Onboarding on-Prem Windows Hyper-V servers to Metallic VM level backups

Hi ​@StephenMcNamara 
Here’s a concise, practical onboarding checklist and the Commvault documentation you should follow to onboard an on‑prem Hyper‑V environment to Commvault Cloud. I’ll prefer Command Center (web) where available.

High‑level onboarding checklist
 

1. Plan the architecture

• Decide hosted vs. self-managed access nodes/MediaAgents and where backup infrastructure will run.

2. Verify Hyper‑V requirements and agent placement

• For VM‑level backups on a Hyper‑V cluster, ensure required agents are installed on each Hyper‑V node (Virtual Server Agent / VSA, File System, File System Core as applicable).
• Documentation: https://documentation.commvault.com/2024/expert/getting_started_microsoft_hyper_v.html
  https://documentation.commvault.com/2024/expert/deployment_planning_for_microsoft_hyper_v.html

3. Confirm proxy / VSA proxy requirements for application‑aware backups

• The VSA proxy for Hyper‑V must meet Hyper‑V proxy requirements (e.g., installed on a Hyper‑V server when required).
• Documentation: https://documentation.commvault.com/11.46/software/hypervisor_support_and_requirements_for_agent_based_application_backups.html

4. Deploy the backup gateway / MediaAgent (if self‑managed)

• Deploy a MediaAgent or backup gateway in the chosen cloud region before configuring VM protection.
• Documentation: https://documentation.commvault.com/11.46/software/deploy_mediaagent_in_cloud_environment.html
  https://documentation.commvault.com/11.46/software/deploying_mediaagent_on_azure.html
  https://documentation.commvault.com/11.46/software/deploying_mediaagent_on_google_cloud.html

5. Network and firewall checks

• Ensure network connectivity between on‑prem components, access nodes, MediaAgent/backup gateway, and CommServe; open required ports and validate proxy/firewall rules.
• Documentation: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=1971.htm%23o1975

6. Configure the Hyper‑V hypervisor and VM groups in Command Center

• Add/configure the Hyper‑V hypervisor, create VM groups or rules, and assign a backup plan.
• Documentation: https://documentation.commvault.com/11.46/software/configuration_for_hyper_v.html
  https://documentation.commvault.com/11.46/software/creating_vm_group_for_hyper_v.html
  https://documentation.commvault.com/11.46/software/adding_azure_local_hypervisor.html

7. Create protection plans / schedules and assign storage

• Define backup plan frequency, retention, and target storage (bundled or self‑managed); verify storage and schedule policies.
• Documentation: https://documentation.commvault.com/11.46/software/creating_backup_plan_02.html?view=saas

8. Test and validate protection

• Run test backups and a simple restore to validate access node connectivity, permissions, snapshot operations, and restoreability.