Backup VM with existing snapshot .How to ?

[sabry]

Hi.

I'm a newbie and I 'm trying to implement backup.

But I have a BIG problem (maybe because I don't understand the vmware backup' philosophy )

We use ESX as test/development environment so we have ALL vm with snapshot (because snapshots are "a must" in development environment)

we chose ESX infrastructure against ESX server mainly for this feature.

But now if I understand well before make a backup I must "delete" snapshot on VM .

Please could you tell me if it is so ?

And if I understand well ,how did you solve this problem ?

Thanks

Sabry

[VirtualNoitall]

Hello,

How are you backing up your virtual machines? backup client inside vms? VCB? agent on the ESX host?

You shouldn't have to delete your snapshot.

[sabry]

In These Last Few Days I'm trying ESXRANGER with VCB module .

For example ..I tried to backup 1 VM without snapshot with success ,after the backup ... I made a snapshot on the same VM ,with the same backup "steps" but the backup was failed ...

I tried with other VM ..with the same results ..

[sabry]

Sorry ...

[VirtualNoitall]

OK, I haven't used that product myself. Sit tight, I am sure someone has and can answer this.

[sabry]

Please any suggestions ?

Thanks

[virtech]

You can't backup up a VM with esxRanger if an existing snapshot exists for that VM. You must delete the snapshot first then use esxranger to backup the VM

[taylorb]

You should be able to do a file level backup of the snapshot files from the ESX console.

[jmattox]

If the VM has an open Snap shot you can backup over the LAN with esxRanger.

If the VM has an open snap shot you cannot use VCB and esxRanger together to backup that VM.

[Jeff1981]

Sabry, why don't you just rely on your backups? If you use VCB, it automates creating snapshots and backup them up to file or tape. Could you elaborate on the subject as to why snapshots are a "must" in your development environment? Why do you need them so bad?

( I can think of a number of reasons, but I'd like to hear your side of the story )

[kix1979]

Actually, you can backup a VM with snapshots with esxRanger if you are doing a network based backup. VCB has the limitation of no snapshots, which is why the VCB integration in esxRanger does not allow for backups of snapshots.

Kix

[sabry]

We have a lot of applications that runs on VMware ESX

We use this environment in order to test the real-word impact .

For example the developers ..try windows + the new fix + sp1 + sp2 .. with their applications ,and they save (with snapshot) the "state" of their servers after every step because is very easy the roolback with snapshot ...

I'm a newbie ..so in your job how did you resolve this kind of problems ?

Thanks

[petedr]

As an alternate approach for your situation may be esXpress (http://www.esxpress.com). They have just released a new beta for the ESX 3 backup product which will allow for backups of VMs with snapshots.

[jmattox]

We are also working on “Restore AS” with open snap shots... Now that’s a tricky one... Because the amount of files involved with snap shots.

This is handy when you don’t won’t to over write the VM, but you want to restore it with open snap shots side by side the existing VM.

[ronzo]

Pete-

The new beta also includes backing up of Templates too!

Jason-

Yea, I wish they made it easier on us guys.

thanks

ron

[Jeff1981]

Ah, yes, I see. We do not do such extensive developing on our virtual environment, but if we did, I think we would use the same method. This cannot be solved using VCB to perform backups. I'd suggest to take a look at esxpress as suggested by others earlier.

Good luck and keep us posted