β06-06-2013 08:53 AM
I need some knowledge: I'm using Netbackup 7.5.0.3 on Windows Server 2008 with a master and 2 media servers that are my VMWare backup hosts. I. - Backing up VM's with attached RDM disk: I've read the VMWare and snapshot client documentation but I'm still a little unclear about how to backup RDM (raw device mapped) disk. From what I read, I have 2 options: 1. - Install Netbackup client within the VM and backup the VM as I would a physical server. (not preferred.) 2. - Create an alternate backup client that has same OS and patch rev (or higher) that has access to the RDM to utilize offhost snapshot backups. My questions are: a. - Why can't I backup the RDM disk with a VMWare policy? b. - Can I backup the OS filesystem with a VMWare policy and the RDM disk with an alternate client so I can utilize offhost snapshots? c. Are there any differences if the RDM disk is physical or virtual?
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β06-06-2013 01:52 PM
Why can't I backup the RDM disk with a VMWare policy?
Simply because VMware snapshots don't work. Open vSphere Client GUI and see if you can snapshot the VM. So, this is a VMware limitation - not NBU.
β06-06-2013 02:35 PM
You have to run the NBU client inside the VM.
More information here:
β06-07-2013 12:33 AM
VMware does not support snapshots for RDMs http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=100639...
The only solution is to treat this VM client as a physical one and install a NetBackup client there locally.
β06-06-2013 01:52 PM
Why can't I backup the RDM disk with a VMWare policy?
Simply because VMware snapshots don't work. Open vSphere Client GUI and see if you can snapshot the VM. So, this is a VMware limitation - not NBU.
β06-06-2013 02:35 PM
You have to run the NBU client inside the VM.
More information here:
β06-07-2013 12:33 AM
VMware does not support snapshots for RDMs http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=100639...
The only solution is to treat this VM client as a physical one and install a NetBackup client there locally.
β06-07-2013 09:15 AM
This is what I've decided to do. VSphere is only a passthru for the physical RDM. I'm going to backup the VM with a VMWare policy from the datastore and backup the attached RDM space from within the VM. The manual says to use the alternate client method to backup the RDM space, but I don't see how I can associate that space with the primary client name when it comes time to recover it if I ever had to.
β06-07-2013 09:42 AM
There is an appendix B in the NetBackup for VMWare Guide that talks about different ways to protect the RDM disk.
One of these methods is to install NBU inside the VM and use a MS-Windows or FlashBackup-Windows policy type. The other is to use an alternate client backup.
I have not done the latter so cannot describe to you what that looks like. During a restore, you may have to restore the disk then manually add it back to the virtual machine.