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VM host backup

lanloun
Level 4
Partner

Hi,

 

Please note that when taking a host backup ( hyperv), all the machines that are in the saved mode become unaccessible during the running backup . Is this a normal behaviour of system recovery?

10 REPLIES 10

criley
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited

Have you checked the following?

https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.HOWTO83671.html

lanloun
Level 4
Partner

yes i checked it and it did not answer my question. I want to know if it is normal not to be able to access the vms when a backup job is running.

criley
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited

If all the requirements are met, I would say no, it's not normal.

More details are needed; what version of SSR (check in Help/About). What version of Windows on the host and inside the guest machines etc etc.

lanloun
Level 4
Partner

SSR version : 2013

OS on host : windows 2012 r2 fully updated

the vms have different operating systems but most of them have windows 2012 or windows 2012r2

 

please advise

criley
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited

SSR version : 2013

What is the exact version though? Check in Help/About for details.

lanloun
Level 4
Partner

the full version is Symantec System recovery 2013

11.0.2.49853

criley
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited

My recommendation would be to upgrade to the latest version - SSR 2013 R2. I cannot guarantee it will help though.

Your original comments:

Please note that when taking a host backup ( hyperv), all the machines that are in the saved mode become unaccessible during the running backup

What do you mean by 'saved mode'. And when you say 'become unaccessible' - what do you mean exactly? Please explain in more detail.

And what errors (if any) are shown in the system/application event logs on the host (and guests) at the time of backup?

lanloun
Level 4
Partner

In hyper v, the machines can have to following states:

-  Running

- Turned off

- Saved

Having the vm in the saved mode saves all the work at that particular point in time. When the backup is running and we try to access a machine or connect to it via the hyperv manager, the machine does not connect and an error message is prompted saying that the machine access is denied. What could be the reason?

 

Is it true that when a machine is in the backing up state, the machine is not accessible?

Regatds,

criley
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited

So this then? https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd405549%28v=vs.85%29.aspx

This is the key bit I think:

The default backup mechanism is called the "Saved State" method, where the VM is put into a saved state during the processing of the PrepareForSnapshot event, snapshots are taken of the appropriate volumes, and the VM is returned to the previous state during the processing of the PostSnapshot event.

So I would expect the VM to be unavailable during this snapshot phase.

criley
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited

OK, more details ....

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/virtual_pc_guy/archive/2015/02/16/hyper-v-backup-doesn-t-interrupt-running-virtual-machines-anymore.aspx