IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments: Data Protection for VMware updates

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Learn about new features and updates for IBM Spectrum® Protect for Virtual Environments: Data Protection for VMware Version 8.1.

Release New features and updates

V8.1.11

Improved file backup performance: This release supports the ability of vSphere 6.7 and above to back up only allocated blocks. This accelerates full backups, especially of large virtual disks, and assists incremental or differential backups. By knowing which blocks are allocated, IBM Spectrum Protect Data Protection for VMware can avoid reading uninitialized data and thus reduce data transfer during backup.

V8.1.10

Maintenance updates: This release includes updates to address APARs and defects.

V8.1.9

Maintenance updates: This release includes updates to address APARs and defects.

V8.1.8

Monitor your data protection environment across multiple backup servers from a single view

You can now view information about all completed backup and restore operations, and operation schedules, across multiple backup servers from the IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere plug-in.

After you install IBM Spectrum Protect, you can configure an initial backup server by using the setup wizard. This server is designated as the default backup server, because it continues to be the server used for the web application on the GUI host. Additional backup servers can then be added or removed by using the plug-in. The default backup server cannot be removed from the plug-in.

You can then assign multiple IBM Spectrum Protect backup servers to support data centers on a vCenter. Each data center can be associated with one backup server out of a pool of IBM Spectrum Protect servers. All the backup servers can be managed from the IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere plug-in.

Set up multiple backup servers

Use the configuration wizard to configure the default IBM Spectrum Protect backup server. For instructions, see Configuring a default backup server.

When the default back server is configured, you can use the vSphere plug-in for the following tasks:

Set up additional backup servers. For instructions, see Configuring additional backup servers.
Set up default and tagged schedules for backup servers. For instructions, see Creating schedules with additional backup servers.
Perform individual backups. For instructions, see Running individual backups.
Restore individual VMs. For instructions, see Running individual restores.

Take advantage of new installation features

For product maintainability, fixed locations are now used for all installations. The fixed installation locations are detailed in Installable components.

In previous releases, you had to manually set the LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable on the Linux operating system to enable the Data Protection for VMware data movers and mount proxies to access required libraries. For Linux GUI host and data mover installations, a file script named spve.sh is now installed in etc/profile.d to ensure that the following Data Protection for VMware executable files will have the correct path:

dsmc
dsmcad
dsmj

In all other instances, the global setting for the LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable will continue to be used. For more information about the streamlined installation process on Linux, see Configuring a new installation with the wizard on Linux.

Manually configure file restore capabilities on a secondary server on a remote Windows system

You can now manually configure file restore capabilities on a secondary IBM Spectrum Protect server on a remote Windows system. To support these capabilities, you must deploy multiple file-restore mount proxy pairs to service the secondary IBM Spectrum Protect servers. For instructions, see Manually configuring file restore capabilities in a secondary server on a remote Windows system.

In addition, you can use either a Windows mount proxy node or a Windows data mover node to run instant restore and instant access operations. For more information, see Full VM instant restore environment requirements.

V8.1.7

Back up VMs in a tagged schedule on demand

The tagschedule option enables an IBM Spectrum Protect data mover to invoke an immediate backup or rebalance of all VMs associated with a specified tagged schedule. Use the -tagschedule option with the backup VM and backup VM -preview commands to back up or rebalance the VMs that are assigned to or associated with a schedule and data mover with specified VMware tags.

The -tagschedule option can be used in two scenarios:

To run an ad hoc backup. For example, you can run an ad hoc operation to rerun a previously scheduled backup operation.
To rebalance the data movers on a tagged schedule. You can use the -VMREBALANCESCHEDULEONLY and -VMREBALANCESCHEDULEPERIOD options to rebalance the data movers on a regular basis.

For general information about this option, see Tagschedule. For detailed information about ad hoc backup, see Using tagschedule for ad hoc backups. For detailed information about rebalancing, see Using tagschedule for rebalancing.

Take advantage of the improved process for data mover deletion

When you delete data movers remotely, the deletion service now removes services and deletes configuration files that are no longer needed on the data mover machine.

View improved diagnostics for failed backup operations

All VMs that failed to backup now have an associated error code that can be selected to get more detailed information about why the VM failed to be backed up. You can download an error or schedule log from any data mover from the plug-in GUI for improved search and analysis.

If a backup operation fails, a new panel displays details on the cause of the failed backup. This panel includes a preview of the error log for the data mover that attempted the backup. You can use the new panel to download this error log to a local machine.
In the Configure -> Data movers tab, each data mover now has an action that enables you to download the error or schedule log for that data mover.
You can click on common backup failure codes to view richer detail when you are analyzing failed backup operations.

For further detail, see the topic on Managing data movers for a vCenter.

Enjoy improved usability

The following usability enhancements are provided:

The plug-in GUI provides improved visibility of backup schedules that are currently in progress.
When configuring data protection, you can now select multiple VMs, assign them to a new schedule, delete existing schedules, assign new data movers if they belong to the same schedule, and adjust other backup management settings.
Rebalancing data movers in a schedule will now give a preview of the data mover assignments for the next scheduled backup.
Web GUI no longer has configuration mode selected by default, except at an initial install.

Accept certificates for enhanced security for remote data movers

You are prompted to accept security certificates the first time you connect to or monitor remote data movers. Each data mover installation runs on a web service that creates and maintains a self-signed SSL certificate. The certificate secures operations such as interacting with a data mover, monitoring and upgrading.

You are presented with the details of the certificate the first time a connection is established and given the choice of accepting or rejecting the certificate. The certificate is then retained to secure future communications on this connection.

For instructions, see the topic on Accepting self-signed SSL certificates.. To learn about validating the certificate, see Verifying a Data Protection for VMware self-signed web server certificate.

View more detailed statistics on backup operations

After you back up VMware VMs, you can view enhanced aggregate statistics. The statistics now include information about the transport types that are used for each virtual machine, and how many virtual machines used each transport type.

See Backing up VMware virtual machines.

Take advantage of the new licensing model for unused data movers: After you install Data Protection for VMware, the IBM® License Metric Tool counts the data mover only if it is connected to an IBM Spectrum Protect server and is used for data operations. Subsequently, that data mover is always included in license calculations. Data movers that are not connected to a server and are not used for data operations are excluded from license calculations.

V8.1.6

Take advantage of the streamlined installation procedure: The installation of Data Protection for VMware is integrated into a single, simplified installation process with the suite installer. You can use the full install to install the entire product with default options, or use the advanced installation option to install a data mover (mount proxy), recovery agent, and required support packages on a system. You can still use the manual approach to installation if you require a custom environment.
For more information, see ../ve.inst/t_ve_inst_components.html.
New wizard to add remote Data Movers using the vSphere plug in GUI: If you offload backup workloads to a vStorage backup server in a vSphere environment, you can use the Data Mover wizard to set up a series of data mover nodes to run the operation and move the data to the IBM Spectrum Protect server. The new wizard for the configuration of a remote data mover eliminates a number of manual steps and suggests suitable defaults for a number of settings.
For more information about the new wizard, see Setting up data mover nodes in a vSphere environment with the plug-in GUI.
New option to flexibly configure restore operations across multiple VMs using a CSV file: The csv option enables an IBM Spectrum Protect client to use a comma-separated values (csv) file to define and apply different restore settings across a series of virtual machine restore operations.
For more information about this new method, see Csv.
New option to configure transport compression: Data Protection for VMware now supports the new NBDSSL (Network block device SSL) protocol compression options, which have been added to VMware vSphere. This LAN transport is the default when other transport mechanisms are not available, and the compression option can reduce the time that it takes to transmit a large virtual disk through compression.; For more information about this new option, see Vmvstorcom.
Support for virtual machine encryption: Data Protection for VMware supports vSphere 6.5 virtual machine encryption.; When restoring virtual machines to an encrypted state, encrypted VM Backup is restored as a non-encrypted VM. You must manually encrypt the VM after ensuring the datastore is compatible with the Encryption Policy in force where the VM is restored.
Assign individual VMs to backup schedules: In addition to scheduling for higher level containers, you can assign individual VMs to a specific schedule. This requires the Edit vSphere Tag Category and the Edit vSphere Tag privilege. You must set privileges at the vCenter Server root level to have this tagging privilege.
Datacenters have an auto-generated tagged schedule: Every datacenter configured in the configuration wizard now has an automatically created tagged schedule associated with it in the vSphere plug-in. This daily schedule can be modified within the plug-in to be associated with a different tagged data mover. Other schedule attributes can be configured from the command line or Operation Center.; For details of working with schedules, see the topic on Creating a schedule that is compatible with tagging.
The recovery agent device driver is not supported after Data Protection for VMware V8.1.4: Starting in this release, Data Protection for VMware V8.1.6, you can no longer install the recovery agent device driver. You must use the recovery agent GUI to perform iSCSI mounts.; You can no longer use the Windows mount command or Disk Management utility to directly mount a snapshot to view it locally with read-only access on the client system. If you need to directly mount a snapshot for local viewing with read-only access, use Data Protection for VMware V8.1.4 or earlier versions.

V8.1.4

New option to configure the IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere Client plug-in

The IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere Client plug-in includes advanced features that are not available in the Data Protection for VMware vSphere GUI.

A new option, Configuration mode, is now selected by default on the Data Protection for VMware vSphere GUI login page. This option allows you to enter the configuration settings that are required for the plug-in and then log in to the plug-in.

If Configuration mode is not selected, the Data Protection for VMware vSphere GUI opens.

New and enhanced configuration options in the configuration wizard

The configuration wizard that opens when Configuration mode is selected includes the following new and enhanced features. These features are also in the configuration wizard that is started from Run IBM Spectrum Protect Configuration Wizard in the Data Protection for VMware vSphere GUI. For more information about these features, see the information on the applicable wizard pages and the "Running the configuration" wizard topic in the wizard online help.

View, add, or update IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere Client plug-in registration information: The configuration wizard includes a new page, VMware vSphere Center Settings. Use this page to view, add, or update the registration information for the IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere Client plug-in.

Automatic retrieval of server security certificate

The Use SSL communication on the Admin Port check box has changed to Use encrypted communications on the admin port. This option enables secure communication to the IBM Spectrum Protect server.

When configuring a connection to the server, the configuration wizard determines whether a certificate is available. If no certificate is available, the wizard displays the server certificate that was sent as part of the SSL/TLS handshake protocol and if the user accepts the certificate, it is stored for subsequent use. This action avoids manually transferring and storing the certificate.

Auto associate a data mover to a schedule

If a schedule does not have an assigned data mover and there is a free data mover available, the data mover is automatically assigned to the schedule when the schedule is selected during configuration. A free data mover is one that has no associated schedules and passes verification.

For more information, see Selecting schedules for backing up virtual machines.

Use enhanced features for data movers

The following enhancements were made for data mover configuration:

A View option is now included for data movers so that you can view sample content for the data mover options file. This sample content provides the preferred performance and other options for the data mover. Copy these options from the sample to the options file that is on the system where the data mover is installed. You can update these options if required for your environment.
You are no longer required to manually set the password when you add a data mover. The Set Password option is removed, and the password is generated automatically.

New and enhanced features in the IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere Client plug-in in the VMware vSphere Web Client

The IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere Client plug-in provides the following new and enhanced features:

Complete configuration tasks by using the improved Getting Started tab

The following enhancements were added to the Configure the infrastructure options:

You can select a vCenter to view information for only that vCenter.
When you click View backup policy for a datacenter, the Configure Backup Policies page for the datacenter opens.

Manage data movers in a vCenter

You can view and manage the data movers that are defined for a vCenter. For example, you can add and remove the association between the data movers and the vCenter and monitor the status of the data movers.

For more information, see Managing data movers for a vCenter.

Monitoring mount proxies in a vCenter

You view and monitor the status of the mount proxies that are defined for a vCenter.

For more information, see Monitoring mount proxies for a vCenter.

Select a default data mover for a schedule

You can select the data mover that you want to set as the default for a schedule.

You are not required to select a default data mover. However, by making a selection, you ensure that new virtual machines (VMs) that do not have the Data Mover tag assigned are backed up.

For more information, see Managing backup schedules for a vCenter.

View detailed messages for mount cleanup actions

A custom vSphere task is created for mount cleanup for each restore type: instant access, instant restore, file restore, and general purpose restore. During cleanup for each restore type, you can view event messages related to the task by clicking Tasks in the vSphere Web Client object navigator or for the individual VM.

Backup and restore operations for fault tolerant VMs: You can now back up (using nonquiesced snapshots) and restore VMware fault tolerant VMs. Fault tolerance provides continuous availability for VMs by creating and maintaining a secondary VM that is identical to the primary VM. The secondary VM can then replace the primary if a failover occurs.; For more information about VMware fault tolerance, go to the VMware Knowledge Base and search on FAQ: VMware Fault Tolerance.

V8.1.2

Complete backup and restore operations for persisted snapshots

Support for VMs that are hosted on VVOL datastores was introduced in Data Protection for VMware V7.1.4. In V8.1.2, VVOL support is enhanced to include the ability to complete backup and restore operations for persisted snapshots on the local hardware storage (local backups) and on the IBM Spectrum Protect server (server backups). File restore operations from snapshots are also supported.

If you are using Data Protection for VMware with Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange Server or Data Protection for Microsoft SQL Server for application protection, you can complete backup and restore operations for VMs that are in VVOL datastores.

Database level restore operations for application protection from backups on persisted snapshots are not supported. However, database level restores from backups of VMs on VVOL datastores that are stored on the IBM Spectrum Protect server are still supported.

The following features are new for VVOL support:

Backup and restore operations

You can use the following methods to complete backup and restore operations for persisted snapshots:

In the IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere Client plug-in, select the backup or restore location for a VM: The Backup and Restore actions in the plug-in include new options for selecting the backup or restore location for the VM.; For more information, see Starting an on-demand backup of a virtual machine and Restoring a virtual machine.
Specify the location for a VM backup or restore operation with the new vmbackuplocation option: Use the vmbackuplocation option with the dsmc Backup VM or Restore VM command to specify the location for the VM backup or restore operation. You can specify a value of SERVER, LOCAL, or BOTH.; For scheduled backups, use this option with the dsmadmc DEFINE SCHEDULE command.; For more information about this option, see Vmbackuplocation; When you run the Query VM or DELETE BACKUP command, you can specify the backup location or locations to query or delete by using the new -From parameter. For more information, see Query VM and Delete Backup.

Optimize backup scheduling by defining schedule groups: You can use the schedgroup option to create a group that contains multiple backup schedules. You can then use the IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere Client plug-in to assign the schedule group to an object in the VMware vSphere Web client rather than assigning an individual schedule. For example, you can use this option to group multiple daily local backup schedules with a single IBM Spectrum Protect server backup schedule.; For more information about the schedgroup option, see Schedgroup.; For information about how to create a schedule group, see Creating a schedule group.

New and enhanced features in the IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere Client plug-in in the VMware vSphere Web Client

Learn about new and enhanced features:

Walk through initial configuration tasks by using the improved Getting Started tab

The Getting Started tab for the plug-in has been redesigned to walk you through the initial configuration of the plug-in, including guidance for setting up the plug-in for data protection and a short video that shows you how to configure backup policies for VMs.

This tab also provides information on where to go in the interface to complete common tasks such as modifying backup policies, determining if VMs are at risk, running on-demand backup operations for VMs, and restoring VMs.

To open the Getting Started tab, click IBM Spectrum Protect in the vSphere Web Client object navigator.

View the history and status of backup schedules

You can view the run history for the backup schedules that are associated with a vCenter and the status of the schedules. You can also select an individual schedule and view the backup status of each associated VM for which a backup operation was run.

For more information, see Viewing backup schedule history for a vCenter.

View VM mounts and dismount VMs

Operations such as instant access, instant restore, and file restore require that the associated VM is mounted. You can view the VM mounts that are associated with a vCenter and then dismount the VMs when you are finished using them.

For more information, see Dismounting a virtual machine.

Configure server and local backup policies

The interface for configuring backup polices has changed to a wizard that contains a Server page to configure server backup policies. If local backups are available, a Local page is also provided in the wizard to configure local backup policies.

For more information, see Configuring backup policies.

Select more options for on-demand backups operations

By using the following new options for on-demand backups, you can override the inherited options that are set for the VM:

Backup destination: Depending on the location of the VM, select the backup location: IBM Spectrum Protect server, local hardware storage, or both locations.
Disk protection: Select the VM disks to include in backups.
Data consistency: Select the type of snapshot and retry attempts that are used for backup.
Application protection: Enable this option to allow applications such as Microsoft SQL Server and Exchange Server to truncate logs and commit transactions before the backup operation begins.

For more information, see Starting an on-demand backup of a virtual machine.

Restore a VM from a local backup

The Restore a Virtual Machine wizard includes a new option, Fast VM revert, which enables you to restore a VM from a local backup.

The restore options that are available for a VM depend on the location of the backup. The backup can be located on the IBM Spectrum Protect server, the hardware storage as a persisted snapshot, or both locations.

For more information, see Restoring a virtual machine.

Obtain detailed information about data movers

The Edit Schedules window that is available from the IBM Spectrum Protect > Configure > Schedules tab has been renamed Edit Data Movers. This window now includes information about the data movers that are associated with the schedule. For each data mover, you can view the number of VMs that were processed during the last backup operation, the amount of data that was transmitted, and the duration of the backup operation. The amount of time that the data mover was active per schedule run is also shown in a sparkline.

For information about accessing the Edit Data Movers window, see Managing backup schedules for a vCenter.

View additional information about backup tasks and history

To view additional information about the backup tasks for a VM, select the VM in the vSphere Web Client object navigator, click Summary, and view the information in the Notes portlet. This summary information includes backup history information for the VM and additional information such as the snapshot type and the application protection type, if applicable.

New default for data mover nodes in the Data Protection for VMware vSphere GUI: When you add a new data mover node in the Data Protection for VMware vSphere GUI, the Tag Based Node option is selected by default and tagging support is enabled for the node.; If the data mover is on the same Windows server as the Data Protection for VMware vSphere GUI, you can change the Tag Based Node and Default Data Mover options in the GUI at any time. For data mover nodes that are on remote Windows systems or are on Linux® systems, continue to edit the vmtagdatamover option in the data mover options file.; For more information, see Setting a data mover node as a tag-based node.

Data protection tagging

Find instructions for creating a schedule that is compatible with tagging: Schedules are created by the IBM Spectrum Protect server administrator to automatically back up VMs. To enable schedules to be used with the IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere Client plug-in, the server administrator must create schedules that are compatible with tagging.; The server administrator can create tagging-compatible schedules by using IBM Spectrum Protect Operations Center V8.1 or later or the IBM Spectrum Protect server DEFINE SCHEDULE command.; For more information, see Creating a schedule that is compatible with tagging.

Manage VM backup operations by using new tags

The following new data protection tags are added to help you manage VM backup operations with the IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere Client plug-in:

Category	Tag	Tag Description
`Data Mover (IBM Spectrum Protect)`	`Default Data Mover`	`The default data mover that is assigned to a schedule, if any, is used for backups in IBM Spectrum Protect`
`Local Backup Management (IBM Spectrum Protect)`	`LocalIncluded`	`The object is included in local backups on the hardware storage`
`Local Backup Management (IBM Spectrum Protect)`	`LocalExcluded`	`The object is excluded from local backups on the hardware storage`
`Local Management Class (IBM Spectrum Protect)`	`Management_class_name`	`The policy that is used for retention settings for local backups on the hardware storage`
`Schedule (IBM Spectrum Protect)`	`Schedule_group`	`The schedule group to use for backups by IBM Spectrum Protect`

For information about supported data protection tags, see Supported data protection tags.

Changes to the Data Protection for VMware installation wizard: You can install a data mover or a mount proxy by using the Advanced Installation Type page of the installation wizard. The option names and descriptive text on this page are updated to refer to both data mover and mount proxy installation.

Enhanced security for backup and restore operations: IBM Spectrum Protect now includes new Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)-related profile parameters in the vmcli command-line interface to configure settings for backup and restore tasks in your environment. The new parameters, VE_TSM_SSL, VE_TSM_SSLACCEPTCERTFROMSERV, and VE_TSM_SSLREQUIRED enable the SSL protocol to provide secure client and server communications.
For more information, see Profile parameters.

Restore multiple virtual disks simultaneously: Use the vmmaxrestoreparalleldisks option to restore multiple virtual disks simultaneously on Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems.
For more information about this new option, see Vmmaxrestoreparalleldisks.

V8.1.0

IBM Tivoli® Storage Manager is now IBM Spectrum Protect

IBM Spectrum Protect Version 8.1 is the next generation of Tivoli Storage Manager. This new release represents more than a name change in the user interface and documentation. It is an evolution to a higher level of data protection designed to meet the complex demands of today's world.

For more information, see Meet IBM Spectrum Protect.

New and enhanced features in the IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere Client plug-in in the VMware vSphere Web Client

New options for restoring VMs

The Restore a Virtual Machine wizard provides many expanded features that enable you to:

Select the backup that you want to use for the restore operation using a calendar interface.
Choose the restore type: restore, instant restore, or instant restore with instant access.
Restore all virtual disks in a VM or just selected disks.
Select the datastore for the restored VM.
Select the data mover or mount proxy that you want to use for the restore operation.

For more information, see Restoring a virtual machine.

New feature for setting at-risk policies for VMs: VMs can be at risk of being unprotected because of failed or missed backup operations. You can set a policy for a VM that specifies if or when the VM is shown as at-risk if a backup operation does not occur in a specified time interval.; For more information, see Setting the at-risk policy for a virtual machine.

New backup information for VMs at the object level

You can view the most recent backup information for all VMs that are in the following vSphere objects. For each VM, you can view information such as the risk status, completion date, duration, and size of the backup.

Datacenter
Folder (host, cluster, and VM)
Host
Host Cluster
Resource Pool

For more information, see Viewing the status of backup operations for virtual machines.

Backup management enhancements, including new data protection tags, are available for tagging support

New data protection tags are available for tagging support

New data protection tags are added to help you manage VM backup operations with the IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere Client plug-in in the VMware vSphere Web Client. In addition to using tags to exclude VMs from scheduled backup operations and assign retention or management classes, introduced in V7.1.6, you can assign the new tags to vSphere inventory objects to do the following tasks:

Include VMs in scheduled backup operations
Assign a data mover to a VM
Specify a list of virtual disks to back up
Assign a backup schedule to VMs in a container
Specify the data consistency to achieve for snapshot attempts during VM backup operations
Provide application protection to VMs that run Microsoft SQL Server or Microsoft Exchange Server software

For information about supported data protection tags, see Supported data protection tags

For more information about the tasks that are managed by tagging, see Configuring backup policies.

Set a default data mover for tagging

You can set a default data mover for protecting VMs in vSphere inventory objects that are tagged with data protection tags. New VMs that are added to the tagged container and are protected by a schedule but do not have a data mover tag are backed up by the default data mover.

For more information, see Vmtagdefaultdatamover.

Data protection tags can be inherited from higher-level vSphere inventory objects

You can use tag inheritance to manage data protection for VMs in your vSphere inventory.

For more information, see Inheritance of data protection settings.

VMs can be added to a backup schedule by using the IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere Client plug-in

You can select a backup schedule for VMs from the IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere Client plug-in in the VMware vSphere Web Client. The backup schedule specifies how often and when to automatically back up the VMs in a vSphere inventory object.

For more information, see Selecting schedules for backing up virtual machines.

You can also view and manage backup schedules from the IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere Client plug-in. See Managing backup schedules for a vCenter.

Enhancements for backup and restore performance for VMs

The following enhancements were made for backup and restore operations:

Optimized backup operations for multiple virtual disks by using parallel sessions, one session for each virtual disk.
Optimized backup operations for a single virtual disk by using parallel sessions, multiple sessions for each virtual disk.
Optimized recovery operations for single virtual disk by using multiple sessions, multiple sessions for each virtual disk.
Updated the common data format to reduce the number of objects that are stored on the IBM Spectrum Protect server for larger virtual disk sizes.

The following options were added:

Vmmaxbackupsessions: The vmmaxbackupsessions option specifies the maximum number IBM Spectrum Protect server sessions that move VM data to the server that can be included in an optimized (parallel) backup operation.; For more information about the vmmaxbackupsessions option, see Vmmaxbackupsessions.; For more information about optimized backups, see Backing up multiple virtual machines in parallel (optimized backup).
Vmmaxrestoresessions: The Vmmaxrestoresessions option specifies the maximum number IBM Spectrum Protect server sessions that can be included in a restore operation for a virtual disk.; For more information about the vmmaxrestoresessions option, see Vmmaxrestoresessions.; For more information about optimized restore, see Restoring a virtual disk using multiple sessions.

An administrative user ID is no longer created by default by the REGISTER NODE server command: Beginning with IBM Spectrum Protect V8.1, the REGISTER NODE server command does not automatically create an administrative user ID that matches the node name. This product update is designed to optimize the process of authenticating when you authenticate users to a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) server.
You can still manually create an administrative user ID with client owner authority over a node by specifying the USERID parameter on the REGISTER NODE command. For the latest information about this product update and its effect on storage environments, see technote 7048963.

Discontinued functions

The following functions are discontinued in this release:

VM operations in the data mover

VM operations are available only if you are using the client as a data mover for the IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments products (Data Protection for VMware or Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V).

You can no longer run VM operations without installing IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments.

For a list of commands and options for the data mover, see Data mover reference.

VMware vStorage API is no longer part of the client installation

The VMware vStorage API runtime files component that is used for VMware operations is no longer part of the backup-archive client installation. It is installed as part of the Data Protection for VMware installation package.

Discontinued Data Protection for VMware features and functions

File-level VM backups: You can no longer run file-level VMware VM backups on the data mover. Instead, use incremental-forever full or incremental-forever incremental backup operations.
Periodic full backups and incremental backups: You can no longer run periodic full backups and incremental backups of VMs on the data mover. Instead, use incremental-forever full or incremental-forever incremental backup operations.
VMware vCloud Director support: You can no longer back up or restore vCloud vApps with the data mover. To back up or restore vApps, you must use Data Protection for VMware V7.1.
Data Protection for VMware vSphere GUI plug-in view: The plug-in view for the Data Protection for VMware vSphere GUI is no longer provided. The browser view and the IBM Spectrum Protect vSphere Client plug-in, which integrates with the VMware vSphere Client, are available.
IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot for VMware support: Data Protection for VMware no longer supports integration with IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot for VMware (formerly IBM Tivoli Storage FlashCopy® Manager for VMware). To use Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager for VMware with Data Protection for VMware, you must use Data Protection for VMware V7.1.
IBM Spectrum Protect recovery agent on Linux operating systems: The IBM Spectrum Protect recovery agent is no longer supported on Linux operating systems. You can use the IBM Spectrum Protect file restore interface to restore files on Linux operating systems.

Discontinued support of operating systems

Data Protection for VMware components are no longer supported on the following operating systems:

Windows 32-bit operating systems
Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7, and Windows 8

To take advantage of new product features, install the V8.1 data mover on one of the supported operating systems. For the current list of supported operating systems, see technote 1505139.

The Manage tab is renamed Configure in the VMware vSphere 6.5 Web Client: In the VMware vSphere 6.5 Web Client, the Manage tab is renamed the Configure tab. This change is reflected in the Data Protection for VMware product documentation that references this tab.