Preview virtual machine restore operations

You can use the -preview parameter to verify the results of a restore operation without restoring virtual machines (VMs). The -preview parameter provides a list of VMs that will be restored and information about the VMs. To understand how to use the -preview parameter with the restore vm command, review information about the options that are displayed and examples of the restore vm -preview command.

The -preview parameter returns options and their values only if the options override the default values or if no default exists.

When you issue the -preview parameter with the restore vm command, the restore operation does not start. The restore operation starts only if the -preview parameter is removed from the command.

You can use the -preview parameter with any valid restore vm command.

Example

Task
Preview the operation to restore all VMs to new VMs in the d:\vmstorage directory. The new VM names are composed of the original VM name, which is appended with the time stamp of the restore.
Issue the following command:
dsmc restore vm * -vmname="*_<timestamp>" -targetpath=d:\vmstorage\ 
-preview
Command output:
IBM Spectrum Protect
Command Line Backup-Archive Client Interface
  Client Version 8, Release 1, Level 7.0
  Client date/time: 10/02/2018 14:20:25
(c) Copyright by IBM Corporation and other(s) 1990, 2019. All Rights Reserved.

Node Name: HYPERVTEST
Session established with server ASANA2: Linux/x86_64
  Server Version 7, Release 1, Level 9.000
  Server date/time: 10/02/2018 14:18:30  Last access: 10/02/2018 14:05:26

Restore function invoked.



Restore VM command started.  Total number of virtual machines to process: 3
1.      Virtual machine name: 'HEISENBERG.RESTORED'
        Mode: 'Incremental Forever - Incremental'
        Backup time: IFINCR 07/20/2018 06:59:16

        Disk 1 label:           'Hard Disk 1'
        Disk 1 name:            'IDE 0 0|HEISENBERG (Windows 2012 R2) Disk 1.vhdx'
        Disk 1 status:          Selected
        Disk 1 capacity:        136,365,211,648
        Disk 1 data to send:    9,965,666,304

        Destination name:       'HEISENBERG.RESTORED_10-02-2018_14-20-34'
        Target Path:            'd:\vmstorage\'


2.      Virtual machine name: 'fremont1vm8'
        Mode: 'Incremental Forever - Full'
        Backup time: IFFULL 07/31/2018 11:33:43

        Disk 1 label:           'Hard Disk 1'
        Disk 1 name:            'IDE 0 0|fremont1vm8.vhdx'
        Disk 1 status:          Selected
        Disk 1 capacity:        42,949,672,960
        Disk 1 data to send:    8,426,356,736

        Destination name:       'fremont1vm8_10-02-2018_14-20-34'
        Target Path:            'd:\vmstorage\'


3.      Virtual machine name: 'HEISENBERG (Windows 2012 R2)'
        Mode: 'Incremental Forever - Incremental'
        Backup time: IFINCR 09/17/2018 09:39:01

        Disk 1 label:           'Hard Disk 1'
        Disk 1 name:            'IDE 0 0|HEISENBERG (Windows 2012 R2) Disk 1.vhdx'
        Disk 1 status:          Selected
        Disk 1 capacity:        136,365,211,648
        Disk 1 data to send:    9,730,785,280

        Disk 2 label:           'Hard Disk 2'
        Disk 2 name:            'IDE 1 1|Data  Disk 1.vhdx'
        Disk 2 status:          Selected
        Disk 2 capacity:        2,147,483,648
        Disk 2 data to send:    134,217,728

        Disk 3 label:           'Hard Disk 3'
        Disk 3 name:            'SCSI 0 0|Data Disk 2.vhdx'
        Disk 3 status:          Selected
        Disk 3 capacity:        1,073,741,824
        Disk 3 data to send:    100,663,296

        Destination name:       'HEISENBERG (Windows 2012 R2)_10-02-2018_14-20-34'
        Target Path:            'd:\vmstorage\'
Task
Preview the operation to restore all VMs except for the VM named "fremont1vm8" to new VMs in the d:\vmstorage directory. The new VM names are composed of the original VM name, which is appended with the time stamp of the restore.
Issue the following command:
dsmc restore vm vm=*;-vm=fremont1vm8 -vmname="*_<timestamp>" 
-targetpath=d:\vmstorage\ -preview
Command output:
IBM Spectrum Protect
Command Line Backup-Archive Client Interface
  Client Version 8, Release 1, Level 7.0 
  Client date/time: 10/02/2018 14:24:13
(c) Copyright by IBM Corporation and other(s) 1990, 2019. All Rights Reserved.

Node Name: HYPERVTEST
Session established with server ASANA2: Linux/x86_64
  Server Version 7, Release 1, Level 9.000
  Server date/time: 10/02/2018 14:22:17  Last access: 10/02/2018 14:18:37

Restore function invoked.



Restore VM command started.  Total number of virtual machines to process: 2
1.      Virtual machine name: 'HEISENBERG.RESTORED'
        Mode: 'Incremental Forever - Incremental'
        Backup time: IFINCR 07/20/2018 06:59:16

        Disk 1 label:           'Hard Disk 1'
        Disk 1 name:            'IDE 0 0|HEISENBERG (Windows 2012 R2) Disk 1.vhdx'
        Disk 1 status:          Selected
        Disk 1 capacity:        136,365,211,648
        Disk 1 data to send:    9,965,666,304

        Destination name:       'HEISENBERG.RESTORED_10-02-2018_14-24-21'
        Target Path:            'd:\vmstorage\'


2.      Virtual machine name: 'HEISENBERG (Windows 2012 R2)'
        Mode: 'Incremental Forever - Incremental'
        Backup time: IFINCR 09/17/2018 09:39:01

        Disk 1 label:           'Hard Disk 1'
        Disk 1 name:            'IDE 0 0|HEISENBERG (Windows 2012 R2) Disk 1.vhdx'
        Disk 1 status:          Selected
        Disk 1 capacity:        136,365,211,648
        Disk 1 data to send:    9,730,785,280

        Disk 2 label:           'Hard Disk 2'
        Disk 2 name:            'IDE 1 1|Data  Disk 1.vhdx'
        Disk 2 status:          Selected
        Disk 2 capacity:        2,147,483,648
        Disk 2 data to send:    134,217,728

        Disk 3 label:           'Hard Disk 3'
        Disk 3 name:            'SCSI 0 0|Data Disk 2.vhdx'
        Disk 3 status:          Selected
        Disk 3 capacity:        1,073,741,824
        Disk 3 data to send:    100,663,296

        Destination name:       'HEISENBERG (Windows 2012 R2)_10-02-2018_14-24-21'
        Target Path:            'd:\vmstorage\'