Backing up to tape from ESXi 5.5

[mistersparky]

Hello everyone, I have the following server:

• HP DL360p G8
  
• Latest BIOS and drivers
  
• ESXi 5.5 U1, HP custom image, latest update patches. Running in stand-alone mode (no vCentre Server).
  
• Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard, latest updates.
  
• 53c1030 PCI-X Fusion=MPT Dual Ultra320 SCSI card
  
• HP Ultrium 2 SCSI tape drive
  
• Backup Exec 2010 R3
  

I am trying to use all of the above to run backup file shares and Exchange MBs from another server. To even get an active path on the SCSI adapter to the tape drive I had to run the commands form this thread: https://communities.vmware.com/message/2307054. With the tape drive installed I am now getting pretty terrible results trying to backup to tape. Every once in a while a job will finish, but most commonly they will either fail (with the file share backups often failing during the verify phase), or simply time-out, with the tape drive itself appearing to go offline. Once in this state, a host restart is required to release whatever lock is in place on the tape drive.

 

I have tried different drivers (HP and Symantec), different SCSI BIOS settings, trying to match SCSI IDs to VMware device IDs (there are a few links that suggest this as a solution) and also running the SCSI card in bypass mode on the ESX host (the VM wouldn’t even boot with this configured). None of these things seem to make much of a difference to the success rate of backup jobs.Any ideas as to what could be causing this? I’d be very grateful for any suggestions!

[DMcCoy]

Tape drives aren't a supported configuration for ESXi, I think you have discovered why. I doubt very much you will be able to improve the situation. An iscsi library *may* be an option but not one I have investigated recently

[_techie_]

Buy VEEAM V7. You can backup to disk, then tape. Works seamlessly.

[glennda]

Buy VEEAM V7. You can backup to disk, then tape. Works seamlessly.

 

Would also required the payed for version of ESXI.

 

A work around would be pass the scsi port straight through to a VM machine and run your backups from there.

 

Personally though paid for vmware and veeam.

 

Toby

[afggy]

mistersparky, you can check how Veeam B&R copes with your setup for free and verify whether it suits your needs, prior to buying it. Full trial version is available for 1 month, however even free version is capable of offloading backups to tape.