Existing snapshot handling options (VMware)
This option specifies the action that NetBackup takes when a backup snapshot is discovered before NetBackup creates a new snapshot for the virtual machine backup. After it creates a snapshot, NetBackup usually deletes the backup snapshot when the backup completes. If snapshots are not automatically deleted (whether created by NetBackup or not), the performance of the virtual machine may eventually decline.
During a VM backup, if NetBackup finds a NetBackup restore snapshot named "NBU_RESTORE" it assumes that there is a restore in progress and the backup job fails immediately. This outcome occurs regardless of the value that you select for this attribute. Additional action is required if a restore snapshot exists, but there is no active restore job for that VM. In that case the VM administrator should inspect the VM and either remove the snapshot or the VM.
Undeleted snapshots can cause restore failures due to lack of disk space. If the virtual machine was configured on multiple datastores and a leftover snapshot existed on the virtual machine when it was backed up, note: NetBackup tries to restore all .vmdk files to the snapshot datastore. As a result, the datastore may not have enough space for the .vmdk files, and the restore fails. (For a successful restore, you can restore the virtual machine to an alternate location. Select a datastore for the .vmdk files.)
Table: Existing snapshot handling: Options
Option | Description |
|---|---|
Remove NetBackup snapshots and continue the backup | If a virtual machine snapshot exists that a NetBackup backup previously created: NetBackup removes the old snapshot, creates an updated snapshot, and proceeds with the virtual machine backup. |
Continue the backup | NetBackup ignores any existing virtual machine snapshots (including snapshots previously created by NetBackup, except a NetBackup restore snapshot) and proceeds with snapshot creation and the backup. |
Stop the backup if any snapshots exist | If any snapshot exists on the virtual machine, NetBackup stops the job for that virtual machine only. |
Stop the backup if NetBackup snapshots exist | If a virtual machine snapshot exists that a NetBackup backup previously created, NetBackup stops the job for that virtual machine only. |