[NTLUG:Discuss] Backing up live VMWare VM's (on the cheap)

[Dave Augustus]

On Sat, 2008-08-09 at 22:52 -0500, David Stanaway wrote:

> Since you are using a linux host, you could try doing an LVM snapshot 
> and backing up that. If you wanted a definite consisten backup, there 
> should be a way to pause the VM and sync it to disk before you do the 
> LVM snapshot then unpause (Thus making your pause window as short as 
> possible).
> 
> 
> 
> David Simmons wrote:
> > Guys,
> >
> > Was hoping to poll the group and see if anyone has a good
> > solution for VMWare Virtual Machine Backups on live servers....without
> > using Vmware's Consolidated Backup program (i.e. - doing it on the
> > cheap).
> >
> > Setup - running the free VMWare Server (not ESXi) on
> > CentOS and have a duplicate machine waiting to receive the backup files
> > (and be a new host if original host goes down).
> >
> > I think I can
> > do something like this:
> >
> > 1)  Run  'vmrun snapshot
> > /path/to/vmx' 
> > 2)  Copy all files (original and snapshot) from
> > first server to storage area on second)
> > 3)  Issue 'vmrun
> > revertToSnapshot /path/to/vmx'   or 'vmrun deleteSnapshot
> > /path/to/vmx'
> > 4)  Sleep safely knowing things are backed-up
> >
> > I'm pulling this mindset from:
> >
> > http://searchvmware.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid179_gci1276253,00.html
> >
> > but I have the following questions:
> >
> > A)  which
> > option do I use with vmrun in step 3)
> > B)  is this a good way
> > (without using something like VCB) to do this?
> > C)  Are there
> > better methods (without having to suspend the running servers)?
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> >
> >  - dave
> >
> >
> >


This might do it: http://www.vmts.net/vmbk.htm

(sorry if this is a double post)
-- 
Here to serve,

Dave Augustus
Ingrafted Software Inc.
c(817) 371-0585
o(817) 741-1288
PO Box 1040
Newark TX 76071