Vmware ending availability for VCB?

[kaputnik]

Read an article today that VMware has announced the end of availability for VMware consolidated backup.  If i currently use Backupexec with the AVVI (agent for vmware virtual infrastructure) what will that mean for me?  Will future versions of Backupexec include support for VMware's new VADP?

From VMware:
Dear Valued Customer,

The purpose of this letter is to inform you of our vSphere backup product strategy, ongoing enhancements, and end of availability plans for VMware Consolidated Backup.

VMware Backup Product Strategy
VMware released vStorage APIs for Data Protection (VADP) with the vSphere 4.0 release in May, 2009. VADP is the next generation of VMware’s backup framework. We have also been working with several backup partners to integrate VADP into their solutions to make backup of vSphere Virtual Machines fast, efficient and easy to deploy compared to VCB and other backup solutions. Several of our major backup partners have already released VADP integrated backup products and we expect most of the major backup partners to have VADP integrated backup software by the upcoming feature release of the vSphere platform in 2010.

Future Product Licensing
Given the strong interest and adoption of VADP by our backup eco-system and the benefits offered by VADP compared to VMware Consolidated Backup (VCB), we are announcing the End of Availability for VCB starting with next vSphere feature release in 2010. Starting with the next vSphere platform feature release, VCB will be removed from vSphere platform. VADP integrated backup products (including VMware Data Recovery) will be the recommended option for efficient backup and restoration of vSphere Virtual Machines. This will allow us to focus new value added feature development on VADP instead of two backup frameworks (VCB and VADP). You can find more information about the use of vStorage APIs for Data Protection in our Developer Community. For information on the availability of VADP integrated release of your backup product please contact your backup vendor.

End of Availability
With the release of the next vSphere platform, we will continue to provide the binaries for VCB, but they will not be compatible with the next platform release. We will continue to provide support for VCB on the current vSphere platform per the VMware support policy.

If you need assistance in the migration from VMware Consolidated Backup to the vStorage APIs for Data Protection, please contact your local reseller or storage backup vendor.

Best regards,
VMware Product Management

[Ben_L_ · Accepted solution]

Backup Exec 2010 no longer uses VCB, so it will not effect backups or restores.  If you are using BE 12.x you should already have VCB installed so you should not see any problems here either.

[kaputnik]

thanks for the reply.

[Vikash_Gupta]

Does any one know if the current version of NetBackup 6.5.x or 7.0 support VADP?
if not what is plan from symantec to handle VMware backup.

[Brian_Smith1]

NetBackup 7, which is now available, supports both approaches: vStorage APIs for Data Protection (VADP) and the former VMware Consolidated Backup (VCB).

You don't actually need "vSphere 4" to leverage vStorage.  The minimum SW revisions are:
If you are using vCenter 2.5 or later, then vStorage can protect ESX servers 3.0.2 or later
If not, you need ESX servers 3.5 or later to leverage vStorage.

If neither of those apply, then VCB can still be used.

NetBackup 7 also supports mixed VCB & vStorage deployments.  This approach recognizes that VMware users do not likely upgrade all ESX servers at once.

For more information:
- Attend a NetBackup for VMware webcast at http://www.netbackupdemo.com
- See the latest user guide: http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/340112.htm

Hope this helps!
Brian Smith
NetBackup Product Manager
 

[ClayCHD]

I'm using 12.5 SP2 with AVVI.  I have a server running ESX 4.0 U1 (VSphere Std) with the latest patch. I can't get VCB to work in BE.  Can I disable pre-post scripts for VCB and just run my jobs using AVVI?  Does this use the new API's?  If I don't need to use VCB, I'd rather not start with something that is already obsolete.

[Ben_L_]

BE 12.5 requires the use of VCB for backups to use.  If you don't want to have to use VCB anymore you will need to upgrade to BE 2010