Azure NetApp Files datastore for Azure VMware Solution (AVS) Hands-on Lab Guide

Azure NetApp Files is an enterprise-class, high-performance, metered file storage service. The service supports the most demanding enterprise file workloads in the cloud: databases, SAP, and high-performance computing applications, with no code changes. For more information on Azure NetApp files, see the Azure NetApp Files documentation.

By using NFS datastores backed by Azure NetApp Files, you can expand your storage instead of scaling the clusters.

Note: You can also Attach Azure NetApp Files to Azure VMware Solution VMs directly via NFS or SMB.

Azure VMware Solution provides you with private clouds that contain VMware vSphere clusters built from dedicated bare-metal Azure infrastructure. Azure VMware Solution supports attaching Network File System (NFS) datastores as a persistent storage option. You can create NFS datastores with Azure NetApp Files volumes and attach them to clusters of your choice. For more information on Azure VMware Solution, see the Azure VMware Solution documentation.

Cloud Backup for Vitual Machines is a plug-in installed in the Azure VMware Solution and enables you to back up and restore Azure NetApp Files datastores and virtual machines (VMs). Use Cloud Backup for VMs to: - Build and securely connect both legacy and cloud-native workloads across environments and unify operations - Provision and resize datastore volumes right from the Azure portal - Take VM consistent snapshots for quick checkpoints - Quickly recover VMs

In this VMware hands-on lab, you'll begin with a provisioned Azure VMware Solution (AVS) private cloud and cluster to complete the following exercises:

1. Create an Azure NetApp Files (ANF) volume
2. Attach your new ANF volume to your AVS private cloud as a datastore
3. Migrate a running virtual machine to your new ANF datastore
4. Protect your virtual machine using NetApp's Cloud Backup for Virtual Machines
5. Restore your virtual machine using NetApp's Cloud Backup for Virtual Machines

Create an Azure NetApp Files (ANF) volume

1. Navigate to Azure NetApp Files in the Azure portal
2. Select the Azure NetApp Files NetApp account that was assigned
3. Click on Volumes
4. Click on Add volume
   1. Basics tab
      1. For Volume name, use the name that was assigned
      2. For Capacity pool, select the capacity pool that was assigned
      3. For Quota, enter 1024 GiB
      4. For Virtual network, select the virtual network that was assigned
      5. For Delegated subnet, select anf-subnet
      6. For Network features, select Standard
      7. Click Next: Protocol >
   2. Protocol tab
      1. For File path, use the value assigned
      2. For Versions, select NFSv3
      3. Select the Azure VMware Solution DataStore check box
      4. Click Review + create
      5. Click Create

Attach your new ANF volume to your AVS private cloud as a datastore

1. Navigate to Azure VMware Solution in the Azure portal
2. Select the AVS Private cloud that was assigned
3. Click Storage (preview)
4. Click Connect Azure NetApp Files volume
   1. For NetApp account, select the NetApp account that was assigned
   2. For Capacity pool, select the capacity pool that was assigned
   3. For Volume, select the Azure NetApp Files volume you created in the previous step
   4. For Client cluster, select Cluster-1
   5. For Datastore name, use the datastore name that was assigned
   6. Click Connect
5. Navigate back to Azure VMware Solution in the Azure portal
6. Select the AVS Private cloud that was assigned
7. Click Storage (preview)
8. Verify your new Azure NetApp Files datastore

Migrate a running virtual machine to your new ANF datastore

1. Launch the vSphere Client and login using the address and credentials provided
2. Right-click on your virtual machine and select Migrate... from the context menu
3. Within the Migrate dialog window, select Change storage only
4. Click Next
5. On the next page, confirm Batch Configure is selected, change the VM Storage Policy to Datastore Default, and select the ANF datastore you created in the previous step
6. Click Next
7. Click Finish
8. You can monitor the progress of the migration using the Recents Tasks pane at the bottom of your screen.
9. Once the migration is complete, select the Datastores tab from your virtual machine's information pane to confirm your virtual machine is now on your ANF datastore.

Protect your virtual machine using NetApp's Cloud Backup for Virtual Machines

Now that your virtual machine is stored on an Azure NetApp Files datastore, we can use NetApp's Cloud Backup for Virtual Machines to create a snapshot-based backup that will be virtual machine consistent.

1. Click on the hamburger menu in the top left corner and select Cloud Backup for Virtual Machines
2. Click Resource Groups
3. Click + Create
4. Give your Resource Group the same name as the datastore you created in the previous step
5. Click Next
6. Find your datastore in the list on the left and click the single arrow pointing to the right
7. Click Next
8. In the Spanning disks pane, leave the first/default option selected
9. Click Next
10. In the Policies pane, select OnDemandPolicy
11. Click Next
12. In the Schedules pane, leave everything as is
13. Click Next
14. Review the Summary and click Finish
15. Click OK
16. You should now see your Resource Group listed (you may need to click the refresh button within the vSphere client)
17. Select/highlight your Resource Group
18. Click Run Now
19. Click OK to dismiss the pop-up
    
20. Click Dashboard to view the Recent Job Activites and verify your backup was successful, you may need to wait a minute and refresh the vSphere client.
    You have now created an Azure NetApp Files snapshot that is 'virtual machine consistent' using NetApp's Cloud Backup for Virtual Machines

Restore your virtual machine using NetApp's Cloud Backup for Virtual Machines

Once your virtual machine has been deleted, you can restore it using NetApp's Cloud Backup for Virtual Machines

1. From the vSphere client, navigate back to your Inventory
2. Select Datastores
3. Select your datastore from the list on the left
4. Click the Configure tab
5. Click Backups under the Cloud Backup for Virtual Machines sub-heading
6. In the 'Backups' list, click the blue link associated with your backup
7. Highlight your virtual machine in the list
8. Click the Restore button
9. In the Restore dialog window, check the Restart VM checkbox and leave the Restore Location set to Original Location
10. Click Next
11. In the Select location pane, confirm that your ANF datastore is selected
12. Click Next
13. Review the Summary and click Finish
14. Click OK in the Restore warning pop-up window
    
15. You can view the status of the restore process in the Recent Tasks pane at the bottom of the window.
16. Once the restore is complete, navigate back to the vSphere Inventory and confirm your virtual machine is running.