vmbk.pl Version 2.21.7
by Massimiliano Daneri
email: manzi@vmts.net

NAME
vmbk.pl - VMware ESX Server copy disk utility

USAGE
usage: vmbk.pl -h | -d directory <option>

-d backup destination directory
-h print this help message

Option
-H don't display header
-n nfs mount
-s smb mount syntax: smb='//host/share',user='domain\\user name',password='password'
-l TEXT logfile
-L HTML logfile
-t test mode
-i interactive mode
-a backup all VM also guest with backup="manual"
-f ftp server syntax: ftp='host',dir='remote directory',user='user name',password='password',passive='true or false'
-1 use vmdk extension for export
-3 the exported virtual disk contains the redo log if exist
-4 backup configuration file and CMOS
-c create restore command on export directory
-m export disk to unique directory
-e send a report by email syntax : smtp='host',from='from email address',to='to email address'
-j set minimum space permitted on destination directory in MB - DEFAULT = 1024
-J set minimum space permitted on VMFS partition for alowing Disk REDO in MB - DEFAULT = 512
-z use command cp instead of vmkfstools ( NOT compatible with -3 option)
-5 set pre directory name (default 'vm-')
-b Backup session DEFAULT = 'default' (use vmx parameter 'backup.session'=name)
-T tar.gz destination file 
-6 set timeout default 60000 ms (1min)
-v set guest to backup using "vm number order"
-V force to handle destination directory like a VMFS volume
-F backup host configuration
-C Configuration File (set parameters by file)
-2 Force a dismount first of mount operation
-R use vmkfstools (raw mode more faster) instead of cp

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 / FTP
vmbk.pl can be used on guest powered or on guest unpowered. 
vmbk.pl support batch and interactive use. 
vmbk.pl search about 'backup' option on vm guest definition file ,the option may have 4 value NONE , MANUAL , AUTO , ALWAYS 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
You have also the possibility to define various backup session  
See OPTION IN VMX CONFIGURATION FILE for more info

OPTIONS
-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
	Create a text log  logfile

-L logfile
	Create a HTML log logfile

-t
	Don’t create export file, but done all process

-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 

-3
	make a backup of redo disk file 
	When start make 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 by email (only html)

-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 backup destination directory (default 'vm-')

-J value
	Set minimum allowed free space on VMFS for allow creation of REDO, in MB - DEFAULT = 512

-b session name
	Backup session DEFAULT = 'default' (use vmx parameter 'backup.session'=name)

-T dirtemp
	export guest to a tar.gz file using 'dirtemp' as temporary directory
	tar.gz destination file 

-6 timeout
	set timeout for every command default 60000 ms (1min)

-v n,m,j,...
	set guest to backup using "vm number order" separated by comma

-V 
	force to handle destination directory like a VMFS volume

-F
	backup host ESX configuration

-C configurationfile
	permit to use a configuration file 

-2  force dismount of destination directory before mount (only works with -s and -n option)

-R  use vmkfstools (raw mode more faster) instead of cp
 
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 /var/logfile.log
Backup all vm switched on to /export/ directory and send output to log file '/var/logfile.log'

vmbk.pl -d /export/ -l /var/logfile.log -v 2,3,7
Backup vm number 2,3,7 to /export/ directory and send output to log file '/var/logfile.log'

vmbk.pl -d /export/ -L /var/logfile.htm -b DataServers
Backup vm with configured 'BACKUP.SESSION = "DataServer"' to /export/ directory and send output to log file '/var/logfile.htm' (html mode)

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OPTION IN VMX CONFIGURATION FILE

BACKUP = NONE | MANUAL | AUTO | ALWAYS
NONE : this guest never will be backup
MANUAL : this guest will be backup only when vmbk.pl has been executed in interactive mode 
AUTO : normal way (default) 
ALWAYS : backup always this guest, even if you do not explicit it

BACKUP.MODE = REDO | SUSPEND | STOP
REDO : Normal mode
SUSPEND : Suspend guest before do a backup
STOP : Stop the guest before do a backup

SCSIX:Y.BACKUP = NONE | MANUAL | AUTO
where X: guest scsi controller and Y: guest id disk
NONE : this scsi disk never will be backup
MANUAL : this scsi disk will be backup only when vmbk.pl has been executed in interactive mode 
AUTO : normal way (default) 

BACKUP.SESSION = 'name of session'
this guest will be backup only when vmbk.pl has been executed with -b parameters with the same 'name of session'



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vmbk-default.conf

#Version 1.00.4
#set timeout
Timeout=60000
#minimum space required for add RedoLOG
minspaceforRedo=1024 
#minimum space required for backup
minspace=1024 
# backup esx host configuration
backupESX=true 

#name of backup session
BackupSession="default"
#directory where file
destination=/vmbk/

#minimum space required for add RedoLOG
minspaceforRedo=1000 

#vmbk do not create subdirectory 
FlatDir=false
#Create a restore shell script 
Restore=true 
# Backup configuration file and CMOS
BackupVMX=true 
# the exported virtual disk contains the redo log if exist
BackREDO=false 
#disk format VMDK or DSK
DiskFormat=VMDK 
#Backup all Guest 
BackupAllGuest=false 
#format of log HTML or TEXT
LogFormat=TEXT 
#log file an directory with number of day in file name
logfile=/var/log/vmbk.log 
#use cp command to disk instead of vmkfstools
usecp=false 
#use vmkfstool(raw mode more faster than cp. !!!!caution with smb share!!!!) command to disk instead of cp
vmkfstoolsrawmode=false

#dsk to tar.gz format
usetar=false
#temporary directory 
tardir=/tmp 

# true or false
email=false 
smtpserver=smtp
to=support@vmts.net
from=esx@vmts.net

# true or false
forcedismount=false

# true or false
nfs=false 
nfsmount=host:/vol

# true or false
smb=false
smbserver=//smbserver/share
smbuser=domain\\user
smbpasswd=password

# true or false
ftp=false 
ftpserver=server 
ftpdir="/"
ftpuser=user
ftppasswd=password
# true or false
ftppassive=false 


# predirname=%hostname%
# predirname=%date%
# predirname=%time%