Will FFS backup virtual machines
- Posts: 1
- Joined: 17 Oct 2019
I have a system that has multiple VMs running in windows server. Will FFS be able to backup the virtual disk drives while the VMs are running?
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- Posts: 4055
- Joined: 11 Jun 2019
You can copy a file in use, typically without issue. Maybe not with a vhd since it is too big to be stored in memory
- Posts: 2
- Joined: 8 Nov 2019
It' works but i have some issues to detect the changes. Cause the vm doesn't change the size and timestamp of the vhd. Only when more space is needed. You must use detect change with content. But this will be slow. There is no option for always copy.
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- Posts: 2451
- Joined: 22 Aug 2012
You can use FFS for your present/normal sync
(but then exclude the vm/vhd files via the Exclude filter).
You can copy the vm/vhd files e.g. via a bat/cmd "copy" instruction.
This "copy" instruction my be in the same bat/cmd file you use to launch FFS, or my be called by FFS on Completion or On success (right bottom of the Synchronization (F8) window).
Unfortunately, FFS (presently) does not have a Custom sync Category "= , files are equal", otherwise you could have set up a separate sync or sync pair for your vm/vhd files (only including those files per the (local) Include filter), use the standard "File time and size" Compare method, and set up an FFS Custom variant sync and for the Category "= , files are equal" selecting the custom action "Update right item" (assuming your left location is your source and the right location the target).
Adding such "= , files are equal" Category with selectable Action to the Custom sync variant may be an interesting new feature. The obvious default action for such category would be "Do nothing".
(but then exclude the vm/vhd files via the Exclude filter).
You can copy the vm/vhd files e.g. via a bat/cmd "copy" instruction.
This "copy" instruction my be in the same bat/cmd file you use to launch FFS, or my be called by FFS on Completion or On success (right bottom of the Synchronization (F8) window).
Unfortunately, FFS (presently) does not have a Custom sync Category "= , files are equal", otherwise you could have set up a separate sync or sync pair for your vm/vhd files (only including those files per the (local) Include filter), use the standard "File time and size" Compare method, and set up an FFS Custom variant sync and for the Category "= , files are equal" selecting the custom action "Update right item" (assuming your left location is your source and the right location the target).
Adding such "= , files are equal" Category with selectable Action to the Custom sync variant may be an interesting new feature. The obvious default action for such category would be "Do nothing".
