Without shared storage, it is no worse than making an image on a computer. With shared storage, it's no effort to fire up a VM on another host in the event of a failure or migration.
On Mon, Jul 12, 2010 at 1:03 PM, Gavin Wilby <[email protected]> wrote: > Isnt getting the installed servers off the datastore to another server the > real PITA with ESXi though? > > Gavin. > > > On Mon, Jul 12, 2010 at 5:57 PM, Charlie Kaiser <[email protected] > > wrote: > >> +1. >> Even if it's just putting ESXi on each server's bare metal and building >> the >> server OS on top of that, your recoverability goes WAY up with no >> additional >> infrastructure costs. >> >> *********************** >> Charlie Kaiser >> [email protected] >> Kingman, AZ >> *********************** >> >> > -----Original Message----- >> > From: Jonathan Link [mailto:[email protected]] >> > Sent: Monday, July 12, 2010 8:57 AM >> > To: NT System Admin Issues >> > Subject: Re: Server Disk Imaging >> > >> > Please, I have 10 servers virtualized. I didn't spend >> > anymore on the two physical servers I have than the 10 >> > servers I would've had to purchase without a virtual >> > environment. In fact, if I had to estimate it, I estimate I >> > spent at least 50% less. Probably closer to 70%, but 50% is >> > a safe, easy estimate. >> > >> > Most servers aren't doing anything than maing heat and using >> > electricity while they're on. Unless you're doing some >> > intensive database stuff, hard to justify staying physical nowadays. >> > >> > >> > On Mon, Jul 12, 2010 at 11:48 AM, HELP_PC <[email protected]> wrote: >> > >> > >> > Storagecraft is ,IMO, the best and if you find a good >> > reseller is not so expensive. You may also buy the It edition >> > for a yearly fee and you are able to image unlimited number >> > of machines. >> > Virtualization for 10 servers requires a very expensive >> > hardware if you are not simply experimenting! >> > >> > Regards >> > >> > GuidoElia >> > HELPPC >> > >> > >> > ________________________________ >> > >> > Da: Bob Hartung [mailto:[email protected]] >> > Inviato: lunedì 12 luglio 2010 15.31 >> > A: NT System Admin Issues >> > Oggetto: Server Disk Imaging >> > >> > >> > I've been looking for a disk imaging solution for the >> > servers on our network. They currently are all Dell PowerEdge >> > servers running Windows 2003. My main goal is to be able to >> > restore a server quickly in the event of a hardware failure, >> > like a RAID card failure that hoses the hard drives. >> > >> > We use Arcserve for doing nightly backups and as a file >> > by file solution, it's fine. For disaster recovery, it leaves >> > a lot to be desired. It essentially does a reinstall of the >> > operating system and then restores from back. As such, it's >> > not very fast. >> > >> > I've tried a number of disk imaging software packages. >> > They all can create an image of the server system drive while >> > the server is running and that's great. However, what seems >> > to always be a weak point is restoring from a boot disk. >> > >> > All the packages have a utility to create a bootable CD >> > but they generally have a problem either accessing the RAID >> > volume or the LAN adapter or both. Whether they use Windows >> > PXE, Linux or DOS, drivers seem to be a problem. It would >> > seem logical that these software packages would have a >> > utility to copy the existing drivers off the system and >> > incorporate them into the BootDisk but none do that I've found. >> > >> > The only package I've tried so far that seems to work >> > with the couple of servers I've been testing on is Acronis >> > Backup and Recovery for Servers. I'd use this if it weren't >> > so expensive at roughly $1,000 per server. >> > >> > Anyone using a disk imaging solution they'd care to recommend? >> > >> > Thanks. >> > >> > >> > ---------------------- >> > >> > Bob Hartung >> > Wisco Industries, Inc. >> > 736 Janesville St. >> > Oregon, WI 53575 >> > Tel: (608) 835-3106 x215 >> > Fax: (608) 835-7399 >> > e-mail: bhartung(at)wiscoind.com <http://wiscoind.com/> >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> >> >> ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ >> ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ >> >> > > > -- > Gavin Wilby, > Twitter: http://twitter.com/gavin_wilby > GSXR Blog: http://www.stoof.co.uk > > > > > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~
