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Executing backups of VMware templates

Templates can be backed up immediately or scheduled for periodic backup. Scheduled backups are more typical – you create a calendar-based schedule which specifies when VMware template backups will occur. Immediate backups are basically just scheduled backups that occur only one time and are executed as soon as possible.

Before performing a backup of a template, you must verify that the template is listed in the Navigation pane. Expand the Templates folder to view its contents, and then perform one of the following:

• If you do not see a Templates folder or if the template you want to backup is not displayed among the folder’s contents, see To add the Templates folder or individual templates to the Navigation pane.
• If the template you would like to backup displays, you are ready to execute a backup. To continue see To execute an immediate backup of a VMware template or Creating a backup schedule for VMware templates.
ClosedTo add the Templates folder or individual templates to the Navigation pane

Recently created templates might not appear in the Navigation Pane. If all of your templates are recent, you might not see a Templates folder. Follow this procedure to add the Templates folder or individual templates to the Navigation Pane.

1 In the Navigation Pane, select the vCenter server that hosts your templates. Click Backup.
2 Click either the 1-Time Backup or Schedule Backup tab. A list of the VMs and templates hosted on the vCenter server displays. Click the Reload VMs button at the bottom of the screen. This reloads your system data, and the process may take a few minutes.
3 When your recently created templates display in the Navigation pane, see To execute an immediate backup of a VMware template or Creating a backup schedule for VMware templates to continue the backup process.
ClosedTo execute an immediate backup of a VMware template
1 Select the Templates folder in the Navigation pane. Click Backup.
2 Select the 1-Time Backup tab to see the list of templates in the folder.
3 Select the templates you would like to back up. Click the gray box above the list to select all templates. AppAware is not available for templates, so the icon is disabled.
4 Select Full as the backup type. (Differential and incremental backups cannot be performed for templates. If you select Differential or Incremental for the backup type, the backup fails.)

Backups are stored on the default device. To back up to a different device, select it in the Available Devices area.

5 Click Backup at the bottom of the screen to initiate the backup process.

A separate backup is created for each template selected.

To view the status of the backup, select Settings >System Monitoring > Jobs. To view details for completed backup jobs, select Reports > Backups.

ClosedCreating a backup schedule for VMware templates

Because incremental and differential backups cannot be performed for templates, it is recommended that you use one of the following schedule strategies:

• Daily full backups for templates and small VMs that do not require incremental or differential backups, described in To create a backup schedule for templates and VMs.
• Daily full backups for templates only, described in To create a backup schedule that includes only templates.
ClosedTo create a backup schedule for templates and VMs

Use this procedure to create a full backup schedule for templates and small virtual machines that do not require incremental or differential backups. For VMs that do require incremental or differential backups, see To create a VMware backup schedule.

1 Select the vCenter server or navigation group in the Navigation Pane. Click Backup.
2 Select the Schedule Backup tab to see the list of templates and VMs hosted on the server.
3 Enter a unique Schedule Name.
4 If desired, enter a Schedule Description.
5 Select all templates and VMs to be protected by the schedule.
• A list of available templates and VMs displays in the VMs to Protect section. Click the gray box above the list to select all templates and VMs.
• Backups included within the schedule will execute sequentially. A template or VM may be included in only one schedule. If you try to add a template or VM to additional schedules, you will see an error message upon attempting to save subsequent schedules.
6 In the Schedule area, select Custom from the list.

Note:  You can select another strategy from the list, but this is not recommended. If you include templates in a backup schedule with virtual machines for which incremental and differential backups are performed, these backups will not be queued for the templates. They will run as scheduled for the virtual machines.

7 For the custom strategy, click the Calendar icon to define the frequency at which backups of each type will run. Do the following for each backup instance:
• Drag a backup icon onto the calendar. Drag onto today’s date or later.
• In the Add Backup window, define the backup type, start date, start time, and recurrence. Then click Confirm.
8 If desired, modify the minimum and maximum retention settings. These settings apply to all selected templates and VMs. To set different values for each template or VM, do not enter settings here. Instead, go to Settings > Storage and Retention > Backup Retention. For details see About retention control.

Modifying retention settings here also updates values displayed on the Backup Retention page. Once you modify this setting in the schedule, you cannot change it again from the schedule itself. Instead, make changes from the Backup Retention page as described in About retention control.

9 If you would like to add new templates and VMs to this schedule automatically, check the Auto-include new VMs box.

This option can be enabled for only one schedule for each vCenter or ESX server that the system is protecting. If you are using vMotion but have not registered the vCenter that manages the ESX servers, enabling this option adds migrated VMs to schedules on the associated ESX servers. If the vCenter server has been registered, your schedules continue to run seamlessly, even if this box has not been checked.

10 Click Advanced Settings and specify options as desired.
• Select the backup device to which backups will be written.
• Check the Email Schedule Report option to receive email notification upon the completion of the scheduled backup jobs.
• Check the Email Failure Report option to receive an email notification upon failure of any backup job on the schedule.
• Click Confirm to save Advanced Settings.
11 Check the Schedule enabled box under Schedule Name. Then click Save to create the schedule
ClosedTo create a backup schedule that includes only templates

Use this procedure to create a custom full backup schedule for templates.

1 Select the Templates folder in the Navigation pane. Click Backup.
2 Select the Schedule Backup tab to see the list of templates in the folder.
3 Enter a unique Schedule Name.
4 If desired, enter a Schedule Description.
5 Select all templates to be protected by the schedule.
• A list of available templates displays in the VMs to Protect section. Click the gray box above the first template to select all templates.
• Backups included within the schedule will execute sequentially. A template may be included in only one schedule. If you try to add a template to additional schedules, you will see an error message upon attempting to save subsequent schedules.
6 In the Schedule area, select Custom from the list.

Note:   You can select another strategy from the list, but incremental and differential backups will not be queued for templates.

7 For the custom strategy, click the Calendar icon to define the frequency at which backups of each type will run. Do the following for each backup instance:
• Drag a backup icon onto the calendar. Drag onto today’s date or later.
• In the Add Backup window, define the backup type, start date, start time, and recurrence. Then click Confirm.
8 Click Advanced Settings and specify options as desired.
• Select the backup device to which backups will be written.
• Check the Email Schedule Report option to receive email notification upon the completion of the scheduled backup jobs.
• Check the Email Failure Report option to receive an email notification upon failure of any backup job on the schedule.
• Click Confirm to save Advanced Settings.
9 If desired, modify the minimum and maximum retention settings. These settings apply to all selected templates. To set different values for each template, do not enter settings here. Instead, go to Settings > Storage and Retention > Backup Retention. For details, see About retention control.

Modifying retention settings here also updates values displayed on the Backup Retention page. Once you modify this setting in the schedule, you cannot change it again from the schedule itself. Instead make changes from the Backup Retention page as described in About retention control.

10 Check the Schedule enabled box under Schedule Name. Then click Save to create the schedule.