restore a file level in Disaster recovery plan

[cabsalon]

Hello

we have recently install an esx platform in my company and for the moment we can only perform some file level backup with vcb, because we don't have the ressources, for making some full-vmdk backup.

My question is the following:

Is it possible to use a file level backup for completely restore a virtual machine?

Thanks for your help

My config

2 esx server = IBM 3650 2Xquadcore 18GB ram

1 san storage => ipstore (falconstor product)

1 virtual center and vcb server ==> IBM 3550

[BryanMcC]

Yes.. It is the same method of backup that you are using minus the change to the command for backup. Instead use fullvm.

The only issue is getting the files back to the ESX Server.. If you are using VC2.5 you can use the VM Importer/Converter from VC itself. If not you have to copy the files manually back to the ESX server and use vcbMounter.

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[cabsalon]

Thanks a lot for your fast answer.

ok i have a virtual center server, and it's the same server that VCB proxy.

Can you give me some details, about how making it works?

Thanks

[dinny]

Hiya,

I would say that it it not necessarily that straight forward to use a file level VCB backup to do a full restore.

By default you would maybe struggle to restore the registry - as there is no concept of system state backup with file level VCB.

Maybe you could export the system state settings to a file - then restore them via some scripting - but it wouldn't be an ideal way of doing it - and would perhaps need a fair bit of testing to prove the concept?

Dinny

[BryanMcC]

What you could also do is run ntbackup on the VM to get the system state and back it up to the C: drive on your guest VM.. Then just pick it up in the file level backup.. If you want to do a solid DR though I would suggest fullvm.. You could always setup a NFS/NAS export from Windows using UNIX Services and put them on there for storage , map it as a CIFS drive to your VCB and point your proxy backups to this drive.

This will allow for something low cost.

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[cabsalon]

Thanks a lot for your return.

I will work on it, and try to build something.

I will keep you inform about my result and choice during the next days.