Objective 9.6 – Backup and recovery configurations

Principles

  1. Understand how to backup and recover various components
  2. Schedule backups
  3. Export/Restore vSphere Distributed Switch configuration
  4. Import/Export Service Composer profiles
  5. Perform NSX Manager backup and restore operations

References

  1. NSX Administration Guide

http://pubs.vmware.com/NSX-62/topic/com.vmware.ICbase/PDF/nsx_62_admin.pdf

Understand how to backup and recover various components

  • Image based backup no configuration
  • Edge configs can also be downloaded via API
  • NSX Manager configuration backup: Manage -> Backups and Restore
    • FTP or SFTP
    • Pass Phrase: encryption key for backups – do not lose!

Optionally exclude Audit Logs, System Events and Flow Records

Schedule backups

  • NSX Manager -> Manage -> Backups and Restore: Scheduling

e.g. Midnight every Sunday

Export/Restore vSphere Distributed Switch configuration

vDS -> Actions -> Settings -> Export/Restore Configuration

Option to Export Switch config only or include Port Groups

Exported file saved as a zip file.

Restore function also has option to restore switch only or include port groups

Import/Export Service Composer profiles

  • NSX -> Service Composer -> Security Policies -> More -> Import/Export Configuration
  • Multiple Policies can be exported simultaneously

Perform NSX Manager backup and restore operations

  • Backup: NSX Manager -> Manage -> Backups & Restore -> Backup
  • Restore: NSX Manager -> Manage -> Backups & Restore -> Restore

New NSX Manager must be on same version as the one being restored

Passphrase specified in backup configuration required to restore configuration

Over-writes entire NSX configuration and may require Host service synchronization to re-install VIBs or sync Firewall services