# Common settings for virtual machine protection

This page focuses on settings that are commonly used for VM protection, including settings that are specific to virtual machines and are not used for all other workload types.

Note

Settings apply either to protection entities (such as hypervisors, VM groups, and VMs) or to operations (such as backups and full VM restores). The setting level determines where the settings apply.

## Placement and compute: Where workloads run

Setting | Applies to | Description | Use cases
--- | --- | --- | ---
Destination compute | Restore | Select where the VM runs (host, cluster, instance type, or compute resource). | Controlling performance and capacity
Host or cluster | Hypervisor | Select the compute resource for workloads. | Controlling placement and resource usage
Datacenter or region | Hypervisor, Restore | Select the logical or geographic location. | Managing workloads across multiple locations

## Network and identity: How VMs connect and are identified

Setting | Applies to | Description | Use cases
--- | --- | --- | ---
Network settings | Hypervisor, Restore | Map source networks to destination networks. | Working across environments or networks
IP address settings | Restore | Map or reassign IP addresses. | Adapting to different IP ranges in the destination network
Hostname | Restore | Specify a hostname. | Avoiding conflicts or following naming standards

## VM groups and VM association: How VMs are selected

You can assign VMs to VM groups automatically using rules or manually by selecting specific resources:

- Automatic association: Use rules to dynamically include VMs based on attributes such as name, cluster, datastore, or tags.

- Manual association: Select VMs or containers directly to define group membership.

For more information about how resource selection works across Commvault, see

## Protection and backup behavior: How VMs are protected

More about backup plans and policies

Backup frequency, retention, and storage behavior are specified by the backup plan or policy associated with the VM group. You can update the backup plan or policy associated with a VM group:

- If the VM group uses a backup plan, you can select a different backup plan.

- If the VM group uses a policy, you can select a different storage policy and (optionally) a schedule policy.

- After a VM group is created, you can't switch between using a backup plan and a policy.

Setting | Applies to | Description | Use cases
--- | --- | --- | ---
SLA | Hypervisor, VM group | Define recovery objectives and compliance expectations. | Enforcing recovery targets and compliance
Backup plan association | VM group | Assign a backup plan that defines backup frequency and retention. | Applying consistent protection policies
Backup frequency | VM group | Define how often backups run. | Meeting RPO requirements
Include or exclude disks | VM group, VM | Select which disks are protected. | Controlling backup scope and storage usage
Index files after backup | VM group, VM | Create or update a file index after backup so that you can browse and restore files and folders from the VM. | Enabling file-level browse and recovery from VM backups
Virtual machine backup type | VM group, VM | Select whether backups are crash-consistent or application-consistent, depending on the workload and guest configuration. | Protecting VMs with the level of consistency that applications require

## Backup execution: How backups run

Setting | Applies to | Description | Use cases
--- | --- | --- | ---
Backup job start time | VM group | Define when backup jobs start. | Controlling load distribution
Number of readers | VM group | Specify the number of parallel data readers. | Optimizing backup performance and throughput

## Metadata and organization: How resources are managed

Setting | Applies to | Description | Use cases
--- | --- | --- | ---
Tags or labels | Hypervisor, VM group, Restore | Assign metadata to resources. | Organizing, automating, or enforcing policies
Custom attributes or metadata | Hypervisor, Restore | Modify or preserve key-value metadata. | Supporting metadata-driven management or automation
Folders or containers | Hypervisor | Organize VMs into logical groupings. | Structuring management and delegation

## Activity control: How operations are managed

Setting | Applies to | Description | Use cases
--- | --- | --- | ---
Data backup | Hypervisor, VM group | Enable or disable backup operations. | Controlling when backups can run or pausing protection
Data restore | Hypervisor, VM group | Enable or disable restore operations. | Preventing restore activity during maintenance or audits
Data aging | Hypervisor, VM group | Enable or disable aging (deletion) of backup data. | Controlling data retention and storage usage during investigations or maintenance

## Routing and performance: How data is transferred

For routing and performance settings that have an Automatic option, that's the best option in most cases and shouldn't be changed.

Setting | Applies to | Description | Use cases
--- | --- | --- | ---
Access nodes | Hypervisor, VM group | Specify the access nodes used for backup and restore operations. | Controlling data path and processing location
MediaAgent | Hypervisor, VM group, Restore | Select the MediaAgent used for data movement. | Controlling throughput or routing
Access node / access node | Hypervisor, VM group, Restore | Select the access node used for operations. | Controlling performance, network routing, or resource usage
Restore from copy | Restore | Select which backup copy to use for the restore. | Restoring from a specific copy for performance, availability, or compliance
Encryption status | Hypervisor, VM group | Enable or disable encryption for data in transit. | Securing data during transfer between components
Software compression | Hypervisor, VM group | Select where software compression is performed when hardware compression is not used. | Optimizing data transfer performance and resource usage
Use storage policy settings | Hypervisor | Use compression settings defined in the associated storage policy instead of overriding them. | Ensuring consistent behavior with storage policy configuration

## Restore behavior: What happens during restore operations

Setting | Applies to | Description | Use cases
--- | --- | --- | ---
Power on after restore | Restore | Automatically start the VM after restore. | Enabling rapid recovery scenarios
Overwrite if exists | Restore | Replace an existing VM with the same name. | Performing full replacement workflows
Scheduling | Restore | Run the operation immediately or at a later time. | Aligning with maintenance windows
Notifications | Restore | Send a notification when the operation completes. | Monitoring operations and outcomes
Threat analysis | Restore | Scan data for threats. | Meeting security or compliance requirements

## Naming: How resources are identified

Setting | Applies to | Description | Use cases
--- | --- | --- | ---
VM name or display name | Restore | Specify the name of the VM. | Avoiding conflicts or following naming conventions
VM group name | VM group | Specify the VM group name. | Maintaining clarity and consistency in operations

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