Can't Backup VMware host large File

[pretorian]

Hi All,

We have VMware vSphere 4.0. And we have a host vmware with 3 vmdk file apprx :
Escudo (BE).vmdk    = 15,744,724 KB
Escudo (BE)_1.vmdk    = 15,728,640 KB
Escudo (BE)_2.vmdk    = 536,870,912 KB     <-- Larges file

We trying backup that vmdk file using agent VMware Backup Exec  2010. We found error :
Job ended: Monday, July 26, 2010 at 12:04:29 PM Completed
status: Failed Final error: 0xe000959b - An attempt to take a snapshot of a virtual machine failed because it was unable to quiesce a file system.
Final error category: Resource Errors For additional information regarding this error refer to link V-79-57344-38299

We have tried refer  this link to fix trouble, but we still can't backup vmdk large file ;
http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/347181.htm
http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/347988.htm
http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/355353.htm

Anyone found error like this ? Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Ahmad

[pkh]

Check that the VM is not taking automatic snapshots.  If it is, turn the automatic snapshots off.

[pretorian]

Hi pkh,

How to set turn off the automatic snapshots ?

Regards,

Ahmad

[pkh]

Check the snapshot feature of your VM.  Snapshot is a feature of Vmware, not BE.

[pretorian]

Can you guide me to turn off automatic snapshot on vmware, please ?

Regards,

Ahmad

[pretorian]

Hi All,

Anybody trying to help me out about this issue ?

I'm still can't backup this vmdk file. I don't know how to pre-test or another testing before trying backup this large vmdk file ?

Please help ? Thanks in advance.

Regards.

Ahmad

[YvieD]

Ahmed,

   Please describe the datastore where the .vmdk files reside. How much free space is available there? Please note that there should be as much space avaiable as the largest virtual machine's largest volume.  In your case, can you confirm that there is at least  536,870,912 KB   of free space on the datastore?

Here's why: BE 2010 uses an ESX api call to create a files system snapshot of the .vmdk file, which is stored on the ESX datastore. During the backup, the snapshot collects the trasactions of the production server and the mounted .vmdk becomes the source for the backup job. At the end of the volume backup, the transactions are played back for the .vmdk file and then the snapshot is deleted.

1. Ensure there is space on the datastore to duplicate each .vmdk file.

2. Ensure that there are no other snapshots being stored for the .vmdk in question. (VSphere, right click on the VM | Snapshot Manager, delete any saved snapshots)

3. In the VSphere console, attempt to take a snapshot using the option to quiesce the file system. Note any error that VMWare reports (sometimes the message contains additional information or instructions that can be helpful in troubleshooting this problem.)

[Jim_S]

Also make sure you have removed the File System Synch driver from the VMware Tools installation on that VM and that VMware's VSS driver isn't installed in VMware Tools also.

But also, do all those vmdks reside on the same datastore?  Are they all on VMFS, are any on virtual-mode RDMs?  Any independent disks?  What transport mode are you using with BE?

[Khalid_Mashaykh]

Hi Ahmad ,

Make sure you installed VMWare tool in virtual machine , while you installing it make sure to disable vss service .. see the below screenshot.

another thing , make sure that VMWare proxy server have enough space avilable!

Thanks

Khaled Mashaykh

Jordan