Guest OS File Recovery issue

[liviu.tutuianu]

Hello to all,

In the last hours, I've been searching through this forums about a similar issue like mine and didn't find yet.

Environment:
1. VBR installed, version 6.1 64 bit.
2. Replication jobs created using crossing cable connection between 2 ESXs

I want to restore some specific file/folders to their original location, from a VM that is being replicated. After I select the "Copy to" option, I go to "Network" and there (after waiting for some minutes), the VM from where the files were deleted, appears in the list. The problem is that I cannot browse the drives (Windows partitions) of this VM and choose the destination for my restore. I thought that I would get a pop-up windows, that will ask the credentials for an administrator account for that VM, and after that I should be able to browse the VM drives.

The only solutions that I found are:
1. Restore the required files on the VBR and from there, copy them to their original location
2. Create a sharefolder on the VM, with write permissions for the user that I am logged on the VBR, and restore the files to that folder.

None of the solutions from above pleases me, as I have to teach the local It from each country how to do this. And a workaround like those two from above, won't be accepted.

I really hope that these aren't the only possibilities to restore a certain file/folder from a replication/backup job.

If needed, I can open also a ticket (but please tell me how to do that).

Thank you in advance.

[foggy]

Liviu, for restore from backup to original location, please utilize the 1-Click FLR functionality available in Enterprise Manager.

[liviu.tutuianu]

Dear Alexander,

I already tried to use the 1-Click FLR, but, although the VM's appear in the VMs tab from VEM, when I go to "Files" tab, I cannot find any file available, nor VM available to select from. We are using VEEAM Enterprise licenses.

Also, I think that I needed to activate the ""Enable guest file system indexing" option, when I created the replication job, right? I just activated and started again the job. I hope that, after the job will finish, I will be able to use the 1-Click FLR option.

And I just discovered that I need to run the VBR with the credentials of a user that has administrative rights on all the VM's that are part of that backup/replication job. Let's say that in each replication jobs, I have 3 different VM's. And I have around 20 replication jobs.

So, in this case I need to have the same user added to the local administrators groups from all servers? Well, this can be a very big security breach...

[foggy]

Also, I think that I needed to activate the ""Enable guest file system indexing" option, when I created the replication job, right? I just activated and started again the job. I hope that, after the job will finish, I will be able to use the 1-Click FLR option.

Yes, this functionality is available only for those VMs that were indexed during backup. I'm confused by the fact that you activated that option though, as you are talking about replication jobs while guest file system indexing is available for backup jobs only.

And I just discovered that I need to run the VBR with the credentials of a user that has administrative rights on all the VM's that are part of that backup/replication job. Let's say that in each replication jobs, I have 3 different VM's. And I have around 20 replication jobs.

So, in this case I need to have the same user added to the local administrators groups from all servers? Well, this can be a very big security breach...

In the Advanced settings you can specify different accounts for different VMs that are processed by the job.

[liviu.tutuianu]

Hello Alexander,

You are right, I configured a backup job, not a replication one. After that, I tried to start collecting data in VEM, but I get the message that Data collection is already in progress. So, I checked what sessions are started, and I observed that we have around 30.000 session with the status "Data collection is already in progress".

I think this could be a reason why there are no files available to be restored on the "Files" tab from VEM. How can we stop these sessions? Maybe restarting the services from the VEM server?

My conclusions are:
1. For both replication and backup jobs, we can use Instant File Level Recovery by copying locally on the VBR the files from the snapshots, and from there to send them to the users. But what can we do if we need to restore some folders that need more space than it is available on the VBR?
2. 1-Click FBR can be used to restore files only to their original location. But if somebody asks me to restore a previous version of a file, but in other location, can we do that?

And another question:
3. On the same VEM, we have registered VBR's from many countries. How can we grant restore permissions only for the local IT team from each country to their servers?

Thank you,

[foggy]

I think this could be a reason why there are no files available to be restored on the "Files" tab from VEM. How can we stop these sessions? Maybe restarting the services from the VEM server?

Yes, you could try to restart the services or even the Enterprise Manager server itself, but in case this does not help, logs review will be required for further investigation. Feel free to contact our technical support to assist you in this.

1. For both replication and backup jobs, we can use Instant File Level Recovery by copying locally on the VBR the files from the snapshots, and from there to send them to the users. But what can we do if we need to restore some folders that need more space than it is available on the VBR?

Why not allow users to copy the required files directly from the IR VM themselves?

2. 1-Click FBR can be used to restore files only to their original location. But if somebody asks me to restore a previous version of a file, but in other location, can we do that?

1-Click FLR also allows to download files to the local machine.

3. On the same VEM, we have registered VBR's from many countries. How can we grant restore permissions only for the local IT team from each country to their servers?

To achieve that, you have to setup a separate backup server and Enterprise Manager in each remote site. Please read about Enterprise Manager roles in more detail in its user guide (p.19).