![]() ![]() Application-aware backup relies on Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy service and special VSS writers that interact with the respective application running on a VMware VM to make sure all transactions living to memory or pending I/O operations are flushed to disk, frozen for the VSS snapshot to be taken, and then unfrozen. With application-aware mode enabled, no additional steps will be required to recover the VM and application to an application consistent state. ![]() To follow the best way to backup VMware VMs, you should create your VM backup jobs utilizing “application-aware” to ensure that your virtual machine backups contain consistent information with no corruption. These applications require transactional consistency and should be backed up in such a way as to maintain application consistency. Most organizations run business-critical applications, such as Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft SQL Server, or Microsoft Active Directory, on their virtual infrastructure. In this way, backups of your VMware virtual machines will also include configuration settings, along with all the guest operating system files, enabling VMware VMs to restore exactly the same as they were at the time their backups were made. However, the best way to backup VMware VMs is to utilize an agentless VM backup solution that works at the host or vCenter level to create image-based virtual machine backups. Thus, if there is a need to recover a VMware VM, you will have to create a new virtual machine, load the agent, and restore files. Additionally, configuration settings that make up a crucial part of a properly functioning virtual machine, may not be captured by an agent. Installing and managing guest operating system agents can be time-consuming. ![]() Many legacy backup solutions require the use of in-guest agents to perform backups of virtual machines. So, never use snapshots instead of backups! Create Image-based, Application-aware VM Backups In contrast, using backups provides an autonomous way to preserve and restore your data, without relying on either the physical infrastructure or underlying virtual disks. Thus, if any disk in the chain is corrupted, the whole chain becomes corrupt. VMware snapshots work in a “chain”, meaning that they require and rely on the base VMDK disks and any other delta disks in place to reflect the current virtual machine state. Snapshots can be useful in development environments providing a quick rollback mechanism to test processes, patches, settings, etc. They are temporary restore points in time that allow for quickly reverting an entire virtual machine, including its settings, to its previous state at a specific point in time. Snapshots are not backups, and VMware does not support them in this capacity. However, this can prove to be a disastrous approach, as VMware snapshots should never be utilized as backups. Many have mistakenly made the decision to rely on snapshots of their VMware virtual machines as a type of backup. Below, you will find our VMware VM backup checklist.ĭISCOVER SOLUTION Never Treat Snapshots as Backups Therefore, it is recommended to have a comprehensive checklist of best practices highlighting the most important areas you need to give attention to while backing up your VMware environment. ![]() This can enable you to provide resilient, secure, and robust protection of your data, while saving you time and money.įailing to follow best practice recommendations can leave you vulnerable to data loss, which may ultimately result in damaged customer confidence or even loss of your business. When developing your data protection plan and seeking to find the best way to backup VMware virtual machines, you need to design your VMware backup strategy using best practices for VMware backup. VMware has long been an industry leader in providing enterprise-level virtualization solutions, such as VMware vSphere – a powerful platform with many key features and functionality, which empowers organizations to be agile and scalable with their SDDC strategies. ![]()
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