NetApp VSC 4.1 for VMware: SV-SMVI How to Restore

Note: Also see the UPDATE post with a fourth option - CIFS - here

In the last post (here) we looked at using SV-SMVI to have triggered SnapVaults from ‘NetApp Virtual Storage Console for VMware’ backups. Here we look at three restore options from the SnapVault (and this is one of the great things about NetApp - you have loads of freedom to choose the way that suits you best!)

Contents

1. How to mount the SnapVault secondary volume as a read-only NFS datastore and browse the .snapshot folder.
2. How to FlexClone a SnapVault secondary volume/snapshot and mount as writeable.
3. How to perform a SnapVault Restore from SnapVault secondary to a Qtree on the primary.

Restore options

1. How to mount the SnapVault secondary volume as a read-only NFS datastore and browse the .snapshot folder.

If you have remote connectivity from hosts in the primary site to the DR (SnapVault secondary) site, this method is very simple.

1.1 (Recommend) First suspend the SV-SMVI backup job schedule.
1.2 Configure the exports on the DR filer as in the example below:

SEC> exportfs -p rw=10.0.0.0/16,root=10.0.0.0/16 /vol/SVLONNFSWQT

1.3 Mount the volume as a read only NFS datastore.
1.4 Browse the datastore and .snapshot folder for backups, and copy the data (VMDKs etcetera) as required.
1.5 Unmount the volume.
1.6 Resume the SV-SMVI VSC backup job schedule.

Note i: You cannot mount a VMDK from a read-only NFS datastore to a live VM.
Note ii: You could mount the datastore without the “Mount NFS read only” tick, but it is still a read only file system so the above applies.
Note iii: Requires NFS license on the secondary filer.

Image for 1.3: Add Storage - Mount NFS read only

Image for 1.4:  Browsing .snapshot folder and copy

2. How to FlexClone a SnapVault secondary volume/snapshot and mount as writeable.

2.1 License

SEC> license add FLEXCLONECODE

2.2 Create a Flex Clone volume from the SnapVault secondary volume choosing snapshot required:

SEC> vol status -b
SEC> snap list SVSECVOL
SEC> vol clone create SVSECVOL_FCLONE -s none -b SVSECVOL svprivol_backupname.X

Note: When running the vol clone command, the error message below will appear - don’t worry as the error is for the new volume not the SnapVaulted one!
SEC:wafl.qtree.qsmBreak.base:error - Breaking snapmirrored qtree 1 in volume SVSECVOL_FCLONE: base snapshot no longer exists. Use snapmirror resync or initialize to re-establish the snapmirror. Creation of clone volume 'SVSECVOL_FCLONE' has completed.

2.3 Mount the volume as an NFS datastore (this time not read only)
2.4 Then add the required VM to the vCenter inventory or attach VMDK to a live server
2.5 When finished, unmount/unregister any VMs/disks, unmount the datastore, offline the FlexClone volume and destroy it

SEC> vol offline SVSECVOL_FCLONE
SEC> vol destroy SVSECVOL_FCLONE

Image for 2.3: Add Storage - Mount NFS as a writeable volume

Image for 2.4: Adding a VM on the FlexClone snapshot volume to the vCenter inventory

3. How to perform a SnapVault Restore from SnapVault secondary to a Qtree on the primary.

3.1 Suspend the SV-SMVI VSC backup job schedule.
3.2 On the secondary, obtain Qtree name, and list of SnapVault secondary snapshots:

SEC> qtree status SVSECVOL
SEC> snap list SVSECVOL

3.2 On the primary, run snapvault restore and snapvault status to check on progress:

PRI> snapvault restore -s svprivol_backupname.X -S SEC:/vol/SVSECVOL/nonQtreeDataInSVPRIVOL /vol/SVPRIVOL/RestoreQtree
PRI> snapvault status

Note: When the snapvault restore from the secondary to the primary is complete, state will be Broken-off.

3.3 On the secondary, remove the reverse relationship created by the restore:

SEC> snapvault destinations
SEC> snapvault release /vol/SVSECVOL/nonQtreeDataInSVPRIVOL PRI:/vol/SVPRIVOL/RestoreQtree

3.4 On the primary, remove the snapshot that was created for the Qtree SnapMirror (for the SnapVault restore):

PRI> snap list SVPRIVOL
PRI> snap delete -V SVPRIVOL PRI(XXX)_SVPRIVOL_RestoreQtree-dst.X
PRI> snapvault status

Note i: After the above snapvault status, the line with state Broken-off should be gone (snapvault status should show a 1:1 correspondence of state=source on the primary to state=snapvaulted on the secondary)
Note ii: Here I restored back into a new restore Qtree in the snapvault primary volume, the restore could also be done to a qtree in another volume.

3.5 Then add the required VM to the vCenter inventory or attach VMDK to a live server

Image for 3.5: SnapVault restored to RestoreQtree

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