Agentless Backup for VMware Complements Block Data Protection
Using Agentless VMware Backup to protect VMs has significant advantages, including simplified administration and tight integration with VMware vCenter. However, you can install Catalogic DPX in a VM to run Block backups of the VM. Block backup jobs are defined separately from Agentless VMware Backup jobs, though they are both defined, scheduled, and displayed in the management interfaces.
The VM data protection types are tightly integrated: both are controlled by a single master server and managed from either of the management interfaces. This enables you to deploy data protection strategies in a single data protection system.
Agentless VMware Backup is performed through VMware vStorage APIs for Data Protection, which mounts VMDK files and transfers data to proxy servers.
The following table compares Agentless VMware Backup and Block Data Protection:
Description/ Benefits | Agentless VMware Backup (Proxy-Based backup) | Block Data Protection (Agent-Based Backup) |
Agent installation | Agent installation only on proxy servers. | Agent installation on each VM to be protected. |
Applicability | Data protection of all VMs, with application consistent protection through VM quiesce, see Source Options for Agentless VMware Backup in Creating the Agentless VMware Backup Jobs from the Java-based DPX Management Interface in the DPX 4.9.x User’s Guide. | Applicable for Windows and Linux VMs requiring application-aware protection of SharePoint, Exchange, SQL Server, or Oracle. See Application-Consistent Protection. |
Advantages | No agent installation and maintenance on VMs. Low impact on ESX servers. | Application-aware protection, including granular recovery for SharePoint and Exchange. Backup of iSCSI-based volumes. |
Note. Proxy-based agentless backup is highly efficient for protecting many VMs, but agent-based backup with the Catalogic DPX Block Data Protection is required for protecting application servers or iSCSI-based volumes.
Data Reduction: Deduplication and Compression
Agentless VMware and Microsoft Hyper-V backups combined with Catalogic vStor Server or the NetApp storage systems provide powerful data reduction capabilities.
Catalogic vStor server provides data reduction through deduplication and compression (target-side data reduction). The deduplication and data compression capabilities for the Catalogic vStor Server and NetApp storage systems can be applied to the stored backup data. For more information on the effect of data compression, see Best Practices for Agentless VMware Backup in the DPX 4.9.x User’s Guide.
Multiple Types of Restore for Agentless VMware Backups
Agentless VMware Backup provides the following types of restores:
File Restore
Restores specific files or directories in the VM backup snapshot. You can specify the VM, backup snapshot with a time stamp, and files or directories. For more information, see Agentless File Restore.
Instant VM Restore
Uses LUN mapping from a snapshot to the original or alternative ESXi or vCenter, making an entire VM available for use. No data is transferred. After the VM is created, you may use RRP (Rapid Return to Production) Wizard to restore the VM permanently. See Rapid Return to Production (RRP).
Full VM Restore
Recreates the entire VM by physically transferring data to a local datastore. Restores to an original or alternative location. Storage relocation is used in most cases.
Instant VMDK Restore
Uses LUN mapping to restore a selected VMDK file from a snapshot to an original or alternate ESX server. No data is transferred. This method is similar to Instant VM Restore, but it restores a VMDK rather than an entire VM.
Full VMDK Restore
Restores a VMDK from a snapshot to a VM. This method is similar to Full VM Restore, but it restores a VMDK rather than an entire VM. Storage relocation is used in most cases.
See also. You can find more on related topics in the DPX 4.9.x User’s Guide:
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