In this article, we will show you how to backup VMware ESXi host configuration data. Backups comprise the backbone of any data protection plan, enabling operational persistence and data availability. VMware virtualization offers many advantages for backup and recovery operations. Most significantly, virtualization makes agentless and host-level, image-based backups possible. These kinds of backups can take the full virtual machine, including configuration as well as VM data.
A healthy ESXi host is important for virtual machines to run smoothly, and it is highly recommended that you take backup ESXi configurations to file for this reason. A valid ESXi host backup can help you restore its configuration in minutes without installing and setting up a new ESXi server from scratch. Visit VMware for more details.
Table of Contents
When planning a backup, ESXi hosts VMs, namely the guest machines, which are constantly taken seriously because important production data directly saved on them. Some IT experts would like to back up the vCenter server to save the vCenter configuration, historical data, inventory, etc. Some would also like to back up the ESXi host configuration. Why do you need the configuration file?
However, there are a few limitations to using ESXi host backup. For instance, you can only use the backup on VMware ESXi with the same version of ESXi host installed, so a host backup may be better for this.
Using the Putty ESXi Command Line to Backup ESXi Host
Using the ESXi command is the most affordable method to back up the ESXi host data configuration. You don’t have to install any additional applications to use the ESXi command line. You just need to enable the ESXi shell and remote SSH service on the ESXi host. Once you have connected to the ESXi host via SSH (Putty).
Enter your ESXi host IP address and port number, and then hit enter.
Click yes
Type a username and password.
Backup VMware ESXi Host Configuration
Enter the below command
vim-cmd hostsvc/firmware/sync_config
Backup ESXi configuration command
vim-cmd hostsvc/firmware/backup_config
As a result, you will receive a link to download the ESXi configBundle.tgz backup file from the ESXi host. You need to replace the * with the IP address of the ESXi host.
http://*/downloads/52f5684b-120c-4fe3-50b4-15cf5acbe691/configBundle-ESXi-02.localdomain.tgz
http://192.168.121.130/downloads/52f5684b-120c-4fe3-50b4-15cf5acbe691/configBundle-ESXi-02.localdomain.tgz
Open a web browser, paste the address, and then hit enter. Note: It might be that you will get a connection error, so you can use a different browser.
The host configuration backup file is saved to the downloads folder.
Find backup.
