Another backup method uses a backup agent running on the GSX Server host. You back up a virtual machine by suspending and resuming it with batch files containing vmware-cmd commands. Suspending a virtual machine puts it in a state in which the host backup software can gain exclusive access to the virtual machine files to complete its task.

Your suspend batch file should contain the following line:

vmware-cmd <path_to_config>\<config>.vmx suspend

Once the virtual machine is suspended, you can safely back up this virtual machine's directory using the backup agent installed on the GSX Server host.

After the backup job completes, you would run a resume batch job to restart the virtual machine. The batch file should contain the following line:

vmware-cmd <path_to_config>\<config>.vmx start

This command resumes the virtual machine into an active, running state.

If you want to restore a virtual machine to a server other than the GSX Server host where it was originally located, shut down the virtual machine. Instead of using the suspend batch file, use one that powers off the virtual machine.

vmware-cmd <path_to_config>\<config>.vmx stop

The suspend, stop and resume commands can be used in pre- and post-job scripts that are normally available via the backup software being used. Backup software such as Veritas Backup Exec has the capability to run pre- and post-batch jobs with scheduled backups.