Back in the day of VM-server, I had 2 identical servers - one live, the other for backup. The backup server powered on at 3am each day and ran a script that shut down a VM on the server PC then copied the entire image directory, then restarted the VM and repeated the process for the remaining live VM's. The backup server then powered down until the next night.
When I had a m/b failure on the live server I was able to fire up the backup server, activate the VM's and I had only lost a couple of hours transactions. Because I didn't have to do restores or similar, it also meant the VM's were only offline for about 30 minutes which was the time to realise I had a failure, investigate it, and fire up the backup server.
Since then I bought 2 new identical servers installed ESXi 5.1 on each, then upgraded to the Essentials pack so I have access to the extra features.
I would like to have something similar setup now, but it's getting confusing with information overload.
Simply, I would like to copy/replicate/clone my thin clients from one physical server to another - each just having local datastores. It's not a major problem if the VM's need to be shut down first.
As I am using SSD's I need to keep the clients thin if possible.
Any help/suggestions much appreciated.
I want a simple solution so that if I am out of the office, I could ask any non tech person to start the 2nd PC and activate the VM's. I don't have a spare 64bit windows license to use the Veeam 7.