Auto Recovery of Virtual Machines

Using Virtualization, you can configure virtual machines (VMs) or instances for replication to one or more secondary sites and configure recovery groups for Commvault Auto Recovery. Auto Recovery uses backups of primary VMs to create destination VMs and keeps destination VMs updated using continued incremental backups. Auto Recovery was formerly referred to as Disaster Recovery and Live Sync.

The Commvault software includes multiple auto recovery solutions. Choose the solution that most closely fits your needs based on your environment.

Solution	When to use
Orchestrated Recovery	This solution orchestrates one-click recovery of virtual machines using existing backups. Applies to scenarios when you want to quickly recover VMs from backups. The RPO that this solution uses is the frequency at which the backups are created.
Periodic Replication	This solution periodically creates and replicates new backups based on the frequency selected when creating a recovery group. You can orchestrate one-click recovery using the newly created and replicated backups. Applies to scenarios when you want to protect and recover VMs with reduced RPO at a higher frequency than compared to backup frequency. The RPO that this solution uses is >15 minutes and is specified at the time of creating a recovery group.

Solution

When to use

Orchestrated Recovery

This solution orchestrates one-click recovery of virtual machines using existing backups.
Applies to scenarios when you want to quickly recover VMs from backups.
The RPO that this solution uses is the frequency at which the backups are created.

Periodic Replication

This solution periodically creates and replicates new backups based on the frequency selected when creating a recovery group.
You can orchestrate one-click recovery using the newly created and replicated backups. Applies to scenarios when you want to protect and recover VMs with reduced RPO at a higher frequency than compared to backup frequency.
The RPO that this solution uses is >15 minutes and is specified at the time of creating a recovery group.

Recovery Options

The table below explains how to choose a disaster recovery (DR) site for Auto Recovery.

DR site	Recovery options
Cloud	Hot site recovery: An AUX copy operation transfers backup data from primary storage to a secondary storage copy located near the DR site. As each backup is received, the system creates and incrementally updates virtual DR disks to maintain synchronization with the production environment. After replication completes, snapshots are created for each VM disk and retained. The replicated destination VM and its associated disks are not preserved. This helps reduce infrastructure costs, as the VM and associated disks are created from the retained snapshots as and when required. During failover, new VMs are provisioned in the cloud and the pre-created DR disks are attached, enabling rapid recovery. Warm site recovery: An AUX copy operation transfers data from the primary storage to a secondary storage copy near the DR site, but no DR disks or VMs are pre-created. When failover is initiated, DR disks and VMs are created using the latest data. This approach reduces operational cost but increases the recovery time objective.
On-premises	Hot site recovery: An AUX copy operation transfers data from the primary storage to a secondary storage copy near the DR site. As each backup arrives, the system creates and updates virtual DR disks and VMs, ensuring they remain synchronized with production. VMs are provisioned but remain idle. During failover, these VMs are turned on, enabling rapid recovery. Warm site recovery: An AUX copy operation transfers data from the primary storage to a secondary storage copy near the DR site, but no DR disks or VMs are pre-created. When failover is initiated, DR disks and VMs are created using the latest data. This approach reduces operational cost but increases the recovery time objective.

DR site

Recovery options

Cloud

Hot site recovery: An AUX copy operation transfers backup data from primary storage to a secondary storage copy located near the DR site. As each backup is received, the system creates and incrementally updates virtual DR disks to maintain synchronization with the production environment. After replication completes, snapshots are created for each VM disk and retained. The replicated destination VM and its associated disks are not preserved. This helps reduce infrastructure costs, as the VM and associated disks are created from the retained snapshots as and when required. During failover, new VMs are provisioned in the cloud and the pre-created DR disks are attached, enabling rapid recovery.

Warm site recovery: An AUX copy operation transfers data from the primary storage to a secondary storage copy near the DR site, but no DR disks or VMs are pre-created. When failover is initiated, DR disks and VMs are created using the latest data. This approach reduces operational cost but increases the recovery time objective.

On-premises

Hot site recovery: An AUX copy operation transfers data from the primary storage to a secondary storage copy near the DR site. As each backup arrives, the system creates and updates virtual DR disks and VMs, ensuring they remain synchronized with production. VMs are provisioned but remain idle. During failover, these VMs are turned on, enabling rapid recovery.

Warm site recovery: An AUX copy operation transfers data from the primary storage to a secondary storage copy near the DR site, but no DR disks or VMs are pre-created. When failover is initiated, DR disks and VMs are created using the latest data. This approach reduces operational cost but increases the recovery time objective.

Auto Recovery of Virtual Machines

Recovery Options

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