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getekeFlag for United States of America

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VMware Virtual Machine Backup Best Method

We have successfully created two virtual machines using VMware ESXi 4.  We are in the process of developing a backup scheme for ESXi, but are unsure of the best method to do so.

After researching on the internet for some time, we have found that there are a number of various ways to backup the virtual machines.  Some say to just backup the virtual machines as files (just as you would backup a song or a word document).  Others suggest to use cloning within ESXi.  Someone else mentioned to just use snapshots and back the snapshots up.

What is the best practice for creating backups of virtual machines that are stored somewhere else (be it a NAS, External HDD, DVD, etc.) which can be easily restored later if needed?  What backup method produces the smallest backup size for better storage utilization?  

We want to backup the virtual machines, NOT the server itself (the HDD with the hypervisor and everything under it).

Thanks in advance.
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Alex Galbraith
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You could simply use ghettoVCB?

http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-8760

Free FTW! :)
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forrest2002

You can "back-door" in the ESXi and enable SFTP and use a program like WinSCP to copy the files to whatever medium you like. You can use the same method to restore as well.

Do you have a backup in place for your other servers now? We are looking into the latest version of BackupExec which allows the backup of ESX devices.

HTH,
Forrest

Trying to save points? Why would you want to resubmit the question?
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martingagnon
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I was catching some heat from my manager and I just wanted to word the question differently. I'm sorry for the confusion.
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coolsport00: That was the answer my boss was looking for. Im amazed at the fact that VMWare doesnt provide the functionality themselves. it almost feels like you have to hack into ESXi just to back up a lousy VM.

Why did they take the functionality out of ESXi? The whole snapshot idea is so convenient. How does vmotion work then? I thought vmotion was a more advanced type of snapshot system. Or is it only removed from the free version/s?
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