Protecting virtual machine disks by setting the disk protection

Select the virtual machine (VM) disks to include in virtual machine backups.

About this task

VM disks are identified by the disk number. For example, in most cases, disk 1 is the system disk.

Complete this procedure if you want to change the default backup behavior, which includes all VM disks in a backup operation. You can also change a non-default behavior that is inherited from a parent object.

Procedure

  1. Select an inventory object in the vSphere Web Client and complete one of the following actions. You can select a datacenter, folder (Host and Cluster folders and VM and Template folders), host, host cluster, resource pool, or VM.
    • Click Actions > IBM Spectrum Protect > Manage Data Protection.
    • VMware vSphere 6.0 or earlier: Click Manage > IBM Spectrum Protect > Edit.
    • VMware vSphere 6.5 or later: Click Configure > IBM Spectrum Protect > Edit.
  2. Select one of the following items from the Disk protection field in the IBM Spectrum Protect window.
    All disks
    Includes all disks in a VM backup.
    All disks except disk 1
    Includes all disks except disk 1 in a VM backup.
    Only disk 1
    Includes only disk 1 in a VM backup.
    Only disks n,n,n,...
    Includes a custom set of disks in a VM backup. For example, Only disks 1,3,5 backs up only disks 1, 3, and 5.

    This item is available only if the Disk Backup List category and the Include:disk number,disk number,... tag value are set outside of the IBM Spectrum Protect window. For example, the tag Include:1,3,5 includes only disks 1, 3, and 5 in a VM backup.

    All disks except disks n,n,n,...
    Includes all disks except a custom set of disks in a VM backup. For example, All disks except disks 2,3,4 backs up all disks except for disks 2, 3, and 4.

    This item is available only if the Disk Backup List category and the Exclude:disk number,disk number,... tag value are set outside of the IBM Spectrum Protect window. For example, with the tag, Exclude:2,3,4, all disks are backed up except for disks 2, 3, and 4.

    If you do not specify the disks to include or exclude and no inherited setting exists, all virtual machine disks are backed up.

    Tip: If an inheritance icon and object name are displayed in a field, the data protection setting that is shown is inherited from that higher-level inventory object. By changing this setting, you are overriding the inherited property for the current object level and any lower-level objects. For more information about inheritance of data protection settings, see Inheritance of data protection settings.
  3. Click OK.

    For more information about the OK and Clear Local Settings buttons, see Configuring backup policies.