Starting a local virtualization on a Datto appliance

Topic

This article explains how to start a local virtualization and backups of a recovery point on a SIRIS device through the Datto appliance GUI during a disaster recovery scenario.

For Cloud hosted virtualizations on ALTO or SIRIS, see Performing Cloud and Hybrid virtualizations.

Environment

  • Datto SIRIS

Description

  1. Log into the Datto appliance GUI. Then, click the Restore tab. This will display all of the protected machines paired with the Datto device.
  1. Under Choose a System select the protected machine needed to be restored
  2. Under Choose A Recovery Type, select Local Virtualization
  3. Under Choose A Recovery Point, select the date to restore.
  4. After all settings are selected, click START RESTORE
    local.png
  1. On the following page, configure your local virtualization options. To use the local virtualization as your production machine in a disaster recovery scenario, configure its Windows networking options to match those used by the protected server. Make sure that your production machine is no longer on the network before performing this step. For more information about these settings, see Restore: Local Virtualization Options.
  1. Once the settings are checked, select APPLY followed by START VM.

You'll receive a warning message if the amount of memory allocated exceeds the amount that is available. If this occurs, you will need to adjust the requested RAM to a lower amount.

  1. With the Rescue Agent option enabled, you will be prompted to choose whether or not you would like to pause backups on the protected machine. Depending on your recovery scenario, you can choose to either PAUSE BACKUPS or CONTINUE BACKUPS. Typically, you would pause backups on a system that cannot be reached during a disaster scenario. Once you've made your selection, click CONFIRM.

You will be able to see the VM booting in the Screenshot window.

Your virtualization will mount and begin running in the Local Virtualization screen. On the Protect tab of the Datto appliance GUI, you will now see a new agent with a name comprised of the word 'Rescue' and the protected server's IP address or FQDN. This is the Rescue Agent for your running virtualization. You can manage this agent the same way you would manage any other agent, including setting a custom backup schedule for it through the Configure Agent Settings page.

If the Source Agent that you created the Rescue Agent from is encrypted by the Datto appliance, the Rescue Agent will also be created as an encrypted agent. It will use the same encryption password as the Source Agent, and you will need to unseal the agent on the Protect tab of the appliance GUI in the event of a device reboot.

  1. Back on the Local Virtualization page, once your local virtualization boots, you can connect to it via the following methods:
    1. By clicking the Open in browser link to start a browser-based VNC session (recommended)
    2. By using any VNC viewer capable of reaching the VNC address displayed. When connecting to a virtualization via VNC, you will be prompted for the connection password shown in the VNC Password Password field.

To stop the local virtualization, but leave it mounted, click STOP. To stop the local virtualization and unmount it, click STOP AND UNMOUNT.

Datto is not responsible for configuring a virtual machine's network adapter settings once the virtual machine is connected to a network during a Disaster Recovery scenario or test. Further assistance with network configurations is available from Microsoft and Ubuntu(external links).

Removing the restore

When you no longer need the Rescue Agent, remove the protected virtualization from the Restore tab of the Datto Device Web by clicking Stop and then Archive.

IMPORTANT  Don't click the Stop button if you have not fully restored the production machine. The stop button does a hard shutdown of the rescue agent, which is the equivalent of unplugging the power cord on a physical machine. If you are using the rescue agent in your production environment, log into the virtual machine from its VNC session and do a soft shutdown (Start Menu > Shut Down).

When you click Archive, your Datto appliance will archive the Rescue Agent's dataset. Archiving will hide the Rescue Agent in the list of Restores, stop all backups, and unmount the VM permanently. Only use this option if you have no need to initiate backups of this Rescue Agent in the future.