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1873
December 5th, 2013 08:00
Vmware backup on remote site and the first backup
Hi,
We would backup vmware virtual machines on remote site.
Currently we backup vmware virtual machine on local site, and we enjoy the deduplication ratio with Avamar.
This customer have a 4Mbits WAN connection.
I think do the followings steps :
1-Import their virtual machines on our vmware infrastructure which is on the same site as our Avamar (we will do it from his Veeam backup which they use currently)
2- We will do the 1st local vmware backup
But I have a question : how will work the 1st remote vmware backup ? How long will it take ? All the datas will be transfered through the WAN connection ?
Currently we backup file server which is on a remote site. The 1st backup was done on local, then the 1st remote backup have build the local cache of the remote client.
But in the vmware case, how and where is built the local cache of the virtual machine ?
As you can understand, I'm afraid about the 1st remote vmware backup.
Thank you.
Sébastien
ionthegeek
2 Intern
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2K Posts
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December 16th, 2013 06:00
The cache is stored on the proxy but as I mentioned, it's not important for VMware image backups. Older versions of the Avamar software intentionally disabled the cache on the proxies. The cache was enabled on the proxies in Avamar 6.1 but only to prevent the proxy from sending large numbers of identical requests to the server.
christopher_ime
2K Posts
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December 6th, 2013 15:00
Please consider moving this question as-is (no need to recreate) to the proper forum for maximum visibility. Questions written to the users' own "Discussions" space don't get the same amount of attention and can go unanswered for a long time.
You can do so by selecting "Move" under ACTIONS along the upper-right. Then search for and select: "Avamar Support Forum".
Avamar Support Forum
ionthegeek
2 Intern
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2K Posts
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December 10th, 2013 14:00
The local cache files are not as important for VMware image backups as they are for filesystem backups. Most of the benefit from the Avamar caches is from the file cache which is not used during VMware image backups.
If the data has already been seeded on the Avamar server, the performance will be about the same as any other non-CBT VMware backup.
DELL-Leo
Community Manager
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8.7K Posts
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December 10th, 2013 21:00
Hey,
As I know, if you have registered the remote VM to Avamar server, you can perform the backup. Avamar will backup de-duplicated data. So, the backup time will be reduced. But, I'm not sure how long will backup take on 4Mbits WAN environment.
sfaure
11 Posts
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December 16th, 2013 02:00
Hey,
Yhank you for your answers.
I've launched the 1st backup through WAN connection and all work well.
But I have a question : Where is store the Avamar cache ? On the proxy ?
Or Avamar just use the VMware cbt ? It's a real unknown for me.
Because if the source deduplication work with the proxy, if I use a new proxy I will have no cache.
Thank you :-)
sfaure
11 Posts
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December 16th, 2013 02:00
On the proxy avtar logs, I can see that a cache is load during a vmware backup :
2013-12-15 19:01:32 avtar Info <5586>: Loading cache files from /usr/local/avamarclient/var-proxy-1
2013-12-15 19:01:32 avtar Info <5769>: Filecache is disabled.
2013-12-15 19:01:32 avtar Info <8650>: Opening cache file /usr/local/avamarclient/var-proxy-1/p_cache.dat
2013-12-15 19:01:32 avtar Info <5573>: - Loaded cache file /usr/local/avamarclient/var-proxy-1/p_cache.dat (6,292,000 bytes)
2013-12-15 19:01:33 avtar Info <6426>: Done loading cache files
2013-12-15 19:07:34 avtar Info <5587>: Updating cache files in /usr/local/avamarclient/var-proxy-1
sfaure
11 Posts
0
December 16th, 2013 07:00
Thank you for your answers !
So...Avamar just use change block tracking ?
ionthegeek
2 Intern
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2K Posts
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December 16th, 2013 07:00
My pleasure!
Avamar can use change block tracking but also "chunks" the data coming from VMware and sends requests to the server to confirm whether or not a particular data chunk has already been backed up. Note that VMware blocks are fixed length, where Avamar chunks are variable length. Avamar's variable length chunking is always used but change block tracking is optional.