Is it feasible to Image & Restore a Windows Server OS from within a Virtual Machine? It seems like it would be feasible. However, I have no experience with this situation. It seems like you could install an Imaging Solution on a Windows VM and schedule image backups to a backup server. If the VM that you imaged gets corrupted and you want to restore an image you could boot the VM from the Imaging Solution's WinPE Recovery Media and restore the latest image from the backup server. Of course, you would have add the appropriate Network Drivers to the WinPE Recovery Media when you build it. Would this idea work? If yes, what budget priced and reliable Imaging Solutions would you suggest. I am thinking Image for Windows or Macrium Reflect Server Edition. The reason that I ask this is that I have a bunch of VM's that are being backed up from a VM using Veeam. I was told that if the Veeam backup VM every had problems that I could just install Windows again, install Veeam again followed by loading the Veeam backup configuration file which is being backed up weekly to another server. This seems like a lot of work, especially since you have to install all of the Windows patches again. Also another function/configuration was added to the Veeam backup VM recently. Note: A Veeam backup VM cannot backup itself. Thanks in Advance.
TheKid7, See the last paragraph in Dan Goodell's post... http://radified.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1481923912
Thank you. Would probably be best to just Backup ALL of the files in the DataStore's folder for that VM or just the .vmdk Virtual Disk files?
It seems like it would be feasible to use an Imaging Solution if you wanted Scheduled Backups rather than routinely copying the files.
The only server that would need to be reconfigured would be the Veeam Backup and Replication Server from an OS standpoint. You would then be able to import the backups from your storage space and be on your way. Veeam is hands down the best on the market from an enterprise standpoint.
What 's wrong with you ?? @The Kid: the way you asked the question was layered in an unusual way. Are you worried about HW loss, cloud loss, OS/Server loss or just individual VM loss. When I last looked...cost prohibitive for my microbiz......so no actual experience with Veeam long term, but use VMs on server and have backups in place. I thought Veeam provided multiple backup scenarios as built in and an almost continual snapshot backup option. Their recovery structure seemed almost ( as much as could be done ) impregnable. As per whitedragon you might be overcomplicating it a bit? Any of your VM snapshots can be exported to any other medium , if you want, but the built in protection is very comprehensive. You could create a "virgin" set up with Veeam installed as a failsafe, pop it on a disc somewhere, then drop your saved VMs in if required ? You could image whatever "drive/partition/cloud" you have from "outside" with IFW or just have a daily copy set to a secondary storage ?? Depending on size of data base might be a little unwieldy ? Obviously what you have is important, too many layers might even introduce other corruptions It's really difficult coming up with fail safes for the fail safes for the fail safes. Could always ask Veeam support how they would handle your worst case scenario? Ask @ Terabyte ? Be interested to hear what you come up with. Regards.
Veeam allows you to backup your configurations. You just need a place to install it if the original source is lost. Usually its a server.
I looked at V eeam lately, and it just doesn't fit my needs. I do have Macrium installed in a VM, but I want isolation. I think it's a great product, just not for me.
