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Working with VMware

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Barracuda Backup uses the VMware vSphere Storage APIs–Data Protection to perform image-level backups of VMware vSphere virtual machines (VMs). If a vCenter server is managing the VMware environment, it is recommended to configure the data source with the IP address or FQDN of the vCenter server. Configuring the data source using individual ESXi hosts should only be done if a host is standalone or there is no vCenter server managing the environment.

VMware has reported an issue with ESXi version 6.0.x where incorrect changed sectors are returned. When a VM is running ESXi 6.0.x and Changed Block Tracking (CBT) is enabled, some change areas in data are not reported. When this occurs, that data is not recognized as changed and is not backed up; current and past incremental backups are potentially compromised. For more information, see the VMware knowledgebase solution Backing up a Changed Block Tracking enabled virtual machine in ESXi 6.0.x returns incorrect changed sectors (2136854).

This issue is resolved in VMware ESXi 6.0 patch ESXi600-201511001. For more information, see VMware ESXi 6.0, Patch Release ESXi600-201511001 (2137545).

VMware Recovery Licenses

This section describes VMware recovery licenses.

Licenses Required for vStorage APIs for Data Protection

The vStorage APIs for Data Protection (VADP) are included with all licensed vSphere editions including Standard, Enterprise, and Enterprise Plus.

Understanding vStorage APIs for Data Protection

Barracuda Backup can use VADP to back up vSphere VMs without requiring the Backup Agent or processing to be done inside each guest VM on the ESX host. This offloads the backup processing from ESX hosts and reduces cost by allowing each ESX host to run more VMs.

VADP leverages the snapshot capabilities of vSphere, enabling backup across a storage area network (SAN) without requiring VM downtime. This allows backups to be performed at any time without disrupting the VMs or requiring extended backup windows and application downtime.

VMware Data Recovery Backup and Restore Permissions

The tables in this section describe the VMware data recovery backup and restore permissions.

ESX/ESXi Host Machine Permissions

At a minimum, you must have the following permissions assigned to the user role on an ESX/ESXi VM:

Table 1. ESX/ESXi User Role Permissions.

System

Configuration

Disk Change Tracking

VM

Provisioning

  • Allow read-only disk access

  • Allow VM download

VM

Snapshot Management

  • Create snapshot

  • Remove snapshot

Global

  • DisableMethods

  • EnableMethods

  • Licenses

If you are using SCSI hot-adding on an ESX/ESXi VM, the user role must have the following permissions:

  • All of the permissions listed in Table 1, and

  • The Barracuda Backup must have all of the permissions listed in Table 2

Table 2. Barracuda Backup Minimum Permissions.

System

Configuration

Permissions

Datastore

  • Allocate space

VM

Configuration

  • Add existing disk

  • Add new disk

  • Add or remove device

  • Change resource

  • Remove disk

  • Settings

vCenter Server Role for Backup and Recovery

If you wish to assign privileges to a vCenter Server user or a user in Active Directory (AD), you can create a new user with the VMware vCenter roles.

The recovery operation requires privileges for operations on hosts, networks, and datastores. You must apply this new role to the Datacenter object or higher in the VMware vCenter Server hierarchy for the user specified in the VMcuser option and Propagate to Child Object must be turned on when adding the permission.

To create a vCenter Server role for backup and recovery operations, log in to the vCenter Server using the vSphere Client, and add the permissions listed in Table 3:

Table 3. vCenter Server Role Permissions.

Location

Configuration

Permissions

Datastore

  • Allocate space

  • Browse datastore

  • Low-level file operations

Global

  • DisableMethods

  • EnableMethods

  • Licenses

  • Log event

  • Manage custom attributes

  • Set custom attribute

Guest Operations(1,2)

 

  • Guest Operation Modifications

  • Guest Operation Program Execution

  • Guest Operation Queries

Network

  • Assign network

Resource

  • Assign VM to

vApp

  • Add VM

  • Assign resource pool

  • Create

VM

Configuration

 

  • Add existing/new disk

  • Add/remove device

  • Advanced

  • Change CPU count

  • Change resource

  • Disk change tracking

  • Disk Lease

  • Host USB device

  • Memory

  • Modify device setting

  • Raw device

  • Reload from path(4)

  • Remove disk

  • Rename

  • Reset guest information

  • Set annotation

  • Settings

  • Swapfile placement

  • Upgrade virtual hardware

VM

Inventory

  • Create new

  • Register

  • Remove

  • Unregister

VM

Provisioning

  • Allow disk access

  • Allow read-only disk access

  • Allow VM download

VM (2)

Snapshot Management (2) > State (2)

  • Create snapshot

  • Remove snapshot

  • Revert to snapshot

VM (3)

State(3)

  • Create snapshot

  • Remove snapshot

  • Revert to snapshot

Notes:
(1) Guest Operations permissions are necessary only if you are using Data Protection for VMware to protect Microsoft Exchange Server or Microsoft SQL Server applications running inside a VM guest.
(2) vSphere 5.0 only.
(3) vSphere 4.0 only.
(4) vCenter Server 4.1 only.

vCenter Server Role for Scheduled Backup Operations Permissions

To add a vCenter Server role for backup operations only, add a role using the vSphere Client, and add the permissions listed in Table 4.

You must apply this new role to the target host (ESX/ESXi) object or higher in the VMware vCenter Server hierarchy for the user specified in the VMcuser option, and Propagate to Child Object must be turned on when adding the permission.

Table 4. vCenter Server Role for Backup Operations Permissions.

Location

Configuration

Permissions

Global

  • DisableMethods

  • EnableMethods

  • Licenses

  • Log event

  • Manage custom attributes

  • Set custom attribute

Guest Operations(1)(2)

 

  • Guest Operation Modifications

  • Guest Operation Program Execution

  • Guest Operation Queries

VM

Configuration

  • Disk change tracking

  • Disk Lease

  • Set annotation

VM

Provisioning

  • Allow read-only disk access

  • Allow VM download

VM (2)

Snapshot Management(2) > State(2)

  • Create snapshot

  • Remove snapshot

VM (3)

State(3)

  • Create snapshot

  • Remove snapshot

Notes:
(1) Guest Operations permissions are necessary only if you are using Data Protection for VMware to protect Microsoft Exchange Server or Microsoft SQL Server applications running inside a VM guest.
(2) vSphere 5.0 only.
(3) vSphere 4.0 only.

Barracuda Backup Set Up and Restore Permissions

To set up and restore a VMware VM as a data source in the Barracuda Backup web interface, you must have administrator privileges to the VM. Once your credentials are verified and the data source is set up and backups are enabled, use the Restore page to restore a VM. For more information on this VMware requirement, refer to the VMware Data Recovery Administration Guide available on the VMware website.

Understanding Which Ports to Open for VMware Accessibility

In order for the Barracuda Backup appliance to access VMware servers, you must open the ports listed in the following tables:

Table 1. Data Recovery.

Port

Details

902

TCP Data Recovery Appliance ESX Host VDR to ESX Communication

22024

TCP Data Recovery vSphere Client Plug-in Data Recovery Appliance Data Recovery Management

Table 2. Ports Related to Non-Data Recovery Features.

Port

Details

22

TCP User VDP ssh (for debugging)

53

UDP VDP DNS server DNS

80

TCP User VDP http

111

TCP, UDP VDP ESXi/ESX rpcbind

443

TCP User VDP https

700

TCP VDP, LDAP Active Directory Loginmgr tool

7778

TCP vCenter VDP VDP, RMI

7779

TCP vCenter VDP VDP, RMI

8509

TCP vCenter VDP Tomcat AJP Connector

8543

TCP User VDP Redirect for Tomcat

8580

TCP vCenter VDP VDP Downloader

9443

TCP vCenter VDP VDP Web Services

27000

TCP VDP vCenter Licensing communication

VMware Support Statement

Barracuda Networks supports Barracuda Backup customers irrespective of whether they are protecting VMware environments. Barracuda Networks supports operating systems, not specific hardware configurations. VMware operates as a hardware abstraction layer.

VMware supports a set of certified operating systems and hardware, and the customer and VMware are responsible for any interactions or issues that arise at the hardware or operating system layer as a result of the customer’s use of VMware.
Barracuda Networks does not require customers to recreate and troubleshoot every issue in a non-VMware environment, however, Barracuda Networks does reserve the right to request customers to diagnose certain issues in a native-certified operating system environment, operating without the virtual environment. Barracuda Networks will only make this request when there is reason to believe that the virtual environment is a contributing factor to the issue.

Any time spent on investigation of problems that may, in the sole opinion of Barracuda Networks, be related to VMware, will be handled in the following fashion:

  1. If a problem is encountered backing up a VMware environment, the customer may be required to recreate the problem on a non-VMware server, at which time Barracuda Networks will provide regular support.

  2. Regardless of the problem type or source, if the problem is determined to be a non-VMware related issue, time spent on investigation and resolution will be covered as part of regular maintenance, and support will be provided as usual.

Please note that Barracuda Networks only provides technical support to customers who maintain the requisite subscriptions.