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  1. Home
  3. NetBackup™ for VMware Administrator's Guide
  5. Managing VMware servers
  7. Add VMware servers
NetBackup™ for VMware Administrator's Guide

Add VMware servers

NetBackup requires logon credentials for a VMware server for either of the following reasons:

  • To browse the server's virtual machines and back them up.

  • To use the server as a target for restoring virtual machines.

See Notes on server names.

To add VMware servers and their credentials

  1. On the left, click Workloads > VMware, then click the VMware servers tab.

    The tab shows the servers that you can access.

  2. Click Add to add a server.
  3. Select the server type.

    See Server types and their credentials.

  4. Enter the host name.

    See Notes on server names.

  5. Add the credentials.
  6. Choose a Backup host for validation.

    Starting with NetBackup 10.5, the version of a backup host must be at NetBackup 10.5 or later. It is recommended that you use a backup host whose version is the same as the primary server.

    See Add a VMware access host.

  7. Indicate a Port number for the connection.

    If the default port number has not been changed on the VMware server, no port specification is required. If the VMware server has been configured to use a different port, specify that port number.

  8. Click Save.

    VMs and other objects appear after the discovery process for the VMware server completes.

Server types and their credentials

Table: Server types describes the types of VMware servers that you can add and any requirements when you add their credentials.

Table: Server types

Server type

Description

vCenter

Designates a vCenter (or VirtualCenter) server that manages ESX servers. When you create a policy to back up this server's virtual machines, NetBackup can browse this server and list its virtual machines. If the credentials provide full access privileges to the vCenter server, you can restore virtual machines to this server.

Note: Do not enter logon credentials for the individual ESX servers that this vCenter server manages. NetBackup needs credentials for the vCenter only. If you enter credentials for both an ESXi server and a vCenter that manages it, problems such as the following may occur:

  • A VMware Intelligent Policy (VIP) may fail due to discovery of duplicate VMs.

  • For manual selection of VMs (not VIP): Tags and custom attributes (which require a vCenter) may cause intermittent problems if NetBackup attempts to back up the VM using the ESXi server.

ESXi

Designates a standalone ESXi server that a vCenter server does not manage. NetBackup can browse the ESXi server to present a list of its virtual machines for backup. You can also restore virtual machines to this ESXi server. To use the server as a target for restores, enter the credentials that provide full access privileges to the ESXi server.

Restore ESXi

Designates an ESXi server to which NetBackup can restore virtual machines. You must enter the credentials that provide full access privileges to the server.

Note:

NetBackup accesses this type of server for restores only, not for backups.

The restore ESXi server type has the following advantages:

  • For large environments with hundreds of hosts, NetBackup may not need full access to the vCenter server. With the restore ESXi server type, you can give NetBackup full access to a single ESXi server that is dedicated to restore.

  • SAN-based restores that go directly to a restore ESXi server are faster than restores that go through the vCenter server.

  • Allows restoring to an ESXi 5.x or later server that a vCenter 5.x or later server manages. NetBackup uses vCenter to create the virtual machine. NetBackup then writes the .vmdk files directly to the ESXi server using the Restore ESXi Server credentials to that server.

Note:

VMware does not support the restore of virtual machines directly to an ESXi 5.x or later server that vCenter manages. To restore the virtual machine, select the vCenter server as the destination. As an alternative, you can set up an independent ESXi server to be used for restores. You must add NetBackup restore credentials for that ESXi server by means of the Restore ESXi type.

For further information on the restore ESX server, refer to the following Cohesity tech note:

http://www.veritas.com/docs/000007351

VMware Cloud Director

Designates a Cloud Director server. NetBackup can browse the vCloud environment on this server to present a list of its virtual machines for backup. You can also restore virtual machines to this server. Note the following:

  • The credentials must be for a system administrator account.

  • For backup and restore to Cloud Director, both vCloud and vCenter credentials are required (vCenter).

  • If the vCloud environment uses a load-balancer to manage multiple cells (nodes), add credentials for the load balancer, not for the cells. If Cloud Director has multiple cells but no load balancer, add credentials for only one of the cells, not for all of them. Note also: If the Domain Name System (DNS) cannot resolve the name of the load balancer or cell, do the following: Include a line in the hosts file on the VMware backup host that specifies the IP address of the load balancer or cell.

Notes on server names

Refer to the following guidelines when you enter the server name.

  • Enter the server name in the same format in which it is registered in DNS and in the VMware server (whether short or fully-qualified).

    See Use the VMware Managed Object Browser to verify the server name.

    Fully qualified names are recommended. The entire name must be properly formed without empty or null elements. For example, a fully-qualified name must include the domain name and not end in a period (.).

  • For the vCenter name, note the following:

    • The vCenter name is case-sensitive.

    • The vCenter name must match the name that is set on the vCenter for VimApiUrl name and Runtime name. For assistance in setting those names on the vCenter, and for additional vCenter naming requirements relating to the NetBackup plug-ins for vSphere: See the topic on consistent vCenter naming in the NetBackup Plug-in for VMware vSphere Client (HTML5) Guide.

  • The ESX server name is case-sensitive. Enter the ESX server name exactly as it is in the VMware environment. If the case is wrong, the credential validation fails and states "...expecting <correct_name_of_server>."

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