The past few weeks I’ve been working with a customer that only has ESXi, Veeam FastSCP has came in really handy lately! I can copy files between systems or between a system and my desktop, the flexibility it creates is amazing.  It also attempts to utilize the VMKernel API first, if it cannot make a connection that way it will fallback to SSH.  Did I forget to mention, its blazing fast!

Well, now is your chance to get Veeam Backup and Replication for 50% off! Don’t miss this great opportunity to get a solid backup utility for your ESX(i) infrastructure.  Oh yeah, it also works with ESXi Free Edition!

Through June 15, Veeam Software is extending a special upgrade offer that gives you budget relief, freeing you to license the new #1 for VMware backup and replication. Veeam has the functionality, reliability and performance you need now.

You can have both backup and replication in one product - now 50% off when you provide proof of purchase of a competing product. Learn more >>

Posted under Backup & Recovery

Idealstor, a leading developer of disk-to-disk backup solutions, announced today the release of iBac VIP for VMware Virtual Center.  iBac VIP for Virtual Center was created to simplify VMware backups by offering a single license that backs up every virtual machine regardless of how many ESX hosts have been implemented.

Read More…

Posted under Backup & Recovery, Storage

So, I’ve already had a couple posts including some shell scripts that I wrote that will quiesce your Virtual Machines then initiate a NetApp level snapshot.  Some have noted (including myself) how they are not the best tools for getting the job done….mind you, they worked for me and my purpose, but they were lacking.  I’m not going to get into what they were lacking, but lets just leave it at that (definietly not a commercial product). Luckily for us, NetApp has released a new product called SnapManager for Virtual Infrastructure (SMVI) which a lot of people have already discussed in the blogging world.  This is another tool of the SnapManager series which automates the snapshot process for your application, including system quiescing (VM snapshots) and also integration with SnapMirror (if your using it).  Tons of information on SMVI can be found on the links at the bottom of this blog.

OK — so lets take it a step further, say you don’t want to fork out the money for SMVI, what can you do?  Well, NetApp released on its NOW ToolChest (support subscription required) a tool called VIBE, Virtual Infrastructure Backup Engine.

Read More…

Posted under Backup & Recovery, NetApp, Storage

Alright, well I finally set aside some time to sit and think about my script that runs my snapshots (VMware Snapshots then NetApp Snapshots then remove VMware Snapshot).   The problem with my current script is that if you have multiple VMware Snapshots they all get removed… which IMO maybe isn’t a bad thing (since your not suppose to keep snapshots for that long), but I can see in some environments it may not be a good thing.

Read More…

Posted under Backup & Recovery, ESX 3.5 Tips, NetApp, Storage, VMware