Backing up machines on Backup Exec 2012 from VM's on ESX5.5.0 update 1

[GlennAsquith]

All

We have a HP server running ESX5.5.0 update 1. It currently hosts 6 vm's, all windows based.

We want to backup these 6 machines to our D2D device, then to tape.

Without creating an individual job for each of these vm's, is there a way that Backup Exec 2012 can simply access the datastore, and through one job, archive these 6 vm's? I know that it isnt a huge task to create 6 jobs, however as this number grows, it would obviously be better to have one job backing up the entire contents of the datastore.

Being a relatively new user to BE any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Glenn

[pkh · Accepted solution]

If you have the Agent for VMware, then you can just add the VM host to the BE console and then select the entire host for backup.  This will backup all the VM's on this host and you can restore individual items from each VM from this backup.  You will need one Agent for VMware for each host.

If you do not have the Agnet for VMware, then you can only back the VM's up as if they are physical machines, i.e. one job per machine.

BTW, ESX 5.5 Update 1 is not supported.  See the SCL below

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH175581&actp=search&viewlocale=en_US&searchid=1328840673344

[VJware]

Consider an upgrade to the latest version i.e. BE 2014 which supports ESX 5.5 U1