The Backups tab of the STORServer Virtual Machine Backup Settings dialog box is where you specify the default backup technology that STORServer VMB will use for all virtual machine backup operations unless otherwise specified (in virtual machine client properties). This is also where you specify other backup-related settings for virtual machine client backups.
Tip! The Browse buttons on this tab are available only when the VMB client that you are using resides on the same system as the VMB server.
The Backups tab has the following sections and settings:
Default Backup Technology
Select the backup technology that you want STORServer VMB to use by default for all virtual machine clients, including new ones that are added to your environment. You may configure individual virtual machine clients to use the other backup technology as needed.
Client properties supercede the selection made here.
NOTE! Each backup technology has different prerequisite software
requirements, as described in the STORServer VMB readme file (located in the VMB install directory, C:\Program Files\STORServer\Agent for Vcb, by default).
Before changing this setting, verify that your backup server and storage environment meet the appropriate requirements.
See related topics for more information on the supported backup technologies.
Use VMware Virtual Disk Development Kit (VDDK)
Select to have STORServer VMB use VDDK as the underlying technology when performing backups and archives, and specify the directory where the VDDK software resides.
By default, this option is selected and the following location is specified:
C:\Program Files\STORServer\Agent for VCB\VDDK
NOTE! If you change the VDDK directory specification for any reason, you must restart the VMB server.
Use Tivoli Storage Manager for Virtual Environments (TSM for VE)
Select to have STORServer VMB use TSM for VE as the underlying technology when
performing backups. (STORServer VMB uses VDDK technology for all archive operations.)
SeeConfiguring STORServer VMB to use TSM for VEfor additional steps that may be necessary.
Backup Settings
Maximum concurrent backups
Defines the maximum number of operations (backups, archives, restores) that VMB may perform in parallel. The default value is 2. You may specify a value from 1 to 16. You might have to experiment to determine the maximum setting supported by your network
bandwidth and resources.
If your backups do not complete in a reasonable amount of time, try increasing this value.
If contention issues occur during backups, you may need to decrease this value.
Number of days to save TSM client log and dynamic client options files
Defines the number of days to save the TSM client logs and the dynamic client options files that are created by STORServer VMB. Valid values are 0 to 99 days. By default, both of these file types are automatically deleted after a backup and this option is set to 0 (zero).
Client logs generated by TSM are a source of information for the VMB client logs discussed inError logs. You can view VMB client logs from the Status tab. Retaining the source TSM client logs may be useful when you are using a script to collect logs, for example.
Snapshot directory
(Valid with VDDK backup technology only.) Defines the directory under which virtual machine snapshots will be mounted. For example: D:\mnt.
Tip! You can override this setting for specific clients by specifying a different snapshot directory in client properties. SeeEditing Client Properties.
Type of name to use when registering virtual machine clients
NOTE! Do not change this setting after backing up virtual machine clients.
Otherwise, VMB may be unable to locate client data when restoring a client that was backed up under a different name.
Specify the type of name that you want STORServer VMB to use when registering a virtual machine client with a TSM server, which happens automatically the first time a schedule or on-demand job runs. Select either of the following name types:
l Virtual machine name: (Selected by default.) Instructs VMB to use the virtual machine name when registering a virtual machine client. Names that do not comply with TSM guidelines for client node names will be modified by STORServer VMB as follows:
n Names that exceed 64 characters are truncated to comply with TSM restrictions.
n Illegal characters are converted to underscores. TSM client node names may include the following characters:
A through Z, a through z, 0 through 9, . (period), - (hyphen), _ (underscore), + (plus sign), & (ampersand)
l Local hostname: Select to instruct VMB to use the local hostname of the virtual machine when registering it with the TSM server.
Datacenter Nodes
(Valid with TSM for VE backup technology only.) Enable the use of datacenter nodes, and define datacenter nodes and passwords in this section. These settings apply to ALL client backups performed by STORServer VMB using the TSM for VE technology. They cannot be applied on a client-by-client basis.
NOTE! Each datacenter node that you define must be registered on the TSM server using the same node name and password as defined here. STORServer VMB does not register datacenter nodes.
Use datacenter nodes for TSM for VE backups
Select this check box to have STORServer VMB use datacenter nodes when storing file space data. You must also define the datacenter node names and passwords here, and then register the datacenter nodes with the TSM server. When VMB backs up a virtual machine client that belongs to a datacenter, the file space name appears under the datacenter node name in TSM.
In the following file space example, DatacenterNode_1 is the datacenter node, and MsExchangeSrv1 and EngDevoTest6 are the virtual machines that were backed up to the TSM server. (TSM for VE adds the VMFULL- prefix to each virtual machine name, for both full and incremental backups.)
DatacenterNode_1\VMFULL–MsExchangeSrv1
\VMFULL-EngDevoTest6 Datacenter column
Lists the datacenters that are currently defined in your vCenter Server, and any that you added to the STORServer VMB database. Datacenters added to VMB do not exist in vCenter Server, and are marked with an asterisk (*). These datacenters are the only ones that can be deleted from STORServer VMB. (Others must be managed from vCenter Server.)
Tip! Click twice on the datacenter name to edit it.
See the description of the Add Datacenter button for more details.
Node Name column
Use the REGISTER NODE command from the TSM Administrative Command Line interface to register each datacenter node with the TSM server. Specify the exact same node name and password as specified here.
Specify a unique name for the datacenter node. The datacenter name is used by default, and may be modified to comply with TSM node name restrictions. (For example, any spaces in the datacenter name are replaced with underscores in the default datacenter node name.) You may use the default name or specify a different one. The name that you specify must comply with TSM node name naming conventions. The following characters may be used in a TSM node name: A-Z, 0-9, _ (underscore), . (period), - (hyphen), + (plus sign), and & (ampersand). TSM node names are not case sensitive. The maximum number of characters permitted is 64.
Tip! Click twice on a node name to edit it.
Password column
Specify a password for the datacenter node. If this field is left blank, the datacenter node name is used by default. To specify a different password, enter it here. Refer to theIBM TSM documentationfor client node password guidelines.
Add Datacenter
Adds a datacenter to the STORServer VMB database only. (This datacenter is not saved in vCenter Server.) datacenters that you add to STORServer VMB have an asterisk next to their name to differentiate them from actual vCenter Server datacenters. You may modify or delete these datacenters, unlike vCenter Server datacenters, which must be managed from vCenter Server.
This feature is useful when you need to restore virtual machine data from a datacenter node in TSM, but the datacenter itself no longer exists in vCenter Server. You can use this command to temporarily redefine the old datacenter in STORServer VMB, along with the appropriate datacenter node name and password, to allow the restore.
NOTE! Datacenter names are case-sensitive.
Delete Datacenter
Deletes the selected datacenter. Only datacenters that were added from STORServer VMB (those marked with an asterisk) can be deleted. Datacenters that are defined in vCenter server must be managed from vCenter Server.
Global Options
This is where you define the client options file and/or include-exclude options file that will be applied to all virtual machine clients during backup, archive, and restore operations.
STORServer VMB appends these options to the dynamic client options file that is submitted
to TSM for processing during each operation. SeeUsing client options with STORServer VMBfor more details.
Tip! You can override these options for selected clients only by creating additional client options files and configuring specific virtual machine clients to use them. Client-specific client options take precedence over global options.
Global options file
Browse to or enter the full path and file name of a global client options file that resides on the backup server.
Global include-exclude file
Browse to or enter the full path and file name of a global include-exclude options file that resides on the backup server.