NetBackup for vmware for a linux client with NFS mount points

[DPO]

Our environment is running with NB 7.6. I have a linux VM with NFS mount points locally mounted. If I configure VMware backup for it, will it backup those mount points also right ?

[Marianne]

No. VMware will not backup NFS mount points. 

You have 2 choices:

1. Backup the actual source directly from the source.

2. Install NBU client on the VM, configure Standard policy with 'Follow NFS' option.

[DPO]

But this has mount points which are in TB size with millions of files. I can't configure file system backup. I will have to try one of the snapshot methods.

[sdo]

What is the NFS server which has the exports containing millions of files?  Model and version?

If it's NetApp, or any other supported NDMP platform, then you may ("may") be able to backup directly from the NAS itself, if you have the required licenses and the full compabaility check indicates that the hardware models and software versions are all supported by NetBackup.   Tell us more about the NAS, and we might be able to help point you in the right direction.

[Marianne · Accepted solution]

VMware snapshot backups will not work.

In the VMware tab of the backup policy you will see the following choices for Virtual disk selection : 

(extract from NBU for VMware guide):

■ Include all disks
Backs up all virtual disks that are configured for the virtual machine.  (Note "virtual disks" - this does not include NFS)
■ Exclude boot disk
The virtual machine's boot disk (for example the C drive) is not included in the backup. Any
other disks (such as D) are backed up. Consider this option if you have another means of
recreating the boot disk, such as a virtual machine template for boot drives.
See “About the Exclude disk options for Virtual disk selection” on page 67.
Note: A virtual machine that is restored from this backup cannot start up. Data files are
available in the restored data disks.
■ Exclude data disks
The virtual machine's data disks (for example the D drive) are not included in the backup for
this policy. Only the boot disk is backed up. Consider this option only if you have a different
policy that backs up the data disks.

What exactly is the source?

Have you tried backing up from the source?