vCenter

We do have one "Consolidated Backup Server" which is used to create Image Level backups.

Is it supported to set up a second "Consolidated Backup Server" to create File level Images, and if so, what happens if you create simultaniously an Image Level and File level backup of the same VM (from 2 different "Consolidated Backup Servers")?

Thanks for your help.

You cannot do a file-level backup and a full VM backup of the same virtual machine at the same time.

I suppose theoretically you could use dual VCB servers, but you'd have to buy another license and I don't really see a benefit in it.

Agreed, I cant see the benefit of doing two different backups of the same vm from two different VCB servers at the same time. Since VCB works off of snaps, I would assume its possible to take 2 consecutive snaps from to VCB svrs, but again, point being what?

Having an extra VCB server offline for failover wouldnt be too bad of an idea, since it must be a physical 2003sp1 box, but i wouldnt run them simultaneously, if you even could.

_Mike

We P2V'd one of our file and print servers, in the past we did backup that server via the SAN (2TB). although VMWare doesn't support a tape drive presented directly to a VM (it gives problems with the order of presented LUN's). So we now have to do the backup over the normal LAN network, which takes almost 36 hours.

We do have one VCB server, which is used to create snapshots of all our VM, which takes already 20 hours (and will grow). Afterwards it takes another 13 hours to write them to tape...

I would like to use the VCB server to create a "File level backup" of the file and print server (2TB) as well.

I would like to shedule both backups suring the weekend (for use of tape drives and to avoid interference with other backup processes, fe. in the week there are a lot of incremental backups and during the weekend a few large full backups) ...

That's the reason ...

-stijn-

Depending upon your hardware, esXpress could backup that VM in much less time. On my host, this is about a 7 hour backup. Also, esXpress will take delta backups, making even faster and saving a lot of space. File level backups simultaneous to image level will be available this summer.

Download and give it a try. Our enineers are always available if you have any quesions.

Ken Harbin

www.esXpress.com

Thanks for the info, but we are using Data Protector as backup tool.