Install Vinchin Server as VMware VM

System Requirements

To install Vinchin server as a virtual machine on VMware, the recommended system configurations of the VM are as below.

Notice

Since you are going to install Vinchin backup server as a virtual machine on the virtual platform, please do not use virtual disk as backup storage, otherwise there’s possibility of losing both your production data and backup data. You could choose to use external NAS server or other storage servers to provide iSCSI or NFS/CIFS shares to Vinchin backup server VM as backup storage.

Download ISO Image

Go to Vinchin product trial page using the URL below:

https://www.vinchin.com/vm-backup-free-trial.html

Simply register for your free trial with your full name, email address and your hypervisor type. Then the latest ISO image will be downloaded automatically, at the same time you’ll receive an email with a 60-day free trial license attached.

Please keep the free trial license safe, as after installation you’ll need it to activate Vinchin backup server for 60 days of free trial.

Create Vinchin Server VM

Create VM from VMware vCenter Web Console

If your VMware vSphere virtual platform is managed by vCenter Server, to install Vinchin backup server as a VM from vCenter Server web console, please open the VMware vCenter web console and create a new VM.

Step 1: Select a creation type

Select Create a new virtual machine and click on Next.

Step 2: Select a name and folder

In the Virtual machine name field, please specify a name for the new VM for identification.

In the Select a location for the virtual machine field, please select a VM folder to place the new VM.

Step 3: Select a compute resource

Select a host on which you wish Vinchin server to run.

Step 4: Select storage

Select a storage on which you wish Vinchin server VM virtual disk to be stored.

Step 5: Select compatibility

Please select the latest version in the Compatible with dropdown list.

Step 6: Select a guest OS

In the Guest OS Family dropdown list, please select Linux.

In the Guest OS Version dropdown list, please select Rocky Linux. If your guest OS list does not have Rocky Linux option, you could select the latest version of RHEL as the guest OS type.

Step 7: Customize hardware

Please refer to System Requirements for more information of the Vinchin server VM hardware configurations to setup the CPU, Memory and New Hard disk settings.

In the New Network field, select the virtual network which you wish Vinchin server to be connected to, and then select the Connect… checkbox. Make sure the virtual network you selected here is reachable to the vCenter Server and ESXi hosts and other workloads which you wish to backup, otherwise you may not be able to run backups.

In the New CD/DVD Drive dropdown list, please select the Vinchin server ISO file from the ISO store and select the Connect… checkbox. If you haven’t uploaded the ISO file to any of the VMware ISO store, you can leave this option unconfigured.

Step 8: Ready to complete

Review the VM configurations and click on FINISH to complete creating Vinchin server VM.

After creating the VM, power it on and choose LAUNCH WEB CONSOLE or LAUNCH REMOTE CONSOLE to start the installation process.

If you haven’t selected the Vinchin backup server ISO file from VMware ISO store during creating the VM, please start the installation from VMware Remote Console. By selecting VMRC > Removable Devices > CD DVD drive 1 > Connect to Disk Image File (iso)… you are able to select the ISO file from your local desktop as the installation media.

For more detailed information of the installation process, please refer to Installation Process.

Create VM from ESXi Server Web Console

If you are running a standalone ESXi server and you wish to install Vinchin server as a VM on the ESXi server, please open the ESXi server web console and create a new VM.

Step 1: Select a creation type

Select Create a new virtual machine and click on Next.

Step 2: Select a name and guest OS

In the Name field, give the VM a name for identification.

In the Compatibility dropdown list, please select the latest version.

In the Guest OS family dropdown list, please select Linux.

In the Guest OS version dropdown list, please select Rocky Linux. If your guest OS list does not have Rocky Linux option, you could select the latest version of RHEL as the guest OS type.

Step 3: Select storage

Select a datastore to place the VM virtual disk.

Step 4: Customize settings

Please refer to System Requirements for more information of the Vinchin backup server VM hardware configurations to setup the CPU, Memory and Hard Disk settings.

In the Network Adapter field, select the virtual network which you wish Vinchin backup server VM to be connected to, and then select the Connect… checkbox. Make sure the virtual network you selected here is reachable to the ESXi host and other workloads which you wish to backup, otherwise you may not be able to run backups.

In the CD/DVD Drive dropdown list, please select the Vinchin backup server ISO file from the ISO store and select the Connect… checkbox. If you haven’t uploaded the ISO file to any of the VMware ISO store, you can leave this option unconfigured.

Step 5: Ready to complete

Review the VM configurations and click on Finish to complete creating Vinchin backup server VM.

Once the VM is successfully created, power on the VM and click on Console, select Open browser console or Launch remote console to start the installation.

If you haven’t selected the Vinchin backup server ISO file from VMware ISO store during creating the VM, please start the installation from VMware Remote Console. By selecting VMRC > Removable Devices > CD DVD drive 1 > Connect to Disk Image File (iso)… you are able to select the ISO file from your local desktop as the installation media.

For more detailed information of the installation process, please refer to Installation Process.

Installation Process

Step 1: Start installation process

By selecting Install Rocky Linux and press Enter to start the installation process.

Step 2: Select time zone

On the INSTALLATION SUMMARY screen, by selecting Time & Date to configure system time zone.

Select the time zone where you are located in, then click Done to continue to the next step.

Step 3: Select installation destination

By selecting Installation Destination to configure on which disk the system will be installed.

Please only select the disk for operating system installation, the data disk (if any) should be left unselected.

Then select Done to continue.

Step 4: Configure network settings

By selecting Network & Host Name to configure network settings of the backup server.

Select the network interface which you wish to setup its network profile then select Configure....

Select IPv4 Settings, then in the Method dropdown list select Manual.

Select Add to add an IP address for the network interface, a valid netmask and gateway should also be specified. Please make sure that the IP you assigned to the server is reachable to the virtual platform and other workloads which you wish to backup.

In the DNS Servers field, input a valid DNS server IP then select Save.

Once the network settings had been configured, switch the network interface from OFF to ON to enable the network interface to auto start up with the server. And in the Host Name field, you can optionally specify a host name for the server and click on Apply.

Once turned the network interface on and configured host name, please select Done to continue.

Step 5: Begin installation

Select Begin Installation to confirm the server installation.

Please wait a while for the installation process to be completed. During the installation process, you DO NOT have to configure CLI user password or create any new user.

When the installation process is completed, you will be requested to reboot the server.

Select Reboot to complete the installation process.

Notice

Vinchin software packages will be installed during the first reboot, please wait patiently for the first reboot to be completed and DO NOT power off or restart the server, otherwise installation of the Vinchin software will fail!

Change CLI user password

After installation, the backup server needs to be restarted. When you see the command line login prompt. Please log in the command line interface using the below default credentials:

Username: backup

Password: Backup@3R

For the security precautions of the backup server, please change the CLI user password at first login by using the below command.

sudo passwd backup

After changing the CLI user password, please keep it safe and do not loss it.