Backup strategy for Free ESXi Server

[wolle]

Hi,

I want to backup all my virtual machines from my Free ESXi server. I'm not really sure how to do that, because every idea has it's own "problem".

I want to use: partial backup, because I have almost 500GB of data to be backed up every night.
I may access the esxi server via ssh
Or I may access the storage directly via NFS, SMB, FTP, it's a 'usual' NAS.
The target storage is the same as source one - but not physically.

I have to be sure that my virtual machine is shut down and AFTER a successful shutdown superflexible should sync with the partial file feature the virtual machines. And AFTER the backup the virtual machines should be started again.

I have a shell script on the ESXi server which can tell me when the server is successfully shut down. I would be able to execute this shell script via plink.exe ("putty") from windows maybe as pre-backup-script via superfelxible.

BUT how does superflexible know that all is fine and it can start doing it's job ?
This only would be possible if I could trigger superflexibe from remote. I guess this would be the best solution, but I don't think that this is possible (yet).

I'm looking for a solid solution and nothing like creating a semaphore file which one will be deleted later or like just wait 2 minutes and then start the task.....

Any ideas ?
Regards Wolle

[superflexible]

You should run Superflexible on the server where the VMs are stored. Then it will be much easier. You could even refrain from shutting the VMs down. Superflexible will then use Volume Shadow Copying to create a snapshot of the VM. This snapshot would be as consistent as any hard disk after you press the reset button.

[wolle]

My storage is a QNAP NAS (linux) and so VSS won't work and I am not able to install Superflexible on it. I only may access it by FTP, SSH, SMB, NFS,....

[superflexible]

In that case I can't help. I always recommend attaching your disks directly to Windows machines. The best network-attached storage device is a Windows server with internal hard disks.

[wolle]

best network-attached storage device is a Windows server with internal hard disks

That's what I had before. I run into trouble because my Server (Windows 7 64bit) wasn't able any more to boot from the Adaptec SATA Raid Controller. I got better positive experiences with the linux based QNAP devices. That's the reason why I switched. But now the thread goes a little bit OT.

[frankploegmakers]

Hello !
This is (for me) very intresting.....
I run vMware ESXi on a "box" so the platform is ESX
and a few virt machines on it.
How can I run superflex on "the server where the VMs are stored"
The vMs are stored on virt HD; on the ESX
So where do I miss the connection????
Please inform this no-no .....