vRanger 7.8 - User Guide

Main toolbar

The Main toolbar appears at the top of the vRanger UI and includes the drop-down menus described in the following table.

 

File	The only submenu available under File is Exit. Click it to close the application.
Tools	• Catalog Search: Use this form to search and browse for savepoints that contain the files and folders you are looking for. Restore operations can be started from the items in the results pane. • Startup Wizard: Select this command to start the Startup Wizard, through which you can add a VC, host, repository; license a host; set up a mail server; and add email addresses. • Virtual Appliance Deployment Wizard: Select this command to start the Virtual Appliance Deployment Wizard, through which you can deploy and configure vRanger virtual appliances for backup and replication. • Options: When you select this command, the Configuration Options dialog box appears. It contains information in these categories: General, Virtual Appliance Configuration, Licensing, and My Jobs.
Help	• Help Contents: Select this command to view online help. • License Information: The License File dialog box includes the total number of licensed CPUs, the total number of days that the license covers, and the number of days remaining under the current license. From this dialog box, you can import a license file. • What’s New: Select this command to view a list of new features and enhancements in your version of vRanger. • About vRanger Backup & Replication: Click this option to view version number, copyright information, a link to the website, and licensing terms. Also access the System Information dialog box, which includes hardware resources, components, software environment, and internet settings. The dialog box features a window and submenus that let you view remote computers and system history. The About vRanger screen includes a System Info button that collects information about the vRanger machine. You may export this information to a text to aid interactions with Quest Support.

Status Bar

In every view, several icons display in the Status Bar at the bottom of the vRanger UI. Regardless of the view displayed, the Status Bar always gives you a glimpse of active job and task count. Using the example from the following table, the Active Jobs Count (4) corresponds to the first number in the My Jobs: Current Jobs node. The Active Tasks Count (2) corresponds to the second number at the same node level. That is, these counts display in this format in My Jobs: Current Jobs (4,2).

 

	Service Support Logging: Right-click this icon to enable log files to help in troubleshooting Windows® vRanger service.
	Client Support Logging: Right-click this icon to enable log files to help in troubleshooting the vRanger UI.
	Active Jobs Count: This indicator tells you the total number of active backup, restore, and replication jobs running in real time.
	Active Tasks Count: This indicator tells you the total number of active backup, restore, and replication tasks running in real time.
	New Failed Jobs: Indicates that there are new failed jobs.
	When you click the New Failed Jobs icon, this action resets the data in the Status Bar. In place of the new failed jobs icon, this icon appears and the active job and task counts are reset, populating with zeroes (0) initially.

My Inventory view

The My Inventory view displays the virtual infrastructure, configured jobs, and job details. It consists of the My Inventory pane on the left and the Working Inventory pane on the right. This view is the one from which most backup and replication jobs are added.

My Inventory pane

The My Inventory pane offers four tabs — one to show the infrastructure of VMware® VMs, one to show the inventory of Hyper-V® VMs, one for physical servers, and one to show the inventory of VMware vCloud Director® servers.

From this pane, you can navigate and refresh the tree; add or remove connections to VCs or VMware® ESXi™ servers; and add credentials to virtual servers. You can also add a backup or replication job.

My Inventory pane toolbar and icons

The toolbar is located under the Main toolbar — File, Tools, Help. Options on this toolbar are enabled or disabled based on which object is selected.

 

	Add: Click this command to add a backup or replication job.
	Cancel: To cancel a job that is running, click this command.
	Edit: Click this icon to open the appropriate wizard and make updates to the configuration for the job.
	Disable: When you click this command, the job that is selected in the Working Inventory pane is disabled. A pause icon appears next to the listing.
	Enable: When a disabled job is selected in the Working Inventory pane, click this command to enable the job. A run icon appears next to the listing.
	Remove: When you click to select a job or savepoint in the Working Inventory pane and then click this icon, the job is removed.
	Run: Click this command to run the job that is selected. This option reloads the window and displays the job in My Jobs: Current Jobs.

The following icons appear in the My Inventory pane, and are enabled based on which tab you are viewing, and what you select in the My Inventory and Working Inventory panes.

 

	Add: The action this command triggers depends on the node that you have selected in the My Inventory pane. • VMware tab: Click to add a VMware® vCenter™, VMware® ESXi™ host, or backup group. • Hyper-V tab: Click to add a Hyper-V® System Center VMM, failover cluster, host, or backup group. • Physical tab: Click to add a physical machine or backup group. • vCloud tab: Click to add a VMware® vCloud Director® server.
	Properties: When a VC is selected, click Properties to view the credentials used to connect to it.
	Remove: This command is available to delete any object that has been added to the view. NOTE: If you remove an ESXi host, all login and backup information is deleted. If there is a job scheduled to use this host, the job fails.
	Refresh: Click this icon to refresh the My Inventory pane. Initially, only the highest-level node appears (VC). A Loading Inventory message appears while the pane refreshes.
	Inventory: Click one of these icons to display the Hosts and Clusters or Virtual Machines and Templates view. NOTE: This option applies only to the VMware tab.
	Expand All: This option expands the tree view. After refreshing the pane, click this icon to reload the tree structure under the VC node.
	Collapse All: Click this icon to collapse the tree view so that only the VC node appears in the pane.
	Search: Click this icon to display the Search Inventory field and find a specific item in the selected inventory pane. NOTE: This option applies only to the VMware and vCloud tabs.

VMware inventory tab

The VMware tab offers two views, depending on which value you select from the Inventory drop-down menu — Hosts and Clusters or Virtual Machines and Templates.

Hosts and clusters

When the Hosts and Clusters inventory option of the VMware tab is selected, the following icons appear in the inventory list, depending on the tab selected.

 

	Folder: Click this icon to expand the view.
	Resource Pool: Click this icon to expand the view.
	VirtualCenter: Right-click this icon to access these commands: • Add Credential • Credential Properties • Remove VirtualCenter • Backup VirtualCenter • Restore • View History • Refresh Inventory
	ESX(i) Cluster: Right-click this icon to access these commands: • Add Credential • Credential Properties • Remove Credentials • Backup • Restore • View History • Refresh History
	ESX(i) Host — not credentialed: Right-click this icon to access these commands: • Add Credentials • Credential Properties • Remove Credentials • Backup • Restore • Configure Change Tracking — choose any or all VMs in host • View History • Refresh Inventory
	ESX(i) Host (Credentialed): Right-click the icon to access these commands: • Add Credentials • Credential Properties • Remove Credentials • Backup • Restore • Configure Change Tracking — choose any or all VMs in host • View History • Refresh Inventory
	ESX(i) Host Add: Click this icon to add a VMware® ESXi™ host.
	ESX(i) Host Disconnected Right click this icon to connect to the host.
	ESX(i) Host Error: Right-click this icon to determine the error.
	ESX(i) Host Maintenance Mode: Indicates that the host is in maintenance mode, and might not be available.
	Hosts and Clusters
	vApp: VMware vSphere® vApp(s)™ can include any applications running on any operating system, and provide a mechanism for customers to move their applications between internal clouds or external clouds with still the same service levels.
	Change Block Tracking: This icon indicates that a job has Changed Block Tracking (CBT) enabled. Click the icon to disable.
	Virtual Machine Powered Off: Right-click this icon to access a menu of the following commands: • Add Host Credentials • Credential Properties • Remove Credentials • Backup <machine name> • Replicate <machine name> • Enable Change Tracking • View History • Refresh Inventory
	Virtual Machine Powered On: Right-click this icon to access a menu of the following commands: • Add Host Credentials • Credential Properties • Remove Credentials • Backup <machine name> • Replicate <machine name> • Enable Change Tracking • Configure VSS Tools • View History • Refresh Inventory
	Virtual Machine Suspended (Paused): Right-click this icon to access a menu of the following commands: • Add Host Credentials • Credential Properties • Remove Credentials • Backup <machine name> • Replicate <machine name> • Enable Change Tracking • View History • Refresh Inventory

Virtual Machines and Templates Inventory view

When the Virtual Machines and Templates Inventory option is selected, the following icons appear in the inventory list.

 

	VirtualCenter: Right-click at this node level to access these commands: • Add Credential • Credential Properties • Remove VirtualCenter • Backup VirtualCenter • Restore • View History • Refresh Inventory
	Virtual Center Add: Click this icon to add a vCenter.
	Virtual Machine: Right-click the node to access these commands: • Add Credential • Credential Properties • Remove Credentials • Backup • Restore • Replication • Enable (Disable) Change Tracking • View History • Refresh Inventory
	Virtual Machine Folder: Click this icon to display the VMs in this folder.
	Virtual Machine Folder Open: Clicking this icon collapses the view and closes the folder.
	Virtual Machine Powered Off: Right-click this icon to access a menu of the following commands: • Add Host Credentials • Credential Properties • Remove Credentials • Backup <machine name> • Replicate <machine name> • Enable Change Tracking • View History • Refresh Inventory
	Virtual Machine Powered On: Right-click this icon to access a menu of the following commands: • Add Host Credentials • Credential Properties • Remove Credentials • Backup <machine name> • Replicate <machine name> • Enable Change Tracking • Configure VSS Tools • View History • Refresh Inventory
	Virtual Service: Click this icon to expand the list of services.
	Running Virtual Machine: Right-click the node to access these commands: • Add Credential • Credential Properties • Remove Credentials • Backup • Restore • Replicate • Enable Change Tracking • View History • Refresh Inventory
	Backup Virtual Machine: Right-click the preferred VM, and click this icon to start a backup job for this VM.
	Replicate Virtual Machine: Right-click the preferred VM, and click this icon to start a replication job for this VM.
	Change Block Tracking: This icon indicates that a job has CBT enabled. Left click the icon to disable.
	Connected: This icon shows that the node is connected.
	Connecting: This icon indicates that a node is in the process or connecting.
	Data Center: Selecting this icon expands the data center and displays all objects in it.
	Disconnected: This icon indicates that the Node is disconnected.
	Error: This icon indicates that an error has occurred, or that more data is required.
	Hierarchy: This icon indicates the organization of the inventory displayed.
	Inventory Tree Wait: This icon is displayed while vRanger searches for all the components in the inventory.
	Credentialed/Licensed: This icon shows that the VM or host is licensed.
	Invalid Licensed Credentials: This icon shows that the credentials are invalid.
	Resource: This icon indicates the presence of a resource in the inventory.
	Save: Clicking this icon saves any changes made.
	Server: This icon indicates a server in the inventory.
	Virtual Machine Template: copy and paste this template as needed to reproduce VMs.
	vApp: VMware vSphere® vApp(s)™ can include any applications running on any operating system, and provide a mechanism for customers to move their applications between internal clouds or external clouds with still the same service levels.
	BackupReplication License: Indicates that the VC is licensed for both backup and replication.
	Backup or Replication License: Indicates that the VC is licensed for either backup or replication.

Hyper-V inventory tab

When the Hyper-V tab is selected, the following icons are used to indicate the type and status of Hyper-V® items.

 

	Hyper-V Cluster: Right-click this icon to access the following commands: • Credential Properties • Remove From Inventory • Reinstall Host Agent • Uninstall Host Agent • View History • Backup <machine name> NOTE: Uninstalling or reinstalling the host agent from a cluster node respectively removes or adds the agents to all nodes under that cluster.
	Hyper-V Host: Right-click this icon to access the following commands: • Credential Properties • Remove From Inventory • Reinstall Host Agent • Uninstall Host Agent • View History • Backup <machine name>
	Hyper-V Host Warning: This icon indicates that agent present on the host is not compatible with the version of vRanger in use.
	Virtual Machine Powered Off: Right-click this icon to access the following commands: • View History • Backup [machine name]
	VM Powered On: Right-click this icon to access the following commands: • View History • Backup <machine name>

Physical inventory tab

From the Physical tab, you can add or modify a physical server, or create a backup group consisting of multiple physical servers.

 

	Physical Machine: Right-click this icon to access a menu of the following commands: • Credential Properties • Remove From Inventory • Install (Reinstall) Host Agent • Uninstall Host Agent • Backup <machine name> • View History • Refresh Inventory
	Physical Machine Warning: This icon indicates that agent present on the physical machine is not compatible with the version of vRanger in use.
	Physical Machine Disconnected: This icon indicates that vRanger cannot communicate with the physical machine. Reasons for the lack of communication include but are not limited to: the machine is powered off, the agent is not installed on the machine, there is a network error, and so on.