Restoring Data › Restore VMware Virtual Machine Data › How to Recover VMware Virtual Machine Data › Recover VMware Virtual Machines to ESX Servers via vCenter Server Systems

Recover VMware Virtual Machines to ESX Servers via vCenter Server Systems

The recovery process lets you use vCenter Server to recover VMware virtual machines to ESX Server systems via vCenter Server systems. Using vCenter Server systems to facilitate recovery operations of this type lets you do the following:

• Simplify the process of managing ESX Server recoveries. You can manage all recovery operations using one vCenter Server system.
• Eliminate the need to provide ESX Server login credentials for the disks that you are recovering.
• Reduce the workload on ESX Server systems.

Use this method to move entire virtual machines and their data to alternative ESX Server or vCenter Servers systems or when you want to clone virtual machines.

Follow these steps:

1. Open the Restore Manager, click the Source tab, and select Recover Virtual Machine from the drop-down list to open the Recover Virtual Machine screen.
2. Click the VMware option on the Recover Virtual Machine screen as illustrated by the following:

   

   The Transport Mode for VMware VM dialog appears.

   Select one of the following transport methods to use for backup:

   • Dynamic--(default) This option lets VMware Virtual Disk Development Kit (VDDK) select the available transport mode.
   • SAN--(Storage Area Network) This option lets you transfer backup data from proxy systems connected to the SAN to storage devices using Fibre Channel communication.
   • HOTADD--This option lets you back up virtual machines configured with SCSI disks.
   • NBDSSL--(Network Block Device Secure Sockets Layer) This option lets you use the Network File Copy (NFC) protocol to communicate. NBDSSL transfers encrypted data using TCP/IP communication networks.
   • NBD--(Network Block Device, also referred to as LAN transport mode) This option lets you use the Network File Copy (NFC) protocol to communicate. Various VDDK and VCB operations use one connection for each virtual disk that it accesses on each ESX/ESXi Server host when using NBD.

   Note: If the specified transport mode is not available, the transport mode defaults back to the Dynamic option.

3. To search for virtual machines, use one of the following search methods and continue to the next step:
   • Search for a specific virtual machine
   • Search all virtual machines

     Note: Select << ANY >> in the VM Name (DNS Name) field and click Query.

   • Search using wildcard characters

     Note: Replace the unknown characters of the virtual machine name with an asterisk in the VM Name (DNS Name) field, and click Query. For example, using 100-* returns the names of all virtual machines that start with 100-, such as 100-1, 100-01, and 100-001.

4. In the VM Name (DNS Name) column, click the check box next to the virtual machines that you want to recover. Then, specify the values that you require for each virtual machine that you selected in the following columns:
   • Backup Versions--Click the ellipsis to search for multiple versions of the backup data.
   • Proxy Machine--Click the ellipsis to search for and specify a backup proxy system.
   • Path--You can accept the displayed path or click in the Path field to specify an alternate path for the temporary VM mount directory.

     VM Destination--Click in the VM Destination field and then click the ellipsis to open the Destination dialog.

     Click in the VM Destination field and then click the ellipsis to open the Destination dialog.

5. From the vCenter/ESX drop-down list on the Destination dialog, select the vCenter Server system where you want to recover the virtual machines.

   Specify the User Name and Password that is required to log in to the vCenter Server or ESX Server system. Then do the following:

   1. Click Connect.

      The agent enumerates all of the ESX Server systems that are associated with the vCenter Server system that you specified in the drop-down list.

   2. From the ESX Server drop-down list, specify the ESX Server system where you want to recover the virtual machines.

      When you specify an ESX Server system, the agent enumerates the data stores on the specified ESX Server system. Then you can specify the data store that you want to use as the destination for the recovery.

   Note: If you want to recover virtual machine data to specific data stores, follow the steps described in Recover VMware Virtual Machines to Specific Data Stores.

6. Click OK.

   The Destination dialog closes and the agent populates the VM Destination field with the location to recover the data.

   Note: Repeat Steps 4, 5 and 6 for each virtual machine that you want to recover in this job.

7. Click the Schedule tab and specify the schedule that you require for the job.

   Note: For more information about scheduling jobs, see the Administration Guide.

8. Click Options on the toolbar to open the Global Options dialog.
9. Click the Operation tab and specify the following:

   Power on VMware or Hyper-V VM after restore

   Default value: Enabled.

   Example: Specify this option when you must use the virtual machine immediately after the recovery is complete.

   Overwrite VMware VM, if it exists

   When you restore a VMware virtual machine, the agent detects the virtual machines that reside in the host system. If the virtual machine exists in the host system, this option lets you overwrite the virtual machine using the existing UUID and host name for the virtual machine.

   Default value: Enabled.

   Note: For troubleshooting information, see The Agent Does Not Delete Existing VMs after a Recover VM Job Completes.

10. Click OK to apply the options.
11. Click Submit to submit the restore job.
12. Complete the required fields on the Submit Job dialog and then click OK.

    Note: For more information about submitting jobs, see the Administration Guide.