# Backups for VMware Cloud Director

You can perform backups automatically based on the configuration for a hypervisor or VM group, or manually for a VM group or a specific VM.

The first backup of a VM is always a full backup. By default, all subsequent backups are incremental, capturing any changes to VM data since the last backup.

You can recover virtual machine data, even when the most recent backup was incremental.

Backups run based on the following options:

- Initial full backup: When you use Guided setup to set up the Virtualization solution, use the Back up now option to perform a backup for the default VM group.

- Scheduled incremental backups: The backup plan that is assigned to a VM group includes a schedule for ongoing incremental backups. Those backups are performed automatically based on the schedule, without requiring any user action.

- Manual backups: You can perform on-demand backups for a VM group or for a specific VM.

If backups cannot start immediately, the backup jobs are queued.

## What Gets Backed Up

- Virtual machines (Windows and Linux, powered on or powered off)

- VMDK files

- Virtual RDMs

- GPT or dynamic disk volumes

- vSphere tags on virtual machines (only with streaming backups)

- Fault tolerant virtual machines that meet the following requirements:

  - Configured as fault tolerant in the vSphere Web client

  - Hosted on ESX 6.x or later

  - VM hardware version 11 or later

## What Does Not Get Backed Up

- Virtual machines containing SCSI adapters that are configured for bus sharing (physical or virtual)

- Virtual machines configured with fault tolerance (prior to ESX 6.x or hardware version 11)

- Virtual machines with no disks attached

- Physical RDMs

- Independent disks

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