vCenter Server can be installed on a physical or virtual machine.
You can also deploy a vCenter Server Appliance, which is a preconfigured Linux virtual machine that runs vCenter Server. For vCenter 6.0 or later, use the Virtual Server Agent to back up a vCenter Server Appliance.
For vCenter on a Virtual Machine
If vCenter is running on a virtual machine, you can use a Virtual Server Agent backup to protect the virtual machine as well as the vCenter database and files. This is the recommended method for backing up a vCenter Server Appliance.
When vCenter runs on a virtual machine, consider the following points when using the Virtual Server Agent to back up the VM:
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Configure a separate subclient for a virtual machine where vCenter is running.
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Schedule backups at a time when other backups for the vCenter are not running.
For vCenter on a Physical Server
If vCenter is installed on a physical server, you can install application agents on the server to protect the vCenter database and files.
Follow the steps given below to protect the vCenter server:
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From the CommCell Console, expand the Client Computers node
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Right-click the virtualization client for the vCenter and select Properties.
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Click Edit.
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Enter the hostname of the computer where you have set up the vCenter server.
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Click OK.
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Install guest agents for Windows or Linux on the virtualization client for the vCenter:
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For Windows machines, install Microsoft SQL Server Agent and Windows File System Agent.
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For Linux-based machines using a PostgreSQL or Oracle database, install a PostgreSQL or Oracle agent.
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Configure and perform frequent backups of the database and file system on vCenter client using the guest agents.
For more information, refer to the following topics: