Best method for backing up VMware RDM disk?

[rablack]

Hi,

I am looking for information on what I can expect to be able to acheive in a new enviromment which I am in the process of setting up and also what I may be able to do if we purchase additional BE options.

Currently I have a physcial Windows 2008R2 server with and LTO-5 tape drive and a 1TB local B2D partition. Storage in my environment is provided by a Dell MD3200i iSCSI SAN, which the BE media server has access to via a dedicated storage LAN.

I also have two ESXi VMware 4.1 servers which support amongst other things a Windows 2008 R2 file server. This VM has a physical RDM to a 500GB LUN containing most of our critical data. (It's a physical RDM in case of catastrophic virtual environment failure, so we could mount the LUN on a physical server).

We are licensed for one media server and the AVVI option, but no other options unless they come as standard.

My intention is to backup up the critical data to disc then archive to tape, in an Grandfather-Father-Son rotation. Backups of VMs will be handled separately.

What I want to know is what the best solution for backup up this LUN will be. I've read the Admin guide and several white papers, plus lots of Symantec tech articles. But I'm still quite unclear on this. In my mind I have the following options:

1. Use the Agent for Windows Servers on the VM and backup the Windows volume, possibly using AOFO. I think this will use the production LAN and is the least efficient option.
2. Present the LUN to the BE server as a cluster shared volume and have it backed up directly. I am not sure exactly how I would go about this (or even if it willwork at all), as I am unfamiliar with Windows snapshots and CSVs but this seems like a good option since it won't put any strain on the production LAN.
3. Some other method involving the BE server getting the Dell SAN to do SAN snapshots - we do not have the license for SAN snaphots however a demonstrable gain may mean we can change this.
4. Some other method entirely, as recommended by you experts!

Many thanks,

Richard

[Sush---]

Best method for backing up VMware RDM disk is to install Backup Exec Remote Agent in the guest machine and take a backup of that VM as if its a physical machine by selecting the resources (including the RDM drive) from the under the VM Server name in the selection list.

Thanks,

-Sush...

[Striker_303]

Backup file server( VM with 500 GB RDM), using BE remote agent -just like a normal
physical machine in selection list (non AVVI backup)

Most of the times,(Since this is a file server)- you would need to restore few files and folder only,
Avvi restore would take long time as would require time to stage entire .vmdk, Also RDM is not
supported in AVVI backups.
 

In case of DR you can rebuilt this VM and restore or install new VM and re-direct restore data.

[rablack]

Great, thanks for the very quick answers.

Can I use AVVI to backup the VM excluding the RDM disc? That way I could restore from image and reattach the RDM. There seems to be conflicting information about this.

Also, using this method, how do I perform the backup over a separate LAN? I am thinking that I would need to create a VLAN on my storage network just for BE use and give the VM access to this VLAN, which would allow the BE server and the VM to communicate directly and independantly from the production LAN. Does that sound sensible?

With this type of backup, does the VM guest OS do the snapshotting? I have read some things about ensuring that the VMware VSS provider is uninstalled. However, would I benefit from installing the Dell VSS components? Or would these conflict with BE?

As for restores, as you say most will be restoring single files or folders. If I was to use a vdmk instead of a RDM, would restoring from disk require staging? Or would BE be able to mount it and extract files directly from the B2D folder?

Sorry, I know this is a lot more questions. Many thanks,

Richard

[Striker_303]

I believe, non GRT VM backup with RDM would work.(RDM would not get backed up)

http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO23048


Do not install dell VSS, it might conflict with BE VSS components

"As for restores, as you say most will be restoring single files or folders. If I was to use a vdmk instead of a RDM, would restoring from disk require staging? Or would BE be able to mount it and extract files directly from the B2D folder?"

Yes if backups are on disk, would need staging  in case on tape based backups

You can do SAN based backups for AVVI

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH155831

and use seprate LAN for backup like this:

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH61560

[rablack]

Ok, so if I am understanding this correctly, to fully protect the VM I am using as a file server, my best option would be to make it visible to the BE server via a separate network and run two separate backup jobs. One AVVI job without GRT to backup the VMs boot disk and config files, then a second RAWs job to backup the data drive, setting the network option to use the storage network interface. Should I use the advanced file open settings on the second job? I am still uncertain about the VSS components. Assuming I get the Dell snapshot license, how would this work? Is it possible to set things up to allow for BE to cause the Dell SAN to snap the volume? I am unsure about this because the backup will just be a standard Windows agent backup. Would the the Windows Agent on the VM request a snapshot from the guest OS, which in turn requests one from the SAN? Or this getting into the realms of the SAN Storage Option? Thanks again, Richard

[Striker_303]

Enable AOFO with - use system microsoft VSS provider in your second job

You can install your Dell snapshot provider, as long as it wont affect Microsoft VSS;)

If you are not taking AVVI grt backups, symantec snapshot component are not really needed on that
 server and if you face any conflicts with dell, can also uninstall it as well.