Server disappeared from network

[Blackhawk1]

My server named ESX1 did something weird yesterday. It is running two VMs, a web server and an Active Directory controller. I received an email yesterday about a hiccup in our Active Directory config, but didn't think anything of it (active directory failed over to the backup controller). I was not running any administration tool or even remoted into the active directory server at the time. It seemed to go offline during a Veeam backup, so I thought the events might be related. However, today I realized that it was still no longer on the network. When I ran VMWare Infrastructure client and connected to the console, it said that the LAN connection was disconnected. I looked at the VM settings and sure enough, the Ethernet controller was set to a switch called VM Network. Note that I have two virtual switches, one named LAN and one named DMZ. VM Network, from what I remember, is the default name. How did this VM just switch its configuration by itself? Have you ever seen this? Obviously it is very concerning.

[Linjo]

Any hints in the virual machine log?

Best regards,

Linjo

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[dsoltesz]

Veeam backs up the vmx file, so you could restore just that file to your Veeam Windows server desktop and open it up with Wordpad.

You should find a line like this.

ethernet0.networkName = "Dev"

This is the network that this Virtual Machine is running on. (Dev in my environment). Since Veeam created a snapshot you can see if this file was altered before your backup. IE the networkName="VM Network". If it was "VM Network" most likely someone or something other than Veeam changed the network before the backup. Otherwise, you may want to open a ticket with them.

Doug

www.phdvirtual.com, makers of esXpress

[Blackhawk1]

Good idea! I didn't think to look there. These are the events I

see (in reverse order):

User logged event: Source: Veeam Backup Action: Job "Backup

DNS3" Operation: Started Status: Success ID:

4e6f134a-4455-42de-90f9-d38977d16402 Description: user 1/30/2010

2:00:52 PM root

Reconfigured virtual machine info 1/30/2010 1:14:16 PM root

User logged event: Remote console on DNS3 connected. user

1/30/2010 1:11:20 PM root

User logged event: Source: Veeam Backup Action: Job "Backup

DNS3" Operation: Stopped Status: Success ID:

dcad9439-8a21-4b1e-a86e-96ccdaeaceec Description: user

1/29/2010 2:25:31 PM root

Message from ESX1.dc1.local: Failed to connect ethernet0. info

1/29/2010 2:03:43 PM User

User logged event: Source: Veeam Backup Action: Job "Backup

DNS3" Operation: Started Status: Success ID:

dcad9439-8a21-4b1e-a86e-96ccdaeaceec Description: user 1/29/2010

2:00:47 PM

So you can see the Veeam backup started at 2:00:47 pm and the

Ethernet controller failed to connect at 2:03pm.

Does this clue you in at all?

..........................................................................

Ty Schwab

CEO/Director of Business Development

Blackhawk Technology Consulting LLC

1150 Darlene Lane Suite 172

Eugene, Oregon 97401

Tel: 541-505-7229

Cell: 541-501-1943

FAX: 541-505-7229

E-mail: ty.schwab@blackhawk-tech.net

Web: www.blackhawk-tech.net

[Blackhawk1]

Good idea! I didn't think to look there. These are the events I

see (in reverse order):

User logged event: Source: Veeam Backup Action: Job "Backup

DNS3" Operation: Started Status: Success ID:

4e6f134a-4455-42de-90f9-d38977d16402 Description: user 1/30/2010

2:00:52 PM root

Reconfigured virtual machine info 1/30/2010 1:14:16 PM root

User logged event: Remote console on DNS3 connected. user

1/30/2010 1:11:20 PM root

User logged event: Source: Veeam Backup Action: Job "Backup

DNS3" Operation: Stopped Status: Success ID:

dcad9439-8a21-4b1e-a86e-96ccdaeaceec Description: user

1/29/2010 2:25:31 PM root

Message from ESX1.dc1.local: Failed to connect ethernet0. info

1/29/2010 2:03:43 PM User

User logged event: Source: Veeam Backup Action: Job "Backup

DNS3" Operation: Started Status: Success ID:

dcad9439-8a21-4b1e-a86e-96ccdaeaceec Description: user 1/29/2010

2:00:47 PM

So you can see the Veeam backup started at 2:00:47 pm and the

Ethernet controller failed to connect at 2:03pm.

Does this clue you in at all?

..........................................................................

Ty Schwab

CEO/Director of Business Development

Blackhawk Technology Consulting LLC

1150 Darlene Lane Suite 172

Eugene, Oregon 97401

Tel: 541-505-7229

Cell: 541-501-1943

FAX: 541-505-7229

E-mail: ty.schwab@blackhawk-tech.net

Web: www.blackhawk-tech.net