Data Protection Manager and VCB with ESXi?

[jasonkohls]

We have two ESXi servers setup with an iSCSI SAN for storage. We're looking at using Data Protection Manager to backup file/application-level data within each guest VM, but currently have no method of doing image-level backups with it. The VCB tools seem like they'd work, provided DPM has the equivalent pre/post execution methods, but I've heard that DPM (and Windows for that matter) can't read from VMFS partitions. Provided the Proxy Server (Win2008 Ent) with DPM is on the same LUN as my two ESXi configurations, one would assume that reading the VMFS would be taken care of by the VCB tools, not natively by the Proxy Server. Anyone doing something similar? We're trying to avoid buying Backup Exec and like what DPM can do and how tightly it integrates with System Center.

[dconvery]

Jason -

You can use pre and post scripting to leverage VCB. For the most efficient use, the VCB proxy should also be connected to a tpae drive or library. I am not sure the term for this in DPM, but in NetBackup, we call it a media server. Some other vendors call it a cell server.

Take a look at my doc. It is based on Netbackup, but the setup of VCB will be the same and the pricipals will be similar. ->http://viops.vmware.com/home/docs/DOC-1133

Also have a look at Justin's post on selective disk backups ->http://communities.vmware.com/blogs/jturver/2008/01/24/vcb-how-to-backup-a-selected-specific-disk-or-disks-using-vcbexport-and-a-useful-script-to-do-it

If you want to do simpleimage backups, your pre script will look like this:

cd "C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Consolidated Backup Framework\generic"

cscript pre-command.wsf "C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Consolidated Backup Framework" %1 fullvm 

Your post will look like this:

cd "C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Consolidated Backup Framework\generic"
cscript post-command.wsf "C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Consolidated Backup Framework" %1-fullvm

In these scripts, "%1" is the FQDN of the VM.

Dave Convery - VMware vExpert 2009

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Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties.

Doug Larson

[ccastellow]

I am interested in using Microsoft DPM in coordination with VCB as well. I have been using the VCB Wrangler scripts for controlling VCB. The number of VMs I am backing up has increased such that our VCB repository is out of space. We are going to attempt to run VCB Wrangler in a series of batches, and after each run DPM will send the data to tape, then clear our the repository for the next batch. We are still working out "the kinks," but I would be willing to share my experiences with others that are interested in going this route. I know this is an old thread, so I may repost this message to a new one after we have this working.

If you or others have any experiences or updates, I'd be interested in hearing those.

Thanks,

Chris

[pieterjanheyse]

We are currently evaluating the use of DPM in our Hyper-V environment, but I was wondering if it can be useful in a vmware environment, too. I'd love to hear your experiences.