Backup-Restore VMs with Snapshot

[warotes]

http://forums.veeam.com/vmware-vsphere- ... 20469.html
as I test in last topic. I have another question about snapshot.

1. After take a backup, The vdk file (Veeam Backup result file ) still contain Snapshots or not ? if yes, after restoration I will get full VM with all snapshot the same as before backup. won't I ?

2. from question1.) How about the source VM which contain snapshots. is it loss all snapshots ?

[foggy]

1. After take a backup, The vdk file (Veeam Backup result file ) still contain Snapshots or not ? if yes, after restoration I will get full VM with all snapshot the same as before backup. won't I ?

Existing source VM snapshots get consolidated into a single flat file (containing actual VM state) that is backed up during backup job. So you will not be able to restore those snapshots.

2. from question1.) How about the source VM which contain snapshots. is it loss all snapshots ?

Source VM snapshots themselves are not touched. However, prior to v7, CBT could not be enabled on the VM with snapshots.

[veremin]

If you want to preserve VM snaphshots, you should use File Copy functionality in order to copy all VM files, including snapshots. Thanks.

[albertit]

Hello,

it is possible to backup and restore VMware VMs with snapshots?

[Shestakov]

Hello Thomas,

No, it`s not, as all snapshots are merged to the parent virtual disk when using vStorage API for Data Protection. If you want to preserve snapshot tree of your VMs, you can follow Vladimir's advice above.

Thank you.

[albertit]

Thank you. I hope it will come in later versions auf vmware / veeam.

[Vitaliy S.]

Thomas,

On a side note, can you please tell me why do you use VM snapshots for VMs that you want to backup?

Thanks!

[dfs9gfs789gd]

There has been some older discussion around migration of vm's with snapshots. While i'm aware keeping snapshots long term isn't the solution, in this scenario I can't change that thinking. Has anything been improved in version 9 to solve this? All I see is references to file copy method, which I tried and isn't ideal for obvious reasons. The cold migration is an option in this environment. But we're looking to move a bunch of vm's from one vsphere to another newer environment.

There is talk of vmware p2v also which seems to preserve snap shots, or so people say.

So whats the newest story here, just choose file copy in veeam and live with the pain of having to register it again on the new vSphere?

[foggy]

Hello John, nothing has changed in this regard. You need to use file copy jobs to perform this task.

[moh.arafa84]

Hi,
i have 2 separate ESXi servers "old & New" i need to move the VM's from the old one to the new one including the snapshot, i tired different methods Copy VM , migration, file copy and replication the vm move successfully but no snapshot !!
So any help ..!!??

[veremin]

Mohamed,

Kindly, check answers above, they are still valid.

Thanks.

[masonit]

Hi

I wonder how data is transfered during file and vm restore from storage snapshot? Is data pulled from the storage snapshot copy from SAN, through the VBR server and back again to destination in SAN. Or is all data transferred inside SAN?

\Masonit

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Masonit,

Since snapshot copy is mounted to the host, then when doing aV M restore operation, data goes from the snapshot copy to the ESXi host (bypassing the Veeam B&R server). In case of the FLR operation, it goes from storage to the host, then to the mount server and to the original VM.

Let me know if that answers your question!