We are small users with only 3 hosts. 2 hosts are running ESXi 4.1, and I am in the process of installing a new third host. We currently rely on Data Recovery and so the new, allegedly more robust, Data Protection appliance was of particular interest. I am therefore trying to upgrade from vSphere 4.1 to 5.1. In order to do so I have to stop using Data Recovery and start using Data Protection instead ( They cannot bee run in parallel as vCenter 5.1 does not support Data Recovery which requires a vCenter connection to work, and vCenter 4.1 does not support ESXi 5.1 ).

I have installed a Data Protection appliance on the new ESXi 5.1 host, but it returns the error " IP/DNS could not be reolved" at the configuration stage.

We are using a typical Windows Server 2003/2008 active directory single domain and the relevant DNS entries have been added manually for all the VMWare Linux appliances. vCenter 5.1 is on a Windows 2008 R2 server. The first problem is that it is not clear whether vDP is case sensitive ( Windows AD is of course not case sensitive, so it would seem crazy for it to be so. However, I have seen suggestions that it is. For now I am assuming that it is not.)

The usual ping and nslookup checks reveal the following:

Pings work between vDP and vCenter for IP, hostname and FQDN.

Ping and nslookup work from Windows servers and PC's for all 3 flavours, whether to a windows machine or Linux appliance.

However, ping and nslookup from a VMWare Linux appliance works for IP and FQDN, but DOES NOT work for a hostname. This is the same from vDP 5.1, vDR 2 or vMA 4.1. Nevertheless vMA and vDR both work fine. It is only vDP which seems to have problems as a result.

I have submitted a VMWare support request a week ago but so far no joy. If I cannot resolve this soon I will have to give up and go back to vSphere 4.1 for our new host.

Is there anybody else with a Windows 2008 AD who has installed Data Protection please?

Is there any way of adding the domain suffix to the hostname automatically in a Linux appliance?

Hi

good morning

i have a problem wnen i try backup a virtual machine in esxi 5.1

i use ghettoVcb script report this problem .Snapshot found for Windows-2008, backup will not take place

i habe delete all snapshot in this virtual machine but error remain

i paste also output.txt file complete

thanks Alberto

Logging output to "/tmp/ghettoVCB-2013-08-08_20-45-23-2937797.log" ... 2013-08-08 20:45:23 -- info: ============================== ghettoVCB LOG START ==============================  2013-08-08 20:45:23 -- debug: Succesfully acquired lock directory - /tmp/ghettoVCB.work  2013-08-08 20:45:23 -- debug: HOST VERSION: VMware ESXi 5.1.0 build-799733 2013-08-08 20:45:23 -- debug: HOST LEVEL: VMware ESXi 5.1.0 GA 2013-08-08 20:45:23 -- debug: HOSTNAME: localhost.upa-cesena.local  2013-08-08 20:45:23 -- info: CONFIG - USING GLOBAL GHETTOVCB CONFIGURATION FILE = /tmp/vmware/ghettoVCB.conf 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - VERSION = 2013_01_11_0 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - GHETTOVCB_PID = 2937797 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - VM_BACKUP_VOLUME = /vmfs/volumes/nas-datastore/srvbackup 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - VM_BACKUP_ROTATION_COUNT = 3 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - VM_BACKUP_DIR_NAMING_CONVENTION = 2013-08-08_20-45-23 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - DISK_BACKUP_FORMAT = thin 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - POWER_VM_DOWN_BEFORE_BACKUP = 0 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - ENABLE_HARD_POWER_OFF = 0 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - ITER_TO_WAIT_SHUTDOWN = 3 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - POWER_DOWN_TIMEOUT = 5 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - SNAPSHOT_TIMEOUT = 15 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - LOG_LEVEL = debug 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - BACKUP_LOG_OUTPUT = /tmp/ghettoVCB-2013-08-08_20-45-23-2937797.log 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - ENABLE_COMPRESSION = 0 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - VM_SNAPSHOT_MEMORY = 0 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - VM_SNAPSHOT_QUIESCE = 0 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - ALLOW_VMS_WITH_SNAPSHOTS_TO_BE_BACKEDUP = 0 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - VMDK_FILES_TO_BACKUP = all 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - VM_SHUTDOWN_ORDER = 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - VM_STARTUP_ORDER = 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: CONFIG - EMAIL_LOG = 0 2013-08-08 20:45:24 -- info: 2013-08-08 20:45:27 -- debug: Storage Information before backup: 2013-08-08 20:45:27 -- debug: SRC_DATASTORE: datastore1 2013-08-08 20:45:27 -- debug: SRC_DATASTORE_CAPACITY: 460.8 GB 2013-08-08 20:45:27 -- debug: SRC_DATASTORE_FREE: 101.7 GB 2013-08-08 20:45:27 -- debug: SRC_DATASTORE_BLOCKSIZE: 1 2013-08-08 20:45:27 -- debug: SRC_DATASTORE_MAX_FILE_SIZE: 256 GB 2013-08-08 20:45:27 -- debug: 2013-08-08 20:45:27 -- debug: DST_DATASTORE: nas-datastore 2013-08-08 20:45:27 -- debug: DST_DATASTORE_CAPACITY: 911.0 GB 2013-08-08 20:45:27 -- debug: DST_DATASTORE_FREE: 542.2 GB 2013-08-08 20:45:27 -- debug: DST_DATASTORE_BLOCKSIZE: NA 2013-08-08 20:45:27 -- debug: DST_DATASTORE_MAX_FILE_SIZE: NA 2013-08-08 20:45:27 -- debug: 2013-08-08 20:45:27 -- info: Snapshot found for Windows-2008, backup will not take place  2013-08-08 20:45:27 -- info: ###### Final status: ERROR: All VMs failed! ######  2013-08-08 20:45:27 -- debug: Succesfully removed lock directory - /tmp/ghettoVCB.work  2013-08-08 20:45:27 -- info: ============================== ghettoVCB LOG END ================================ 

How can I extend my C drive space without restart my VM machine.

Please explain me all the possibilities.

Dear all,

4 weeks ago we updated our Data Protector server from Windows 2003 with DP 6.2 to Windows 2008 with DP 7. Since then we have really big backup problems.

We are using VSphere 5.0.0 U2 and  the DP Virtual Environment Integration. Most times the backup starts, creates a snapshot of the virtual machine, backups vmx file and then... nothing.

The backup runs into a time-out. Without backing up anything. This happens with single VM backups and also to multiple VMs in one backup job.

With DP 6.2 we had Changed Block Tracking activated, because HP told us so to only backup the used space of vmdk.

Now Changed Block Tracking option in DP is deactivated and HP tells us that DP is running fine and waits for data or response from VMware server.

VMware told us that it could be because of corrupt Changed Block Tracking files and how to clean it. But it does not help at all.

Some time (really rare) a backup works. But on the other day the same backup job times out.

Does anybody have similar experience or at least a workaround? I am really desperate the moment because our productive environment runs without backups...

Best regards and praying for help

Peter

Hi,

how can i reinstall from the deploy the VDP appliance ?

I have a corrupted appliance and i need to remove this.

I Have not backup, this is a test first setup.

Can i simply delete the Virtual Machine using Vcenter, an then start a new deploy.. ?

Many Thanks

Hi, we have a problem with backup via TSM.

What we have:

Windows Server 2008SP2

Vcenter 4.1

TSM – 6 version – Client and Server install on one Server with Vcenter

12 VM’s

Problem:

We have a problem only with one VM, and it’s don’t care goes itfirstor lastin the backup list. When Vcenter prepare snapshot which will be write via TSM, we have a few error messages.

From TSM client - dsmsched.log:

03/01/2014 23:07:15 Backup of Virtual Machine 'app'

03/01/2014 23:07:15 Mount virtual machine disk on backup proxy for VM 'app'

03/01/2014 23:07:15

Executing Operating System command or script:

   vcbMounter -h 192.169.***.*** -u backup -p **** -a ipaddr:app.ru -r "e:\mnt\fullvm\app\BACKUP_CURRENT" -t fullvm

03/01/2014 23:07:36 Finished command.  Return code is: 1

03/01/2014 23:07:36

03/01/2014 23:07:36

03/01/2014 23:07:36 Mount virtual machine disk on backup proxy for VM 'app'

03/01/2014 23:07:36

Executing Operating System command or script:

   vcbMounter -h 192.169.***.*** -u backup -p **** -a ipaddr:app.ru -r "e:\mnt\fullvm\app\BACKUP_CURRENT" -t fullvm -m nbd

03/01/2014 23:07:43 Finished command.  Return code is: 1

03/01/2014 23:07:43 ANS9265E Failure mounting Virtual Machine 'app' with vcbMounter command. RC=1

03/01/2014 23:07:43 ANS9264E Incremental backup of Virtual Machine 'app' failed with RC 1

And from VPXD logs:

[2014-03-01 23:07:35.907 04700 info 'App' opID=8e388aaa] [VpxLRO] -- BEGIN task-internal-6184 -- vm-42 -- vim.Task.GetInfo -- 5AF36BF8-BE74-400D-BCCB-DBA196F71B53(6FAF0F8D-9F23-4694-B77E-185634CB812C)

[2014-03-01 23:07:35.908 01696 info 'App' opID=46b9242b] [VpxLRO] -- FINISH task-49283 -- vm-42 -- vim.VirtualMachine.createSnapshot -- 5AF36BF8-BE74-400D-BCCB-DBA196F71B53(6FAF0F8D-9F23-4694-B77E-185634CB812C)

[2014-03-01 23:07:35.908 01696 info 'App' opID=46b9242b] [VpxLRO] -- ERROR task-49283 -- vm-42 -- vim.VirtualMachine.createSnapshot: vim.fault.Timedout:

I found only one KB, but it doesn’t work for our problem. 

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1004790

In IBM KB I can’t find anything helpful about ANS9265E and ANS9264E errors.

Please tell me if you need any log or system information.

I've tried several times to backup our domain controller (NTS501-PDC01), each time it fails at the 'create snapshot step', with the 'VDP: Backup Job' task, for it, failing shortly before the (separate) 'Create virtual machine snapshot' task completes (apparently OK).

All 20 other VMs of various operating systems in our network complete ok.

The attached file is the output from 'Collect Client Logs' (download here), I've also created a full log bundle 'VCDPLogBundle03070815.zip', the log for the last failed but its 1GB in size.

The log was generated with the --debug switch set on in the avvcbimageAll.cmd file.

I'm not sure of the cause of this failure, particularly helpful would be more info on the, above mentioned, avvcbimageAll.cmd file (which appears to be be the main config file for the, underlying, EMC Avamar backup technology).

I think it may be some sort of timeout issue, and I found a reference to an issue, for an earlier version of VDP, that involved setting '--subprocesstimeout=600' in an 'avccbimage.cmd' file (this related to removal of snapshots at the end of the job, but the similarity makes me think it may be a useful avenue to follow), but would like to find some sort of reference on the configuration options prior to trying it, the only test i have tried is backup another vm with a 7.5GB raw device mapping and that worked.

THE VM DETAILS

Memory: 4GB

CPUs: 4

SCSI controller LSI Logic SA

VMDK1: 40gb

VMDK2: 20gb

VMDK1: 20gb

VMDK1: 40gb

RAW Device Mapping: 500gb

Thin Disk Provisioning

Windows 2012 Essentials Server R2 64bit

Nic1: VLAN0

Nic2: VLAN30

SITE DETAILS

Host version: latest esxi 5.5

Running in a full vCloud 5.5 environment

Hallo,

first i must say, that we don't need a backup of the Exchange 2010 enviroment, this will be taken with NetApp SnapManager for Exchange.

But the OS VMDK files are on a NFS Datastore and this should be backed up by SnapManager VI.

But if i try to create a quiesced Snapshot of the VM i got this errors:

Das Gastbetriebssystem hat während der Stilllegung einen Fehler gemeldet. Der Fehlercode lautet: 5 Die Fehlermeldung lautet: 'VssSyncStart' operation failed: IDispatch error #8454 (0x80042306)

Das Gastbetriebssystem hat während der Stilllegung einen Fehler gemeldet. Der Fehlercode lautet: 3 Die Fehlermeldung lautet: Quiesce operation aborted

Das Gastbetriebssystem hat während der Stilllegung einen Fehler gemeldet. Der Fehlercode lautet: 3 Die Fehlermeldung lautet: Error when notifying the sync provider.

After i tryed to make a SnapShot i got this result in „vssadmin list writers“

Writer name: 'Microsoft Exchange Replica Writer'

   Writer Id: {76fe1ac4-15f7-4bcd-987e-8e1acb462fb7}

   Writer Instance Id: {a07f7d02-edb2-45a4-aa62-b1360f6067cd}

   State: [8] Failed

   Last error: Retryable error

Writer name: 'Microsoft Exchange Writer'

   Writer Id: {76fe1ac4-15f7-4bcd-987e-8e1acb462fb7}

   Writer Instance Id: {4e8c2d55-eaa5-4d63-b680-2763f4a95366}

   State: [8] Failed

   Last error: Retryable error

And some other writers are reorting a timeout.

We tryed already to exclude the Exchange VSS Writers from the VMware Tools like described in the KB article: http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1007696

But this didn’t work perhaps because we have ESXi 5.0 and the article is only up to ESXi 4.1.

Is there a way to get a quiesced VMware Snapshot only from the operating system?

Best regards

Stefan

We are looking at both of the products in the subject line for our DR solution. I can read all the marketing material till I'm blue in the face, however I wanted to here from people who are using them in the real world with why we should take one over the other.

Veeam has Surebackup and vPower, which I found quiet cool. We liked Symantec as it's a one tool fits all (physical and virtual). Veeam also has to use third party to spool backups off to tape.

Any opinions either way would be appreciated!

Cheers

Brendan

How do I completely remove VDP from my environment?  I've found some instructions on-line but every VM still has com.vmware.vdr.is-protected and com.vmware.vdr.protected-by in their notes section.

We have a Proliant server with an internal (USB-connected) RDX backup drive.

I am using Vsphere ESXi 5.1 (free version).

The main VM is running Windows Server Essentials 2012 and I have installed the HP RDX backup solution in that VM which has been happily backing up to the RDX drive.

Restore test:-

I have created a new VM identical to the original (in terms of hardware).

I have removed the RDX drive from the original VM and added it to the new VM (add USB controller first, then add USB device - HP RDX device).

I have set the new VM to boot from CD so it runs the HP RDX software from CD on booting (this is how you start a restore according to the docs).

The HP software loads ok but it is reporting that it can't 'see'  the RDX drive, so doesn't offer me the option to do a restore.

No errors. It just tries to list available RDX volumes but doesn't show any.

Any help appreciated.

************

MORE INFO

************

Just spotted an error message that appears just after the HP splash screen:-

modprobe: FATAL: Error inserting hid_dummy (/lib/modules/2.6.29-rc6-gcs/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-dummy.ko): Input/output error

Message was edited by: Raddersred

************

SOLVED

************

I solved this by:-

Removing the RDX from all vms

Shutting down the vms

Powering off the host

Powering back on

Adding the RDX to the new vm

It now sees the RDX drive

Message was edited by: Raddersred

http://vbscs.wordpress.com/2013/08/31/veeam-nightmare/

Hi,

For few days VDP has not been able to complete integrity check launched from

web client so I tried running it manually:

1. Stop all VDP services (dpnctl stop)

2. Unmount the mount point (umount /data0X)

3. Run xfs_check (xfs_check /dev/sdxy)

4. Mount data0X (mount -a)

5. start services (dpnctl start all)

6. stop maintenance services (dpnctl stop maint)

7. create checkpoint (avmaint checkpoint --ava)

8. Run full hfscheck (avmaint hfscheck --full --ava)

8b. check hfscheck (avmaint hfscheckstatus --ava)

9. Start maint (dpnctl start maint)

Ref: https://communities.vmware.com/message/2271165

But every time I end up with error:

Last hfscheck failed with result MSG_ERR_HFSCHECKERRORS : started Tue Jan 14 16:02:19 2014 ended Tue Jan 14 20:42:22 2014, nodes queried/replied/total(1/1/1)

VDP version is 5.5.5.180

Any ideas what to try next?

Clean install is also possible, but I'd like to know the root cause for this and avoid it in the future.

Thanks!

I have almost had it with this product (or at least this release).

I did a very simple Backup of my VM, and tried to do a restore.  The VM is running Ubuntu (if that makes any difference)?, and its VMDK files are around 40GB total.

So far, the  vmdk files of the "Restore" are 80GB+ and growing, with the restore progress meter at 92% and no signs of stopping.

What use is a backup/restore product if you can't trust it?

Off to log another support request...

According to best practices -

http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-51/topic/com.vmware.ICbase/PDF/vmware-data-protection-administration-guide-5120.pdf

http://www.vmware.com/support/vdr/doc/vdp_510_releasenotes.html

If you back up a virtual machine that uses independent or RDM disks, vSphere Data Protection will not issue an error. vSphere Data Protection will skip backing up the unsupported disks, but the virtual machine backup may appear successful.

Similarly, if you attempt to restore a virtual machine with independent or RDM disks that was backed up with vSphere Data Protection, the restore operation will not succeed."

I have tested this and indeed you can backup, but NOT restore. We have lots of VMs with RDMs so this is proving to be a major issue. We are having to stick with VDR (VMware data recovery) for these VMs.

BUT

according to this

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2016565

"Q: Is VDP replacing VDR (VMware Data Recovery)?

Yes. VDR is not supported with vSphere 5.1 and higher. VDR is being deprecated, but will be supported as detailed in the VMware Life Cycle Policies."

So what am I do do?

The above issue(s) need clear guidance from VMware.

Any ideas/help from VMware people please...?

I tried to deploy VDP without domain and DNS.

I've edit host file both vcenter and vdp.

Both of them can communicate with hostname.

I stuck at the page that you have to put a domain.

Can I deploy it without domain?

Hi all,

I'm trying to use Backup Exec 2010 to perform full/incremental backups of our VM's with GRT enabled.  However, at the end of every job, I get a warning saying that it failed to mount the virtual disk image.  I went into the debug logs, and found the following:

ENGINE:       Status for: 'xxxxxx' updated

BEREMOTE:      VDDK-Log: TicketResolveHostName: Resolving IP address for hostname xxxxx

BEREMOTE:      VDDK-Log: TicketResolveHostName: Resolved to 10.86.8.47.

BEREMOTE:      VDDK-Log: VixDiskLibVim: TicketLogin

BEREMOTE:      VDDK-Warn: VixDiskLibVim: Not licensed to use this function.

BEREMOTE:      VDDK-Log: VixDiskLibVim: TicketLogout

BEREMOTE:      VMDKRemoteImage::Open()  Could not open the disk '[VMStorage2] xxxxx.vmdk' Error Text: 'Host is not licensed for this feature' Error: '16064'

BEREMOTE:      CDiskLayoutImplementation::DisableAutoMount: Disabling AUTOMOUNT

BEREMOTE:      VMwareVirtualSystem::MountDisksUsingVddk() - Enter

BEREMOTE:      VDDK-Warn: Refusing to set temp directory second time 'C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmware-SYSTEM' to 'C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmware-SYSTEM'.

BEREMOTE:      VDDK-Log: Mntapi_Init Asked - 1.0 Served - 1.0 was successful,TempDirectory: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmware-SYSTEM.

BEREMOTE:      VDDK-Log: TicketResolveHostName: Resolving IP address for hostname xxxxxx

BEREMOTE:      VDDK-Log: TicketResolveHostName: Resolved to 10.86.8.47.

BEREMOTE:      VDDK-Log: VixDiskLibVim: TicketLogin

BEREMOTE:      VDDK-Warn: VixDiskLibVim: Not licensed to use this function.

BEREMOTE:      VDDK-Log: VixDiskLibVim: TicketLogout

BEREMOTE:      VDDK-Warn: VixDiskLibProvider::NameBasedProvider::Get: Unable to open disk xxxxxxx.vmdk, openflags = 4 - VixError 0x3ec0.

BEREMOTE:      VDDK-Warn: DiskLibProvider_GetDisk: Open failed - index 0.

BEREMOTE:      VDDK-Log: Error 2 opening disk 0.

BEREMOTE:      VDDK-Log: VixMntapi: Operation failed with system error: The system cannot find the file specified.

     (2), translated to 4

BEREMOTE:      VMDKRemoteImage::mountDisks()  Could not open the diskset. Error Text: 'A file was not found' Error: '4'

BEREMOTE:      CDiskLayoutImplementation::SetAutoMount: Enabling AUTOMOUNT

BEREMOTE:      VDiskMounter::MountAllDisks:failed VirtualSystem::Initialize()

BEREMOTE:      Error mounting disks (0xe0009741)

BEREMOTE:      IMG_PDI_FSYS::ImgPdiFsys::AttachToDLE (551):

BEREMOTE:      Error mounting disk(s): E_IMG_FS_FAILED_TO_MOUNT_VIRTUAL_DISK (0xe0009741).

BEREMOTE:      CommonMounter::~CommonMounter called

The relevlant lines to me seem to be the ones that indicate that this host is not licensed for this feature.  The other funny thing is that these logs are produced AFTER the vmdk has been completely copied to the backup server.

We're using vSphere Essentials, which includes the vmstorage API's as I recall, any idea what's going on here?

Thanks

I am really tired of VMWare releasing half-finished software and expecting end users to be beta testers. First it was SSO (what a disaster that was/is), and now vDP - what is going on with this appliance? It's a complete resource hog that crashes constantly. Why does it need 4 CPUs? What on earth can it be doing that needs so much? Why does it take 10 minutes to boot the appliance? Why is installation such a mess? How come when I try to start backup jobs, half the time, nothing actually happens (apart from a snapshot being taken)? How come you are forcing me to use the webclient to access it?

The whole 5.1 release reeks of being rushed and I'm thoroughly unimpressed.

I keep running into this one error trying to set up Data Recovery. I have it installed and the appliance imported. I go into the Solutions and Applications section and the VMware Data Recovery screen. I put in the IP of the appliance and click connect. It asks me for the password for the vSphere server and while that prompt is up, it shows an "Authentication failed" error. Once I enter that password, every time I click connect for the rest of my vSphere session, I'll get this error:

Error: Could not log onto the server. The connect attempt timed out. Please make sure that the Data Recovery Appliance is turned on

It is, of course turned on and I can go to the web interface, log in and click around fine. Not sure what I could be missing. Is there a specific port it's trying to connect on that I could test out? I'm at a loss as to why it would break at this point.

-Daniel