Objective

This page answers the most frequent questions about Managed Backup for VMware and gives the steps to follow for common problems.

Order and delivery

My infrastructure does not appear in the order

Only eligible infrastructures are offered. An infrastructure is missing in three cases: it is already protected by Managed Backup for VMware (including during the 35 days that follow a termination), it is SecNumCloud qualified, or it is located outside the regions covered by the backup platform (Europe and Canada). Support can tell you the exact reason for a given infrastructure.

My service has been "Deploying" for a long time

The service is usually available within 2 hours (estimated time). After that, contact support and give the name of your infrastructure: nothing is billed until the service is delivered.

If the delivery fails, the service shows the Error badge on your dashboard. Contact support and give the name of your infrastructure. Nothing is billed.

Does my infrastructure have enough resources?

The backup server and its proxy use at least 10 vCPU, 19 GB of memory and 530 GB of disk in the datacenter chosen at order time. Check this capacity before you order (see Getting started with Managed Backup for VMware).

I ordered without choosing any machine, is that a problem?

No. The service is delivered with its three empty backup jobs. You only need to tag your machines in vSphere. Nothing is billed until a machine is backed up.

If no machine is protected, you receive a reminder three days after delivery, then a second one ten days after, which announces the termination date. Thirty days after delivery, if no machine is protected, the service is terminated automatically and nothing is billed. For 35 days, you keep access to your VBR and the service can be reactivated by OVHcloud support. After that, you need to order again (see Terminating and reactivating a service).

A machine chosen at order time is not protected

If a machine was deleted or could not be tagged during delivery, it appears as unprotected in the VM list of the OVHcloud Console. You only need to set the tag on it in vSphere (see Protecting your virtual machines).

VBR access

The link to my initial password no longer works

This link is single-use and is valid for a limited time. Request a reset from your dashboard: Reset the VBR password (see Resetting the password of your VBR).

I lost my password

OVHcloud does not keep it and cannot send it to you. Use the reset: your VBR sends an email to the address of your OVHcloud account, with a temporary password to change at login.

I cannot find how to create a backup job

This is normal: jobs are created and managed by OVHcloud. To choose what is backed up, set a tag on the machine in vSphere.

Can I have an administrator account on my VBR?

No. The service is fully managed by OVHcloud, and the account you receive at delivery is the only account provided.

Machine protection

A tagged machine appears as unprotected

1. Check that the tag belongs to the OvhManagedBackup category.
2. Check its spelling: standard, advanced or premium, in lowercase.
3. Wait one hour: the OVHcloud Console is updated every hour.

An unknown or misspelled tag is treated as no tag.

A protected machine has no last backup date

It has not been backed up yet: it will be at the next run of the jobs, which start every evening at 10 pm. To back it up right away, start an on-demand backup from your VBR.

The last backup date of a machine is old

Its latest backups have probably failed. You can see the details of a failure in the console of your VBR. The last backup date in the OVHcloud Console is the signal to watch. Your VBR also sends you its backup notifications by email, to the address of the OVHcloud account that ordered the service. A machine with no successful backup over a period is not billed for that period. If the problem persists, contact support.

I restored a machine, what should I check?

After a restore, check the tag of the restored machine in vSphere and set it again if needed.

My machine is 8 TB or more

Machines of 8 TB or more are not supported: these machines remain visible in the order list, but cannot receive a Backup plan. If you tag one in vSphere, it is backed up anyway, but in degraded mode, without full support, and it can delay the backups of your other machines.

Do not put a tag on them in vSphere. If one of them has a tag, remove it: OVHcloud does not remove it automatically, and a weekly email reminds you.

Can I change the secondary site?

No, the secondary site is final once the order is placed. If you have a specific need, contact support.

Can I change the backup time?

No, the jobs start every evening at 10 pm, in the local time of your infrastructure, and this schedule is set by OVHcloud. You can, however, start an on-demand backup at any time.

Can I restore to another infrastructure?

No, a machine is always restored to its original infrastructure.

Termination

I terminated my service by mistake, can I reactivate it?

Yes, during the 35 days that follow the termination. Contact OVHcloud support from the OVHcloud Console, giving the name of your infrastructure. The service returns to its previous state, its backups resume and you receive a confirmation email. After that, you need to order a new service.

Billing

A machine is billed although I removed its tag

The billing period keeps the highest plan and band reached. A machine whose tag is removed during a period is still billed for that period, then not at all afterwards.

Why is my machine not billed on the size of its disks?

Because the price follows the size of the machine's backup, never the space allocated to its disks.

Go further

Getting started with Managed Backup for VMware: order and first login.

Protecting your virtual machines: all the tag rules.

Understanding your billing: the period rule, in detail.

If you cannot find an answer, contact OVHcloud support.

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