Many of you might be familiar with the backup job configuration, scheduling and restore process in Vembu BDR v3.0. Let us move forward and learn how to boot a flat VMDK file directly from an NFS (Network File System) share drive through the following screenshots walkthrough.

Backup Restore:

  • Once configured backups for Disk image/ VMware/ Hyper-V  are completed, proceed with the recovery progress using download as VMDK_FLAT and enter the restore location to a local drive.

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  • Check restore location and data to verify that the restore process completed successfully.

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Enable Share Access:

  • Enable NFS share permission to the restored data folder, and enter an NFS folder name (‘win7extended’) to make it shareable in the Network File System.

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  • The restored data folder with enabled NFS sharing, is shown below.

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DataStore Creation:

  • Login ESXi server to create datastore using NFS share.

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  • Under ‘Hardware’ → select ‘Storage’ and under ‘Datastores’ → select ‘Add Storage’.

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  • Select storage type as ‘Network File System’ and hit ‘Next’

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  • Update ‘Backup server name’, ‘NFS share location’ and ‘Datastore name’ and proceed.

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  • Verify the details entered and confirm VMFS datastore creation by clicking ‘Finish’.

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  • Verify that a datastore named ‘NFSsharemount’ has been created.

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VM creation using NFS share datastore:

  • Select New Virtual Machine and proceed with VM creation.

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  • Choose custom configuration to create VM.

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  • Enter VM name.

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  • Select datastore in ESXi server.

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  • Select VM version as 8.

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  • Choose guest operating system as Windows and select version.

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  • Proceed with default selections for CPUs, Memory, Network, SCSI controller.

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  • Choose to use existing virtual machine disk under ‘Select a Disk’ and proceed.

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  • Browse NFS share datastore – ‘NFSsharemount’ for existing disk selection and select the restored vmdk file.

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  • Proceed with advanced options and complete VM creation verifying settings.

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  • VM is created and booting fine from the NFS shared datastore.

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Pre Requirement reference links:

  • To enable NFS server:

http://blogs.technet.com/b/filecab/archive/2012/10/08/server-for-network-file-system-first-share-end-to-end.aspx

  • To enable NFS client:

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/saponsqlserver/archive/2011/02/04/installation-amp-configuration-of-windows-nfs-client-to-enable-unix-to-windows-to-mount-a-unix-file-system.aspx
or
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc753302%28v=ws.10%29.aspx

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