Home > Data Protection > PowerProtect Data Manager > PowerProtect Data Manager: VMware Virtual Machine Protection Using Transparent Snapshots > Introduction
The VMware virtual machine (VM) backup process transfers or exports data from a VM within a VMware environment to a secondary protection storage system. The Dell PowerProtect appliance can be on a primary or secondary site, or in the cloud. A backup engine or software such as PowerProtect Data Manager manages this process. PowerProtect Data Manager can perform data management and copy management operations on the backup copies and ensure that all data is cataloged properly. This function makes available a consistent VM copy as part of a restore requirement in a disaster scenario.
PowerProtect Data Manager can protect VMware VMs in a reliable and efficient manner using VMware vSphere Storage APIs - Data Protection (VADP) snapshots (see Figure 1). These VADP snapshots are reliable, proven, and certified by VMware, and can be used as part of backup operations.
However, the VADP snapshot process pauses the execution of the VM and allows in-flight disk I/O operations to be completed. This action might increase the read and write latency and affect the snapshot and VM ecosystem life cycle. When the life cycle of a VADP snapshot is analyzed, the snapshot entry and exit points inflict a penalty on a VM. After a snapshot of a VM disk file is produced, requiring the VM to be stunned, a snapshot of the VM disk file is ingested. Then, the deltas must be consolidated into the base disk. When you create a snapshot of a high-transactional application, such as a database, there can be adverse effects. These effects include lengthy backup windows and application timeouts when the stun to ingest and consolidate the workflow is not efficiently managed.
Addressing these issues requires a solution that can deliver not only backup and restore capabilities but also an alternative way to reduce the adverse effects of the VM stun operation.