Host-based backup of VMware vSphere VMs.
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bcconner
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Pulling files from across mutiple backups for a VM

Post by bcconner »

Hi,

I have the basic version of B&R. I need to restore all the files for a given folder on a specific VM spanning several weeks. I can manually go in to each night's run and pull them that way. Very painful to do it over a 3-4 week period.

Is there an alternative approach anyone knows about?

Thanks!

--Ben
soncscy
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Re: Pulling files from across mutiple backups for a VM

Post by soncscy »

Hey Ben!

I had a project like this once, and Powershell is the answer.

post101372.html

I used the snippets from here (most have not changed even in v10 since it's mostly stock powershell manipulation), but you can likely cobble this together in an afternoon.

The general flow I'd use is:

- Get all the restore points for the VM
- Validate the dates I absolutely need a restore from and write them to some array
- Loop over the restore points and do the following:
-- Create a local folder based off the date I'm restoring from
-- Initiate the FLR to that folder
-- Because I'm paranoid, create a simple check on the contents (like (get-childitem -recurse).Count and make sure it's not 0)

That should do it. The powershell forums are really helpful here, so try your luck there if you're having trouble.
bcconner
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Re: Pulling files from across mutiple backups for a VM

Post by bcconner »

Oh man. Bless you! I really wasn't looking forward to that exercise. Greatly appreciate it.

--Ben
soncscy
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Re: Pulling files from across mutiple backups for a VM

Post by soncscy »

Glad to help! Be curious to know if it works out :) Sounds like the perfect quarantine project ;)
bcconner
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Re: Pulling files from across mutiple backups for a VM

Post by bcconner »

LOL. No doubt. This will be challenging since I don't know squat about PS. Hopefully I can pull this off before the user hunts me down.
jhoughes
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Re: Pulling files from across mutiple backups for a VM

Post by jhoughes »

Honestly, even as the PowerShell guy, I'd suggest that you may want to look at leveraging Enterprise Manager for this (especially if you only need this quickly/short term).

The GUI driven method of searching for files and downloading to a machine could be driven by either a backup admin, or a user if you allow them the permissions.

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... ml?ver=100

We can assist with a PowerShell script if you run into some issues with it, but Enterprise Manager already has the functionality to meet this need.
Husband, Father, Solutions Architect, Geek Extraordinaire | @DenverVMUG, @AustinVMUG & @ATXPowerShell leader | VMware vExpert | Cisco Champion
bcconner
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Re: Pulling files from across mutiple backups for a VM

Post by bcconner »

Have a trial copy of B&R Enterprise running on a separate server. I have the production B&R as an entry under Managed Servers/Microsoft Windows. On the Home tab, I ran a Disk Import pointing to the production B&R version and specified 'Import guest file system index'.

In Enterprise Manager I have to pick a restore point, mount the restore, choose the D: drive, navigate 7 levels down to where the files are, and then pick the ones I want. Alternatively I can enter a wildcard (*.grp in this case); then I get to pick through several thousand .grp files.

I'm realizing now that B&R doesn't know what the underlying files are until it brings them up in the UI. I'm guessing they aren't in a database anywhere. Which also suggests I'd be faced with the same painful approach were I to use Powershell.

Am I missing something here?

--Ben
oleg.feoktistov
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Re: Pulling files from across mutiple backups for a VM

Post by oleg.feoktistov »

Hi Ben,

Try the option mentioned here.

Best regards,
Oleg
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