VCB Configuration Help

[chrisglutz]

I am new to VCB and am trying to get it setup. I am currently stuck as the VCB errors are not very helpful and I don't see any logs.

This is what I am getting when I try to use the vcbMounter command

"C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Consolidated Backup Framework\vcbMounter.exe" -h "[virtualcenter_server]" -u -p -a ipaddr:[vm_name] -r c:\VCB_MOUNT\test\ -t fullvm

Copying "[storage1] secdoct1/Securedoc.vmx":

0%=====================50%=====================100%

**************************************************

Copying "[storage1] secdoct1/nvram":

0%=====================50%=====================100%

**************************************************

Copying "[storage1] secdoct1//vmware-1.log":

0%=====================50%=====================100%

**************************************************

Copying "[storage1] secdoct1//vmware-2.log":

0%=====================50%=====================100%

**************************************************

Copying "[storage1] secdoct1//vmware.log":

0%=====================50%=====================100%

**************************************************

Unsetting unknown path: /vmomi/

Generic block list error code.

Could not log out ()

Error: Failed to open the disk: Unspecified error

An error occured, cleaning up...

It looks like the process starts copying the .log, .nvram, and .vmx files and then errors out when trying to copy the .vmdk file.

Any help would be appreciated.

[CHogan]

Some tips on this:

1. Ensure that there is only a single path to the LUN presented to the VCB proxy.

2. Ensure that the LUN presented to the VCB proxy has the same LUN ID as that used to present the LUN to the ESX server.

3. Ensure that the characteristics of the LUN when presented to the ESX server are the same characterizes used to present the LUN to the VCB proxy (e.g. same director flags on the array).

4. Ensure that there is no multipathing software installed on the VCB proxy server.

If none of these help, use the '-L 6' option to the vcbmounter command to generate more verbosity in the error output - it might help you.

HTH

Cormac

[chrisglutz]

Cormac,

Thanks for the '-L 6' option.

The error now shows the following.

Invoking on

Arg snapshot:'vim.vm.Snapshot:snapshot-1276'

Arg diskPath:"[storage1] secdoct1/NewSecur.vmdk"

Fault Msg: "An error occurred while accessing a disk lease."

Note: in this test the VM is storing all the files including the vmdk files on the local hard drive of the ESX box. We have not started testing the VMs that are using the SAN to store their files. The command is run from the VCB proxy.

[CHogan · Accepted solution]

Chris,

You will not be able to backup local disks using the VCB proxy. It is descigned for backing up SAN attached devices only. In other words, the device which holds the VM disk files needs to be presented to both the ESX server and the VCB proxy, in accordance with the tips I described earlier.

Until such a time as you have this configuration, VCB will fail in the manner you describe.

Regards

Cormac

[chrisglutz]

Cormac -- Thanks for the clarification -- I will work on testing the VMs that are connected to the SAN.

[perugipj]

How about filesystems which are mounted via NFS? We get the same error when using a storage group which is attached to an NFS filesystem on a NetApp NAS.