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Basic Vmware ESX4 vsphere backup questions

Ross_Murphy
Level 3
Hello All,

I've been asked by my manager to research how we can better backup our new vSphere (ESX4) environment.

I've read lots of white papers, articles and forum posts from both Veritas and VMware.

Please correct me if I am wrong. As far as I can tell, using Netbackup 6.5.4 and vSphere 4 you still need to use VCB and use a VCB proxy.

I know there are new features for Vmware Data Recovery but as far as I have read this does not change the fundamentals of our setup.

Boss lady is convinced (based on a sale presentation seen a few months back or something) that with 6.5.4 and vSphere 4 will integrate seamlessly and there is no need to use VCB proxy. She says I am just not doing enough research.

So, am I way off here or do we still need a VCB proxy to get proper file level backups of our Virtual Machines?

RM
1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

Peter_Jakobs
Level 5
Partner Accredited Certified
 It's written clearly in the Netbackup 7 beta release notes, you could ask Symantec for that.

Peter

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AlGon
Level 6


So, am I way off here or do we still need a VCB proxy to get proper file level backups of our Virtual Machines?


Not at all.  You could always just install a standard netbackup client on each of your VMs (like you would on a physical machine) and just back them up across the LAN.
In fact a lot of ours are done this way due to problems snapshotting particular VMs (which VCB relies upon to take a backup)

Some of your vm's may have large disks containing a large amount of data, in which case VCB may be better so as to save on network bandwidth and utilize the fabric for faster backups.  You might even have some VMs with RDMs attached, you could again just install the standard client or use the off host alternate client method described in the Netbackup for VMware Administrators Guide 6.5.4.

ftp://exftpp.symantec.com/pub/support/products/NetBackup_Enterprise_Server/318357.pdf

VCB is certainly not the only solution to backup your VMs.
Be careful when choosing a VCB proxy.   Make sure its got plenty of disk space available on the mount point especially if you plan on doing full vm backups.

Make sure you have adequate space available on your VM LUNs to allow for delta file growth during a snapshot ;)

Good luck

 

Peter_Jakobs
Level 5
Partner Accredited Certified
VMware vStorage API's will be supported in netbackup 7, untill then you need a proxy (or install the client in the virtual machine)

Peter

Ross_Murphy
Level 3
Currently we are already installing the client in the VM. We want to off load that.

Peter, you have confirmed what I had previously thought.

Does anyone know of a document, white paper or something that specifically states that VCB must be used with ESX4 aka Vsphere?

The papers I have dug up only state ESX 3.x and higher.

I need to present something in writing from veritas that is in writing.

I have all the configuration guides and best practices pdfs but none state ESX4 or Vsphere.

Please help with a link if you can. I am being driven mad here.

Peter_Jakobs
Level 5
Partner Accredited Certified
 It's written clearly in the Netbackup 7 beta release notes, you could ask Symantec for that.

Peter

Anonymous
Not applicable
Here it is in writing in the technote published recently.

Symantec NetBackup 7.0 Beta Program

You could ask Larry Temple for the published Beta Primer document which outlines this specifically.

That if you use vSphere (ESX4) and NetBackup 7.0 hooks into its Storage API's and you no longer need a VCB proxy server. It accesses the snapshot files direct on the datastore, no copies to staging areas on other storage.