Unlike ESX and Hyper-V, the following virtualization platforms require that an agent is installed on a virtual machine:
For the complete list of supported virtualization platforms, refer to "Supported virtualization platforms" in the "Backing up virtual machines" document.
For information about the required licenses, refer to "Licensing for virtual machines".
If you need to back up the virtual machines
Install Acronis Backup Agent for Windows or Acronis Backup Agent for Linux on every virtual machine you want to back up. For step-by-step instructions, refer to "Installation in Windows", "Installation in Linux", or "Remote installation".
If you use Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization, be sure to familiarize yourself with the "Backup and recovery of RHEV virtual machines" section of the "Backing up virtual machines" document. This document contains step-by-step instructions on installing the agents and adding the machines to the management server.
The backup and recovery operations are the same as with a physical machine. You can also use bootable media to do "cold" backups and "bare metal" recovery to an empty virtual machine.
If you need to back up the virtualization host
Acronis Backup enables you to back up the physical host by using the same license as for the hosted virtual machines.
If the host is running an operating system supported by Agent for Windows or Agent for Linux (see "Supported operating systems"), you can install the corresponding agent on the host. You can also use bootable media to do "cold" backups and "bare metal" recovery.
If the host is not running a supported operating system, you have only one option: a sector-by-sector backup by using bootable media. While recovery from such a backup is possible, Acronis cannot guarantee that the system boots and will be fully operational.