Networker with VMWare ESX and VMWare Server

ok are you taking about backing up the image (clone) of the server image?

I am backup with netwoker 7.3.2 on VM's ESX with VM 3.x the 3.x of VM from EMC so far has been very good and their support has been very good. I would not use the VM 2.5. And this may sound like a sales plug but it is what we did get the full system for $1 k more you get every thing we are useing it more and more and it was a upgraed for just $1k.

we more than 60 vm up and running with more on the way.

backing up with 7.3.2. 1 odd problem on 1 server but reworked all of the DNS, hosts file on networker server and client, uninstall and reinstall and it came around.
we are backing over the Ethernet NIC's on the ESX server. as you now know the VM share everthing.

to me networker RPC and reverse DNS look up is a bit of a pain. just have your DNS, wins, and ??? updated and clean along with hosts file which I am doing on the server and all clients.

Have not tried backing up over fiber to netwoker server.

MS may give you support greff as they have a competating product.

if you are useing a blade center have all of your frimware updated before you start.

Hi lee,

are you using traditional backup installed on ESX or are you running vmware Virtual Consolidated Backup to back up your 60 virtual machines? If VCB is not used, how do make sure to get consistend backups of your VMs? snapshots or something else? I'd be interested in experiences with vcb too...

Hi,
I am using traditional networker 7.3.2 backup installed on each VM.
I am looking at the running vmware Virtual Consolidated Backup but so far we need to get the VM with Vmotion in High Availably mode first and get all of our old 2.5 VM swap out.
we will also be doing snapshots going in about 2 months automatically to my DR SAN. working on the SAN upgrade in about 1-2 months.
I do the backups/SAN in my small group others do the VM's.
Hope this helps.

DK,

Are you running vmware or planning to? I would like any feedback or ideas you have come across in your planning.

Our organization has just started planning and budgeting so this is all fairly new to everyone here.

Lee - we are running networker 7.2.1 and are doing traditional backups within the vm's. My question is have you tried restoring a vm with the traditional method?

I am fairly new to backups and my predecessor said he couldn't get a restore to work with vm. I have not tried yet but wondering if there were any known issues or tips when it comes to restoring a vm using the traditional method.

ok, you should be using ESX VM 3.01 consolidated backup.
This has as a part of the lic with ESX VM 3.01 the NetWorker module. It will also have software that ESX VM will also need to be loaded on the consolidated backup.
If your VM admin's do not want to do this. But this is ESX VM recomanddation to use.
They I hear can mount the snap shot that you can then back that up. I have not tried this.

The recommendation way I am starting to put in this next week.

Hi Mike,

sorry for the long delay. I've been rather busy in the office. Acutally we are running VMware but we are backing up with Networker installed directly in VMs. We're planning to set up VCB in the next weeks. One of my workmates had the idea to use VMware's shapshot functionality to get consistent states of the VMs. I think this is - because it's a custom scripted solution (using pre- and postcommands) - quite dirty and should not be used in profesional environments.

Another thing i've just heard of is Vizioncore's esxRanger. According to the manufacturer it is based on VCB and offers more features? I did not have any time yet to have a closer look on this product...