Point backup jobs to new vCenter server

[dwil49]

We had to create a new vCenter server in order to upgrade to vCenter 4.1, since it had to be 64-bit. Since we still had the old server, the computer name for the new server is different from the old one. I was able to successfully add the new server to the server list in Veeam Backup 5, but do I need to do anything to point the backup jobs to the new vCenter server? When I tried to delete the old server name, I got a message that made it sound like all my existing backups and jobs would be deleted if I did that.

[Vitaliy S.]

Hello David,

That's correct, if you delete vCenter Server from the backup console all you backup jobs will be removed from Veeam SQL configuration database, though the actual backup files will stay safe.

For all the details regarding upgrade procedure please have a look at the similar topic:
http://www.veeam.com/forums/viewtopic.p ... ter#p19786

Thank you!

[dwil49]

OK

What I have done for now is add the old server name to the hosts file on the Veeam server and pointed it to the IP address on the new vCenter server. I am running a couple of backups now to see if that works.

[Vitaliy S.]

If you've managed to migrate the old vCenter Server database, then it should work!

[foxj77]

Hi there,

Yesterday we have upgraded our vcenter installation to 4.1 as well as migrating it to a new host. As part of this we have had to change the ip address and FQDN due to having to migrate to an x64 VM.

As part of the migration of the the new vcenter installation we have had to point Veeam at the new server. Obviously I have had to recreate the backup jobs and it looks like it wants to create new new full backup jobs.

Is there any way I can get it continue with the jobs as incremental backups as we are transferring them to a remote site and I will take a while to get full backups up again!

[lobo519]

I'm in the same boat. Just did the migration to a new 64bit 4.1 server yesterday. Unfortunately I think we are all going to be in this boat. For the time being I added a host file entry pointing the old server name to the new VC IP as suggested. There has got to be a better way to migrate the jobs other than recreate them and rerun the fulls...

[itldn]

Has a better way been found yet to do this Process with less pain?

[Vitaliy S.]

If you do not retain your vCenter Server's database with the unique VM IDs, then you should use the procedures described above.

[George@TAN]

We updated to ESX 4.1. My vCenter was on a 32 bit host so I had to create a new one. I've added the new vCenter into Veeam but my jobs say they can't find the objects (VMs) to backup. Is there a way to let Veeam know to use the new vCenter for the old jobs?

[larry]

The worst part of a VC replacment ( failure ) is the loss of replic's restore points. I know it is coming but we need a replica import function.

[Gostev]

It's not coming, rather we are making it unneeded.

[MAA]

B&R 8.0.0.2021

I recently installed vCenter Server Appliance 6.0, and move all hosts to new vCenter (vcenter2).

In B&R i successfully added new vCenter server to Backup Infrastructure.

But, when i try remove old vCenter server (vcenter1), i get error message:

Unable to delete host 'vcenter1'.
VMware vCenter Server 'vcenter1' is used by the following jobs:
job1
job2
job3
...
job99

How can i change vCenter server on all jobs?

[Vitaliy S.]

You can do that either manually, or try to do that via some PowerShell script. Basically, you will be required to re-add all VMs from the new vCenter Server and a full backup run will be performed.

[MAA]

You can do that either manually
manually on each of ~100 jobs??

or try to do that via some PowerShell script
why there is no way to make it through GUI in one click?

and a full backup run will be performed.
OMG! Why? 20TB over WAN in one night - its absolutely impossible!
I just changed the vCenter server. Virtual machines are the same.
Why i should run full backup for ALL VMs?

[veremin]

why there is no way to make it through GUI in one click?

May I ask you how you imagine this functionality? One click for >100 jobs?

and a full backup run will be performed.
OMG! Why? 20TB over WAN in one night - its absolutely impossible!
I just changed the vCenter server. Virtual machines are the same.
Why i should run full backup for ALL VMs?

VMs got new MorefIDs, thus, they are considered as new ones, and during initial cycle full backup will be performed for them.

Thanks.

[Vitaliy S.]

Here is an existing topic about morefs and the expected behavior, please take a look > VM moved to new vCenter

P.S. if you want to preserve VMs IDs during vCenter Server migration and do not run full job passes, then you should point to existing/original database in the installation wizard of the new vCenter Server.

[MAA]

>>May I ask you how you imagine this functionality? One click for >100 jobs?

One click for change old vCenter to new vCenter. Everything else your program should be done automatically - it must find the VMs on the new server, and the coincidence of names to replace them in the jobs.


>>VMs got new MorefIDs, thus, they are considered as new ones, and during initial cycle full backup will be performed for them.

Does not interest me what there IDs. I know it's the same machine, and a full backup is not needed.

Now, B&R8 is completely destroy my backup plan and destroy free space on backup server (and also fully occupied WAN-link bandwidth).
Even after I manually replaced VMs in all jobs, the B&R is fully occupied free space, and many of the jobs were completed with an error.

[Vitaliy S.]

Just wanted to add to my previous post that VM names cannot be used to track VMs (unreliable), as the names are not guaranteed to be unique or remain unchanged, but due to preserving moref ID (VMware identification mechanism) this does not cause new full backups of VMs.

[Gostev]

Agree. The main issue here is no reliable way to match the VMs between "old" and "new" vCenter. And incorrect matching will result in corrupted backup. For that reason, we are currently testing a solution that will require users to verify and approve the suggested VM matching, before it is applied to the configuration database. Thanks!