Create a VMware vCenter recovery target for Active Directory forest recovery

Create a recovery target for the VMware vCenter host you want to recover your domain controllers to.

Specify a VM template or a WinPE ISO file

Methods for recovering domain controllers to VMWare vCenter are as follows:

• Recover AD to clean VM database only: You provide a VM template.

• Recover to new VM full System State: You download and provide a WinPE ISO file.

VM template

Follow the vendor’s instructions to create a VM template in the vSphere client. Create the template with the same version of Windows Server as the domain controller that you're restoring, and verify that VMware Tools is installed on the template.

WinPE ISO file

Download the latest WinPE ISO file.

1. Log on to the Commvault Store.

2. On the Media Kits tab, download the latest version of the 1-Touch image.

Start the Add VMware vCenter target wizard

1. From the Command Center navigation pane, go to Protect > Active Directory.

2. On the Forests tab, click the forest.

3. On the Runbook tab, click the runbook.

4. On the Runbook settings tab, click View recovery targets.

   The Recovery targets dialog box appears.

5. Click Add recovery target.

   The Select target dialog box appears.

6. Select VMware vCenter.

7. Click Select target.

   The Add VMware vCenter target wizard appears.

General page

1. Enter a name for the recovery target.

2. To register a new vCenter host, beside Destination client, click the add button.

   The Add hypervisor dialog box appears.

3. Download the Active Directory Forest access node package.

4. Install the access node package on the server you want to use as your access node.

5. Wait until the installation completes successfully.

6. In the Add hypervisor dialog box, refresh the Access nodes list, and then select the host you installed the access node package on.

7. In the vCenter server name box, enter the host name or the IP address of the vCenter server.

8. In the Hypervisor display name box, enter a name for the recovery target.

9. Refresh the Access node list, and then select the server you installed the access node package on.

10. For Credential, click the add button.

    The Add credential dialog box appears.

11. Enter a name for the credential.

12. Enter the user name and password for an administrative account that has access to the vCenter server.

13. Click Save.

14. Click Save in the Add hypervisor dialog box.

15. For Destination, select the vCenter host.

16. For Access node, select the server you installed the access node package on.

17. For Security, select the roles that need access to the vCenter recovery target.

    Note

    You can ignore the VM display name options because they are not used.

18. Click Next.

Destination options page

1. For Destination host, select the vCenter host.

2. For VM storage policy, select a storage policy.

3. For Datastore, select the data store on the vCenter host to create the recovered virtual machines on.

4. For Resource pool, select a resource pool.

5. For VM folder path, select the folder on the data store to store the recovered virtual machines in.

6. For Destination network, select your isolated recovery network, which you created to separate the recovered domain controllers from any source servers.

7. Click Next.

Repave options page

On this page, you can provide a VM template to be used when restoring the domain controller with the Recover AD to clean VM database only method. If you are not using this method to recover the domain controller, no selections are required.

1. To add your VM template, click Add.

   The Custom image page appears.

2. For Operating system, select Windows.

3. Select a VM template from the VMWare vCenter server that has the same version or later of Windows Server as the domain controller being restored.

4. Click Save.

5. For OS Type, select Windows.

6. Under Software cache, select the server where the software cache is configured.

7. Click Next.

   Recommended location for software cache

   Place the software cache on the access node that has connectivity to your recovered domain controllers.

   Steps to configure a new software cache

   1. From the Command Center navigation pane, go to Explore > Companies.

   2. On the Software caches tab, click Add to create a new software cache and specify the server and details to host the cache.

   3. After creating a new software cache, from the actions list, select the Sync option to ensure it is up to date.

Advanced options

1. For 1-Touch ISO path Windows, enter the path to the WinPE ISO you downloaded. This is only necessary if you are using the Recover to new VM full System State method to recover the domain controller.

   Note

   • Don't change the default values for the CPU and memory configuration settings so that the recovered domain controller has the same virtual hardware configuration as the backed-up server.

   • You don't need to enable an association to a server group now. You can select a server group to associate recovered DCs with later, when you configure the runbook settings.

2. Click Submit.