Back up a VMware ESX Server 3.x Virtual Machine's Disk Image using Consolidated Backup and the Windows File System iDataAgent

Overview

Before You Begin

Configure the Environment

Create the PreScan and PostBackup Batch Files

Windows File System iDataAgent Backup of a Virtual Machine - Full Image Backup

Overview

The illustration below shows an example of how the ESX Server, Virtual Machine(s), and VCB Proxy Server are configured when using the Windows File System iDataAgent to back up the full disk image for a VMware Virtual Machine running any operating system:

Before You Begin

• You must already be familiar with the information in Back up a VMware ESX Server 3.x Virtual Machine before beginning the procedures below.

• You must already be familiar with VMware ESX Server software.
• These procedures are based on a stand-alone VMware ESX Server version 3.x or later.
• When entering data in the CommCell Console screens (e.g., when configuring a subclient) all paths which contain a space must be in quotes, as shown in the examples.
• The following conventions are used in all of the examples; for each example, substitute the correct names for your environment instead of using these:
  • ESX server = esxserver.mydomain.com
  • VCB Proxy Server = proxy.mydomain.com
  • Virtual Machine = vmsys1.mydomain.com

Configure the Environment

ESX Server

• For backups performed from the VCB Proxy Server, the ESX Server installation must support a SAN and the Consolidated Backup software features. Contact VMware for proper installation and licensing requirements. No other software or modifications are necessary on the Service Console in order to run Consolidated Backup.

Virtual Machines

• All Virtual Machines to be backed up from a VCB Proxy Server must reside in a SAN. The SAN disks must be accessible by any VCB Proxy Servers to be used.
• Full image backup (supported for all Virtual Machine guest operating systems) does not require any additional software installation on the Virtual Machine.

VCB Proxy Server

• Windows 2003 Server with Service Pack 1 must be installed.
• Must have access to the SAN disks where the Virtual Machines reside.
• Consolidated Backup software must be obtained from VMware and installed on each VCB Proxy Server to be used.
• Once the Consolidated Backup software is installed, the following changes/additions must be made on each VCB Proxy Server:
  • Create the directory C:\mnt if it does not already exist.
  • The default installation directory for Consolidated Backup is:

    C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Consolidated Backup Framework

    which has two subdirectories:

    • ..\config
    • ..\generic
  • In the ..\config subdirectory, modify the config.js file as follows:
    • Set the HOST variable to the FQDN of the ESX Server where the virtual machines reside; if you have a VirtualCenter, use the FQDN of the VirtualCenter instead. Examples:

      HOST="esxserver.mydomain.com";

      HOST="virtualcenter.mydomain.com";

    • Set the USERNAME/PASSWORD variables for the ESX Server where the virtual machines reside. Example:

      USERNAME="root";

      PASSWORD="password";

  • In the ..\generic subdirectory, one or more batch files will need to be created. Do not modify any existing files in this directory. These batch files will be used by the Window File System iDataAgent.

Create the PreScan and PostBackup Batch Files

For a Full Image backup of a Virtual Machine from the VCB Proxy Server, only one batch files is required; the PreScan batch file. You may optionally choose to create a PostBackup batch file as well, if that would be helpful in your environment.

PreScan Batch File – Full Image Backup

For Full Image backups of Virtual Machines with any guest operating system, create the file prescan.bat in the ..\generic subdirectory referenced above. This batch file will need the following contents:

cd <location of Consolidated Backup installation>\generic

cscript pre-command.wsf <location of Consolidated Backup installation <FQDN of VM to backup> [<backup type>]

where <backup type> is either fullvm or file. Default is file.

Example for Full Image backup:

cd "C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Consolidated Backup Framework\generic"

cscript pre-command.wsf "C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Consolidated Backup Framework" "vmsys1.mydomain.com" fullvm

The cscript pre-command.wsf accesses part of the installed Consolidated Backup package and performs the following when prescan.bat is executed:

• The save point (as opposed to a mount point for file backups) will be created as follows:

  C:\mnt\<VM name>-fullVM\

  In this example the directory will be:

  C:\mnt\vmsys1.mydomain.com-fullVM\

• Initially, a snapshot of the Virtual Machine is created. This allows the Virtual Machine image to be quiesced. No files are remote mounted.
• The VMware vcbMounter utility is invoked. By default, a Full Image backup of the actual Virtual Machine, broken up into 2GB files, will be placed under the C:\mnt\vmsys1.mydomain.com-fullVM\ directory, with a limited number of files needed to run vcbRestore successfully. (The vcbRestore utility is used to restore Full Image backups created by vcbMounter.) Since these Full Image backups are created directly on the VCB Proxy Server, care must be taken to insure that it has adequate disk space.

  NOTE
  Creating the Full Image backup on the VCB Proxy Server can be time intensive, depending upon the size of the Virtual Machine.

• Once the Full Image backup is created on the VCB Proxy Server by vcbMounter, any transactions in the snapshot file are merged back into the Virtual Machine, and the snapshot file is deleted.

Post Backup Batch File – Full Image Backup

Unlike the file backup, a Full Image backup does not require any additional actions to be taken once vcbMounter completes a backup of the Virtual Machine. However, you may choose to use a Post Backup script to delete the Full Image backup files from the VCB Proxy Server after the backup has completed, or for some other purpose which meets the needs of your environment.

Windows File System iDataAgent Backup of a Virtual Machine - Full Image Backup

To perform a Full Image backup of a Virtual Machine with any guest operating system, perform these steps:

1. Install the Windows File System iDataAgent on the designated VCB Proxy Server running the Consolidated Backup software. For instructions, see Deployment - Windows File System iDataAgent. It is not necessary to install software on the Virtual Machine.
2. Create the PreScan and optional PostBackup batch files if you have not already done so. See Create the PreScan and PostBackup Batch Files.
3. Create a subclient for the Windows File System iDataAgent on the VCB Proxy Server. See Create a New Subclient for instructions and use the following information:

   General Tab:

   • Enter a subclient name

   Content Tab:

   • Content: C:\mnt\vmsys1.mydomain.com-fullVM\

   Pre/Post Process Tab:

   • PreScan: "C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Consolidated Backup Framework\generic\prescan.bat"
   • PostBackup: Not required, but can be utilized as a means to remove the C:\mnt\vmsys1.mydomain.com-fullVM\ directory and its contents after backup completes.
   • Select Run Post Backup process for all attempts.

   Storage Device Tab:

   • Select the appropriate Storage Policy.

The following occurs when a backup is performed using the Windows File System subclient you created.

1. The PreScan batch file, prescan.bat, will execute on the VCB Proxy Server, proxy.mydomain.com, invoking the VMware vcbMounter utility, which creates a snapshot of the Virtual Machine, and exports the Virtual Machine disk images to the C:\mnt\vmsys1.mydomain.com-fullVM\ directory on proxy.mydomain.com, along with a limited number of configuration files. (These configuration files are needed by the vcbRestore utility, which is used to restore Full Image backups created by vcbMounter.)
2. Once vcbMounter has completed exporting the Full Image backup files to the VCB Proxy Server, the contents of the snapshot file are merged back into the Virtual Machine, and the snapshot file is deleted.
3. The Windows File System iDataAgent backup of the C:\mnt\vmsys1.mydomain.com-fullVM\ directory runs on the VCB Proxy Server, proxy.mydomian.com.
4. After the backup completes, the C:\mnt\vmsys1.mydomain.com-fullVM\ directory and its contents will remain unless removed manually or via a PostBackup script. A PostBackup script is not required, but if one has been specified, it is executed.

NOTES

• The Virtual Machine continues to function normally during this process.
• Exporting the disk image from the Virtual Machine and creating the Full Image backup file(s) on the VCB Proxy Server can be very time consuming, particularly for large VMFS disk images.
• The VCB Proxy Server (proxy.mydomain.com) must have enough disk space to hold the Full Image backup file(s) and supporting configuration files.
• The Full Image backup is created on the VCB Proxy Server in files that are a maximum of 2GB in size; thus a 6GB VMFS disk image would result in having three files on the VCB Proxy Server that are 2GB each, along with any supporting files.