Backing up virtual appliance, vss aware applications on Linux VM?

[mk128935]

Hi, I have a couple of basic questions on backing up Linux VMs with the latest Backup Exec 20.1.

Q1: Are there any restrictions on backing up a virtual appliance deployed from an OVF/OVA? A customer of mine has a  virtual appliance running Linux guest OS. No other applications are allowed to be installed on this virtual appliance so they want to back this virtual appliance using the VMware/Hyper-v agent via VADP. I don't think Backup Exec makes any distinction whether it is backing up a virtual appliance or a regular Linux VM. Is this understanding correct? 

Q2: For Windows VMs, it mentions in the Admin guide (pg 867)  that "Backup Exec performs a single-pass backup to protect all guest virtual machines and the VSS-aware applications that are installed on the guest virtual machines". But does the statement "VSS-aware applications..." apply to Linux VMs? For instance, for Linux VM applications, you have to put the application offline or require some special consideration?

Please excuse my lack of understanding in this area. I appreciate the feedback.

[Ben-Veritas · Accepted solution]

Q1: Correct, Backup Exec does not make a distinction between virtual appliances or regular linux VMs.  BE will still backup the VM, it just won't have any GRT available.

Q2: That depends on the applicaiton on the Linux server.  When BE requests a snapshot of a  Windows VM it interacts with the VMware tools installed on the guest OS to snapshot any VSS Aware application to get a crash consistent backup of the application.  With linux VM's this can be different, VMware tools may not interact with the application to put it into a crash consistent state.  Depending on the application you may need to look into how the vendor of that application handles VM backups.  You can also just run a couple test backups and restores to see how the application comes back online after the restore.