KB ID: 38
Purpose:
This knowledge base article provides detailed information on how to perform VM backup using VMware UltraBlaze technology. With UltraBlaze, the need for an exclusive physical agent for VM backup is eliminated. Instead, it seamlessly integrates with your existing VMware Server. To achieve this, you'll utilize a proxy VM for processing VMware backups. This proxy VM can either be a new VM or an existing one from the ESXi server.
Requirements:
To effectively use VMware UltraBlaze Technology, you must meet the following requirements specified by VMware:
1. The agent must be installed on the Virtual Machine (VM) located on the same ESXi server where the source VMs reside. If the proxy VM, where the backup agent runs, is on a VFMS3 datastore, the volume on the proxy VM should be formatted with an appropriate block size based on the maximum disk size of the source VM(s):
- 1MB block size – supports up to 256GB
- 2MB block size – supports up to 512GB
- 4MB block size – supports up to 1024GB
- 8MB block size – supports up to 2048GB
2. The disks to be hot-added must be SCSI; IDE drives are not compatible with hot-add. The proxy VM should have VMware Tools installed, and it's recommended to immediately upgrade VMware Tools to the latest available version.
To utilize VMware UltraBlaze Technology, you'll need to create a proxy VM and install the Vembu BDR agent on it or select an existing VM for Vembu BDR agent installation while ensuring the above requirements are met.
Proxy VM Creation:
1. Open VMware vSphere Client and select "File -> New -> Virtual Machine."
2. Name your proxy VM.
3. Select the datastore where you want to create the disk for the Proxy VM.
4. Choose the latest virtual machine version.
5. Select the Guest OS (Windows or Linux), with a preference for Ubuntu 64-bit for Linux.
6. Allocate the recommended resources (CPU-1 and RAM-2 GB).
7. Use default options for SCSI controller.
8. Create a new virtual disk.
9. Allocate 50 GB of storage for the Proxy VM.
10. Select SCSI as the Virtual Device Node; selecting IDE will not support this feature.
11. Verify your inputs and create the Proxy VM.
Installing Vembu BDR Agent on Proxy VM:
2. Run the installer with the "Run as Administrator" option.
3. Accept the terms and conditions.
4. Enter a name for this proxy VM, which will be used to identify the installation on the Vembu BDR backup server.
5. Choose the "Typical" installation option with default settings.
6. Click "Finish" to complete the installation process.
Configuring VMware Backup:
2. Log in with the default username and password (admin / admin).
3. Select your timezone.
4. Go to "Backup -> Image Backup -> VMware" page.
5. Enter the Vembu BDR backup server's IP address or DNS name.
6. Choose "Add VMware Server" to add ESXi host information.
7. Enter the required information and save the details.
8. Return to the "Select VMware Server" page and select the added ESXi host.
9. All VMs from the ESXi host will be listed, and you can select the VMs to be backed up.
Related Articles
Volumes Remain Attached after BDRSuite Agent Crash with UltraBlaze™ Technology
KB ID: 51 Cause: During a VMware backup utilizing UltraBlaze™ technology, if the BDRSuite agent crashes on the client, the volumes attached to the agent VM might not automatically detach. Solution: In the event of a BDRSuite agent crash during VMware ...
Configuring VMware VM Replication
BDRSuite offers VMware Replication, a feature with which you can replicate your VMs and create an exact copy of the production VM on another vCenter Server/ESXi host. The VMs that are replicated to the target host will be synchronized with the VM ...
How does VMware backup work with BDRSuite?
BDRSuite performs agentless VM backups using VMware APIs for Data Protection (VADP), allowing direct interaction with VMware vCenter or ESXi hosts. It initiates a snapshot to capture the VM's state, including memory, disks, and configuration files, ...
Unable to Create VM Snapshot - BDRSuite for VMware
KB ID: 105010 Causes: When using BDRSuite Backup for VMware, you may encounter issues while creating snapshots for VMs configured for backup or replication. The error messages provide insights into the specific reasons for the failure. Common causes ...
VMware Backup and Recovery
Overview BDRSuite offers agentless backup solutions for VMware ESXi & vCenter. This eliminates the need to install backup agents on each VM. It also provides flexible storage, instant & granular recovery, and centralized management for efficient VM ...