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Restored VM to alternate host, odd entry created on datastore

CCWW
Level 4

2008R2 server VM was backed up with Backup Exec v15

When I was testing the restore, I selected the vCenter server and selected a datastore and host. The host selected was not the one that the VM normally resides on.

The restore completed without issue and the VMDK files were restored to the selected data store and the VM was registered to the host I selected but there is an odd entry on the datastore that the VM was backed up on.

It shows the restored VM on this datastore and shows 8GB provisioned. This datastore was never part of the restore process so I'm not sure what this entry is for. When I browse the datastore there's no folder or anything related to the restored VM. It seems like an entry was created by the restore process.

Anyone have any idea what this is?

5 REPLIES 5

DarthBilly
Level 5
Employee

I'm having trouble completely understanding your question. You're redirecting a VM, but choosing a different host. So you're keeping the same datastore. I'm guessing you renamed the VM.

After the restore completes you notice that the original datastore has some data in it from the restore? The VM is on the original datastore combined with the original VM? Are there any screen shots that you can add?

Rather than selecting the original location for the VM restore I selected the option "To a different vCenter or ESX host"

From there I selected my vCenter server a host and datastore. After the restore the virtual machine files were created on the datastore I selected but this one 8GB "file" was created on the datastore where the server was originally backed up from.

After more investigation I believe that this 8GB file is the .vswp file for the virtual machine. This file should be restored to the folder with the virtual machine files but it appears the restore process puts it back on the datastore where the server was backed up from. Seems like a bug.

Hope this helps to explain the issue.

 

DarthBilly
Level 5
Employee

The .vswp file is created when the VM is powered on. BE does not restore this file or create it. It's controled by vSphere, it the VMs memory file:

http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-51/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.vmware.vsphere.resmgmt.doc%2FGUID-51767DC5-...

Thanks for the reply. The settings in vCenter are configured to store the virtual machine swap file with the VM's files so it should have put it into the folder where the files were restored to. Not on a completely different datastore. It should have also done this once the server was powered on but the server that was restored was never turned on.

I'm going to try and test it again and see if I can reproduce the same behavior.

DarthBilly
Level 5
Employee

Yes please try again, because when you redirect, it does not know about the original VM. What it looks like is the VM was powered off during the backup and then a restore occurred. At which point the original VM was powered on and the file was created.