How to backup Windows Server 2003 x64 VM using Symantec Backup Exec 12.5 + VCB Fx 1.5

[albertwt]

Hi All,

How does one perform the multiple ESXi 4.0 VM backup using the VCB framework v1.5 + VCenter Server 4.0 and Symantec BE 12.5 in one server ?

I'm having problem in backing up Windows Server 2003 x64 VM without any iSCSI SAN mapped on it,

Backup Server Spec (All in one server):

1. Windows Server 2003 Std R2 SP2
2. SQL Server 2005 Std. SP3
3. VCenter Server 4.0
4. VCB Framework 1.5
5. Backup Exec 12.5 (patched to the latest).
6. Converter Stand Alone 4.0.1

Completed status: Failed
Final error: 0xe000954c - An error occurred while running the VMware 'vcbMounter' command to back up a virtual machine. See the job log for details.
Final error category: Resource Errors

For additional information regarding this error refer to link V-79-57344-38220

Backup- VMVCB::\\vCenter\VCGuestVm\(DC)domain.com(DC)\vm\ORS\ASTON
V-79-57344-38220 - Backup of the virtual machine 'ASTON' failed. VMware VCB framework reported the following error

Backup- VMVCB::\\vCenter\VCGuestVm\(DC)domain.com(DC)\vm\ORS\Win2003x64_RSA01
V-79-57344-38220 - Backup of the virtual machine 'Win2003x64_RSA01' failed. VMware VCB framework reported the following error
Error: Other error encountered: Snapshot creation failed: Could not quiesce file system.

Backup- VMVCB::\\vCenter\VCGuestVm\(DC)domain.com(DC)\vm\ORS\Win2003x64_RSD01
V-79-57344-38220 - Backup of the virtual machine 'Win2003x64_RSD01' failed. VMware VCB framework reported the following error
Error: Other error encountered: Snapshot creation failed: Could not quiesce file system.

Backup- VMVCB::\\vCenter\VCGuestVm\(DC)domain.com(DC)\vm\ORS\Win2003x64_RST01
V-79-57344-38220 - Backup of the virtual machine 'Win2003x64_RST01' failed. VMware VCB framework reported the following error
Error: Other error encountered: Snapshot creation failed: Could not quiesce file system.

and then I come up with the following URL to diagnose the problem:

I've found article in : VMWare ESX backup fails with the error "Snapshot creation failed: Could not quiesce file system", they said "do not install the Filesystem Sync Driver and Volume Shadow Copy Services Support. and Backups now also should be executed without the option to use Advanced Open File Option (AOFO)."

VMware Consolidated Backup Release Notes --> even in the release notes the workaround is to not use VSS under the section "VCB Fails to Create Snapshot"

VMware Self-Service- Unable to take a quiesced VMware snapshot of a virtual machine

If I remove the VSS support how can we backup the Windows Server 2003 x64 VM with SQL Server 2005 and Java Application server ?

VMware Self-Service- Using Storage VMotion to migrate a virtual machine with many disks may timeout

i even add the maximum timeout log parameter: fsr.maxSwitchoverSeconds = "200"

error log:
Create virtual machine snapshot Win2003x64_Win2003x64_RSA01 Operation timed out.

Any idea in backing up these VM please ?

Thanks.

[DMcCoy]

Is the backup mode selected as NBD, the VCB proxy has access to the ESXi console ip address too?

[albertwt]

Is the backup mode selected as NBD, the VCB proxy has access to the ESXi console ip address too?

Yes it is NBD and i select the vCenter Server 4.0

[albertwt]

Hi All,

Thanks for all of your suggestion, here's what I've done to make the VM backup possible:

1. Uninstalling the existing VMWare tools (previously i performed COMPLETE install)
2. Restart the VM
3. Install VMWare tools without the VSS support.
4. restart the VM
5. make sure the Microsoft VSS manager and VSS writer services both enabled - automatic.

by then i execute the following command line to perform the backup from the backup proxy server cmd prompt and surprisingly it was success !

vcbmounter -h ESXServer01 -u root -p password -a ipaddr:<TargetWindows2003VM> -r \\DLINKDNS323-SAN01\Volume_1\Test -L 6 -m nbd

i also tried to backup through Symantec Backup Exec 12.5 with the same parameter and it was success as well.

but there is still one question remains, that is if i do have SQL Server 2005 or any VSS-aware application, would this VM is still be safe to backup without installing the VSS support ?

I wonder how do people do people do in backing up their VSS-aware application VM on Windows Server 2003 VM.

any idea and suggestion please ?

[albertwt]

Finally,

The following trick actually works for me

1. Backup the following regkey: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\EventSystem\
2. Erase the regkey HKLM\Software\Microsoft\EventSystem\{26c409cc-ae86-11d1-b616-00805fc79216} an below
3. Reboot.
4. Verify that things are working by running

vssadmin list writers
vssadmin list providers.

and then in the services.msc list of services snap ins, make sure the following services are Started Automatically:

1. COM+ System Application
2. Distributed Transaction Coordinator
3. Volume Shadow Copy
4. VMware Physical Disk Helper Service

Automatically but not started:

1. Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider
2. VMware Snapshot Provider

now the backup is all working great

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop>vssadmin list writers
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2001 Microsoft Corp.
 
Writer name: 'System Writer'
   Writer Id: {e8132975-6f93-4464-a53e-1050253ae220}
   Writer Instance Id: {eac0c7b4-0b79-4ffa-a337-7639c2ade112}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error
 
Writer name: 'SqlServerWriter'
   Writer Id: {a65faa63-5ea8-4ebc-9dbd-a0c4db26912a}
   Writer Instance Id: {e5d27b6e-d2d9-4030-a1aa-dc4fa16fa2a9}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error
 
Writer name: 'COM+ REGDB Writer'
   Writer Id: {542da469-d3e1-473c-9f4f-7847f01fc64f}
   Writer Instance Id: {020e45b1-9f51-4ba5-9b77-fa004cb160f4}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error
 
Writer name: 'MSDEWriter'
   Writer Id: {f8544ac1-0611-4fa5-b04b-f7ee00b03277}
   Writer Instance Id: {8998da01-9ab4-456b-895a-f3b1f24cbc73}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error
 
Writer name: 'WMI Writer'
   Writer Id: {a6ad56c2-b509-4e6c-bb19-49d8f43532f0}
   Writer Instance Id: {122a3930-b259-4cad-99d4-b67c8f9f7b89}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error
 
Writer name: 'Event Log Writer'
   Writer Id: {eee8c692-67ed-4250-8d86-390603070d00}
   Writer Instance Id: {eaaa7cbf-b9fa-4ccb-8b2e-16c849fd825d}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error
 
Writer name: 'Registry Writer'
   Writer Id: {afbab4a2-367d-4d15-a586-71dbb18f8485}
   Writer Instance Id: {3e16d785-e69e-4460-854e-e19aaedf1db8}
   State: [1] Stable
   Last error: No error
 
 
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop>vssadmin list providers
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2001 Microsoft Corp.
 
Provider name: 'Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0'
   Provider type: System
   Provider Id: {b5946137-7b9f-4925-af80-51abd60b20d5}
   Version: 1.0.0.7
 
 
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop>pause
Press any key to continue . . .