Backing up VMWare

What are you guys using to back up VMWare virtual servers?

We're running about 5 virtual servers on VMWare Server (Win 2003 32bit SP2) and whenever backupexec "hits" the vmware host, it shuts down all the virtual machines before copying the files. I'm wondering what the best way to back them up is. I would prefer to backup the whole VMDK file from the host.

Ideally, backing up the host rather than the individual VMs would save us 5 licenses and run a lot faster.

Any thoughts?

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Comments

Mishra

This sounds pretty crazy... I'm not doing a whole lot with VMware at the moment but netbackup and/or ntbackup works well because of shadow copies.

I would definitely back up the VMs themselves as its a much more fail-proof solution than trying to backup the OS's inside the VMs. So don't think about that solution

blargoe

Netbackup has an advanced client that will take hot snapshots of the running VM's. You only have to have one license for the VM host, but it's pretty expensive. I'm getting ready to test it, I have a trial license that I've been sitting on.

jbayne3

With BackupExec, you need to install and enable the Open File Agent. Essentially, VMware virtual machines are files. Are you using the free product (VMWare server) on Windows?

hypnotoad

Yes, the free product. I've been reading and I'm not sure the Advanced File Open Agent will work with the VM Files...is that true?

jbayne3

Where I work, we backup VMs while running 11d on the host machine. It works like a charm

TechJunky

We use CommVault to backup our Servers.

astorrs

jbayne3 wrote:

Where I work, we backup VMs while running 11d on the host machine. It works like a charm

Have you guys done test restores? I would be concerned about backing up any databases (SQL, Exchange, Oracle) this way since you won't be getting a consistent backup of them. Also restores will be more difficult since you won't be able to do any form of granular restores.

What kinds of VMs are we talking about here anyway?

DragonNOA1

vRanger on top of VCB to backup the vmdk files off a SAN that runs ESX 3.5.

astorrs

DragonNOA1 wrote:

vRanger on top of VCB to backup the vmdk files off a SAN that runs ESX 3.5.

Great solution, but it won't benefit the OP.

DragonNOA1

astorrs wrote:

DragonNOA1 wrote:

vRanger on top of VCB to backup the vmdk files off a SAN that runs ESX 3.5.

Great solution, but it won't benefit the OP.

It might lead him in the right direction though. Everyone in this thread is talking about backup solutions for VMWare so my comment isn't out of place.

astorrs

DragonNOA1 wrote:

It might lead him in the right direction though.

Okay well it may be of interest to others. At that point though we might as well bring up the latest SnapManager for VMware from NetApp, the NetBackup Agent for VMware, Veeam Backup, etc

To the OP, you're running VMWare Server not VI3 so neither VCB or ESX Ranger (or the others) apply.