VMWare Server 2.0 - Backup?

MarkA · 5 May 2009 at 00:48

Hi guys

Just running 2 servers under the standard VMWare Server 2.0 application, running on a Windows 2003 Standard host. Servers are running very light, and before moving them to ESXi in a few months, need a way to back these up while they are online.. if possible.

What are my options for backing up the virtual machine? I've got a large backup window of 6pm-8am so 14 hours to play with.

iaind · 5 May 2009 at 07:54

I know virtual server 2005 supports backup of online machines with VSS, have a google and see if you can do the same with VMware server.

If you have such a large backup window, why do they need to be online? The easiest way is to shut them down/suspend them and back up the files

MarkA · 6 May 2009 at 10:58

Can this be scheduled using the standard VMWare Server? (The suspending)

MarkA · 6 May 2009 at 11:53

I've created a batch file for example:
C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Server\vmware-cmd "C:\Virtual Machines\XP - Novell Client\Windows XP Professional.vmx" suspend
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntbackup.exe backup "@C:\Documents and Settings\support.DMA\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows NT\NTBackup\data\test.bks" /n "backuptest.bkf created 06/05/2009 at 11:39" /d "Set created 06/05/2009 at 11:39" /n "backuptest.bkf created 06/05/2009 at 11:39" /v:no /r:no /rs:no /hc

ff /m normal /j "test" /l:s /f "\\nas01\data1\vmware\backuptest.bkf"
C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Server\vmware-cmd "C:\Virtual Machines\XP - Novell Client\Windows XP Professional.vmx" start

Hopefully this will work.