VMware Consolidated Backup is a backup framework, which enables 3rd party tools to take backups.

VCB is used to help you backup your VMware ESX virtual servers. Essentially, VCB is a "backup proxy server". It is not backup software. If you use VCB, you still need backup software. It is commonly installed on its own dedicated Windows physical server.

Here are the benefits of VMware's VCB:

• Centralize backups of VMware ESX Virtual Servers.
• Provide file level backups of VMware ESX Virtual Servers both full and incremental (file level backup available to only Windows guests).
• Provide image level backups.
• Prevent you from having to load a backup AGENT on every Virtual Machine.
• Prevent you from having to shutdown Virtual Machines to get a backup.
• Provides LANFree backup because the VCB server is connected to the SAN through your fibre channel adaptor.
• Provides centralized storage of Virtual Server backups on the VCB server that is then moved to your backup tapes through the 3rd party backup agent you install.
• REDUCES the load on the VMware ESX servers by not having to load a 3rd party backup agent on either the VMware ESX service CONSOLE or on each virtual machine.
• Utilizes VMware Snapshots.

Basically, here is how VCB works:

• If you are doing a file level backup, VCB does a snapshot of the VM, MOUNTS the snapshot, and allows you to backup that mounted "drive" through VCB to your 3rd party backup software.
• If you are doing an image level backup of the VM, VCB does a snapshot of the VM, copies the snapshot to the VCB server, unsnaps the VM, and allows you to backup the copied snapshot image with your 3rd party backup software.

VMware Consolidated Backup is a backup framework, which enables 3rd party tools to take backups.

VCB is used to help you backup your VMware ESX virtual servers. Essentially, VCB is a "backup proxy server". It is not backup software. If you use VCB, you still need backup software. It is commonly installed on its own dedicated Windows physical server.

Here are the benefits of VMware's VCB:

Basically, here is how VCB works: