Users Guide

Smart Copies of CSVs

When you take a Smart Copy of a CSV on Windows Server 2012 or later, the operating system handles the application quiescence (not

ASM/ME). Therefore, Smart Copies of a CSV are application-consistent, and contain all virtual machines that reside on the CSV including

those that are running on other cluster nodes.

The procedure for creating Smart Copies is the same as the generic operations described in Generic ASM/ME Operations.

Smart Copies of CSV Collections

You can create collections of CSVs, or collections of virtual machines that reside on CSVs. You can then create Smart Copies of the

collections, or create a schedule for creating Smart Copies of the collection. You cannot have standard volumes and CSVs in the same

collection.

When you create a collection of CSVs, ASM/ME automatically includes in the collection any related components or VMs that reside on the

CSVs at that point in time. If you have created a Smart Copy schedule for the collection, and if the component definition is changed after

its creation, ASM/ME still creates a Smart Copy of the collection. However, the components that are included in the collection are based

on the CSV state at the point in time the Smart Copy is created.

For example, a collection might include two CSVs. When you create the collection, ASM/ME automatically includes whatever components

or VMs reside on those CSVs. After the collection is created, a VM could be removed. When the scheduled Smart Copy is created, it

includes the components related to those CSVs at that point in time.

The procedure for operations on collections is the same as the general operations described in General ASM/ME Operations.

Restore Operations in a CSV Environment

For CSV Smart Copies, you can perform the following operations:

• In-place restores

• Selective restores

• Restore as new

• Clone and restore as new

Restore In-Place in a Cluster

ASM/ME uses the Hyper-V VSS writer to perform in-place restores. All VMs are automatically pulled to one cluster node to perform the

restore. Because this operation can overwhelm the cluster node, all VMs are automatically shut down before they are moved. If the VMs

are running before the restore operation, they are restarted after the restore operation. If cluster resources for a specific VM are offline

when the restore operation starts, ASM/ME brings the VM back to the local node and you must move it.

Selectively Restoring a VM

Selective restores must be performed from whatever node currently owns the VM. You can move the VM, but the VM and the volume

must be local to the current node for the restore operation. Even if a VM is running on a node that is not the coordination node, you can

perform a selective restore of that VM.

Assume you are running a two-node cluster, where VM1 runs on Node 1, and VM2 runs on Node 2. Both VM1 and VM2 store files on a

CSV. You can only perform a selective restore of those VMs from the nodes that own them. Ownership of a VM is determined by the

ownership of the VM’s cluster resources. For example, if you moved VM1 to Node 2, then you can restore VM1 on Node 2. The operation

will automatically make Node 2 the coordination node in order for the restore to take place.

Performing a selective restore of a VM with files stored on a CSV does not modify any other VMs that store files on the same CSV, only

the VM you are restoring is affected. In the previous example, restoring VM1 will not affect VM2, even though they are both on the same

CSV.

See Selectively Restore a VM for how to selectively restore a VM stored on a CSV.

Restore as New a Snapshot or Clone

You can perform a Restore as New operation on snapshots and clones. This operation creates a new VM that will be local and non-

clustered, so no restrictions apply. The VM is created locally on the current node, and has the default VM settings and a user-specified

amount of RAM that uses the original VM’s .vhd files. To start the VM, you must verify that enough resources are available for it. You

cannot adjust other virtual hardware through ASM/ME. Restore as New currently supports up to four .vhd files during a restore.

See Restore a VM as New for more information.

Using ASM/ME with Hyper-V