Before you begin

• Ensure you have read the prerequisites to install the backup proxy and prerequisites for configuring virtual machines for backup.
• Review the the supported backup and restore privileges for vCenter and ESXi.

Step 1: Choose VMware configuration

1. Decide whether you want to configure Druva for protecting VMware ESXi or vCenter Server. 
   • For standalone VMware ESXi, you'll need at least one backup proxy installation for each ESXi hypervisor.
   • If you choose VMware vCenter Server, you'll need one backup proxy installation for each vCenter Server.
2. Allocate backup proxy installations accordingly.

Note: The IP address / Network provided to the backup proxy must be able to communicate to Cloud on port 443. See the list of ports and communication protocols used for communication between Druva and various VMware components.

Step 2: Check resource availability and storage considerations

• Ensure your VMware setup has sufficient resources to deploy the backup proxy. When you deploy the appliance, a new Ubuntu virtual machine is created along with an installation of the backup proxy.
• Ensure you have adequate storage for your backup needs. The Support team can help create and assign storage, and you can request additional storage if necessary.

Step 3: Register and configure your VMware setup

• Access the Management Console using your credentials and deploy one or more backup proxy instances on ESXi hypervisors or vCenter Servers, depending on your specific backup needs.
• During virtual machine registration, Druva generates an activation token that you can use to activate the backup proxy.

Step 4: Configure your virtual machines

• Once the backup proxy is activated, your virtual machines hosted on ESXi will appear under "All Virtual Machines" on the VMware Setups page.
• Configure your virtual machines to schedule automatic backups.
• Druva also supports backing up Microsoft SQL Server databases running on virtual machines. During configuration, you can choose to back up SQL Server databases alongside image-level virtual machine backups.
• You can also configure virtual machines for Instant Restore, a quick recovery option.

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Related articles

• Prerequisites for setting up Druva for VMware
• Deploy, register, and configure backup proxy
• Configure your virtual machines