VMware Data Services Manager uses an internal vPostgres database to keep track of Provider state. You configure the object storage repository and bucket in which VMware Data Services Manager stores backups of this database by setting the Provider Backup Repo.

The Provider Backup Repo requires a minimum of 15 GB of available space.

When you configure a Provider Backup Repo, VMware Data Services Manager records the transaction logs every one minute. Additionally, VMware Data Services Manager takes a full backup of the internal vPostgres database every 7 days and takes an incremental backup every 12 hours until the next weekly cycle.

VMware Data Services Manager stores the Provider backups in a folder named provider-backups-<node-id> in the Provider Backup Repo bucket that you configure. The full and incremental backup files use the following naming formats:

yyyy-mm-dd-hh-mm-full-id-<database-instance-name>

And

yyyy-mm-dd-hh-mm-inc-id-<database-instance-name>
Note:

VMware Data Services Manager does not manage the Provider backup files; when you configure a Provider Backup Repo, you are responsible for deleting any backups that you no longer require directly from S3.

Configuring the Provider Backup Repo

Perform the following procedure to configure or update the Provider Backup object store repository.

Prerequisites

Before you configure the Provider backup repository, ensure that you have the object store credentials on hand, and that you can identify and have pre-created the bucket.

The Provider backup repository endpoint must be resolvable by the DNS server specified at the time of Provider VM deployment.

Note: You must ensure that the repository has a minimum of 15 GB of available space at all times.

Procedure

  1. Select Settings from the left navigation pane.
  2. Select the Storage Settings tab to view and configure or update the Provider backup repository settings.
  3. In the table of the External Storage, click the three vertical dots on in the Action column of the Provider Backup Repo Url row, and then select Configure or Update from the pop-up menu.
    The Configure Settings or Update Settings form displays.
  4. Set or update the following properties.
    Property Name Value
    Setting Type The name of the object store setting - Provider Backup Repo Url. (Read-only)
    Storage URL Provider Backup Repo Url.
    Region This field is optional.
    Access Key The access key for the object store.
    Secret Key The secret key for the object store.
    Bucket Name The name of the bucket.
    Force Path Style Determines the use of path-style addressing for S3 operations. Enabling it forces path-style S3 URLs, while disabling it uses virtual hosted-style S3 URLs. For AWS, selecting force path style is not recommended. Refer to AWS official documentation for more details.
  5. Click CONNECT.
  6. Click ACCEPT or DECLINE on the thumbprint(s) of the Provider backup repository if you are configuring it for the first time.
  7. If you click ACCEPT, you can SAVE or UPDATE to apply the settings. If you click DECLINE, you can update the properties again, and then perform Steps 5 and 6.

Removing the Provider Backup Repo Setting

When you remove the Provider Backup Repo setting, VMware Data Services Manager stops backing up the Provider internal vPostgres database.

Note:

If you remove the Provider Backup Repo setting, you no longer have the capability to recover the Provider VM in your VMware Data Services Manager installation.

Perform the following procedure to remove the Provider Backup object store repository setting.

Procedure

  1. Select Settings from the left navigation pane.
  2. Select the Storage Settings tab.
  3. Navigate to the table row that identifies the Provider Backup Repo Url.
  4. Click the three dots in the Actions column, select Remove from the pop-up menu.
    The Delete Provider Backup Setting form displays.
  5. If you are certain that you want to remove the setting, click CONFIRM.

Results

You can no longer recover the Provider VM in your VMware Data Services Managerinstallation.