# Deleting (Retiring) Hypervisors, VM Groups, and VMs

You can delete hypervisors, VM groups, and VMs/instances from the Commvault software.

## About Deleting (Retiring) Hypervisors, VM Groups, and VMs

### Hypervisor and VMs/Instances

For hypervisors and VMs/instances, the process is called "retiring". Retiring a hypervisor or VM/instance consists of releasing the license, deleting the hypervisor or VM/instance from the CommServe database, and uninstalling the Commvault software from the hypervisor or VM/instance. Retiring a hypervisor or VM/instance also removes the hypervisor or VM/instance from backup schedules.

If no backup data exists for the hypervisor or VM/instance and the hypervisor or VM/instance is available online, the Commvault software performs all the necessary steps for the retirement. If not, you can manually delete the hypervisor or VM/instance and uninstall the Commvault software.

Also, Commvault automatically deletes VMs/instances in the following cases:

- A VM/instance is decommissioned or deleted from the source environment or account

- A VM/instance is removed from all VM groups in Commvault

After you retire a hypervisor or VM/instance, you can restore data from the retired hypervisor or VM/instance until the retention criteria for the data are met. You can also re-add the hypervisor or VM/instance to Commvault as a new hypervisor or VM/instance.

### VM Groups

For VM groups, you can simply delete a VM group if it is not the first VM group that was created for the hypervisor. The first VM group is the default VM group, and, to ensure that your hypervisor is always protected, the default VM group cannot be deleted.

After you delete a VM group, backup data that is under active retention is retained according to the retention settings and can be restored.

## Permission Requirements

You must have the Delete permission for the hypervisor, VM group, or VM/instance that you want to delete.

## Delete a Hypervisor

1. From the Command Center navigation pane, go to Protect > Virtual machines.

   The Overview page appears.

2. On the Hypervisor tab, in the row for the hypervisor, click the action button , and then select Retire.

3. Enter the confirmation text, and then click Retire.

   If no backup data for the hypervisor exists, then the license is released. If the hypervisor is available on the network, then the Commvault software is uninstalled from the hypervisor and the hypervisor is permanently deleted from the CommServe database.

4. If backup data for the hypervisor exists, manually delete the hypervisor from the CommServe database:

   1. In the row for the hypervisor, click the action button , and then select Delete.

      The confirmation dialog box appears.

   2. Click Yes.

   The license is released.

   If the hypervisor is available on the network, then the Commvault software is uninstalled from the hypervisor and the hypervisor is permanently deleted from the CommServe database.

## Delete a VM Group

1. From the Command Center navigation pane, go to Protect > Virtual machines.

   The Overview page appears.

2. On the VM groups tab, in the row for the VM group, click the action button , and then select Delete.

   A confirmation message appears.

3. Click Yes.

## Delete a VM/Instance

1. From the Command Center navigation pane, go to Protect > Virtual machines.

   The Overview page appears.

2. On the Virtual machines tab, in the row for the VM, click the action button , and then select Retire.

3. Enter the confirmation text, and then click Retire.

   If no backup data for the VM/instance exists, then the license is released. If the VM/instance is available on the network, then the Commvault software is uninstalled from the VM/instance and the VM/instance is permanently deleted from the CommServe database.

4. If backup data for the VM/instance exists, manually delete the VM/instance from the CommServe database:

   1. In the row for the VM/instance, click the action button , and then select Delete.

      The confirmation dialog box appears.

   2. Click Yes.

   The license is released.

   If the VM/instance is available on the network, then the Commvault software is uninstalled from the VM/instance and the VM/instance is permanently deleted from the CommServe database.

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