How to Configure and Manage VMware NSX Manager Backups

Products

• VMware NSX-T Data Center

Issue/Introduction

Taking a backup of your VMware NSX Manager is critical for recovering your network and security configuration in the event of a system failure.

NSX Manager does not store backups locally; instead, it pushes them to an external SFTP server. This article provides instructions on how to configure the SFTP destination and manage both manual and scheduled backups.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

• An external SFTP server reachable from the NSX Manager management network.
• The IP address or FQDN, port (default 22), and valid login credentials for the SFTP server.
• An absolute directory path on the SFTP server with sufficient disk space.
• A passphrase to encrypt the backup (this is required for any future restore operations).

Environment

VMware NSX-T

Resolution

Configuration and Backup Process

1. Log in to NSX Manager

• Use an account with Enterprise Admin or Admin privileges.
• Navigate to your NSX Manager (or Global Manager) UI at https://<nsx-manager-ip-or-fqdn>.

2. Navigate to Backup & Restore

• From the top navigation bar, select System.
• In the left-hand menu, click Backup & Restore (in older versions, this may be found under System > Lifecycle Management > Backup & Restore).

3. Configure the SFTP Server

• In the SFTP Server section, click Edit and enter the following:

• IP/Hostname & Port: The details of your remote SFTP server.
• Credentials: Username and password.
• Directory: The absolute path where backups will be stored.
• Passphrase: Create a strong encryption passphrase. CRUCIAL: You must record and store this passphrase securely; it cannot be recovered, and backups cannot be restored without it.

• Click Save. If prompted, verify and Accept the SSH fingerprint of the SFTP server.

4. Run a Manual Backup

• To trigger an immediate backup, click Start Backup.
• The UI will display progress for Cluster data, Node data, and Inventory data.

5. Configure a Backup Schedule (Recommended)

• Under the Schedule section, click Edit.
• Toggle the Recurring Backup slider to Enabled.

• Frequency: Choose Weekly or Interval based on your environment's change rate.
• Detect NSX Configuration Change: Enable this setting to automatically trigger a backup whenever the configuration is modified, ensuring your backup remains synchronized with your latest state.

• Click Save.

Additional Information

Troubleshooting NSX Backup and Restore Failures