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Posts Tagged ‘backup’

The VMGuy has the scoop on all the VMware releases tonight! VMware has also made available an updated version of the GUI based virtual machine (VM) backup and restore plugin for vCenter 4, VMware Data Recovery 1.1 (VDR). Download it here and check the check the Release Notes here.

VMware is saying VDR has improved performance and progress information during intgregity checks, enhanced CIFS support, and that the previous experimental support status for File Level Restores of Windows VMs has been elevated to full support.

Although I could find no mention of it on the VDR web page, the data sheet, or in the new Release Notes, VDR was originally targeted for virtual infrastructure that hosted up to 100 VMs. I’m not sure if this VMware support limitation is still in effect or not.

Still, combined with the already built in de-duplication of VDR VM backups, SMBs have a great VCB alternative that continues to improve.

One of the Solutions Exchange theater presentations I sat through was at the PHD Technologies booth. I watched a presentation on their latest product release, esXpress 3.6. Backing up virtual machines (VMs) is a constant and important concern of virtualization administrators, and esXpress offers a unique, award winning alternative. Up to 16 simultaneous live backups or restores per ESX host is possible without impacting ESX Service Console resources and without configuration of additional VCB (VMware Consolidated Backup) infrastructure.

The secret to esXpress is the use of VBAs (Virtual Backup Appliances). A VBA is a prebuilt software solution running on it’s own Linux OS that runs as a VM along with the production VMs on each ESX 3.x /4.x host. There are no agents to install in the VMs being backed up, nor any dependency on APIs. A single Configuration Virtual Appliance must run somewhere in the environment to provide a esXpress management console that enforces global configuration settings across all the backup VBAs. A fourth VM appliance can also be added to the solution to serve as a deduplicated, backup destination target VM. Other possible backup destinations are SMB, SSH, FTP, and VMFS repositories.

Some other quick highlites of esXpress 3.6: Read the rest of this entry »

Looking for some good information about backing up VMware virtual machines (VMs)? Researching or planning for VMware Consolidated Backup (VCB) or third party solutions like PHDVirtual esXpress that enhance the VCB functionality? PCPRO Magazine has combined an article I wrote last October with a related work from author/blogger/VMTN Guru Eric Siebert into a free E-guide titled What You Need to Know about Virtual Machine Backup that is worth the download. After a quick registration with Bitpipe.com, (Bitpipe and SearchDataBackup.com are both TechTarget.com sites) you’ll have access to a 9 page PDF that is an easy read full of useful, real world VM backup implementation advice.

If you did not know already, Bitpipe provides access to great virtualization industry articles and whitepapers on as well as many other technologies. I subscribe and get an email notification from Bitpipe full of great research links daily.

Here is more about the E-Guide from the download page: Read the rest of this entry »

New in the latest version of ESX 3.5 is an experimental Service Console script called the VMDK Recovery Tool. Since it’s Console based, it’s not available in ESXi. The Update 3 Release Notes say the following about it:

Experimental Support for the VMDK Recovery Tool — This release adds support for the VMDK Recovery tool, a script intended to help customers to recover VMFS/vmdk data stores from accidental deletion of VMFS/vmdk data store or physical disk corruption. For more information, see VMDK Recovery Tool (ESX 3.5 Update 3) ( KB 1007243).

KB 1007243 explains the script function as follows:

Use the VMDK Recovery Tool to:

Create a “block list” of your VMDK files. The block list file is a plain text file that keeps a record of all VMDKs of the virtual machines.

Recover VMDK files if they become deleted, or if the VMFS datastore gets deleted or corrupted.

Undelete VMDKs? Recover corrupted or deleted VMFS data stores? Reading KB 1007243 a little further reveals you can back up and restore VMs too – either specify which one you want to back up or pick all the registered VMs on the host. The script asks you to specify the directory path to use for saving backups and the destination path for restoring from backups.

Sounds to me like this script could become a “super VCB” without the extra server requirements? It seems much simpler anyways. It will be interesting to see how this script is developed and exactly how much disk space the block list and backup files consume.

I wrote a tip for TechTarget.com’s new SearchDataBackup site. Five things backup administrators should know about VMware Consolidated Backup (VCB) walks through some high level planning details for backup administrators considering new options for data and server protection for systems running on virtual infrastructure. The tip talks about why VCB is not the entire backup solution, provides VCB storage and server requirements, discusses the VCB Holding Tank’s role, explains why you still need third party backup agents, and provides and overview for the process of restoring virtual machines and files with VCB.

Check out the whole tip at the link above, and while you are there sign up with SearchDataBackup for great information about data protection and disaster recovery options for both physical and virtual servers.

vmware, vcb, techtarget, searchdatabackup, dr, backup

The subject of backing up ESX hosts for disaster recovery comes up from time to time, but not nearly as often as backing up the virtual machines. To be specific, I am talking about backing up the ESX Service Console. Honesty, to reinstall ESX takes such little time there is really no need to keep a full system backup for recovery. There is an advantage to saving key configuration files and folders to quickly re-apply after a re- installation, however. This can be done without installing a backup agent on the ESX Service Console.

This post provides information on what ESX Service Console files and directories to backup, how to use the tar command to create a backup file, and then how to restore from the backup file after a new installation. The material comes from one of the VMware Authorized Consultant (VAC) toolkit documents that I often use for customer documentation deliverables. To give credit where credit is due, the author of the document is listed as “VMware PSO – Practice Development”.

The rest of this post is copied from the VAC toolkit document except for a few format changes. Read the rest of this entry »

I had to miss my 9:30 am scheduled session because I was delayed finishing up the General Session post. Luckily VMworld has different sessions on the top and bottom of each hour this year. I think the staggered availability of sessions is a great idea, and it was perfect for my scenario this morning. I am actually more interested in VMware’s Linux strategy anyways. My power is low on my notebook, so this may start as a live blog but my battery might not make it.

Once again the legal disclaimer about forward technologies, but the presenter tells us he can’t give dates … hmmm.

VMware’s Linux strategy is focused along 2 vectors:

• Ensure it is the best platform for linux workloads
• Ensure customers have a wide variety of platform choices to deploy VMware

Here’s the Linux Initiatives at VMware Read the rest of this entry »