snapshot error encountered (156) Hyper-V backups

[Zippo0526]

Newly P2V machines are failing with netbackup error snapshot error encountered  (156).  Newly built VM's do not fail backups.  Both are using the same policy.

Master and media servers are Server 2012 R2 running NBU 8.0.  Policy is Hyper-V policy with Hyper-V host 2008 SP@ or later (VSS) selected.  Clients chosen using System Senter Virtual Machine Manager and Select automatically through policy query.

Snip from job details

Apr 12, 2017 6:14:47 PM - Critical bpbrm (pid=7908) from client KOCSQL06: FTL - vfm_freeze_commit: method: Hyper-V_v2, type: FIM, function: Hyper-V_v2_prepare

Apr 12, 2017 6:14:47 PM - Critical bpbrm (pid=7908) from client KOCSQL06: FTL - snapshot services: snapshot preparation failed: unknown error.

Apr 12, 2017 6:14:47 PM - Critical bpbrm (pid=7908) from client KOCSQL06: FTL - vfm_freeze_commit: method: Hyper-V_v2, type: FIM, function: Hyper-V_v2_prepare

Apr 12, 2017 6:14:47 PM - Critical bpbrm (pid=7908) from client KOCSQL06: FTL - snapshot services: snapshot preparation failed: unknown error.

Apr 12, 2017 6:14:47 PM - Critical bpbrm (pid=7908) from client KOCSQL06: FTL - snapshot processing failed, status 156

Apr 12, 2017 6:14:47 PM - Critical bpbrm (pid=7908) from client KOCSQL06: FTL - snapshot creation failed, status 156

Apr 12, 2017 6:14:47 PM - Warning bpbrm (pid=7908) from client KOCSQL06: WRN - ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES is not frozen

Thanks for any assistance and let me know what oter info is required for this troubleshooting.

Scott

[Lowell_Palecek]

Look for details in the bpfis log on your client.

Whenver bpbrm reports an error "from client," look at the client logs. For snapshot errors, look at the bpfis log. Notice that bpbrm tells you the client pid. Earlier in the bpbrm log, it tells you what process it started that has that pid.

[GeForce123]

Status 156's are a joy to troubleshoot. For the most part, the logs from NetBackup will not tell you much as the error is on the vSphere side.

A few things I would look at are the following.

1. Disk space, make sure there is plenty of disk space on the server you are backing up for a snapshot. Also verify that the datastore has plenty of free space for snapsots, multiple if you have several VM's on the same datastore being backed up at once.

2. Check the VSS writers on the server you try trying to back up, if it is a Windows server. You can do this by opening the command prompt and tying vssadmin list writers. Verify that all the writers are in a stable state.

3. Check the application event logs on the client if it is a Windows server.

4. What is the VM version of the P2V failures and of the newly built VM's that backup correctly. Also are VMware tools installed and up to date on both the failing VM's and the successful VM's?

This is just a start.