whitepaper veritas netbackup 6.5 vmware nov2007

8/8/2019 Whitepaper Veritas NetBackup 6.5 Vmware Nov2007

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Contents

Executive overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Intended audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Technology overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Comparative technology overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Three sample configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Configuration #1: Verita NetBackup client intalled inide the VMware service Conole . . . . . . . . 6

Configuration #2a: Verita NetBackup client intalled inide each virtual machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Configuration #2b: PureDik client intalled inide each virtual machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Configuration #3: Verita NetBackup for VMware integrated with VMware Conolidated Backup . . . 10

Implementation and deployment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Configuration #1: Verita NetBackup client intalled inide the VMware service Conole . . . . . . . 11

Configuration #2a: Verita NetBackup client intalled inide each virtual machine . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Configuration #2b: PureDik client intalled inide each virtual machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Configuration #3: Verita NetBackup for VMware integrated with VMware Conolidated Backup . . . 15

Appendix A: Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Appendix B: Additional resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Appendix C: VMware Backup Proxy sizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2

White Paper: Bet Practice

Veritas NetBackup 6.5 for VMware 3.x

Bet Practice

November 2007


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Executive overview

VMware virtual infratructure oftware i ued by enterprie large and mall to increae the

efficiency and cot-effectivene of their IT operation. Conidered by Gartner to be a mega-

trend, VMware oftware i making it way into data center of every ize. Recognizing thi trend,

Verita NetBackup ha engineered innovative, award winning data protection olution deigned

pecifically for VMware environment. Thi paper cover bet practice for deigning olution

forand protectingVMware virtual machine.

A innovative a virtual machine technology i, it alo introduce new data protection iue.

I it bet to protect the virtual machine (VM) by backing it up via a NetBackup or PureDik client?

I a NetBackup client inide the service Conole the anwer? What about VMware Conolidated

Backup? The relative advantage and diadvantage of thee three backup configuration will be

dicued in detail in thi document.

Intended audience

A there are many way of uing VMware technology, there are jut a many method available

for protecting thi innovative technology. sytem adminitrator and IT technologit can ue thi

paper to determine one of three recommended olution for protecting virtual machine. Each of

thee technologie ha relative advantage and diadvantage.

Technology overview

Two backup paradigm for VMware environment are dicued in thi document:

On-host backup: Thee technologie involve intalling a NetBackup or PureDik Client inide

each virtual machine or on the EsX service Conole. Thi backup methodology i popular becaue

implementation i eentially the ame a with phyical machine backup. The downide i that

backup activity on one virtual machine may alo impact the performance of every virtual machine

hoted on the EsX server. Thi proce i decribed in configuration #1, #2a, and #2b.

Off-host backups: Thi deign take advantage of the VMware Conolidated Backup (VCB)

technology. Introduced with Virtual Infratructure 3, thi sAN or isCsI baed technology offload

backup proceing from the EsX server to a eparate Backup Proxy erver. NetBackup 6.5.1 add

Granular File Retore from full virtual machine (vmdk) backup, an award winning technology

offered only by NetBackup. Thi technology i decribed in configuration #3.

Verita NetBackup 6.5 for VMware 3.x

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Three sample configurations

Configuration #1: Veritas NetBackup client installed inside the VMware Service Console

Reaonably imple to implement, thi could be conidered an off-hot backup technology in the

ene that no NetBackup oftware i intalled inide the virtual machine (figure 1). Intalling

the NetBackup client inide the service Conole give direct acce to the file that make up

the virtual machine (VM)the vmdk file. Thi method i eaiet to implement if the virtual

machine are powered off. In thi tate, the virtual machine are tatic and unchanging. If the VM

are powered on, additional pre-backup proceing or cripting would be recommended to enure

that the VM are in a conitent tate during backup operation. Implementing thi would involve

uing the EsX server built-in naphot functionality (ee Appendix B).

Figure 1. NetBackup client in Service Console

The relative advantage and diadvantage of thi backup configuration are decribed in the

following ection.

Advantages:

Installationisclear-cut.ANetBackupclientcanbeeasilyinstalledontheVMwareService

Conole. Configuring a NetBackup policy uing thi technology i a traightforward a any

tandard client backup.

EntireVMrestoresaresimple.TheclientinsidetheServiceConsoleprovidesbackupand

retore acce to the VM (vmdk) file.

TheServiceConsoleOScanalsobebackedupusingthismethod.

VM

1

VM

2

VMDKVMDK

ESX Service Console

VMFS

VMDK VMDK


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TheentireVMcanbebackedupbybackingupthevmdkfiles.

TheconfigurationsupportsbothLANorSANimplementations.

Disadvantages:

BackupprocessingononeVMimpactsthesystemresourcesavailabletoallremainingVMs

located on the EsX server.

ScriptcreationandmaintenancearelikelyifconsistentbackupsofliveVMsarerequired.

Single(OS-level)filerestorescannotbeperformeddirectlyfromtheNetBackupinterface.

However, ingle file retore can be performed uing VMware created tool uch a mountvm.

exe. see the reource in Appendix B for more information.

Thisconfigurationdoesnotsupportdatabaseorapplicationbackups.

Configuration #2a: Veritas NetBackup client installed inside each virtual machine

Inspiteofthevirtualizationtechnologiesinvolved,VMsarecompleteOSinstallationshostedon

virtualized hardware. Thee intallation can be backed up the uing the ame baic technique a

theirphysicalcounterpartswithaNetBackupclientinsidetheGuestOS(seefigure2).Runninga

NetBackupclientinsidetheVMissupported.StandardOSsupportrulesapply.BackingupaVMin

thi way i eentially like backing up a phyical machine.

Figure 2. NetBackup client in virtual machine

VM

1

VM

2

VMDKVMDK

ESX Service Console

VMFS

VMDK VMDK


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Advantages:

Thisisasimpleandfamiliarimplementation.Traditionally,mostphysicalmachinebackups

have been performed thi way, which make the tranition to VM backup uing thi technology

a traightforward tak.

Singlefilebackupsaresupported.

AllbackedupdataiscorrectlyreferencedintheNetBackupcatalogtotheoriginatingVM.

RestorationdirectlytotheVMissupported.

Incrementalbackupsareeasilyconfigured.

AdvancedbackuptechnologiessuchasSyntheticBackupsaresupported.

Databasebackupsaresupportedaswell.Configurationisassimpleasinstallingand

configuring the appropriate databae agent.

Disadvantages:

Entirevirtualmachine(atOSlevel)restoresaremorecomplex.

FullVM(vmdk)restoresarenotpossible.

ThebackupprocessingloadononeVMwillnegativelyimpactsystemresourcesavailableto

other VM hoted on the ame phyical erver. Backup cheduling hould take thi iue into

account. Resource-intensivebackupsoftenplaceaheavyloadonsharednetworkandCPUresources.

ClientsoftwareinstalledoneachVMneedstobemaintainedandupdated.

TheVMmustbepoweredonforbackupprocessingtooccur.


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Configuration #2b: PureDisk client installed inside each virtual machine

Thi configuration i jut like configuration #2a, except that a PureDik client i ued.

Figure 3. PureDisk client in virtual machine

Advantages:

Thisisasimpleandfamiliarimplementation.Traditionally,mostphysicalmachinebackups

have been performed thi way, which make the tranition to VM backup uing thi technology

a traightforward tak.

Singlefilebackupsaresupported.

Allbacked-updataiscorrectlyreferencedinthePureDiskMetaBase(catalog)totheoriginatingVM.

RestorationdirectlytotheVMissupported.

SQLServerandExchangebackupsaresupportedaswell.Configurationisassimpleas

configuring the appropriate type of backup.

Workswithanystoragetype:SAN,NAS,DAS,oriSCSI.

Disadvantages:

Entirevirtualmachine(atOSlevel)restoresaremorecomplex.

FullVM(vmdk)restoresarenotpossible.

ThebackupprocessingloadononeVMmaynegativelyimpactsystemresourcesavailabletoother

VM hoted on the ame phyical erver. Backup cheduling hould take thi iue into account.

ClientsoftwareinstalledoneachVMneedstobemaintainedandupdated.

TheVMmustbepoweredonforbackupprocessingtooccur.

VM

1

VM

2

VMDKVMDK

ESX Service Console

VMFS

VMDK VMDK


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Configuration #3: Veritas NetBackup for VMware integrated with VMware

Consolidated Backup

NetBackup for VMware provide an alternate client backup technology for virtual machine with

integratedfilerecovercapabilities(seefigure4).UsedinconjunctionwithVMwareConsolidated

Backup (VCB) off-hot data protection technology from VMware, NetBackup 6.5 build on and

ignificantly enhance the VMware olution. Baic VCB integration i included with NetBackup 6.5.

Enhanced Granular File Retore from a vmdk backup i planned for releae in NetBackup 6.5.1.

Figure 4. VMware Consolidated Backup

Advantages:

Tworestoreoptionsfromasinglebackup:singlefilerestoreorentire(vmdklevel)VMrestore.

IntegrationwiththeVMwareConvertertechnologygreatlysimplifiesrestoresofVMs.

Allbacked-updataiscorrectlyreferencedintheNetBackupcatalogtotheoriginatingVM.

BackupimpactonthetargetVMandotherVMshostedonthesamephysicalmachineisminimized.

ThereisnoneedtoinstallNetBackupsoftwareontheVMorinsidetheESXServiceConsole.

IntegrationwithVMwareVirtualCenterprovideseasyvirtualmachinediscovery.

TheconfigurationisDistributedResourceScheduling(DRS)andVMotionaware.

Disadvantages:

TheconfigurationrequiresasharedSANoriSCSIenvironmentandaseparateW2K3ProxyServer.

Live(hot)applicationordatabasebackupsrequireadditionalpre-andpost-backupprocessing

to enure backup data conitency.

GranularfilerestoreiscurrentlylimitedtosupportforWindowsVMs.

VM

ESX

VMDKStaging

area Datastore

Disk

BackupProxy

VMDK


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Implementation and deployment

Configuration #1: Veritas NetBackup client installed inside the VMware Service Console

Installation procedure

There are two major component to intalling thi configuration:

The firt intallation tak i the eaiet a it imply involve intalling a NetBackup client

insidetheRedHatLinuxbasedESXServiceConsole.

The econd tak i technically not requiredbut it i recommended. It involve implementing

a cript to prepare the VM for backup. If the VM i powered on and running, the data in the VM

file (vmdk) file will be in an inconitent tate and changing. The VM (vmdk) file can be backed

up, butbecaue the backup i conidered crah-conitentretore are not aured. To avoid

thi iue, cripting would be required to either hut down the VM or (more commonly) create a

naphot of the VM. NetBackup doe not provide cript for the purpoe.

Configuration

Thi deployment require no pecific hardware configuration. It doe, however, have a few imple

requirement that are imilar to any tandard network backup configuration. For example, theEsX service Conole mut have network acce to the NetBackup Media server and it hotname

mut be reolvable.

Configuring a NetBackup Policy: NetBackup policy configuration i reaonably traightforward,

but a few iue hould be kept in mind:

When defining backup election, do not ue the bae VMFs directory on the EsX server a a

backup election; intead, elect a child folder within the vmf directory. For example, to back up

virtual machine that exit within the datatore1 datatore, you would elect the following path

on the EsX server a the backup path within the Backup selection tab on the NetBackup policy

definition:

/vmf/volume/dattore1


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Restoration procedure

Usingthisprocedure,theVMvmdkfileshavebeensafelybackedup.RestoringtheVMbasedon

thee vmdk file i a two-tep proce. The baic procedure i a follow:

1.UsingtheNetBackupBackupArchiveandRestoreGUI,thevmdkfilesshouldberestoredto

either pace located on the EsX service Conole or an NFs mount that i acceible to the EsX

server.

2.Oncethevmdkfileshavebeenrestored,theymustbereintroducedorregisteredtotheESX

server uing the vcbRetore command. The entire procedure i outlined in the Virtual MachineBackup Guide. see Appendix B for more information.

Hints, tips and best practices

There are everal area where configuring hardware and oftware can greatly enhance the

reliability of VM backup a well a decreae the impact backup have on VM.

Limit the number of imultaneou backup that occur on a datatore. Thi limit the impact

that backup operation have on each datatore and, in-turn, decreae the impact that backup

will have on all VM haring that datatore. Thi can be configured in the policy definition uing

the Limit Job Per Policy attribute (ee figure 5).

Figure 5. NetBackup policy configuration


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Configure (align) NetBackup policie with VMware datatore. To do thi, create each policy

o that every virtual machine defined in a policy reide on the ame datatore.

Configure the policy to limit the number of job that run imultaneouly, thereby limiting the

number of backup operation that occur againt thi datatore.

Configuration #2a: Veritas NetBackup client installed inside each virtual machine


From an intallation perpective, thi configuration i one of the mot traightforward. A

NetBackup client i imply intalled inide the VM. The intallation procedure for a VM i

essentiallythesameasitwouldbefortheOShostedonaphysical(notvirtual)machine.

Configuration

For tandard file backup, the client configuration in the VM i the ame configuration procedure

a for a phyical machine. simply follow the intallation intruction provided with the client.

Configuring a NetBackup Policy: Baic NetBackup client policy configuration hould be modified

to take into account the phyical layout of the EsX server, the VM targeted for backup, and the

datatore or datatore that the VM reide on.


Oneadvantageofthisconfigurationisthatrestorescaneasilybeandaretypicallydirected

toward the original VM. The previouly intalled NetBackup client make thi proce exactly the

ame a if the retore were occurring to a phyical hot.

Hints, tips and best practices

Thi backup configuration i an on-hot tyle of backup. Accordingly, backup activitie on a ingle

VM can create a ignificant amount of load on the parent EsX serverand, therefore, indirectlyimpact every other VM that i alo hoted on the EsX server. Backup policie hould be defined to

limit the number of imultaneou backup job that are running on each phyical EsX server.

NetBackup include synthetic Backup technology that can be ued to minimize or eliminate

full backup. If only incremental backup are performed, only the data that ha changed ince the

previousbackupiscopiedtotheNetBackupMediaServer,whichsignificantlydecreasestheI/O

aociated with backup and the amount of backup network traffic.


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OnWindowshosts,theWindowsChangeJournalcanalsobeimplementedtoreducethe

backup impact that occur during incremental backup.

Thi backup technique lend itelf very well to databae backup. Configuring a databae

backup in a VM i eentially the ame a configuring the ame databae backup on a phyical

machine. Thi technique can implify and enhance VM databae backup, often providing

incremental capabilitie and retore directly to the VM.

Limit the number of imultaneou backup that occur on a datatore. Thi limit the impact

that backup operation have on each datatore and, in turn, decreae the impact that backup

will have on all VM haring that datatore. Thi can be configured in the policy definition uing

the limit job per policy attribute (ee figure 5).

Configure (align) NetBackup policie with VMware datatore. To do thi, create each policy

o that every virtual machine defined in a policy reide on the ame datatore.

Configuration #2b: PureDisk client installed inside each virtual machine


From an intallation perpective, thi configuration i one of the mot traightforward. A PureDik

client i imply intalled inide the VM. The intallation procedure for a VM i eentially the ameasitwouldbefortheOShostedonaphysical(notvirtual)machine.

Configuration

Client configuration in the VM i the ame configuration procedure a for a phyical machine.

simply follow the intallation intruction provided with the client.

Configuring a PureDisk policy: Baic PureDik client policy and dataelection configuration

hould be modified to take into account the phyical layout of the EsX server, the VM targeted

for backup, and the datatore or datatore that the VM reide on.


Oneadvantageofthisconfigurationisthatrestorescaneasilybeandtypicallyaredirected

toward the original VM. The previouly intalled PureDik client make thi proce exactly the

ame a if the retore were occurring to a phyical hot.


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1. Enure that the hardware (epecially the sAN) i configured properly. The datatore where the

target vmdk file exit mut be viible and acceible to both the EsX server and the Backup

Proxy. VMware alo ha pecific hardware and configuration requirement. An important

component of reliable VCB backup i a properly configured sAN environment. VMware sAN

requirement can be found in the VMware sAN Configuration Guide, located at:

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_an_guide.pdf

2. OntheBackupProxy,installthesupportedversionoftheVMwareConsolidatedBackupFramework.

The intallation of thi VMware component require no pecific configuration tak.

3. Intall the NetBackup component of choice (Mater, Media, or Client) on the VMware Backup Proxy.

A you can ee, once the hardware i intalled and properly configured, the oftware

intallation procedure i traightforward.

Configuration

Thi backup method entail two primary configuration tak: configuration of the two VMware

Conolidated Backup component within NetBackup. Thoe component are:

The Virtual Center Serveror optionally the individual EsX server, if no Virtual Center server i ued VMware Backup Proxythe component where the VMware image are mounted and backed

Both of thee entitie are defined within the NetBackup Admin Conole. Conult the

NetBackup for VMware Configuration Guide (ee Appendix B).

Configuring a NetBackup policy: A NetBackup for VMware policy can be created either manually

or with the help of the NetBackup naphot wizard. With NetBackup 6.5, integration with either

the EsX server or the Virtual Center server provide implified virtual machine dicovery.

SeveralNetBackupforVMwarepolicyattributesarespecifictoVMwarebackups.Optimal

backup performance can be achieved if thee attribute are correctly applied. The attribute and

their recommended etting are a follow:

ClientdefinitionsThi policy attribute i probably the ingle mot important policy etting

in VMware environment. When client are added to a policy, it i recommended that they

be aligned with the torage or datatore on which thee VM reide. For example, if you have

40 VM configured on two datatore and 20 VM reide on each datatore, two policie could

be created. Each policy would be aligned with the 20 VM that are intalled on the aociated

datatore. Thi technique would allow for direct control over how many imultaneou backup


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and ubequent VCB naphot that could be created at any given time. Thi would alo allow

the backup adminitrator to limit that impact that naphot and redo creation and deletion

wouldhaveoneachindividualdatastore,improvingbackupreliabilityandminimizingI/O

contention. Thi policy definition recommendation can be extended for every VM client/

datatore relationhip in the environment.

Snapshot mount pointThisisdefinedwithintheSnapshotMethodOptionsportionofthe

policydefinition(seefigure7).Onlyonesnapshotmountpointcanbedefinedperpolicybut

multiple policy definition can be ued to take advantage of multiple naphot mount point.While the ize of thi mount point mut be at leat a large a the total number of imultaneou

VMbackups,theI/Operformanceofthismountpointisanimportantconsiderationaswell.

When the FullVM backup technology i ued, the VM vmdk file are copied to thi mount point.

ThemoreI/Ocapacitythismountpointhas,thefasterthevmdkfilescanbecopiedtothis

mount point and the quicker the VM naphot can be releaed. Thi limit the amount of time

that the naphot exit, which in turn limit that amount of redo log creationand all of thi

managestheI/Oimpactthatbackupoperationshaveonthedatastore.

Figure 7

LimitjobsperpolicyThi policy attribute can be ued to limit the number of imultaneou

naphot that occur on each datatore. Different torage environment can upport a varying

number of imultaneou backup. The recommended number of imultaneou job that are

configured for each policy/datatore combination will depend on the quality of the torage

infratructure involved. Bet practice would dictate that thi number hould be kept in the low

singledigits.Onetechniquefordeterminingthemaximumnumberofsimultaneoussupportable

VM

ESX

VMDKStaging

area Datastore

Disk

BA

BackupProxy

VMDK


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naphot i to run tet backup, gradually increaing the limit job per policy attribute until

policycreationanddeletionnolongerreliablyoccuroruntiltheI/OimpactontheVMs

aociated with the datatore begin to have a negative impact on the performance of the

aociated VM.


Single file restoresNetBackup for VMware doe not require that a NetBackup client be intalled

inide either the VM or inide the VMware service Conole. For thi reaon, direct retore tothe VM are not poible unle a NetBackup client i intalled inide the VM. Alternatively, an

alternate client retore can be performed to a Window hare, and the retored file may be

acceed and tranferred to the VM through thi hare.

FullVM restoresEntire VM retore can be manually performed by retoring the vmdk file to

a taging area and then moving and regitering the vmdk file to the target EsX server uing the

VMware command vcbRetore.exe. Automatic VM retore can be performed by directing FullVM

retore to a VMware Converter server. The Converter server automatically retore the VM to the

pecified EsX server and regiter the VM.

Hints, tips, and best practices

The ucce of VCB naphot creation and deletion can be directly attributed to two thing:

TheamountofI/OoccurringontheVMdatastoreduringsnapshotcreation

ThecorrectdesignoftheI/Osubstructureassociatedwitheachdatastore

To avoid naphot-aociated iue, backup hould be cheduled during time of relatively

lowI/OactivityontheVM.Reducingthenumberofsimultaneousbackups(and,inturn,VCB

naphot) can help with thi, a well. Thi can be done via the limit job per policy attribute

withinthepolicydefinition.ForcorrectI/Odesignandimplementation,consulttheVMware

documentation lited in Appendix B.

Group VM in a policy with a ingle datatore. In other word, align NetBackup policie with

each datatore. Thi allow you to manually iolate and control the amount of backup-related

I/Othatoccursperdatastorewhich,inturn,limitstheimpactthatbackupI/Ohasonthetarget

VM.

The VMware Backup Proxy can be configured a a NetBackup Mater, Media, or Client. We

recommend that the Backup Proxy be configured a a media erver. The Backup Proxy i a natural


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focalpointforbackup-relatedI/O.BackupProxyaccesstoVMfilesistypicallymadethrougha

fat Fibre or isCsI connection. In mot configuration, it make the mot ene to avoid uing only

a NetBackup client to end VM backup data through the networka low, hared reource.

TheuseofmultipleBackupProxyserversissupportedwithNetBackup.OnceasingleBackup

Proxy i aturated with backup proceing (ee Appendix C), another Backup Proxy can be added

to increae backup throughput capacity.

OnceaVCBsnapshotiscreated,dataistransferredfromtheVMdatastoretotheBackup

Proxy mount point. The completion peed of the naphot proce can be ignificantly enhanced

if care i made to enure that the data path from the datatore to the naphot mount point i a

fat a poible. The naphot mount point hould be configured over a many dedicated pindle

a poible. The vcbMounter.exe command can be ued to perform naphot creation and tranfer

performance tet. Thi can be done by invoking the vcbMounter.exe command from the Backup

Proxy. For example, if you wanted to tet the naphot throughput rate of a VM named vm100.

verita.com to a Backup Proxy named proxy1.verita.com, you would run the vcbmounter.exe

command from the Backup Proxy a follow:

vcbMounter.exe -h ex1.verita.com u root -p foobar -a ipaddr:vm100.verita.com\-r d:\mnt\

vm100.verita.com-FullVM-t fullvm

Where the following VCB component are defined:

EsX server = ex1.verita.com

Root uer on ex1.verita.com = root

Root paword = foobar

Virtual Machine = vm100.verita.com

Mount point on Backup Proxy = d:\mnt\vm100.verita.com-FullVM

Multiple mount point (ued to tage VCB naphot) can be defined and ued on the Backup

Proxy erver (ee figure 8). Properly configured, additional VCB mount point can increae data

backupthroughputontheBackupProxybyusingadditionalstagingareastoextendI/Ocapacity.

NewstagingmountpointsthataredefinedshouldbecreatedonseparateanddedicatedI/O

channels,isolatingI/OtrafficfromothermountpointsthatexistonagivenBackupProxy.

Each mount point (ued to tage VCB naphot) hould be a eparate file ytem created

on a dedicated sCsI or Fibre Channel bu. However, if the mount point hare pace with other

file or data, the mount point file ytem hould be defragmented at regular interval, promoting


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VMware Consolidated Backup FrameworkAn off-hot backup API created by VMware, deigned

to offload backup proceing from the EsX server.

VMware ToolsIntalled inide each virtual machine, VMware Tool enhance virtual machine

performance and add additional backup-related functionality.

Appendix B. Additional resources

Storage/SAN Compatibility Guide For ESX Server 3.x. A critical component for making ure that

the sAN environment i configured with upported equipment; it will help enure that VCB tyle

backup are a reliable a poible:

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_an_guide.pdf

I/O Compatibility Guide For ESX Server 3.x. Provide pecific hardware and driver compatibility

information for EsX 3.x:

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_io_guide.pdf

SAN Configuration Guide. Provide baic configuration information related to Fibre environment:

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_30_20_an_cfg.pdf

Consolidated Backup in VMware Infrastructure 3. An introduction to the VCB technology:

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_conolidated_backup.pdf

Virtual Machine Backup Guide. A VMware created paper that dicue everal facet of virtual

machine backup including VCB:

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_301_201_vm_backup.pdf

Veritas NetBackup Backup Planning and Performance Tuning Guide. Provide ignificant detail

related to NetBackup Media server (and, in turn, the Backup Proxy):

http://upport.verita.com/doc/281842

Veritas NetBackup for VMware Configuration. Decribe how to configure NetBackup for

VMware virtual machine backup with or without a Virtual Infratructure environment:

http://entupport.ymantec.com/doc/289771


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Appendix C. VMware Backup Proxy sizing

During VCB backup, the Backup Proxy erver perform a ignificant amount of backup

proceing. Proper izing of the Backup Proxy erver can help enure maximum backup

performance of the virtual machine environment. Accurately characterizing the capacity of the

Backup Proxy can be broken down into three main area:

1. VCB data pathThi i the entire data path that the VCB-created data will follow during the

backup lifecycle. During the firt phae of the backup proce, the vmdk file are tranferred

from the EsX server datatore to the VCB taging area for a FullVM tyle backup. Thi occur afollow (ee figure 7):

A.After the naphot creation, virtual machine data flow occur between the EsX datatore

and the Backup Proxy. Both isCsI and Fibre Channel technologie are upported for thi

connection.

B.Data i then tranferred from the Backup Proxy to a dik taging area where backup

proceing occur.

Keep in mind that both data path (A and B) decribed above are ued during the initial

copy of the vmdk file. The throughput of the entire data path decribed here i an importantcomponent when determining backup performance. The actual vmdk backup doe not begin

until the entire file copy proce (from the datatore to the taging area) ha been completed.

2. Veritas NetBackup data pathWith VCB backup, the entire backup proce i not over until

the proce of writing data to the NetBackup torage unit i complete. Thi i why the path

from the VCB taging area to the NetBackup torage unit hould be a deign concern.

OncethevmdkfilesarecopiedtotheBackupProxy,thenextstepisforthemtobebackedup

by NetBackup. The Backup Proxy can be a NetBackup Mater, Media, or Client. To maximize

backup throughput, the Backup Proxy hould be configured a a Mater or Media erver o

thatclientdataiswrittendirectlytoaDSUortape(seefigure8)andnotfirstsentoverthe

networktypically a relatively lower tranfer medium than torage directly attached to the

NetBackup Media erver.


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Figure 8

3. Backup Proxy sizingThe VCB backup proce offload backup proceing from the EsX

server to the Backup Proxy. Thi mean that pecial care hould be taken to enure that the

BackupProxyhasenoughsystemresourcestosupporttheamountofI/Othatwillberequired

of it.

Here are ome baic guideline that hould be followed when deigning the Backup Proxy:

BackupProxyServerI/OperformanceisgenerallymoreimportantthanCPUperformance.

CPU,I/O,andmemoryexpandabilityshouldalsobeaconsiderationwhenchoosingaserver. SizetheCPUtosupport10MHzofCPUavailableper1MB/secondofdatathroughputinand

out of the Backup Proxy.

TheinternalbusoftheBackupProxyshouldbefastenoughtosupporttheI/Odevices

connectedtoit.IfmultipleI/Oportsareused,asystemwithmultipleinternalbusesshould

beconsideredtosupporttheadditionalI/O.

More NetBackup-pecific izing information can be found in the NetBackup Backup Planning

and Performance Tuning Guide that can be found here:

http://upport.verita.com/doc/281842

The VCB naphot mount point (taging area) hould be ized uing the following equation:

MountPointSize(GB)=(NUM_VM)(AVG_SIZE)

Where:

NUM_VM= Larget number of VM to backed up imultaneouly

AVG_SIZE= Average ize of the larget VM to be backed up imultaneouly.

Backup

Proxy

Stagingarea

Disk

Disk or tape

storage unit


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For example, if five VM are to be backed up imultaneouly, take the five larget VM in the

environment, calculate their average ize, and ue that number a (AVG_SIZE) in thi equation.

Keep in mind that the VCB naphot area i only a temporary taging area and i reued a VM

backup are proceed. While an extremely mall taging area can create a backup bottleneck

in the VCB backup proce, if the Backup Proxy taging area i deigned large enough to

upport a nominal amount of VM during the backup proce, the taging area ize hould not

impede backup performance.

I/Othroughputisanotherperformancemetricthatshouldbeconsideredwhensizingthe

Backup Proxy. For example, a 2 Gb Fibre connection hould be able to tranfer either VCB

naphot or backup data at a nominal tranfer rate of 140 MB/econd. Additional izing

information can be found in the Verita NetBackup Backup Planning and Performance Tuning

Guide (ee Appendix B).

ConclusionOverallbackupperformanceofeachBackupProxywillbedefinedbytheslowest

component of the entire backup data path. Thee component are:

BackupProxysystemresources:CPU,internalbus,RAM

VCBsnapshotcreationtime SizeofthestagingarealocatedontheBackupProxy

I/OperformanceofdatapathbetweenESXdatastoreandBackupProxystagingarea

DatapathbetweenBackupProxystagingareaandtheNetBackupstorageunit

Verita NetBackup 6.5 for VMware 3.xx

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