Skip to main content

XEN Server backup and licensing

Thread needs solution

Hi, I can't find any doc specify to XEN server (on-premise). could someone help with the procedures to setup XEN servers backup, please? Base on my understanding:

  1. I need one Acronis Backup 12.5 Advanced Server License for each XEN host? OR should I have the one for Virtual Host?
  2. Add licenses to Acronis Backup Management (we use VMware appliance)?
  3. Install "Acronis Linux Agent" to every VM running on XEN server?
  4. Then, add XEN VM to backup plan?

Thanks,

Aldous

0 Users found this helpful
frestogaslorastaswastavewroviwroclolacorashibushurutraciwrubrishabenichikucrijorejenufrilomuwrigaslowrikejawrachosleratiswurelaseriprouobrunoviswosuthitribrepakotritopislivadrauibretisetewrapenuwrapi
Posts: 22
Comments: 3800

Hi Aldous,

If you plan to protect both Xen server host and VMs running on it then all will be covered with a single Acronis Backup 12.5 Advanced Virtual Host license. The agents installed inside VMs won't consume additional licenses - the license should be assigned to the host machine.

So yes the sequence is correct, assuming that "VMware appliance" you mention is the appliance hosting the Acronis Management Server ("all-in-one" appliance):

1) Add 1 Virtual Host license per each Xen host you want to protect under Settings->Licenses

2) Install Agent for Linux onto Xen host (required if you plan to backup the host itself)

3) Install Agent for Linux/Windows inside each VM which requires protection (they won't consume additional licenses)

4) Add VMs and/or hosts to some backup plan (VMs will be managed similar to regular physical/virtual machines with agents installed inside them).

Thank you.

Hi Vasily,

I have a question. We have installed the backup agent to two VM running on a XENServer 6.5. But, we didn't install the agent to the XENserver itself. How am I suppose to assign the license? We have one virtual host advanced license but two VMs on same XENserver host. 

Regards,

Aldous

frestogaslorastaswastavewroviwroclolacorashibushurutraciwrubrishabenichikucrijorejenufrilomuwrigaslowrikejawrachosleratiswurelaseriprouobrunoviswosuthitribrepakotritopislivadrauibretisetewrapenuwrapi
Posts: 22
Comments: 3800

Hi Aldous,

The general rule is the following: to enable agent-based VM backup the Acronis Backup Advanced Virtual Host license must be assigned to some device. This device could be a real virtualization host (e.g. Agent for Linux installed on XenServer host in your case) or a special phantom "Virtual Host (Free ESXi)" device which appears in the list when you go to Settings -> Licenses -> drill down into Advanced Virtual Host license -> select some SN -> click "Assign":

VirtualHostLicense.PNG

This entry is specifically designed for using a single Virtual Host license for multiple backup agents instalIed inside VMs and "Free ESXi" in its name is supposed to cover the most common scenario, e.g. agents inside ESXi host which uses free VMware license; but the same approach is applicable to other hypervisors as well (including XenServer, KVM, Oracle VM). 

To summarize: to enable VM backups via agents inside you need to assign your Virtual Host license either to this phantom "Virtual Host (Free ESXi)" entry OR to Agent for Linux running on the XenServer host (if you decide to deploy an agent to it).

Thank you.

Hi Vasily, 

Thanks for the quick respond. In fact, that's what I thought. I saw https://kb.acronis.com/content/60598 about using the "Virtual Host (Free ESXi)". But, I was confused because of the "ESXi" in the kb. 

Thanks,
Aldous