How NetBackup handles VMware tag associations at restore
To better understand the NetBackup restore behavior, it's important to understand some of the internal mechanics of how VMware handles tag associations. For each tag that is created in VMware, there is a corresponding internal identifier you cannot see or edit. This feature allows VMware to function correctly without the need to account for variation in naming conventions. Tags are replicated throughout the environment through the Platform Services Controller (PSC).
NetBackup recognizes and uses tag names when they are part of the VIP query. Backups of the virtual machine store the tag name and VMware internal identifier for all tags that are associated with that virtual machine. During the restore, however, NetBackup only creates the tag associations based on the VMware internal identifiers that are defined on the target vCenter server.
Figure: Sample VMware environment shows a sample VMware environment with multiple vCenter servers, virtual machines, and tags. Assume that a backup of all virtual machines completes successfully with a NetBackup status code 0.
If you restore VM1 to either vCenter1 or vCenter2, it is restored with tag A and the restore exits with a NetBackup status code 0. This behavior is true both for a restore to the same name as well as an alternate client restore. This behavior is the result of VMware replicating tags across all vCenter servers that are attached to a single PSC.
If you restore VM1 to vCenter3, it is restored without any tags. The restore exits with a NetBackup status code 1. This behavior is because VMware uses the internal identifier. While there is a tag name A in vCenter3, the internal identifier for tag A does not match the internal identifier that is restored. This behavior is true both for a restore to the same name as well as an alternate client restore.
After the NetBackup backup, if tag A is renamed to B, when VM1 is restored to either vCenter1 or vCenter2 it is restored with tag B. The restore exits with a NetBackup status code 0. This behavior is because VMware uses the internal identifier, and now associates this identifier with the tag name B.
After the NetBackup backup, if tag A is deleted, when VM1 is restored to either vCenter1 or vCenter2 it is restored without any tag associations. The restore exits with a NetBackup status code 1.
If for any reason the backup of the virtual machines in Figure: Sample VMware environment did not successfully capture the tag associations, the backup exits with NetBackup status code 0. The reasons for failing to capture tag associations appear in the Activity Monitor. Any restores based on this backup exit with NetBackup status code 0, but no tag information is restored. Depending on the backup error, more information regarding tag associations may appear in the Activity Monitor.