Users Guide

Backing up the configuration of your ESXi host
About this task
To back up configuration data of a host:
Steps
1. Start the vSphere CLI.
2. Run the vicfg-cfgbackup command with the -s flag to save the host configuration to the specified backup filename:
vicfg-cfgbackup --server< ESXi-host-ip> -- portnumber <port_number> --protocol
<protocol_type> --username root --password root_password [-s <backup-filename>
The -portnumber and -protocol options are optional. If you exclude them, the defaults are port 443 and protocol HTTPS.
NOTE: If you do not specify a password in the command line, you are prompted for one when the command executes.
For example: vicfgcfgbackup --server 172.17.13.211 --username root –s backupdate.dat
NOTE: If your administrative password includes special characters, such as $ or &, you must include a backslash
escape character (\) before each special character.
Restoring configuration of your ESXi host
About this task
To restore the configuration data of a host:
NOTE:
The backup process does not support restoring to later builds. This requirement can be overridden by using the –
f option.
Steps
1. Turn off any VM that is running on the host you want to restore.
2. Optionally, restore the host to the ESXi build number used when the backup file was created.
3. Start the vSphere CLI on a host other than the host you want to restore and log in.
4. Run the vicfg-cfgbackup command with the –l flag to load and restore the backup file to the host.
vicfg-cfgbackup --server <ESXi-host-IP> -- portnumber <port_number> --protocol
<protocol_type>-- username <username> --password <password> -l <backup_filename>
The -portnumber and -protocol options are optional. If you exclude them, the defaults are port 443 and protocol HTTPS.
NOTE:
If you do not specify a password in the command line, you are prompted for one when the command executes.
For example: vicfgcfgbackup --server 172.17.13.211 --username root –l backupdate.dat
After a successful restore, the system reboots using the new configuration. For complete instructions on backup and restore
commands, see VMware ESXi Embedded and vCenter Server Setup Guide at vmware.com/support/pubs.
Can we back up 2012 r2 as a VM
You can back up a host OS but not to a VM. You can use two non-raid disks to backup the data.
Install, update and manage Fusion-IO drives in Windows
OS
Issue: Customer is trying to install ioSphere and are having problems with password credentials.
Corrective action:
112
Troubleshooting operating system issues