Using CA ARCserve Central Host-Based VM Backup › How to Manage Node Tasks for CA ARCserve Central Host-Based VM Backup › Add Nodes › Import Virtual Machines from vCenter/ESX

Import Virtual Machines from vCenter/ESX

You can add nodes using the Import virtual machines from the vCenter/ESX Server option. This task lets the application discover all of the virtual machines running on the specified host, but does not perform periodic automatic scans. If you add virtual machines later, repeat this procedure or the new virtual machines are not recognized.

Consider the following distinctions between this option and the Discover task:

• Specify ESX Server and vCenter Server details each time you launch this option.
• You have the option of adding any servers you specify to the Discover list so you do not have to enter credentials each time.
• All available virtual machines are listed every time that you use this option. Even the virtual machines that are managed by the application are listed.

Follow these steps:

1. Log in to the application.

   Click Node on the Navigation bar to open the Node screen.

2. Click Add on the toolbar and then click Import virtual machines from vCenter/ESX on the pop-up menu.

   The Discover Nodes dialog opens.

3. Complete the following fields on the Discover Nodes dialog:
   • vCenter/ESX Host

     Note: As a best practice, specify the host name of the vCenter Server system when you are running VMware Distributed Resource Scheduling (DRS) in your environment. This approach helps ensure that CA ARCserve Central Host-Based VM Backup can detect the virtual machines running in your environment and backups of DRS enabled virtual machines complete successfully. For more information about Distributed Resource Scheduling, see the VMware website.

   • User Name
   • Password
   • Port
   • Protocol

   Click Connect and wait until the scanning is complete.

4. (Optional) Enable the option Add vCenter/ESX server to Discovery list automatically.
5. Click Next to open the Node Credentials dialog.
6. On the Node Credentials screen, provide a global User Name and Password for all virtual machines that are detected and click the Apply to selected option. Or, click a VM to enter specific credentials.
7. Click Finish.

The virtual machines that you selected are added to the Node Group that you specified.

Note: CA ARCserve Central Host-Based VM Backup is unable to detect the host names of virtual machines that are in a powered off state or VMware Tools is not installed. Under these conditions, Unknown displays in the Host Name field on the Node screen after you import the nodes. In addition, the Node Name filter (on the Node screen) cannot filter nodes that are named using Unknown.