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:
- For each virtual machine whose VM directory includes a.dsdfile, make a separate copy of the.dsdfile, associated with the VM backup.
- Do not save copies of any existing.dsvfiles during backup
- Back up each virtual machine using standard methods (see Low Level Backup Procedures).
To restore DataSets files, follow these
steps:
- Restore the virtual machine using standard methods (see Low Level Restore Procedures).
- If at the time of the restore the VM directory includes a.dsvfile and/or a.dsv-journalfile, remove them. Also, delete anydataSetsMgr.vmStoreFileentries in the.vmxfile.
- For each VM for which a.dsdfile was saved at the time of the backup, write the saved.dsdfile into the VM directory.
- If a file of the same name exists in the directory before restore, the saved.dsdfile should overwrite it.
- If a.dsdfile with a different name exists in the VM directory before restore, then remove that.dsdfile. Also, modify the.vmxfile so itsdataSetsMgr.diskStoreFileentry reflects the name of the restored.dsdfile.
- If no.dsdfile exists in the VM directory before restore, then add to the.vmxfile adataSetsMgr.diskStoreFileentry for the restored.dsdfile.
- Finally, if there is a.dsd-journalfile in the VM directory, remove it.
- For each VM for which a.dsdfile wasnotsaved at the time of backup:
- If at the time of the restore the VM directory includes a.dsdfile and/or a.dsd-journalfile, remove them. Also, delete thedataSetsMgr.diskStoreFileentry in the.vmxfile.