Backup query (VM v data)

[BJG]

We're currently overhauling our backup arrangements with a view to putting in a Veaam/cloud-based system and I was wondering about a basic question. Say you have a virtual file server with a C:\ system drive and a large D:\ data drive, would you take a full VM backup including both of these drives as well as a separate data backup for the folders on D:\...? Or do you just backup the data and have a VM backup that includes the system drive but wouldn't include the data drive...? (I'm thinking in terms of managing cloud backup storage costs, but maybe it's a non-issue.) Edited May 30, 2023 by BJG

[Steve21]

Just backup the entire VM (which would include all disks), then would be file level recovery as needed

 

Steve

[BJG]

Do you mean you'd have the full VM backup with both drives, and a separate data backup for the D:\ drive...? (Or would Veeam work in such a way that you could pull individual files out of the full VM backup...?)

[Steve21]

Just the one one backup that covers everything - You can then do single-file restore level via that image with Veeam

 

So no need to restore the whole disk unless you wanted to

 

Steve

[Davit2005]

With Veeam (and possibly other software) you can do single file restore from the backup file or restore the whole VM. Download the trial and give it a go.

[Katy]

+1, I'd do a single backup of the entire file server VM (all disks), you can then restore either the entire VM, all config and disks, or just an individual virtual disk or even just individual files and folders from Veeam with that one backup. Covers you for "oops I deleted a file" to something taking the entire VM down from the one backup. Obviously make sure there are multiple copies of the backup, air gapped etc.

[BJG]

Great, thanks.

[TwistedHelixis]

Windows backup which is free even does entire VM backup, that also lets you extract individual files if needed.

 

No need to do individual drive backups in any backup app.

[MartinT]

+2, we backup the full VM in all cases but one: the CCTV server. In that case, we backup the OS drive but not the data drive full of reams of video footage. That's just too much and we can stand the loss of the footage. It'll just build up again.

 

For our 365 data, we use Barracuda cloud-to-cloud backup.