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Back up and restore VMM

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This article describes the backup and recovery process in a System Center Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) environment and provides some recommendations.

Before you start

  • Don't use checkpoints for disaster recovery. Checkpoints don't create full duplicates of the hard disk contents, nor do they copy data to a separate volume.
  • You can use a checkpoint to serve as temporary backup before updating an operating system on a virtual machine. This allows you to roll back the update if it has adverse effects.
  • You should use a backup application to back up and recover your data in catastrophic data loss. One option is System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM).
  • Data such as Remote Access Authorization (RAA) passwords and the product key can be entered when you reinstall VMM. However, some encrypted data such as Virtual Machine Roles can't be re-entered.
  • You can't back up and restore such data if you use the Data Protection application programming interface (DPAPI) for backing up VMM.
  • The data will be lost if the VMM management server fails.

Create and implement a backup plan

Basic elements of a backup plan include a list of what needs to be backed up and an outline of what is changed frequently (and therefore need to be backed up frequently) in your environment.

Back up the VMM database

The VMM database contains information such as configurations, service templates, profiles, virtual machine templates, services, scale-out services, and other critical data that is required for VMM to function correctly. Back up the VMM database regularly.

The VMM database can be stored on the VMM management server or on a separate server running Microsoft SQL Server. To back up the VMM database, you can use one or more of the following:

  • SQL Server tools. For more information, see Create a Full Database Backup (SQL Server).

  • Other backup tools that are used in your environment.

  • The VMM console or a Windows PowerShell cmdlet, as described in the procedures that follow.

In addition to backing up the database, we recommend that you create a system state backup of the VMM management server so that you can re-create the server with the same security identifier (SID) in a catastrophic data loss. The SID is an integral part of how VMM is authorized on virtual machine hosts.

Important

  • There are several ways to recover the VMM database file that you create through either of the following backup procedures. One way, which requires the VMM management server to be functioning, is to use the SCVMMRecover.exe tool, as described in Backup-SCVMMServer (although SCVMMRecover.exe is not a cmdlet). Another way, which doesn't require the VMM management server to be functioning, is to restore using SQL Server tools for restoring and attaching a database file.
  • To use the following procedures, you must be a member of the Administrator user role.

You can back up the VMM database in the following ways:

  1. By using the VMM console
  2. By using cmdlets in Windows PowerShell

Select the required tab for steps to back up the VMM database by:

Follow these steps to back up the VMM database by using the VMM console:

  1. In the Settings workspace, on the Home, in the Backup group, select Backup.

  2. In the Virtual Machine Manager Backup dialog, specify the location for the backup file. Select a folder that isn't a root directory and that SQL Server can access.

    You can check the status of the backup in the Jobs workspace.

    For information about how to recover the backup, see the Important note before this procedure.

Back up hosts and virtual machines

Virtual machine hosts are Hyper-V hosts, VMware ESXi hosts, and host clusters on which virtual machines and services are deployed. To back up virtual machine hosts and clusters, use Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) or another backup application that takes advantage of Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) to copy host and virtual machine data to a remote file server share.

Important

We recommend that you back up virtual machine configuration files (.vmc) daily.

Inventory your hosts, and then back up all the hosted virtual machines. To get the list of hosts that are being managed by VMM, run the following cmdlet from a Windows PowerShell command line:

$vmhost = get-scvmmserver <VMM management server name> | get-scvmhost

For more information, see Get-SCVMMServer and Get-SCVMHost.

Back up all the configuration and resource files on each VMM host by using backup software that supports the VMM VSS writer. Backup software that supports VMM can minimize the number of steps required to archive and restore virtual machines, help minimize downtime, and help ensure consistency of the data that is being archived or restored.

Back up library servers

The VMM library includes file-based resources, such as virtual hard disks, ISO images, scripts, driver files, and application packages that are stored on library servers. These resources are closely associated with resources in the VMM database that aren't file-based, such as virtual machine and service templates and profiles. All these resources should be backed up.

To back up the data on library servers, use System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) or another backup application that takes advantage of Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) to copy host and virtual machine data to a remote file server share. For a list of VMM library servers, run the following cmdlet from the Windows PowerShell command line:

$libraryservers = get-scvmmserver <VMM management server name> | get-sclibraryserver

For more information, see Get-SCVMMServer and Get-SCLibraryServer.

Back up all the files on library shares to a shared folder on a remote file server, including the files with the following extensions:

  • .vhd and .vhdx
  • .iso
  • .vmx
  • .ps1
  • .vmc
  • .vsv

Back up VMM private clouds

To orchestrate and automate the replication and failover of virtual machines located in VMM clouds, you can use Azure Site Recovery Manager. You can replicate in the following ways:

  • From one on-premises VMM site to another, using Hyper-V replication or SAN replication.

  • From an on-premises VMM site to Azure, using Hyper-V replication.

Back up registry keys, encryption keys, and credentials

Use the following guidelines to back up registry keys, encryption keys, and non-VMM managed credentials:

  • Registry keys: VMM uses multiple registry keys to store important settings. Settings are stored in the following registry key and its subkeys: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager Server\Settings.

    You should back up this entire section of the registry with the possible exception of the SQL subkey. If you back up the SQL subkey, you capture the database name, location, and other details at the time of backup, which might not match the VMM database details that you want at the time of recovery.

    To back up registry keys, you can use the Regedit Export function, or any other tool that is used in your environment to back up registry keys.

  • Encryption keys in Active Directory Domain Services: If distributed key management (DKM) is configured, then you're storing VMM-related encryption keys in Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). To back up these keys, back up Active Directory on a regular basis.

  • Non-VMM managed credentials: Some credentials that are related to VMM are managed by the Windows Credential Manager on the VMM management server. To access the Credential Manager, in the Control Panel, select All Control Panel Items, and then select Credential Manager. Select Back up Credentials to back up any VMM-related credentials.

Back up non-Microsoft user interface add-ins and other non-Microsoft applications

You can use non-Microsoft user interface (UI) add-ins to extend the functionality of the VMM console. The data that is used by a UI add-in might be stored on the local server or on a remote computer, and it might be configured with a specific set of permissions. Consult the backup guidelines of your specific UI add-in.

For any other non-Microsoft applications, refer to the application's specific backup guidelines.

Restore the VMM environment

Restore the VMM database if necessary

If the VMM database must be restored, restore it first, using the process that corresponds to your backup method. For example, to restore using SQL Server tools, see Restore and Recovery Overview (SQL Server).

If the VMM database is the only element that you need to restore, and you want information about the SCVMMRecover.exe tool, see Backup-SCVMMServer.

You can restore the VMM server on the same or a different computer. Select the required tab for steps to restore the VMM server on:

If you're using the same computer for the VMM server, perform a system state restore on that computer (otherwise, skip this section). If you do this, the SID of the VMM server remains the same, and fewer steps are required to restore your VMM environment.

After you've restored the VMM server, take the following steps:

  1. Remove any hosts or virtual machines from the VMM console that were removed after the last backup. If a host has been removed after the last backup, then it appears as Not Responding and all virtual machines on the host appear as Host Not Responding. If the host is present but a virtual machine has been removed after the last backup, then the virtual machine appears as Missing.

  2. Add any hosts or virtual machines that were added after the last backup.

Update hosts with the new VMM management server

  1. Open the VMM console.

  2. Review the lists of hosts and virtual machines, as needed, to prepare for later steps in this procedure:

    • To review the list of servers, in the Fabric workspace, on the left, select Servers.

    • To review the list of virtual machines, in the VMs and Services workspace, on the left, select All Hosts.

  3. Remove any hosts or virtual machines from the VMM console that were removed after the last backup. If a host has been removed after the last backup, then it appears as Not Responding and all the virtual machines on the host appear as Host Not Responding. If the host is present but a virtual machine has been removed after the last backup, then the virtual machine appears as Missing.

  4. Add any hosts or virtual machines that were added after the last backup.

  5. Identify the managed computers that are marked as Access Denied, right-click each one, select Reassociate, and then provide the administrative credentials.

  6. If you're restoring a VMM management server that was also a library server, then the new computer lists the original VMM server as the default library server. From the Library view, remove the original library server, and then add the new computer as a library server.

You might also need to re-associate servers in the perimeter network (also known as DMZ, demilitarized zone, and screened subnet), as described in the next section.

Reassociate servers in a perimeter network

After you restore a VMM server, servers on a perimeter network might initially appear as Not Responding. In that case, perform the following steps:

  1. Sign in to each server on the perimeter network, and then locate the VMM account. The VMM account is a local administrator account with a 10-character username of scvmm plus 5 random characters.

  2. Change the password of the VMM account on each server.

  3. On the VMM management server, in the Host Properties dialog, select Options, and then assign each server the same password that you created in step 2.

Restore VMM library servers

To restore a library server after data loss, restore the file server shares, and then restore the data back onto the shares.

After you restore the VMM management server and the VMM database, library servers are listed in the VMM console. As needed, re-associate these listings with the physical library servers.

  1. If the newly restored computer has the same name as the original computer, install the Virtual Machine Manager agent locally on that computer, and then re-associate that computer with the VMM management server.
  2. If the newly restored computer has a different name than the original computer, use the VMM console to remove the original computer from the list of managed computers, and then add the new computer.

Restore registry keys, Active Directory objects, and non-VMM managed credentials

Use the following guidelines to restore registry keys, Active Directory objects, and non-VMM managed credentials:

  • Registry keys: To restore registry keys that were previously backed up, you can use the Regedit Import function or any other tool that is used in your environment to back up and restore registry keys. However, don't restore the SQL subkey if the database name, location, and other details that it contains don't match what you want for the VMM database at the time you're restoring the registry keys.

  • Active Directory objects: If distributed key management (DKM) is enabled in your VMM environment, VMM stores some data in Active Directory, such as RAA passwords, product key information, and Virtual Machine Role data. After reinstalling VMM, if needed, you can re-enter some of the data that was stored in Active Directory, such as RAA passwords and product key information. After you reinstall VMM and (if necessary) restore Active Directory, the data in Active Directory continues to be accessible to VMM.

  • Non-VMM managed credentials: In Control Panel, select All Control Panel Items, and then select Credential Manager. Select Restore Credentials to restore any VMM-related credentials that were previously backed up.

Post-restore tasks

Depending on your VMM configuration, you might need to do some of the following tasks after you restore your VMM environment:

Configure Always On Availability Groups

If the VMM database was configured by using SQL Server Always On Availability Groups, you must complete a few tasks to ensure that the database is correctly configured with an availability group.

Reinstall Microsoft Azure Pack

If Microsoft Azure Pack was deployed in your environment to support tenants by using VMM, then you'll have to reinstall it after you restore the VMM environment. For more information about Microsoft Azure Pack for Windows Server, see Microsoft Azure Pack for Windows Server.

Install additional VMM consoles

If you had to replace any servers on which VMM consoles were installed, reinstall the consoles on those servers.

Update virtual machine templates

All the virtual machine templates that were restored must correctly specify the virtual hard disk that contains the operating system.

  1. In the VMM console, open the Library workspace, expand Templates, and then select VM Templates.

  2. In the Templates pane, right-click the virtual machine template that you want to update, select Properties > Hardware Configuration to update the settings.

Restore Microsoft Azure Hyper-V Recovery Manager

If Microsoft Azure Hyper-V Recovery Manager is implemented in the VMM environment, then you must perform a few steps to restore the Microsoft Azure Hyper-V Recovery Manager Provider.

Review add-ins, driver packages, and certificates

After you restore VMM, review the following items to ensure that you've taken the necessary steps for your add-ins, driver packages, and certificates:

  • Non-Microsoft user interface add-ins: To restore any non-Microsoft user interface add-ins or any other non-Microsoft party applications, consult the respective application's restore guidelines.

  • Driver packages: Driver packages that were previously added to the VMM library might not be discovered correctly after a restore. They might have to be removed and re-added.

  • Certificates: Any VMM-related certificates on hosts must be updated with the information of the new VMM management server.

Note

After you reinstall VMM, VMM updates the account control lists (ACLs) that became outdated due to the failure. No further intervention is required.