vRanger 7.8.3 - User Guide

Removing a Quest Rapid Data Access (RDA) repository

Removing a Quest Rapid Data Access (RDA) repository

The process for removing a Quest Rapid Data Access (RDA) repository is the same as removing any other repository type.

To remove a Quest Rapid Data Access (RDA) repository:

1	In the My Repositories pane, right-click the Quest Rapid Data Access (RDA) repository, and select Remove.

The Remove Repository dialog box appears, showing the savepoints in the selected repository.

When removing a repository, you have the option of keeping the savepoints on disk or deleting them. To remove the storage unit associated with the repository, you need to remove the savepoints. If replication is configured for this repository, you are also given the option to delete the savepoints in the replicated repository.

2	Select Delete all savepoints in this repository.

 

CAUTION: This step deletes the savepoints from the repository disk, not just the vRanger database. Exercise caution when deleting savepoints.

3	To delete the savepoints in a replicated repository, select Delete all savepoints in replication repository.

4

Click OK.

5	When the Delete Savepoints dialog box appears, click OK to delete the savepoints.

Adding a Quest DR Series system as a CIFS repository

Adding a Quest DR Series system as a CIFS repository

 

NOTE: Adding a Quest DR Series system as a CIFS repository does not take advantage of the full function of the DR Series system. Quest recommends adding the Quest DR Series as an RDA repository.

To add a Quest DR Series system as a CIFS repository:

1	In the My Repositories pane, right-click anywhere, and click Add > Windows Share (CIFS).

2	In the Add Windows Network Share Repository dialog box, complete the following fields:

▪	Repository Name: Enter a name for the repository.

▪	Description: [Optional] Enter a long-form description for the repository.

▪	User Name and Password: Enter the credentials for accessing the CIFS share.

▪	Security Protocol: Select a protocol, NTLM (default) or NTLMv2.

▪	Server: Enter the UNC path to the desired repository directory. Alternatively, you may enter a partial path and click Browse to find the target directory.

 

NOTE: You must enter a valid username and password before using the browse functionality.

 

IMPORTANT: Do not select Encrypt all backups to this repository. Using encryption or compression with deduplicated repositories limits or disables deduplication. Encryption and compression should not be used with any repository type that provides deduplication.

3

Click OK.

The connection to the repository is tested and the repository is added to the My Repositories pane and the Repository Information dialog box.

vRanger checks the configured repository location for existing manifest data to identify existing savepoints.

4	If vRanger finds existing savepoints, click the applicable button:

▪	Import as Read-Only: To import all savepoint data into the vRanger database, but only for restores, click this button. You cannot back up data to this repository.

▪	Import: To import all savepoint data into the vRanger database, click this button. vRanger is able to use the repository for backups and restores. vRanger requires read and write access to the directory.

▪	Overwrite: To retain the savepoint data on the disk and not import it into vRanger, click this button. vRanger ignores the existence of the existing savepoint data and treats the repository as new.

5	Click Next.

Adding a Quest DR Series system as an NFS repository

Adding a Quest DR Series system as an NFS repository

 

NOTE: Adding a Quest DR Series system as a Network File System (NFS) repository does not take advantage of the full function of the Quest DR Series system. Quest recommends adding the Quest DR Series as an RDA repository.

To add a Quest DR Series system as an NFS repository:

1	In the My Repositories pane, right-click anywhere, and click Add > NFS.

2	In the Add Network File Share Repository dialog box, complete the following fields:

▪	Repository Name: Enter a descriptive name for the repository.

▪	Description: [Optional] Enter a long-form description for the repository.

▪	DNS Name or IP: Enter the IP or FQDN for the repository.

▪	Export Directory: Specify the export directory, which is similar in concept to a network share. You must create a target subdirectory in the export directory.

▪	Target Directory: Specify a subdirectory of the NFS export directory. This directory is the location to which savepoints are written.

 

IMPORTANT: Do not select Encrypt all backups to this repository. Using encryption or compression with deduplicated repositories limits or disables deduplication. Encryption and compression should not be used with any repository type that provides deduplication.

3

Click OK.

The connection to the repository is tested and the repository is added to the My Repositories pane and the Repository Information dialog box.

vRanger checks the configured repository location for existing manifest data to identify existing savepoints.

4	If vRanger finds existing savepoints, click the applicable button:

▪	Import as Read-Only: To import all savepoint data into the vRanger database, but only for restores, click this button. You cannot back up data to this repository.

▪	Import: To import all savepoint data into the vRanger database, click this button. vRanger is able to use the repository for backups and restores. vRanger requires read and write access to the directory.

▪	Overwrite: To retain the savepoint data on the disk and not import it into vRanger, click this button. vRanger ignores the existence of the existing savepoint data and treats the repository as new.

 

Understanding the vRanger virtual appliance (VA)

Understanding the vRanger virtual appliance (VA)

The vRanger VA is a small, pre-packaged Linux® distribution that serves as a platform for vRanger operations away from the vRanger server. With VAs, the workload can be spread across the other CPUs available to a host. This feature provides increased reliability and scalability over operations.

vRanger uses the VA for the following VMware® functions:

•	Replication to and from VMware® ESXi™ hosts.

•	File-level restore (FLR) from Linux machines.

•	Optionally, for backups and restores.

 

NOTE: The VA is not designed to be used with Hyper-V® machines.

The VA must be deployed to any ESXi host that you want to configure for replication — either as a source or a destination. For hosts in a cluster, you may deploy just one VA to the cluster; the VA is shared among the cluster’s hosts. When deploying a VA to a cluster, you must choose a host in the cluster to which the VA should be associated.

In addition, replication by way of a VA requires that if a VA is used on one host or cluster in a replication job, a VA must be used on both the source and destination host or cluster. In other words, VAs, when used for replication, must be used in pairs.

When configuring the VA, consider the amount of resources — CPU and RAM — allocated to the VA as the number of simultaneous tasks the VA can process is directly tied to available resources. In addition, if you want to perform replication tasks using a VA, carefully consider an appropriate size for the VA scratch disk. For more information, see The VA scratch disk.

For more information about vRanger VA configuration, see the following topics:

•	The VA scratch disk

•	Deploying the VA by using the Virtual Appliance Deployment Wizard

•	About deploying multiple VAs

•	Changing the VA configuration

•	Configuring VA networking

•	Disabling Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS) for the vRanger VA