Restoring full VM backups that were created with VMware Consolidated Backup

You can restore a full VMware backup to re-create all of the files for a VMware virtual machine (VM). Complete these steps to restore full VM backups that were created by using VMware Consolidated Backup (VCB) running on IBM Spectrum Protect™ Version 6.2.0 or earlier.

1. Depending on the target location for the restore, complete the appropriate step:
   • If the restore of the full VM backup is going to overwrite the existing VMware virtual machine, delete the existing virtual machine.
   • If you restore the full VM backup to a new virtual machine, you do not need to delete the existing virtual machine. You can delete the existing virtual machine, otherwise proceed to the next step.
2. Query the virtual machine for full VMware backups, by completing the following steps:
   1. From the off-host backup server, run the following command:

      dsmc q vm * 

      The command lists the available backups, for example:

        #       Backup Date       Mgmt Class           Type   A/I Virtual Machine
      ---     -----------       ----------           ----   --- ---------------
        1   12/03/2009 03:05:03   DEFAULT              VMFULL  A  vm_guest1
        2   09/02/2010 10:45:09   DEFAULT              VMFULL  A  vm_guest11
        3   09/02/2010 09:34:40   DEFAULT              VMFULL  A  vm_guest12
        4   09/02/2010 10:10:10   DEFAULT              VMFULL  A  vm_guest13
        5   12/04/2009 20:39:35   DEFAULT              VMFULL  A  vm_guest14
        6   09/02/2010 11:15:18   DEFAULT              VMFULL  A  vm_guest15
        7   09/02/2010 02:52:44   DEFAULT              VMFULL  A  vm_guest16
        8   08/05/2010 04:28:03   DEFAULT              VMFULL  A  vm_guest17
        9   08/05/2010 05:20:27   DEFAULT              VMFULL  A  vm_guest18
       10   08/12/2010 04:06:13   DEFAULT              VMFULL  A  vm_guest19
       11   09/02/2010 00:47:01   DEFAULT              VMFULL  A  vm_guest7
       12   09/02/2010 01:59:02   DEFAULT              VMFULL  A  vm_guest8
       13   09/02/2010 05:20:42   DEFAULT              VMFULL  A  vm_guest9
      ANS1900I Return code is 0.
      ANS1901I Highest return code was 0.

   2. From the results that are returned by the query command, identify a virtual machine to restore.
3. Restore the full VMware backup, by using the restore vm command. To restore a virtual machine from a specific point in time, include the -pitdate and -pittime options, for example:

   dsmc restore vm my_vm_name destination -pitdate=date -pittime=hh:mm:ss

   Where:

   my_vm_name

   Name of the virtual machine that you are restoring.

   destination

   Directory location for the restored vmdk file.

   -pitdate

   Date that the backup was created.

   -pittime

   Time that the backup was created.

4. When the restore is completed, the following message is returned. Enter Y.

   Virtual Infrastructure Client or VMware Converter tool 
   can be used to redefine virtual machine to the VMware Virtual Center Inventory.
   
   Would you like to launch VMware Converter now? (Yes (Y)/No (N))

   Tip: If you enter N, the command-line returns without opening the VMware Converter. However, you must convert the image before the image can be restored.
5. To convert the restored VCB image into a virtual machine on a VMware server by using the VMware vCenter Converter tool, complete following steps:
   1. From the Windows Start menu, open the Converter tool.
   2. From the Converter tool, click Convert Machine.
   3. In the Virtual machine file field, enter the location of the restored .vmx file.
      Tip: The .vmx file is restored to the directory specified by the vmbackdir option of the restore vm command.
   4. Follow the remaining steps in the wizard to convert the full VM backup.
6. When the restore is complete, the virtual machine is powered off. Start the virtual machine from the VMware vCenter.