VMware Cloud Community
jsdmc
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

ESXi ressource sharing

Hello

We have 2 over sized ESXi servers, with vSphere Essentials.

Over size is about storage, because on this location we don't need many huge VM running, nor being stored.

We are thinking about backing up 1 Esxi server using storage ressources of the second one.

As we have a lot of space with redundancy, is there a way to securely share a part of an ESXi storage space to store backup files via network.

(NFS Share for exemple ?)

We don't want to use on more appliance like NAS.

Thanks for your help

Reply
0 Kudos
5 Replies
vmrale
Expert
Expert

Hi,

You can clone VMs from local VMFS of one ESXi host to local VMFS of the another over the network using dedicated vmkernel port tagged with Provisioning tag.

Regards
Radek

If you think your question have been answered correctly, please consider marking it as a solution or rewarding me with kudos.
Reply
0 Kudos
a_p_
Leadership
Leadership

Do you use a backup application which also offers replication?

This way you could replicate VMs across hosts, so that in case one of the hosts dies, you'd have the option to power on, and use the replicas.

André

Reply
0 Kudos
jsdmc
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi

We already have fail over on the application level. So replication is not the main goal (but informations on this could be usefull for next projects).

Our goal is not high availability, but more simple backup.

Preserving our vm (which are more real time working VM than storing VM - no importance about data) from viral threats like crypto virus or OS update problems for exemple.

We are looking for a way to create incremental backups, with retention policy.

Incremental is important regarding to bandwitch consumption between the 2 hosts.

So backup + replication => cool Smiley Happy but replication only is not our goal.

Do you have advices on ways to do this ?

Free or Affordable backup softwares which can be combined with vSphere Essentials to do scheduled incremental backups for at least two vm.

Best regards

Reply
0 Kudos
jsdmc
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hello

Nobody as more ideas ?

Reply
0 Kudos
vmrale
Expert
Expert

You can clone VMs from local datastore of one ESXi host to local datastore of the another one over the network using dedicated vmkernel port tagged with Provisioning tag. If replication using vSphere Replication with multiple point in time retension is not interesting You (upgrade to Essentials Plus license required), this is the simpliest and cost effective method.

Regards
Radek

If you think your question have been answered correctly, please consider marking it as a solution or rewarding me with kudos.
Reply
0 Kudos