Hi Maishsk - does vCenter essentials (i.e. no "data recovery" product) have any way to backup the config in the way you suggest?
We dont have vcenter as it requires a spare server, a windows server license, and a pair of windows domain controlers which we dont have. I guess at the end of the day, we have to work out which way to backup vsphere is cheaper. I think vcenter + data recovery is going to be a at least £10,000 including licenses, hw and installation time. This is to bacukp a single £2000 vsphere server configuration with a £500 essentials license, and as it makes no fiancial sence, there is no way we could get this kind of additional budget expediture approved.