14. NetWorker VMware Protection - Deploying a vProxy appliance

[@tek87]

You've given me the confidence i need to update my vProxy. Thanks.

[@crazyrov]

Glad the videos helped.

[@farooqbhat614]

can you make a video on the process that are spawned during vproxy backup and restore, usage of all the processes and architecture of vproxy backup and restore?

[@H.Valentyn-2023]

I need to make a legacy backup VM to a network share. Supported NetWorker ?

[@crazyrov]

Hi VG! You can configure a AFTD to use the shared folder and then use this AFTD as the target devie for your backups.

[@H.Valentyn-2023]

@@crazyrov Hello. I couldn't do it. when backing up virtual machines vSphere - dandatory condition to use ddboost pool. This is not very happy ((

[@crazyrov]

@@H.Valentyn-2023 You were referring to a VM backup, Sorry misread it. The way the VM backups are handled at the moment it might be possible to back it up to an AFTD or TAPE at the moment.

[@eramitmcsa]

Out standing please add more videos sir, awesome

[@crazyrov]

Thank you, Adding when ever I can

[@Loveones632]

Pls make more videos on networker concept step by step..I liked it

[@crazyrov]

Sure, why not :)

[@monxgaming3243]

Please also note that if you networker version is EOSL their support will not support you to your issue even you have support.

[@crazyrov]

Wow, you should really hate NetWorker :D

[@monxgaming3243]

@@crazyrov hahaha.. actually i did not hate the product.. i hate the support.. We have support until end of december this year and just because we are not able to upgrade our networker version. They dont want us support until we upgraded the version to latest.. that is unacceptable in our end

[@crazyrov]

@@monxgaming3243 I understand, i was actually part of support a long time back. Back then we had a option to provide best effort support but now i see the support straight off rejecting out of support version.

[@monxgaming3243]

@@crazyrov that is why mastering 1 solution will make you to be part of highest paid employee.. hahaha

[@soumyag9268]

Superb explanation 👍

[@crazyrov]

Glad you liked it

[@aashortclips2427]

Hi In video at 13:15 Can you pls let me know the recommended approach to choose the disk storage is it Thin or Thick If it is thin storage disk what are the implications

[@crazyrov]

Hi Bhargav ! In production I would recommend thick provisioning but again this is something of a organization level decision that your VMware team would already have done.

[@aashortclips2427]

Hi @@crazyrov thanks for the clarification 🙂

[@watchvideos1896]

This is very helpful, really appreciate it. Would be great if you could make similar detailed videos on Oracle(NMDA) and MS Exchange backup configuration (including client side configs), backup demo as well as the restore. Thanks in advance.

[@crazyrov]

Sure, its going to take a while because I am yet to learn how to install and configure those applications. They are in the back log.

[@joaopaulonascimentolima8438]

Muito obrigado, from Brazil

[@crazyrov]

Welcome !

[@balkrishnan1]

Can pls help with what is the main role VPROXY appliance

[@crazyrov]

Hi DK, Check this video - kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIbQqmyHicRmprM

[@srilochanbarik3860]

Very helpful, thank you !!

[@crazyrov]

You're welcome! Thank you for your comment.

[@soutchocata1461]

Hello, basic question : whats is the default login/pwd at the first installation of Networker Appliance ?

[@crazyrov]

You have the admin and root user on a vProxy. Both these passwords are set during deployment as part of the OVA deployment template.

[@srilochanbarik3860]

I have query related to VM Backup Process, means what are process are running in background (which process running in vProxy, vCenter etc) when we Triger a VM Backup through vProxy

[@crazyrov]

On the vCenter there is no NetWorker services running. vCenter is simply just taking the snapshot of a VM on request from the vProxy host. Let me check more on which process handles this on the vProxy but its not going to help you with troubleshooting, you just need to understand which logs to look at for backup failures.

[@srilochanbarik3860]

@@crazyrov Thank you

[@vvazzuup]

The reason vProxy was unavailable is the daemon did not automatically rebind the socket to the new IP address after it's manual configuration.

[@crazyrov]

Something that you need help with ?

[@wondwessenamenu3269]

The sudo yast2 command returned "command not found" any idea?

[@crazyrov]

Strange!! What version of vProxy are you using ?

[@deepshikhalalawat]

Do you have this app in Apple store ?

[@crazyrov]

If you are referring to NetWorker command you can download it from apps.apple.com/us/app/networker-commands.

[@ashutoshshinde8441]

How 3rd party storage(Datastore and actual physical storage on which vcenter is deployed) allows 3rd party backup tool(Networker) to read the data/snapshot? Is there any authentication provided?

[@crazyrov]

Thanks for you comment ! Yes, the Vcenter integrates with NetWorker via a user on Vcenter. The permissions and other details can be found in the NetWorker VMware integration guide.

[@victornwike1336]

Does the ESXi need to have direct connection to Data Domain or ESXi could be using another storage?

[@crazyrov]

The image is mounted on the vProxy from where it is moved over to the DD. For backup DD does not need to have direct connection with the ESXi, but only in case of a Instant restore the DD needs to have access to the ESXi to mount the NFS export containing the respective VM image on it.

[@mhmdmageid9041]

Hello Rov, Thanks for the simple nice demonstration, one quiz for you plz Is there a way to backup powered off VM using Networker? Thanks in advance.

[@crazyrov]

HI Mhmd! I dint know so I had to test it in my Lab. And Yes, I was able to take a back of a powered down Windows VM using NetWorker.

[@maheshmb213]

It is so helpful video crazyRov, explanation is so good, thank you very much for the video, I have few queries friend, Does it act as storage node, is it should be deployed at same vCenter, ESXi?, can we take virtual disk based backups not full image, in case i don't need full image?, one more query, in our environment TapeLibrary only configured, need to buy DD?

[@crazyrov]

Thanks Mahesh!! If you are referring to the vProxy hosts, then no. in turn its acts like a client. Best practice is to deploy one on each of the esxi cluster but you could also deploy it outside. incase you want to use hotadd type of backup then vProxy should have direct access to the storage hosting the VM's, else you can use NBD(network block device). Yes we can take backups of just a Virtual Disk. For now vProxy is supported only for DD and I think now we have support for AFTD but we cannot use a TL here. Phew! That was a lot of questions ;)

[@abhishekgarg2984]

Hi, What are the necessary files required for VMware apart from .vmdk ?? And secondly why we have 2 disks and that of different size (59 & 98gb)

[@crazyrov]

.vmdk are just the virtual HDD files. The configuration of the VM is in the .vmx files. There are others files that make up a complete VMware VM. Refer this for more details - docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/7.0/com.vmware.vsphere.vm_admin.doc/GUID-CEFF6D89-8C19-4143-8C26-4B6D6734D2CB.html

[@abhishekgarg2984]

@@crazyrov thanks for the reply always

[@MrRaimanish]

Hello Sir, nice video I have question on VM appliances such as Vproxy, DPC, and other Loadbalancer, NSX appliance which are deployed using OVA files, how we can proceed to take backup of these OVA appliances , will be dirtecly backed up as Image based backup or need to dump some config file somewhere locally in order to take backup

[@crazyrov]

Yes, correct. If I am not wrong we can take a backup of the vmware appliances using NVP. But you might want to make sure that no OS specific configuration are enabled that the appliance cannot handle.

[@azsamih]

Hello, Can someone help me to deploy a Cluster Networker in windows 2016. really there is no detailed document from EMC.

[@crazyrov]

Hi Samih ! Let me try doing this, stay tuned.

[@venkatv9026]

Hi im getting this error please resolve this issue ---nsr vmware proxy is not available for datastores(backup,Dell_EMC_01,Dell_EMC_02) in vcenter check if it is enabled

[@crazyrov]

Hi Venkat ! Is this a new configuration or has this worked before ? incase this is a new configuration, please try switching to NBD mode instead of had and try again. Also, make sure that the communication between the networker server, vproxy and vcenter is working on the required ports.

[@venkatv9026]

@@crazyrovHi thank you for your valuable reply. Not new configuration. It is daily used VM

[@crazyrov]

@@venkatv9026 Can you check for any configuration changes on the VCetner, VMotion of VM's or ant DS changes. Please switch to NBD and try a backup.

[@vpabloca]

Awesome, I like this one. Good job CrazyRov. quick one: Do you have planned/on board a video for vProxy Upgrade procedure using (NVP)? ;) Cheers mate

[@crazyrov]

Hi Victor! Always happy to see you active here :) A vProxy cannot be upgraded anymore, it can only be replaced by a later version. The procedure to do it via NetWorker is explained in this video - kzbin.info/www/bejne/apfck55umcuLn5I

[@vpabloca]

@@crazyrov Ah, that’s something I didn’t know. According New versions, we need to delete current deployed vProxy and then deploy and register a new one within NMC and vCenter. Am I right ?

[@vpabloca]

@@crazyrov of course I’m “checking on you 👀” ha ha ha LOL

[@crazyrov]

@@vpabloca He he he..

[@crazyrov]

@@vpabloca Right, but thats the manual method. But if you use the vProxy redeployment option on NetWorker then - Deployment of new vProxy image, deletion of old vProxy appliance, registering of new image is all done automatically. You just trigger the redeployment and enjoy your beer ;)

[@sravanpasapala9147]

Nice video.. How to download vproxy please share the link

[@crazyrov]

Thanks! You can get any NetWorker related application downloaded from - www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/networker/drivers. Make sure you have a account that has download rights, meaning you are a registered customer with DELL EMC.

[@atifshahzad9537]

need vproxy ova

[@crazyrov]

It is in the same location as the networker software.

[@atifshahzad9537]

@@crazyrov that link is not working can u share me the link

[@crazyrov]

@@atifshahzad9537 I am planning on hosting a live for installation and initial configuration soon. make sure you join that to get answers to all your questions. I will publish the dates in the community forum soon.

[@atifshahzad9537]

@@crazyrov thanks waiting for this session

[@monxgaming3243]

Realtalk..Networker is the most ugly data protection solution.. after handling this solution and understand the concept.. i did not agreed to renew the support.. instead i ask to switch in veeam backup.

[@crazyrov]

To be honest, I haven't worked with many backup applications. Every backup applications have their pros and cons, your reason to hate the product might be valid to your use case. Remember spread love and not hate :)

[@monxgaming3243]

@@crazyrov sorry for my harsh wording. :-) yeah.. in my case, managing 6 vcenter server with 6 cluster in each vcenter.. having hundreds of virtual machine and some are critical application.. we made a decission to switch in veeam for its design. Sorry but networker maybe not fit into our needs

[@crazyrov]

@@monxgaming3243 nothing beats veeam for vmware based solutions . Networker makes sense only in a very diverse environment.