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public:vmware [2019/08/16 16:11] ronnie.chan [Run Direct Requirements] |
public:vmware [2019/08/21 15:36] ronnie.chan [Run Direct Requirements] |
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The NFS datastore is dismounted. | The NFS datastore is dismounted. | ||
- | <WRAP prewrap> | + | <WRAP info> |
- | <code> | + | |
- | NOTE | + | |
For vCenter VM backup set, provided that the vMotion feature of the vCenter set is working properly, the VM will not be suspended during the data consolidation. | For vCenter VM backup set, provided that the vMotion feature of the vCenter set is working properly, the VM will not be suspended during the data consolidation. | ||
- | </code> | ||
</WRAP> | </WRAP> | ||
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[[https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2131180]] | [[https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2131180]] | ||
- | <WRAP prewrap> | + | <WRAP info> |
- | <code> | + | |
- | NOTE | + | |
Ports 443 and 902 are default ports for VMware. | Ports 443 and 902 are default ports for VMware. | ||
If these have been changed from the default in your VMware environment, the firewall requirements will change accordingly. | If these have been changed from the default in your VMware environment, the firewall requirements will change accordingly. | ||
- | </code> | ||
</WRAP> | </WRAP> | ||
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VMware Tools are used to quiesce VMs prior to backing them up. To create consistent backup for your VMs on Windows platforms, ensure that VMware Tools are installed, and up-to-date on all VMs to be backup. | VMware Tools are used to quiesce VMs prior to backing them up. To create consistent backup for your VMs on Windows platforms, ensure that VMware Tools are installed, and up-to-date on all VMs to be backup. | ||
- | <WRAP prewrap> | + | <WRAP info> |
- | <code> | + | |
- | NOTE | + | |
Quiescing is a process that ensures that the disk data is in a state suitable for backups to reduce the possibility of data corruption upon restore. This is especially important for transactional-based applications running on VMs like MS SQL Server. | Quiescing is a process that ensures that the disk data is in a state suitable for backups to reduce the possibility of data corruption upon restore. This is especially important for transactional-based applications running on VMs like MS SQL Server. | ||
There are different types of quiescing mechanisms, according to the guest operating systems (e.g. Crash-consistent, File-system-consistent and Application-consist quiescing). | There are different types of quiescing mechanisms, according to the guest operating systems (e.g. Crash-consistent, File-system-consistent and Application-consist quiescing). | ||
- | </code> | ||
</WRAP> | </WRAP> | ||
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* To optimize performance of AhsayOBM on Windows, and to avoid conflict with your antivirus software, refer to [[public:8014_faq:suggestion_on_antivirus_exclusions|this article]] for the list of processes and directory paths that should be added to all antivirus software white-list / exclusion list. | * To optimize performance of AhsayOBM on Windows, and to avoid conflict with your antivirus software, refer to [[public:8014_faq:suggestion_on_antivirus_exclusions|this article]] for the list of processes and directory paths that should be added to all antivirus software white-list / exclusion list. | ||
- | <WRAP prewrap> | + | <WRAP info> |
- | <code> | + | |
- | NOTE | + | |
For AhsayOBM version 8.1 or above, the bJW.exe process is automatically added to Windows Defender exclusion list for Windows 10 and 2016, during installation / upgrade via installer or upgrade via AUA. | For AhsayOBM version 8.1 or above, the bJW.exe process is automatically added to Windows Defender exclusion list for Windows 10 and 2016, during installation / upgrade via installer or upgrade via AUA. | ||
- | </code> | ||
</WRAP> | </WRAP> | ||
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[[https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2131180]] | [[https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2131180]] | ||
- | <WRAP prewrap> | + | <WRAP info> |
- | <code> | + | |
- | NOTE | + | |
Ports 443 and 902 are default ports for VMware. | Ports 443 and 902 are default ports for VMware. | ||
If these have been changed from the default in your VMware environment, the firewall requirements will change accordingly. | If these have been changed from the default in your VMware environment, the firewall requirements will change accordingly. | ||
- | </code> | ||
</WRAP> | </WRAP> | ||
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For Backup Client Computer running on Linux operating system platform, Graphical User Interface (GUI) environment (e.g. GOME or KDE) must be installed. | For Backup Client Computer running on Linux operating system platform, Graphical User Interface (GUI) environment (e.g. GOME or KDE) must be installed. | ||
- | <WRAP prewrap> | + | <WRAP important> |
- | <code> | + | |
- | IMPORTANT | + | |
Run Direct restore, VDDK backup mode and Granular Restore is not supported for Backup Client Computer on Linux / Mac OS X platforms. | Run Direct restore, VDDK backup mode and Granular Restore is not supported for Backup Client Computer on Linux / Mac OS X platforms. | ||
- | </code> | ||
</WRAP> | </WRAP> | ||
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**(Total File Size * Delta Ratio) * number of backup destinations = Maximum Free Space Required** | **(Total File Size * Delta Ratio) * number of backup destinations = Maximum Free Space Required** | ||
- | <WRAP prewrap> | + | <WRAP info> |
- | <code> | + | |
- | NOTE | + | |
The calculation is based on the current guest VM size, and it does not take into account guest VM growth over time. It is recommended for fast growing guest VM the maximum free space required should be reviewed on a regular basis to avoid potential backup problems. | The calculation is based on the current guest VM size, and it does not take into account guest VM growth over time. It is recommended for fast growing guest VM the maximum free space required should be reviewed on a regular basis to avoid potential backup problems. | ||
- | </code> | ||
</WRAP> | </WRAP> | ||
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The VMware vSphere Storage APIs, which are essential for VDDK backup mode, are included with the VMware vSphere Enterprise Standard, Enterprise and Enterprise Plus Edition. Ensure that the license requirement is met. | The VMware vSphere Storage APIs, which are essential for VDDK backup mode, are included with the VMware vSphere Enterprise Standard, Enterprise and Enterprise Plus Edition. Ensure that the license requirement is met. | ||
- | <WRAP prewrap> | + | <WRAP info> |
- | <code> | + | |
- | NOTE | + | |
For VM on free version of ESXi without a Run Direct backup destination, backup will be performed in non-VDDK mode. | For VM on free version of ESXi without a Run Direct backup destination, backup will be performed in non-VDDK mode. | ||
For VM on free version of ESXi with a Run Direct backup destination, the following error message would be returned during a backup: | For VM on free version of ESXi with a Run Direct backup destination, the following error message would be returned during a backup: | ||
”Skip backing up Virtual Machine “name". Reason = "Run Direct is only support to VDDK backup mode"”. | ”Skip backing up Virtual Machine “name". Reason = "Run Direct is only support to VDDK backup mode"”. | ||
- | </code> | ||
</WRAP> | </WRAP> | ||
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</WRAP> | </WRAP> | ||
* RDM (Raw Device Mapping) in physical compatibility mode is not supported. | * RDM (Raw Device Mapping) in physical compatibility mode is not supported. | ||
- | * The virtual disk must not be in Independent Mode (Persistent or Nonpersistent). \\ <WRAP prewrap> | + | * The virtual disk must not be in Independent Mode (Persistent or Nonpersistent). \\ <WRAP info> |
- | <code> NOTE | + | Once the backup job executed on a VM with change block tracking option enabled by the VDDK, please do not turn off this option in the VM for consequent backup jobs. If you need to disable this option, you are suggested to create a new backup set with this option disabled. </WRAP> |
- | Once the backup job executed on a VM with change block tracking option enabled by the VDDK, please do not turn off this option in the VM for consequent backup jobs. If you need to disable this option, you are suggested to create a new backup set with this option disabled. </code></WRAP> | + | |
== VMware Snapshot == | == VMware Snapshot == | ||
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* Independent Disk (Persistent or Non-persistent) | * Independent Disk (Persistent or Non-persistent) | ||
* Independent disk can only be backed up if the VM is shutdown during a backup. If the VM is started up during the backup, all independent disks selected for backup cannot be backed up. | * Independent disk can only be backed up if the VM is shutdown during a backup. If the VM is started up during the backup, all independent disks selected for backup cannot be backed up. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Best Practices and Recommendations ===== | ||
+ | Please consider the following recommendations for running VMware backup: | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Use the latest version of AhsayOBM ==== | ||
+ | Install the latest version of AhsayOBM on the staging machine or Backup Client Computer for backup of VM hosted on a VMware ESX/ESXi server, or on the vCenter server. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Always stay up-to-date when newer version of AhsayOBM is released. To get our latest product and company news through email, please subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.ahsay.com/jsp/en/contact/ahsay-contact.jsp | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Install AhsayOBM on a physical staging machine ==== | ||
+ | For best backup and restore performance, it is highly recommended that AhsayOBM is installed on a server grade staging machine or backup client computer with sufficient memory and processing power. As guest VM can be very large, during backups and restore this may involve the compression & encryption of large amounts of data, which can be very resource intensive. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== VMware Tools ==== | ||
+ | Make sure the latest version of VMware Tools is installed on each guest VM selected for backup. VMware Tools is used by AhsayOBM to quiesce the guest VMs prior to backing them up to create consistent backup for your VMs. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Quiescing is a process that ensures that the disk data is in a state suitable for backups to reduce the possibility of data corruption upon restore. This is especially important for transaction-based applications running on VMs like MS SQL Server, MS Exchange etc. There are different types of quiescing mechanisms, according to the guest operating systems (e.g. Crash-consistent, File-system-consistent and Application-consistent quiescing). | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Do not use a guest VM as a staging machine ==== | ||
+ | Although installing AhsayOBM on a guest VM as a staging machine is possible, the backup and restore will work as on a physical staging machine. This setup is actually inefficient and can lead to possible performance bottlenecks on the VMware host server, as in a VMware host the virtualization layer separates guest VM OS layer and the VMware host physical hardware layer. | ||
+ | As the guest VM operating system does not have direct access to physical hardware where the data resides, a backup agent installed inside the guest VM must go through the virtualization layer to access the guest virtual machine data. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Use the VDDK backup mode / CBT feature ==== | ||
+ | The CBT (Change Block Tracking) feature, which is required for backup in VDDK mode, is supported by VM host with VMware Essentials License (or other paid licenses). The CBT feature, which is utilized for tracking changes of data blocks since the last backup can be done quickly and directly on the VM host. Therefore, the performance of incremental backups is much faster with VDDK backup mode. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Another advantage of VDDK mode is the amount of data backed up is relatively smaller. The used data size of the guest VM is backed up instead of the provisioned size, so the storage cost of these backups will be less. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Proper use of Temporary Directory ==== | ||
+ | The temporary directory of a VMware VM backup set is set to a local volume, and not to a network volume (e.g. to improve I/O performance). | ||
+ | However, the temporary directory should not be set to the system volume (e.g. where the operating system is installed). | ||
+ | Refer to this article for {{public:5247_faq:tips_on_how_to_setup_the_temporary_directory_for_your_backup_set|how to setup the temporary directory}} for your VMware backup set. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Plan your backup schedules carefully to minimize any performance impact on the VMware host ==== | ||
+ | To avoid concentrated disk I/O on the VMware host datastores which will have a negative performance impact on the guest VMs residing on these datastores, you should schedule your backups to limit the number of concurrent VM backups on a host and shared datastores. Hosts typically share the same datastores in virtual environments, and bottlenecks caused by too many simultaneous VM backups on a single datastore will affect all hosts that have VMs running on that datastore. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Backup the guest VMs to more than one destination ==== | ||
+ | To provide maximum data protection and recovery flexibility you should consider to store your guest VM backups in multiple backup destinations, ideally both onsite and offsite locations. Onsite locations on local or network drives will enable very quick recovery even for large guest VMs. While offsite locations will ensure that if there is a site outage, the guest can be restored from another location. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Proper Java memory allocation ==== | ||
+ | Consider to increase the Java memory allocation setting for AhsayOBM (Java heap space) if you are using non-VDDK backup mode. If you are using non-VDDK mode and or Granular restore, it is recommended to increase the Java heap size space to at least 2GB or above for optimal performance. Refer to this KB article for {{8011_faq:how_to_modify_the_java_heap_size_of_ahsayobc|how to modify Java heap size}} for your AhsayOBM client. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Backup whole VM ==== | ||
+ | It is highly recommended to backup the whole VM instead of individual disk for backup of virtual machine with snapshot. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Routine recovery test ==== | ||
+ | Consider to perform routine recovery test to ensure your backup is setup and performed properly. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Disable the memory snapshot or quiesce guest options ==== | ||
+ | Consider to disable the memory snapshot or quiesce guest options when taking snapshot for VMware VM backup, to shorten the time required for the process. | ||
+ | * Snapshot the virtual machine's memory | ||
+ | * Quiesce guest file system (Needs VMware Tools installed) | ||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Granular Restore Technology ===== | ||
+ | AhsayOBM [[public:granular_restore|granular restore technology]] enables the recovery of individual files from a guest VM without booting up or restoring the whole guest VM first. [[public:granular_restore|Click here]] to read the details. | ||
+ | |||
+ | <WRAP important> | ||
+ | Granular Restore requires an additional OpenDirect / Granular Restore add-on module license to work. Contact your backup service provider for further details. | ||
+ | </WRAP> | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
===== Documentation ===== | ===== Documentation ===== |