Backup Exec 2012 Convert to Virtual (P2V) Problems
Hi all,
I ran in to a few problems while testing out the P2V features in Backup Exec 2012, I hope someone could help.
Environment and Setups:
Everything at BE2012 SP1a level.
Everything running on Windows 2008 R2 SP1
1x VMware vCenter 5 server with a few ESXi hosts; everything running VM hardware version 8.
1x Central Admin Server (CASO) called BUEXEC2012
1x Managed server call BE2012-M1. This server is a deduplication device host. It uses Centrally managed Backup Exec server mode and Unrestricted access to catalogs and backup sets for restore mode.
1x Server to be converted, called R-2008R2-01. It is actually a VM itself. It has 2 vmdk disks. The first vmdk has the C: and D: drive, the second vmdk has the E: drive.
Note: All Logon Accounts are copied from BUEXEC2012 to BE2012-M1; they have an identical list of credentials on the Logon Account Management screen.
Steps to reproduce problem:
1. Create a job on BUEXEC2012 (This is the CAS, remember?) to fully backup everything on R-2008R2-01. SDR mode is confirmed to be ON.
Job sends data to the dedupe device that is hosted on BE2012-M1 (The managed server).
2. Backup completes successfully.
3. Use the "Convert to Virtual from Point-In-Time" button to create a conversion job.
Select everything: System State, C:, D:, and E:.
Configure VM related settings: vCenter credentials, datastores, VM RAM, disks, VMware Tools Iso location, etc.
VMware Tools Iso image is located at a local drive path on BUEXEC2012.
Note:
If you have been following, you will see that this job is going to be delegated to BE2012-M1.
This is because the backup went to the dedupe disk that is managed by BE2012-M1, therefore when the data is requested, BE2012-M1 has to "handle" the job.
4. Job runs for 20 seconds, fails.
See attached screenshot named alert - job failed screen.jpg and the log file named alert - job failed log.txt.
5. Log on to BE2012-M1 locally (the managed server that hosts the dedupe disk).
6. While locally on BE2012-M1, create the exact same job and run it. (Almost the same, except that the VMware Tools Iso image now points to a local copy on BE2012-M1.)
Note:
This is different to when the job was created on BUEXEC2012 (the CAS), because this time, the job is not "delegated" to BE2012-M1; the job is now created locally on the managed server itself.
7. Job completes successfully.
(This is evidence that: Doing this from the Central Admin Server = Fail; do this from the managed server that holds the backup = success)
8. Check on vCenter, see the new VM, delete its snapshot (This must be done according to page 439 of the be2012 admin guide).
9. Edit the new VM's settings, discovers that the Network Card is missing, add it back. (Why wasn't it created?)
10. Power on the new VM, see the Windows Error Recovery screen.
See the attached screenshot named windows error recovery.jpg.
11. Choose to start Windows normally anyway.
12. Boots up normally, restarts once on prompt, then inspect Windows Disk Management.
See the attached screenshot named offline uninitialized disk.jpg
So the original E: drive disk is present, but it is marked "offline" and is not initialized.
The rest of the OS seems normal.... I hope.
Summary, questions, and everything else:
A. Why does the convert job fail on the CAS, but succeeds on the managed server?
B. I have actually tested this: If the original backup goes to a storage device managed by the CAS server itself, the convert-job created on the CAS would create the VM successfully. This is evidence that the convert job would only run successfully on whichever server that "holds" the source-backup. Is that normal? I thought I could do everything from the CAS and not having to worry about doing things locally on managed servers.
C. After a P2V job completes successfully, why isn't the VM's network interface card (NIC) created?
D. Is it true that after every successful P2V job, the first time you try to boot the VM you will see the Windows Error Recovery screen? Is this normal? If so, why isn't it documented?
E. Why is the E: drive not properly restored? It is just "offline" and "uninitialized".
Does that mean the data on it is as good as gone? Why is this happening? How do I "online" and "initalize" it without destroying its data?
F. It doesn't make any difference whether I integrate the "convert to VM stage" inside the backup job. The same problems would still happen. All of them.
Has anyone mastered P2V on Backup Exec 2012 yet? Could you offer some guidance?
Thank you in advance.
RLeon
