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NetVault Plug-in for VMware 12.3 - User Guide

Introducing NetVault Backup Plug-in for VMware Installing the plug-in Configuring the plug-in Defining a backup strategy Using the image-level backup method Using the file-level backup method Restoring image-level backups Restoring file-level backups Troubleshooting

Restoring a virtual machine to an alternate vCenter Server

To restore a virtual machine to an alternate VMware vCenter Server, complete the following steps.

1
Complete Step 1 through Step 4 in Restoring data.
2
Click Edit Plugin Options.
3
Configure the applicable options in the Plug‑in for VMware Restore Options dialog box.
 
Option
Description

Alternate Resource Pool Path

A resource pool represents the processor and memory resources that are available to an ESXi Server Host or a cluster of hosts. These resources are made available to the individual virtual machines controlled by the host. Resource pools can be configured in terms of absolute minimum and maximum quantities or relative shares. To run a virtual machine, it must be allocated a resource pool.

By default, a virtual machine is allocated to its original resource pool during restore. To allocate a virtual machine to an alternate resource pool, specify the target resource pool in this box. Use the following format to specify the resource pool:

/Pool-A/Pool-B/.../Pool<n>

Here, Pool<n> is the target resource pool, Pool-A is the child of the root resource pool, Pool-B is the child of Pool-A, and so on. This format allows you to specify a resource pool at any arbitrary depth within the hierarchy. To allocate the virtual machine to the root resource pool, type the “/” character.

Note the following:

•
If you do not specify any resource pool, the virtual machine is allocated to its original resource pool (as at the time of backup).
•
If you specify an invalid or inaccessible resource pool, the plug-in follows the path hierarchy backwards to find a valid resource pool. It allocates the virtual machine to the first valid ancestor pool in the path and logs an error message.

Alternate Datastore

A datastore represents a storage location for virtual machine files. It can be a VMFS volume, directory on Network Attached Storage, or local file system path. A datastore is platform- and host-independent.

To change the datastore for a virtual machine, specify the destination datastore name for the alternate vCenter. Verify that the name is correct and the datastore is accessible to the ESXi Server Host. When you configure an alternate datastore, all virtual drive and configuration files associated with a virtual machine are restored to a single datastore. Verify that the target datastore has sufficient disk space to hold the virtual machine files.

Restore fails if the datastore is invalid or inaccessible or does not have sufficient space to store virtual machine files.

Alternate ESXi Host Address

By default, the plug-in enters the address for the current ESXi host in this field. If you want to restore the virtual machine to an alternate vCenter, provide any ESXi host address that belongs only to this vCenter.

Alternate vCenter Address

Enter the Server Address of the alternate vCenter Server.

Port Number

If you want to use a custom port number, type it here. Otherwise, the plug-in uses 443 as the default port.

User Name

Specify a user account that can be used to log in to the vCenter Server. The user account must have privileges to register or create virtual machines

Password

Type the password for the user account.

4
Click OK.
5
Complete Step 5 through Step 11 in Restoring data.

Renaming a virtual machine during restore

To restore a virtual machine or its individual disks without overwriting the existing copy, you can rename the virtual machine during restore. The plug-in creates a virtual machine and restores the contents of the selected disks.

1
Complete Step 1 through Step 4 in Restoring data.
2
Click the target virtual machine, and select Rename from the context menu.
3
In the Restore Rename dialog box, select the Rename To check box, and type a new name for the virtual machine in the associated box.
The name can contain a maximum of 80 characters. It cannot include any special characters (such as, / \ ? * : @ > < | " ? &). If you specify more than 80 characters or use any special character in the virtual machine name, the job reports an error and fails.
4
To close the dialog box, click OK.
After you close the dialog box, the plug-in updates the corresponding node in the selections tree to display the new name for the virtual machine.
5
Complete Step 5 through Step 11 in Restoring data.
6
When you start the renamed virtual machine and a dialog box is displayed that asks whether you copied the virtual machine or moved it, select the I_moved it option, and close the dialog box.

Performing file-level restores from image-level backups

Performing file-level restores from image‑level backups
1
In the Navigation pane, click Create Restore Job.
On the Create Restore Job — Choose Saveset page, the saveset table provides a list of available savesets. The table shows the saveset name (Job Title and Saveset ID), creation date and time, saveset size, and saveset status.
The saveset status is indicated using the following icons.
 
Icon
Description

Saveset is online (all segments are online).

Saveset is partially online (some segments are online).

Saveset is offline (all segments are offline).

The saveset list is sorted by creation date. You can sort the list by a different column or reverse the sort order by clicking the column heading. The arrowhead next to the column name indicates the sort order.
2
To filter the saveset list, use the following filter options:
 
Filter
Description

Client

Displays savesets created for particular clients. The default selection is Any.

1
To use this filter, click the Client box.
2
In the Choose Client dialog box, select the clients.
3
To close the dialog box, click OK.

Plugin Type

Displays savesets created using a particular plug-in. The default selection is Any.

1
To use this filter, click the Plugin Type box.
2
In the list, select the plug-in.

Date

Displays savesets created during a specified period. The default selection is Any.

1
To use this filter, click the Date box.
2
In the list, select the option that you want to use.
The available options are Last 24 hours, Last Week, Last Month, Last 6 Months, Last Year, and Any.

Job

Displays savesets created for particular jobs. The default selection is Any.

1
To use this filter, click the Job box.
2
In the Choose Job dialog box, select the jobs.
3
To close the dialog box, click OK.
3
Select the saveset that you want to use, and click Next.
When you select a saveset, the following details are displayed in the Saveset Information area: Job ID, job title, tag, server name, client name, plug-in name, saveset date and time, retirement setting, Incremental Backup or not, archive or not, and saveset size.
4
On the Create Selection Set page, open the applicable container nodes — that is, the vCenter, Datacenter, ESXi Host Cluster, and ESXi Server — to list the virtual machine images stored in the saveset.
5
Open the image from which you want to restore the files.
6
Open the Volumes node.
7
To display the directory tree, open the disk partitions.
8
Select the files and directories that you want to restore.
9
Verify that the target you are restoring to has enough space available to accommodate the restored files.
10
Click Edit Plugin Options.
11
In the Plug‑in for VMware Restore Options dialog box, click the Restore Files tab, and configure the following options:
 
Option
Description

Files Restore

To perform file-level restores from image-level backups, select this option.

NOTE: If you do not select this option and if the target contains insufficient space, the jobs fails.

Target Directory

Type the full path to the directory to which you want to restore the virtual machine disk and configuration files. The target directory must be local to the NetVault Backup Client on which the Plug‑in for VMware is running. Currently, mapped network drives, mounted network shares, and UNC paths are not supported.

The plug-in does not verify whether you have specified a local or remote directory. If plug-in cannot access the specified path, the job fails.

12
To save the settings, click Save, and then click Next.
13
In Job Name, specify a name for the job.
Assign a descriptive name that lets you easily identify the job for monitoring its progress. A job name can contain alphanumeric and nonalphanumeric characters, but it cannot contain non-Latin characters. There is no length restriction. However, a maximum of 40 characters is recommended on all platforms.
14
In the Target Client list, verify that the client from which data was backed up is selected.
This client is selected by default. Do not change this setting.
15
Select or create the Schedule Set, Restore Source Set, and Advanced Options Set.
For more information about these sets, see the Quest NetVault Backup Administrator’s Guide.
16
To submit the job for scheduling, click Submit.
You can monitor the job progress from the Job Status page and view the logs from the View Logs page. For more information about these functions, see the Quest NetVault Backup Administrator’s Guide.

Restore selection tree icons

 
Table 8. Restore selection tree icons
Icon
Description

Virtual machine

Failed virtual machine (is displayed in a saveset for stopped job)

Volume

Partition

Configuration file

NVRAM file

Virtual machine disk file

Disk extent information file

Log file

Catalog file

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