How to setup Citrix Hypervisor backup over storage network?

If your Citrix Hypervisor (formerly XenServer) virtualization environment has existing storage network, you could choose to run VM backups over storage network, this can eliminate the impact on production network during the backup process.

To setup Citrix backup over storage network, it only requires Vinchin backup server has 2 network interfaces. One of the network interfaces connects to the management network, the other connects to the storage network.

For detailed configurations, please follow the steps below.

Step 1: Network connection

Make sure there are at least 2 network interface cards on the Vinchin Backup Server. One of the network interface cards connected to the management network, another connected to the storage network.

Warning

If your Vinchin Backup Server is already licensed, adding new network interface card to the server will invalid the license. If you have to do so, please contact Vinchin support before you proceed.

Step 2: Install Vinchin backup plugin for Citrix Hypervisor

Download Vinchin backup plugin for Citrix from the login screen of Vinchin backup server web console. By clicking on the Download Backup Plugin and then select the Citrix version to download.

Upload the downloaded backup plugin installation file to each of the Citrix hosts, then run the below command from each of the Citrix hosts’ CLI to install.

In the above command, where “6.0.0-10468” should be the actual version number of the backup plugin you downloaded.

Step 3: Change Vinchin backup plugin listening IP

Edit Vinchin backup plugin config file from Citrix host CLI by using below command.

Modify the listening IP of backup plugin from 0.0.0.0 to the IP of the Citrix host network interface which is connected to the storage network.

For example, the Citrix host got an IP 172.16.0.100 which is connected to management network, another IP 10.10.10.100 which is connected to storage network, please change the listening IP to 10.10.10.100.

The modification should be done on all the Citrix hosts, and the listening IP should be corresponding to each of the Citrix hosts’ storage network IP respectively.

Step 4: Restart backup plugin services

After the modification, restart the backup plugin services using the below command.

Step 5: Add Citrix Hypervisor to Vinchin Backup Server

Open Vinchin backup server web console, add Citrix Hypervisor to Vinchin backup server under Resources > Virtual Infrastructure.

Please add Citrix Hypervisor virtualization by using IP/domain and root user credentials of the Citrix pool master.

Step 6: Create VM backup job

Create a VM backup job under VM Backup > Backup, follow the New Backup Job wizard to complete the job settings.

In the 3^rd step - Backup Strategy, under Transmission Strategy tab, please select LAN in the Transfer via dropdown list.

With the above configurations, the VM backups will be transferred through the storage network.