Method 1)
Step 1) Back up the ELM Appliance.
> The ELM appliance will contain the App Layering Logic along with the Layers associated. .VHD files.
> This will include taking a Snapshot of ELM Appliance (CentOS VM). VM + Disk Drives attached.
> The method of snapshot will be decided by the underlying Virtualization Software. (eg Vmware, HyperV)
> > All created layers are stored on the ELM appliance. Simply backup the appliance. This backup will include the 300GB Repository share as well which contains App Layer, OS Layer, Platform Layer.
 
Step 2) Elastic Layer Shares / User Layer Shares.
Elastic Layers and User Layers are always-open VHD files stored on a file share(s) that is separate from the ELM.
The file share(s) should be highly available. Use a clustering technology (e.g. Scale Out File Server) that supports always-open VHD files.
It’s not necessary to backup Elastic Layers, but you might want to replicate them to a different datacenter for multi-datacenter access. Make sure the replication tool supports always-open VHD files.
User Layers should be backed up and/or replicated. Use a backup method that supports always-open VHD files.

Method 2 ( Used For DR and Backup environments)
> Layers can be exported from one ELM appliance to a file share and optionally imported to another ELM appliance.
> Below is a step by step description of same.

Export Layers
App Layering 4.3 and newer let you export all layers and versions to the SMB File Share.

1. Go to the Layers tab.
2. Right-click on the background, and click Export

3. App Layering 4.4 and newer lets you specify a file share for the exported layers.

4. ELM 4.5 and newer let you select the layers and versions that you want to export. Make your selections, and then click the down arrow.

5. Review the list of layers/versions it will export, and click Export.

6. If you look in your SMB share, in the \Unidesk\Exported Layers folder, you’ll see a folder for the OS Layer, and in there, you’ll see a folder for each Platform and Application Layer.