1. In a data processing system having a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, at least one input/output (I/O) adapter that enables connection to an external network with a shared storage repository, and a virtualization management component executing within the data processing system to generate a plurality of operating system (OS) partitions including a first virtual I/O server (VIOS) partition, a method comprising: performing, via a backup/restore utility of a cluster aware (CA) operating system (OS) executing on a processor resource of the first VIOS partition, a cluster level backup operation from one or more VIOS partitions, including the first VIOS partition and at least one second VIOS partition, wherein the cluster level backup operation creates a first VIOS cluster configuration backup file having configuration information about hardware, logical and virtual devices of each VIOS partition within a VIOS cluster and all cluster data from a shared VIOS database of the VIOS cluster; storing the VIOS cluster configuration backup file within a storage location; and responsive to receipt of a VIOS restore command at the first VIOS partition: retrieving the configuration backup file from the storage location; restoring a configuration of the hardware, logical and virtual devices of the first VIOS to a state that existed at a time at which the backup operation creating the configuration backup file was performed; triggering a restore operation of each second VIOS within the VIOS cluster; and restoring the shared VIOS database with the cluster data from the VIOS cluster configuration backup file.