Version(s): Connected Backup/PC 8.1-8.2
Component(s): Data Center, Agent
Last updated: October 8, 2008
Document number: 1923

This Document defines the VMware environments Connected Backup^® supports. Connected Backup does not support any other virtualization platforms.

Overview

VMware support platforms create the following independent issues:

1. Platform Interoperability

2. Sharing Resources

Platform Interoperability

Similar to providing support for any version for the the Windows Operating System, Iron Mountain Digital confirms the configurations described in this document.

Sharing Resources

To deploy the Connected Data Center Software on VMware is similar to when you deploy multiple applications on a single physical server. Multiple VMware virtual machines present similar resource contention issues, for example, deploying multiple applications on a single server. Best practices call for the Data Center to have dedicated hardware to ensure the necessary resources and bandwidth to function.

Data Center Support

Connected Backup Version 8.1 and 8.2 Data Center servers are supported on VMWare ESX.

VMWare ESXi and VMWare Server are not supported platforms.

The following list contains the supported virtual machine (VM) configuration rules:

1. Configure only one virtual machine per physical server. This addresses the sharing resources issue. Performance of such a configuration is similar to a physical machine, however it is not guaranteed.

2. The memory allocated to VM instance should not be less then the recommended memory specified for physical Data Center configurations.

3. Because VMWare provides more opportunities to share storage among other applications and resources, Iron Mountain Digital recommends that the VM should be configured for non-shared storage (from a VMWare perspective) and the storage recommendations described for physical Data Center configurations should be followed.

Iron Mountain does not provide any further guidance or recommendations for VM configuration parameter selections or system limits.

Support Center Servers and the Account Management Website

When you install Support Center and the Account Management Website in a VM instance, follow the same configuration recommendations given for the Data Center.

Multiple Virtual Machine Deployment

Iron Mountain does not support deploying multiple Connected Server components, which includes Data Center, Support Center, or Account Management Website, in their own VM instance on the same physical hardware. Iron Mountain Professional Services can assist in designing a deployment to suit the specific scale and performance requirements with the clients.

VMware Support for Connected Agents

Deploying Connected Agents in any virtualization environment is not supported.

Additional Information

• Iron Mountain does not provide any further guidance or recommendations for VMWare configuration parameter selections or system limits.

• If customers plan to deploy the Data Center in production on VMWare, any pre-production testing must include a pilot on VMWare.