vmbk.pl Version 2.20.2
by Massimiliano Daneri
email: manzi@vmts.net
    
NAME
     vmbk.pl - VMware ESX Server copy disk utility

SYNOPSIS
     vmbk.pl OPTIONS

USAGE
	vmbk.pl usage: $0 -h |  -d directory  [-a] [-t]  [-i] [-1][-2][-3][-4][-c][-z][-m] [ -n nfs   | -s smb  | -f ftp ]  [-j size] [-5 predirname] [-l log file][-L log file]




DESCRIPTION
       vmbk.pl is a script for creating ESX disk snapshot.
       It supports disk copy to local host disk or remote Disk with NFS / SMB 
       vmbk can be used on guest powered or on  guest unpowered. 
       vmbk support batch and interactive use.	
       vmbk search about 'backup' option on vm guest definition file ,the option may have 3 value NONE,MANUAL,AUTO, if NONE no backup is possible, if MANUAL is possible only  interactive mode (-i option) , if AUTO backup is always done.
       If backup isn't finding, it's equivalent to AUTO.
       You can choose also to set SCSIx:y.BACKUP for permit or not a single disk backup, the value are the same NONE,MANUAL,AUTO
    
    
OPTIONS
The long and short forms of options, shown here listed together, are equivalent.
    -h         
	    	Help about parameters
     -n	
	don't display start info

    -d 	directory        
	Exports the disk contents of the specified guest OS on the specified directory local or remote, to a VMware Workstation format virtual disk.
	The virtual disk may then be transferred to another machine and imported to a SCSI device on the remote machine. 
	The virtual disk will likely take less space then the full size of the VMFS file, since the virtual disk does not        
	include zeroed sectors of the disk image. When this option is used on a guest powered on an ESX Server REDO log is 	
	created, when the exported virtual disk is done the REDO log is commit to its base disk.
     		REMEMBER FINAL / on directory
        
    -n	host:export
        	Mount NFS host's export on directory specified by -d parameter
                
    -s smb='host/share',user='user name',password='password'
		Mount SMB host's share on directory specified by -d parameter,  -u and -p options are now obsolete

    -l   logfile
        Text Log mode 
        Create a text log 

    -L   logfile
        HTML Log mode 
        Create a HTML log 
    -t	
        Test mode
        Don’t create export file, but done all loop

    -i	
        Interactive mode
        Shows a menu where you may choose what guest do you want export

    -a  
        Backup all vm 
        Override default setting backup only started vm.

     -f	ftp='host',dir='remote directory',user='user name',password='password',passive='true o false'
	Export dsk to ftp server 
     
     -1	
	use vmdk format for export	
	Export disk file with vmdk extension	
    -2 
	debug mode

    -3 
	do backup of redo disk file 
	When start do a REDO.REDO file and backup DSK + REDO file

    -4 
	backup configuration file (.VMX) and CMOS

    -c       
	create restore command on export directory, simply execute the script file on destination directory
	and follow instruction
       
    -m      
	export disk in flat mode, every dsk file is exported to unique directory
     
    -e smtp='host',from='from email address',to='to email address'
	send report to email 
    
    -j value
	Set minimum allowed free space on destination disk
    -z 
	Use cp instead of vmkfstools (copy dsk file)
    -5 
	Set the initial name of directory (default 'vm-')

EXAMPLES
    vmbk.pl -d /export/
    Backup vm started to /export/ directory

    vmbk.pl -d /export/ -a -1
    Backup ALL vm  to /export/ directory with vmdk extension
    
    vmbk.pl -d /export/ -i
    Show menu where you may chose which guest backup

    vmbk.pl -d /tmp/ -f ftp=ftpserver,dir=/vmbackup,user=ftpuser,password=ftppassword,passive=false
    Backup VM to ftpserver with ftp protocol(passive mode), using /tmp/ directory for temporary file

    vmbk.pl -d /vmbk/ -s smb=//smbserver/share,user=smbuser,password=smbpassword
    Backup VM to smbserver mounting //smbserver/share on /vmbk/ 

    vmbk.pl -d /vmbk/ -s smb=//smbserver/share,user=smbuser,password=smbpassword -e smtp=smtpserver,from=esx@vmts.net,to=support@vmts.net
    Backup VM to smbserver mounting //smbserver/share on /vmbk/ and send a report by email 
    
    vmbk.pl -d /export/ -n srvnfs:/exp -a
    Backup ALL vm  to exp on server 'srvnfs' 
    
    vmbk.pl -d /export/ -l logfile
    Backup all vm started to /export/ directory and send output to log file 'logfile'

    sample file for cron scheduling, with log file
	mountpoint=/export/archive/
	arg2=/var/log/vmbk.log
	nfsmount=lnxrh02:/vol/d1
	/usr/local/bin/vmbk.pl -d $mountpoint -n $nfsmount -l $arg2