Master Server Virtualization

[MarcosOliveria]

Hello Guys,

I have in my production environment in a Master Server 7.0.1 platform Windows 2008 64bit (physical server). We are considering virtualize it. I would like to know if anyone has virtualized the Master Server?

One question: If the virtual environment must be restored, as will do so if the master islost along with the virtual environment?

Thank you for your attention,
Marcos Oliveira

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Hi Marcos,

You can virtualize your master, it is supported.

Regarding your other question. If the VM environment crashes you'll have to reinstall the ESX hosts before you can recover the master or other VM guests. You can move the master to physical in such a case if you have a server available and you don't want to wait for the reinstallation of the ESX hosts.

Please note that if you plan to use the master to perform backups it can only have disk storage units assigned to it, not tape.

[MarcosOliveria]

Actually I was thinking about the possibility of maintaining a physical machine with the same configuration as virtual. It would be used in case of failure of the virtual environment.
 

Now one more question: "How to keep this physical machine with the same configuration of the virtual one?

Sincerely,
Marcos Oliveira

[jrguzmanr]

is it vmware that you would be using?  without knowing your infrastructure i don't know if these ideas would apply to you, but here they go:

Idea 1:  create a vm with your standard build, make the d: an rdm and install netbackup on d:  use something like livestate to schedule the backup of your c: drive and restore it on the physical box.  if your virtual enviroment goes to the crapper, you just assign the lun to the physical box.

idea 2.  a cleaner one...you could use a replication software (e.g. platespin) that supports virtual to physical replication.

[MCron]

I have installed quite a few virtual Masters at customer sites.  These are pure masters, not media servers as Riaan stated, and it is supported.

I have not seen anyone do as you are asking where they are keeping the physical box around.  I am assuming that you mean in sync from an NBU perspective.  The biggest bit is the catalog and EMM.  If you write your backups to a location where the physical box can get at it, you can use it by doing a catalog restore. The other option is some sort of replication model, as was suggested.

-Mark