Step 7. Specify Replica Destination

At the Destination step of the wizard, select a destination for the VM replica(s).

1. Click Choose next to the Host or cluster field and select an ESX(i) host or cluster where VM replica(s) must be registered. Assigning a cluster as a target ensures more sustainable replication process. The replication job will be performed until there is at least one available host in the cluster.
2. If all or majority of VM replicas must belong to the same resource pool, click Choose next to the Resource pool field and select the target resource pool.

If you want to place VM replicas to different resource pools:

1. Click the Pick resource pool for selected replicas link.
2. In the Choose Resource Pool window, click Add VM on the right and select the VMs and click Add.
3. Select the added VM in the Replica VM resource pool list and click Resource Pool at the bottom of the window.
4. From the list of available resource pools, choose the target resource pool for the VM.

3. If all or majority of VM replicas must be placed in the same folder, click Choose next to the VM folder field and choose the target folder.

If you want to place VM replicas to different folders:

1. Click the Pick VM folder for selected replicas link.
2. In the Choose Folder window, click Add VM on the right and select the VMs and click Add.
3. Select the added VM in the Replica VM folder list and click VM Folder at the bottom of the window.
4. From the list of available folders, choose the target folder for the VM.

The VM folder section is disabled if you selected a standalone ESX(i) host as a target for VM replicas.

4. If files for all or majority of VM replicas must be stored on the same datastore, click Choose next to the Datastore field and select the target datastore. Veeam Backup & Replication displays only those datastores that are accessible by the selected replication target. If you have chosen to replicate VMs to a cluster, Veeam Backup & Replication will display only shared datastores.

If you want to place VM replicas to different datastores:

1. Click the Pick datastore for selected virtual disks link.
2. In the Choose VM Files Location window, click Add VM on the right and select VMs that must be placed on datastores.
3. Select the added VM in the Files location list and click Datastore at the bottom of the window.
4. From the list of available datastores, select the target datastore.

You can choose to store replica configuration files and disk files in different locations.

1. Add a VM to the Files location list, expand the VM and select the required type of files.
2. At the bottom of the window, click Datastore and choose the destination for the selected type of files.

5. By default, Veeam Backup & Replication saves disks of a VM replica in the thin format. If necessary, you can configure the job to change the disk format. For example, if the original VM uses thick disks, you can change the format of replica disks to thin provisioned and save on disk space required to store VM replica data.

Disk format change is available only for VMs using virtual hardware version 7 or later.

To change replica disk format:

1. Click the Pick datastore for selected virtual disks link.
2. In the Choose VM Files Location window, click Add VM on the right and select VMs whose disk format you want to change and click Add.
3. Select the added VM and click Disk type at the bottom of the window.
4. In the Disk Type Settings section, choose the format that will be used to restore replica disk files: same as source, thin, thick lazy zeroed or thick eager zeroed. For more information about disk types, see https://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-60/topic/com.vmware.vsphere.html.hostclient.doc/GUID-4C0F4D73-82F2-4B81-8AA7-1DD752A8A5AC.html.