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Eric Siebert

Core Technologies used for Virtual Machine Backup. vExpert, Author, Blogger Blog: http://vsphere-land.com http://searchvmware.com Twitter : @ ericsiebert. Eric Siebert. About the speaker. 25 year IT industry veteran. vSphere Land blog: http://vmware-land.com/.

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Eric Siebert

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  1. Core Technologies used for Virtual Machine Backup vExpert, Author, Blogger Blog: http://vsphere-land.com http://searchvmware.com Twitter: @ericsiebert Eric Siebert

  2. About the speaker • 25 year IT industry veteran. vSphere Land blog: http://vmware-land.com/ Author of popular books Contributor to industry publications vExpert nomination

  3. Agenda • Virtual Environment Backup Methods • Virtual Machine Snapshots • Disk-to-Disk Backups • Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) • vStorage APIs • Data Deduplication • Data Compression

  4. Virtual Environment Backup Methods • Virtualization introduces more options and flexibility • Drastically different than physical infrastructures • Traditional backup approach can create bottlenecks

  5. Image Level Backups • Key difference with VM backups VM disk blocks • Image-level backups don’t need OS agents • More efficient to backup VMDKs via virtualization layer • Image-level backups are complete VM • Image-level backups are at block level • Empty disk block detection • Changed disk blocks

  6. Virtual Machine Snapshots Point-in-time picture of a VM VM disks become read-only during a snapshot Writes are redirected Changes merged into source

  7. Deleting Virtual Machine Snapshots Process has changed with different vSphere versions Helpersnapshot is created to hold disk writes Snapshot 1 grows to 23 GB Snapshot 2 grows to 18 GB 4 3 2 1 Helper Snapshot disk data file 1 GB Snapshot 1 disk data file 5 GB Snapshot 2 disk data file 8 GB Snapshot 3 disk data file 10 GB Original VM disk data file 60 GB

  8. Deleting Virtual Machine Snapshots • In later vSphere 4.1 & later 4.0 versions, each snapshot is merged directly back into the original disk in turn

  9. Virtual Machine Snapshot Size • Snapshot files grow over time in 16 MB increments • Single snapshot file can never exceed size of source disk • Additional changes will change the same block • Multiple snapshot can exceed the size of source disk • Growth rate determined by disk write activity Snapshot 2 < + > Snapshot 4 Snapshot 1 Snapshot3

  10. Virtual Machine Snapshot Usage • Snapshot , by themselves, are not a complete backup solution • Good for short-term recovery points • Left unchecked, snapshot can degrade performance • Snapshot enable image-based backups • Makes VM’s disks read-only for exclusive access at backup • Snapshot deleted at completion of backup process Snapshot Snapshot Snapshot

  11. Disk To Disk Backups • Disk systems increasingly popular as a backup target • Backup repository on disk instead of tape • Most backup applications support disk targets • Backup repository holds deduplicated and compressed data • Target storage can be local or remote: NFS/CIFS/FTP Backup Server Primary storage Backup storage

  12. Disk To Disk Backups • Backup data can be replicated off-site • That data can be offloaded to tape (Disk to Disk to Tape) Backups and restores with disk are much easier and faster Backup Backup Server Restore Primary storage Backup storage

  13. Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) • Mechanism for creating consistent copies • Windows-based service, since Windows XP • Block-level within Windows file system • Manages data change and avoids file locking

  14. VSS Components • VSS prepares file system and applications for backup • VSS has several components Requestor Initiates request to VSS service Writers Application component to work with VSS Provider Creates the shadow copy

  15. VSS Providers • Different types of providers for VSS Writers Volume Shadow Copy Service Requestor Provider Disk Volume SQL, Exchange, Active Directory, Oracle, SharePoint Backup software Operating system, storage array or system provider

  16. VMware Consolidated Backup (VCB) • VMare recognized opportunity for more efficiency • VMare Consolidated Backup (VCB) introduced with VI3 • VCB was a proxy server to offload backups from VM • VCB mounted virtual disks to then perform image-level backup • Shifted backup overhead to VCB server from VM and host VMware Consolidated Backup LAN 3rd party Backup Vendors VCB SAN VMware File System

  17. vStorage APIs • In vSphere, VCB replaced with Apls • Allows 3rd party applications to deliver efficient backups • vStorage APls uses to describe various ways to integrate • Four categories of vStorage APls vStorage API VMware Consolidated Backup LAN LAN 3rd party Backup Vendors 3rd party Backup Vendors VCB SAN SAN VMware File System VMware File System

  18. vStorage API Categories vStorage APls for Array Integration (VAAI) vStorage APls for Multi-pathing (VAMP)

  19. vStorage API Categories vStorage APls for Site Recovery Manager (VASRM) vStorage APls for Data Protection (VADP)

  20. vStorage APIs for Data Protection • Two methods for using VADP to back up VMs: • Providing backup server directly access VM datastores • Using virtual appliance to hot-add VM disk file directly from datastore

  21. Changed Block Tracking • CBT is the standout feature of VADP • What blocks have changed? Best for incremental backups • Allows 3rd party applications to find changes since last backup • Enables faster incremental backups and near CDP Critical technology for baking up VMs Full backup or replication Incremental Changes only

  22. Changed Block Tracking Stores information in special –ctk.vmdk file Fixed length file Size varies by size of VMDK Utilized sequence numbers that inform of changed blocks Enabled by backup applications or advanced VM settings

  23. Data Deduplication Deduplication can increase storage efficiency • Inline vs. post-processing • Source vs. target • Different chunking methods and hash sizes

  24. Data Deduplication • In-line is common, hash calculations are done before blocks are stored in the backup repository Look for a VM backup program that provides deduplication

  25. Data Compression Deduplication and compression dramatically reduce storage requirements

  26. What we covered • Virtual Environment Backup Methods • Virtual Machine Snapshots • Disk-to-Disk Backups • Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) • vStorage APIs • Data Deduplication • Data Compression

  27. Enjoy and share this material • Feel free to promote this material • Recommend your peers to pass certification • Blog, Tweet and share this material and your experience on Facebook • You’re an Expert? We will be happy to have you as Backup Academy • contributor. Apply here. Web: http://www.backupacademy.com E-mail: feedback@backupacademy.com Twitter: BckpAcademy Facebook: backup.academy

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