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NetVault Plug-in for VMware 13.1.3 - User Guide

Introducing NetVault Plug-in for VMware Installing the plug-in Configuring the plug-in Defining a backup strategy Using the image-level backup method Using the file-level backup method Restoring image-level backups Restoring file-level backups Troubleshooting

File-level backups do not back up data for a reparse point

Description

The file-level backup method does not back up data through a reparse point.

Symptom

When a disk mounted as a reparse point on a Guest OS is included in a file-level backup, the backup completes without any errors or warnings. However, the plug-in does not back up any data for a reparse point. It is listed as an empty node on the Create Selection Set page.

Solution

The VMware API does not support this type of backup.

Workaround:

•
Install NetVault Client on the Guest OS, and perform a backup using the Plug-in for FileSystem to include the reparse point directory.
— or —
•
Mount the disk as drive letter instead of a reparse point. Then, create a backup job to include the new drive letter.

Restore job fails when using SAN transport

Description

Restore job fails.

Symptom

A restore job fails with the following error:

Log Message:

Failed to restore VM disk data.

Log Context:

Failed to open vmdk VDDK error encountered: code 13

Retrieving error message text VDDK error message is ‘You do not have access rights to this file’

Disk data restore failed for ‘[datastore]VirtualMachineName/ VitrualDiskName.vmdk’

Solution

The NetVault Client running the Plug‑in for VMware may not have access to the SAN. To verify, try using the NBD transport mode. If restore completes successfully with this mode, it indicates SAN connectivity issues.

To use the SAN transport mode, the NetVault Client must have SAN connectivity to the VMFS LUN. Ensure that the LUN is accessible and the SAN is configured correctly.

Restore job fails to add a virtual machine to the server inventory or to the alternate standalone ESXi Server

Description

Restore job fails.

Symptom

A restore job fails with the following error:

Log message:

Failed to add VM to target server's inventory.

— or —

Invalid datastore format.

Log context:

Fault string is 'Invalid configuration for device '3'.

Solution

When this error occurs, enable trace and run the restore job again. When the job completes, open the file named vmw<nnn>_soaprecv.log, and check if it contains an XML message <WaitForUpdatesExResponse> with contents similar to the following:

<val xsi:type="LocalizedMethodFault">
<fault xsi:type="InvalidDeviceSpec">
<property>deviceChange[3].device.backing.fileName
</property>
<deviceIndex>3</deviceIndex>
</fault>
<localizedMessage>Invalid configuration for device &apos;3&apos;.</localizedMessage>
</val>

If so, it indicates that the backup contains an invalid configuration for a CD or DVD drive.

To correct this issue:

1
Open the file vmware.cfg in a text editor.
You can find this file in <NetVault home>\config on Windows and <NetVault home>/config on Linux.
2
Set the value for the following entry to True:
[Custom:ReconfigureVirtualCdromDevices]
Value=True
(The default value for this entry is False.)
3
Save the file.
4
Run the restore job again.
The job completes successfully. If a CD or DVD drive was set to “Host Device” or “Datastore ISO File” type during the original backup, it is reconfigured as “Client Device” type. A warning message in the logs provides a list of reconfigured devices. The log context includes their original configuration. To view the log context, click the More Info button.
5
After restoring the virtual machine, reset [Custom:ReconfigureVirtual CdromDevices] to False.

Disk type is always Thick Provision Eager Zeroed after restoring an image-level backup

Description

After restoring a virtual machine, virtual drives that are Thin Provisioned or Thick Provisioned Lazy Zeroed are automatically converted to Thick Provision Eager Zeroed.

Symptom

Regardless of the disk provisioning type, image-level backups without CBT enabled always back up the full disk. During restore, the “.vmdk” file is completely overwritten and VMware automatically converts a Thin Provision or Thick Provision Lazy Zeroed drive to Thick Provision Eager Zeroed.

Solution

To retain the original type for the drive during the restore process, make sure that the Enable Change Block Tracking for virtual machine option is enabled for the backup job. For more information, see Defining a backup strategy.

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