Replication Job Wizard for Hyper-V: Options

 On the Options page of the wizard, set up job options as described in the following sections:

Job Options

In this section, you can specify a name and a priority level for your replication job and enable/disable app-aware mode, change tracking, network acceleration, encryption, VM verification, excluding swap files, partitions and unused blocks.

Job Name

Specify a name for the replication job.

Job Priority

Select a job priority level between 1 and 5, with 1 being the highest priority. Jobs with higher priority levels are prioritized by Transporters during job processing.

Note
This option is only available in the Enterprise, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Plus, MSP Enterprise, and MSP Enterprise Plus editions.

App-aware Mode

With the App-aware mode option enabled, VM processing is performed using guest OS quiescing to ensure the consistency of application data.

Note
This option is not available for existing backups chosen as the target of replication on the Source wizard page.

We recommend reading the support articles about the requirements for App-aware mode:

Select one of the following options from the App-aware mode drop-down list: 

  • Enabled (proceed on error): In the dialog box that opens, select the checkboxes next to the VMs for which you want to create application-aware replicas, and then select the credentials next to each VM. These credentials will be used to log into the VMs you have selected and trigger the VSS service. With this option selected, NAKIVO Backup & Replication proceeds with the replication even if the app-aware mode fails (for example, because of wrong credentials). 

  • Enabled (fail on error): In the dialog box that opens, select the checkboxes next to the VMs for which you want to create application-aware replicas, and then select the credentials next to each VM. These credentials will be used to log into the VMs you have selected and trigger the VSS service. With this option selected, NAKIVO Backup & Replication fails the replication if the app-aware mode fails (for example, because of wrong credentials).  

  • Disabled: VM replication is performed without application awareness.  

Use Agent for OS Quiescing

If this option is enabled, NAKIVO Backup & Replication injects an agent into VMs to perform OS quiescing. This option is only available with App-aware mode enabled.

Note
Enabling this option may generate additional data transfer for the creation of shadow copies during job runs.

Change Tracking

Select one of the options from the Change tracking drop-down list:

  • Use Hyper-V RCT: It is the native Microsoft Hyper-V change block tracking method. You can select this option for the fastest incremental backup. 

  • Use proprietary method: With this option selected, NAKIVO Backup & Replication reads all the contents of all VM disks to determine which data has changed since the last job run.

  • No change tracking (always full): With this option selected, NAKIVO Backup & Replication always performs a full VM replication of all source VMs. 

Note
This option is not available for existing backups chosen as the target of replication on the Source wizard page.

Network Acceleration

With Network acceleration enabled, NAKIVO Backup & Replication uses compression and traffic reduction techniques to speed up data transfer. Select this option if you plan to replicate over WAN or slow LAN links.

Network Encryption

With Network Encryption enabled, VM data is protected with AES 256 encryption while traveling over the network. Data encryption increases replication time and CPU load on machines running Transporters. Select this option when replicating over WAN without a VPN connection.

You need at least one Transporter at the source and target sites to enable encryption.

VM Verification 

VM Verification allows you to check the integrity of the backup by starting it and interacting with it. 

You can choose one of the following VM Verification options: 

  • Disabled: VM Verification is disabled.

  • Screenshot verification: When enabled, the VM replica created by the job is verified: NAKIVO Backup & Replication powers on this replica with networking turned off, takes a screenshot of the OS, then powers off the VM replica. The VM screenshot will be included in email notifications (if they’re configured. See Notifications & Reports.) and displayed on the Dashboard.  

  • Boot verification: When enabled, the VM replica created by the job is verified: After VM replication is completed, NAKIVO Backup & Replication recovers the VM using Flash boot, disables networking to prevent network connections, and verifies that system start is successful.

Important
Hyper-V Integration Services must be running on the source VMs to successfully enable screenshot verification for your backup job.

After choosing Screenshot verification option, do the following in the dialog box that opens:

  1. Verify not more than x VMs simultaneously: Specify the maximum number of VM replicas that can be started simultaneously.

  2. Recovery time objective: Specify the amount of time allocated for the verification of each VM replica. If a VM OS does not start within the specified amount of time, verification will be considered failed. Specified time must be sufficient to fully start the VM OS. Try increasing this amount if the default amount is not sufficient.

  3. Screenshot delay: Specify the amount of time that NAKIVO Backup & Replication waits before taking a screenshot after the guest OS starts.

After choosing Boot verification, set verification options in the dialog box that opens: 

  1. Verify not more than x VMs simultaneously: Specify the maximum number of VMs that can be started on the target container simultaneously. 

  2. Recovery time objective: Specify the amount of time allocated for the verification of each VM backup. If a VM OS does not start within the specified amount of time, verification will be considered failed.

Exclude Swap Files and Partitions

With this option enabled, NAKIVO Backup & Replication automatically excludes swap files and partitions during the backup process.

Note
The feature is not available for replication from backup jobs.

Exclude Unused Blocks

With this option enabled, NAKIVO Backup & Replication automatically excludes unused disk blocks and blocks occupied by deleted files during processing of source objects running Windows OS. This feature allows for reducing backup storage space and object processing time.

Note
The feature is not available for replication from backup jobs.

Replica Options

In the Replica Options section, you can choose a VM disk type and VM name. 

Replica VM Disks

Choose one of the following options:

  • Respect original VM disk type: With this option enabled, the created disk will be of the same type as that of the source VM.

  • Create dynamic size disks on target VMs: With this option enabled, dynamic size disks are created on replicas, occupying only space actually required by VM files, including OS ones and database records, regardless of the disk types of the original source VM.

Replica VM Names

With NAKIVO Backup & Replication, you can change VM replica names to easily distinguish between VM replicas and the source VMs. By default, the text “-replica” is appended to the end of the VM replica name.

To change VM Replica names, choose one of the following Replica VM names options in the Replica Options section:

  • Append "-replica" in the end: Source VM names are used for replica names and “-replica” is added before or after the replica name.

  • Leave replica names as is: Replica names will be identical to the source VM names.

  • Enter custom replica names: Enter custom names for replicas.

Pre and Post Actions

In the Pre and Post Actions section, you can set up email notifications, select to truncate Microsoft Exchange and SQL Server logs, and run pre- and post- job scripts.

Email Notifications

NAKIVO Backup & Replication can send email notifications about the job completion status to specified recipients. This feature complements global notifications and allows you to configure notifications on a per-job level.

To enable this option, make sure your Email settings are configured.

To send email notifications, do the following: 

In the Pre and Post Actions section:

  1. Select Send job run reports to.

  2. Specify one or more email addresses in the text field. Use semicolons to separate multiple email addresses.

Microsoft Exchange Server Logs Truncation

With NAKIVO Backup & Replication, you can delete (aka truncate) Microsoft Exchange Server logs on the source VMs after job completion.

To set up Microsoft Exchange log truncation, do the following:

  1. In the Pre and Post Actions section, select the Truncate Exchange logs option.

  2. In the dialog box that opens, select the checkboxes next to the VMs running Microsoft Exchange and then select the credentials next to each VM. These credentials are used to log into the VMs that you have selected.

Note
This option is not available for existing backups chosen as the target of replication on the Source wizard page.

Truncation of Microsoft SQL Server Transaction Logs

With NAKIVO Backup & Replication, you can delete (aka truncate) Microsoft SQL Server logs on the source VMs after job completion.

To set up Microsoft SQL log truncation, do the following:

  1. In the Pre and Post Actions section, select the Truncate SQL Server logs option.

  2. In the SQL Server Log Truncation dialog box that opens, select the checkboxes next to the VMs running Microsoft SQL Server and then select the credentials next to each VM. These credentials are used to log into the VMs that you have selected.

Note
This option is not available for existing backups chosen as the target of replication on the Source wizard page.

Pre Job Script

To run a script before the product begins replicating VMs, do the following:

  1. Place a script file on the machine where the Director is installed.

  2. In the Pre and Post Actions section, select Run local pre job script.

  3. Specify the following parameters in the dialog box that opens:

    • Script path: Specify a local path to the script on the machine where the Director is installed. Script interpreter should be specified.
      Example (Windows): cmd.exe /c D:\script.bat

      Example (Linux): bash /root/script.sh

    • Job behavior: Choose one of the following job behaviors in relation to script completion:

      • Wait for the script to finish: With this option selected, VM replication is only started after the script is completed.

      • Do not wait for the script to finish: With this option selected, the script runs and the VMs start replicating at the same time.

    • Error handling: Choose one of the following job behaviors in relation to script failure:

      • Continue the job on script failure: With this option selected, the job performs VM replication even if the script has failed.

      • Fail the job on script failure: With this option selected, the job is failed and VM replication is not performed.

Post Job Script

To run a script after the product has finished backing up all VMs, do the following:

  1. Place a script file on the machine where the Director is installed.

  2. In the Pre and Post Actions section, select the Run local post job script option.

  3. Specify the following parameters in the dialog box that opens:

    • Script path: Specify a local path to the script on the machine where the Director is installed. Script interpreter should be specified.
      Example (Windows): cmd.exe /c D:\script.bat

      Example (Linux): bash /root/script.sh

    • Job behavior: Choose one of the following job behaviors in relation to script completion:

      • Wait for the script to finish: With this option selected, the job is in the “running” state until the script is completed.

      • Do not wait for the script to finish: With this option selected, the job is completed even if the script execution is still in progress.

    • Error handling: Choose one of the following job behaviors in relation to script failure:

      • Continue the job on script failure: With this option selected, script failure does not influence the status of the job.

      • Fail the job on script failure: With this option selected, if the script has failed, the job status will be set to “failed” even if VM replication has been successful.

Data Transfer

In the Data Transfer section on the Options page, you can set the transporter load and configure bandwidth throttling.

Transporter Load

You can limit the maximum number of transporter tasks used by the job. By default, it is set to 3 concurrent tasks.

To change the default number of tasks, do the following:

  1. In the Data Transfer section, select the checkbox next to Limit transporter load to.

  2. Specify the number of concurrent tasks in the corresponding field.

Bandwidth Throttling

To regulate the speed of data transfer over the network for your replication job:

  1. For the Bandwidth throttling option, choose Enabled.

    Note
    If bandwidth throttling is disabled for the current job, global bandwidth rules may still apply to your job. Refer to Bandwidth Throttling for details.

  2. Click the settings link that becomes available.

  3. The Job Bandwidth Rules dialog box opens displaying the list of available rules. You have the following options:

    • Create a new bandwidth rule for your replication job:

      1. Click the Create New Rule button.

      2. The New Bandwidth Rule dialog box opens. Refer to the Bandwidth Throttling topic for details about creating a bandwidth rule.

      3. Click Save.

    • Activate an existing bandwidth rule for your job. Select the checkbox to the left of the necessary bandwidth rule. To deactivate a bandwidth rule for your job, deselect the corresponding checkbox.

    • Edit a bandwidth rule. Click the Edit link for a bandwidth rule and modify it in the Edit Bandwidth Rule dialog box that opens.

    • Disable a bandwidth rule. Click the Disable link. The bandwidth rule will be disabled for all jobs.

    • Remove a bandwidth rule. Click the Remove link and then click Delete to confirm your operation.

Bottleneck detection

When the Bottleneck detection option is enabled, additional information is collected and recorded in NAKIVO Backup & Replication logs in the course of data transfer for the purpose of bottleneck detection. Check this option to enable the Bottleneck detection capability of the Transporters engaged in the job.

Completing the New Replication Job Wizard for Microsoft Hyper-V

Click Finish or Finish & Run to complete the job creation.

Note
If you click Finish & Run, you will have to define the scope of your job. Please refer to Running Jobs on Demand for details.