{"id":31740,"date":"2026-10-07T11:53:29","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T09:53:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mu.wedoback.com\/?page_id=31740"},"modified":"2026-10-07T12:22:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T10:22:44","slug":"virtual-machine-backup","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mu.wedoback.com\/en\/guides\/backup\/virtual-machine-backup\/","title":{"rendered":"How should you back up a virtual machine?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"31740\" class=\"elementor elementor-31740 elementor-31558\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5375eec e-con-full wdb-g e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"5375eec\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7dd8c01 e-con-full wdb-g-hero e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"7dd8c01\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aea2744 e-con-full wdb-g-hero-in e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"aea2744\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-936e13c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"936e13c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wdb-g-crumb\"><a href=\"\/en\/\">Home<\/a><span>\u203a<\/span><a href=\"\/en\/guides\/\">Guides<\/a><span>\u203a<\/span><a href=\"\/en\/guides\/backup\/\">IT backup<\/a><\/p><p class=\"wdb-g-pill\" style=\"--pill:#01adb9\">IT backup<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2d03edf elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2d03edf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How should you back up a virtual machine?<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0d59d70 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0d59d70\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wdb-g-lead\">You back up a virtual machine so that you can start it again elsewhere: on another disk, another hypervisor or a standby instance. Use an agent inside the machine or a backup taken from the hypervisor, but never a plain copy of the disk file while the machine is running, nor a snapshot left in place as a backup.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-223b7ba elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"223b7ba\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wdb-g-meta\"><span>Updated <b>October 2026<\/b><\/span><span><b>3 min<\/b> read<\/span><span><b>5<\/b> sources cited<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1938a5c e-con-full wdb-g-body e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"1938a5c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a939a7e e-con-full wdb-g-grid e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a939a7e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-297667d e-con-full wdb-g-article e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"297667d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-eccb43f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"eccb43f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wdb-g-key\"><h2>Key points<\/h2><ul><li>Two valid methods: an <strong>agent in the VM<\/strong> or a <strong>backup from the hypervisor<\/strong>; they work well together.<\/li><li>A snapshot (checkpoint) <strong>is not a backup<\/strong>: Microsoft says so explicitly for Hyper-V.<\/li><li>Database consistency depends on the guest tools (VSS on Windows, file system freeze on Linux).<\/li><li>The copy must leave the hypervisor&#8217;s storage: otherwise a storage array failure takes both the VMs and their backups.<\/li><li>Test that the restored VM <strong>boots<\/strong>, not just that the file exists.<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4bba0f2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4bba0f2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Two valid methods<\/h2><p><strong>From inside the machine (agent).<\/strong> An agent in the guest system backs up files, databases and, depending on the tool, the full image. It sees what the system sees. It works even if you do not administer the hypervisor (rented machine, cloud, hosting provider). You need one agent per machine, and it must be able to freeze databases while the copy is made.<\/p><p><strong>From the hypervisor.<\/strong> The tool asks VMware, Hyper-V, Proxmox or the equivalent for a consistent snapshot, then copies the VM&#8217;s disks. A single console covers many machines. Application consistency depends on the guest tools: on Hyper-V, \u201cproduction\u201d checkpoints rely on VSS in Windows guests and on a file system freeze in Linux guests, without capturing memory. This method assumes that you control the hypervisor and that the tool supports it.<\/p><p>The ANSSI, France&#8217;s national cybersecurity agency, presents the same choice in its backup guide: disk image or agent inside the machine, depending on disk encryption, the restore granularity required and the volume of changes.<\/p><p>The two can coexist: a hypervisor image to restart the VM, an agent to restore a single file or mailbox without bringing back the whole disk. If you can only do one, choose the one that has already been restored successfully in your environment.<\/p><table><thead><tr><th><\/th><th>Agent in the VM<\/th><th>Backup from the hypervisor<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Hypervisor access required<\/td><td>No<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Restoring a single file<\/td><td>Direct<\/td><td>Depends on the tool<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Restarting the complete VM<\/td><td>Depends on the tool (image)<\/td><td>Direct<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Database consistency<\/td><td>Handled by the agent<\/td><td>Depends on the guest tools<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Number of agents<\/td><td>One per VM<\/td><td>None in the VMs<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7f3b549 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7f3b549\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>A snapshot is not a backup<\/h2><p>A snapshot (called a checkpoint in Hyper-V) freezes the state of a VM on the same storage. Microsoft is explicit: checkpoints are not backups and must not be used as a permanent recovery solution. They reduce the VM&#8217;s disk performance and consume space; if the storage fills up, the machine may be paused. A snapshot is useful for a few hours, around an update. Beyond that, it is a risk.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6c17796 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6c17796\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>What breaks VM backups<\/h2><ul><li>A snapshot left open for days: the differencing disk grows and eventually fills the hypervisor&#8217;s storage.<\/li><li>Backing up only the disk files with a file copy, VM running, SQL database in the middle of a write.<\/li><li>All VMs and their backups on the same disk group. A storage failure takes both.<\/li><li>No boot test. A \u201cbacked-up\u201d VM that does not boot (driver, boot loader, forgotten system disk) is useless.<\/li><li>Licences and dongles that refuse to start outside the original hardware. Identify them before the incident.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c157647 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c157647\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Frequency and location<\/h2><p>The same logic applies as for a <a href=\"\/en\/guides\/backup\/physical-server-backup\/\">physical server<\/a>: the frequency follows the RPO of the application hosted in the VM, not the fact that \u201cit is virtual\u201d. The copy must leave the hypervisor&#8217;s storage. Emergency restart, if required, must be prepared: network, addresses, instance size, boot order of VMs that depend on one another (directory, then database, then application). The ANSSI, France&#8217;s national cybersecurity agency, recommends setting this restore order in advance.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b590907 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b590907\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wdb-g-brand\"><h2>At WeDoBack<\/h2><p>WeDoBack backs up virtual and physical Windows and Linux servers, as well as system images. The public <a href=\"\/en\/smart-offer\/\">SMART<\/a> price list distinguishes the virtual server agent, at 6 \u20ac excl. VAT per month, from the physical server agent, at 20 \u20ac excl. VAT, in addition to storage at 49.99 \u20ac excl. VAT per TB per month; the SMART agent is reserved for this offer. With <a href=\"\/en\/integral-offer\/\">INTEGRAL<\/a>, a single agent per machine covers the services subscribed for it, and virtual agents are included depending on the storage tier. Restoration can bring the machine back to working order, system included. The <a href=\"\/en\/drp-offer\/\">DRP<\/a> adds restart on standby instances from the version you choose, with a monthly boot test that does not affect production. The <a href=\"\/en\/bcp-offer\/\">BCP<\/a> keeps cloud instances running continuously to take over.<\/p><div class=\"wdb-g-btns\"><a class=\"wdb-g-btn wdb-g-btn-primary\" href=\"\/en\/offers-and-prices\/\">See offers and prices<\/a><a class=\"wdb-g-btn wdb-g-btn-ghost\" href=\"\/en\/drp-offer\/\">Discover the DRP<\/a><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-45ed64d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"45ed64d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wdb-g-faq\"><h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2><details><summary>Are my hypervisor snapshots enough as a backup?<\/summary><p>No. A snapshot depends on the original disk: if the storage fails, both are lost. Microsoft advises against using Hyper-V checkpoints as a permanent recovery solution, and notes that they degrade disk performance and consume space. A snapshot is for rolling back just after an update, not for replacing an external copy.<\/p><\/details><details><summary>Do I need an agent in every virtual machine?<\/summary><p>Not necessarily. If you administer the hypervisor, a hypervisor-level backup covers many VMs from a single console. An agent becomes necessary when you do not control the hypervisor (rented machine, cloud), or when you want to restore a single file or database precisely.<\/p><\/details><details><summary>Can a VM be restored to a different hypervisor?<\/summary><p>It is possible with an agent-based backup or a tool that converts disk formats, but it is not automatic. Drivers, the virtual network card and the boot loader must be checked. The only way to be sure is a boot test on the intended target.<\/p><\/details><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-96ee04f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"96ee04f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Further reading<\/h2><div class=\"wdb-g-related\"><a href=\"\/en\/guides\/backup\/physical-server-backup\/\"><small>IT backup<\/small>How should you back up a physical server?<\/a><a href=\"\/en\/guides\/backup\/how-to-test-a-backup\/\"><small>IT backup<\/small>How can you test that a backup works?<\/a><a href=\"\/en\/guides\/drp-bcp\/what-is-a-drp\/\"><small>DRP and BCP<\/small>What is a DRP?<\/a><a href=\"\/en\/guides\/drp-bcp\/critical-server-continuity\/\"><small>DRP and BCP<\/small>How do you ensure continuity for a critical server?<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-171ac95 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"171ac95\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wdb-g-sources\"><h2>Sources<\/h2><p class=\"wdb-g-src-date\">Documents consulted in October 2026.<\/p><ol><li><a href=\"https:\/\/messervices.cyber.gouv.fr\/documents-guides\/anssi_fondamentaux_sauvegarde_systemes_dinformation_v1.1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Backing up information systems \u2013 The fundamentals (ANSSI-BP-100, v1.1, 27 November 2025, in French)<\/a> \u2014 ANSSI, France&#8217;s national cybersecurity agency<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.microsoft.com\/en-us\/windows-server\/virtualization\/hyper-v\/checkpoints\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Using checkpoints<\/a> \u2014 Microsoft Learn<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.microsoft.com\/en-us\/previous-versions\/windows\/it-pro\/windows-server-2012-R2-and-2012\/dn818483(v=ws.11)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Checkpoints and Snapshots Overview<\/a> \u2014 Microsoft Learn<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wedoback.com\/offre-pra\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DRP offer (Disaster Recovery Plan)<\/a> \u2014 WeDoBack<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wedoback.com\/offres-et-tarifs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Offers and prices<\/a> \u2014 WeDoBack<\/li><\/ol><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0be13e5 e-con-full wdb-g-aside e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"0be13e5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-976c894 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"976c894\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<nav class=\"wdb-g-toc\" aria-label=\"Table of contents\"><p>On this page<\/p><ol><\/ol><\/nav>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7174f6a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7174f6a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wdb-g-card\"><h3>Planning a backup, DRP or BCP project?<\/h3><p>More than 20 years of experience protecting business data.<\/p><a class=\"wdb-g-btn wdb-g-btn-primary\" href=\"\/en\/quotation\/\">Request a quote<\/a><a class=\"wdb-g-tel\" href=\"tel:+33972507828\">+33 9 72 50 78 28<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0b748a5 e-con-full wdb-g-cta e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"0b748a5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-356fc69 e-con-full wdb-g-cta-in e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"356fc69\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-afcf143 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"afcf143\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Protect your data with WeDoBack<\/h2><p>Encrypted offsite backup, immutable storage, DRP and BCP: tell us about your servers and we will recommend the right combination.<\/p><div class=\"wdb-g-btns\"><a class=\"wdb-g-btn wdb-g-btn-primary\" href=\"\/en\/quotation\/\">Request a quote<\/a><a class=\"wdb-g-btn wdb-g-btn-ghost\" href=\"\/en\/offers-and-prices\/\">See offers and prices<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":31721,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"How to back up a virtual machine | WeDoBack","_seopress_titles_desc":"Back up a virtual machine with a tool that understands its state, and check that it restarts somewhere other than on the original 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