Keeping data secure is an important component of maintaining business continuity. ESXi backup VMware is a frequently-mentioned topic to enhance data security. To save effort, users want to find a way to enable schedule backup. In this article, we will discuss the true definition and importance of VMware backup and provide one reliable and professional VMware auto backup software.
What is VMware backup?
VMware backup refers to copying data on a virtual machine (VM) within a VMware environment to prevent data loss. Generally, there are two major types of virtual machine backups:
Image-based backup: It creates full copies of your VMware ESXi virtual machines, involving the system state, configuration data, and virtual disks. Image-based VMware backup allows for full VM recovery in the case of a data disaster.
File-based backup: It only backs up some particular files and folders within your VMware virtual machines, and typically you need to install an agent on your host system and treat it as a physical machine.
To conclude, opt for a complete VMware ESXi backup, image-based backup is preferred, which enables users to get a full restoration of the entire VMs. And in the post, we will mainly discuss the image-based backup.
The benefits of auto-backup VMware ESXi
It’s necessary to create a VMware backup, especially when a business manages multiple virtual machines containing critical data. However, manual ways to create backup from time to time may be laborious and operational errors. In such conditions, creating auto VMware backup is invaluable. The benefits can be listed as follows:
- Time and labor savings: automatic backup VMs can reduce administrators’ manual intervention and operation time, saving a lot of time and labor costs.
- Data protection and security: Regular automatic backups can ensure timely backup and recovery of data, reduce the risk of data loss, and enhance data security and protection.
- Reliability and consistency: Automatic backup can ensure that backup tasks are executed according to a predetermined plan, ensuring the consistency and reliability of backup data.
- Disaster Recovery Capability: With automatic backup, the recovery of virtual machines can be performed quickly, which improves the system’s disaster recovery capability and reduces the impact of business interruption.
- Simplified management and monitoring: Automatic backup systems usually provide management and monitoring functions for backup tasks, which allow you to easily view backup status, logs, and reports, improving the efficiency and visualization of backup management.
In this article, I will guide you through creating an auto VMware backup task.
How do I automate a VM backup?
There are built-in methods to backup VMware ESXi. However, you need to choose a third-party software to create an automatic VMware ESXi backup task. AOMEI Cyber Backup is a free VMware backup solution that can meet your needs. It has many advantages:
✦ Centralized and easy Backup: It offers an intuitive console that allows you to backup all VM ESXi virtual machines in several simple steps without installing agents on each VM.
✦ Two versions supported: AOMEI Cyber Backup，which focus on easy server backup, ensuring business continuity, supports both paid and free VMware ESXi versions, assuring compatibility regardless of edition.
✦ Schedule backup: You can run backup tasks automatically on a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule. Additionally, you can receive email notifications to stay updated.
✦Incremental and different backups: To enhance backup efficiency, you can create an incremental backup or differential backup to only backup the newly added or changed data based on an earlier full backup.
Stepwise guide on creating auto VMware backup
In this section, I’ll walk you through the process to auto-backup VMware ESXi VMs for free in just three simple steps.
*You can choose to install this VM backup software on either Windows or Linux system.
Step 1. Bind Devices: Access AOMEI Cyber Backup web client, navigate to Source Device > VMware > + Add VMware Device to add vCenter or Standalone ESXi host as the source device, and then click … > Bind Device.
Step 2. Create Backup Tasks: Navigate to Backup Task and click + Create New Task to open the wizard. Specify Task Name, Backup Type, Device, and Target on the pop-up tab.
Step 3. Then you can set up the automated tasks. This step is optional, you can also Turn off them as you want.
Set Backup Schedule: choose to perform Full, Incremental or Differential backup every Day, Week or Month.
By selecting Every Day, you can specify start time, end time, and intervals.
By selecting Every Week, you can specify weekdays and start time to perform full backups and differential or incremental backups respectively.
By selecting Every Month (By week), based on an intuitive list of weeks, you can specify multiple different weekdays start time to perform different types of backups.
By selecting Every Month (By Date), you can specify random dates and start time to perform different types of backups.
Step 4. Now click Start Backup. By enabling schedule backup, you can Add the schedule and start backup now, or Add the schedule only.
Summary
Till today, ESXi doesn’t offer a native backup option to auto-create VMware backup. For those seeking image-based VM backup schedules, I recommend AOMEI Cyber Backup. It facilitates automated backup tasks with just 4 simple steps, significantly enhancing efficiency. Additionally, it offers comprehensive and user-friendly backup options to safeguard VMware integrity. You can download this tool and try it now!