Abiquo v5.1 introduces a backup functionality that creates VMware snapshots. It enables an on-demand backup as part of the backup system in Abiquo environments.
The backup functionality is part of two plugins as described in the following table.
| Plugin | Notes and Documentation | License and plugin loading |
|---|---|---|
| Veeam+Snapshot | Adds snapshot to Veeam 9.5u4 as described in this document. | Requires a separate license. |
| VMware Snapshot | A standalone VMware snapshot plugin. | Loads automatically |
Configure the Veeam+Snapshot plugin
To configure the Veeam+Snapshot plugin, first configure the Veeam 9.5u4 plugin, then set the Abiquo configuration properties. Or if you already use Veeam, as part of the upgrade to Abiquo version 5.1, set the appropriate Abiquo configuration properties.
Then in Abiquo:
- Create a new backup manager and select Veeam+Snapshot.
- Edit the backup policy properties and select the option to Enable backup now.
For full details, see Configure Snapshots for Abiquo Veeam Backup Plugin
On-demand backup functionality
To create an on-demand backup, edit a deployed VM and click the Backup now button on the Backup tabs.
The platform displays the snapshots with the regular backups on the Backup results tab.
To use a VM snapshot for the VM, click the Restore link.
In the Restore requests section, the results are not valid for snapshots. When you select the a snapshot, the Restore requests section displays the details of this snapshot.
When you restore a snapshot, the VMware API powers off the VM to let you know that you need to restart the VM.
VMware provides information that a VM is running off a snapshot and which snapshot it is using. In future versions, Abiquo may make UI changes for snapshot backups.
The backup Events tab displays the snapshot actions. The VM Events tab and the main Events tab also display details of the backups.
After you restore a snapshot, the Backup restore event will display the name of the snapshot that you restored. So the most recent backup restore event will display the details of the snapshot that the VM is running off.
Snapshot consolidation
You should perform snapshot consolidation in VMware as usual. Abiquo also offers a tool to make it snapshot consolidation easier. You can run this tool on a schedule to detect snapshots that require consolidation and to perform the consolidation.