Altaro backup: installation and use with Hyper-V

In this tutorial, I will explain how to set up Altaro Backup with Hyper-V.

Altaro Backup is a backup solution for virtual environments Hyper-V and VMware running Windows.

It has the advantage of being very light and does not require SQL Server database.

It allows the following restorations:

  • Granular at the file level
  • Granular at Exchange level
  • Virtual disk recovery
  • Starting a VM from backup.

For very small environments, Altaro has the advantage of being free for 2 virtual machines with certain limits.

Environment

For the realization of this tutorial, I used a Windows 2016 server with Hyper-V on which I installed Altaro.

It is possible to install Altaro on a virtual machine is sent on backups on a NAS or on a physical machine.

Backups will be stored on the Hyper-V.

In a production environment, backups must be stored on a network share (NAS) or in the worst case on a USB disk.

Before getting into the thick of it, you have to  download the software on the official website.

Installation

1. Run the downloaded program, when launching the wizard, click Next 1 .

Altaro Backup - installation

2. Check the box 1 to accept the license then click Next 2 .

Altaro baclup : installation - licence

3. Configure the software installation location 1 and click Next 2 .

Altaro backup - installation - emplacement

4. Start the installation by clicking the Install button 1 .

Altaro Backup - lancer intallation

5. Wait during the installation …

Altaro Backup - installation en cours....
Altaro Backup - installation en cours....

During the installation, it is necessary to confirm the execution of an MSI file.

The installation took me less than 3 minutes on the lab server.

6. The installation is complete, check box 1 to launch the console immediately and close the wizard by clicking Finish 2 .

Installation terminée

7. The Altaro Backup Console opens, click Connect 1 .

Altaro Backup - Console

We will now proceed to using Altaro Backup by configuring the virtual machine backup.

Configuration of the backup

Configuring the host on Altaro backup

1. In the menu click on Hosts 1 , how Altaro Backup is installed on the Hyper-V, it is already present in the console, otherwise you must add the Hypervisor by clicking on the Add button hosts.

Hosts

Configuring the location of backups

1. You must now configure the location of the backups, click on Backup Locations 1 and then on Add Backup Location 2 .

Alrato Backup - configuration emplacement sauvegarde

2. Choose a location type 1 (Physical drive) and click Next 2 .

Altaro Backup - type emplacement

3. Clicking Choose Folder 1 on the volume will receive the backups.

Altaro Backup - sélectionner le dossier

4. Select the folder 1 and click on Select 2 .

Altaro Backup - sélectionner le dossier

5. Click Finish 1 to add the location.

Altaro Backup - valider l emplacement

6. The slot is configured 1 .

Altaro Backup - emplacement ajoute

Putting backup of a virtual machine with Altaro backup

Altaro Backup unlike other backup software does not work directly with jobs, you must assign VMs to a location, a schedule and a retention.

This way of managing backups allows great flexibility.

1. From the Backup Location 1 page, select the vm to save 2 and drag and drop to the <3 backup location.

Altaro backup - assigne emplacement

2. The virtual machine is assigned to slot 1 , click Save Changes 2 .

Altaro Backup - vm assignée à l'emplacement

3. Go to Backup Settings 1 / Schedule Setting 2 and on the same principle as the backup location, drag and drop on the desired schedule 3 and finish by clicking on Save Changes 4 .

Altaro Backup - planification

4. Go to Backup Settings 1 / Retention Policy 2 and do the same for the backup retention time. Click on Save changes 3 to save.

Altaro Backup - retention

Force a backup

One of the nice features of Altaro Backup is to be able to trigger a backup of a virtual machine without launching a job and therefore several VMs.

This feature can “replace” snapshots available on hypervisors.

1. Go to Backups 1 , select vm to save 2 and click Take Backup 3 .

Altaro backup - sauvegarde manuel

2. The backup is in progress …


Now that we have seen how to set up backups, we will see the different possible restore modes.

Granular file recovery

This restore mode is used to extract a file from a virtual machine from a backup.

1. From the console, go to Restore 1 / File Granular Restore 2 , choose from where 3 and click Next 4 .

Altaro Backup - restauration granulaire

2. Select virtual machine 1 and click Next 2 .

Alrato Backup - sélectionner la vm

3. Choose Restore Point 1 and click Next 2 .

Altaro Backup - sélectionner la sauvegarde

4. Select the disk 1 .

Altaro backup - selection vhd

5. Select partition 1 .

Altaro backup - choisir la partition

6. Navigate to the backup, select the item (s) to be restored 1 then click Next 2 .

Altaro Backup - choisir fichier

7. Choose storage type 1 restore location 2 and click Extract 3 .

Altaro backup - emplacement restauration

8. Wait during the restoration …

Altaro backup - restauration ...

9. Restoration completed.

Altaro backup - restauration terminée

10. Open Windows Explorer and go to the restore location to retrieve the item (s).

Altaro backup - fichier restauré

Restoring a virtual disk

This type of restoration, as its name suggests, allows you to restore a vhd (x) from a machine, which can then be presented to another vm or mounted directly in Windows.

1. From the console go to Restore 1 / Restore Virtual Disk 2 . Choose the location of the backup 3 and click Next 4 .

Altaro backup - restore virtual disk

2. Choose the 1 virtual machine and click Next 2 .

Altaro backup - select vm

3. Select the restore point 1 , select the disk 2 and its restore location 3 and click Restore 4 .

Altaro-backup - select vhd

4. Wait during the restoration …

Altaro backup - wait

5. When finished, open the Windows File Explorer to access the virtual disk.

Altaro backup - disk restored

Virtual machine restore as a clone

This restore mode is used to restore a virtual machine to a Hyper-V server.

1. From the menu, go to Restore 1 / Restore VM as Clone 2 , select the location of the backup 3 and click Next 4 .

Altaro backup - restore as clone

2. Select the VM to restore 1 and click Next 2 .

Altaro backup - restore as clone

3. Choose backup 1 , change the name of the vm if necessary 2 , select the restoration host 3 , its location 4 and click on Restore 5.

Altaro backup - restore as clone

4. Wait during the restoration …

Altaro backup - restore as clone
Altaro backup - restore as clone

5. Restore completed, open the Hyper-V console on the server where the restore was made, the VM is available, all that remains is to start it.

Altaro backup - restore as clone

This restore mode is convenient for testing your backups, so you should use this mode with great care in order to avoid any IP conflict or Active Directory object.

Instant Restore: Boot From Backup

This feature of Altaro Backup allows you to boot a virtual machine directly from its backup location, allowing you to restart a virtual machine in a very short time.

This feature has two mode:

  • Verification Mode: this mode starts the VM since the backup and does not save the modifications, it is to use to check the good functioning of the backups.
  • Recovery Mode: this mode is to use to start a VM quickly which will then switch to production.

Prerequisites to use Boot From Backup:

  • Unlimited or Unlimited Plus license
  • The ISCSI initiator service is enabled on the restore host.

1. From the menu go to Restore 1 / Boot From Backup 2 then click on the button Boot a VM from Backup … 3 .

Altaro backup - boot from backup

From this page, you can also manage VMs running in Boot From Backup mode.

2. Select a 1 Boot mode and click Next 2 .

Altaro backup - boot from backup

3. Choose the location of the backup 1 and click Next 2 .

Altaro backup - boot from backup

4. Select the virtual machine 1 and click Next 2 .

Altaro backup - boot from backup

5. Choose the restore point 1 , the computer name 2 , the Hyper-V server 3 , the storage location of the 4 files and click on Boot 5 .

Altaro backup - boot from backup

6. Wait while starting the VM …

Altaro backup - boot from backup
Altaro backup - boot from backup

7. The virtual machine is started 1 and can be managed in the Altaro Backup console (Restore / Boot From Backup).

Altaro backup - boot from backup

8. Go to the Hyper-V server to check that the VM is working properly.

Altaro backup - boot from backup
Altaro backup - boot from backup

9. Return to the Altaro Backup console (Restore / Boot From Backup) and click on Discard VM 1 to stop the Boot From Backup.

Altaro backup - boot from backup

f the VM is in Recovery Mode, you will have the option to restore the VM in production.

10. The Boot From Backup is canceled.

Altaro backup - boot from backup



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