Backup Exec and VMWare agent

[Alex_S2]

Hello,

Backup exec 2010 can't backup VM on a 4.1 VMWare host. The VM guest is 2008R2 server with Windows remote agent installed on the top of VMWare tools. When I initiate a backup job via VMWare host it backups the VM image and hangs (never completes it). If I initiated backup job directly to VM it works fine. Backup target is a dedup folder.

Any ideas?

[ZeRoC00L]

At what stage does the backup stop ?
Do you see that a snapshot is taken ?
Is some data written to the backup folder or completely none ?

[Alex_S2]

I did not pay attention to the snapshot phase but the backup data counter increments to the ~ size of the vmdk file and files are written into the backup folder. Then the data counter stops but the timer still goes on and the transfer rate shows some number of MB/S (like the transfer is still going on but that is not true)
I also tried the same backup with uninstalled remote client from guest VM. Result was the same: job hangs up...

[Alex_S2]

I created a new target (BTD) instead of Dedup folder and backup job was succefully completed. TA-DA!  So the problem is related to to vmware agent and dedup folder combination. A bug? Too bad symantec support does not bother even to look at these messages...

On the other hand when I tried to configure a restore job it did not give me an option to recover individual files or folders within VM as it states in the manual... Am I missing something? Windows remote agent and VMWare tools are installed on VM.

[Sush---]

Hello Alex,
    At this moment Backup Exec 2010 does not support ESX 4.1 backups. You will have to upgrade to Backup Exec 2010 R2 (its a free upgrade) to backup ESX 4.1. Though its still not supported with BE 2010 R2 also but soon it will be added in the support list.

You can find the download of BE 2010 R2 on  www.backupexec.com

[Alex_S2]

Ok, to restore on a file level inside VM one should look under VM device intself, not at VMWare infrastructure device.

And yes, I am running 2010 R2 version.

[ZeRoC00L]

Hi Sush,

Where is listed that ESX 4.1 is support/is not supported.
When I look in the SCL:
ftp://exftpp.symantec.com/pub/support/products/Backup_Exec_for_WindowsNT/329254.pdf
there is no ESX 4.1 for either BE 2010 or 2010R2.

I have a new setup with ESX 4.1 and BE 2010 and it is running fine.

[Sush---]

Hey ZeRoCool,
   As I said that  " its still not supported with BE 2010 R2 also but soon it will be added in the support list " ... so we will have to wait till its added

[Alex_S2]

Hi ZeRoCOOL,

Have you tried to run it to dedup folder as a target?

[ZeRoC00L]

No, as I don't have a dedup license for my environment.