we use exactly such a black/white subclient setup for our customers.
One “NoBackup” Subclient where all VMs are added that do not need saving, either as distinct named VMs or via Custom-Attribute set in vCenter. StoragePolicy for this pointing to a Commvault Virtual Library, the closest we can get to a Null-Device and Activity is disabled anyways.
Another set of Subclients works the same, just with appropriate StoragePolicies for the Retention-Requirements.
This setup has the convenient benefit for us that everything that for some reason falls through the cracks is still covered by default-Subclient. If a VM misses its Tag/Attribute or is not added to any Subclient it will nevertheless get a base level of security via default-subclient.
Mentioned challenge that VM can be part of multiple Subclients we cover using Workflows. Customer orders a VM to be backed up or not via API (/wapi) where our logic adds the VM to respective Subclient and checks all others to remove conflicting entries. Of course you can skip that if u use tags.
This would not be possible since VMs are not mutually exclusive meaning VMs can be backed up in multiple subclients. Even if the VM was added to a Disabled or Null subclient it can still be selected for backup under another subclient. Using subclient or backupset filter would be the only way to prevent the VM from being selected unless you specify each VM in the content of the subclients.
You can use VMWARE Tagging and create a “Do not backup” tag that is set at the Backupset level. This will allow you to associate the VMs to the tag in VMWARE which will exclude the VMs from backups and will not require any changes in the Commvault configuration once the tag is set.
Hi Ryan
Thanks for the reply.
Yep - That will workout nicely - Thank you
I was hoping a subclient might be able to ‘do the job’, as its immediately visible with all the other subclients and if there needed to be manual assignment of a VM to this ‘null’ subclient; its ‘immediately’ visible to the end users, without having to teach them to ‘step up’ to the root of the subclients (ie the backup set’ and assign the filter there.
I’ll head down your Backup set idea - but would be great to see a Null subclient in the future
Hello @YYZ You can filter VMs from the Backupset level so no subclients select the VMs for backup.
https://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=62269.htm