Image Backups of Virtual Servers
  • Steve Putnam
    35
    We have a potential new client that has a single 1TB virtual Drive (VHDx file) which is 100GB of OS and 900 GB of Data.
    They only have a 25mbps upstream connection, so we are concerned that a periodic full VM/VHDx Backup will not be viable.
    Using an image backup. we could exclude the data folders, resulting in a 100GB OS backup. How does a recovery work if we do an image backup of a Virtual Server?
    We plan to test it , but only if it is a supported recovery option.
    Thanks
    Steve Putnam Options
  • David Gugick
    118
    ↪Steve Putnam
    I am checking with the team on actual instructions and will forward when I hear back. Thinking about this, there are few options:
    1- Change the single virtual disk VM and create a second virtual disk for the data. Then you can back up the VM virtual disk with the OS using the VM backup and use the in-OS agent to back up the files using file / folder backup.
    2- Use Amazon S3 or Wasabi for the target so you can take advantage of synthetic fulls on subsequent full backup operations.
    3- Reduce the frequency of full backups
    4- Or use image backups as you suggested - and you use a single agent with an Image backup for the C OS volume (data folder excluded) and a second File backup plan for the actual Data on the drive.
    David Gugick Options
  • David Gugick
    118
    ↪Steve Putnam
    Steve, Here is the help on restoring images as virtual:
    https://mspbackups.com/AP/Help/backup-and-restore/backup-agent/win-agent/physical-virtual-restore
    David Gugick Options
  • Steve Putnam
    35
    Thanks David. We did a test of Option #4 and it worked great.
    Steve Putnam Options
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