VMware Server 2.0 Backups (VIX 1.6.2 only)

[fixitchris]

Vix_Virtuozo_Suite enables domain-wide cold and hot backups of your guests. Windows and Linux (SAMBA required) Server 2.0.x host OSs are supported.

Linked is the current build of Vix_Virtuozo_Suite x86. The installer will install a Windows Service and provide GUI to configure the service options.  Windows x86 and 64bit are supported.

All feedback and suggestions are welcome.

Service GUI

Guest GUI

Live Backup Status

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Troubleshooting notes:

• VIX API 1.6 is required for this software to function. 

• VIX_Virtuozo_Service Windows Service must log on as a user with permission to create a custom Event Log as well as have access to protected shares (CIFS) defined throughout the configuration of each host and guest.

• SAMBA is required for VMware hosts running Linux.

• VIX 1.7 is NOT stable to work with Server 2.0!

_Download January 21, 2010 Release_

[fixitchris]

Got the log... I don't see any errors, besides the fact that 'vmware tools ' are not installed.

After you install the 'vmware tools', power off the machine and try to 'POWER ON' again from my GUI. I will wait for the results.

If you get the error again, then again, send screenshots, as well as both hostd and guest logs.

If you don't get the error then we can start configuring the backup process.

Talk to you soon...

[rightfoot]

>The hostd.log you send me ends on January 15th. Look in /var/logs/vmware for a hostdXXX.log from today. Send that one over.

Ooops, didn't look at dates, assumed log-0 would be latest. Sent.

>Oh, another thing. Make sure you have 'vmware tools' installed inside that guest that is failing to start up... That could be causing the problem.

Nope, tools were not installed. They are now.

Side note about VMware Server 2.0, why is the web admin tool always dying and you need to log back in every time?

"The server response included one or more errors.

If the problems persist, please contact your system admin.

Details; LoginNeededException: Please log in.

Mike

[fixitchris]

Side note about VMware Server 2.0, why is the web admin tool always dying and you need to log back in every time?

"The server response included one or more errors.

If the problems persist, please contact your system admin.

Details; LoginNeededException: Please log in.

Does this ever happen when you connect via the loopback adapter http://127.0.0.1:8333 or only when you connect from a remote machine? Automatic logout have happened to me too on Windows hosts...it might just be that you leave it alone for too long and the session expires... You can look through the hostd.log for something like 'Ticket issued for mks'... or other 'ticket'/'session' related lines.

[rightfoot]

Sent the error captures to your yahoo.

[rightfoot]

Sent the errors to your yahoo but yahoo is deferring my emails again. Man they are a troublesome network to send email to.

>Does this ever happen when you connect via the loopback adapter http://127.0.0.1:8333 or only when you connect from a remote machine?

It's a command line machine only, no desktop or such so it's always from a remote machine.

>Automatic logout have happened to me too on Windows hosts...it might just be that you leave it alone for too long

>and the session expires... You can look through the hostd.log for something like 'Ticket issued for mks'...

>or other 'ticket'/'session' related lines.

It's pretty random. Sometimes, within seconds, sometimes, minutes, if I don't switch tabs, it seems to stay longer, when it's not acting up. I'll take a look at those logs, thanks. Looked, nothing that comes out at me but then, I'm trying to do all of this as a sideline to other work so will look closer later.

Mike

[fixitchris]

Ok, this one I will have to research myself.

Since you will be doing hot backups then for now we don't have to worry about the PowerOn routine. 😐

Let's continue... Power On this test guest VM either via the CONSOLE or the webUI... Then return back to my GUI and right click the guest and 'Edit Guest Options'. Let's work on this screen.

[rightfoot]

>Let's continue... Power On this test guest VM either via the CONSOLE or the webUI... Then return back to my GUI and right click the

>guest and 'Edit Guest Options'. Let's work on this screen.

Ok, still missing something or not setting things properly.

Configured the guest which I wish to backup. The NotInRegistry icon is gone now.

In VMX CIFS source, I've got:
vm39\servers\plesk-192-31\plesk-192-31.vmx

In Guest CIFS Destination, I've got; d:\servers\plesk32\

In VMDK CIFS Source Dir, I've got:
vm39\servers\

Hitting Update, I get "Need r/w permission to VMDK CIFS directory. I thought early on, we said we didn't need W, just R.

Hitting OK leads to nothing.

I think I've forgotten something.

[fixitchris]

Mike, I did mention that R is only needed, but if you can set it to R/W for now that would be great. I'm just thinking going forward this dir might need to be R/W...

Try this and then let me know if the guest and VMDK/disk config saves ok.

Then we can move to configuring the service itself...

[rightfoot]

hostd /etc/vmware/hostd Read only to everyone

servers /servers Read only to everyone

Which should be RW?

Mike

[fixitchris]

servers /servers set to RW

[rightfoot]

Tools won't start;

VM Server/Host: Linux 2.6.18-92.1.22.el5PAE #1 SMP i686 i686 i386

Guest: Linux 2.6.18-92.1.22.el5PAE #1 SMP i686 i686 i386

Nothing showing up in the logs when I try to start the services;

1. /etc/init.d/vmware-tools status

vmware-guestd is not running

1. /etc/init.d/vmware-tools start

   Checking acpi hot plug                                  [  OK  ]

Starting VMware Tools services on the host:

   Switching to host config:                              

1. /etc/init.d/vmware-tools status

vmware-guestd is not running

[fixitchris]

Application moving to RC1

[fixitchris]

MSI updated to VmwareTaskslib 1.1

[rightfoot]

Got hit by something bad, it went around my machine and network trying to infect things. Lost things I had not backed up yet along with a pile of images. It took out speficifically mozilla products and images. Weird.

Anyhow, that's why I've been off the grid so if you want to contact me again, please do.

Mike

[patrickschneide]

Hi all,

first of all, fixitchris, thank you for the application. It is exactly what I needed and searched for quite some time (in fact, since we installed Server 2.0)

I installed the Application on the host where VMwware Server 2.0 is running following the instructions in the PDF. Now I ran into a problem:

Adding the VMware Server (127.0.0.1) Host worked flawlessly. After that I wanted to set up a backup-task which backups one VM (of 12). Unfortunately, I cannot add the .vmdk file to the backup task, because I can not uncheck "Ignore"(see host.JPG).

If I try to and hit the "Update" button afterwards, it claims that it can not access the file.(see error.JPG)

I triple-checked that I can access the file using that path. I also set the service to run under the same user account (domain admin) I used to access the file.Still no luck. Any hints or recommendations? Can I add some more debugging informations?

Regards,

Patrick

[fixitchris]

You're welcome Patrick. That's exactly the same reason that I decided to write this app. I got tired of backup scripts in Server1.0 and there was nothing out there that was free for Server2.0.

I just updated the MSI kit on the first post of this thread to fix some bugs. Please uninstall current version and install the new kit.

I hope this fixes your issue. I think what caused it is the method that I am using to check whether or not the app has read permission to the VMDK file. If that file is in use, which in most cases is true, then it failed to create a stream to that file. The uploaded fix should take care of this.

Let me know how this works out and don't hesitate to come back and post any other problems. The more users try this software out, the more stable it will be....

Thanks

Also, what OS are you running this app under; what is the backup destination file system?

[patrickschneide]

Hello fixitchris,

the VMware Server 2.0 and the Backup Application are running on Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2 32 Bit, the backup destination filesystem is NTFS, VIX API is 1.62. Your updated MSI package fixed the issue. I unchecked "Ignore", hit "Update" and everything's fine.

In fact, it just successfully backed up the VM

Thanks again!

Regards,

Patrick

[fixitchris]

I'm glad this works for you. Keep an eye on the 1st post where I will list any bugs as they crop up.

[patrickschneide]

Hello fixitchris,

I have a suggestion for the app: It would be nice to be able to choose to "Backup the VM in the state it is in, when it's backup-time".

-> If the VM is running, do a hot backup, if it's not running or if it's suspended, do a Cold backup.

Regards,

Patrick

[fixitchris]

Good point. Will add your request to future updates.