Backup VCSA 5.1

[KKrtz]

Hello.

I just want to know the best way how to backup (for disaster recovery) an VCSA (vCenter Server Appliance) ? Are there any limitiations to use vDP?

Thanks for an feedback.

[spravtek]

Hi,

I'm not sure about limitations concerning VDP and vCSA...

I always make sure to take a backup of the embedded database (if not configured on a separate one) at certain intervals and to download the config file, so in case of a total failure it is possible to restore using this config file and the backup of the embedded database.

It is possible to take snapshots of the vCSA, that is recommended by VMware before you do a restore of the DB ... As mentioned in this KB article:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=203450...

[KKrtz]

I know but I am looking for an solution to backup the VM in a scheduled way...

[spravtek]

Can't help you there I'm afraid ... I didn't test any scheduled backups of the vCSA yet ... I only did a manual DR test so far ...

I would say test it if possible, take a backup, shutdown the current vCSA and try to restore the backup... Or restore it in a test environment if you have that available, I will try this in my lab setup when I have the time ... But it won't be soon

[KKrtz]

I've wrote to VMware ... we will see what they will answer !

[spravtek]

Ok, keep us posted

[memaad]

Hi,

I think VDP will support backup of VCVA, since VDP support image level back of all supported GUEST OS Virtual machine.

REgards

Mohammed

[KKrtz]

My idea to backup the vCSA with vDP was nice but no really clever 😉 ... It doesn't make sense because the restore over vDP has to be controlled out of vCSA (which will be in my case missing)!

I will look for an possibiliy to make offline copy...

[nshetty]

Hello,

What does VCSA have to keep a complete backup of the VM ? Only database.

The VCSA database is the most important data that i would like to keep a backup, reason, all the vcenter info is saved on the database (vpostgres).

If at all there is a failure, i would deploy the appliance and restore the backup of the database and my environment is online.

You can take periodic backup of the database by running the below command

./pg_dump EMB_DB_INSTANCE -U EMB_DB_USER -Fp -c > VCDBBackupFile
Where VCDBBackupFile is the database backup file.

For restore,

PGPASSWORD=EMB_DB_PASSWORD ./psql -d EMB_DB_INSTANCE -Upostgres -f VCDBBackupFile

Another update, VDP does not support backup of the VCSA.

Hope it was informative.

Cheers,

NS

[KKrtz]

I've now followed the KB to backup the DB. Addtionally I copy the DB to an NFS storage which will be accessible also from an new vCSA!

[nshetty]

Thats right ! DB backup would be a saviour whenever there there is any issues !

Cheers,

NS