Veritas™ System Recovery 21 User's Guide
- Introducing Veritas System Recovery
- Installing Veritas System Recovery
- Installing Veritas System Recovery
- Ensuring the recovery of your computer
- Creating a new Veritas System Recovery Disk
- Creation Options
- Storage and Network Drivers Options
- Customizing an existing Veritas System Recovery Disk
- About restoring a computer from a remote location by using LightsOut Restore
- Creating a new Veritas System Recovery Disk
- Getting Started
- Setting up default general backup options
- File types and file extension
- Best practices for backing up your data
- Backing up entire drives
- Backing up files and folders
- Running and managing backup jobs
- Running an existing backup job immediately
- Backing up remote computers from your computer
- Monitoring the status of your backups
- About monitoring backups
- Monitoring the backup status of remote computers using Veritas System Recovery Monitor
- Adding a remote computer to the Computer List
- Exploring the contents of a recovery point
- Managing backup destinations
- About managing file and folder backup data
- Managing virtual conversions
- Managing cloud storage
- Direct to cloud
- About creation of Amazon Machine Image (AMI) in Amazon from Veritas System Recovery backups
- About S3-Compatible Cloud Storage
- About Veritas System Recovery supporting Veritas Access
- Recovering files, folders, or entire drives
- Recovering a computer
- Booting a computer by using the Veritas System Recovery Disk
- About using the networking tools in Veritas System Recovery Disk
- Copying a hard drive
- Using the Veritas System Recovery Granular Restore Option
- Best practices when you create recovery points for use with the Granular Restore Option
- Appendix A. Backing up databases using Veritas System Recovery
- Appendix B. Backing up Active Directory
- Appendix C. Backing up Microsoft virtual environments
- Appendix D. Using Veritas System Recovery 21 and Windows Server Core
Defining a virtual conversion job
You can use Veritas System Recovery to convert recovery points of a physical computer to VMware virtual disk. You can create a schedule to convert recovery points to a VMware virtual disk (.vmdk format) or a Microsoft virtual disk (.vhd format).
Note:
If the disk sector size is 4K, the Microsoft virtual disk can only be converted to a .vhdx format.
You can also convert recovery points directly to VMware ESXi Server. Virtual disks are excellent for testing and evaluation purposes.
Note:
You cannot convert a 4K disk to a .vmdk format.
You can find a list of platforms that support the virtual disks that are created from recovery points in the software compatibility list. The software compatibility list is available at the following URL:
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/search-results.html?keyword=V-306-17*
Scheduled conversions use the system index file (.sv2i) to convert recovery points to virtual disks. The .sv2i file reduces the time it takes to convert multiple recovery points. When a recovery point is created, a .sv2i file is saved with it. The .sv2i file contains a list of the most recent recovery points, which includes the original drive location of each recovery point.
You can also create a one-time virtual conversion.
See Running a one-time conversion of a physical recovery point to a virtual disk.
To define a virtual conversion job
- On the Tasks menu, click Run or Manage Virtual Conversions.
- On the toolbar, click Define New.
- Select the virtual disk type (and version, if applicable) that you want to create, and then click Next.
VMware Virtual Disk (.vmdk)
Converts the recovery points to a .vmdk format.
This format only supports Workstation version 8.
VMware ESXi Server
Converts the recovery points to a VMware ESXi Server.
Note:
Veritas System Recovery 16.0.2 no longer supports physical to virtual conversion for ESXi on a 32-bit operating system.
Microsoft Virtual Disk
Converts the recovery points to a .vhd or .vhdx format. The .vhd format is supported for all versions before Windows 8 and the .vhdx format is supported for Windows 8 and above.
Note:
The Microsoft Virtual Disk type supports .vhd and .vhdx conversions. The .vhd conversion is available for all operating systems. The .vhdx conversion is only available for Windows 8/2012 R2 and above. If the sector size is 4K, the virtual disk can only be converted to a .vhdx format.
- In the Source panel, select the recovery points you want to convert, and then click Next.
Note:
If you have specified a password while defining a backup job, the Enter Password dialog box is displayed. Enter the password that you specified when you created the backup job and click OK.
Perform conversion using latest recovery points for this computer
Converts the most recent recovery points that exist in the recovery point storage location on your computer.
The list of drives, source files (.v2i and .iv2i files), and dates comes from the most current system index file (.sv2i).
Perform conversion using recovery points for another computer
Converts the recovery points that exist on another computer.
Browse to and select the .sv2i file for the desired system
Specifies a path to a system index file (.sv2i) that resides elsewhere, such as a network location.
If the recovery point is located in a hidden drive, you must specify the location of the hidden drive in the following format:
DiskNo-PartitionNo\Filename.sv2i
For example, if the hidden drive location is on Disk 2 and Partition 3, you must enter 2-3\file.sv2i. Where 2 is the disk number and 3 is the partition number.
If you selected a system index file that is stored on a network, you are prompted for your network credentials.
Browse
Lets you browse to a path that contains a system index file.
For example, you can browse to an external (USB) drive, a network location, or to removable media to select a system index file.
Drives
Lets you select the drives with the recovery points that you want to convert based on the selected system index file.
Sector Size
Displays the sector size as 4K or 512.
- In the Virtual Disks Destination panel, set the options you want based on the virtual disk format and version (if applicable) that you selected earlier. Then click Next.
Note:
Veritas recommends that you select a secure remote network location as the virtual conversion over a network is unencrypted. If the virtual disk files and images are stored on a local computer, select a protected folder. Only privileged users or an administrator should have the rights to access the folder. The recommendation also applies to a one-time virtual conversion of a recovery point to a virtual disk.
Virtual Disks Destination options for converting to VMware virtual disk or Microsoft virtual disk
Folder for virtual disks
Lets you type the path to the folder where you want to place the virtual disk files.
Note:
When you select a path to place the virtual disk files, the Sector Size of the source and the destination must be the same.
Browse
Lets you browse to locate the folder in which you want to place the virtual disk files.
User name
Lets you type the user name if you specified a virtual disk folder location on a network
Password
Specifies the password to a network path.
Create one virtual disk per volume
Creates one virtual disk file per volume.
If you do not select this option, each drive is matched to its respective hard drive letter assignment during the conversion. Therefore, it results in multiple drives within one virtual disk file.
Note:
This option is not available if the volumes are on separate disks.
Rename
Lets you edit the file name of the resulting virtual disk file.
Virtual Disks Destination options for converting to VMware ESXi Server
ESXi server name or IP address
Lets you type the name of the server or the server's IP address.
User name
Lets you type a valid administrator user name that has sufficient rights to an ESXi server.
Password
Lets you type a valid password to the ESXi server.
Destination for the virtual disks
Lets you type the path to the folder where you want to place the virtual disk files.
Browse
Lets you browse to a destination location for the virtual disks.
Rename
Lets you edit the name of the resulting virtual disk file.
Next
Specifies the additional options for VMware ESXi Server virtual disks.
Temporary location for conversion
Lets you type the name of the server or the server's IP address that you can use as a temporary location for files.
Temporary Location Credentials
Lets you type a valid administrator user name and password that has sufficient rights.
- In the General Options panel set the conversion options you want, and then click Next.
Conversion job name
Lets you type a name for the virtual conversion job or you can leave the default name.
Split virtual disk into 2 GB (.vmdk) files
Lets you split the virtual disk into multiple 2 GB .vmdk files.
For example, use this option if your virtual disk is stored on a FAT32 drive. Or, any file system that does not support files larger than 2 GB. Or, if you want to copy the virtual disk files to a DVD but the size is larger than the DVD allows.
Note:
This option is specific to VMware; it is not available if you selected Microsoft Virtual Disk as the conversion format.
- In the Conversion Time panel, set the conversion job schedule that you want, and then click Next.
Conversion Time options for a Weekly schedule
Automatically convert latest recovery points - Weekly
Converts the latest recovery points to virtual disks using a weekly schedule.
Default
Uses the default conversion schedule.
Start time
Lets you select the time you want the conversion to start.
Days
Lets you select the day of the week that you want the conversion to take place.
Run more than once per day
Converts the recovery points multiple times throughout a day.
Time between conversions
Lets you select the amount of time to elapse before the next conversion.
Number of times
Specifies the number of times that you want the conversion to occur, beginning from the selected start time.
Details
Displays the conversion time information you have selected.
Conversion Time options for a Monthly schedule
Automatically convert latest recovery points - Monthly
Converts the latest recovery points to virtual disks using a monthly schedule.
Default
Lets you use the default conversion schedule.
Start time
Lets you select the time you want the conversion to start.
Days of the month
Lets you select the day of the month that you want the conversion to take place.
Details
Displays the conversion time information you have selected.
Conversion Time options for an Only Run Once schedule
Automatically convert latest recovery points - Only run once
Runs the conversion one time on the date and at the time that you specify.
Date
Lets you select the day, month, and year that you want the conversion to run.
Time
Lets you select the time that you want the conversion to start.
Details
Displays the conversion time information you have selected.
- If you want to run the new conversion job immediately, click Run conversion now.
This option is not available if you selected the Only run once option in the Conversion Time panel.
- Click Finish.
See Viewing the properties of a virtual conversion job.
See Viewing the progress of a virtual conversion job.
See Editing a virtual conversion job.