This part of the lab is presented as a Hands-on Labs Interactive Simulation. This will allow you to experience steps which are too time-consuming or resource intensive to do live in the lab environment. In this simulation, you can use the software interface as if you are interacting with a live environment.
The orange boxes show where to click, and the left and right arrow keys can also be used to move through the simulation in either direction.
The vCenter Server Appliance Restore process consists of two stages:
- Stage 1: Deploy a fresh appliance / OVF
- Stage 2: Setting up the vCenter Server Appliance
This simulation will go through each stage to restore a vCenter Server Appliance.
Start the vCenter Server Appliance Installer
- Click installer.exe to open the vCenter Server Appliance Installer
- Click Restore
Introduction
- Review the different stages of restoring the vCenter Server Appliance and Click Next
Accept EULA
- Review and Accept License Agreement Terms
- Click Next
Enter Backup Details
Here we provide the location of the backup files created as part of the previous lesson vCenter Server Appliance Backup.
- Backup location type: FTP
- Provide the Backup location: 192.168.110.60/vcsa01a-backup
- Port should be 21
- Username is root
- Password is VMware1!
- Encryption leave blank
- Click Next
Review Backup Information
- Review the back up information and Click Next
Connect To Target
- Provide Target sever or hostname esx-01a.corp.local
- HTTPS default port is 443
- User name is root
- Password is VMware1!
- Click Next and Yes to Certificate Warning
Set Up Target Appliance VM
Here we provide a name for the appliance VM. This name will be displayed within vSphere. The identity of the appliance will be restored to the host name of the backed up vCenter Server Appliance once the restore is completed.
- Target appliance VM should be vcsa01a-backup
- Root password is VMware1!
- Confirm password
- Click Next
Select Deployment Size
For the purposes of this lab, we chose to use the smallest footprint for the recovered vCenter Server Appliance.
- Deployment size for this lesson will be "Tiny vCenter Server". Click Next
Select Datastore
This simulation contains only one datastore. In typical environments there would be multiple datastores available.
- RegionA01-ISCSI01-COMP01 datastore is already selected
- Click Enable Thin Disk Mode
- Click Next
Configure Network Settings
Since our source vCenter Server Appliance had a static IP configured, we want that same IP to be used during the restore process. Typical vCenter Server Appliance installations will have a static IP assigned.
- Click DHCP and change to static (The original IP settings will populate automatically from the backup)
- Click Next
Review Settings
- Review settings and click Finish to the vCenter Server Appliance deployment
Deploy OVF
This process was sped up as part of the simulation. In a typical environment this could take several minutes to complete.
- Click Continue when the deployment is complete
Stage 2. Transfer Data - Introduction
Stage 2 involves configuring the newly deployed vCenter Server Appliance using the backup files from the FTP server we provided earlier.
- Click Next to start "Stage 2" of the restore process
Ready to Complete
- Review the "Backup details" and click Finish to start the data transfer
- Click OK to continue
Restore Complete
This process was sped up as part of the simulation. In a typical environment this could take several minutes to complete.
- Click "X" in upper right to close the window when the restore is complete
Verify vCenter Server Appliance is ready
- Click on Google Chrome to open the browser to confirm the vCenter Server Appliance login screen is active.
- This concludes this interactive simulation. Click the "Return to the lab" link or close the windows to continue with this lab.
To return to the lab, click the link in the upper right corner or close this browser tab.