Upgrading VMware Data Recovery to 1.1 and testing the new FLR GUI

With the new release of vSphere 4, VDR has been updated to v. 1.1.

Since I wanted to test the new functionality (now officialy supported), FLR (file level restore). Right now for Windows VMs only, but the linux version will be released in one of the future releases. Now FLR can be used without going to command line.

I had to do an upgrade of my VDR installation. I found the step-by-step on the VMware website, on a release notes page.

Basically, you should deploy the new VDR appliance (before rename the old one) from the OVF file.

When it’s done, just add you deduplication store virtual hard disk which you previously used to store your backups to the new VDR appliance as a second disk. Before adding the disk to the new VDR appliance I just copied the VMDK file to the folder where my new VDR appliance reside, to keep me organized.

Note that you should mount the new disk, not format it. If you format, you’ll loose your backups…

You will receive a prompt to restore the configuration from your old deduplication store. Just choose Yes. Like this you’ll be able to recover all your programmed backup jobs.

Then you can just copy the new FLR restore utility inside of your VM, to test the restore within a GUI… Once done, you can execute the VMwareRestoreClient.exe and login to your VDR appliance.

Once there just select the restore point you wan to restore files from and choose the virtual disk where the files are located.

You’ll see the disk mounted as a folder on your C drive….. The folder has a name of when the backup was taken. Note that if your files reside on a D drive, just mount your D drive the same manner….

Eric Sloof from NTPRO.nl has done a nice little video too … -:)

More on Vmware Data Recovery:

VDR

• VDR connectivity and divers troubleshooting (February 23, 2012)
• VMware Data Recovery 2.0 - the upgrade process from earlier version (December 2, 2011)
• Troubleshooting tool for VDR (June 6, 2011)
• VDR plugin do not connect to VDR appliance (May 5, 2011)
• Enabling verbose logging in VDR - VMware Data Recovery (January 7, 2011)
• If you're trying to use Windows CIFS with VDR (December 28, 2010)
• How to fix damaged restore points in VDR (December 2, 2010)
• Using VMware Data Recovery without vCenter? (November 13, 2010)
• VDR appliance not mounting automatically the backup destination after reboot (October 28, 2010)
• VDR – how to get a log bundle before you call the support (October 26, 2010)
• How-to update VDR to 1.2 (June 14, 2010)
• Do you want to see a little magic? (January 22, 2010)
• VDR backup fail error (January 12, 2010)
• VMware Data Recovery - a tool for Easy backups of your Virtual Infrastructure (October 12, 2009)
• VMware Data Recovery - part 3 - Restore Your Data (September 6, 2009)
• VMware Data Recovery - your first backup - part 2 video (August 17, 2009)
• VMware Data Recovery - install and configure video- part1 (August 5, 2009)
• Data recovery - new GUI backup tool present in vSphere 4 (May 4, 2009)

WE RECOMMEND

VDR 1.2.1 with enhanced stabilityVMware Data Recovery 1.2 releasedEnabling verbose logging in VDR - VMware Data RecoveryIntegrity check with details in VDR 1.2End of VCB - VMware Consolidated Backup

Vladan SEGET

Vladan is an Independent consultant, vExpert, VCP and owner of this website. This website ESX Virtualization started as a bookmarking site, but very fast found itself many readers and supporters. Feel free to network via Twitter @vladan

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