The DataSets facility allows programs to read and write key-value entries related to a virtual machine. This section describes how to back up and restore DataSets files.

There may be one or two DataSets files in a VM directory. If either is present, one has file name suffix .dsd while the other has .dsv suffix. The former is durable (included in snapshots and clones) while the latter is variable (omitted from snapshots and clones). If either is present, there are corresponding entries in the VM's .vmx file:

dataSetsMgr.diskStoreFile = filename.dsd
dataSetsMgr.vmStoreFile = filename.dsv

The .dsd file should be saved by backup and restored along with the VM. The .dsv file should not be preserved, but backup software must account for it. There might be other files with extension .dsd-journal or .dsv-journal. These should not be backed up. If they exist in the VM directory at restore time, they should be removed.

To back up Datasets files, follow these steps:

  1. For each virtual machine whose VM directory includes a .dsd file, make a separate copy of the .dsd file, associated with the VM backup.
  2. Do not save copies of any existing .dsv files during backup
  3. Back up each virtual machine using standard methods (see Low Level Backup Procedures).

To restore DataSets files, follow these steps:

  1. Restore the virtual machine using standard methods (see Low Level Restore Procedures).
  2. If at the time of the restore the VM directory includes a .dsv file and/or a .dsv-journal file, remove them. Also, delete any dataSetsMgr.vmStoreFile entries in the .vmx file.
  3. For each VM for which a .dsd file was saved at the time of the backup, write the saved .dsd file into the VM directory.
    • If a file of the same name exists in the directory before restore, the saved .dsd file should overwrite it.
    • If a .dsd file with a different name exists in the VM directory before restore, then remove that .dsd file. Also, modify the .vmx file so its dataSetsMgr.diskStoreFile entry reflects the name of the restored .dsd file.
    • If no .dsd file exists in the VM directory before restore, then add to the .vmx file a dataSetsMgr.diskStoreFile entry for the restored .dsd file.
    • Finally, if there is a .dsd-journal file in the VM directory, remove it.
  4. For each VM for which a .dsd file was not saved at the time of backup:
    • If at the time of the restore the VM directory includes a .dsd file and/or a .dsd-journal file, remove them. Also, delete the dataSetsMgr.diskStoreFile entry in the .vmx file.