RDM Backup

[arg175]

I have Backup Exec 2010 R2.  I am currently backup my VM's guest that have vmdk's with no problem.  I am doing this over the fibre network as well.  I have some VM's that have RDM's running in virtual mode.  Can I back these up with BE 2010 and can I get them to travel over the fibre network?

Thanks

[ZeRoC00L]

Yes you can with the BE Vmware Agent.

See the attached PDF

5. Are Guest virtual machines with “Raw Device Mapped (RDM)” disks supported?

Answer-

There are two types of RDM disks.

Physical compatibility mode (i.e. persistent-independent) bypasses the ESX storage

infrastructure (vmfs file system) and thus cannot have a snapshot taken by vStorage

API’s for Data Protection. Physical compatibility mode RDM disks in this configuration are

skipped automatically during the backup and logged by Backup Exec as unprotected. For

Physical compatibility mode RDM disks, Backup Exec Remote Agents can be installed in the

Guest virtual machine to backup their data using traditional backup methods.

Virtual compatibility mode RDM disks can be backed up but cannot be directly restored by

Backup Exec to an ESX server or existing Guest virtual machine. Virtual compatibility mode

RDM disks are included in the backup of the selected virtual machine automatically and will

include ALL data located on the mapped LUN.

Neither physical nor virtual compatibility mode disks can be used with the Incremental or

Differential backup capabilities. A Guest virtual machine configured with RDM disks will result in

the entire virtual machine being unable to use Incremental or Differential backup settings.

To protect Virtual compatibility-mode or Physical independent-mode RDM disks, Symantec

recommends that you install a Backup Exec Agent for Windows Systems or Agent for Linux

[arg175]

So how can I back them up over the Fibre network?  Do i have to present the RDM to by BE server just like the vmdk's?

[ZeRoC00L]

Yes, I assume, but make sure automount is disabled on your BE media server !

[arg175]

RDM disks can be backed up but cannot be directly restored by Backup Exec to an ESX server or existing Guest virtual machine

Can you tell me what this statment means exactly?  So I can back it up but how do I restore it?

[ZeRoC00L]

You will have to install the Backup Exec agent onto the virtual machine. With GRT technology you will be able to restore the files.

BUT it is wise to test some backups/restore, to make sure BE meets your expectations !!

Please also note the recommondattion of Symantec:

To protect Virtual compatibility-mode or Physical independent-mode RDM disks, Symantec recommends that you install a Backup Exec Agent for Windows Systems or Agent for Linux inside of the Guest virtual machine and protect them as if they were physical systems.