Instant Cloud Virtualization with Datto SIRIS – Fun and easy.

Learn hot to perform Instant Cloud Virtualization with Datto SIRIS

In just seconds, backups can be virtualized either locally on the powerful SIRIS appliance or remotely in Datto’s secure cloud. The advanced web interface allows for configuration of CPU and memory resources. Network resources can be configured dynamically, allowing for changes to be made without restarting the virtual machine. Even while virtualized, systems can continue to backup to the SIRIS appliance and Datto’s secure cloud. Read on and learn how to perform Instant Cloud Virtualization with Datto SIRIS.

This innovative method of instant virtualization can prevent businesses from having to experience downtime in the event of a disaster, offering peace of mind that backups will be available at a moment’s notice.

Performing an Instant Cloud Virtualization with Datto SIRIS

• First log into your Datto Resale Portal account.
• From the resale portal click on the “Device Status” tab as shown in the example below:

Example: Screenshot of Datto Resale Portal Device Status Tab

• This will display all of the Datto devices associated with your datto Resale Portal account.
• From the Device List select the device in which you would like to perform an off-site virtualization for and click on its Serial Number to view all status information for the device as shown below:

Example: Location of a Datto Device’s Serial Number under Device List
•  Once all the status information comes into view in the browser a subsection entitled “Protected Machines” will appear directly below the view of the Datto SIRIS Device’s Serial Number.

Example: Screenshot of Protected Machines location under Device List
• Also identifying location of “Choose a snapshot to launch” button.
• Each Protected Machine’s Virtual Machine that is available in the cloud can be accessed by clicking on the icon identified in the screenshot above to display the window “Choose a snapshot to launch”.
• The “Choose a snapshot to launch” window will then display a list of all of the Virtual Machines available for Instant Virtualization in the Cloud as shown below:

Example: Screenshot of “Choose a snapshot to launch” window
Please Note: The screenshot above is taken from a device that had fallen 6 weeks behind it’s off-site sync due to insufficient bandwidth.  Note that the field “Last successful backup” reports “Tue, Nov 29, 11:06AM” as this reports the last successful local backup performed.  The snapshots that are available to launch from the “Chose a snapshot to launch” section contain only recovery points that have successfully been included in the “Latest synced dataset” into the cloud.
• From the “Chose a snapshot to launch” section you may click on any of the listed dates to access to “Pre-startup settings” section for the machine to be Virtualized from the cloud.

Example: Screenshot of Pre-startup settings  window
• The Pre-startup settings allows for the virtual machine’s resources to be allocated.  The default resources allocated of 2GB RAM, LSILogic SCSI HDD Controller are sufficient for the majority of test Virtualizations but can be adjusted if needed or in the event that the VM is being launched from the cloud in a true Disaster Recovery (D-R) Scenario.
• For Hard Disk Controllers the following Operating Systems have the most amount of success with the following HDD Controller Types as drivers for these Controller Types are native the Operating Systems themselves:

 Build and Start VM

• Once the “Pre-startup settings” window has been filled out proceed by clicking on the “Create VM” button.  When clicked the window will change to the “Build and Start VM” window as shown below:

Example: Screenshot of Build and Start VM Window

Security options

Security Options are available for configuring the level of accessibility that the Virtual Machine running in the cloud will provide.
By default the Security Options will appear as shown in the screenshot above, RDP connections only available to the public IP address of the network in which the Resale Portal is being accessed from.
For stricter security select the checkbox “Require a username and password when connection via RDP” which will auto-generate and display Username and Password for RDP access in the next window that will appear once the VM when the “Build and Start VM” button is clicked.

Network

Default settings are to bring the Virtual Machine up in a Stand-alone environment.  This Stand-alone environment is similar to the Local Virtualization from the local Datto SIRIS Web Console the Virtual Machine will not be started with network connectivity by default.
Also similar to Local Virtualizations, the remote RDP connections to the VM running in the cloud are achieved by an RDP link which connects you to the specific server in the cloud which is hosting the Virtual Machine on a specific port which drops the RDP connection into the Virtual Machine’s environment.

Advanced Networking Options

In certain Cloud-Virtualization tests and Disaster Recovery Scenarios there may be a need to provide internet access so the VM can be reachable anywhere on the internet.  Checking the “Internet access” simply provides the Virtual Machine with a gateway for this to be achieved.
In other Cloud-Virtualization tests and Disaster Recovery Scenarios there may be a need for multiple machines to be networked to each other in the Cloud but without internet access.  This can be performed by clicking on “Create a new network…” which will create a Virtual LAN in the cloud.  Please contact Datto Technical Support for assistance with this type of configuration.

Starting and accessing the Virtual Machine in the Cloud once configured

With the “Build and Start VM” window been filed out and the “Build and Start VM” button pressed please wait anywhere been 1 minute and 10 minutes for the VM in the cloud to become active.  This time varies based on any server load balancing within the cloud which may need to be performed prior to the starting of the VM.  After this period completes the following window will appear as well as the button to RDP to the VM is also now displayed as such:

Example: Screenshot of Your cloud VM is active Window

Completion of the Cloud Virtualization

You may terminate the Test Virtualization process by Stopping and Dismount the Virtual Machine in the cloud at any time by clicking the link shown below for “Change Settings or Unmount” shown in the screenshot below:

Example: “Change Settings or Unmount” link

We hope this was helpful. If you need any additional assistance performing Instant Cloud Virtualization with Datto SIRIS, please contact us today.