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Backup Exec 2014 VMware backup sets don't display correct size on disk

Tim_Miller_Dyck
Level 3

Hello, I am using Backup Exec 2014 to back up VMs hosted on VMware ESXi 5.1 servers, and using the Backup Exec VMware Agent through the related vCenter management server. This is proving to be much faster for full server backups than backing up through the client agent directly (5.5 hours down to 2.5 hours in once case), so great.

But I'm seeing inconsistent size data in the VMware backup jobs. The VMs use thin provisioned disks and I have set up VMware change block tracking and confirmed this is working. When the backup actually happens, the backup job shows that only the actual allocated data on the server is backed up, not the full possible size of the virtual machine's disks:

e.g.

Backed up 0 files in 4 directories.
Backed up 1 virtual machines
Backed up 2 virtual machine disks
Processed 280722373259 bytes in  2 hours,  36 minutes, and  0 seconds.
Throughput rate: 1716 MB/min
Encryption Type: Software

This is 261 GB of data, which matches what is actually allocated on the VM.

Also, the entire job's byte count (which includes a few other things besides this server) is at 276 GB, also showing a reasonable total.

But when I look at the backup device (a USB disk) "Backup Sets" list and find this VM backup, the size of the backup is listed as 620GB, which is the maximum possible size of the VM's disks including empty unallocated space.

When I look in the USB disk's BEData folder and locate the related IMGxxxxx folder, I see servername.vmdk files that are collectively 257 GB in size, so it seems the actual backup device disk storage is correct.

But I'm not sure what other things in Backup Exec might be led astray, if any, by the incorrect size report in the backup sets list. At least, it makes it difficult for me to do retention time planning as I use the backup set list sizes to do this.

Anyone run into this?

Thanks,

Tim Miller Dyck

Ontario, Canada

 

 

 

5 REPLIES 5

VJware
Level 6
Employee Accredited Certified

Would you pls post screenshots of the job history and of the backup sets section as well.

Tim_Miller_Dyck
Level 3

Hello VJware, sorry for the delay.

Here are two screenshots.

1. Storage Backup Set lists backup set size as 620 GB.png

Storage Backup Set lists backup set size as 620 GB.png

This is from the Storage tab > Backup Sets list of a USB disk device. This image shows the backup set size for a server backup at 620 GB. This corresponds to the maximum size of two thin-provisioned VMware disks. One disk is 120GB and the other is 500GB. As mentioned above, change tracking is on and Backup Exec is only backing up the actual data on the disks, which is much less than their maximum size. The problem is the displayed size here is wrong, making it difficult to assess how much space backup jobs are actually taking on the backup media.

2. Job log detail shows same backup as 271 GB.png

This is from the job log detail for the same backup of the same server. It shows the amount of data backed up in total from both drives is 271 GB, which matches the actual amount of data on the virtual machine.

Job log detail shows same backup as 271 GB.png

This is with Backup Exec 14.1 Rev. 1786.0 on both the media server and agents.

Thanks,

Tim Miller Dyck

 

Tim_Miller_Dyck
Level 3

Hi VJware, checking in to see if the screenshots helped. Thanks!

-Tim

VJware
Level 6
Employee Accredited Certified

I would recommend to install SP1 and check if the size for a new backup is displayed correctly or not. If not, pls log a formal support case.

Link to SP1 - http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH216178

Tim_Miller_Dyck
Level 3
Hi VJware, As an update, I have applied Backup Exec 2014 SP1 to both the backup media server and the client systems. There is no change to this issue. The same backup referenced above (when done with SP1 software) still reports the backup set size to be 620GB. The contents of the backup set show the expected two .vmdk files, with both listed as having their maximum possible size despite these .vmdk files being thin-provisioned. Regards, Tim