How to Recover the Lost XenServer VM Metadata Via Exported Data?

In some cases, all the VDI information corresponding to the customer's VM is lost, and the vdi Name and Description seen in the storage tab are empty, because the VM's metadata is lost, and if the customer has backed up the VM's metadata before, it can be restored directly.

It may be tricky if you haven't backup the VM before. Assuming you've exported Server Status Report on XenServer before, here are the steps to recover XenServer VM metadata:

1. Unzip the file and find the xapi-db.xml file in the directory

2. Download the attached tool, copy and extract it to the root directory of your c-drive

3. Copy the files in step1 to the directory where the tool xapidb-parser is located

4. Run CMD with administrator privileges and switch to the directory where the tool is located

5. Execute the command: 

xml-header.inc xapi-db.xml >database.xml

6. Open the database.xml file with IE in the current directory, there is the corresponding information of VM and VDI at the bottom.

7. Open the XenServer console and execute the command:

#xe vdi-param-set uuid= e2b651c9-4722-4adb-8d04-58a06a7d8a49name-label=xxxx

XenServer VM protection with Vinchin Backup & Recovery

Recovering VM metadata in XenServer is a critical task, yet it is equally important to perform regular VM backups. Backing up VMs not only protects against accidental data loss, but also provides flexible recovery options and fast business recovery capabilities.

Vinchin Backup & Recovery is a backup solution designed for virtual machine environments. It provides comprehensive and powerful VM backup and recovery features designed to protect and manage critical data in the virtualization environment.

And Vinchin Backup & Recovery supports multiple platforms for backups, allowing businesses to tailor their needs to their needs. Such as XenServer, VMware、Hyper-V、XCP-ng, etc.

Vinchin Backup & Recovery’s operation is very simple, just a few simple steps. Just select VMs on the host > then select backup destination > select strategies > finally submit the job

Vinchin offers a free 60-day trial for users to experience the functionality in a real-world environment. For more information, please contact Vinchin directly or contact our local partners.

Conclusion

In summary, recovering XenServer VM metadata via the previously exported data can be a valuable solution, especially for those with prior VM metadata backups. However, it's essential to stress the importance of regular VM backups to prevent data loss. Vinchin Backup & Recovery is a full-featured VM backup and recovery solution that supports multiple platforms. Vinchin also provides a specialized support team that can assist you with any issues during the operations.