About backing up VMware resources

When you create a backup job, you can select the following VMware resources:

  • An entire vCenter or ESX server, DataCenters, and folders

  • Individual virtual machines

Note:

You cannot back up databases to devices that are attached to a computer on which the Remote Media Agent for Linux Servers is installed.

If you select the vCenter or ESX server as a backup resource, all virtual machines are backed up.

If you select to back up the vCenter or ESX server, the backup job does not include the following:

  • Configuration files for the vCenter or ESX server

  • Physical Raw Disk Mapping (RDM) devices

  • Independent disks

Backup Exec can automatically protect new virtual machines and folders that are found when a backup job runs.

See How Backup Exec automatically protects new virtual machines during a backup job .

The following backup methods are supported for VMware resources:

Table: Supported backup methods for VMware resources

Backup method

Requirements

Full

This option is available for both VMware vCenter Server and VMware vSphere. It is the only available backup method for VMware resources if you do not use a policy-based backup job.

See Creating a full backup of VMware resources.

Backup Exec’s Granular Recovery Technology (GRT) lets you use the full image backup to restore individual files for virtual machines that use the Windows operating system. GRT also lets you restore individual items from VSS-aware applications that are installed on the virtual machines.

See How Granular Recovery Technology works with the Agent for VMware.

Incremental or Differential

This option is available only if the virtual machine is configured with hardware version 7. You must use a policy to create a backup job that uses the incremental or differential backup method.

See Creating an incremental or a differential backup of VMware resources.

About backing up VMware resources