Proper backup of a running Virtualbox?

[Jupiterian]

Hi there, I have an issue with backup a running virtualbox image.

- Backup Exec 12.5 running in a WinXP Pro machines, it backs up all the other Win32 Servers, Solaris Servers across the network alright.

However I do have one issue with 1 server running in a virtualbox (Sun's virtualbox). The configuration of the machine is as follow:
Host OS of the machine: Windows server 2003
Guest machine running under Virtualbox 3.1.4: Windows Adv Server 2000

When I tried a full backup of the full Host OS and machine (Windows server 2003) with BackupExec 12.5 (hope that it will also back up the virtual image running the Windows Adv Server 2000), the backup routine backed up ok (complete) but the Windows Adv Server 2000 in the Virtualbox will be affected and halt. I need to restart the guest machine in the virtualbox everytime after a backup.

My question: What would be the correct way to include a running virtualbox image in a routine backup?

[pkh]

Buy a remote server licence and install a remote agent in the virtual machine to back it up.  When you backup the host machine exclude the data file for the virtual machine.

[Jupiterian]

pkh, thanks for your reply.

The host machine Windows Server 2003 (that runs the virtualbox and in it a guest Windows 2000 Adv Server) is already installed with a remote server with a proper license.

So when you said "When you backup the host machine exclude the data file for the virtual machine." do you mean do not backup anything that belongs to the guest Windows 2000 Adv Server (run in the virtualbox)? But what I intended to do is to backup all those virtual machine dta files up as well. Is there no other solutions?

[pkh]

what I intended to do is to backup all those virtual machine dta files up as well

Isn't this that caused your problem in the first place, i.e., caused your virtual machine to stop?


What I am suggesting is that you back up the virtual machine as if it is a real machine, hence the need to have another remote licence to install a remote agent in it.

[Jupiterian]

Oh.. hehe... I see what you mean. Thanks.

However I have the requirement to actually back up the Windows 2003 server (the virtualbox host machine) as well. Sorry did state my intention clearly at first place. So hence I was hope just to backup the host would then also backup the guest machine as well (the status of my guest machine doesn't change much).

[pkh]

Since your virtual machine does not change much, just back it up once in a while.  For the rest of the time, skip backing up its data file and so it can stay up.