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Vmware Backup with GRT and Deduplication Storage

dpbackupadmin
Level 2

Hello Experts,

we are going back to Backup Exec ( Version 2014 ). Goal is to backup all virtual machines to Disk Storage and have a copy on tape.

The environment is:

 

Vcenter 5.5 with 2 ESX Hosts, HA Cluster, SAN over FC

HP Proliant DL380 G5 Server with Windows Server 2008 R2 and Fibre Chanel HBA that has Read Access to the SAN Volumes ( LUNS )

Backup Exec 2014 with latest SP1. We know that this Hardware is not recommendet for Deduplication, Performance is not important for the first step.

We have the deduplication option licensed and vmware agents + application agents for exchange, dc, sql

 

We checked the Administrator Guide, Deduplication Whitepaper ( Backup Exec 2014_Deduplication Option_White Paper ), Vmware Whitepaper ( backup_exec_2014-protecting_vmware )

Blueprints

Symantec Backup Exec 2014 Blueprints - VMware

Symantec Backup Exec 2014 Blueprints - Deduplication

 

So we think it should work like this

 

Three Group of vms to Backup

Windows VMs ( Agentless Backup ) with VM GRT enabled ( to restore file or folders if neccessary )

Windows VMs ( Agent Assisted Backup ) with GRT enabled for Applications ( for example Exchange Server, DC, SQL Server ), there is a Backup Exec Agent running to assist

 

Other VMs ( Linux or other OS ) without GRT enabled

 

All 3 Groups should be safed to one deduplicaton target in the night ( Backup Window 10:00 pm - 07:00 am ) 

Its local Storage ( SATA RAID ) in the Backup Server

On Weekend there should be a Full Backup of all 3 Groups

Mo-Fr Differential Backup

Over the Day the Backup data will be copied to Tape

 

Has anybody such a constellation in use ?

We start testing with a test vm ( windows Server 2008 R2 ) to the Deduplicaton Folder.

We have Problem to Backup the VMs to the Dedupliation folder if the GRT Option for VMs is enabled ( no Application GRT )

We always get the Error E0009579

Granular Recovery Technology (GRT) backups of Virtual Machine (VM) to deduplication storage fail with an error "0xe0009579 - Unable to copy the virtual machine disk using the VMware VixDiskLib"

V-79-57344-38721

There is an Article http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH168488

When we disable GRT it works but we cant restore file or folder from the vms.

The Article is for Backup Exec 2010 R3, we use Backup Exec 2014 with SP1.

If we do the job to a normal B2D Folder it is working with GRT for the VMs

 

We also found this

Verify of GRT VMWare backup fails with "Unable to copy the virtual machine disk using the VMware VixDiskLib" and reports that the VMDK is corrupt when targeted to Deduplication folder

Completed status: Failed Final error: 0xe0009578 - Unable to copy the virtual machine disk using the VMware VixDiskLib. Final error category: Resource Errors For additional information regarding this error refer to link V-79-57344-38264

Its another Error, not the same, but the behavior is like we have.

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH209472

 

So for what i am looking is a expert who has expierence with vmware backups and deduplication.

 

Best Regards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 REPLIES 3

Artegic
Level 6

I had my share of troubles with GRT backups to deduplication storage. It seems to be an extremely complex and fragile combination, with almost nobody at Symantec knowing what really goes on there.

My advice: open a support case and arm yourself with a lot of patience.

 

dpbackupadmin
Level 2

Hello Artegic,

your experience is like i mine until now.

we cant get a combination that is working for longer.

at the moment we have not so much time and also the "old" Hardware for this environment.

Some error codes for Example E0001203 we get because the Hardware is to heavy in use.

We start the Job again 5 minutes later and it is beginning the backup.

For the moment we try this combination

 

3 Groups of VMs

VMs without GRT > Backup to Deduplication Folder ( only Full Restore is required for the VM )

VMs with GRT enabeld > Backup to B2D Folder ( Full Restore and File Restore is required )

VMs with Application GRT ( Assisted Backup )  > Backup to B2D Folder ( Systems with Backup Exec Agent for GRT Backup of Applications for Example Exchange or DC )

 

We will start all 3 Jobs in the night Mo-Fr Differential, Sa Full

Copy Job will run over day

 

Has anybody else experience with VM GRT Backup to Deduplication Folder like User Artegic

Every Information can be helpful.

 

Best Regards

 

Artegic
Level 6

If you don't want to open a support call (can't blame you ...), here are a couple of hints from my experience:

  1. The name of the VM or of the associated VMDK file can be an issue, so choose a simple name without special characters. Most importantly, don't end VM names with a dot.
  2. The size of the virtual disks can be an issue. BE still doesn't support virtual disks bigger than 2 TB.
  3. The VM version (compatibility level) can be an issue. Both too low and too high is bad. So far Version 8 (ESXi 5.0 and higher) seems to work well, although I also had an case where I have been advised to upgrade the affected VM to Version 9.
  4. The ESXi version and update level(!) can be an issue. Backup Exec is notoriously slow to support newer versions, and updating to, for example ESXi 5.5U1 when Backup Exec supports only ESXi 5.5 can break things in obscure ways which Symantec support will refuse to help you fix. Always check the SCL of your BE version before installing any updates on systems you want to have backed up.
  5. If the problems persist for a machine where you need file or application level restore, use agent backup instead of AVVI.

HTH