> Expert > Backup and Restore Agents > Virtualization > Virtual Server Agent > VMware > Disaster Recovery for VMware > Protecting and Recovering a vCenter Server

Restoring the vCenter Server from a VM Backup

If you have backed up a virtual machine that runs the vCenter Server, you can restore the VM to a ESX host to recover the vCenter Server.

Procedure

Follow the steps given below to restore the full virtual machine:

  1. From the CommCell Console, navigate to Client Computers > virtualization_client > Virtual Server > VMware.

  2. Right-click the backup set that contains the data to restore and select All Tasks > Browse and Restore.

    In the Browse and Restore Options dialog box, Full Virtual Machine is selected by default.

  3. Click View Content.

    A Client tab shows the contents of the most recent backup for the backup set.

  4. Select one or more virtual machines in the left pane.

    The configuration and VMDK files for the selected virtual machines are displayed in the right pane.

  5. Click Recover All Selected at the bottom of the window.

    The Restore VM wizard launches and displays the Destination page.

  6. Specify the destination and the proxy to be used for the restore.

    If the vCenter VM is being managed by the same vCenter server, then the VM must be restored directly to an ESX host. Clear the In Place option, select Add vCenter from the vCenter Client list, and then specify the IP address and user credentials for the ESX server.

    • Proxy Client: To use a different proxy for the restore, select the proxy from this list.

      You can choose a different proxy in the following scenarios:

      • The proxy used for the backup is no longer available.

      • Using the proxy on the destination host for the restore is faster.

      • If you are using a specific transport mode such as HotAdd or SAN, you can choose a proxy that facilitates the required transport mode.

        Note

        For restores of virtual machine files or guest files, this client is the destination where files are restored. For restores of full VMs or attaching virtual disks to an existing VM, this client manages the restore to the host ESX server.

  7. Click Next.

    The wizard displays the Virtual Machines page. The VM and Disks column shows the source virtual machines with disks underneath each virtual machine.

    Select the destination ESX server and datastore for the restored VM. As a best practice, restore all disks to the same datastore.

  8. Click Next.

    The wizard displays the Restore Options page.

  9. Optional: Select restore options:

    • Power ON Virtual Machine after Restore: Select this check box to start the virtual machine automatically after the restore is complete.

    • Unconditionally Overwrite VM with the same name: If a vCenter VM exists on the destination ESX host and needs to be removed before the restore begins, select this option.

    Use defaults for all other restore options.

  10. Click Next.

    The wizard displays the Job Options page.

  11. Run the job immediately.

  12. Click Next.

    The wizard displays a Summary page for the restore.

  13. Click Finish to submit the restore job.

Restoring Full Virtual Machines

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