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This symbol designates either a Note, which contains an explanation or exceptions to the text,
or an Important item which provides details on making a selection about the configuration
and/or use of ShadowControl.
This symbol designates a Warning text. A warning highlights critical information that affects
backup job performance or potential loss of data.
1 SPX Overview
SPX highlights include:
Annual Subscription Licensing
SPX offers additional licensing options, with one or two year subscriptions and maintenance. Included with each license is
access to updates, upgrades, and standard technical support during the subscription period.
Socket Licensing provides a much more flexible and cost effective method of licensing SPX for VM environments.
Single Pane Management using ShadowControl 3.1 or newer for both Linux and Windows.
Linux server support for Ubuntu 12.04, 14.04 and 16.04; CentOS/Red Hat RHEL 6 and 7.
Windows Support for contemporary Server and Desktop releases including Windows 10.
New User Interface
SPX offers an improved user interface that is more intuitive and easier to use. This interface displays a patented interactive
timeline of existing backups. Select any backup to view a summary of that backup, including the backup file size.
Single install for both Perpetual and MSP licenses
Flexible backup job scheduler
SPX offers a predefined backup job profile for each backup type. Users can also customize their own, creating backups at the
date and time the user wants.
Remote Monitoring
SPX has the ability to remotely monitor backups running on other SPX systems. This functionality is similar to the Management
Console in ShadowProtect 5. SPX can serve as a remote console for other machines also running SPX. SPX provides all
options available locally to the remote systems via the management connection. This remote connection leverages HTTP, rather
than DCOM (as used by ShadowProtect). This means that most firewalls allow the SPX connection without the changes required
for DCOM.
Fully integrated with StorageCraft technology
SPX uses the same backup file format as other ShadowProtect products. This means that ImageManager, Cloud Services, and
ShadowProtect functions such as Mount, Verify, and VirtualBoot fully support both Linux-sourced backups as well as Windows.
SPX is a native 64-bit application
VirtualBoot support for Linux
SPX supports VirtualBoot for Linux system volume backups.
VirtualBoot support for hypervisors.
ShadowProtect SPX can VirtualBoot backup images in Microsoft Hyper-V, Oracle VirtualBox, and VMware vSphere. You can
also right-click on an image to VirtualBoot.
Unique SPX Codes for Windows Logs
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SPX events now display unique codes for Windows system logs. This simplifies searches and sorts for SPX issues.
Changing Backup Destinations
Users can now change an existing backup job's destination as storage needs change.
Job Specific Logging
SPX has improved logging that lets you analyze log information for a specific job. You can now open the log file from within the
user interface.
SPX requires a license/activation key to run. Before using the software, read the End User License Agreement.
License Description
Option
3 Linux Installation
SPX is available for installation from the StorageCraft public repo. Full instructions appear in the SPX section of the StorageCraft
website SPX product page using conventional Linux processes.
Note: For those new to ShadowProtect's sector-based backup and recovery, review the section How SPX Works. Use the
StorageCraft Glossary for definitions of SPX terms and processes.
Console Requirements
The SPX console requires an XServer GUI desktop environment. See the Remote Management section below for details on installing
on systems which do not have a GUI install or the system runs headless.
Ubuntu (64-bit)
1. Set up the repo.
For Ubuntu 12.04, run:
wget http://downloads.storagecraft.com/spx/Ubuntu12.04/storagecraft-repo-latest.deb -O storagecraft-repo-latest.deb
sudo dpkg -i storagecraft-repo-latest.deb
sudo apt-get update
2. Type in this command in a terminal session to display the current supported kernel list.:
apt-cache search kmod-stcvsm
Note: This installs a copy of the StorageCraft repository public signing key to the files system and automatically adds it to the apt
keystore. A copy of this key can be found at
CentOS/RHEL (64-bit)
Important: The EPEL repository is REQUIRED to install SPX on CentOS/RHEL.
To install the EPEL repository on CentOS or RHEL run the command.:
sudo yum install epel-release
1. SPX may have a conflict if the system has fprintd-pam installed. To avoid this, uninstall fprintd-pam:
sudo yum remove fprintd-pam
On CentOS/RHEL 7, run:
sudo systemctl start spx
CentOS/RHEL (64-bit) with EPEL repositories enabled and one of the supported kernel versions.
To view the current supported list:
1. Set up the SPX repo.
For CentOS6/RHEL6, run:
wget http://downloads.storagecraft.com/spx/CentOS6/storagecraft-repo-latest.rpm -O storagecraft-repo-latest.
rpm -O storagecraft-repo-latest.rpm
sudo yum install storagecraft-repo-latest.rpm -y
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For CentOS6/RHEL7, run:
wget http://downloads.storagecraft.com/spx/CentOS7/storagecraft-repo-latest.rpm -O storagecraft-repo-latest.rpm
sudo yum install storagecraft-repo-latest.rpm -y
Note: StorageCraft only supports distributions of Linux with long-term support (LTS) and not self-compiled or short-term releases.
Updating SPX
Once SPX installs the StorageCraft repo deb package the first time, use these commands to install subsequent builds and updates:
Ubuntu (64-bit)
apt-get update
apt-get install spx
CentOS/RHEL
yum update spx
If SPX issues an error message saying there's a conflict with a package, remove the conflicting package:
And then repeat the install.
File Systems
SPX supports these Linux file systems on storage devices:
ext2
ext3
ext4
XFS
Sector Sizes
Contemporary hard drives and SSDs ship with a 4096-byte physical sector size. Most also support the 512-byte logical sector size.
(These drives are often labeled 512e for "512 Byte Sector Size Emulation".) SPX supports backing up both 4096- and 512-byte
logical sector sizes.
In the unusual situation of restoring a partition/volume from one logical sector size to another:
512 bytes per logical sector -> 4096 bytes per logical sector (and the destination does not support 512e)
4096 bytes per logical sector -> 512 bytes per logical sector
SPX will issue an error message during the restore if it encounters a mismatched sector size.
VirtualBoot
SPX supports various versions of Oracle VirtualBox including v.4.3.28. The Oracle website provides a download for VirtualBox.
Warning:
It is possible to configure the VirtualBox Repo on a Linux machine. (This makes it easy to download updates to VirtualBox.) However,
this option will tend to download the latest version of VirtualBox for that particular branch defined in the Repo (e.g. 4.3.x or 4.2.x). This
presents two potentially serious problems:
Some versions of VirtualBox are not supported for SPX. These are rare but they do occur when there are bugs in the VirtualBoot
API used by SPX. Using the VirtualBox Repo may install a new, untested version and VirtualBoot functions would fail.
Some versions of VirtualBoot may update to the system kernel. This may result in a kernel version that is not supported by SPX.
StorageCraft regularly releases updated kernel drivers as new kernels become available, so this issue should be rare. However,
it is still possible and would cause SPX functions to perform erratically or not at all.
For these reasons StorageCraft recommends downloading directly specific versions of VirtualBox that StorageCraft confirms are
supported by SPX. The SPX readme lists the current supported versions of VirtualBox. Download the specific VirtualBox package
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(e.g. rpm) for that supported version using the normal download URL (e.g. download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox).
Hypervisor Support
The SPX virtual license works on a VM running any supported Linux version. In turn, these VMs can run on these hypervisors:
Microsoft Hyper-V
Microsoft Virtual PC
Microsoft Virtual Server
VMWare ESX/ESXi
VMWare Workstation
Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization (RHEV)
Citrix Xen Hypervisor
Oracle VirtualBox
Linux KVM
ProxMox
Qemu
Stratos everRun
Note: The Port Number indicates the port to use for remote management sessions. The default is Port 13581.
3. Install and run SPX on a Linux VM or physical system with a GUI desktop environment. SPX automatically displays the Session
dialog:
4.Select New Remote Session from the Saved Sessions dropdown list.
5. Enter the requested information:
Field Description
6. Click Connect. SPX connects the console to the remote system. SPX displays the License Required dialog:
Note: This license activation refers to the SPX license on the remote system, not the system the console runs on. Running the
console for remote management does not require a license.
7. Select a license option:
Option Description
This postpones SPX activation. SPX then displays the main dialog. The
Activate user can then define one or more backup jobs for the remote system.
Later However, those jobs will not run until the user enters either a Trial Key or a
valid license.
Get
This opens a form to request a Trial key from StorageCraft. Enter the Trial
Trial key and click Activate to use SPX and its features for 30 days.
Key
Activate
Enter the product key, contact name, and organization. Click Activate to
License
begin using SPX and its features.
Now
8. Refer to the SPX Quick Start or to Creating a Backup Job to configure a job for the remote system.
4 Windows Installation
The SPX install includes both the SPX console and the SPX agent. This is unlike past versions of ShadowProtect which had the
option to install either or both.
Warning: SPX does not support taking backups from USB flash drives. It does support external drives connected via USB or
internal SSD drives. Use ShadowProtect 5.x if a system requires backing up a flash drive.
Installation
To install SPX on a Windows system:
1. Download and run the appropriate bit-level SPX Windows standard installer.
2. Follow the onscreen prompts to complete the install.
3. If this is a new (and not upgrade) install, request a Trial key when asked.
4. Copy the Trial key from the StorageCraft trial response page (or email) into the activation dialog.
5. Click Done.
6. Log into a Local Session using credentials for a user who is a member of the Windows Local Admin group. (A user who has
Administrator privileges.)
7. Configure a destination and a backup job.
Recovery Environment
The 64-bit Recovery Environment CrossPlatform (RE-X) supports restorations of both Windows and Linux boot volumes. Use the
REBuilder app to create the 64-bit Windows Recovery Environment if the restore requires additional driver support. (StorageCraft
recommends using the 32-bit Recovery Environment only when required by the destination hardware.)
OS Upgrades
You need to deactivate the ShadowProtect SPX license and uninstall the software prior to upgrading an existing Windows system to a
newer version. For example, do an uninstall of SPX when upgrading a Windows 7 system to Windows 8 or a Windows 8 to Windows 8
Pro or to Windows 10. After the OS upgrade, reinstall ShadowProtect and reactivate the license. While the system preserves backup
job configurations and other ShadowProtect settings and could continue an existing back chain, a best practice is to always create a
new backup job after the upgrade rather than continue the older, existing chain.
Important: If you want to do continuous incremental backups your volumes need to use NTFS.
MBR Disks
GPT Disks
Basic and Dynamic Volumes and Disks
4K/AF drives with 4096-byte physical sectors and 512-byte sector emulation
Important: Backups of 4K/Advanced Format drives won’t successfully VirtualBoot on VirtualBox unless 512-byte sector
emulation (512e) is enabled on the volumes being backed up.
Restores
SPX performs data volume (not boot volume) restores from these image files:
SPF
SPI
Note: SPX does not support restores from VHD or VHDX files.
SPX will issue an error message during the restore if it encounters a mis-matched sector size.
Note that a second type of 4K drives now appear on the market. These 4K Native (4Kn) drives do not support emulating the 512-byte
logical sector size. Microsoft Windows may also issue a warning when restoring volumes from a 512-byte sector size drive to a 4Kn
drive. Various Windows applications are hard-coded for 512-byte sectors and cannot re-initialize after migrating to a 4Kn drive.
Note: Since the multiple operating systems run independent of each other, it is possible to install both a Windows SPX and a Linux
SPX in their respective environments. This would maintain separate backup chains for each, rather than only a full backup for the
quiescent operating system.
Note: You can add /lvoicewarmupx <path> to the msiexec to generate a log file.
Example: m siex ec /qn /lvoicewarm upx C:\InstallLog.tx t /pack age C:\spx -6.0.1-2.win64.m si IACCEPT=STO RAGECRAFT.EULA {KEY=<License Key> NAME=<Nam e>
O RG=<O rganization> TYPE=<Type> HO ST=<Hostnam e> PO RT= <Port> }
Parameters
The silent install command supports these parameters:
If you provide a license key you also have to provide the "Name" and "Organization" fields
Use the actual name and path to the MSI file> For
Installer name and path YES
example, C:\spx-6.0.3.win64.msi
This confirms the installer read and agrees with the
IACCEPT=STORAGECRAFT.EULA YES
StorageCraft EULA.
ShadowProtect SPX license key (for example: 1234-
Key= NO
A123-1234-1ABC)
Yes, if the command includes the
NAME= Name of the user
Key= parameter
ORG= Assigns the endpoint to this ShadowControl Yes, if the command includes the
Organization. Key= parameter
*TYPE= The type of activation. Options are Default or SOCKET. No, uses Default type if left blank
Name or IP of the Socket Licensing Service Server.
†HOST= Yes, if Type is set to SOCKET
Options are FQDN or IP.
This the port used by the Socket Licensing service. No, Default is set to 8282 if no
‡PORT=
Currently only 8282 is supported port is specified.
*For socket-based licensing, you must specify the Host and you must set Type=socket. If the Type is not specified or set to SOCKET it
is assumed to be "default" licensing.
†Host and Port are remembered but ignored if Type is not "socket".
‡Port assumes 8282 if not specified.
Note: After the install completes, run a script to enable remote management on the target systems (see below).
Note: Either command causes a forced restart of the system when it completes.
Note: A Transform (*.MST) file can include command line parameters to pass into an MSI installer as part of a software install
using Group Policies (GPO).
Caution: Do not save the transform changes back to the original MSI file. Doing so will break the digital signature on the MSI.
The <Port Number> parameter is optional. Omit it to install using the default port 13581.Otherwise, specify the desired port number.
Note: To log into the system after using this command with a new port number, use the specified port in the SPX login screen.
For example, if the new port is Port 1234, enter "1234" in the Port field:
Partition
Number Description
System Reserve or Recovery Partition
1
(Hidden)
2 EFI System Partition (Hidden)
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3 C: drive, Primary partition
4 F: drive, Primary partition
5 E: drive, Primary partition
In the SPX backup job configuration dialog, however, only Partitions 1, 3, 4, and 5 appear:
The hidden partition 2 is not needed for a full restore on new hardware. Hidden Partition 1 is shown, as it can contain required
Bitlocker data if the system uses that encryption service.
Note: Partition 5 (Drive F:) is greyed out in this example as it is the intended destination for SPX backup files.
Note: StorageCraft focuses on the actual number of populated sockets, not the
number of cores per processor.
1. The Socket Licensing Service requires installation on either a Windows or Linux machine (physical or virtual) that communicates
with the internet (HTTP) using port 8282. Port 443 must also be open for outbound communication with the StorageCraft
activation server. See Configuration Examples for more information.
1. This machine also needs to communicate to the hypervisor host(s) or vCenter within the local network.
2. Network communication is defaulted to HTTPS but can be configured for HTTP as well.
2. Register the hypervisors through the Socket License Dashboard to facilitate network communication. See the specific setup
information for Hyper-V and vSphere before registering a host.
3. Configure the Socket License Service to connect to the hypervisors. Hyper-V requires additional configuration for both HTTP or
HTTPS. Connection in vSphere is defaulted to HTTPS.
4. Install an SPX version that supports socket licensing (v6.1.0. or newer) on each VM that is to be protected.
5. Initiate Activation of SPX on the VM where SPX is installed.
Communication
This information outlines the basic communication flow between the StorageCraft Activation server, the Socket Licensing Service,
hypervisor hosts, and the guest VMs:
1. The VM where SPX is installed, sends an activation request to the Socket Licensing Service.
2. The Socket Licensing Service, queries the hypervisor host for socket license status.
3. The hypervisor host confirms socket licensing with the Socket Licensing Service.
4. The Socket Licensing Service requests activation from the StorageCraft activation server.
5. The StorageCraft activation server sends authorization back to the VM.
The numbered list above corresponds with the image below.
If new hosts are added to the network, their sockets must be licensed accordingly to activate SPX on the guest VMs.
Moving VMs
If an SPX licensed VM is moved (i.e. vMotion) fom a licensed socket to an unlicensed socket, the SPX license expires after 30 days if
the sockets are not licensed within that time frame. SPX activations for VMs on properly licensed sockets have no expiration date.
Note: You must start the service manually the first time after installation. It will start automatically after that.
Note: You must start the service manually the first time after installation. It will start automatically after that.
Login
To log in, enter the password and then click the LOGIN button. (There is no user name).
Register a hypervisor
To register a hypervisor
1. Enter the name for the hypervisor in the Alias field.
2. Enter the Hostname or IP Address.
3. Select the Port. Use 0 for the default port (8282).
4. Check the box next to Use HTTPS if using a secure connection.
5. Click the radio button to select which type of hypervisor to use.
6. Enter the Username.
7. Enter the Password.
8. Click Submit.
The new hypervisor should now show up in the list of hypervisors on the dashboard.
1. Create a new TLS certificate for the Hyper-V server if it does not already have an existing certificate.
2. Import the certificate for the Hyper-V server in the local computer account on the machine hosting the Socket Licensing Service
(see Adding a certificate to a local computer account for details).
3. Enable HTTPS for WinRM on the Hyper-V host with the following command:
winrm quickconfig -transport:https
4. Open port 5986 (HTTPS port for WinRM) in the firewall on the system running the Socket Licensing Service.
5. Enable Basic authentication for WinRM on the Hyper-V host with the following command:
winrm s winrm/config/service/auth @{Basic="true"}
Note: If you copy the command line winrm s winrm/config/service/auth @{Basic="true"} shown above and paste it into a
command prompt window, you need to delete the quote marks " and type them in manually before running the command.
Otherwise you'll see an error when you run the command. This process applies to all similar command lines in this
document.
6. Create a local user account and add the user to the Local Admins group.
Note: You must run all winrm commands as an administrator. The commands
require special escape characters if you are in PowerShell.
Or run:
winrm set winrm/config/service/auth @{Basic=”true”}
Note: Output must contain one listener on port 5985 and the "ListeningOn" field should contain an IP address to which the
activation service can connect.
Create a local user account and add the user to the Local Admins group.
Important: The Socket Licensing Service does not connect directly to ESXi hosts. Instead, it communicates through vCenter
with the ESXi hosts. As a minimum, the user account must have Read-Only access.
For vSphere configuration make sure that the user account has, (as a minimum), Read-Only access. This is done by adding the
System "Read-Only" role in vCenter.
In vCenter 6.0 a global permission can be added to cover access to All ESXi hosts.
In vCenter 5.5 the permission needs to be added to each ESXi host attached to the datacenter.
The SPX Login dialog appears every time after launching SPX. This allows the user to select to monitor either the local workstation
(Local Session) or a remote system (Remote Session).
Note: To authenticate into SPX, users need to be members of the Local Admin group in Windows or a member of the SPX group in
Linux.
The steps below correlate with numbered features and fields in the Help Overlay.
8 Backup images for the Select an event in the Timeline and SPX
selected timeline event populates the Details pane.
Select which machines to monitor. You must
9 Remote Monitor install the SPX agent on each machine you want
to monitor.
Click the Log File button to open the log for the
10 Open the Log File
currently selected job.
File
The File menu options include:
Option Description
On headless or non-XServer-equipped systems, users can enable remote access to the server using the terminal command:
/opt/StorageCraft/spx/bin/spx_cli remote --enable <Port Number>
The Port Number indicates the port to use for the session. Users can then install and run the SPX console on an appropriate Linux VM
or physical system with a GUI desktop environment.to access the remote server.
Note: If the terminal command fails, first check that the command is in lower-case.
Logout
Use this option to log out of the current session with the SPX agent (local or remote). SPX then displays the Session dialog to log into
another agent. The SPX Dashboard panes appear blank until logged into a new session.
Exit
Select this option to close the SPX console.
Backup
Refer to Creating a Backup Job for details on this menu's two options: New Job and Destinations.
Tools
The Tools menu options include:
Image Chain Browser
Mounted Images
VirtualBoot
Background Tasks
Mounted Images
The Mounted Images dialog shows
All SPX-mounted images
The source image for the mounted volume.
Whether the mounted image is set to Read-only.
Note:. If the user mounts the image as Read-only, SPX automatically discards any changes made to the mounted image upon
dismount. If SPX mounted the volume as Read-Write, SPX asks the user to save any changes to a new incremental file.
VirtualBoot
Use this dialog to configure and launch a virtual machine based on the selected system volume.
To virtual boot a server:
1. Click Add or Remove to select the backup files to use with this virtual machine. The Add Image File function allows users to
include one or more data volumes as well as the boot volume so the VM replicates the original server configuration.
2. Give the virtual machine a name indicative of its source and/or purpose.
3. Specify the amount of RAM to dedicate to the VM.
4. Select whether to give the VM access to the network.
5. Select to launch the VM after clicking Create.
Background Tasks
The Background Tasks dialog lists SPX tasks running (or recently run) in the background.
Help
The Help menu options include:
Online Help
This option opens a new tab in the system’s default browser and displays the online ShadowProtect SPX User Guide.
Help Overlay
SPX includes a translucent overlay which indicates various features and fields on the SPX dashboard: Refer to the Help Overlay page
for details.
Click Close Help Overlay (in the upper-right corner) or press ESC to close the overlay.
System Diagnostics
This option generates a package of diagnostic reports on the server. StorageCraft Support can then use this package to troubleshoot
issues with SPX. To create the package, enter a name and destination folder for this output. Users can then send a copy to
StorageCraft Support upon request to resolve their issue.
Product Activation
StorageCraft provides a 30-day trial key after installation of SPX. Enter this trial key to use all the features of SPX. Include a contact
name and organization to complete the activation. Purchase an activation key to continue to run backups after the 30 days. (Note that
until activated, the dialog displays its status as “Unlicensed”. Once activated, this changes to “Active.”)
Registration
Opens a new tab on the default browser to the online StorageCraft Product Registration page. Enter the serial number, click
Continue, then follow the onscreen prompts to register SPX.
Users can display the SPX product key using the terminal command when working with headless or non-GUI-equipped servers:
/opt/StorageCraft/spx/bin/spx_cli --license
About
This option displays
The version for the SPX client and for the SPX service. (These may be different.)
A link to the SPX End-user License Agreement (EULA).
A link to the online SPX ReadMe file.
Remote
Opens the Remote Monitor dialog.
Monitor
Image
Chain Displays the backup file Image Chain Browser.
Browser
Mounted
Displays a list of the currently mounted backup images.
Images
Log File Opens the log file for the currently selected job.
Logs the console out of the current SPX service session--local
or remote. SPX then displays the Session dialog to log into
Logout another service.
Note: This Login/Session process allows the console to
monitor the SPX service running on local or remote servers.
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Note: Use the same Product Activation dialog to enter a purchased Perpetual license.
Note: SPX can use any volume that is not part of this backup job as a backup file destination.
2. Confirm that the current user on the system is a SUDO user in order to install SPX.
3. Follow the online instructions to install SPX from the StorageCraft public repo.
4. Launch SPX in a Linux desktop environment:
Note: If SPX does not detect a consolidated image within seven days, a warning will be posted in the job details pane.
Note: A continuous incremental job requires the use of ImageManager to monitor and consolidate the backup files in the
destination folder. Without such management, the size of the backup chain will grow beyond the ability of most systems to properly
handle a restore procedure. For more information on using ImageManager, see the ImageManager User Guide.
Note: A continuous incremental job requires the use of ImageManager to monitor and consolidate the backup files in the
destination folder. Without such management, the size of the backup chain will grow beyond the ability of most systems to properly
handle a restore procedure. For more information on using ImageManager, see the ImageManager User Guide.
Component Features
The console manages disaster recovery on Windows machines and Linux servers.
The console can:
Configure backup jobs that run unobtrusively in the background.
Store backups on any accessible media including network storage (SAN, NAS, iSCSI) and removable
drives (USB, FireWire).
SPX Console Create compressed and encrypted backup image files for efficiency and security.
Recover a complete data volume, to an exact point in time, using the Restore Volume feature.
View backup images for quick file and folder recovery using the Mount feature.
Mount any system volume backup image file as a virtual machine using VirtualBoot.
Remotely manage system backup and recovery operations.
StorageCraft The Recovery Environment for Windows is a bootable environment based on the Windows PE platform. It is a
combination of the StorageCraft Recovery Environment and the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit
Recovery
(ADK). The Recovery Environment for Windows is created using the StorageCraft Recovery Environment Builder,
Environment which also allows for individual customization by injecting unique drivers during the build process. Refer to the
for Windows Recovery Environment User Guide for details.
The Recovery Environment CrossPlatform is a bootable environment for disaster recovery that
doesn't require installing software and can
Access all critical features of the SPX Console from a standalone disaster recovery environment.
Use Boot Repair to restore a system volume to different hardware or to virtual environments
(P2P, P2V, V2P).
For more information, see the StorageCraft Recovery Environment CrossPlatform User Guide.
Note: The Mount utility can efficiently mount hundreds of backup images simultaneously if needed.
For instructions, see Restoring Files and Folders.
:
Live Backup
Problem: I don't want to shutdown a system every time I need to create a system backup image.
SPX Solution: By leveraging disk imaging with snapshot technology, SPX lets you create live system backups without any system
downtime. SPX creates live backup images that include a system's operating system, critical data, and configuration settings.
Software Testing
Problem: You need to find out how some new software performs on your production system, but you don't want to risk having any
problems.
VirtualBoot Solution: VirtualBoot the latest backup of your production system, then install the software in the virtual machine. You
can evaluate the software performance using your system's actual production environment without any risk to your production system.
Diagnostic Testing
Problem: I want to run some diagnostic tools on the live system (tools like anti-virus or data or file recovery software) but do not want
to risk running these on the live system.
VirtualBoot Solution: Use VirtualBoot to launch a VM of the latest backup of your live system. Then run the diagnostic tests to view
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the results.
Hardware Failure
Problem: I have a database server and the 20TB disk array crashes. I need to get the system back on-line and replace the disk
subsystem.
VirtualBoot Solution: This solution is a three-step process:
1. VirtualBoot the latest backup image of your database server. Users can now continue to have access to the database server.
Note: SPX can also continue to take incremental backups of the virtual database server to capture updates. Launch the backup job
from the SPX console. These new Incremental backups will become part of the original backup image chain.
2. Start a HeadStart Restore (HSR) on the database server's new disk subsystem (For more information, see the ShadowProtect
ImageManager User Guide).
3. Once the HSR catches up to the most current Incremental created in the VM, take the VM offline and finalize the HSR installation on
the new disk subsystem (a quick operation), then bring the database server hardware back on-line.
Note: Once the replacement VM is online and continuing the Incremental backup image chain, you can recover from a hardware
failure in several different ways:
Restore to the original hardware, once repaired.
Restore to new hardware (using StorageCraft Recovery Environment CrossPlatform's Boot Repair (for Linux) or Hardware
Independent Restore (for Windows).
Restore permanently to a VM environment by using HSR to restore to a VHD or VMDK virtual machine hard disk file and
launching the new system.
10.1 Destinations
Use the Destinations dialog to
Specify storage locations for backups.
Review, edit, or delete locations from the list of existing destinations.
Select one destination from the list to act as the default when creating new backup jobs.
Note: SPX requires at least one destination prior to creating a backup job.
To add a new destination:
1. If not logged into SPX, log in using Windows credentials.
These credentials must be for a member of the Local Admin group. Also, SPX does not accept credentials which lack a
password. Use Windows to define a password for the user then log into SPX.
2. Click Add to open the New Destination dialog.
3. Enter a descriptive name for the destination.
4. Use Browse to locate and specify the mount point for the storage device to use for this destination.
Note: Refer to the section below on Backing up to a Network Location in Linux to enable access to a network device.
5. Click Save.
Option Action
Set Click Set Default to assign this destination as the default for backup jobs created
Default using SPX.
Click Delete to remove the selected destination from SPX. SPX displays a
warning if any backup job uses this destination.
Delete Note: SPX displays the delete warning for any recurring or scheduled backup
job. It does not display a warning if a one-time use backup job used the destination
(such as one-time full backup).
Caution: SPX does not support changing the destination for an existing backup job. (It also does not support moving an active
backup chain from one destination to another.) In the event that a replacement destination becomes necessary, create a new job with
the new destination. This will initiate a new chain on that location.
Comment Field
The Comment field adds a text note to a backup image file. Users can review these comments in the Summary pane. SPX also
includes the contents of this Comment field in its log. Ensure that the text is clear and self-explanatory to avoid errors when reviewing
the log files.
Compression Field
SPX includes three file compression options for creating a backup image file:
Typically compresses data by about 50%. This option requires the most
High
CPU resources, but is useful when disk space is limited.
Note: Contemporary standalone or VM host hardware provide adequate support for the high compression setting. Use this setting
unless extended monitoring reveals performance degradation during backup operations.
Encryption Field
Important: StorageCraft strongly recommends encrypting all backup files, in particular those replicated to a remote site or to
StorageCraft Cloud Services.
To activate encryption on this job's backup files:
1. Select the type of encryption to use from the dropdown box:
RC4 128-bit
AES 128-bit
AEX 256-bit (the default)
None
2. Enter an appropriate password for encrypting the backup files.
Note: StorageCraft Cloud replication requires AES 256-bit encryption.
SPX also supports changing the encryption password at a later time. To do so:
1. Select the backup job from the list in SPX.
SPX now encrypts the backup files using the new password.
Warning: Guard encryption passwords carefully. SPX cannot change passwords on existing encrypted files. In addition,
StorageCraft Support cannot recover lost encryption passwords or otherwise access an encrypted backup image file. If the user
changes the encryption password at a later date, record the time and date of the change in order to use the correct password to
unencrypt those files.
Volumes
SPX offers a dropdown list to select predefined types of volumes to backup: All, Data volumes, or System volumes. The user can
also manually select the desired volume(s) to backup.
Note: Most systems only require backups of volumes which receive a drive letter. ShadowProtect does not need to backup the other
volumes, which are often very small, in order to successfully restore the system. The one exception is a system which uses Windows
BitLocker encryption. (The encryption key is kept in the System Reserve partition.) Even in that case, if ShadowProtect runs on a live
system, it does not require backing up the System Reserve partition in order to restore the volumes.
Continuous
The Continuous incremental backup schedule type first creates a full backup of the volume as a base image file. Subsequently, SPX
creates incremental backup images on the specified schedule to capture changes to the volume.
To create a continuous incremental backup schedule:
1. Select Schedule Type > Continuous.
2. Select the start time for the initial full backup: Immediately or Later. If Later, select a specified date and time to perform the
backup.
3. Select the schedule for each subsequent incremental backup:
Add Weekly—Creates incremental backups at the selected time and day(s) selected. Click Add Weekly a second or third time
(not to exceed three) to add more backups at days and times that differ from the initial weekly incremental schedule.
Add Monthly—Creates incremental backups at the specified days and times on a monthly schedule. Click Add Monthly a
second or third time (not to exceed three) to add more backups at days or times that differ from the initial monthly incremental
schedule.
Important: Each backup job can support up to a total of 3 scheduling rules using either or both Add Weekly and Add Monthly
schedules.
4. Selecting All day uses a 24-hour day. Selecting All day is the same as specifying “00:00 to 23:59” in the From field.
5. Use the Repeat every setting to specify how often to run an incremental backup—once every 15, 30, or 45 minutes or once
every 1 to 12 hours.
Scheduling Example
Unlike a typical fixed schedule function in most backup software, the flexible SPX backup scheduling feature could support one job
performing a backup:
Every 30 minutes during business hours Monday-Friday.
Every hour at night from 6PM to 12AM to capture online transactions.
Every 15 minutes from 6PM to 10PM on first Monday or Friday of each month to capture sales totals and reports from the field.
Mixed
The Mixed backup type starts a new backup chain on the specified day of the week or month. This job type includes a combination of
a full backup then daily incremental backups run on the set schedule until the next scheduled full backup.
Important: Like in a Continuous job, the Mixed backup job supports up to three rules using a combination of Add Weekly and Add
Monthly schedules.
Full
This schedule executes a full backup at the scheduled time(s) each week or month.
Full, Manual
This option executes a one-time full backup of the selected volume. This backup occurs outside of any existing scheduled backup. The
one-time backup can start immediately or at a later specified date and time.
Note: If SPX is currently running a scheduled backup job when it receives the request for a manual full backup, it will automatically
delay the manual request until the current job completes.
Performance
The SPX Performance options include:
Ignore Instructs SPX to ignore disk read errors that occur during the
read creation of backup image files. Use this option with caution,
failures OFF as it may back up disk corruption and prevent a restored
volume from working properly. However, in the event of a
during failed or failing disk, it may help preserve any remaining intact
backup data.
Scripts
The Scripts section specifies command files to execute at key points in the backup image file creation process. Scripts cannot rely on
any user interaction, so test each command file before using them with SPX. SPX allows from 1 minute to 24 hours at each stage for
command files to complete. (The default is 5 minutes.) If the command files do not complete in the specified time, SPX proceeds with
the backup while the command files continue executing. Scripts can run:
Start Job
Pre-snapshot
Post-snapshot
Finish Job
Linux backups in particular may require pre- and post-snapshot scripts in order to quiesce database applications on the server.
Note: SPX provides the option to abort the backup job if any specified script fails.
Using Scripts
To use a command file for a particular stage in the backup process:
1. Login as a user with ROOT privileges (otherwise SPX won’t copy command files into the scripts folder).
2. Copy the command file(s) into the Scripts directory
/var/opt/StorageCraft/spx/libexec
Images
Provides various options for backup job actions:
Use write cache Bypasses the file transfer API in SPX and
OFF instead uses Windows processes when there
when saving images
are issues with prolonged backup times.
Retention
SPX retention options can reduce the amount of space required for backup storage. While keeping all backup image files may
provide the most options for restoring data, this policy has two drawbacks:
Note: SPX retention policy applies to Mixed, Full, or Full Manual backup schedules. It does not apply to a continuous
incremental schedule. To manage continuous incremental backup files and the space required for these files, use
ImageManager.
Default
Option Description
Setting
Keep all Retains all backup image files. Note that this uses the most
ON
images storage space.
After SPX performs the retention policy and deletes one or more backup files, it still retains the name of the file and the date and time
the backup occurred. It displays these deleted files in the Timeline in grey for Missing Files:
2. Select:
Local Session to monitor backup jobs on the local system.
An existing remote connection in the dropdown list to monitor a remote system running SPX.
Click New Remote Session to create a connection to a remote server running SPX.
3. Click Connect. SPX displays the backup job(s) defined for the selected system.
Note: SPX also displays the IP address for the monitored SPX service at the top of the Dashboard. This allows the user to
identify which system's jobs SPX currently displays details on.
4. Select a job in the Backup Job list.
The dashboard then shows details for that backup job in the Job Summary, Job Timeline, and Event Details panes:
Timeline Controls
The timeline chart includes two sets of controls to select the range of date and time shown:
Control Purpose
Timeline Filters
Use the color-coded event type squares to filter the timeline display. Click on an event type to remove it from the timeline. For
example, to view only backup failures, click on other five event types to remove them from the timeline.
Icon Action
Open Image Chain Browser to select a system volume backup and use the
VirtualBoot feature to boot a virtual machine using that backup.
Mount the backup file
Restore or convert the backup file (for data volumes only). The Restore dialog
offers options to both restore to a local drive and to convert the backup file
into a VHD or VMDK format.
Verify the file to confirm its integrity.
Note: The selected date range may not be narrow enough to show individual backups. In that case, the event line displays flags—
one for each backup taken with its date and time. The color of the flag follows the chart shown earlier.
Field Description
Disk Usage Displays the total amount of storage space used by this job's backup
files.
Comment Shows the text entered into the job's Comment field by the user.
Toggles with the Run icon. Cancel stops a running job. SPX
Cancel then displays the Job Summary status as Aborted and the
Timeline shows the job as Failed.
Displays the backup job configuration dialog. The user can then
modify the job's schedule and other details.
Edit
Important: SPX does not support editing all backup job
settings.
Removes the backup job from SPX.
Warning: This cannot be reversed. Once deleted, the job
Delete
must be recreated. This also starts a new backup chain for the
volume.
11.1 Notifications
Selct Notification Settings from the File menu.
Note: SPX issues notifications shortly before Midnight for the local system.
Machine name
Backup job name
Reason for notification
Time of occurrence
12 Remote Monitor
ShadowProtect SPX now includes the ability to remotely monitor backups running on other SPX systems. This functionality is similar
to the Management Console in ShadowProtect 5.
You can have a one to one relationship between the local machine and remote machine or you can define groups on the local machine
to help keep the sessions organized. For example you can group by servers, desktops and laptops, or you can group by roles, users
versus managers, etc..
Note: All computers used in remote monitoring must be running SPX 6.5 or newer. Also, if you don't already have a rule in your
firewall to allow SPX, you need to add one so all machines (the local machine and the machine(s) being monitored) can see
each other.
- The session alias is user defined. You can enter anything that makes sense for your configuration.
- The IP address/DNS name field must contain the IP address or DNS name for the remote system to be monitored.
- The Port numbers must match on both the local system and the remote system you are monitoring.
- Group is an optional setting that is also user defined. You can enter anything that makes sense for your configuration.
13 Restoring a Volume
SPX has two ways to restore a volume depending on the type:
Volume
Restore Method
Type
3. Select the storage location of the backup files using the Destinationdropdown.
SPX populates the Base Image list for that destination.
4. Select the backup chain for the data volume to restore from in the Base Image list.
SPX populates the Image Chain pane.
5. Select the last backup image file in the list.
SPX populates the Image Summary pane.
6. If encrypted, enter the password for the file.
7. Click the Restore icon in the Image Summary pane's Tasks menu.
SPX displays the Restore Volume dialog:
8. Select Local Volume in the Destination Type dropdown list. SPX populates the list of available partitions.
Note: The Restore Volume dialog also supports converting the chain into either a VHD or VMDK virtual disk. See
Converting Backup Files for details.
9. Select a partition to restore the volume.
10. Click OK to perform the restore.
SPX restores the data volume to the selected partition.
1. Click the Image Chain Browser icon on the SPX Tool Bar.
2. Select the storage location of the backup files using the Destination dropdown.
SPX populates the Base Image list for that destination..
3. Select the base backup file for the volume in the Base Image list.
SPX populates the Image Chain pane with the backup files for that volume.
4. Select the backup file in the chain for the date and time desired.
5. Click the Mount icon from the Actions menu.
Note: Provide the encryption password if required.
6. Accept the default mount directory or specify a different one if required.
7. Accept the default to mount the volume as Read-Only. SPX mounts the volume.
Note: SPX can also mount the volume as Read-Write if required. (Some programs require writing to the volume in order to open a
file or folder.) Users may also want to modify the volume's existing content. SPX can save these changes to a new, branch incremental
file. (SPX never modifies the original image file.)
Warning: Image mount operations should only be used to restore data. Never mount an image as writable and continue adding
data as if you are in a production environment. Never mount a writable image chain and share it across the network. Temporary
changes are written to a .spwb file while the image is mounted and those changes are written to the .spi file when you dismount. If
many changes are added by multiple users across the network, AND if any kind of problem occurs when you dismount. . . ALL
changes will be lost. StorageCraft cannot recover any changes from a failed dismount that were made while a writable image was
mounted.
1. Locate the desired file(s) or folder(s) and copy the item(s) to the original drive.
2. When finished, click the Mounted Images icon in the Tool Bar.
3. Click Dismount.
1. Click on the Image Chain Browser icon in the Tools bar to open the browser.
2. Select the backup file destination using the dropdown list.
SPX displays the destination's path and populates the Base Image List in the pane.
3. Select the chain's base image in the list.
SPX populates the Image Chain pane with the list of related image files.
4. Select the last image file in the list (unless creating the virtual disk from an earlier point-in-time. In which case, select the desired
backup file from the earlier time.)
5. Click the Restore Volume icon in the Tasks menu in the Image Summary pane.
SPX displays the Restore Volume dialog:
6. Select VHD or VMDK format from the Destination Type dropdown list.
7. Click OK.
SPX proceeds to create the new virtual disk from the backup chain and copies it into the destination directory.
1. Use the Job Summary controls (or right-click on the job in the Backup Job list) to pause the existing job. This prevents SPX from
running the job during the change to the new destination.
2. Use the SPX Destination instructions to create the new destination if it does not already exist on the system.
3. Transfer the job's existing chain to the new destination.
4. Wait 10 minutes after the file transfer completes to allow SPX to perform a Destination scan. This scan confirms that there are
files at the new destination.
5. Double-click on the job in the Backup Job list to open the Edit Job dialog.
6. Use the dropdown list in the Destination field to select the nex destination.
7. Click Save.
8. Unpause the job.
SPX now proceeds with the job's regular schedule. When the next backup occurs, SPX checks the destination and performs one of
the following actions:
17 VirtualBoot
SPX VirtualBoot lets you easily create server and workstation virtual machines from ShadowProtect backup files.
VirtualBoot works on three hypervisors:
VMware vSphere (ESXi clusters)
Oracle VirtualBox
Microsoft Hyper-V on Windows Server 2012 R2
You can VirtualBoot a system-volume backup image created with ShadowProtect SPX in a Virtual Machine (VM) environment on
these hypervisors. VirtualBoot does not require a restore operation to a VM or converting backup files to a different format.
VirtualBoot provides a quick, temporary replacement system for a failed server in these situations:
System Fail-over
A failed system with terabytes of storage can take days to restore using traditional methods. VirtualBoot for the same system (backed
up with ShadowProtect) takes only minutes and gives users full access to system resources and applications. Cut-over to the new
system with VirtualBoot can significantly reduce downtime.
Backup and Restore Test
Administrators in the past seldom performed restore tests due to the limitations of traditional methods such as tape. Now you can
quickly do a backup and restore test in a VM by VirtualBooting any system image that was backed up with ShadowProtect. The
restore test gives added confidence that a real restore using the same image files will be successful. Administrator's can configure
VirtualBoot operations at regular intervals in conjunction with ImageManager's Advanced Verification.
Access Application-specific Data
Backing up and restoring data is a critical operation, but the data files often aren't useful without their associated
applications. VirtualBoot mounts an entire system, both applications and data in a VM. This allows you to access your data from its
associated application.
For information about VirtualBoot usage scenarios, see VirtualBoot Scenarios.
Important: To prevent mixing backup files from the source system with those of the VirtualBooted VM, ShadowProtect SPX
pauses existing local and ShadowControl policy-based backup jobs when run on a VM launched through VirtualBoot.
Do not unpause these backup jobs if the source system (system down) is still on the same network as the VirtualBooted VM.
Mixing incremental backups from two sources in the same chain adversely affects future restore operations.
Overview
StorageCraft ShadowProtect® SPX includes the patented VirtualBoot™ for vSphere built on VAIO Filtering. VirtualBoot for vSphere allows you to instantly virtualize an SPX
backup image as a virtual machine on VMware ESXi hosts (see Requirements). You can VirtualBoot both physical and virtual machines as a temporary failover to safely
test changes in production systems or you can create permanent migrations. The machines recovered or migrated with VirtualBoot are the same as native VMware virtual
machines.
VirtualBoot for vSphere creates the VMDK directly from the source SPX backup image. All it needs is ShadowProtect SPX (6.3 or
newer) and your VMware infrastructure.
VirtualBoot for vSphere features include:
Quickly boots SPX backup images on an ESXi host.
VirtualBoot plugin for vSphere is automatically installed with SPX.
Wizard-driven configuration.
Replicates SPX backup images directly to the virtual disk.
Migrates from physical or virtual machines (from any hypervisor) into vSphere.
Optionally backfills data into the VMDK from the SPX backup image (including while the virtual machine is in use).
Migrated virtual machines are independent of the SPX backup images.
Requirements
VirtualBoot for vSphere General Requirements
Storage Requirements
Warning: ESXi will fail if the volume runs out of space. StorageCraft recommends using a different volume/destination for storing
the caching files. The destination must have sufficient performance and space for the guest virtual machine to store the VMDK created
to contain all the data that will be written to the volume. Make sure you have enough storage space for the planned virtual machines.
"Datastore.AllocateSpace"
"Datastore.Browse"
"Datastore.DeleteFile"
"Datastore.FileManagement"
"Datastore.UpdateVirtualMachineFiles"
"Datastore.UpdateVirtualMachineMetadata"
"Global.CancelTask"
"Host.Config.Maintenance"
"Host.Config.Patch"
"Resource.AssignVMToPool"
"StorageProfile.Update"
"StorageProfile.View"
"System.Anonymous"
"System.Read"
"System.View"
"VirtualMachine.Config.AddExistingDisk"
"VirtualMachine.Config.AdvancedConfig"
"VirtualMachine.Config.CPUCount"
"VirtualMachine.Config.EditDevice"
"VirtualMachine.Interact.CreateScreenshot"
"VirtualMachine.Interact.PowerOn"
"VirtualMachine.Inventory.Create"
"VirtualMachine.Inventory.CreateFromExisting"
"VirtualMachine.Inventory.Delete"
"VirtualMachine.Inventory.Register"
"VirtualMachine.Inventory.Unregister"
"VirtualMachine.Provisioning.Customize"
"VirtualMachine.State.CreateSnapshot"
"VirtualMachine.State.RemoveSnapshot
Note: The warning icon in the image above indicates that the plugin hasn't been installed on this cluster.
StorageCraft automatically provides the most up to date plugin if you select this option.
If you want to set up your own location for installing the VirtualBoot plugin see the Install the VirtualBoot plugin from this URL
section below.
Note: Only datastores available to the selected host are displayed in this menu.
Note: If both boxes are checked, the VM will not automatically start until the snapshot (backfill) is complete.
12. The new virtual machine will start automatically if you check the "Automatically start the virtual machine" box.
Verifying Success
There are multiple ways in which you can be sure the installation is working correctly. One way includes looking at the status in
vSphere:
If you select the Migrate the data drive to vSphere option SPX creates a VMDK and writes all the data from the backup image into the
VMDK and HIR does its work before the VM is booted. In this configuration the migrated VMDK is now independent and doesn't
require the backup image used to VirtualBoot.
Note: If you use VirtualBoot to create a temporary VM and decide you want to create a permanent VM simply create a vSphere
snapshot of the VM. Creating the snapshot writes the data from the backup image into the VMDK. This makes it the equivalent of a
migrated backup image.
Important: If you selected the option to migrate a VM, and want to continue your backup chain, you need to understand that SPX
creates a VirtualBoot backup image migration file (different than the standard backup image file). The new migration file causes
ImageManager to fail retention. To continue backing up after migration you need to choose one of the following options:
1. Re-base
2. Delete the migration backup image file and run StorageCraft DiffGen.
Background
The VirtualBoot for vSphere plugin provides VirtualBoot capability in the VMware virtualization environment. Using the vSphere APIs
for I/O Filtering it transparently provides an ESXi host with data from backup chains hosted on an external SMB store. As far as the
host is concerned, it is working with a standard .VMDK file. The volume data is persisted permanently in the .VMDK which means it is
possible to eventually migrate completely into the virtualization infrastructure and stop using the backup data.
Installation
The filter is installed just-in-time by SPX as part of the VirtualBoot process. The installation is driven by the vSphere APIs, which
handle distributing the bundle to an entire cluster.
Note: The installation bundle must always be available at the URL provided during the installation on the cluster. After it is
installed on a cluster, vSphere automatically installs the filter on any new host added to the cluster.
Components
There are two key binaries that work together to provide the disk filtering.
1. The daemon plugin: libvmiof-disk-daemon-stastcesxi.so
The daemon is the workhorse of the filtering solution. It is handles all communication with the SMB shares providing the backup
files; it also handles the file I/O and parsing of the image chains to provide access to the volume data at a given point-in-time.
2. The filter plugin: libvmiof-disk-stastcesxi.so
The filter plugin is the piece exercised directly by a virtual machine for which we're filtering one or more disks; it handles
communicating with the daemon from the virtual machine's process and drives the setup and connection to a backup chain's
data. The filter is responsbile for deciding whether a given I/O requires data from the backups as well as persisting that data to
the .VMDK in the case that is.
I/O Basics
Backfill – The process of reading data sectors from the volume represented by the image chain and writing it to the .VMDK
before the VM reads those sectors.
Bitmap – A tracking structure which keeps an up-to-date accounting of which data is in the .VMDK and which data is still in the
image files.
I/O on a filtered disk is handled in a number of ways:
1. Writes – On write, the data is passed through to the .VMDK. The filter waits for confirmation of the write and clears the tracking
bitmap for those sectors.
2. Reads – Reads are a more complicated issue. The handling of a read depends on two key factors:
3. Whether the requested sectors correspond to data that is in the image files.
4. Whether the .VMDK is in a read-only state.
The data flow for a read is handled as shown in the following diagram:
Best Practices
Backfill Triggering
A full disk backfill is a resource-heavy process. If triggered on a running VM, it will compete for CPU and I/O resources. Depending on
system resources, this can have a substantial impact on performance. This is especially noticeable if you trigger the backfill while the
machine is booting for the first time.
In the case where a machine is being migrated or failed-over permanently, but there's no time to wait for an offline backfill, it's
recommended to allow the machine to boot fully and run it's normal duties for a time before triggering the backfill. Doing this assures
that all critical operating system and application data is resident in the VMDK beforehand, and will yield the best performance.
Backfill Cleanup
In a migration scenario, StorageCraft recommends that the policy be removed once the backfill is complete. This is to save space that
will otherwise be taken up by tracking files maintained by ESXi. Since they are proportional to the size of the disk, this is a non-trivial
space savings. The following steps are necessary:
1. Delete all snapshots on the VM – the policy cannot be changed if snapshots exist for the VM. Since every snapshot results in a
copy of the tracking files, StorageCraft recommends that you do this immediately after the first snapshot.
2. Remove the policy from the disk – set the disk's policy to Datastore Default in the VM's "Edit Settings" dialog.
3. Delete the policy – The policy is found in the "VM Storage Policies" section of vSphere, either under "Policies and Profiles" from
the navigator pane, or in the "Monitoring" group of the Home page.
Troubleshooting
Logs Files
When diagnosing filter issues, the logs are typically the fastest way to see what's happening. There are a couple key places where
filter-related logs are written:
1. /var/log/iofilterd-stastcesxi.log – This is the filter daemon's log. The daemon does all the real work, so this is typically the most
important place to look. This log has a record when a filter opens and closes, outbound connection results, etc. If VirtualBoot is
failing because it can't apply a profile to a disk, this log file will tell you why.
2. vmware.log – This is the log file for a running virtual machine. If the filter is attached to a disk currently used by a running VM, this
is where the logs are found. The filter logs all contain the tag (STC ###) where ### is an incrementing count in the log. Use this
to find/exclude the non-filter logs. This is where you'll see logs for snapshots of running VMs, vMotion, etc.
3. /var/log/hostd.log – This is the ESXi host process's log file. If disk operations are performed on a filtered disk while the VM is
powered off, the logs are found here. For example: taking a snapshot of a machine that is powered-off writes the log information
Warning: Reapplying the policy WILL cause data loss for disks that have had I/O! Reapplying the policy resets the filter's
tracking and treats the disk as if the data has not been backfilled yet. Use this option carefully.
Attaching the policy to the disk is the last step of the VirtualBoot process. At that time, the disk, VM, and policy all exist in vSphere.
Because HIR was able to run successfully (meaning the destination/disks are accessible from the SPX host), a failure at this point
means that the daemon in the ESXi host wasn't able to connect to the destination.
Note: This can happen if DNS isn't working properly, or if the ESX host's network isn't able to route to the SMB share.
If this happens, follow these steps to fix VirtualBoot without re-running the whole process. This is possible because all the real work
has already been done.
1. Resolve the connectivity issue – verify that your hostname resolution works from the ESXi host to the SMB host (using
hostnames) and that traffic can flow between the two machines, i.e. on SMB port 445.
2. Apply the profile to the disk again.
This is done in the sub-settings for the disk under the VM's settings. Switch the VM storage policy to "Datastore Default" and
click OK. Once it's finished, change it back to the original policy.
Advanced Troubleshooting
See the VMware ESXi VirtualBoot Advanced Troubleshooting KB article for additional information.
Warning: Staggered releases of ImageManager and ShadowProtect SPX may not always support the same versions of
VirtualBox. For systems using VirtualBox for both ShadowProtect SPX and ImageManager, ensure the installed VirtualBox
version is compatible with both products. See the ImageManager user guide for comapatible versions.
Visit www.virtualbox.org For more information about VirtualBox and to download the software.
Note: Do not install VirtualBox on a Windows system already configured with Hyper-V. This can result in a failure of the VirtualBoot
functions.
VirtualBox Requirements
These guidelines apply equally to VirtualBox on Windows or on Linux. For more details, refer to the VirtualBox End-User
Documentation . Note that SPX supports various versions of VirtualBox. Please refer to the SPX ReadMe file for details on the latest
supported versions.
Hardware Description
Processor Oracle recommends using a recent (within the last five years) "reasonably powerful" x86 processor (either Intel or
AMD), including AMD/Intel x64 processors. VirtualBoot does not support Itanium (IA64).
Memory At least 1GB
Hard
Drive At least 10 GB. This is dependent upon the guest operating system loaded in the VM.
Space
Host OS VirtualBoot supports the same host operating systems as VirtualBox.
VirtualBoot on either a Linux or Windows host supports booting image files created from a Windows system volume for
these OSes:
Windows 10 • Windows 2008 (32- and 64-bit)
Windows Server 2012 and R2 • Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit)
Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit) • Windows 2003 (32- and 64-bit)
Guest OS Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit) • Windows XP (32- and 64-bit)
Windows 2008 R2 (32- and 64-bit) • Windows 2000
VirtualBoot on a Linux host also supports booting image files of Linux boot volumes.
Warning: VirtualBoot does NOT support booting a Linux-based image file on a Windows host.
Note: When using VirtualBoot to boot an image of an x64 operating system, make sure that your host hardware supports AMD-
V or VT-x, and that AMD-V, or VT-x, is enabled in the host machine's hardware BIOS settings.
Linux Requirements
VirtualBox has two known issues when running on Linux--one with the VirtualBox repo, the other with SELinux.
Warning:
It is possible to configure the VirtualBox Repo on a Linux machine. (A repo provides an easier way to download updates to
VirtualBox.) However, this option tends to download the most recent version of VirtualBox for that particular branch defined in the Repo
(e.g. 4.2.x or 4.3.x). This presents two potentially serious problems:
Some versions of VirtualBox are not supported in SPX. These are rare but they do occur when there are changes in the API
used by SPX. Configuring a VirtualBox Repo may result in an install of a new, untested version and VirtualBoot functions would
fail.
Some versions of VirtualBox may also update the system kernel. This may result in a kernel version that is not supported by
SPX. StorageCraft regularly releases updated kernel drivers as new kernels become available, so this issue should be rare.
However, it is still possible and would cause SPX functions to perform erratically or not at all.
For these reasons, StorageCraft recommends:
1. To not create a VirtualBox repo.
2. Confirming the new VirtualBox version appears on the SPX readme supported list.
3. Downloading this version directly from Oracle.
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SELinux Conflict
A system with SELinux may prevent VirtualBox from mounting certain backup image files. To check the SELinux status, run the
command as ROOT:
sestatus
If enabled, check to see if SELinux is set to Permissive mode. If so, then VirtualBoot should perform as described. If SELinux is set to
Enforcing mode, change this setting using the command
setenforce 0
To reset Enforcing mode after completing the desired VirtualBoot operations, use the command:
setenforce 1
Storage Requirements
The default location for Hyper-V VHD/VHDX files is in a sub-folder on the OS volume under the Hyper-V directory.
Warning: Carefully consider the storage requirements for the anticipated virtual machines when selecting this destination. Should
this volume run out of room, Hyper-V will fail. StorageCraft recommends using a different destination for storing the caching files. This
destination should have sufficient performance and space for the guest to store the VHDX which it creates to contain all the writes the
guest will make to the volume.
Note: Do not install VirtualBox on a Windows system already configured with Hyper-V. This can result in a failure of the VirtualBoot
functions.
To install the plug-in:
1. Confirm that you have the right version of Hyper-V.
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Note: The StorageCraft Hyper-V plugin currently supports only Windows Server 2012 R2 acting in a server role.
2. Download the plug-in from the Software Updates page on the StorageCraft website.
3. Run the installer using Administrator rights.
The installer completes the plugin integration.
1. Click (the VirtualBoot icon) on the menu bar OR select Tools > VirtualBoot.
2. Select the Backup Image you want to VirtualBoot.
Note: You must be logged in as Administrator on a system with a network share if you want to right-click virtualboot an
image from the network share.
3. Select Hyper-V as the hypervisor.
4. Click Next.
5. Configure the Virtual Machine.
Continue with the remaining VirtualBoot options then click Create. VirtualBoot uses Hyper-V to complete the operation.
Warning: Do not attempt to uninstall the Hyper-V plugin while any VirtualBoot VMs are running. The uninstall process corrupts
those VMs. The uninstaller does check prior to the uninstall to attempt to prevent this from occurring. However, StorageCraft
recommends a check by the user to confirm that any VirtualBoot VMs have closed prior to performing the uninstall.
Occasionally, the uninstall process may fail. Use this command line instruction to then force the uninstall:
msiexec /x <InstallFIleName> NOPLUGINCHECK=true
Icon or
Location Image File Selection
Option
Note: SPX automatically adds the selected boot volume and associated data volumes that are part of that backup job to the
VirtualBoot dialog when using the Details pane or Image Summary.
3. In the VirtualBoot dialog, confirm that SPX displays the correct hypervisor in the hypervisor list at the top. SPX defaults to using
the currently installed driver--the Hyper-V plugin or VirtualBox.
4. In the dialog, provide the required information then click Create.
The requested information includes:
Adds a backup image file to the VM. Use this if you have a
separate data volume you want to include in the VM.
Note: VirtualBoot attempts to automatically include all volumes
that are part of the boot volume's image set in this list. Use this
option to add in other volumes if this does not occur.
Add Image File If the selected backup image file is encrypted, provide a valid
password to access it.
Caution: Use care when selecting image files from multiple
backup jobs. If the VM executes incremental backups, those
created for volumes that are not in the boot volume's image set
likely won't be useful or reliable.
Remove Image Removes a backup image file from the list. This can occur when
the backup contains multiple data volumes but are not needed for
File
the VM.
SPX automatically attempts to identify the boot volume in the list
of volumes. If necessary, manually select the correct boot volume.
Boot
(This can occur when the backup file contains multiple bootable
volumes.)
Machine Name Specify a name for the VM.
Memory (RAM) Specify the amount of memory, in MB, that VirtualBox should
Allocation allocate for use by the VM when it loads. The default is 512MB.
Select whether to include a network adapter in the VM. Supported
options include:
NAT: Adds a generic network adapter to the VM that uses
Network Address Translation (NAT).
Network Not Attached: Excludes a network adapter from the VM. (See
Adapter Not Attached below.)
Note: Confirm the network configuration provides access after
the VirtualBoot. If the VirtualBoot VM is a failover, ensure access
to the backup destination(s) for any existing backup jobs.
Automatically
start the virtual This is the default. Uncheck this box to run the VM at a later time
machine after using the VirtualBox application.
creating it
Note: If you selected a backup image file when starting VirtualBoot, this dialog automatically lists the related backup
image file information.
5. VirtualBoot creates the VM and launches it for use.
To restore a system volume, refer to the Recovery Environment CrossPlatform User Guide.
To view detailed information on disks and partitions in Windows, use the Disk Management utility in the Microsoft Management
Console.
Socket
No Yes
Licensing
Backup
volumes Yes Yes
concurrently
Include Free
Yes Yes
Space
Yes. SPX automatically detects that an unexpected
Self-healing shutdown of a system occurred. It then generates an
incremental incremental that captures the changes to the disk
Yes
(using since the last backup file. This process is called
DiffGen) "DiffGen" and the resulting backup file is called a "self-
healing incremental".
Throttling Yes Yes
Run missed
backups on Yes Yes
restart
Ignore read
failures
Yes Yes
during
backup
Custom
Yes. Both ShadowProtect and ShadowProtect SPX
Backup File Yes
support custom backup file names.
names
Uses a pre-
existing
Yes No
Password
file (SPK)
Yes. However, If the user manually triggers a backup
off an existing backup job, SPX offers the option to
provide a new comment. Important: This comment is
Can add written into the backup file. It replaces any existing
Backup Yes comment provided when the Backup Job was created.
comments When ImageManager consolidates backup files, the
comment written to the newly created consolidated
backup file will match the comment in the latest
backup file merged into the Consolidated file.
Local and
Network Yes Yes
Destinations
NetGear
No. ShadowProtect SPX does NOT support the
ReadyDATA Yes
unique ShadowProtect NetGear backup type
Backups
Compress Yes (None,
Yes (None, Standard. High)
backups Standard. High)
Encrypt
Yes (RC4 128
(password
bit, AES 128 bit, Yes (RC4 128 bit, AES 128 bit, AES 256 bit)
protect)
AES 256 bit)
Backups
No. The instructions for Creating Key Files is now in
Creating
Yes the ImageManager user guide. The KeyFileMaker is
Key Files
now installed when you install ImageManager.
Backup to
Yes No
CD/DVD
Internal HDD
Yes Yes
(Non removable)