For the most seamless transition, it is recommended to disable all existing schedules and create new schedules based on filters. However, you can mix filtered and non-filtered backup schedules if you prefer.
If you are applying filters to an existing schedule, make sure that any virtual machines already being protected do not meet the filter criteria. If any virtual machines meeting the filter criteria are already protected, you must do one of the following before saving your schedule:
• Remove the virtual machines from their previous schedule.
• Create a new filter string excluding the virtual machines already protected.
For example, in the schedule Christmas 2014, you have the following virtual machines:
• December 2014_1
• December 2014_2
• December 2014_3
If you plan to create and protect more December 2014 virtual machines, you have two options:
You could create a new schedule for all December 2014 virtual machines, by removing December 2014_1, December 2014_2, and December 2014_3 from Christmas 2014 (the current schedule). For instructions on removing VMs from a schedule, see To view or modify a VMware backup schedule. This option allows you to create a schedule using the following filter:
Container: VM display name Action: Contains Filter String: December 2014
The schedule protects all virtual machines with December 2014 in their name, including December 2014_1, December 2014_2, and December 2014_3 and all VMs created in the future with December 2014 in the name.
You could leave December 2014_1, December 2014_2, and December 2014_3 in Christmas 2014, but they must be excluded from the new schedule. If not excluded, saving the schedule returns an error that the virtual machine is already being protected.
To exclude them from the schedule, use the following filters:
Container: VM display name Action: Contains Filter String: December 2014
Container: VM display name Action: Not Contains Filter String: December 2014_1
Container: VM display name Action: Not Contains Filter String: December 2014_2
Container: VM display name Action: Not Contains Filter String: December 2014_3
These filters allow you to protect all VMs created in the future with December 2014 in the name with a new schedule, while allowing December 2014_1, December 2014_2, and December 2014_3 to be protected by their existing schedule, Christmas 2014.