Hi, I am planning the roll out of a Xen dom0 running CentOS that is going to be running two DomU''s CentOS and Windows 2003 SBS. I am planning on using LVM for the disks as this (so i have read) increases i/o performance compared to image files. I need a solution to back up these machines and I have came up with the following two ideas: Idea 1, Backup the machines as images (lvm snapshot?) and backup to a tape drive. However the 2003 SBS server will be running Exchange server and backing up the image while it runs is obviously not going to be possible as the databases will be in an open state? So I am wondering if pausing the DomU''s and then backing them up to disk would work? (using xm pause). However what if the database was being written to at that some of the data could still be in memory? I would need to make a true snapshot of the whole disk including what is in memory to make this work? Is this possible are any of you guy doing this? Another idea could be to make a script to unmount all the database and schedule the backup to run at the time the db''s have stopped. Idea 2, Back up traditionally using a scsi tape drive. I am wondering if i attached the SCSI tape drive to the Dom0 would the DomU''s be able to access the drive? I would obviously have to schedule the backups at different times otherwise the tape drive would be in use by the other DomU, if one DomU is using the tape drive would the other DomU''s get some sort of busy signal if they attempted to use it? Note, the server is only mainly going to be used during business hours some evening work etc, but no one is ever going to be using the server at like 3AM so pausing the DomU''s at that time should not cause a problem. Any ideas? Does anyone else have any suggestions / solutions I have not thought about? Many Thanks Keith -- Keith Sudbury Netzen Solutions Ltd Web: http://www.netzensolutions.com Email: keith@netzensolutions.com <mailto:keith@netzensolutions.com> Tel: +44 (0)1225 588 588 Mob: +44 (0)7970 165 190 Fax: +44 (0)1225 580 061 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ Xen-users mailing list Xen-users@lists.xensource.com http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
Hi, I am planning the roll out of a Xen dom0 running CentOS that is going to be running two DomU''s CentOS and Windows 2003 SBS. I am planning on using LVM for the disks as this (so i have read) increases i/o performance compared to image files. I need a solution to back up these machines and I have came up with the following two ideas: Idea 1, Backup the machines as images (lvm snapshot?) and backup to a tape drive. However the 2003 SBS server will be running Exchange server and backing up the image while it runs is obviously not going to be possible as the databases will be in an open state? So I am wondering if pausing the DomU''s and then backing them up to disk would work? (using xm pause). However what if the database was being written to at that some of the data could still be in memory? I would need to make a true snapshot of the whole disk including what is in memory to make this work? Is this possible are any of you guy doing this? Another idea could be to make a script to unmount all the database and schedule the backup to run at the time the db''s have stopped. Idea 2, Back up traditionally using a scsi tape drive. I am wondering if i attached the SCSI tape drive to the Dom0 would the DomU''s be able to access the drive? I would obviously have to schedule the backups at different times otherwise the tape drive would be in use by the other DomU, if one DomU is using the tape drive would the other DomU''s get some sort of busy signal if they attempted to use it? Note, the server is only mainly going to be used during business hours some evening work etc, but no one is ever going to be using the server at like 3AM so pausing the DomU''s at that time should not cause a problem. Any ideas? Does anyone else have any suggestions / solutions I have not thought about? Many Thanks Keith -- Keith Sudbury Netzen Solutions Ltd Web: http://www.netzensolutions.com Email: keith@netzensolutions.com <mailto:keith@netzensolutions.com> Tel: +44 (0)1225 588 588 Mob: +44 (0)7970 165 190 Fax: +44 (0)1225 580 061 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ Xen-users mailing list Xen-users@lists.xensource.com http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
Hi, I am planning the roll out of a Xen dom0 running CentOS that is going to be running two DomU''s CentOS and Windows 2003 SBS. I am planning on using LVM for the disks as this (so i have read) increases i/o performance compared to image files. I need a solution to back up these machines and I have came up with the following two ideas: Idea 1, Backup the machines as images (lvm snapshot?) and backup to a tape drive. However the 2003 SBS server will be running Exchange server and backing up the image while it runs is obviously not going to be possible as the databases will be in an open state? So I am wondering if pausing the DomU''s and then backing them up to disk would work? (using xm pause). However what if the database was being written to at that some of the data could still be in memory? I would need to make a true snapshot of the whole disk including what is in memory to make this work? Is this possible are any of you guy doing this? Another idea could be to make a script to unmount all the database and schedule the backup to run at the time the db''s have stopped. Idea 2, Back up traditionally using a scsi tape drive. I am wondering if i attached the SCSI tape drive to the Dom0 would the DomU''s be able to access the drive? I would obviously have to schedule the backups at different times otherwise the tape drive would be in use by the other DomU, if one DomU is using the tape drive would the other DomU''s get some sort of busy signal if they attempted to use it? Note, the server is only mainly going to be used during business hours some evening work etc, but no one is ever going to be using the server at like 3AM so pausing the DomU''s at that time should not cause a problem. Any ideas? Does anyone else have any suggestions / solutions I have not thought about? Many Thanks Keith -- Keith Sudbury Netzen Solutions Ltd Web: http://www.netzensolutions.com Email: keith@netzensolutions.com <mailto:keith@netzensolutions.com> Tel: +44 (0)1225 588 588 Mob: +44 (0)7921 464 106 Fax: +44 (0)1225 580 061 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ Xen-users mailing list Xen-users@lists.xensource.com http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
Keith Sudbury
2008-Feb-15 23:01 UTC
Re: [Xen-users] Backing up Xen DomU''s - Tape Drive - LVM
Sorry I did not realise this had posted 3 times, it bounced back and stated I had failed a spam test so I did not think it had been posted to the list :( Regards Keith Keith Sudbury wrote:> Hi, > > I am planning the roll out of a Xen dom0 running CentOS that is going > to be running two DomU''s CentOS and Windows 2003 SBS. I am planning on > using LVM for the disks as this (so i have read) increases i/o > performance compared to image files. > > I need a solution to back up these machines and I have came up with > the following two ideas: > > Idea 1, > > Backup the machines as images (lvm snapshot?) and backup to a tape > drive. However the 2003 SBS server will be running Exchange server and > backing up the image while it runs is obviously not going to be > possible as the databases will be in an open state? So I am wondering > if pausing the DomU''s and then backing them up to disk would work? > (using xm pause). However what if the database was being written to at > that some of the data could still be in memory? I would need to make a > true snapshot of the whole disk including what is in memory to make > this work? Is this possible are any of you guy doing this? Another > idea could be to make a script to unmount all the database and > schedule the backup to run at the time the db''s have stopped. > > Idea 2, > > Back up traditionally using a scsi tape drive. I am wondering if i > attached the SCSI tape drive to the Dom0 would the DomU''s be able to > access the drive? I would obviously have to schedule the backups at > different times otherwise the tape drive would be in use by the other > DomU, if one DomU is using the tape drive would the other DomU''s get > some sort of busy signal if they attempted to use it? > > Note, the server is only mainly going to be used during business hours > some evening work etc, but no one is ever going to be using the server > at like 3AM so pausing the DomU''s at that time should not cause a > problem. > > Any ideas? Does anyone else have any suggestions / solutions I have > not thought about? > > > > Many Thanks > > Keith > -- > Keith Sudbury > Netzen Solutions Ltd > Web: http://www.netzensolutions.com > Email: keith@netzensolutions.com <mailto:keith@netzensolutions.com> > Tel: +44 (0)1225 588 588 > Mob: +44 (0)7921 464 106 > Fax: +44 (0)1225 580 061 > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Xen-users mailing list > Xen-users@lists.xensource.com > http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users-- Keith Sudbury Netzen Solutions Ltd Web: http://www.netzensolutions.com Email: keith@netzensolutions.com <mailto:keith@netzensolutions.com> Tel: +44 (0)1225 588 588 Mob: +44 (0)7921 464 106 Fax: +44 (0)1225 580 061 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ Xen-users mailing list Xen-users@lists.xensource.com http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
Joseph L. Casale
2008-Feb-17 04:21 UTC
RE: [Xen-users] Backing up Xen DomU''s - Tape Drive - LVM
> Idea 1, > > Backup the machines as images (lvm snapshot?) and backup to a tape > drive. However the 2003 SBS server will be running Exchange server and > backing up the image while it runs is obviously not going to be > possible > as the databases will be in an open state? So I am wondering if pausing > the DomU''s and then backing them up to disk would work? (using xm > pause). However what if the database was being written to at that some > of the data could still be in memory? I would need to make a true > snapshot of the whole disk including what is in memory to make this > work? Is this possible are any of you guy doing this? Another idea > could be to make a script to unmount all the database and schedule the > backup to run at the time the db''s have stopped.Unless you pause and backup *everything* that''s a bad idea. Don''t unmount the db''s and snap then, the filesystem is still open. It''s still the same as unmounting then pulling the chord out of the wall. You also need to perform online backups of the exchange DB''s to flush the transaction logs. If you want to snap with LVM, shut the SBS machine off...> > Idea 2, > > Back up traditionally using a scsi tape drive. I am wondering if i > attached the SCSI tape drive to the Dom0 would the DomU''s be able to > access the drive? I would obviously have to schedule the backups at > different times otherwise the tape drive would be in use by the other > DomU, if one DomU is using the tape drive would the other DomU''s get > some sort of busy signal if they attempted to use it? > > Note, the server is only mainly going to be used during business hours > some evening work etc, but no one is ever going to be using the server > at like 3AM so pausing the DomU''s at that time should not cause a > problem. > > Any ideas? Does anyone else have any suggestions / solutions I have not > thought about?Take your full image of the SBS system after its all configured and working while it is *off*. Keep that for DR. Backup the DB''s to tape using an agent or ntbackup using whatever method you are comfortable with such as PCI passthrough of a scsi card with the tape on it (if that works) or Amanda with an agent on the SBS box (You could always use NTBackup to script a full online backup to a file) and mount the CIFS shared directory from your Dom0 and backup it up.... HTH, jlc _______________________________________________ Xen-users mailing list Xen-users@lists.xensource.com http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users