Performing File-Level Restore

With guest OS file recovery (file-level restore), you can restore individual guest OS files and folders from Nutanix AHV VM snapshots and backups created with Veeam Backup for Nutanix AHV. When restoring files and folders, you do not need to extract the VM image to a staging location or start the VM prior to restore.

How File-Level Restore Works

To recover files and folders of a VM from a backup, Veeam Backup for Nutanix AHV performs the following steps:

  1. [This step applies only if you perform restore of a VM with an operation system other than Microsoft Windows] Deploys a helper appliance on the Nutanix AHV cluster.
  2. Mounts disks of the VM to either of the following instances:
  • To the backup server or a mount server if the VM guest OS is Microsoft Windows.
  • To the helper appliance if the VM guest OS is a Linux-based operating system.
  1. Launches the Veeam Backup browser.

The Veeam Backup browser displays the file system tree of the backed-up VM. In the browser, you select the necessary files and folders to restore.

  1. Restores the selected files and folders to the original location or to a new location.
  2. Detaches the disks from the backup server, mount server or helper appliance.
  3. [This step applies only if you perform restore of a VM with an operation system other than Microsoft Windows] Removes the helper appliance.

To recover files and folders of a VM from a backup snapshot, snapshot or PD snapshot, Veeam Backup for Nutanix AHV performs the following steps:

  1. Deploys a helper appliance on the Nutanix AHV cluster.
  2. [This step applies only if you perform restore from a snapshot or PD snapshot] Creates a temporary VM on the Nutanix AHV cluster.
  3. Creates a volume group using disks of the original VM (for a backup snapshot) or of the temporary VM (for a snapshot or PD snapshot).
  4. Attaches the volume group to the helper appliance.
  5. [This step applies only if you perform restore from a snapshot or PD snapshot] Deletes the temporary VM.
  6. Launches the Veeam Backup browser.

The Veeam Backup browser displays the file system tree of the backed-up VM. In the browser, you select the necessary files and folders to restore.

  1. Restores the selected files and folders to the original location or to a new location.
  2. Detaches the volume group from the helper appliance.
  3. Deletes the volume group.
  4. Removes the helper appliance.

How to Perform File-Level Restore

To restore VM guest OS files and folders, do the following:

  1. In the Veeam Backup & Replication console, open the Home view.
  2. In the inventory pane, select Backups.
  3. In the working area, expand the necessary backup or snapshot job, right-click the VM that contains files you want to restore and do the following:
  • If you want to restore files of a Microsoft Windows machine, select Restore guest files > Microsoft Windows and complete the Guest File Restore wizard as descried in the Veeam Backup & Replication User Guide, section Restoring VM Guest OS Files (FAT, NTFS or ReFS).
  • If you want to restore files of a Linux, Solaris, BSD, Novell Storage Services, Unix or Mac machine, select Restore guest files > Linux and others and complete the Guest File Restore wizard as descried in the Veeam Backup & Replication User Guide, section Restoring VM Guest OS Files (Multi-OS).

Performing File-Level Restore 

Tip

Alternatively, you can use Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager to restore guest OS files and folders as descried in the Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager Guide, section Restoring VM Guest OS Files.