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NetVault Plug-in for VMware 12.1 - 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 virtual machine disk and configuration files

The procedure for restoring virtual machine disk and configuration files from an image-level backup includes the steps outlined in the following sections:

•
Restoring data
•
Recovering a virtual machine from the restored files

Restoring data

To restore virtual machine disk and configuration files, use the following procedure.

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, select the image from which you want to restore the disk and configuration files.
5
Verify that the target you are restoring to has enough space available to accommodate the restored files.
6
Click Edit Plugin Options.
7
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.

Split Restored Virtual Disks

This option can be used when restoring virtual drive files to the local file system. If the check box is selected, the plug-in splits the “.vmdk” file into 2 GiB files. If you clear the check box, the plug-in restores the “.vmdk” file is as a single disk file.

This option is only available to backups created using Plug‑in for VMware 10.0.5 and later. To force this behavior when restoring a backup created using Plug‑in for VMware 10.0.1 or an older version, configure this option in the vmware.cfg file:

1
Open the vmware.cfg file in any text editor.
You can find this file in <NetVault Backup home>\config on Windows and <NetVault Backup home>/config on Linux.
2
Add the following lines:
[Custom:RestoreSplitVMDK]
Value=TRUE
3
Save the file.

The setting for this option in the Plug‑in for VMware Restore Options dialog box overrides the setting in the vmware.cfg file.

8
To save the settings, click Save, and then click Next.
9
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.
10
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.
11
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.
12
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 9. Restore selection tree icons
Icon
Description

Virtual machine

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

Configuration file

NVRAM file

Virtual machine disk file

Disk extent information file

Log file

Catalog file

Recovering a virtual machine from the restored files

After restoring the virtual machine disk and configuration files, you can use the VMware vCenter Converter Standalone Client to create a virtual machine using the restored “.vmx” and “.vmdk” files. After a VADP Recovery, you must modify the “.vmx” file so that it matches the disk paths of the restored “.vmdk” files. For more information, see the relevant VMware vCenter Converter Standalone Client documentation.

Recovering a virtual machine from a VCB backup

To restore the virtual machine files to the destination VMware Server, start the VMware vCenter Converter Standalone Client Wizard. To complete the virtual machine recovery, follow the instructions. When the prompt “Select source type” prompt is displayed, select the option “Backup image or third-party virtual machine.” Also set the “Virtual machine file” option to the restored “.vmx” file.

Recovering a virtual machine from a VADP backup using vCenter Converter

To recover the virtual machine, you must edit the “.vmx” file, and change the datastore path to reflect the restored “.vmdk” files.

To change the datastore path:
1
Navigate to the target directory to which the virtual machine files were restored and note the filenames of the virtual drives.
The following example shows some files generated from Virtual Machine Files Only Restore of a VADP backup:
MyVirtualMachine.vmx
scsi0-0-MyVirtualMachine.vmdk
scsi0-0-MyVirtualMachine-s001.vmdk
VirtualMachineConfigInfo
2
Open the “.vmx” file.
3
Modify the relevant entries for the virtual drives.
For example, modify the following entry:
scsi0:0.fileName = “MyVirtualMachine-000001.vmdk”
It must match the “.vmdk” file generated during restore.
scsi0:0.fileName = “scsi0-0-MyVirtualMachine.vmdk”
4
After modifying the “.vmx” file, start the VMware vCenter Converter Standalone Client Wizard to create the virtual machine.
5
To complete the virtual machine recovery, follow the instructions.
6
When the “Select source type” prompt is displayed, select “VMware Workstation or other VMware virtual machine.”
7
Set the “Virtual machine file” option to the restored “.vmx” file.
 
* 
NOTE: In the scenario described in the article http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1019286, the “.vmx” file is not backed up, but the “.vmdk” files are available.
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