I ran into an issue recently where I could not do a GRT (file & folder) based restore from a backup that had been created using the VMWare Agent. The backups all reported as successful and I confirmed the GRT settings were configured in the backup options correctly. I also confirmed that the Remote Agent was deployed on the virtual machine and communicating correctly.
Basically, when I selected the virtual machine in Backup Exec 2012 (because you do a GRT based restore through the Remote Agent) the restore wizard only had the option for a full virtual machine restore. There were no other options in the restore wizard. I could only restore the entire virtual machine and all its virtual disks.
Apparently this is a known issue but there is a very simple workaround. To be able to do a GRT based restore from a backup using the VMWare agent I had to first do a one-time backup through the remote agent, treating the virtual machine as if it were a physical box. It didn’t need to be much. In fact, I just backed up one, yes just one, tiny little file through the remote agent. It didn’t even matter what destination I used. Once the backup completed I went back into the restore wizard and Hey! Presto; I now had an option to restore files and folders. Furthermore, it showed every single file and folder from the full virtual machine VMDK backup.
(At the time of writing there is currently no hotfix.)
Wow! It works….
Now I just have to test the domino agent to restore a single mailbox, having domino mail server virtualized.
Thank you so much!
Ta-Ta for now
M
I followed step by step what you have written, I have not the ability to make browsing in the vmdk backup and view the granular backup in order to restore a single file and not the entire virtual machine.
I’m able to see the vmdk backup only as a single object.
I tried to first do a one-time backup through the remote agent, treating the virtual machine as if it were a physical box, but later I have only the possibility to restore the file that saved before and the entire vmdk.
Colud you please send me a suggestion?
When you are attempting to restore, are you selecting the server through the remote agent, or, through VCenter / ESX? When doing a granular restore you have to restore through the remote agent as if it were a physical machine. If you are restoring an entire VM, then you would make your selections through the VCenter selection tree.
Sorry but I don0t understand!
When I have to restore the entire VM, there’s no problem, I select “Backup & Restore”, after select the Vcenter in the server list then i select the job and select “Restore”, option VMWARE, selecting the vmdk and it works well.
But when I have to restore granular folder or file inside the vmdk what is the right procedure?
I don’t understand when you say “you have to restore through the remote agent as if it were a physical machine” I don’t know how to restore through the remote agent, I know only the restore from BE console. Could you please explain it step by step?
Yes, you restore granular files and folders with the BE Console under the Backup & Restore tab.
The method you specified is correct for restoring an entire VMDK or Virtual Machine but that does not work for just restoring individual files and folders out of that VMDK file.
To restore individual files and folders go to the Backup & Restore tab, select the server you wish to restore files to (do not select through the VCenter server) and then click the Restore button on the toolbar. This will give you a dialog box where you will have the option to restore individual files and folders from your VMDK.