Creating virtual lab for Exchange 2010

[Gostev]

Yes, we definitely want to investigate every occurence when the workaround does not work, so thank you for creating support case and providing all logs. Thank you for your kind words

[tekna]

We have had this problem with the NICs being replaced when cloning or restoring 2008r2 VMs with vmxnet3 adapters.
After applying this hotfix from Microsoft, our troubles are noe more:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2344941

Here is vmware's take on the issue; either convert to E1000 adapters or apply the mentioned hotfix:
http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/micros ... Id=1020078

[Gostev]

We have had this problem with the NICs being replaced when cloning or restoring 2008r2 VMs with vmxnet3 adapters.
After applying this hotfix from Microsoft, our troubles are noe more:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2344941

I heard this did not make it into 2008 R2 SP1 though... and there is no similar hotfix for 2008 R2 SP1 (or so I heard).

[cmoody]

I am currently experiencing this problem and working with Veeam support. We have installed 2008 R2 SP1, which supposedly includes the hotfix from Microsoft (KB2344941) (see http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/info ... R2+SP1.xls). I decided to compare the versions of the files in the hotfix against the versions of the files from SP1. What I found was that pci.sys, termdd.sys and volmgr.sys were version #: 6.17601.17514, all the other files were the version # identified in the KB. Seeing that the version # is newer than the KB version # 6.1.7600.20776, you would think that the problem should be resolved.

I'm hoping that maybe someone from the forum could help:

1. Someone mentioned a possible registry setting that could resolve the problem. Is there a registry fix?
2. Someone mentioned setting the MAC address manually. Is this a recommended work around?
3. What was the resolution for the individual with ticket #544913?

We are currently using Veeam 5.0.2.230 (64bit).

Thanks

[Vitaliy S.]

1. Someone mentioned a possible registry setting that could resolve the problem. Is there a registry fix?

Could you please clarify what registry key are you referring to?

2. Someone mentioned setting the MAC address manually. Is this a recommended work around?

If you still experience the issue mentioned in this topic while being on Veeam B&R 5.0.2 with all hotfixes applied from Microsoft, then you might consider setting a MAC address manually.

3. What was the resolution for the individual with ticket #544913?

As far as I see it from our support ticket tracking system, the resolution for this case was to use e1000 adapter type.

[cmoody]

Someone mentioned in an earlier post there might be a possible registry key. I'm going to bug VMware now since it only happens with the VMXNET3 adapter and Microsoft says they have provided the fix in SP1.

Thanks

[Alexey D.]

I might be wrong, but I heard that despite Microsoft promised to include this fix in SP1, it wasn't actually there. And folks had to re-apply the patch manually after installing SP1.

[cmoody]

I did try to install the patch after SP1, but receive "The update is not applicable to your computer". I was also informed that others, who applied the patch prior to SP1 are now experiencing the problem again after applying SP1. Hopefully, we will see a new patch soon, post-SP1.

[cmoody]

Microsoft has a patch post SP1. Haven't tried it yet but am hopeful.

For Windows 2008 R2 or Windows 7 versions post Service Pack 1, install the hotfix described in the Microsoft Knowledge Base article 2550978 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2550978) before deploying the template.

[Frosty]

Thanks for the info in this thread. We've just finished setting up a virtual lab and had been having this problem with the NICs losing their IP addresses. I've tried the post-SP1 hotfix mentioned above and can confirm, based on a limited test with just 1 VM, that it does seem to have fixed the problem for us. I did have one brief heart-stopping moment after the hotfix install reboot ... the server rebooted and had lost its IP address settings, and because it was an RODC in a network segment which had no DCs and no DHCP servers, I also couldn't login to the server. Fortunately connecting the VM to our LAN vSwitch and giving it a further reboot did the trick. I was then able to login, reset to a static IP, then connect the vNIC back to the original vSwitch. In my case all VMs which I have deployed from a Server 2008 R2 VM Template with VMXNET3 vNICs are affected. Luckily there are < 20 of them ... job for a rainy day.

[aweiss]

Hi Guys
I'm currently setting up an Exchange 2K10 lab with AD 2008R2 and CAS + MBX on different servers. (3 VM in my lab) As we all know, AD is quite long to start as it needs to make an initial replication with another controler. Instead of starting 2 controler in the lab, is there a way to insert at first boot the key "Repl Perform Initial Synchronizations"=0 to allow DC to start DNS without waiting for initial sync ? It is a Veeam KB that tells us to insert the key but Microsoft doesn't recommand it on production server and on a normal run. Scripts will only run after the VM had rebooted so inserting the key with script will take longer than just wait i think.
Gostev perhaps : is there any enhancements in V6 on this point (2008R2 quick start) ?
Perhaps there is another Topic on this on the forum.
Thkls !
Rgds
Alex

[Gostev]

Hi Alexandre, v6 does this automatically for you before the VM is booted up in the virtual lab. This is covered in the What's New as one of the enhancements. Thanks!

[aweiss]

Thks much Gostev. I'm gonna have a look.
Do i need to check the Domain Controler role in application group for my AD to have this key inserted ? or it is not necessary when doing item recovery to check this role.
Thks too!
Rgds
Alex

[Gostev]

Yes, absolutely you must do that in order for DC-related tweaks to be applied by the SureBackup job.

[mpozar]

Hi
We have upgraded to Veeam B&R 6 and we now seem to have the issue in our SureBackup Labs where the IP address in our Windows 2008 R2 SP1 DC servers are being reset, the Virtual Machines are defined with VMXNET 3 adapters and we are on vSphere 5.

I thought the patch/workaround in Veeam B&R 6 was still in place so I do not understand why this is happening.

Is the patch from Microsoft also required in conduction with the Veeam workaround?

Have FUN!

Michael