If no backups are available, use ESXi's built-in tools to recover the datastore:

Example:

VMFS (Virtual Machine File System) is a high-performance file system used by VMware ESXi to store virtual machine files. A VMFS datastore is a storage container that holds virtual machine files, such as .vmdk, .vmx, and .vsv files. However, data loss or corruption can occur due to various reasons, such as hardware failure, software bugs, or human error. In such cases, recovering a VMFS datastore is crucial to retrieve critical data.

If a VM folder was deleted:

vmfs-tools -r /vmfs/devices/disks/<device_name> -o <mount_point>

Before attempting recovery, determine the exact state of the datastore.

# Check filesystem (no repair) voma -m vmfs -f check -d /dev/disks/naa.600xxxx:1

Recovering a VMFS datastore requires careful planning and execution. By following these steps, administrators can increase the chances of successful recovery. It is essential to have a robust backup strategy in place to prevent data loss in the future.

From (requires SSH):