Netbackup 7.1 VM Restore Issue

[vaadrigar]

Hello,

I use Netbackup 7.1 software to backup vmware environment. I don't have any issues to backup/restore machines by vcenter but when i try to use alternative location during restore and pick one of ESX nodes (which is a part of cluster and is managed by vcenter) i don't see any Datastores on selection list. It's ESX 4.1 environment so there should be no problems with vcenter existance. Host is added as ESX Restore Host, credentials are correct (verified by ssh and NB option in credentials) and i checked nbemmcmd if everything is ok on EMM side. Previously when i added this host as "VMware ESX Server" i was able to create policy and see machines which are present on datastore visible for this ESX. I tried IP and host name as a Virtual Machine Server Name, but nothing works. I know there was some fix for this issue for 7.0 version of NB but haven't found it for 7.1. Can you help me?

Regards,
Gregory

[Dyneshia]

Are you using the displayname instead of the host name ?

I recommend changing over your backups of VM's to displayname instead of hostname. This takes and DNS or hostname resolution problems out of the picture, as NBU will only query Vcenter for the displayname of the VM.

This has a second benefit, as we can add the "disableIPResolution" key to your remote backup host locations. This will enable the remote locations to skip the IP resolution process of every single VM in the vCenter database when it does a query. http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH128037

NBU does not need to resolve IP addresses by default, we can let vCenter process that information and just hand us a displayname to be backed up.

We should also tell each remote backup host location to 'excludeVMservers' and add the vCenters that it does not need to know about. This will also greatly speed up the backup and browse process.

[vaadrigar]

Hello Dyneshia. Thanks for reply.

Policy for vmware has Client name selection: VM display name setting. I suspect the issue is related to communication problems between NB and ESX host (target for restore) rather than VM name resolution. As i said in previous post, credentials were verified during VMware Restore ESX Server creation, so i assume NB should have rights to list datastores available for this particular ESX server. Here's screenshot for clarification, where you may find blank datastore selection list. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

[Mark_Solutions]

There are certain rules for restores to ESX Servers ....

Firstly they need to be added under Credential - Virtual Machine Servers

Secondly they need to be standalone and not under vCenter control

If they are inder vCenter control then just restore back to the vCenter and select the datastores etc from there

Hope this helps - basically you cannot restore to an ESX Server under vCenter control

[vaadrigar]

Hello Mark. Thanks for your input.

This host is added under Credentials - Virtual Machine Servers as VMware Restore ESX Server.

I heard that ESX used for restores needs to be standalone only for ESX 5.x versions. Could you confirm that this rule also applies to 4.1 ESX environment? My vCenter is in other geographical localization and all restores which pass vcenter machine run with very low rate due to network bottleneck.

[Mark_Solutions]

The current guide does say that so maybe it is now possible - I remember this from earlier guides / tech notes (which were pre ESX V5.x) - can't immediately find it now but it was in connection with V4.1 that I came across it first.

Do you have a truly standalone ESX server available as a test?

[vaadrigar]

I'm affraid all my ESX servers are managed by vcenter, so it may take some time until i do some tests with standalone host.

I found thread related to our discussion, which is actually a part of Symantec NetBackup for VMware Administrator's Guide: http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO44461

When choosing a target host for the restore, note the following:

If NetBackup has credentials to access a vCenter server (but does not have credentials to access a VMware restore ESX server), note: You can restore the virtual machine through the vCenter server. In this case, the data movement for the restore passes through the vCenter server. Passing the virtual machine data through the vCenter server may increase the amount of time that is needed to complete the restore.

The credentials must give NetBackup full access privileges to the vCenter server.

See Adding NetBackup credentials for VMware.

If NetBackup has credentials to access a vCenter server as well as a VMware restore ESX server, the restore may complete faster. In this case, by default NetBackup passes the virtual machine data directly to the restore ESX server, bypassing the vCenter server. You can select a vCenter folder in which to place the restored virtual machine.The credentials must give NetBackup full access privileges to the restore ESX server.

If NetBackup has credentials to access an ESX server, you can designate that server as the target for the restore. The credentials must give NetBackup full access privileges to the ESX server.

Select None for the vCenter Server, and click Search to select the ESX server.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but first paragraph describes scenario where i don't have credentials to access restore ESX server but i have access to vCenter. I assume that 'restore ESX server' is a part of vCenter in this example, so we pass vCenter in order to gain access to the restore ESX server. Looks like the only limitation here is the fact we don't have credentials to access the host directly.

Second paragraph explains scenario in which i have credentials to 'restore ESX server' and vcenter. As it's said, by default NB "bypass" vCenter and restores machine directly to the host.

[vaadrigar · Accepted solution]

I managed to restore vm directly to host which is added to vcenter. This is scenario no.2

If NetBackup has credentials to access a vCenter server as well as a VMware restore ESX server, the restore may complete faster. In this case, by default NetBackup passes the virtual machine data directly to the restore ESX server, bypassing the vCenter server. You can select a vCenter folder in which to place the restored virtual machine.The credentials must give NetBackup full access privileges to the restore ESX server.

Do not pick vcenter "None", transfer: nbd, add credentials for target esx host. Case is solved, thx for help.