VMware Data Recovery

Data Recovery for VMware® virtual systems

Kroll Ontrack is a VMware partner. We've worked with VMware to resolve cases of data loss since 2008 and in that time have successfully conducted over 1,000 specialised data recoveries. We partner directly with VMware support services to ensure we offer you the latest technology possible to recover from your data loss.

A comprehensive VMware data recovery service

Utilising the technologies and expertise that have made our Ontrack® Data Recovery services the most trusted name in data recovery; we successfully developed the world's first and most comprehensive VMware data recovery solution.

At Kroll Ontrack® we're uniquely positioned to assist with your organisation's virtual system data recovery needs. We are committed to keeping up to date with evolving virtualisation technologies and are currently the only recovery provider who can offer you full recovery support with the following VMware products: VMware ESX/ESXi; VMware Server; VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion.

Common sources of virtualised data loss

Though virtualised data storage may provide an efficient and secure way to save your data, there are still risks. Some of the most common causes of VMware data loss are:

• Deleted VMware vStorage VMFS volumes
• Deleted Virtual Machine Disks (VMDK) and snapshots
• VMDK corruption
• VMware vStorage VMFS volume corruption
• Traditional RAID and hardware failures
• Deleted or corrupt files contained within virtualised storage systems

With our Ontrack Data Recovery engineers and an unmatched suite of custom data recovery tools, your VMware data loss can be evaluated and recovery initiated in a matter of hours via our in-lab, onsite or exclusive Ontrack® Remote Data Recovery™ services.

We can help you with

• Corrupted or re-formatted VMware VMFS volumes
• Deleted or corrupt snapshots
• Deleted VMDKs
• RAID or other hardware failures
• Accidental data deletion
• Deleted virtual Machines

The benefits of virtualised systems

Among the primary business requisites facing IT Managers, System Architects and Consultants are:

• finding cost-effective methods of IT infrastructure utilisation
• delivering improved responsiveness to new business initiatives
• becoming more flexible in adapting to organisational and regulatory changes.

Taking these issues into consideration, the benefits of employing Virtual Data Centres (VDCs) and VMware virtualisation software are clear, but so are the challenges.

The challenges of virtualised systems

Despite advances in server hardware consolidation, CPU processing distribution and the virtualisation of storage devices, data loss is still a possibility within any virtualised infrastructure. Virtual systems are often more unstable given the increased consolidation of valuable proprietary data on one system. Some of the most common virtualised infrastructure challenges are:

• Initial implementation issues of an additional ‘layer' being added to the central infrastructure
• Increased consolidation of data sources and data volumes
• Difficulties in defining a root cause in the event of a performance or outage problem
• The need for more sophisticated data backup and recovery protocols