excludeVMservers on Linux

[Peter_Jakobs]

Now that we can use Linux to do Vmware backups, does anybody know how to use the excludeVMservers registry entry for Windows on a Linux media server?

Thanks

Peter

[Marianne]

Why not use the GUI to config automatic selection?

See this topic in NBU for VMware Admin Guide:

Configuring automatic virtual machine selection
 

NetBackup can automatically select VMware virtual machines for backup based

on the criteria that you enter. You specify the criteria (rules) in the Query Builder

on the NetBackup policy Clients tab. You can set up rules to include certain virtual

machines for backup, or to exclude virtual machines.

[Peter_Jakobs]

Thanks for responding,

I'm using the GUI to configure automatic selection, but this is later in the process.

Having 4 different media servers for 4 different virtual centers, the excludeVMservers setting reduces dramatically the discover time a media server needs before making an (automatic) selection.

It is possible on a Windows media server, and I would like to do it on  Linux media server as well.

[VerJD · Accepted solution]

Please reference the "newer" Symantec NetBackup™ for VMware Administrator's Guide - Release 7.5.0.x, http://www.symantec.com/docs/DOC5605 (page 67).

To limit the VMware servers that NetBackup discovers, per Linux backup host

1. On the Linux backup host, create (or open) the following file:

/usr/openv/netbackup/virtualization.conf

2. Add the following to the file:

[BACKUP]
"excludeVMservers"="server1,server2,server3"

where server1,server2,server3 is a comma-delimited list of the VMware servers that are NOT to be queried when NetBackup browses the network. Do not enter spaces. You can enter vCenter servers and individual ESX servers.

Note: If the file already contains a [BACKUP] line, do not add another [BACKUP] line. Any other lines that already exist under [BACKUP] should remain as they are.

3. Save the file.

Note: The exclude list is used on the next backup. If any bpfis processes are running, the exclude list has no effect on them.
The exclude list applies only to this backup host. The servers are not queried when NetBackup browses for virtual machines to list on the policy's Browse for Virtual Machines dialog of the NetBackup Administration Console.

As an alternative, NetBackup can automatically select virtual machines based on
a range of criteria.

See "About automatic virtual machine selection for NetBackup for VMware"
on page 72.