Configuring backup options

Before you start protecting virtual machines, you can adjust virtual machine protection to the needs of your data protection environment by configuring backup options.

Backup option	Description
Running pre/post scripts	You can use the pre-snapshot and post-snapshot scripts to perform necessary actions before and after the snapshot of a virtual machine is created. For example, if the virtual machine hosts a database management system, you may want to put the database offline before the snapshot is created to ensure an application-consistent backup and bring the database back online when the snapshot creation completes.
Excluding disks from the backup	You can specify any disk to be excluded from the virtual machine backup.
Enabling the restore of individual files	You can enable the restore of individual files if your data protection needs require that only individual files are restored, and not the entire virtual machine. By enabling the restore of individual files, you prepare the files for the restore. For instructions on how to restore individual files, see “Restoring individual files”. As an alternative to enabling the restore of individual files by using the Configuration option described in this procedure, you can also tag a virtual machine in Azure, and by doing so, instruct HYCU for Azure to enable it automatically. For details, see “Enabling the restore of files by tagging the virtual machine in Azure”.

Backup option

Description

Running pre/post scripts

You can use the pre-snapshot and post-snapshot scripts to perform necessary actions before and after the snapshot of a virtual machine is created. For example, if the virtual machine hosts a database management system, you may want to put the database offline before the snapshot is created to ensure an application-consistent backup and bring the database back online when the snapshot creation completes.

Excluding disks from the backup

You can specify any disk to be excluded from the virtual machine backup.

Enabling the restore of individual files

You can enable the restore of individual files if your data protection needs require that only individual files are restored, and not the entire virtual machine. By enabling the restore of individual files, you prepare the files for the restore. For instructions on how to restore individual files, see “Restoring individual files”.

As an alternative to enabling the restore of individual files by using the Configuration option described in this procedure, you can also tag a virtual machine in Azure, and by doing so, instruct HYCU for Azure to enable it automatically. For details, see “Enabling the restore of files by tagging the virtual machine in Azure”.

Prerequisite

Only if you plan to run pre/post scripts or enable the restore of individual files. Virtual machine discovery must be successful. If you select multiple virtual machines, discovery must be successful for all the selected virtual machines.

Limitations

For virtual machines with unmanaged disks: Restoring individual files is not supported.
For virtual machines with encrypted managed disks: Restoring individual files is supported only for virtual machines that have managed disks encrypted with SSE with PMK. For a list of data protection operations that are supported based on how the managed disks are encrypted, see the HYCU for Azure Compatibility Matrix.

Consideration

Only if you are running pre/post scripts. A snapshot is created even if the pre-snapshot script fails. The post-snapshot script is run even if the pre-snapshot script, snapshot creation, or both actions fail. When a pre-snapshot or post-snapshot script returns an error, the backup status of the virtual machine is set to Done with errors.

Procedure

In the Virtual Machines panel, select one or more virtual machines for which you want to configure backup options.

i Important If you select multiple virtual machines, you will be able only to run pre/post scripts or enable the restore of individual files.
Click  Configuration.

Only if you want to run the pre-snapshot and post-snapshot scripts. Depending on whether you are running the scripts for one virtual machine or multiple virtual machines, on the Pre/post scripts tab, do one of the following:

I want to run pre/post scripts for...	Instructions
One virtual machine	If you want to run a pre-snapshot script, do the following: In the Pre-snapshot script path field, specify the path to the script. n Note If no script is set for the selected virtual machine, None is shown. Click Save. If you want to run a post-snapshot script, do the following: In the Post-snapshot script path field, specify the path to the script. n Note If no script is set for the selected virtual machine, None is shown. Click Save.
Multiple virtual machines	If you want to run a pre-snapshot script, do the following: From the Pre-snapshot script path drop-down menu, select the path to the script. n Note If no script is set for the selected virtual machines, None is shown. If the selected virtual machines already have different scripts set (including the virtual machines without the scripts), Mixed is shown. If no path to the script exists, or you want to add and set a different script from the ones already available, follow these steps before selecting the script: From the Pre-snapshot script path drop-down menu, select  Add new. The Add Pre-Snapshot Script dialog box opens. Specify the path to the script, and then click Save. n Note If you want to delete any of the added pre-snapshot scripts, click x next to it. Only if some of the selected virtual machines already have a pre-snapshot script set. Select the Override virtual machines with pre-snapshot script already set check box if you want the script selected in the previous step to be used instead of the already existing script. Click Save. If you want to run a post-snapshot script, do the following: From the Post-snapshot script path drop-down menu, select the path to the script. n Note If no script is set for the selected virtual machines, None is shown. If the selected virtual machines already have different scripts set (including the virtual machines without the scripts), Mixed is shown. If no path to the script exists, or you want to add and set a different script from the ones already available, follow these steps before selecting the script: From the Post-snapshot script path drop-down menu, select  Add new. The Add Post-Snapshot Script dialog box opens. Specify the path to the script, and then click Save. n Note If you want to delete any of the added post-snapshot scripts, click x next to it. Only if some of the selected virtual machines already have a post-snapshot script set. Select the Override virtual machines with post-snapshot script already set check box if you want the script selected in the previous step to be used instead of the already existing script. Click Save.

I want to run pre/post scripts for...

Instructions

One virtual machine

If you want to run a pre-snapshot script, do the following:
1. In the Pre-snapshot script path field, specify the path to the script.
  
  n Note If no script is set for the selected virtual machine, None is shown.
2. Click Save.
If you want to run a post-snapshot script, do the following:
1. In the Post-snapshot script path field, specify the path to the script.
  
  n Note If no script is set for the selected virtual machine, None is shown.
2. Click Save.

Multiple virtual machines

If you want to run a pre-snapshot script, do the following:
1. From the Pre-snapshot script path drop-down menu, select the path to the script.
  
  n Note If no script is set for the selected virtual machines, None is shown. If the selected virtual machines already have different scripts set (including the virtual machines without the scripts), Mixed is shown.
  
  If no path to the script exists, or you want to add and set a different script from the ones already available, follow these steps before selecting the script:
  1. From the Pre-snapshot script path drop-down menu, select  Add new. The Add Pre-Snapshot Script dialog box opens.
  2. Specify the path to the script, and then click Save.
  n Note If you want to delete any of the added pre-snapshot scripts, click x next to it.
2. Only if some of the selected virtual machines already have a pre-snapshot script set. Select the Override virtual machines with pre-snapshot script already set check box if you want the script selected in the previous step to be used instead of the already existing script.
3. Click Save.
If you want to run a post-snapshot script, do the following:
1. From the Post-snapshot script path drop-down menu, select the path to the script.
  
  n Note If no script is set for the selected virtual machines, None is shown. If the selected virtual machines already have different scripts set (including the virtual machines without the scripts), Mixed is shown.
  
  If no path to the script exists, or you want to add and set a different script from the ones already available, follow these steps before selecting the script:
  1. From the Post-snapshot script path drop-down menu, select  Add new. The Add Post-Snapshot Script dialog box opens.
  2. Specify the path to the script, and then click Save.
  n Note If you want to delete any of the added post-snapshot scripts, click x next to it.
2. Only if some of the selected virtual machines already have a post-snapshot script set. Select the Override virtual machines with post-snapshot script already set check box if you want the script selected in the previous step to be used instead of the already existing script.
3. Click Save.

Only if you want to exclude disks from the backup. On the Exclude from backup tab, select the disks that you want to exclude from the backup, and then click Save.

i Important Only if you plan to exclude the boot disk from the backup. Restoring the entire virtual machine is not possible if the boot disk is excluded from the backup.

Only if you want to enable the restore of individual files. Depending on whether you want to enable the restore of individual files for one virtual machine or multiple virtual machines, on the Restore individual files tab, do one of the following:

I want to enable the restore of files for...	Instructions
One virtual machine	Use the Enable restore of individual files switch, and then click Save.
Multiple virtual machines	Select the Enable for all option, and then click Save.

You can at any time disable the restore of individual files for each virtual machine individually by disabling the Enable restore of individual files switch or for a group of virtual machines by selecting the Disable for all option.

Enabling the restore of files by tagging the virtual machine in Azure

As an alternative to enabling the restore of individual virtual machine files in HYCU for Azure, you can add the hycu-enable-flr tag to the virtual machine in Azure, and by doing so, instruct HYCU for Azure to enable it automatically. Use the following name–value pair:

Name	Value
`hycu-enable-flr`	`True`^a

^aBy setting the value to False, you disable the restore of individual files for the specific virtual machine.

If the virtual machine has credentials assigned, HYCU for Azure automatically enables the restore of its individual files. Otherwise, you must assign the credentials to the virtual machine. For details on how to do this, see “Enabling access to virtual machines”.