XenServer Backup and Restore

I am wondering if you have some recommendation, maybe a document, on the best way to backup iSCSI based VHD storage repository? Currently we have two Xenserver host pointing to DSS setup in iSCSI failover. I want to be able to backup the VHD's, on a daily, and weekly bases and be able to restore them if needed. I am new to DSS, and do not get the best way to handle the backups, should I use backup tasks, or snapshots?

Thanks
Shawn Grass

Currently the Backup function w/ DSS V6 is only with NAS Volumes, though the Snapshot will work for NAS, iSCSI and FC Volumes as well but we dont have a backup feature for the iSCSI volumes.

Based on the setup above could you setup another DSS offsite and do replication to it at night, so we have a backup location? We would have a IPSEC tunnel between both locations setup by the routers.

Thanks
Shawn

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shawngrass

Based on the setup above could you setup another DSS offsite and do replication to it at night, so we have a backup location? We would have a IPSEC tunnel between both locations setup by the routers.

Thanks
Shawn

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Yes, WAN replication can work.

Is there a way to do this with iSCSI? Can you point me to a document on how to set it up? The one I saw is for NAS.

Thanks
Shawn

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shawngrass

Is there a way to do this with iSCSI? Can you point me to a document on how to set it up? The one I saw is for NAS.

Thanks
Shawn

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Replicating a iSCSI Volume, or NAS Volume... its the same.

I don't think there's an howto documentation about ASYNC replication (nightly) of a VOLUME (iSCSI) over a WAN.

There are docs for synchronuous replication of volumes over LAN.

http://www.open-e.com/library/how-to-resources/
Then "Open-E Replications".

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Klug

I don't think there's an howto documentation about ASYNC replication (nightly) of a VOLUME (iSCSI) over a WAN.

There are docs for synchronuous replication of volumes over LAN.

http://www.open-e.com/library/how-to-resources/
Then "Open-E Replications".

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DSSV6 no longer does ASYNC replication. this feature has been removed for the moment.
Setting up Volume replication is the same for iSCSI and NAS volumes though.

Do you expect to have this turned back on in future releases?

Thanks
Shawn.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shawngrass

Do you expect to have this turned back on in future releases?

Thanks
Shawn.

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Eventually I think it will return.
But no ETA on that yet...

the easiest way would be to take a snapshot from xenserver itself and export it to template

this solution results in a file-based backup of a virtual machine, you can reimport such vm easily via xencenter, the only thing it requires is some kind of storage to write backups to (cifs/nfs/usb hdd and such..)

but keep in mind that it is slow, as you have to dump all data blocks that have been at least once written and not only currently used space
for example new vm with 20gb hdd and only 4gb used will most probably result in 4gb backup file, old vm which had some writes done, will hit 20gb easily even if it still uses only 4gb of space


http://www.andy-burton.co.uk/blog/in...ws-cifs-share/

Thanks Red... great info to have around, very usefull.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by red

the easiest way would be to take a snapshot from xenserver itself and export it to template

this solution results in a file-based backup of a virtual machine, you can reimport such vm easily via xencenter, the only thing it requires is some kind of storage to write backups to (cifs/nfs/usb hdd and such..)

but keep in mind that it is slow, as you have to dump all data blocks that have been at least once written and not only currently used space
for example new vm with 20gb hdd and only 4gb used will most probably result in 4gb backup file, old vm which had some writes done, will hit 20gb easily even if it still uses only 4gb of space


http://www.andy-burton.co.uk/blog/in...ws-cifs-share/

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We are currently using a script to do the backup like you suggest, but as you say it is slow, and the files are quite large. We are also looking at a new solution called PHDVirtual that is suppose to be able to do backups of only files that have changed since the last backup.

Thanks
Shawn

Currently the Backup function w/ DSS V6 is only with NAS Volumes, though the Snapshot will work for NAS, iSCSI and FC Volumes as well but we dont have a backup feature for the iSCSI volumes.

I disagree with red...escpecially because of the inefficiency of data...
This will not work for
- regular basis backups
- need for differencial / incremental backups
- high amount of VMs / data in VHDs...
Unfortunately there are very little number of backup tools that support Xen...

So this is open for me, too, and we rely on data backups with system images and iSCSI failover cluster, too.