VM configuration backup and restore
Rapid Recovery Core release 6.3 introduces a new feature, the ability to back up and restore VMware VM configurations, including the option to include VM configurations during virtual export to VMware/ESXi virtual machines.
Backup. Rapid Recovery Core release 6.3 and later automatically saves agentlessly protected ESXi virtual machine configurations in each volume image when snapshots are captured. VMware virtual machine configurations are stored in .vmx files (and related BIOS settings are stored in .nvram files). The relevant files are saved in the custom metadata for each relevant VM volume, and includes hypervisor version information to ensure compatibility.
Restore. Optionally, when restoring data from a recovery point of an agentlessly protected ESXi machine, you can choose whether to include in the VM all VM configurations and data, or only the data. This choice is presented in the UI through the Restore all configuration data check box. This option appears only for VMware machines protected agentlessly (replacing the Show advanced options check box that is relevant only for machines protected by Rapid Recovery Agent). When the option is selected, all VM configurations for volumes being recovered are restored. When the option is cleared, only data (and not VM configurations) are restored for those volumes.
Virtual export. Optionally, when performing virtual export from a recovery point of an agentlessly protected ESXi machine to VMware/ESXi, you can choose whether to export all VM configurations and data, or export only the data. This choice is presented in the UI through the Restore all configuration data check box. This option appears only for agentlessly protected ESXi machines. When the option is selected, all VM configurations for volumes being exported to a VM are included in the exported VM. When the option is cleared, only data (and not VM configurations) are included in the exported VM.
Based on the restore or virtual export type, The Restore all configuration data option is selected by default in the following situations:
- When restoring data or performing virtual export from a recovery point to the same agentless virtual machine.
- When performing virtual export to a different server .There is no backward compatibility between hypervisor versions.
Otherwise, the Restore all configuration data option is not selected by default, although you can change the default option by selecting or clearing this setting.
About the file search and restore feature
The Rapid Recovery file search and restore feature lets you find one or more files in the recovery points of a protected machine. You can then restore one or more of the results to a local disk.
Searching guidelines
On the File Search page of the Core Console, you can search for a file from a set of recovery points from the machine that you select. The search criteria are divided into two groups: basic and advanced.
The basic group includes the following parameters:
- The protected machine whose recovery points you want to search.
- A time range that limits the search to only recovery points that were created between the start time and end time.
- The name or mask of the file that you want to find. You can use the "?" wildcard to replace any single character and the "*" to replace zero or multiple characters; however, more specific filenames produce more specific results.
- A list of paths to directories in which to search.
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NOTE: All basic criteria is required. If no directory is provided, Rapid Recovery searches all volumes of the specified protected machine. |
The More Options button reveals the advanced group, which includes the following parameters:
- The option to search recursively in subdirectories of the search location or only in the specified location.
- The ability to run an algorithm that increases the speed of searches on NTFS volumes.
- The ability to limit the number of search results to a more manageable sum.
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NOTE: Specific search criteria produce faster and more accurate your search results. Including subdirectories (for example, |
Because the feature continues to search through recovery points and locations even after the requested file is found, you can pause or stop a search before it completes. You can run multiple searches can simultaneously, but you cannot begin them at the same time. For example, to find another file, you can begin a second search while the first search is still in progress. However, you can only search one protected machine at a time.
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NOTE: In the previous example, pausing the first search makes more memory available for the second search, which helps the second search finish faster. Running multiple searches at one time is memory intensive and increases the amount of time it takes to complete a search. |
Each search appears as a tab on the page. When you are finished searching, you can close the tabs individually or all at once.
Restoring guidelines
After you find the file, you can restore it directly from the File Search page.
The file search and restore feature limits restoring capabilities to only locations on the Core. You cannot restore a file to a protected machine.
Finding and restoring a file
When you want to restore a file instead of a volume, you can use Rapid Recovery to find that file among the recovery points for your protected machine. Search criteria, such as date range and directory, let you narrow the search to a small group of relevant recovery points.
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NOTE: Specific search criteria produce faster and more accurate your search results, and consume less memory. Including subdirectories (for example, |
After you find the file, you can then restore it directly from the list of search results.
- From the Rapid Recovery Core Console icon bar, click the
More drop-down menu, and select
File Search.
The File Search page opens. - On the File Search page, to search for a file within the recovery points of a specific protected machine, complete the information described in the following table.
Table 133: File search criteria Text Box Description Machine
Select the protected machine that you want to search from the drop-down list.
NOTE: You can search through the recovery points of only one protected machine at a time.
Recovery points date range
Specify the date and time of the oldest recovery point and the newest recovery point that you want to search. Only the recovery points created within this span of time are searched.
NOTE: The default time span is the previous month. For example, if conducting the search on August 22, 2018 at 2:04 PM, the default date range is 7/22/2018 2:04 PM to 8/22/2018 2:04 PM.
Filename (can use * and ? wildcards)
Enter the name of the file or a file mask for the file that you want to find and restore. Wildcards may be used as substitutes for unknown characters.
NOTE: You can use the "?" wildcard to replace any single character and the "*" wildcard to replace zero or multiple characters.
Directories to search List one or more directories on the protected machine to limited the search to only those locations.
NOTE: If no directory is provided, Rapid Recovery searches all volumes of the specified protected machine.
- Optionally, click More Options, and then complete the information described in the following table.
Table 134: More file search options Text Box Description Include subdirectories Searches all the subdirectories of the directories listed in step 3. Enabled by default. Use fast search algorithm for NTFS volumes
Searches NTFS volumes without mounting them by parsing file system data structures, which is faster and consumes less memory while searching. Enabled by default.
NOTE: If you encounter an issue during a search of an NTFS volume, attempt the search again without this option selected.
Limit search results to Enter the maximum number of results that you want to appear in the results. The default is 1000. - Click Start Search
The search begins. Each search appears as a tab under Search Results. You can use the buttons for each tab to pause or stop a search, or you can click the X on the tab to delete the search. Multiple searches can run simultaneously.
- From the search results, select the file that you want to restore.
- Click
Restore.
The Restore Files dialog box opens. - For Location, enter a destination path for the restored file on the machine on which the Core is installed and running.
- Click Restore.
The file you selected is restored to the specified destination path with the original directory tree in which the file appeared on the protected machine.
About restoring volumes from a recovery point
You can restore the volumes on a protected machine from the recovery points stored in the Rapid Recovery Core using the Restore Machine Wizard.
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NOTE: In earlier releases, the restore process was referred to as performing a rollback. |
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NOTE: Rapid Recovery supports the protection and recovery of machines configured with EISA partitions. |
For Windows or Linux machines, you can begin a restore from any location on the Rapid Recovery Core Console by clicking the 
Or you can go to Recovery Points page for a specific machine, click the drop-down menu for a specific recovery point, and then select Restore. If you begin a restore in this manner, then follow start with step 5 in the topic Restoring volumes from a recovery point.
You can also restore from a recovery point on a Linux machine from the command line. For more information, see the topic Restoring volumes for a Linux machine using the command line.
If you want to restore from a recovery point to a system volume, or restore from a recovery point using a boot CD, you must perform a Bare Metal Restore (BMR). For information about BMR, see Bare metal restore. You can access BMR functions for both Windows and Linux machines using the Restore Machines Wizard, accessible from the button bar of the Core Console. Ensure you read Prerequisites for performing a bare metal restore for Windows or Linux machines before attempting the process. For specific instructions, see the procedure Performing a bare metal restore using the Restore Machine Wizard.