Backup and Recovery tools and method for ESXi 4

[AlbertWT]

Hi All,

For example I have one SAN that is shared (can be accessed) by two ESXi 4 servers, How am I supposed to backup the VMs the SAN ?

Is thereany standard or free tools to perform backup and recovery for us to use in ESXi 4 enviroment ?

Thanks

Kind Regards,

AWT

[Gerrit_Lehr]

The product is called VMware DR (http://www.vmware.com/products/data-recovery/) but as part of vSphere4, it is not free. It can perform SAN-based backups etc. but I don't think there is any Lanless way to backup VMs with a free product.

Kind Regards,

Gerrit Lehr

If you found this or other information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful".

[AndreTheGiant]

Also you can still use VCB.

Or 3th part tools.

Andre

**if you found this or any other answer useful please consider allocating points for helpful or correct answers

[dconvery]

There is also VMware Consolidated Backup, which IS "free" with the Enterprise versions of ESX/ESXi

http://viops.vmware.com/home/docs/DOC-1392

Dave Convery

VMware vExpert 2009

http://www.dailyhypervisor.com

Careful. We don't want to learn from this.

Bill Watterson, "Calvin and Hobbes"

[AlbertWT]

Thanks for the reply guys.

At the moment yes ican still have a trial period within 60 days, but if I'm not going to get vSphere 4 license, is there any freeware option in doing the backup ?

Kind Regards,

AWT

[AndreTheGiant]

Is there any freeware option in doing the backup ?

VCB is included in Standard edition (and I think also in Essential).

Data recovery si included in Essential Plus or Advanced

Andre

**if you found this or any other answer useful please consider allocating points for helpful or correct answers

[dconvery]

If you are using a non-free version of ESX, then VCB is free. You can use GhettoVCB to perform backups. It is free too -> http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-8760

Dave Convery

VMware vExpert 2009

http://www.dailyhypervisor.com

Careful. We don't want to learn from this.

Bill Watterson, "Calvin and Hobbes"

[AlbertWT]

hi Dconvery,

Thanks for your reply unfortunately the Enterprise ESX is not free ;-|, at the moment my company would like to explore the benefits of VIrtualization using as lowest cost as possible. That is why I initiated this thread

Kind Regards,

AWT

[AndreTheGiant]

You can use SCP/FastSCP and some scripting to power-off the VM, copy the files, and power-on the VM.

Andre

**if you found this or any other answer useful please consider allocating points for helpful or correct answers

[AlbertWT]

Andre,

I've stumbled across

http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-8760

[

|http://blog.theworldrunsontechnology.com/2009/04/how-to-schedule-ghettovcb-backup-job-or.html]

it seems that the script is not smooth either. and also thanks for the reply.

Kind Regards,

AWT

[AndreTheGiant · Accepted solution]

You're welcome.

PS: scripts are very well done.

Andre

[AaronD]

You might check out FastSCP from Veeam;

It will require some scripting on your end to automate it.

[Bartmosss]

Does the guettovcb script working with the free version of ESXi 4????

MCP, A, Network, Linux+, VSP, VTSP, VCP

[bklynjae]

I have looked at the veeam product and I somewhat liked it. But couldnt use it. It seems in order to backup to a san lun you need a full esx host and not an esxi box. As there is no direct access to it.

Im still looking for some quality piece of software to be able to backup and restore Guests...

[AaronD]

Ya I just read the following article a few days ago about this;

If you have version 3 of Veeam's backup util then it should work...

If you found my answer(s) helpful please award points.

Thanks!

[dconvery]

I believe it does work with ESXi 4 -> http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-8760

Dave Convery

VMware vExpert 2009

http://www.dailyhypervisor.com

Careful. We don't want to learn from this.

Bill Watterson, "Calvin and Hobbes"

[jllopezg]

Hello everybody,

I am trying to do the backup of a esxi with this script, it is working perfecty, but I need to backup the vm´s with rdp too.

I have tried the ghettoVCBg2.pl without success.

Anybody has the code to add to the script to backup the vm´s ignoring the rdp?

Thanks a lot for yor help!

Regards.

Jose

[AlbertWT]

Hi JLopez,

Do you mean that the script would eventually fail if there is a Remopte Desktop connection into that WIndows VM ?

Kind Regards,

AWT

[jllopezg]

Hi AlbertWT!

noooo!, I mean the script works with a virtual machine without raw device mapping, then I have some virtual machine with raw device mapping, and

I need to do a backup too!. Data of the disk in raw is not a problem but do you have any script to do the backup of this virtual machines?

Thanks a lot!

Jose

[AlbertWT]

try this, hope this helps,

http://blog.vmpros.nl/2009/04/21/vmware-10-steps-to-install-vcb-v15/

Kind Regards,

AWT