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BackupExec / VMware / DeDup / Synthetic

Mikkel_Andrea1
Level 2

Hi,

I've been reading the admin guide and various forums, but am quite confused as to the best way to utilize BackupExec, VMware, DeDup and Synthetic backups.

 

I'm NOT interested in doing backups that require agents (as I may not have control at the OS level)
I'm NOT interested in doing full backups on a weekly basis (to avoid network/SAN traffic)

What I am interested in is as (roughly) as follows

  • Backups done through vCenter
  • One time full backup to DeDup folder
  • Forever incremental backups to DeDup folder
  • Weekly synthetic full backups for to secondary DeDup folder

Reasoning

  • I may or may not have control at OS level, and will not have the ability to install RAWS/RALUS
  • BackUp to DeDup as I have limited availabe backup space
  • Forever Incremental to save space
  • Weekly Synthetic to be able to move weekly backups off site (or tape)

Presently I'm unable to select Synthetic backup when when the vCenter is selected as source. Synthetic is only availabe when I select a single computer as protected through vCenter backup

Please advice on the best strategy.

Sincerely

Mikkel

7 REPLIES 7

lmosla
Level 6

Hello 

What version of Backup Exec are you using? Have you purchased the Deduplication Option? 

teiva-boy
Level 6
You cant do synthetic backups of vmware files, only filesystem data. You cant do an incremental forever with backup exec and vmware files, nor does any vendor in the world. Reset your expectations to what is best practice.

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified

You cannot do synthetic backups with a dedup folder and you cannot do synthetic backup with a VM backup.

Colin_Weaver
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited Certified

To add to pkh and teviva-boy's valid comments

Whilst you can do VMware (AVVI) backup that allows the capability to restore indivdiual files (known as GRT) without a remote agent installed, you cannot do a GRT restore back to the original server without a remote agent  installed. Option are:

1) Redirect to another location and then manually move the files back to the original servers

2) Install the remote agent inside your VMs (and make sure the media server has nework access to those VMs

 

For info VMware (AVVI) backups use the VMware snapshot process (via vStorage API)  to in effect backup the VMDK files. Whilst this process does support Incrememantal backups of the VMDK files at a block level, because Synthetic backups are actually a function of remote agent file system backups, then they are not compatible with the vStorage process.

 

 

Mikkel_Andrea1
Level 2

Hi,

I appreciate all the comments, but am left somewhat disappointed.

I'm fully aware of filelevel backups without the RAWS installed on the guest machines - and do use it.

Not being able to do synthetic backups of virtual machines is - in my book - a rather large short coming. Having used Veeam for a number of years, that is one thing I really use a lot.

I guess I'll go back to the end user and tell them to rethink their backup strategy.

/Mikkel

Colin_Weaver
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited Certified

I take it you are aware that an Incremental VMware backup does result in only needing 1 job to restore the whole VM in a DR scenario as BE then selects all the media behind the scenes to assemble all the separet incremental and full backup sets.

Also the Dedup option means an overall storage saving, as such the Synthetic option does not really give much visible differences to an end user apart from the ability to always end up with a full backup on tape even though you initially ran incremental backups. 

Mikkel_Andrea1
Level 2

Hi,

I do realise that, and it's a requirement to do off site tape storage that this particular client needs. Hence the need to do syntehtic backups.

/Mikkel