Database Browse Download Folder

[vipclubber]

Why can't I download the entire folder in vCenter 6.5 web like I used to be able with regular client?

[daphnissov]

dekoshal​ This has nothing to do with the issue. The CIP being download and installed will not enable one to save an entire folder. As I said earlier, the ability to download an entire folder is not present--only the ability to download individual files. Furthermore, in vSphere 6.5, the CIP is not required to upload or download files from the Flex client. And even further than that, if the intent is to manually save or backup a running VM through this method of download its flat files, this should not be performed as it's not a safe and reliable way to backup a VM, running or otherwise.

[dekoshal]

Thanks. You are right CIP is  not required in 6.5  for file upload and download. just now checked this KB to confirm that.

VMware Knowledge Base

I have not suggested to take backup of virtual machine by downloading VM folder from datastore browser and i agree that its not at all a good way of backing a virtual machine as it may loose its consistency.  I would say why not clone the VM or export it as OVF.

[vipclubber]

By Windows- based you mean Win Server 2012 or Desktop like Win 10?

What is the VeeamZIP?

[daphnissov]

Veeam can be installed on Windows Server 2012 and desktop operating systems. I'm not positive about Windows 10. For more Veeam specific questions, please read the product page on their website or post in the Veeam forums (forum.veeam.com).

[jrodsguitar]

First of all why are you using the GUI to do anything in vCenter

Get the latest version of PowerCLI. Once you establish a connection to the vcenter server you can literally browse the datastores with commands such as 'dir' and 'cd'. If you've ever done a "dir" command from the command line you can already do this. Believe me it's  that easy. PowerCLI also has a copy-datastoreitem command as seen below as well.

##EXAMPLE

#Get credentials

if($cred -eq $null){

$cred = Get-Credential

}

#Connects to server

if($connection -eq $null){

$connection = connect-VIServer 'SERVER_NAME_BLAH' -cred $cred

}

#Copies the datastore folder cool to my local PC c:\cool

Copy-DatastoreItem 'vmstores:\SERVER_NAME_BLAH@443\DataCenter\Datastore1\cool' -Destination c:\cool

[vipclubber]

Please help understand why there are so many delta files in 6.5 vCenter?

CENTER folder is the product of copy?

[daphnissov]

Because you have a snapshot on the machine called CENTER. And, the machine CENTER has a number of different disks, so each disk gets a snapshot disk created as well.

[vipclubber]

So how do I consolidate them into one and what will it do?

[daphnissov]

Find the VM and remove the snapshot.

[vipclubber]

So the CENTER folder on the very top is the product of copy?

and if so can be simply be deleted?

[daphnissov]

No, you have a VM called "CENTER" (or it was named CENTER at one point) and these files correspond to it.