Data Recovery Digest

Simply put, VMware is a cloud infrastructure provider and system virtualization platform that supports operations across x86-compatible devices. Offering numerous products and applications, VMware provides a comprehensive solution to cloud computing and data storage within the 21st century. Like all other methods of data storage, however, the technology is not perfect. Users of VMware products are still susceptible to data loss due to system damage or failure, but there is an integrated method for restoring lost information on a machine running VMware applications.

The Backup Application

In order to restore lost data via the VMware architecture, you must have first created a backup of said data through the backup appliance within VMware Data Recovery. This application allows you to create complete backups of any of your virtual machines, and it does so without interrupting the day-to-day operations of the virtual machine. In fact, you can even schedule automatic backups through VMware Data Recovery, thus allowing you to carry on your daily business as usual.

At the present time, VMware Data Recovery is only able to backup eight virtual machines. Up to two virtual machines can be backed up simultaneously, allowing you to save even more time throughout the entire backup process. Once the backup process is finished, you will be left with a VMware image file that can be restored using the VMware Data Recovery application. Once a backup, or image file, has been created, you can continue with the data recovery process through the VMware Data Recovery application.

Virtual Machine Restoration

VMware's built-in program, Virtual Machine Restore Wizard, is the easiest and most effective way to recover data from a backup or image file. Once you've started the wizard, simply choose which virtual machines and virtual disks you wish to restore. Available filters let you narrow down the available options, as well as giving you the ability to group virtual machines together for mass restoration. You will now be given the chance to review the settings you've chosen for the restoration, which includes information such as object names, the date of the chosen restore point, virtual disk node information and even the total amount of data to be restored.

Before going ahead with the actual restore process, it is a good idea to execute a restore rehearsal. This is done to ensure that your data will be restored as expected. A restore rehearsal can be initiated by right-clicking on a virtual machine and selecting "Restore Rehearsal." Once it has completed, you can delete the virtual machine that was created during the rehearsal process.

After the restore rehearsal process has completed and your virtual machine is verified, you are now able to start the actual restoration process. While inside the vSphere Client, select "Home > Solutions and Applications > VMware Data Recovery." Enter the name of the virtual machine or the IP address of the backup appliance in question and click "Connect." From here, simply click on the "Restore" link within the "Restore" tab to open the restoration wizard. Here you will choose the source of the original backup as well as the destination point for the restored image. Click "Finish" to initiate the restoration.