Windows 2008-Server - Partitioning and Backup via Rsync over SSH ?

[fpausp]

Hi,

1.
I like to install windows 2008 Server on Proxmox 1.9, I would like to know how the partitioning should looks like ? Is it a good idea to use raw for the System and qcow2 for a data-partition (userfiles) ?

2.
I have to backup the userfiles with rsync over ssh to another Linuxserver over the WAN. Should I do it with windows-programms (ssh and rsync-tools) or with proxmox himself ?
Is it possible to ro-mount the qcow-data image and backup the files with proxmox ? Is it possible to work on the windws 2008 server-data partition while doing the backup with proxmox ?


regards
fpausp

 

[e100]

1. I use LVM storage so I only use raw, no experience on which is best when using file storage.

2. Proxmox has its own backup system you can use to backup the entire VM. If you want to backup the individual user files do that from within the VM. ssh/rsync would be a good choice. I also sometimes use rdiff-backup + plink.exe(for ssh) on windows: http://www.nongnu.org/rdiff-backup/

 

[fpausp]

1. I use LVM storage so I only use raw, no experience on which is best when using file storage.

What I know until now is that raw should be the fastest format but takes all the place, thats the reason I like to use it for the system-partition to get the full performance. The qcow2-format just use a minimum of place, I think thats the right one for data (userfiles) to keep the daily proxmox-backup small.

If you want to backup the individual user files do that from within the VM. ssh/rsync would be a good choice. I also sometimes use rdiff-backup + plink.exe(for ssh) on windows: http://www.nongnu.org/rdiff-backup/

I like to use rsync from Proxmox (real linux) instead of windows-rsync-tools.

I did a short test with:

modprobe nbd max_part=8
qemu-nbd -r --connect=/dev/nbd0 /path/image.qcow2
mount /dev/nbd0p1 /mnt/

rsync -e 'ssh -p 2222' -avzr --delete /mnt/ ...

umount /mnt/
qemu-nbd --disconnect /dev/nbd0
killall qemu-nbd


and was able to rsync files to another server, somtimes the qemu-ndb process hangs ...

 

[maxprox]

What I know until now is that raw should be the fastest format but takes all the place, thats the reason I like to use it for the system-partition to get the full performance. The qcow2-format just use a minimum of place, I think thats the right one for data (userfiles) to keep the daily proxmox-backup small..

If you backup the userfiles with rsync, it does not depend on raw or qcow2, how big the backup will be.
I belief it is as well with the proxmox-backup (vzdump) - have a look at "sparse-files" I have read that, new raw Images use it.
I also work in the past with qcow2, soon I will try raw.

A very good backup tool (for me for years) is backupPC . It use rsync or tar or smb. rsync and tar over ssh.
("Four methods for getting backup data from a client are supported: smb, tar, rsync and ftp.")

regards
maxprox

 

[lapwlover]

There is no doubt that Windows Server offers the method to back up your partition, but the tedious steps can trouble many users. I think it is better to choose one reliable third party solution. such as to do backup, i have been using it for years, you can go its website and have a see.

 

[maxprox]

There is no doubt that Windows Server offers the method to back up your partition, but the tedious steps can trouble many users. I think it is better to choose one reliable third party solution. such as to do backup, i have been using it for years, you can go its website and have a see.

Hello,

my solution is backuppc
I have install it either direct on the proxmox host or on a second linux (ubuntu LTS headless server) or both.
BackupPC wokrs great with smb/cifs shares with rsync.
I always use a separate disk, that I mount as a backup target. With /dev/sda ... not with UUID in fstab:

/dev/sdb1       /var/lib/backuppc       ext3    defaults        0  2

With it, I can simply replace the hard drives on a regular basis. For me, this works great

EDIT: WITH UUID
now I work WITH UUID. I give all the backup-hdd's with

tune2fs /dev/hdb1 -U uuid

the same UUID which I take in the /etc/fstap once for all.

UUID=03b77228-ed4c-4218-910e-11b9f77c4b46 /var/lib/backuppc ext4 default 0 2

maxprox

 

[BiagioParuolo]

Is it possible to send vm data files when vm is on without passing from Proxmox backup?