vSphere 5.1 Support Update
Symantec and VMware are unwaveringly dedicated to quality in our jointly developed solutions. During our testing with the VMware vStorage 5.1 API Symantec discovered issues* that introduce data recovery risks. We raised these concerns with our friends at VMware, who documented them in their knowledge base and in the VMware vSphere 5.1 release notes. VMware expects to release a vStorage API update, and at that time we expect to retest and once again support joint solutions. Read this blog for more details!
Backing up a large vmware environment?
Hi All, I was just looking to see what others are doing with the growth of vm's and the need to back them up. I am using NetBackup 7.1.0.4. I am currently have 1000 vm's to backup per site (i have two sites), I have a mixture of VMX4 & VMX7. I have two high spec'd MSDP's per site, the MSDP are tier 5 storage on an 8GB SAN. The ESX Luns are zoned to the MSDP servers also, so using SAN as transport type. The MSDP servers are windows. I currently backup2 clusters per day one per media server to spread the backup load over the week, this works fine even though my performance using the camel test only shows 130 - 140 mb/sec. (The lower end of the scale) However this means I can be upto 6 days out of date when requiring a restore due to backing up a cluster once a week. I have tried to split the VMX4 VMs are 500, and 500 VMX7s so I can do BLIB backups on the VMX7s, but trying to backup 500 VMs (a day)even on a BLIB and the 500VMX4s one cluster a weekwith only 2 media servers is proving a difficult task. I have been looking at adding more MSDP servers, but as the storage isnt the fastest I am also looking at appliances. I know im not the only one out there with the challenge of backing up 1000's of VMs, I was wondering what you have done, and the best options to either add more media servers, or look at appliances. Any help is appreciated. Thanks Jay
Netbackup for VMWare
Hi, I have netbackup 7.5.0.4 and I am backing up VMware environment, the problem is when I run many jobs together (3 or 4), I noticed that the size on the datastore (VM storage) become full, i checked and found that the snapshot take the same size as the primary copy, so whats wrong here, the size of the snapshot is supposed to be a few gigbytes, why it take the same size, it seems it do mirroring for the disk.
VMware Backup Failure with NetBackup 7.5, Transport Mode Error 23, Status 6
I thought I would post a solution here to a Status 23 error from bpbrm which results in a Status 6 on the parent VMware backup job (child job never spawns). The particulars: NBU version: 7.5.0.1 / 7.5.0.4 Master Server: Solaris 10 (SPARC) Media / Backup Host: Windows 2008 R2 ESXi 4.1.0 / vCenter 4.1.0 Storage: NetApp 3240 Policy Type: VMware Storage Policy: Local DSSU BLIB: Yes Transport mode: NBD/NBDSSL (this issue can also apply to SAN) If you're like me, you've already looked into the possible solutions below... Ensure hostname resolution works for all ESXi hosts / vCenter to/from the Master Server https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/error-opening-snapshot-disks-using-given-transport-mode-status-23-backup-failed-back-requeste https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/netbackup-vmware-error-opening-snapshot-disks-using-given-transport-mode-status-23 Are the datastores presented/accessible to the VMware Backup Host? (not applicable for NBD) https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/status-code-6-and-23-vstorage-api https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/error-opening-snapshot-disks-using-given-transport-mode-status-23 ...but to no avail. Engaged tech support, turn VxMS logging on etc. Logs produced look similar to this: Detailed Status (from Activity Monitor): 10/23/2012 10:45:07 PM - Error bpbrm(pid=8764) from client <hostname>: ERR - Error opening the snapshot disks using given transport mode: Status 23 10/23/2012 10:45:08 PM - Info bptm(pid=4724) waited for full buffer 1 times, delayed 1619 times 10/23/2012 10:45:08 PM - Info bptm(pid=4724) EXITING with status 90 <---------- 10/23/2012 10:45:08 PM - Info bpbkar32(pid=5064) bpbkar waited 0 times for empty buffer, delayed 0 times. 10/23/2012 10:45:11 PM - Error bpbrm(pid=8764) could not send server status message 10/23/2012 10:45:11 PM - Critical bpbrm(pid=8764) unexpected termination of client <hostname> the backup failed to back up the requested files(6) bpfis Log: 09:53:23.402 [6844.7840] <2> onlfi_vfms_logf: INF - vfm_fi_get_credentials: No disk array credentials found on server 09:53:23.621 [6844.7840] <2> onlfi_vfms_logf: INF - vfm_fi_get_credentials: No storage server credentials found on server 09:53:37.521 [6844.7840] <2> onlfi_vfms_logf: INF - vmwareLogger: RetrieveHostContents: Datastore: name = vmbackup is NOT accessible 09:53:37.521 [6844.7840] <2> onlfi_vfms_logf: INF - vmwareLogger: RetrieveDatastoreContents: datastore vmbackup is NOT accessible VxMS Log: 18:57:28.0408 : connectToHost:xGuest.cpp:1017 <INFO> : TransportMode requested: nbd 18:57:28.0408 : connectToHost:xGuest.cpp:1022 <INFO> : Transport Modes available on this host: file:san:hotadd:nbdssl:nbd 18:57:30.0265 : vdConnect:xInterface.cpp:869 <DEBUG> : Done with VixDiskLib_Connect(): 214236752 18:57:30.0265 : vdOpen:xInterface.cpp:367 <INFO> : Calling VixDiskLib_Open() 18:57:30.0265 : g_vixInterfaceLogger:bvix.cpp:1833 <INFO> : VixDiskLibVimResolveHostName: Resolving IP address for hostname server.domain.com. 18:57:30.0265 : g_vixInterfaceLogger:bvix.cpp:1833 <INFO> : VixDiskLibVimResolveHostName: Resolved to 10.10.10.10. 18:57:30.0280 : g_vixInterfaceLogger:bvix.cpp:1833 <INFO> : VixDiskLibVim: VixDiskLibVimLogin 18:57:31.0185 : g_vixInterfaceLogger:bvix.cpp:1837 <WARN> : VixDiskLibVim: Not licensed to use this function. This error will repeat for all available transport modes. Steps we tried that did not work: Removed and re-added client to policy Upgraded from 7.5.0.1 to 7.5.0.4 (a suggestion from Symantec) vMotion VM to another ESXi host Storage vMotion VM to another datastore Solution: We cloned the VM and the clone successfully backed up. Which led us to wonder if it was a config issue on the VMware side (VMX file?). After taking an outage for the client we did the following: Remove the offending VM from vCenter inventory. Rename the VM folder using the datastore browser. (This step is to avoid the same name folder that will be created in step 3) Create a new VM with the same name and specs. But no disks attached. Move the vmdk files from the old file folder to new folder. "Edit settings" on the newly created VM and attach "existing disk" by locating the VMDK files. Power on the new VM. Remove the old (renamed) file folder which should contain only the vmx, nvram and log files [house cleaning] The client was then able to backup successfully.
Backup Over 10 G WAN
Team I have been asked to do a POC to test performance for backup over WAN 1. The distance between the DC is 40 KM or ~ 25 Miles 2. The WAN link is a 10 G connection 3. ~50 TB of front end data needed to be backup 4. I understand client side dedup is the best option - is it possible on tape 5. We using a SL8500 as a storage device 6. For client Dedup I understand we need a DPO licence,anything else ? 7. Whats the practical thruput we see for a 10 G Lan Link ? 8.Any sugestion from you 9. From NBU side is there a minimul bandwidth requirement ? Please suggest Swastik