Rapid Recovery Core release 6.6 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.