Problem with backing and restoring VM with snapshots

[arkaifish]

I just downloaded the Veeam Backup & Replication 5.0 and everything was working fine except backing/restoring VM with sanpshots. The software didn't seem to supporting backing/restoring VM with snapshots. I tired to do a backup on a VM with snapshots and when I tried to restore it, it only restored the VM without any of the snapshots? Am I missing something here? All VM snapshots created by VMware vSphere client.

Here is the little background and my goal:

I have 2 EXSi 4.1 servers and I need to move some of the VM with snapshots from Server 1 to Server 2. I need to move it from Server 1 to Server 2 with the sanpshots and also need to move from "Thin" to "Thin". The only functions that support "Thin" to "Thin" is by using "Backup" functions and "Restore" with selecting "Foce Thin" option by using Veeam Backup & Repliications 5.0 software.

Thanks first and would appreciate any help. =)

[Vitaliy S.]

Hello Kai,

With vStorage API mode all VM's snapshots are consolidated/merged with the source VMDK file. If you want to backup a snapshot tree then you need to enable legacy backup modes via Tools->Options menu and use Network Mode. Please note that with legacy backup modes you won't be able to use VMware CBT.

On top of that, why don't you want to use replication job as it also supports "Thin" to "Thin" disk replication?

Thanks!

[arkaifish]

Vitaliy,

Thanks for the reply!! I enabled "Legacy Backup Modes" via Tools -> Options and it did backup and restore the VM with the snapshot tree attached. However, the VM I restored from the backup became "Thick" even I selected "Force Thin" under "Restore disks" options.

Server 1 --> Provisioned Space: 18.00GB Used Space: 4.91GB

Restored to Server 2

Server 2 --> Provisioned Space: 18.00GB Used Space: 8.00GB

I did tired to use replication options but was getting an error "Unable to replicate to host: free ESXi is not supported." I guess because I'm using a Free ESXi version on "Server 2"?

Thanks again for your help!! =)

[Vitaliy S.]

I did tired to use replication options but was getting an error "Unable to replicate to host: free ESXi is not supported." I guess because I'm using a Free ESXi version on "Server 2"?

Yes, that's right. Free ESXi hosts are not supported.

However, the VM I restored from the backup became "Thick" even I selected "Force Thin" under "Restore disks" options.

If you check out your source VM files via vSphere Client then you would also notice that all disks are marked as Thick. This happens every time when you create a snapshot on thins disk. However, as soon as you delete the snapshot, your VM disk will be again marked as Thin.

Server 1 --> Provisioned Space: 18.00GB Used Space: 4.91GB
Server 2 --> Provisioned Space: 18.00GB Used Space: 8.00GB

As far as I know thick disks will max out all provisioned space in VM summary information, meaning that if you had a Thick disk for this VM, then the virtual disk summary information would look like this (which is not the case):

Provisioned Space: 18.00GB Used Space: 18.00GB

Meaning that you've restored disks as Thin disks.

Hope it helps!