Deciding whether to read the Data Protection Guide for VMs and Datastores

This information describes how to use the SnapCenter vSphere web client on vCenter to perform backup and restore operations on VMware virtual machines (VMs), VMDKs, and datastores. The SnapCenter Plug-in for VMware vSphere also supports SnapCenter application-specific plug-ins in protecting virtualized databases and file systems.

You should read this information if you want to use SnapCenter in the following ways:

• You want to create data protection policies and resource groups for VMDKs, VMs, and datastores
  Note: If you want to protect application consistent data on VMs, see the data protection guide for the appropriate plug-in. The application-based plug-ins automatically leverage the Plug-in for VMware vSphere when protecting virtualized databases and file systems.
• You want to perform backup, restore, attach, and detach operations on VMs and VMDKs using the SnapCenter vSphere web client GUI on vCenter
• You want to perform backup, mount, and unmount operations on VM datastores
• You want to restore individual files or folders that reside on a VM guest OS

You should have already performed the following:

• Installed SnapCenter Server and the Plug-in for VMware vSphere
• Configured role-based access control (RBAC), storage system connections, and Run As accounts
• Set up SnapMirror and SnapVault relationships, if you want backup replication

You can also use the following information to help accomplish your data protection goals:

• SnapCenter Server and plug-in installation and setup

  Installing and setting up SnapCenter

  Getting Started

• SnapCenter concepts, including architecture, features, and benefits

  Concepts

• Other SnapCenter Data Protection Guides for specific types of resources, such as Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Windows file systems, and custom plug-ins
• SnapCenter PowerShell cmdlets

  SnapCenter Software 4.1 Windows Cmdlet Reference Guide

• SnapCenter administration, including dashboards, reporting capabilities, and REST APIs, and managing licenses, storage connections, and the SnapCenter Server repository

  Performing administrative tasks