Introduction
Instead of installing backup agents in all of our guests and backing up over the LAN, we prefer to use VCB with our chosen backup provider in LAN-free mode.
VMware Consolidated Backup enables the LAN-free operation by providing access to the VMDKs and quiescing guest disk operations to provide a clean backup, but you still need backup software to read the mounted disk and back it up.
This document explains how to set up and use VCB with any backup software, including those that do not have an integration kit provided by VMware.
Intended Audience
VMware Certified Professionals, Storage Management / Sysadmin / Operations / Backup experts.
Outline
Understanding VCB
Installation Sequence
System Configuration
Backing Up VMs
Recoving VMs and Files
Architecture Design Considerations
Troubleshooting
Using VCB in a VM with Hot-Add mode
Performing FullVM Type Backups on Selected VM Disks
Sample Backup Scripts
Reference Documents
Resources
This document on the web @ http://viops.vmware.com/home/docs/DOC-1392
See attached document for content
VMware Consolidated Backup Framework Version 1.5 Release Notes
Author
David Convery, Senior Systems Engineer, vExpert 2009
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Disclaimer
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Rodos says:
Dave, great stuff, a great resource that I am sure many will use with great success.
In 2.1 it says "In SAN mode, the VCB proxy must have access to all of the partitions that contain VMs to be backed up." When you say partitions does this mean LUNs? The term partitions is confusing me and I am not sure that the limitation really is.
Would it be worth making a note about -F export flag and removing white space that windows when it deletes files does not zero them, so your full backups will grow over time. This is often a surprise to people. There are some good blog posts about how to run zeroing programs and someone even wrote a powershell script to automate running it on all of your VMs. I did dig up the references if you want.
One thing I was looking for but could not find was details on how to do a full backup but exclude certain disks. Often you may want to use VCB to do periodic machine (c:) backups but exclude a data drive which may be being backed up by an agent. Often these second drives are large and the effort to transfer them to the holding tank wastes a lot of resources when you don't actually need it. This would be a handy addition. Unless its already there and I could just not find it.
Loved the fact you had a section on recovery.
Again, great work.
Rodos
Rodos says:
in response to: Rodos
Here is a link on how to remotely execute the zeroing, or you could just schedule it within the VM itself.
http://www.yellow-bricks.com/2008/12/12/zero-out-all-vms-from-just-one-script/
Rodos
Rodos says:
in response to: Rodos
Sorry another link with better details.
http://www.yellow-bricks.com/2008/01/04/vmware-consolidated-backup-and-deleted-f iles/
Rodos
Dave Convery, VCDX, VMware vExpert says:
in response to: Rodos
Rodos -
Thanks for actually looking at the doc! Some of the things that you mention, I completely forgot to include (selective disk backup scripts) and some, I knew about but neglected to consider (zero out disk with the -F flag, etc) Thanks for the suggestions. I will revise accordingly.
Dave
Rodos says:
in response to: Dave Convery, VCDX, VMware vExpert
Of course I read it. Thats mi job as de moderator (not sure how to type with an accent).
I also know it would be great content and wanted to review it before I sent it onto to a heap of people. I am just being selfish so I can throw a document at people and say "hey, this smart guy who knows a lot about VCB wrote this doc that tells you everything I think you need to know about it, go read it!"
Rodos
Rodos says:
Dave there are two attachments, is one the previous document which can now be removed?
Rodos
Dave Convery, VCDX, VMware vExpert says:
in response to: Rodos
Yes, the smaller sized is the previous doc. It can be removed.
Rodos says:
Sweet, I removed the original attachment and submitted it for approval.
Rodos
Steve -
I am going to submit a paper for this for VMworld 2009 as well.
Dave