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Disaster Recovery using VMware ESXi

This topic describes the backup and restore and disaster recovery functionality available for Routing Director on the VMware ESXi hypervisor.

Disaster Recovery

You can restore data on a fresh installation from a backup take on a different setup using the procedure described in this section. You can back up your Routing Director cluster and all associated application configuration by exporting it to your ESXi server. Once exported, you can redeploy it on a new installation. During backup and re-installation, your cluster is shutdown and is nonoperational. Perform the following steps to export and redeploy:
  1. Verify that the cluster is in good health. Log in to one of the primary nodes and execute the request paragon health-check command from the Linux root shell.

    The Overall Cluster Status must be GREEN.

  2. Export your current cluster configuration.

    1. Log in to one of the node VMs. You are placed in Paragon Shell.

    2. Shut down the cluster using the request paragon shutdown type cluster command.

    3. Log in to your ESXi server.

    4. Export the configuration of all VMs one after another and enter appropriate names when prompted.

      Perform the steps described in the VMware vSphere documentation at Export an OVF Template.

    The VM configuration is backed up locally as four sets of OVF, .vmdk, .nvram, and .mf configuration files.
  3. Redeploy the exported configuration as a fresh installation.

    Perform the steps described in Create the Node VMs. Select the corresponding sets of OVF and configuration files for each VM.

    The cluster is re-installed afresh.
  4. (Optional) Verify that the cluster is in good health. Log in to one of the cluster nodes and execute the request paragon health-check command.

    The Overall Cluster Status must be GREEN.

Back Up and Restore Using VMware Snapshots

You can use the snapshot functionality available on VMware vSphere and ESXi clients to back up and restore your Routing Director cluster and application configuration data. The backup procedure using the snapshot functionality can be performed while the microservices and applications are running and does not affect the operation of the network. The snapshot creates a copy of your cluster and application configuration information. The snapshot restore functionality enables you to restore your cluster on the same set of VMs from which the backup was taken. The VMs are suspended before performing a restore operation and the downtime associated with a restore operation is minimal.

Back Up Using VMware Snapshots

To back up your Routing Director cluster and application configuration data, use any one of the following options:

  • On VMware vSphere client

    1. Log in to any of the cluster nodes.

    2. Use the request paragon health-check Paragon Shell command to ensure that your cluster is in good health. The status of the cluster must be GREEN.

    3. Log in to the VMware vSphere client which manages the Routing Director VMs.

    4. Click on your cluster host in the VM inventory.

      Your cluster node VMs are listed in the Virtual Machines tab under VMs.

    5. Select all the VMs, right-click, and click Take snapshot. The snapshot creation dialog box appears.

    6. Enter a name for the snapshot and a description. Also, select the Include virtual machine's memory check-box.

    7. Click Create to create the snapshot. The snapshot creation takes a few minutes.

      You can check the progress of the job under Recent Tasks or in the Task Console.

  • On VMware ESXi client

    1. Log in to any of the cluster nodes.

    2. Use the request paragon health-check Paragon Shell command to ensure that your cluster is in good health. The status of the cluster must be GREEN.

    3. Log in to the VMware ESXi server on which your Routing Director VMs are located.

    4. Select a cluster node VM listed under Virtual Machines, right-click and click Take snapshot. The snapshot creation dialog box appears.

    5. Enter a name for the snapshot and a description. Also, select the Include virtual machine's memory check-box.

    6. Click Create to create the snapshot.

    7. Repeat steps 4 through 6 for the other three VMs and enter appropriate snapshot names when prompted.

      Note:

      We recommend that you create snapshots of all the VMs one after the other as close as possible to each other in time.

    8. (Optional) You can check the progress of the snapshot jobs under Recent Tasks or in the Task Console.

  • Using APIs

    You can also use the snapshot.create option to take snapshots of VMs using APIs. For more information, see https://github.com/vmware/govmomi/blob/main/govc/USAGE.md#snapshotcreate.

Restore Using VMware Snapshots

To restore your Routing Director cluster and application configuration data which was previously backed up in snapshots, use any one of the following options:

  • On VMware vSphere client

    1. Log in to the VMware vSphere client which manages the Routing Director VMs and where the snapshots were previously taken.

    2. Click your cluster host in the VM inventory.

      Your cluster VMs are listed in the Virtual Machines tab under VMs.

    3. Select all the VMs, right-click, and click Suspend to suspend the operation of the VMs. Do not restore the VMs when they are powered on.

    4. Select a cluster node VM, right-click, and click Manage snapshots. The Manage snapshots page appears with a list of available snapshots.

    5. Select the snapshot that you want to restore and click Restore snapshot.

      Ensure that you select a snapshot that is recent and stable.

    6. Repeat steps 4 through 5 for the other three VMs.

      Alternatively, you can select a VM, right-click and click Revert to Latest Snapshot if your immediate last snapshot was the most stable version.

      Note:

      We recommend that you restore snapshots of all the VMs one after the other as close as possible to each other in time. Do not wait for the snapshot restoration of any one VM to complete before restoring the other.

    7. (Optional) You can check the progress of the job under Recent Tasks or in the Task Console.

    8. Once the restore process is complete, wait for a few minutes for the VMs to power-on and the cluster to stabilize.
    9. Log in to any of the cluster nodes.

    10. Type the show paragon cluster nodes command in Paragon Shell. Ensure that the status of all the nodes is Ready.

    11. Type the show paragon cluster pods command and ensure that the status of all the pods is either Running or Completed.

    12. Type the request paragon health-check command to ensure that your cluster is in good health. The status of the cluster must be GREEN.

      Note: If the cluster health-check does not return a GREEN status, reboot all the nodes using the request paragon reboot type cluster command and recheck the status.

  • On VMware ESXi client

    1. Log in to the VMware ESXi server on which your Routing Director VMs are located.

    2. Select you cluster node VM listed under Virtual Machines, right-click and click Suspend to suspend the operation of the VM. Do not restore a VM when it is powered on.

    3. Right-click the selected VM and click Manage snapshots. The Manage snapshots page appears with a list of available snapshots.

    4. Select the snapshot that you want to restore and click Restore snapshot.

      Ensure that you select a snapshot that is recent and stable.

    5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 for the other three VMs.

      Alternatively, you can select a VM, right-click and click Revert to Latest Snapshot if your immediate last snapshot was the most stable version.

      Note:

      We recommend that you restore snapshots of all the VMs one after the other as close as possible to each other in time. Do not wait for the snapshot restoration of any one VM to complete before restoring the other.

    6. (Optional) You can check the progress of the restore jobs under Recent Tasks or in the Task Console.

    7. Once the restore process is complete, wait for a few minutes for the VMs to power-on and the cluster to stabilize.
    8. Log in to any of the cluster nodes.

    9. Type the show paragon cluster nodes command in Paragon Shell. Ensure that the status of all the nodes is Ready.

    10. Type the show paragon cluster pods command and ensure that the status of all the pods is either Running or Completed.

    11. Type the request paragon health-check command to ensure that your cluster is in good health. The status of the cluster must be GREEN.

  • Using APIs

    You can also use the snapshot.revert option to restore backed-up snapshots of VMs using APIs. For more information, see https://github.com/vmware/govmomi/blob/main/govc/USAGE.md#snapshotrevert.

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