Restoring the VMX and VMDK files from an 8-day-old Veeam backup, as you've done, is a valid recovery approach, especially when the files were accidentally deleted. This method is effective if the VM was running and its flat files were intact, allowing for a seemingly seamless restoration and reboot of the VM without noticeable issues. The primary concern with this method, as mentioned, would involve scenarios where active snapshots exist, as the restored configuration might not align with the current snapshot chain, potentially leading to data discrepancies or loss. However, if your VM was operating without dependent snapshots, the risk of restoring the VM configuration and disk files in this manner is minimal. Your consultant's caution likely stems from concerns over potential mismatches between the VM's state at backup and its state at the time of deletion, but it seems your restoration successfully mitigated such risks.
