Backup In A Virtualised Environment

[farquea]

I am looking to virtualise most of our hardware and keep a few standalone servers.

I just would like some suggestions of what is best practice when backing up virtual servers as we currently use Backup Exec 11d and to be honest i'm sick of it, so would like something simple, effective and affordable.

 

I plan to have a backup server standalone which has a tape drive and external storage attached to it. I think i will be going with VMWare if that effects any choices.

 

If someone can sugget something that would be great.

[sparkeh]

Have a look at Acronis Back up Virtual Edition.

I have been using the standard version to back up VMs and its been great so far, the Virtual Edition has the benefit of being agentless (among other benefits for a virtual environment).

 

edit: I chose the standard version as it comes with 4 agents for VMs on the host, was cheaper and I didn't need the extra features.

[Guest Guest]

Have a look at Acronis Back up Virtual Edition.

I have been using the standard version to back up VMs and its been great so far, the Virtual Edition has the benefit of being agentless (among other benefits for a virtual environment).

 

edit: I chose the standard version as it comes with 4 agents for VMs on the host, was cheaper and I didn't need the extra features.

 

Nice, I think Ill have a look at that.

 

 

 

We currently just use a script to snapshot the VM, copy the snapshot to the backup server and then delete the snapshot from the VM host. From there you can drop it onto tape/remote backup in whatever fastion you please.

[FN-GM]

You can get plugins for backup exec that will take an image of the virtual machine. That combined with the remote age I think is a good way to backup.

[dhicks]

I am looking to virtualise most of our hardware and keep a few standalone servers.

 

I'd go with j17sparky's method - snapshot the VM's drive, copy the data out of the snapshot, un-snapshot again. Ideally you'd have the VM shut down at the point where you create the snapshot so if you need to restore the VM it's in a consistant state.

[strawberry]

i use dpm to backup my hyper v virtual machines.