[VCSA] Any recommendation for a backup/replica job?

[maxfontana]

Hi.
I've recently switched from Vcenter 4.1 to Vcenter Server virtual appliance based as you know on a linux distro.
I'm recreating all my jobs and would like you to give me some advices on how to best configure my replica and backup jobs for this vm.
Should the Vmware tool quiescence be enabled or not?
A always, many thanks in advance.
Best regards.
Max
Italy

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Max,

Generally speaking my recommendation would be to use VMware Tools Quiescence for every non-Windows VM to keep it in transaction consistent state. As to other tips and tricks, then please search these forums for more info about vCenter Server (Windows box) backup job configuration, as these guidelines can still be applied to your scenario.

Hope this helps!

[pendragoncrw]

We have started exploring the vCenter appliance (most of our installs are 4.1 so they have vCenter on a windows server) for some selective use with our smaller clients. Before I jump into it though, I wanted to find out what specific considerations need to be taken to back it up using Veeam aside from using a different proxy than the vCenter appliance itself. Are there some special scripts that should be run? Do we need to disable the VMWare tools quiesece?

My experience with the appliance in the past (initial 5.0 release, initial 5.1 release) were very hit-or-miss so I don't want to just toss it in a backup job and see what happens.

Thanks

[Vitaliy S.]

There are no special scripts that should be used to backup a VCSA, just make sure you add it to the backup job through the standalone ESX(i) server connection. Thanks!

[Simonx182]

Hi,

I have a general question about backing up the vCenter Appliance itself. I've searched around in this forum but couldn't find the answer that I needed.

We are running on our customer installations vCenter as Appliance which is stored on the SAN Storage and run daily backups with Veeam of all VM's to a NAS storage.
What happens in a disaster situation if the whole SAN Storage fails? Will I need to install a new vCenter to be able to restore the VM's successfully?
How do I safe my vCenter Appliance from that? Is there a way to "copy" the vmdk Data Files to lets say a local storage on a ESX Host?

I hope you can understand what I mean. In a disaster situation I want to be able to restore the system as fast as possible, withour reinstall the whole vCenter.

Thank you very much.

Regards
Simon

[tsightler]

You can just add an ESXi host directly to Veeam and then restore vCenter directly to the host. Once that's done you can boot up vCenter, make any adjustments, for example by removing/readding any rebuilt hosts, then start restoring other VMs. Of course, there may also be other VMs that are critical before you start vCenter (DNS/AD, etc.), but once again you could restore all of them directly to any ESXi hosts and then go from there.

For small/mid-sized deployments I don't even really consider vCenter all that important since it's really part of the infrastructure. I'd normally say most companies are more concerned with getting their business focused systems up and running so you could always just add multiple ESXi hosts directly to Veeam and restore all of your critical VMs quicky, then worry about vCenter later. It's really up to you, but Veeam is flexible enough that it doesn't really matter.

Of course, since you have Veeam, and you mention having local ESX host storage, another great option is to use Veeam replication to replicate those VMs to local storage, that way you don't even have to restore those systems, just failover/power on their replicas from the local storage.

[Simonx182]

Thank you for your fast reply. Didn't know that.

Now last question to comlete this: What is the fastest way to make this restore Operation (vCenter Backup -> Local Storage)? Let's say the complete infrastrucure is down (after SAN outage) and I have no physical Server. Can I also use a small tool on my Notebook to do the restore Operation? Or do I have to install the full Veeam Product?

[veremin]

Hi, Simon. You can install a new backup server, then, import required backup file and run a restore operation. Otherwise, you can put into use our standalone utility named extract.exe that goes with every product installation. With extract utility you will be able to restore VMs without install Veeam backup console.

Thanks.

[Simonx182]

Thank you very much for this informations. I tried the extract.exe today. Worked perfectly.
All clear. No need for a extra backup of the vCenter.

Thank you guys for the fast responses.

Simon

[m.novelli]

Hi guys, one quick question: with Veeam Backup 7 can I safely backup the vCenter Appliance 5.1 itself? I've checked "enable tools quiescence" and "disable application processing" for that VM

The Veeam Backup is connected only by LAN to the VMware Infrastructure, but looking the Job logs I can see that Veeam try SAN mode first

1/15/2014 9:57:03 AM :: Saving [VMWARE1 LUN1] vCenter 5.1/vCenter 5.1.vmx
1/15/2014 9:57:03 AM :: Saving [VMWARE1 LUN1] vCenter 5.1/vCenter 5.1.vmxf
1/15/2014 9:57:03 AM :: Saving [VMWARE1 LUN1] vCenter 5.1/vCenter 5.1.nvram
1/15/2014 9:57:04 AM :: Using backup proxy VMware Backup Proxy for disk Hard disk 1 [san]
1/15/2014 9:57:04 AM :: Using backup proxy VMware Backup Proxy for disk Hard disk 2 [san]
1/15/2014 9:57:04 AM :: Hard disk 2 (100.0 GB)
1/15/2014 9:57:04 AM :: Hard disk 1 (25.0 GB)
1/15/2014 9:57:07 AM :: Unable to establish direct connection to the shared storage (SAN).
Please ensure that:
- HBA is properly installed in the Veeam Backup server computer, or software iSCSI initiator is configured correctly.
- SAN volume can be seen by operating system in the Windows Disk Management snap-in on the Veeam Backup server.
- Read access is allowed for the Veeam Backup server computer on the corresponding LUN (refer to your SAN documentation).

Cheers

Marco

[foggy]

Hi guys, one quick question: with Veeam Backup 7 can I safely backup the vCenter Appliance 5.1 itself?

Yes, you can, however this is not related to the issue you're seeing with transport mode selection. For some reason, Veeam B&R assumes that SAN mode is available (probably iSCSI Software Initiator is installed and configured). Btw, do you have failover to network mode enabled?

[m.novelli]

Yes, Veeam Backup fail to network mode with success

Marco

[btniko]

Hi -

Is there any Veeam best practice for backup of VMware vCenter Appliance 5.5 with embedded Postgre db ?

Kind r

Bjørn.

[Vitaliy S.]

VMware has a KB article describing how to backup VCSA database via built-in functionality, however if you want to backup it with Veeam I assume the recommendation should be the same as I have described above.

[dellock6]

Vitaliy, since VBR 7 with latest patches is able to backup vCenter without needing anymore the "direct ESXi connection" workaround, maybe also VCSA can be backed up directly as any other VM? Also, the problem was about the SQL server of vCenter, but CSA does not uses MS SQL...

Luca.

[veremin]

I would also make sure that VCSA job doesn't take place at the time when other jobs that have VMs added via vCenter connection are running. Thanks.

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Luca,

Vitaliy, since VBR 7 with latest patches is able to backup vCenter without needing anymore the "direct ESXi connection" workaround, maybe also VCSA can be backed up directly as any other VM?

Yes, I had the same assumption, but I have double-checked it with the QC team and the workaround we have implemented refers to MS SQL Server only.

Thanks!

[dellock6]

So the "Direct ESXi mapping" workaround is still needed for VCSA, good to know.

Luca.

[lobo519]

Are there any plans to address this?

[Gostev]

I am a little confused by this thread. Could you clarify what needs to be addressed? Frankly I am not aware of any outstanding issues around vCSA that are waiting to be addressed. Thanks!

[lobo519]

Sorry - From what I read above, to backup VCSA we need to add the VM directly from the host instead of vCenter. A similar issue to backing up a SQL server hosting a vCenter database...

Maybe I am the one who is confused! ><

[Gostev]

This should not be the case with vCSA, as that issue was Microsoft SQL specific. I don't believe Luca's last comment is correct, it just went unnoticed.

[lp@albersdruck.de]

And a little experience from real life:

I do backup vCSA since B&R 6.5 without any problems. vCSA is added through vCenter (vCSA) and not via direct connect to the ESXi host. That backup is running when no other jobs are running normally, but it will work even when other backups start/run as well - tested by coincidence

[Gostev]

Thanks for the confirmation Lars, that's what I thought.

[EddyChong]

Hi,

I've come across to a situation to backup vcenter server appliance 5.5. The built in database is postgreSQL and If we want a consistent state of db backup we need to enable VMware Tools Quiescence? (There will be no application aware image processing vm within same job)
or we will need a script to freeze the db (like what vss did) before backup?

Thank you
Eddy

[foggy]

Yes, to get transaction consistency, you should use VMware Tools Quiescence for every non-Windows VM. There are no special scripts that should be used to backup VCSA, as far as I know.

Please also see the adjacent thread regarding VCSA backup with Veeam B&R. Thanks!

[EddyChong]

hi Alexander,

Thanks! i'll look into the thread now

[v.tom]

I've have made a script which can automatically backup the vCenter database: http://virtual-matter.com/backup-vcente ... t-5-1-5-5/

If you backup vCenter with Veeam including this file, you will always have a consistent backup of your vCenter Appliance.

[tomcek]

Can anyone recommend some settings for a consistent backup of a vCenter Appliance 6 (VCSA).

Enable application-aware processing does not work because Veeam seems not to be able to login to the VCSA although shell is enabled (login to VCSA with putty you come direct to the shell with user root). The test always fails.

I ask because of the vPostgres database inside the VCSA. Best would be to stop and start database or services linke "vmware-vdcs" and "vmware-vpxd".

It would be nice if someone can share his experience in backup the VCSA 6.


Thanks!

[foggy]

Please review the thread above. Starting/stopping PostgreSQL services/daemons prior making the VM snapshot should guarantee you application-consistent backups.