File restore from a LUN

[deygaurab]

Hello Friends,

There is a customer request to retrieve some lost files from a VM . The backup /snapshot corresponding to the request is on my secondary filer. The datastore is protected by SMVI. I am presently doing a snapvault restore of the LUN to the primary. The idea is to map the restored LUN to the ESX and have it mounted and after that the files from the VM can be restored.  Now my concern is :

After I map the lun to the ESX  igroup, while mounting the LUN as a Datastore in the ESX, the ESX may have a conflict as the LUN is already present/mounted as a datastore in the ESX. In such scenerios, how do I mount the LUN in the ESX in order to avoid any conflicts? Is there any best practise to avoid any conflicts?

Any suggestions?

Regards

Rahul

[schlicher_kabelbw · Accepted solution]

Hi Rahul,

it is no problem to map the same datastore again, it will tell you that you need to change its "Signature" as an option, simply click this button then.

You will not see the VM until you import it to your inventory! But if you browse the datastore you will see the files.

I have some screenshots, did it some time ago on my own.

But you could do it even easier I think if you mount the SMVI-Backup-Snapshot if you have installed the NetApp Plugin for vSphere Client.

I try to find those screenshots for you.

... there it is:

[deygaurab]

Thanks a lot Schicher. In fact, I did the same .. I mounted the datastore by changing the signature and it worked . SMVI snapshots is a nice way to retrieve backups. In my case, the snapshot was on the secondary and I had to do a snapvault restore to make the snapshot available on the primary and then mount the LUN. If you happen to find the screenshots for mounting SMVI snapshots , do send them across.

Many Thanks

Cheers

Rahul

[schlicher_kabelbw]

Great to read that it was working for you.

I already attached the screenshot (edited my first post) but as you already did it that way, you don't really need it I think.

[schlicher_kabelbw]

And one Screenshot from the "Virtual Storage Console" (still use v2, there is v4 released with interesting features like online alignment if it is working):