You can define rules to automatically select virtual machines for backup or to filter virtual machines from backups. Use this dialog box to define or edit rules for automatic virtual machine selection or exclusion.
Options
Rule Group
You can use the following options for each rule:
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(Browse)Select this option to browse the vCenter inventory and select objects such as datacenter, cluster, resource pool, vApp, or folder. When you select a vCenter object, all of its child objects are automatically selected for backup.
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Click this button to add more rules to the rule group
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Click this button to delete a rule from the rule group.
Operators
Use the following operators when defining rules:
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Equals - Select this operator to include virtual machines.
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Does Not Equal - Select this operator to exclude virtual machines. You can use this operator only when you are defining more than one rule.
Multiple Rules
When you are defining multiple rules, you can choose how to combine the rules:
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Match <all> of the following rules
This option is selected by default when you are defining multiple rules. By default, the AND condition is applied to all rules in the Rule Group.
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Match <any> of the following rules
Select this option to apply the OR condition to all rules in the Rule Group.
Rules
You can select the following types of objects to define rules:
VM Name/Pattern
Select this option to define a rule based on a display name pattern. Specify the display name pattern using wildcards.
Host
Select this option to include or exclude virtual machines from a specific host.
Specify the hostname or click ... to browse and select the host.
Datastore
Select this option to include or exclude virtual machines from a specific datastore.
Specify the datastore name or click ... to browse and select the datastore.
Guest OS
Select this option to include or exclude virtual machines with a specific operating system (OS). Specify the OS name pattern using wildcards.
Guest DNS Hostname
Select this option to include or exclude virtual machines with a specific DNs hostname into a subclient. Specify the hostname pattern using wildcards.
Power State
Select the power on status of virtual machines to be included in the subclient content. You can select one of the following options:
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Powered On: To identify VMs that are powered on.
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Powered Off: To identify VMs that are powered off.
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Other: To identify VMs with a different power on status, such as Suspended.
Notes
Enter a pattern to identify virtual machines based on notes text contained in vCenter annotations for the VM summary (for example, Test* to identify VMs with a note that begins with "Test").
Custom Attribute
Enter a pattern to identify virtual machines based on custom attributes in vCenter annotations for the VM summary. You can enter search values for the names and values of custom attributes. For example:
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Name Contains *resize* to identify VMs where the name of a custom attribute contains the word "resize").
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Value Contains *128* to identify VMs where the value of a custom attribute contains the number "128").
Tags and Categories
Select a tag or category to identify all virtual machines under VMware entities that are marked with that tag or category.