Veritas™ System Recovery 21 User's Guide

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Product(s): System Recovery (21)
  1. Introducing Veritas System Recovery
    1.  
      About Veritas System Recovery
    2.  
      The components of Veritas System Recovery
    3.  
      Accessing Help and Support for Veritas System Recovery
    4.  
      Sending your feedback regarding Veritas System Recovery 21
    5.  
      Accessing Veritas QuickAssist (VQA)
    6.  
      Updating Veritas System Recovery with Veritas Update
  2. Installing Veritas System Recovery
    1.  
      System requirements for Veritas System Recovery
    2.  
      Supported file systems, disk types, disk partition schemes, and removable media
    3.  
      Feature availability in Veritas System Recovery
    4.  
      About the trial version of Veritas System Recovery
    5. Installing Veritas System Recovery
      1.  
        Activating and setting up Veritas System Recovery after installation
      2.  
        Activating Veritas System Recovery after the trial period
    6.  
      Uninstalling Veritas System Recovery
    7.  
      System requirements for Veritas System Recovery Monitor
    8.  
      Installing Veritas System Recovery Monitor
  3. Ensuring the recovery of your computer
    1. Creating a new Veritas System Recovery Disk
      1.  
        Welcome Panel
      2. Creation Options
        1.  
          Veritas System Recovery Disk recovery matrix
        2.  
          Veritas System Recovery Disk customization support matrix
        3.  
          Non-availability of the Typical option
      3.  
        Download and install Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK)
      4.  
        Languages Options
      5.  
        Veritas System Recovery Disk Storage Media/Destination Options
      6.  
        Licensed Features Options
      7. Storage and Network Drivers Options
        1.  
          Adding a Storage or Network Driver
      8.  
        Startup Options
      9.  
        Network Options
      10.  
        Setup LightsOut Restore Options
    2. Customizing an existing Veritas System Recovery Disk
      1.  
        Welcome Panel
      2.  
        Recovery Disk Source Options
      3. Veritas System Recovery Disk Storage Media/Destination Options
        1.  
          How to add new drivers or driver versions to the Veritas System Recovery Disk
      4.  
        Licensed Features Options
      5. Storage and Network Drivers Options
        1.  
          Adding a Storage or Network Driver
      6.  
        Startup Options
      7.  
        Network Options
    3. About restoring a computer from a remote location by using LightsOut Restore
      1. Configuring LightsOut Restore
        1.  
          Welcome Panel
        2.  
          Source Location Options
        3.  
          Licensed Features Options
        4. Storage and Network Drivers Options
          1.  
            Adding a Storage or Network Driver
        5.  
          Startup Options
        6.  
          Network Options
        7.  
          Setup LightsOut Restore Options
    4.  
      Testing the Veritas System Recovery Disk
  4. Getting Started
    1.  
      How to use Veritas System Recovery
    2.  
      Starting Veritas System Recovery
    3.  
      Configuring Veritas System Recovery default options
    4. Setting up default general backup options
      1.  
        Setting a default backup destination
    5.  
      Improving your computer's performance during a backup
    6.  
      Enabling network throttling
    7.  
      Setting default options for the Windows notification area
    8. File types and file extension
      1.  
        Adding new file types and extensions
      2.  
        Renaming file types and extensions
      3.  
        Restoring default file types and extensions
      4.  
        Deleting a file type and all of its extensions
    9.  
      Removing or changing the unique name for an external drive
    10.  
      Configuring default FTP settings for use with Offsite Copy
    11.  
      Logging Veritas System Recovery messages
    12.  
      Enabling email notifications for product (event) messages
    13.  
      Setting up your first backup using Easy Setup
    14.  
      Home page
    15.  
      Status page
    16.  
      Tasks page
    17.  
      Tools page
    18.  
      Advanced page
    19.  
      Using Veritas System Recovery RESTful Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)
  5. Best practices for backing up your data
    1.  
      About backing up your data
    2.  
      Best practices for backing up data
    3.  
      What to do when a backup is finished
    4.  
      Tips for running defined backups
    5.  
      Backup destinations
    6.  
      Backing up dual-boot computers
    7.  
      Manually validating recovery points
  6. Backing up entire drives
    1. Defining a drive-based backup
      1. USB disk rotation
        1.  
          How USB disk rotation works
      2.  
        Rules for network credentials
      3.  
        Running command files during a backup
      4.  
        Editing backup options
      5.  
        Verifying the integrity of a recovery point
      6.  
        Viewing the progress of a backup
      7.  
        Recovery point encryption
    2.  
      Compression levels for recovery points
    3.  
      Running a one-time backup from Veritas System Recovery
    4.  
      Running a backup from Veritas System Recovery Disk
    5.  
      How Offsite Copy works
  7. Backing up files and folders
    1.  
      Backing up files and folders
  8. Running and managing backup jobs
    1. Running an existing backup job immediately
      1.  
        Running a backup to create an alternate type of recovery point
    2.  
      Adjusting the speed of a backup
    3.  
      Stopping a backup or a recovery task
    4.  
      Verifying that a backup is successful
    5.  
      Viewing the properties of a backup job
    6.  
      Editing backup settings
    7.  
      Enabling event-triggered backups
    8.  
      Editing a backup schedule
    9.  
      Disabling or enabling a backup job
    10.  
      Deleting backup jobs
    11.  
      Adding users who can back up your computer
    12.  
      Configuring access rights for users or groups
  9. Backing up remote computers from your computer
    1. About backing up other computers from your computer
      1.  
        Adding remote computers to the Computer List
      2.  
        Adding local computers to the Computer List
      3.  
        Removing a computer from the Computer List
    2. About the Veritas System Recovery Agent
      1.  
        Using the Veritas System Recovery Agent
      2.  
        About managing the Veritas System Recovery Agent through Windows Services
    3. About deploying the Veritas System Recovery Agent
      1.  
        Preparing a computer in a workgroup environment to deploy the Veritas System Recovery Agent
      2.  
        Deploying the Veritas System Recovery Agent
      3.  
        Manually installing the Veritas System Recovery Agent
    4. Best practices for Veritas System Recovery services
      1.  
        Opening Windows services
      2.  
        Starting or stopping the Veritas System Recovery Agent service
      3.  
        Setting up recovery actions when the Veritas System Recovery Agent does not start
    5.  
      Viewing Veritas System Recovery Agent dependencies
    6. About controlling access to Veritas System Recovery
      1.  
        Enabling users or groups to access Veritas System Recovery
      2.  
        Changing permissions for a user or a group
      3.  
        Disabling access for users or groups to Veritas System Recovery
      4.  
        Running Veritas System Recovery using different user rights
  10. Monitoring the status of your backups
    1. About monitoring backups
      1.  
        Refreshing the information that displays about hard disk configuration changes
    2.  
      Icons on the Home page
    3.  
      Icons on the Status page
    4.  
      Configuring Veritas System Recovery to send SNMP traps
    5.  
      Customizing the status reporting of a drive (or file and folder backups)
    6.  
      Viewing drive details
    7.  
      Improving the protection level of a drive
    8.  
      About using event log information to troubleshoot problems
  11. Monitoring the backup status of remote computers using Veritas System Recovery Monitor
    1.  
      About Veritas System Recovery Monitor
    2.  
      Starting Veritas System Recovery Monitor
    3.  
      Icons on the Veritas System Recovery Monitor console
    4.  
      Configuring Veritas System Recovery Monitor default options
    5. Adding a remote computer to the Computer List
      1.  
        Importing a text file to add multiple remote computers to the Computer List
    6.  
      Modifying the logon credentials for the remote computers
    7.  
      Removing a remote computer from the Computer List
    8.  
      Viewing the backup protection status of a remote computer
    9.  
      Viewing the Protection Status report
  12. Exploring the contents of a recovery point
    1.  
      About exploring recovery points
    2. Exploring a recovery point through Windows Explorer
      1.  
        Mounting a recovery point from Windows Explorer
    3.  
      Opening and restoring files within a recovery point browser
    4.  
      Dismounting a recovery point drive
    5.  
      Viewing the drive properties of a recovery point
  13. Managing backup destinations
    1.  
      About backup destinations
    2.  
      Differences between drive-based backups and file and folder backups
    3.  
      Cleaning up old recovery points
    4.  
      Deleting a recovery point set
    5.  
      Deleting recovery points within a recovery point set
    6.  
      Copying recovery points
    7. About managing file and folder backup data
      1.  
        Viewing the amount of file and folder backup data that is stored on a backup destination
      2.  
        Manually deleting files from your backups of files and folders
      3.  
        Finding versions of a file or folder
    8.  
      Automating the management of backup data
    9.  
      Moving your backup destination
    10.  
      About support of OneDrive for Business
  14. Managing virtual conversions
    1.  
      Defining a virtual conversion job
    2.  
      Running an existing virtual conversion job immediately
    3.  
      Viewing the properties of a virtual conversion job
    4.  
      Viewing the progress of a virtual conversion job
    5.  
      Editing a virtual conversion job
    6.  
      Deleting a virtual conversion job
    7.  
      Running a one-time conversion of a physical recovery point to a virtual disk
  15. Managing cloud storage
    1. Direct to cloud
      1.  
        Providing the OpenStorage destination path
      2.  
        OpenStorage destination options for backups
      3.  
        OpenStorage destination options for recovery
    2.  
      Downloading OpenStorage Files
    3.  
      How Offsite Copy works for cloud storage
    4. About creation of Amazon Machine Image (AMI) in Amazon from Veritas System Recovery backups
      1.  
        How to create an Amazon Machine Image (AMI)
      2.  
        How to view the conversion tasks and AMI status
    5. About S3-Compatible Cloud Storage
      1.  
        Using S3-Compatible Cloud Storage in Veritas System Recovery
    6. About Veritas System Recovery supporting Veritas Access
      1.  
        Using Veritas Access Storage in Veritas System Recovery
    7.  
      About the Cloud Instance Creator Utility
  16. Recovering files, folders, or entire drives
    1.  
      About recovering lost data
    2.  
      Recovering files and folders by using file and folder backup data
    3.  
      Recovering files and folders
    4.  
      Recovering a secondary drive
    5.  
      Recovering a drive
    6.  
      Exploring files and folders on your computer by using Veritas System Recovery Disk
    7.  
      Recovering files and folders by using Veritas System Recovery Disk
  17. Recovering a computer
    1.  
      About recovering a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)-based computer
    2. Booting a computer by using the Veritas System Recovery Disk
      1.  
        Configuring a computer to start from a USB device or DVD
    3.  
      Preparing to recover a computer by checking the hard disk for errors
    4.  
      Recovering a computer
    5.  
      Recovering a computer from a virtual disk file
    6.  
      Recovering a computer with different hardware
    7. About using the networking tools in Veritas System Recovery Disk
      1.  
        Starting networking services
      2.  
        Mapping a network drive from within Veritas System Recovery Disk
      3. Configuring network connection settings
        1.  
          Setting a status IP address to enable recovery from a recovery point on a network share or drive
        2.  
          Getting a static IP address if pinging is unsuccessful
    8.  
      Viewing the properties of a recovery point in the Veritas System Recovery Disk
    9.  
      Viewing the properties of a drive within a recovery point in the Veritas System Recovery Disk
    10.  
      About the Support Utilities
  18. Copying a hard drive
    1.  
      Preparing to copy a hard drive
    2.  
      Copying one hard drive to another hard drive
  19. Using the Veritas System Recovery Granular Restore Option
    1.  
      About the Veritas System Recovery Granular Restore Option
    2. Best practices when you create recovery points for use with the Granular Restore Option
      1.  
        Protecting your Microsoft Exchange server for successful backups
    3.  
      Starting the Granular Restore Option
    4.  
      Starting Granular Restore Option and opening a specific recovery point
    5.  
      Restoring a Microsoft Exchange mailbox
    6.  
      Restoring a Microsoft Exchange email folder
    7.  
      Restoring a Microsoft Exchange email message
    8.  
      Restoring files and folders using Granular Restore Option
  20. Appendix A. Backing up databases using Veritas System Recovery
    1.  
      About backing up databases using Veritas System Recovery
    2.  
      Creating a manual cold (offline) backup
    3.  
      Creating an automatic warm backup
    4.  
      Creating a hot (online) backup using Veritas System Recovery
  21. Appendix B. Backing up Active Directory
    1.  
      Tips for protecting a domain controller in Active Directory
  22. Appendix C. Backing up Microsoft virtual environments
    1.  
      About backing up Microsoft virtual hard disks
    2.  
      About backing up and restoring Microsoft Hyper-V virtual machines
  23. Appendix D. Using Veritas System Recovery 21 and Windows Server Core
    1.  
      About Veritas System Recovery 21 and Windows Server Core
    2.  
      Installing Veritas System Recovery 21 on Windows Server Core using commands
  24.  
    Index

Running a one-time conversion of a physical recovery point to a virtual disk

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*

You can also create scheduled recovery point conversions to virtual disks.

See Defining a virtual conversion job.

To run a one-time recovery point conversion to virtual disk

  1. On the Tasks menu, click One Time Virtual Conversion.
  2. Click 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

    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.

  3. Do one of the following:
    • Click View all recovery points near the bottom of the pane, and then select a recovery point in the list based on its creation date.

    • In the View by list, select a recovery point source.

      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.

      Source options when you view recovery points by Date

      View by - Date

      Displays all of the discovered recovery points in the order in which they were created.

      Date

      Lets you select an alternate date by using the drop-down calendar. Use the calendar if no recovery points are discovered and displayed in the table.

      View all recovery points

      Lets you view all recovery points that are available.

      Sector Size

      Lets you view the sector size, which is displayed as 4K or 512.

      Source options when you view recovery points by File name

      View by - File name

      Lets you view recovery points by their file name.

      File name

      Specifies a path and a file name of a recovery point.

      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.v2i or DiskNo-PartitionNo\Filename.iv2i

      For example, if the hidden drive location is on Disk 2 and Partition 3, you must enter 2-3\file.v2i. Where 2 is the disk number and 3 is the partition number.

      Browse

      Lets you browse to a path that contains a recovery point.

      For example, you can browse for a recovery point (.v2i) or incremental recovery point (.iv2i) file on an external (USB) drive. Or, you can browse to a network location, or removable media.

      User name

      Specifies the user name if you specify a recovery point file name that is located in a network path.

      See Rules for network credentials.

      Password

      Specifies the password to a network path.

      Source options when you view recovery points by System

      View by - System

      Lets you use the current system index file that is located in the recovery point storage location. The system index file displays a list of all of the drives on your computer and any associated recovery points from which you can select.

      The use of a system index file reduces the time it takes to convert multiple recovery points. When a recovery point is created, a system index file is saved with it. The system index file contains a list of the most recent recovery points, which includes the original drive location of each recovery point.

      Date

      Lets you select an alternate date of a system index file by using the drop-down calendar. Use the calendar if no recovery points are discovered and displayed in the table.

      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.

      See Rules for 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

      Lets you view the sector size, which is displayed as 4K or 512.

  4. Click Next.
  5. Set the virtual disk destination options based on the virtual disk format and version (if applicable) that you selected, and then click Next.

    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 folder to place the virtual disk files, the Sector Size of the source and 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

    See Rules for network credentials.

    Password

    Specifies the password to a network path.

    Create one virtual disk per volume

    Lets you create 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

    Indicates the name of the server or the server's IP address.

    User name

    Indicates a valid administrator user name that has sufficient rights to an ESXi server.

    Password

    Indicates a valid password to the ESXi server.

    Destination for the virtual disks

    Indicates 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 a temporary location 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.

  6. Set the general conversion options you want, and then click Next.

    Split virtual disk into 2 GB (.vmdk) files

    Splits 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.

  7. Review the summary of the choices you made.

    If you need to make any changes, click Back.

  8. 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.

See Running an existing virtual conversion job immediately.

See Deleting a virtual conversion job.