Backup job with Unix and Windows (Options)

[robc.yk]

Good Day Folks,

As we continue to fine tune our enviornment we are now wondering about the following:

When we have a backup dobs with mixed operating systems (Windows 2000 to 2008 R2 and Various Unix, Linux) how do we best set the the "Enable VMware tools quiescence option" and "Enable application-aware image processing".

The documentation states that we should not enable the "Enable VMware tools quiescence". It later states that if we enable both the options for a job at the same time, the VSS module will only be used for processing backed up and replicated VMs. However, if you use options and select the Ignore application processing failures option for backup or replication jobs, all your VMs will be processed with VSS first, and in case of VSS failure (e.g., in case of Linux VMs), VMs will be processed with the VMware tools quiescence option enabled.

So, should I enable the Backup Jobs Advanced / Advanced Vmware "Enable VMware tools quiescence" and then edit each vm's (or Folder) Advanced / Applications VSS setting to ignore. Would this allow those VM's that support the "better" Windows VSS to use it, and when thry do not have it or support it to use the VMware Tools?

Whats the best approach?

Thanks for your time.

[Vitaliy S.]

Hello Rob,

So, should I enable the Backup Jobs Advanced / Advanced Vmware "Enable VMware tools quiescence" and then edit each vm's (or Folder) Advanced / Applications VSS setting to ignore. Would this allow those VM's that support the "better" Windows VSS to use it, and when thry do not have it or support it to use the VMware Tools?

The best way for you would be to enable all check boxes. First of all make sure you've selected "Enable application-aware image processing" and specified the account to be used for target VMs. This will allow you to freeze Windows based VMs in a consistent state.

Once you've done initial configuration select "Enable VMware tools quiescence" and "Ignore application processing failures", these options will enable VMware quiescence on all VMs that failed to use native Windows engine (VSS), in most cases that would be Linux VMs.

Another way to go would be to specify mission critical VMs as separate objects in the job and force to "Require Success" on application aware image quiescensing. This configuration is briefly described in this topic, please look through: Changing VM backups

Thanks.

[Gostev]

For best results I recommend grouping VMs with same operating systems together for best dedupe. You are not really winning much by putting all VMs in the same job in terms of disk space required to store backups, however this does complicate job configuration as you correctly noticed.

[robc.yk]

Thank you for the clarification with job configuration.

For now our jobs are divided by department and we have sleected all 'check boxes' as you suggested.