Robert Smith
Patron
- Joined
- May 4, 2014
- Messages
- 270
Hi,
I use ESXi 5.5 (Free) and FreeNAS, but I have yet to bring the two together.
Besides using FreeNAS over iSCSI as simple storage for the ESXi; I am investigating the possibility of automatic ZFS replication to an off-site FreeNAS server for backup purposes.
Obviously, we cannot simply schedule ZFS snapshots without taking into account the state of the iSCSI initiators. One way to insure the data is safe is by simply shutting down the ESXi along with all its virtual machines (assuming all VMs have VMware tools installed).
Thus, the process, controlled by a scheduled script, would look like this:
Have anyone done something like this? Please critique my idea.
Thank you.
P.S. Please note, I am using a free version of ESXi, as such things like vMotion, or anything requiring ESXi storage API, would not work.
I use ESXi 5.5 (Free) and FreeNAS, but I have yet to bring the two together.
Besides using FreeNAS over iSCSI as simple storage for the ESXi; I am investigating the possibility of automatic ZFS replication to an off-site FreeNAS server for backup purposes.
Obviously, we cannot simply schedule ZFS snapshots without taking into account the state of the iSCSI initiators. One way to insure the data is safe is by simply shutting down the ESXi along with all its virtual machines (assuming all VMs have VMware tools installed).
Thus, the process, controlled by a scheduled script, would look like this:
· Initiate the ESXi shut down. This would cause orderly shut-down of the VMware tools enabled virtual machines, and shut down the ESXi server.
· Verify that the iSCSI initiators have disconnected.
· Create a ZFS snapshot.
· Verify the snapshot creation has finalized.
· Power on the ESXi server via Wake-on-Lan.
· Trigger the off-site replication of the ZFS snapshot created two steps above.
· Verify that the iSCSI initiators have disconnected.
· Create a ZFS snapshot.
· Verify the snapshot creation has finalized.
· Power on the ESXi server via Wake-on-Lan.
· Trigger the off-site replication of the ZFS snapshot created two steps above.
Have anyone done something like this? Please critique my idea.
Thank you.
P.S. Please note, I am using a free version of ESXi, as such things like vMotion, or anything requiring ESXi storage API, would not work.