Nutanix AHV DR to VMware

[mmeier]

We have a project of Nutanix AHV that needs DR of AHV full VMs. The DR site is a VMware vSphere environment. Is this possible using Veeam? As far as I read, Instant Recovery would be possible. Then I would assume, a full VM restore would also work?
Did'nt find any official statement in documentation.
Thanks.

[Natalia Lupacheva]

Hi Matthias,

Entire VM restore to VMware vSphere is possible using Backup and Replication Console:

Restore VMs using Veeam Backup & Replication Console: restore VMs of any platforms to the original or different AHV cluster. You can also restore to VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V.

Thanks!

[Mildur]

@Natalia

It's not possible todo a restore of a "Nutanix AHV VM directly to VmWare Vsphere".
That is the main goal here.

@mmeier

You can do an "Instant Recovery" (automatic conversion and creation of the vm Config)
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/van/u ... tml?ver=20

Or you can export the AHV Backups to VMDK Files directly to your datastore on the DR Site. (You have to manually create the vm and connect the vmdk.)

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/van/u ... tml?ver=20

There are no other possibilities. "Direct Restore to vmware" is not a feature at the moment. They have to do an conversion and some other configurations too. Because of that, the vm needs a instant Recovery (same as Veeam Agent to VmWare Restore).

[mmeier]

Thank you both of you for your answers.
Does Instant Recovery implicates, the recovery can be made persistent (in case of VMware after a vMotion to final destination / DataStore)?
It's not completely clear for me, why an Instant Recovery works but entire VM restore won't.

[Mildur]

Yes, Instant Recovery process for Nutanix AHV is the same like "Instant Recovery for VmWare VMs".

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

Veeam will:
1. Boot VM from "Nuntanix AHV Backup Files"
2. Configure some things (I don't know exactly every configuration which is be done )
3. After that, you can "Finalize Instant VM Recovery" --> This will be moving (vMotion) the VM from your backup storage to the datastore in DR Site

After this step, your VM is persistent on the DR Site vmWare Host and the veeam process is finished.

[Natalia Lupacheva]

Yes, @Mildur is right, currently direct restore of AHV VM to VMware vSphere is not an option, you have to use Instant recovery.
We will fix the documentation so it would be crystal clear.

Thanks!

[mmeier]

Thanks very much @Mildur @Natalia.
That answers my initial question.

It's still not clear for me, why there is Instant Recovery possible, while entire VM restore is not.
From my understanding, Instant Recovery uses the backup image as a mount point for a temporary read-only datastore. Because the backup is from AHV, there must be a conversion into VMWare container (vmdk and config files) taking place- same as with an entire VM restore. Or am I wrong?