A virtual machine directory should not be backed up on the GSX Server host if the virtual machine is powered on. You should either suspend or shut down the virtual machine before backing up its directory.

If the virtual machine is running when you try to back it up, the virtual machine can hang and be unreachable.

Open file agents loaded on the GSX Server host do not always work reliably when you back up open virtual disks that are gigabytes in size.

Before implementing a backup method, test and document the method in advance to ensure a successful backup.

For more information on scripting and using the vmware-cmd file, read Appendix A of the VMware Scripting API User's Manual, available on the VMware Web site at www.vmware.com/support/developer.