Do You Want - VMware

Do You Want Faster ESX Server backups? Backups to fibre tape? Easier backup management?If so, you are in the right room!

PAC484ESX Server Backup/DR:VMware Consolidated BackupChristian CzezatkeJay Judkowitz

This presentation may containVMware confidential information.Copyright 2005 VMware, Inc. All rights reserved.All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarksof their respective companies.

What is in This Talk? Overview/Current State of Affairs Why backup? Issues with current solutions Introducing VMware Consolidated Backup

Why Backup? To Protect data From User errors Accidental file deletes Admin errors Remove wrong virtual machine, etc Hardware failures Disk failure

Protecting Against User Errors File Level Backup in virtual machine Treat virtual machines like physical machines Deploy backup agents in virtual machine Run nightly backups Move data across the LAN to a tape server

Issues w. File-Level Backup Agent needs to be deployed in virtual machine Resource intensive Network load Uses valuable CPU and I/O cycles on production ESXServer Servers Backup window

Protecting Against Admin Errors Full virtual machine backup Disk files Config files Snapshot virtual machine VMFS snapshots Hardware-assisted snapshots (SAN) Export Snapshot Back up set of resulting files

Issues w. Full virtual machine Backup Virtual machine export is SLOW Done from within COS Slows down ESX Server as a whole VMFS optimized for virtual machine performance, notfor access through COS Snapshots are only crash-consistent forpowered-on virtual machines

Other Issues Load on ESX Server Load on LAN No SAN tape library support Backup window

Introducing Consolidated Backup What is Consolidated Backup?Why should I care?How does it work?How can I use it?How do I set up backup jobs?How do I restore?

Introducing Consolidated Backup What is Consolidated Backup?Why should I care?How does it work?How can I use it?How do I set up backup jobs?How do I restore?

What is Consolidated Backup? Consolidated Backup is a new, backup solutionfor ESX Server SAN Backup is offloaded to a dedicated physical host Supports different backup flavors File-level backup (Windows guests) Full virtual machine backup (all guests) underevaluation Integration with major 3rd party backup software,e.g. NetBackup, TSM, Networker, BackupExec,CommVault

Introducing Consolidated Backup What is Consolidated Backup?Why should I care?How does it work?How can I use it?How do I set up backup jobs?How do I restore?

Why should I care? because offloading to a dedicated physicalmachine solves a lot of problems! No resource contention on ESX Server host Enables LAN-free backup Does not require backup agents in virtualmachines Better performance. Shorter backup window.

Introducing Consolidated Backup What is Consolidated Backup? Why should I care? How does it work? OverviewQuiesceingFile-level BackupIs it Safe? How can I use it? How do I set up backup jobs? How do I get my data back?

How Does it Work? - Overview 3rd Party Backup SW schedules backup job Job represents single or group of virtual machines Consolidated Backup‘s pre-backup script runs Create filesystem quiesced virtual machinesnapshot(s) Make data available on proxy 3rd Party Backup SW performs backup Consolidated Backup‘s post-backup script runs Remove mount from proxy Commit backup snapshot(s)

How Does it Work? - Quiesceing1. Consolidated Backup triggers virtual machinesnapshot through VirtualCenter2. VMware Tools freeze I/O in virtual machine: In-virtual machine pre-freeze scripting hookFilesystem quiesceing (Windows only)3. Disk Snapshots are being created Snapshotting virtual disksNot SAN snapshots4. VMware Tools thaw I/O in virtual machine: In-virtual machine post-thaw scripting hook

VCB backup, step by stepVMwareToolsC:File SystemVMhostdBackup Softwarec.vmdkVMFS DatastoreIntegration Module(Pre-Backup Script)mydataVCB FrameworkESX ServerBackup ProxyLAN

Time to do a file-level backup ofC:\MNT\vma.foo.com\letters\CVMwareToolsC:File SystemVMhostdBackup Softwarec.vmdkVMFS DatastoreIntegration Module(Pre-Backup Script)mydataVCB FrameworkESX ServerBackup ProxyLAN

First I will run the prebackup script.VMwareToolsC:File SystemVMhostdBackup Softwarec.vmdkVMFS DatastoreIntegration Module(Pre-Backup Script)mydataVCB FrameworkESX ServerBackup ProxyLAN

Hey, hostd! Quiesce VM!VMwareToolsC:File SystemVMhostdBackup Softwarec.vmdkVMFS DatastoreIntegration Module(Pre-Backup Script)mydataVCB FrameworkESX ServerBackup ProxyLAN

Hey, VMware Tools! Quiesce thefile system!VMwareToolsC:File SystemVMhostdBackup Softwarec.vmdkVMFS DatastoreIntegration Module(Pre-Backup Script)mydataVCB FrameworkESX ServerBackup ProxyLAN

If there is a pre-freezescript, I run it.VMwareToolsC:File SystemVMhostdBackup Softwarec.vmdkVMFS DatastoreIntegration Module(Pre-Backup Script)mydataVCB FrameworkESX ServerBackup ProxyLAN

Hey, File System! Time to quiesce!VMwareToolsC:File SystemVMhostdBackup Softwarec.vmdkVMFS DatastoreIntegration Module(Pre-Backup Script)mydataVCB FrameworkESX ServerBackup ProxyLAN

OK, done freezing the virtualmachine!VMwareToolsC:File SystemVMhostdBackup Softwarec.vmdkVMFS DatastoreIntegration Module(Pre-Backup Script)mydataVCB FrameworkESX ServerBackup ProxyLAN

Now I snapshot the virtualdisk.VMwareToolsC:File SystemVMhostdBackup Softwarec.vmdkVMFS DatastoreIntegration Module(Pre-Backup Script)mydataVCB FrameworkESX ServerBackup ProxyLAN

Hey VMware Tools! I’m done!VMwareToolsC:File SystemVMhostdBackup Softwarec.vmdkVMFS DatastoreIntegration Module(Pre-Backup Script)mydataVCB FrameworkESX ServerBackup ProxyLAN

Hey File System! Carry on!VMwareToolsC:File SystemVMhostdBackup Softwarec.vmdkVMFS DatastoreIntegration Module(Pre-Backup Script)mydataVCB FrameworkESX ServerBackup ProxyLAN

If there is a post-thaw script, Irun it.VMwareToolsC:File SystemVMhostdBackup Softwarec.vmdkVMFS DatastoreIntegration Module(Pre-Backup Script)mydataVCB FrameworkESX ServerBackup ProxyLAN

Now I mount the virtual disk.VMwareToolsC:File SystemVMhostdBackup Softwarec.vmdkVMFS DatastoreIntegration Module(Pre-Backup Script)mydataVCB FrameworkESX ServerBackup ProxyLAN

At last I can back up thefiles!VMwareToolsC:File SystemVMhostdBackup Softwarec.vmdkVMFS DatastoreIntegration Module(Pre-Backup Script)mydataVCB FrameworkESX ServerBackup ProxyLAN

How Does it Work? - File Level Backups Volumes on virtual machines snapshot areanalyzed Discovered volumes get mounted on Junctions Junctions correspond to drive letters in virtualmachine:C:\mnt\mytestvm.foo.com\letters\D Supports Windows LDM volumes

How Does it Work? – Is it Safe? Consolidated Backup cannot alter any data invirtual disks on SAN “Transient Writes“ are cached on the proxy (NT4volumes) Windows Disk Manager can see SAN LUNs Restrict user access to backup proxy!

Introducing Consolidated Backup What is Consolidated Backup?Why should I care?How does it work?How can I use it? SAN Configuration Installing software on the proxy Configuring software on the proxy How do I set up backup jobs? How do I restore?

SAN ConfigurationAdd to ESX Server host group(VMFS LUNs, non-passthru RDMs)

Software on the Backup ProxyInstall 3rd party backup software VMware Consolidated Backup Base package Specific integration module matching 3rd partybackup software

Software on the Backup ProxyConfigure 3rd party backup software Enable: use pre/post scripts Enable: Cross Junctions (mount points) Consolidated Backup BACKUPROOT “mount path“ for virtual machine dataC:\mnt\mytestvm.foo.com\letters\D HOST VirtualCenter API USERNAME/PASSWORD VirtualCenter credentials

Introducing Consolidated Backup What is Consolidated Backup?Why should I care?How does it work?How can I use it?How do I set up backup jobs?How do I restore?

How do I Set Up a Backup Job?Details depend on 3rd party backup software Suggested best practice: Group virtual machines together using (DNS)aliases for the proxy: vcb-accounting.company.com vcb-engineering.company.com vcb-marketing.company.com Set up a backup job for each alias Use alias as client name for job

How Do I Set Up a Backup Job?Why Aliases? Restore permissions are tied to these aliases Who can restore? Which virtual machines can be restored from? Aliases make it easy to move a group to adifferent proxy New proxies can be added as Datacenter grows Jobs for groups can be moved by pointing the alias toa different proxy

Setting Up a Backup Job

Setting Up a Backup Job

Introducing Consolidated Backup What is Consolidated Backup?Why should I care?How does it work?How can I use it?How do I set up backup jobs?How do I restore? Centralized Per-group Self service

Centralized Restore Backup agent on central server (proxy?) only*ESX ServerProxy

Centralized Restore Administrator restores to central server *ESX ServerProxy

Centralized Restore Copy files to target virtual machine using CIFSshare*ESX ServerProxy

Centralized RestorePros: Minimum number of agents to maintainCons: Administrator(s) involved in file-level restore

Per-Group Restore One virtual machine with backup agent for each group(accounting, engineering, marketing )*ESX ServerProxy

Per-Group Restore Group administrator restores to per-grouprestore host*ESX ServerProxy

Per-Group Restore Copy files to target virtual machine using CIFSshare*ESX ServerProxy

Per-Group RestorePros: Restore can be delegated Good compromise between number ofagents and ease of restoreCons: Still not quite self-service restore

Self-Service Restore Backup agents are deployed into every virtualmachine*ESX ServerProxy

Self-Service Restore Backup agent in virtual machine is used forrestore*ESX ServerProxy

Self-Service RestorePros: Self-service restoreCons: Agents required in each virtual machine

ConclusionsVMware Consolidated Backup. Fast, efficient offload of virtual machine backupReduces administrative overhead/costInteroperability with major backup applicationsHassle-free Fibre Channel Tape supportAllows LAN-free backup of virtual machines

Related Talks at VMworld SLN093: Physical to Virtual Disaster RecoveryWith Virtual Infrastructure Wed. 2pm, Mandalay Bay ISLN104 Series: Disaster Recovery Solutionswith Virtual Infrastructure: A: Implementation and Best PracticesB: Backup And RecoveryC: Panel Discussion Thu. 11:30am, Mandalay Bay DThu. 3pm, Breakers H

Discussion: Full Virtual Machine Backup(1/2) Snapshots of disk images are exported to theproxy Direct data transfer from SAN Array - proxy No ESX Server, virtual machine, or Ethernet in theway. Configuration files are copied using VirtualCenter

Discussion: Full Virtual Machine Backup(2/2) Catalog file gets created Contains additional information Resource Management Power State . Drives restore Same functionality available on the ServiceConsole

Discussion: Full Virtual Machine Restore Virtual machines have to be restored into ESXServer from the Service Console Restore files to a Service Console accessiblelocation Run VMware-supplied restore script

What is Consolidated Backup? Consolidated Backup is a new, backup solution for ESX Server SAN Backup is offloaded to a dedicated physical host Supports different backup flavors File-level backup (Windows guests) Full virtual machine backup (all guests) under evaluation Integration with major 3rd party backup software,