Deploying and updating Agent for ESX/ESXi

Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 Management Server provides an easy way to deploy Agent for ESX/ESXi to every VMware ESX or ESXi server whose virtual machines you want to back up.

A virtual appliance with an agent will be created on every ESX/ESXi server you specify and registered on the management server. Virtual machines, dynamically grouped by their hosts, will appear on the management server and you will be able to apply backup policies to the virtual machines or back up each machine individually.

The update of already installed agents is performed in the same way as deployment. Upon selecting a host or cluster where the agent is installed, you will be suggested to update the agent on that host.

If you are using VMware vSphere, it is recommended that you integrate the management server with your vCenter Server before starting the agent deployment. You will not have to specify every host manually in this case.

To deploy Agent for ESX/ESXi to VMware ESX/ESXi servers:

  1. In the Navigation tree, right click Virtual machines or right click the group that has the same name as the vCenter Server.
  2. Click Deploy ESX agent.
  3. ESX/ESXi hosts

    For a vCenter Server, a list of ESX/ESXi hosts and clusters obtained from the vCenter Server will be displayed. Select the hosts and clusters to deploy the agent to, or check the Select all check box.

    In a vCenter cluster, a single Agent for ESX/ESXi backs up virtual machines hosted on all the cluster’s hosts. For more information, please see “Support for vCenter clusters“.

    You can add a single host to the list by specifying its IP address or name. Provide a user name and password for every host you add to the list. A vCenter Server cannot be specified in this window.

    When you select a host or cluster where the agent is already installed, the right panel of the ESX Agent Deployment window displays: Update ESX agent on this host. Other settings are not available. If you only need the update, proceed directly to step 6.

  4. [Optional] The agents’ settings

    You can deploy Agents for ESX/ESXi with default settings or specify custom settings for any agent. The settings are as follows:

    Datastore: This is the datastore on the ESX/ESXi host where the virtual appliance will be stored. When deploying the agent onto a vCenter cluster, this is the datastore shared by all the servers included into the cluster. For more information, please see “Support for vCenter clusters“.

    Network interface: This is the host’s internal network the virtual appliance will be included in. If there are multiple networks on the host, the program selects the one that is more suitable for the agent operation and specifies this network as default. Only those networks that have a connection to the host’s Service Console (or Management Network, in terms of the VMware Infrastructure) are available for selection. This is critical to the operation of the agent.

    The next setting appears differently, depending on how you are going to deploy the agent.

    When deploying through the vCenter server – The account that will be used for agent connection to the vCenter server.

    When deploying directly to the ESX/ESXi server – The account that will be used for agent connection to the ESX server.

    The management server will use this account to establish a trusted relationship with the agent during registration. Centralized backup plans and recovery tasks, originating from the management server, will run under this account by default. This means the account must have the necessary privileges on the vCenter Server.

    By default, the software will use the account that you have already specified, either when configuring integration with the vCenter, or when getting access to the ESX/ESXi server. You have the option to specify credentials for a different account if need be.

    The virtual appliance’s time zone will be set automatically according to the management server’s time zone. You can change the time zone directly in the virtual appliance GUI as described in “Installing ESX/ESXi Virtual Appliance.” Changing the account or network settings is also possible but is not recommended, unless it is absolutely necessary.

  5. Licenses

    Click Provide license.

    When installing the trial product version, select Use the following trial license key and enter the trial license key. Deduplication is always enabled in the trial version.

    When installing the purchased product, select Use a license from the following Acronis License Server and specify the license server that has the appropriate number of licenses for Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 Advanced Server Virtual Edition. You need one license for every host you selected.

    To be able to deduplicate backups, an agent needs a separately sold license for deduplication. If you have imported such licenses into the license server, you can select the Enable deduplication… check box to let the agents acquire these licenses.

    When installing the product for online backup only, select Online backup only (license key is not required). This option presumes that you have or will obtain a subscription to the Acronis Backup & Recovery Online service by the time of the first backup.

  6. Click Deploy ESX agent.
  Monitoring the deployment progress and result  

Creating or updating virtual appliances may take some time. Watch the progress of the operations at the bottom of the virtual machines’ views underneath the Information bar. After a virtual appliance is created and registered, a corresponding group of virtual machines appears on the management server.

  If the deployment completed but the group of virtual machines is missing  

Access the virtual appliance console using the vSphere/VMware Infrastructure client and check the agent configuration. Configure the agent manually, if required, as described in “Installing ESX/ESXi virtual appliance.” Add the virtual appliance to the management server manually as described in “Adding a machine to the management server.”

Deploying and updating Agent for ESX/ESXi