Configuring a VMware policy to use hardware snapshot
The following procedure describes how to configure a VMware policy using the NetBackup web UI to create hardware snapshots of virtual machines that reside on a NFS datastore.
For more information about configuring VMware policies, see the following:
See Working with VMware policies in the web UI.
Table: Configuration steps and description
Step | Description | Reference |
|---|---|---|
1 | Configure the NetBackup Snapshot Manager server in NetBackup. | NetBackup Snapshot Manager for Data Center Administrator's Guide |
2 | Configure the NAS storage array plug-in. | NetBackup Snapshot Manager for Data Center Administrator's Guide |
3 | Add the VMware backup host to your NetBackup configuration. | See the topic on adding the VMware backup host to NetBackup, in the NetBackup for VMware Administrator's Guide. |
4 | Configure NetBackup access credentials for the VMware vCenter server or ESX server. | See the topic on adding NetBackup credentials for VMware, in the NetBackup Web UI VMware Administrator's Guide. |
5 | Configure the SLP to use snapshot | For more details, refer to these chapters in the NetBackup™ Snapshot Manager for Data Center Administrator's Guide,topic: Configuring storage lifecycle policies for snapshots and snapshot replication. |
6 | Configure a NetBackup VMware policy to perform the operations that are specified in the SLP | For more details, refer to the NetBackup for VMware Administrator's Guide. |
Only those policy options that are necessary to configure VMware policy to use hardware snapshot of VMs residing on NFS Datastore are listed in the following procedure.
Note:
This feature is not supported with protection plans for VMware. You need to create a VMware policy using NetBackup web UI to use this feature.
To create a policy to use VM hardware snapshot in the web UI
- On the left, click Protection > Policies.
- To change a VMware policy, select it from the list.
To add a policy, click Add, enter a Policy name, and select VMware from the Policy type drop-down list.
- Configure the options on the policy Attributes tab. The following items are specific to creating a VMware policy for hardware snapshots:
Policy storage: Select the SLP which you want to use and is configured for the snapshot-based protection.
Perform snapshot backups: Enable this option to automatically select other options which are required for the snapshot backup.
Perform snapshot backup options: Click Options button to view the Snapshot Options dialog box and the default configuration Parameters as follows:
Snapshot Type: Select the appropriate snapshot type. By default, Auto option is selected which enables NetBackup to automatically determine the snapshot type to be used for array snapshot.
Snapshot Manager: Select the NetBackup Snapshot Manager host which communicates with the storage array to perform the snapshot operations.
Note:
To view the list of configured NetBackup Snapshot Manager hosts, provide VIEW permissions to the user. MANAGE > SNAPSHOT-MGMT-SERVER > View
Maximum Snapshots : Sets the maximum number of Snapshots to be retained at one time. When the maximum is reached, snapshot rotation occurs:
The next snapshot causes the oldest to be deleted. Managed by SLP retention is automatically selected if the Fixed or the Expire after Copy retention is currently selected in the SLP.
Application Consistent Snapshot: This option is enabled by default. In most cases, NetBackup recommends that you keep this option enabled.
If this option is disabled, data in the virtual machine may not be in a consistent state when the snapshot occurs. The snapshot may not capture all the data in the virtual machine.
Note:
To allow the SLP to create a backup image from the snapshot, this option must be enabled.
If this option is disabled, note the following about the VMware tab:
Exclude deleted blocks and Exclude swap and paging files are disabled.
Enable block-level incremental backup is disabled.
The Application Protection option is disabled.
Use Accelerator: Select this option to accelerate backup operations.
Note:
To accelerate backups, Backup From Snapshot must be defined in the SLP.
The MSDP storage unit used for the Backup From Snapshot operation must be same as MSDP storage unit used in the Snapshot (or snapshot replication).
- Click Schedules tab, select full and incremental schedule for backup and then click Add.
Note:
To add Incremental schedule, Block-level incremental backup (BLIB) option should be enabled.
- Use the Clients tab to create a query for the automatic selection of virtual machines. The selected VMs must reside on the NFS datastore.
Note:
For instructions on creating a query, refer to the Configuring the automatic selection of virtual machines for backup section in the NetBackup for VMware Administrator's Guide.
- Use VMware tab to select the virtual machine backup options.
Select Enable block-level incremental backup (BLIB) option to perform block level incremental backups.
Note:
The Transport modes are not supported and are disabled. NetBackup uses the VMware file transport mode to move the data between the backup host and the storage array.
Note:
Under the Application Protection options, only Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft SQL are supported.
- When the policy configuration is complete, click Create.