Datasets Backup and Restore

The DataSets facility allows programs to read and write key-value entries related to a virtual machine. This section describes how to back up and restore DataSets files.
There may be one or two DataSets files in a VM directory. If either is present, one has file name suffix
.dsd
while the other has
.dsv
suffix. The former is durable (included in snapshots and clones) while the latter is variable (omitted from snapshots and clones). If either is present, there are corresponding entries in the VM's
.vmx
file:
dataSetsMgr.diskStoreFile =
filename
.dsd dataSetsMgr.vmStoreFile =
filename
.dsv
The
.dsd
file should be saved by backup and restored along with the VM. The
.dsv
file should not be preserved, but backup software must account for it. There might be other files with extension
.dsd-journal
or
.dsv-journal
. These should not be backed up. If they exist in the VM directory at restore time, they should be removed.
To back up Datasets files, follow these steps:
  1. For each virtual machine whose VM directory includes a
    .dsd
    file, make a separate copy of the
    .dsd
    file, associated with the VM backup.
  2. Do not save copies of any existing
    .dsv
    files during backup
  3. Back up each virtual machine using standard methods (see Low Level Backup Procedures).
To restore DataSets files, follow these steps:
  1. Restore the virtual machine using standard methods (see Low Level Restore Procedures).
  2. If at the time of the restore the VM directory includes a
    .dsv
    file and/or a
    .dsv-journal
    file, remove them. Also, delete any
    dataSetsMgr.vmStoreFile
    entries in the
    .vmx
    file.
  3. For each VM for which a
    .dsd
    file was saved at the time of the backup, write the saved
    .dsd
    file into the VM directory.
    • If a file of the same name exists in the directory before restore, the saved
      .dsd
      file should overwrite it.
    • If a
      .dsd
      file with a different name exists in the VM directory before restore, then remove that
      .dsd
      file. Also, modify the
      .vmx
      file so its
      dataSetsMgr.diskStoreFile
      entry reflects the name of the restored
      .dsd
      file.
    • If no
      .dsd
      file exists in the VM directory before restore, then add to the
      .vmx
      file a
      dataSetsMgr.diskStoreFile
      entry for the restored
      .dsd
      file.
    • Finally, if there is a
      .dsd-journal
      file in the VM directory, remove it.
  4. For each VM for which a
    .dsd
    file was
    not
    saved at the time of backup:
    • If at the time of the restore the VM directory includes a
      .dsd
      file and/or a
      .dsd-journal
      file, remove them. Also, delete the
      dataSetsMgr.diskStoreFile
      entry in the
      .vmx
      file.