VMware Consolidated Backup (VCB) is a new component of Virtual Infrastructure 3, and is designed to facilitate both full-VM and file-level backups of ESX-hosted virtual machines on a SAN. In its current release, it only supports Fibre Channel SANs, but support for iSCSI is supposedly coming in the next release. When used in conjunction with a third-party backup application (such as Backup Exec) and the appropriate integration software, VCB can provide the ability to backup VMs across the SAN (instead of across the network) without the need to install backup agents on every VM. The speed of backups is pretty good, too.
We performed a number of backups with VCB during our tests:
- File-level backup of Windows-based guest with the guest OS running
- File-level backup of Windows-based guest with the VM powered off
- Full VM backup of Windows-based guest with the guest OS running
All of the preliminary VCB tests listed above were performed using vcbMounter, a command-line tool installed on the VCB proxy server. The command we used looked something like this:
vcbmounter -h vcenter.example.com -u vcbservice
-p <password> -a ipaddr:10.1.1.100 -r E:\VMmount\VM1
-t file -m san
In the specific environment in which this testing was conducted, the hostname (of the VirtualCenter server, in this example) had to be changed from the default of 902, as the customer was using a non-default port number. This threw us for a minute, until we could determine exactly what port on which the server was listening.
This mounted the contents of this VM’s virtual hard disks on the path E:\VMmount\VM1\letters\C, E:\VMmount\VM1\letters\D, etc. We could then, of course, manually launch a backup of the files, but instead we continued with our preliminary testing and chose to wait on the Backup Exec testing until we were comfortable with vcbMounter.
This command worked, but in order to back up the virtual machine while it was shut down, we had to change the command slightly:
vcbmounter -h vcenter.example.com -u vcbservice
-p <password> -a name:VM1 -r E:\VMmount\VM1
-t file -m san
Here, the “name:VM1″ parameter was the name of the VM that we wanted to back up exactly as it appears in VirtualCenter, including case. (We did try this command using the same name with in different case, but it failed.) We could also have used the BIOS UUID for the VM, which can be retrieved using this command:
vcbvmname -h vcenter.example.com -u vcbservice
-p <password> -s name:VM1
Again, the name has to match exactly what is listed in VirtualCenter. One of the parameters returned by this command is the BIOS UUID, which you can then use in a vcbMounter command like this:
vcbmounter -h vcenter.example.com -u vcbservice
-p <password> -a uuid:<BIOS UUID> -r E:\VMmount\VM1
-t file -m san
By using the VM name or the VM BIOS UUID, we were able to make vcbMounter work both when the VM was running as well as when the VM was shutdown. Using the VM’s IP address or DNS name, on the other hand, only worked when the VM was up and running.
Once we felt comfortable with vcbMounter and vcbVmName, we begain testing of the Backup Exec Integration Module (BEIM), a set of freely downloadable scripts designed to provide some automation between VCB and Backup Exec. Although the syntax of Backup Exec’s integration scripts was a bit odd (and I think the documentation was incorrect in spots), the scripts worked well. Using the supplied scripts, we were able to perform both file-level and full-VM backups of selected virtual machines without any manual intervention required (the scripts handled all the mounting/dismounting/etc.). Watch out for spaces in the VCB path or in the VM names, though; they’ll cause the supplied scripts to fail. This article offers some extensions to the Backup Exec scripts that help address some of the shortcomings, including correcting the problem with spaces in the path or the VM name.
While VCB does have its shortcomings, it’s still a very useful tool to have in your backup arsenal. Between VCB full-VM and file-level backups and agent-assisted backups with an agent in the guest OS, there are plenty of ways to protect your virtualized servers.
Tags: Storage, VCB, Virtualization, VMware
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Also check out the article on using VMware Converter to restore VCB full VM backups:
http://blog.scottlowe.org/2007/03/06/restoring-vcb-full-backups-with-vmware-converter/
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Hi Scott, just a quick one:
Were your disks in the virtual machine specified as independant (persistent) or not?
Ours are set as independant – persistant and the Consolidated Backup software complains about it.
Is it wise to run a production environment with disks not defined as being independant?Thanks
Chris -
Chris,
Yes, I believe the disks were defined as independent/persistent, although I can’t remember for certain. Multipathing, for certain, will throw VCB off; we had to build a separate VCB proxy server that was not multipathed out to the VMFS LUNs in order to make this work. In addition, I’ve also found several references that existing snapshots will cause VCB to fail as well. Check to see if you have any existing snapshots.
WRT running disks as not independent in production, I guess that really depends upon your environment.
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Thanks for the article!
I have been trying to back up a VM that’s powered down and it was failing every time, but using the UUID it worked
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I was wondering if any one has had or seen any issues with running VCB on the same server as VC?
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Can the VCBMounter be used to just mount LUNs? We’re backing up VMS to a backup lun and I’d like to just mount that LUN from my backup server (same SAN connection).
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Craig,
VCB will break VC’s template customization functionality if you installed VCB on the same server. I believe the official VMware stance is not to install VC and VCB on the same server.
Chris,
I don’t believe so; I think you can only use VCBMounter to mount VMDKs or do to full VM exports. I don’t know of any syntax to allow you to mount a VMFS datastore.
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Hi,
can you please help me, inputs about VMWare Ranger basics, and how it can integrate with EMC Legato NetWorker.
thanks & regards
VJ -
@chris/@slowe,
I contacted VMWare support 2day. They said VC2.5 uses a different vmount that’s not shared, so VC2.5 and VCB can go on one machine. It’s still nog recommended though.
regards,
Mario -
Mario,
Thanks for the update!
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I just wanted to know that how can I backup only one partition on a VM.
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Udom,
Using image-level backups, I’m not aware of any way to back up only a single partition.
With file-level backups, that’s easily accomplished. Review the documentation on how to reference the path to the mounted filesystem(s) and you’ll see how to backup only a single drive letter (or partition).
Good luck!
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Hi,
nice hints here.
I am wondering about backing up single VMDKs.Assume a file server with two disks in different VMDKs – one VMDK or partition for the OS, and one for the files.
When using file based backup, I can back up the files just mounted on my VCB Proxy. That’s okay for the second partition housing the files. But file level backup for OS is bad.
But when using fullVM backup, vcbMounter copies the whole files partition to my VCB Proxy – killing his free space.. (didn’t tried it so far, since it would never fit – about 440 GB so far).
Any hints / tricks / tactics how to solve this?
Cheers
Thomas -
Thomas,
Full VM backup is just that–a full dump of the entire VMDK. Note, however, that the exported VMDK will be a COW (copy-on-write) file, meaning that it will take only as much as space as it actually used in the VMDK. In other words, a 20GB VMDK with only 10GB of data in it will only take about 10GB of space on the VCB proxy.
Other than that, there aren’t really any tips or tricks to offer you.
Good luck!
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One way to use VCB and skip the data drives is to use RDM. VCB will skip RDM drives but backup the drives created on VMFS. Of course, you have to backup the data using another method. I’ve used HW snapshot methods to protect the RDM data. Very good for supporting applications. You protect the system disk with VCB. The application can be backed up in a consistent mode over the SAN too using HW/SW snapshots that are capable of quiescing the data first, avoiding the problem of crash consistent application data such as databases.
The most recent version of VCB works with RDM in Virtual Compatibility Mode and Physical Compatibilty Mode. I haven’t had a chance to test this yet. The previous versions only worked with Virtual Compatibilty Mode. If in Physical, VCB would fail.
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Has anyone tried VCB with TSM as Backup solution ? Wanted to know how to integrate TSM and VCB so that it can be scheduled.
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Scott,
Hope all is well, and you had a good trip.
I have a question about whether or not VCB with the NBD option will work when using ESX 3.0 Hosts versus 3.5?
I’m using a Virtual Infrastructure Center 2.5, VCB 1.1.0 build 64559, against ESX 3.0.2 build 61618, hosts.
i see a temporary directory is created and various log files are copied from the VMFS partition, but never the .vmdk file.
The error message is:
‘vcbmounter’ 3100 error
Error: Failed to open the disk: NBD_ERR_GENERICimmediately after that the temp directory is flushed and deleted
my command is something like:
vcbmounter -h virtual.center.servers.ipaddress -u myaccountname -a name:poweredoffvmname -r C:\mnt\tempdirname -t fullvm -m nbd
I have substituted the VIC’s hostname instead of it’s IP, tried type file instead of fullvm.
Tried different user accounts, and different VM’s.
In ALL cases the VMs I am trying to backup are ALREADY turned OFF.
Some had no snapshots.
Thanks,
Ron
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Hi
im running ESX 3.5 with the same versions of VC and VCB
today i was about to test a restore of a VCB image only to find that in only has saved the c:\ not d: or other vms with more then one disk
i have 33 VM´s that only get c:\ backed up any solutions ???
Christer S
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Hi,
Nice document, but I think there is a little type in all your examples. you used -u for suer and also -u for password, this should be -p
Greetings.
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Gert,
You are right–sorry about that! I’ve corrected the article.
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Hi guys, i hope someone can help me out…
I have a ESX 3.5 Cluster up and running without problems with VCenter, i have installed VCB in another server where i also have Arcserve r12 installed, i’m trying to mount my VMachines into ArcServe and for that ArcServe has a tool that integrates with VCBMount, just a simply gui that triggers VCBMounter.exe (see generated command below):ca_vcbpopulatedb.exe -Primary 192.168.2.232 -carootUser caroot -carootPass **** -esxServer beja018.edia.pt -esxUser edia\adm -esxUserPass **** -Proto https -debug -vcbMountableVM
Everything wents fine, but for some reason i have two VM’s that i cannot import into arcserve find below the result of the command:
Getting data from beja018.edia.pt, this process might take some time …
No. of VMs in Server: 15
VM mvdata is not Mountable, skipping this VM.
VM 192.168.2.17 is not Mountable, skipping this VM.
SUMMARY
=======
Number of running VMs in the Server: 13
Number of VMs already existing in the database: 22
Number of VMs deleted from the database: 0
No Changes made in the database.
End of database update operation.
Can someone please give me some help? In which cases VM’s are unmountable?
Best regards
Francisco Batista
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Francisco, is: beja018.edia.pt a VC or an actual ESX server? either can be used in the “-esxServer” var.
make sure that the esxUser that you are using has appropriate rights/roles on the actual ESX.
I’m also running R12 in a very similar setup that you describe.
I created a specific user on EACH of my ESX machines & assigned appropriate roles for this user on EACH machine.
a simple TEST…try using ‘root’ for a quick run. If this works, then it is definitely related to the user.One note (I spent somewhere around 25 hours w/ CA on phone)…if you intend to use MUX, you MUST define EACH ESX server in Arcserve. You CANNOT use the VC to populate the DB. This is the main reason to have that user defined on each ESX.
Hope this helps.
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Francisco:
I meet the same problem like u. And Finally I found my problem. When I use file mode it work fine.
And use raw mode it fails. I find the space about C drive less 15G, So all VM larger the 15G will not backup successful.(because the software default backup use the C drive under the CA software directory named C:\Program Files\CA\ARCserve Backup Client Agent for Windows\VmwareVcbMountDir) and the message appear like u.
So u can run vcbmounter yourself and mount to another drive which has more spase. then every thing will work.It’s my experience about Arcserver 12. -
I need help with this please!!
I have a DELL MD3000i iSCSI SAN.
Three ESX 3.5 Servers Update 2.
Proxy server with VCB installed.I have disabled the automount feature on my proxy server running W2k3 Enterprise.
Installed iSCSI Initiator on the VCB Proxy, and can connect to the MD3000i.
When the connection is established my four LUNs appear in the device manager.I am really scared to damage the data on the LUNs.
This is our production environment and EVERYTHING is on the four LUNs.What do i need to do next? What precautions should i take?
If i run the backup, what is going to happen?
Please help.
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Hi Umer,
I run the same environment: Dell MD3000i, 5 ESX servers 3.5. Four LUNs appear in the device manager. but what is your problem? In the storage folder of my ESX servers the partitons appear only once and in case you loose one connection between server and MD3000 it will automatically detect a new way to keep the connection
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Scott, I’ve used your article as a reference point numerous times. Thanks!
I have 15 VM’s that I run a weekly FULLVM snapshot against. The problem I have is that the VCB snapshot takes HOURS! I ran create a snapshot thru VIC and it’s completed in a few minutes or less. I’ve copied the syntax I use to snapshot the servers below.
Is there a better/faster way?
“C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Consolidated Backup Framework\vcbmounter” -h wscadm01 -u XXXXXXX -p XXXXXXXX -a name:NWWSQL2 -r f:\mnt\NWWSQL2-FullVM -t fullvm -m san -M 1
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I have one issue and don’t know if anyone has experience this, when the VCB starts on the proxy which is also my Netbackup Master/Media server, the disk I/O is so bad that my other backup jobs start to fail. I am using the local disk to mount the files into it.
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