Error when I try to restore VMs from a spreadsheet

[amedjber]

Hi,

I'm a french student, sorry if my english isn't perfect

Since weeks, i'm trying to create a script of which the goal is to restore VMs from a GoogleSheet.

I've already succesfully restored a VM from Veeam B&R based on its name, with this code :

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 $gcpaccount = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeAccount -Name "XXXXXXX"
$gcpregion = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeRegion -Account $gcpaccount -Name "europe-west1"
$gcpzone = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeZone -Region $gcpregion -Name "europe-west1-b"
$gcptype = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeInstanceType -Zone $gcpzone -Name "e2-small"
$gcpvpc = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeVPC -Account $gcpaccount -Name "private"
$gcpsubnet = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeSubnet -VPC $gcpvpc -Region $gcpregion -Name "subnet-pra-2"
$restorepoint = Get-VBRRestorePoint -Name "XXXXXX" | Sort-Object $_.creationtime -Descending | Select -First 1
$gcpdisk = New-VBRGoogleCloudComputeDiskConfiguration -Diskname '{XXXXXXX}' -DiskType StandardPersistent
$gcprestoredVMname = "testrestoredvm"
$gcpproxy = New-VBRGoogleCloudComputeProxyAppliance -InstanceType $gcptype -RedirectorPort 443 -Subnet $gcpsubnet
Start-VBRVMRestoreToGoogleCloud -RestorePoint $restorepoint -Zone $gcpzone -InstanceType $gcptype -VMName $gcprestoredVMName -Subnet $gcpsubnet -DiskConfiguration $gcpdisk -ProxyAppliance $gcpproxy -AllocatePublicIP

It works well, but I want to use a column from my Google Sheet instead of the Name of the VM.


I succesfully connected Powershell with my Google Sheet, and achieved to get the list of my VMs :

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$conn = Connect-GoogleSheets -AuthScheme OAuthJWT -OAuthJWTCert "C:\Users\sa_veeam\Downloads\gsheets-powershell.json" -OAuthJWTCertType GOOGLEJSON
Select-GoogleSheets -Connection $conn -Table "XXXXX_TEST" -Column @("Nom")

Then, I "merged" the two scripts, and created a "$servname" to stock my VM list from my Google Sheet :

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$conn = Connect-GoogleSheets -AuthScheme OAuthJWT -OAuthJWTCert "C:\Users\sa_veeam\Downloads\gsheets-powershell.json" -OAuthJWTCertType GOOGLEJSON
$servname = Select-GoogleSheets -Connection $conn -Table "XXXXXX" -Column "Nom"
$gcpaccount = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeAccount -Name "XXXXXXXXX"
$gcpregion = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeRegion -Account $gcpaccount -Name "europe-west1"
$gcpzone = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeZone -Region $gcpregion -Name "europe-west1-b"
$gcptype = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeInstanceType -Zone $gcpzone -Name "e2-small"
$gcpvpc = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeVPC -Account $gcpaccount -Name "private"
$gcpsubnet = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeSubnet -VPC $gcpvpc -Region $gcpregion -Name "subnet-pra-2"
$restorepoint = Get-VBRRestorePoint -Name "$servname" | Sort-Object $_.creationtime -Descending | Select -First 1
$gcpdisk = New-VBRGoogleCloudComputeDiskConfiguration -Diskname '{XXXXXXXXXXX}' -DiskType StandardPersistent
$gcprestoredVMname = "testrestoredvm"
$gcpproxy = New-VBRGoogleCloudComputeProxyAppliance -InstanceType $gcptype -RedirectorPort 443 -Subnet $gcpsubnet
Start-VBRVMRestoreToGoogleCloud -RestorePoint $restorepoint -Zone $gcpzone -InstanceType $gcptype -VMName $gcprestoredVMName -Subnet $gcpsubnet -DiskConfiguration $gcpdisk -ProxyAppliance $gcpproxy -AllocatePublicIP

When I run this script, I have this error :

Code: Select all

Start-VBRVMRestoreToGoogleCloud : Cannot validate argument on parameter 'RestorePoint'. The argument is null. Provide a valid 
value for the argument, and then try running the command again.
At line:13 char:47
+ Start-VBRVMRestoreToGoogleCloud -RestorePoint $restorepoint -Zone $gc ...
+                                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidData: (:) [Start-VBRVMRestoreToGoogleCloud], ParameterBindingValidationException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationError,Veeam.Backup.PowerShell.Cmdlets.StartVBRVMRestoreToGoogleCloud

So I guess my $restorepoint is empty, because it can't "read" into my Google Sheet... am I right ? Do you have any tip ?

Thanks a lot

[nielsengelen]

Did you try the basic debugging and comment out everything after the $restorepoint line and output what $restorepoint provides you?

Write-host $restorepoint should give you something to continue. If this is empty, you could work your way back to where the first required variable is empty.

[Mildur]

Hi Medjber

To choose a restore point for the restore, you need to use Get-VBRBackup first. I'm missing that in your script.
Can you try your script with this command?

From the example in the guide:

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$backup = Get-VBRBackup -Name "JobName"
$restorepoint = Get-VBRRestorePoint -Name *VM Name* -Backup $backup | Sort-Object $_.creationtime -Descending | Select -First 1

An easy test to see if there is any output in the $restorepoint variable.

Thanks
Fabian

[amedjber]

Did you try the basic debugging and comment out everything after the $restorepoint line and output what $restorepoint provides you?

Write-host $restorepoint should give you something to continue. If this is empty, you could work your way back to where the first required variable is empty.

Hi, thanks for your help.

Indeed, it's empty. I want to use the $servname as a source (which contain the Sheet with servers names), but it likes it doesn't read into it.

[amedjber]

Hi Medjber

To choose a restore point for the restore, you need to use Get-VBRBackup first. I'm missing that in your script.
Can you try your script with this command?

From the example in the guide:

Code: Select all

$backup = Get-VBRBackup -Name "JobName"
$restorepoint = Get-VBRRestorePoint -Name *VM Name* -Backup $backup | Sort-Object $_.creationtime -Descending | Select -First 1

An easy test to see if there is any output in the $restorepoint variable.

Thanks
Fabian

Hi, thanks for your help.

I've managed to restore a VM before without using this command, thanks to the first code shared in my post.

Could this command help me restore a VM from my Google Sheet file?

[amedjber]

I forgot to specify that my goal is to restore a virtual machine whose name is listed in a Google Sheet file, to GCP via Powershell.
So I've already managed to restore a VM from Veeam B&R to GCP via Powershell, and now I would like to start from a list and not the "raw" name of the VM.

[Mildur]

I'm very sorry, I must have overread your question.

Code: Select all

$servname = Select-GoogleSheets -Connection $conn -Table "XXXXXX" -Column "Nom"

Does this command return all VM's from the entire table as an array? For the Get-VBRRestorePoint, I believe you should provide only 1 VM Name and not an array of data. You can do that with $servname[0].nom. It selects the first entry of the array and then uses only the nom value. The name in your Google Sheet must be the same Veeam knows from the hypervisor. Or you won't get any results.

You can try something like this to check if there is any restore point found:

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$conn = Connect-GoogleSheets -AuthScheme OAuthJWT -OAuthJWTCert "C:\Users\sa_veeam\Downloads\gsheets-powershell.json" -OAuthJWTCertType GOOGLEJSON
$servname = Select-GoogleSheets -Connection $conn -Table "XXXXXX" -Column "Nom"
$restorepoint = Get-VBRRestorePoint -Name $servname[0].nom | Sort-Object $_.creationtime -Descending | Select -First 1

[amedjber]

Hi Mildur,

Thanks for your answer.
I tried to put this code into my script, and I don't have errors, that's a good thing

My Google Sheet contain only one VM name for the moment, so it restored it. Is it gonna work if I put another one into my Google Sheet ? Or it's gonna restore only the first one listed ? That's what I've understood from your post.

Thank you.

[Mildur]

If you want to restore multiple VMs with one script, you have to get the list from your google sheet, and then use a for each loop to go through each vm. I added an automatic generation of the restored vm name: $gcprestoredVMname = $_.Name + "_Restored"
I see, you have also a Disk Name in your script. You should generate the disk name also automatically. or each restored VM will have the same disk name. I don't have tested the script because I don't have a lab.

Code: Select all

$conn = Connect-GoogleSheets -AuthScheme OAuthJWT -OAuthJWTCert "C:\Users\sa_veeam\Downloads\gsheets-powershell.json" -OAuthJWTCertType GOOGLEJSON
$servname = Select-GoogleSheets -Connection $conn -Table "XXXXXX" -Column "Nom"
foreach ($server in $servname) 
	{ 
	$gcpaccount = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeAccount -Name "XXXXXXXXX"
	$gcpregion = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeRegion -Account $gcpaccount -Name "europe-west1"
	$gcpzone = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeZone -Region $gcpregion -Name "europe-west1-b"
	$gcptype = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeInstanceType -Zone $gcpzone -Name "e2-small"
	$gcpvpc = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeVPC -Account $gcpaccount -Name "private"
	$gcpsubnet = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeSubnet -VPC $gcpvpc -Region $gcpregion -Name "subnet-pra-2"
	$restorepoint = Get-VBRRestorePoint -Name $_.Name | Sort-Object $_.creationtime -Descending | Select -First 1
	$gcpdisk = New-VBRGoogleCloudComputeDiskConfiguration -Diskname '{XXXXXXXXXXX}' -DiskType StandardPersistent
	$gcprestoredVMname = $_.Name + "_Restored"
	$gcpproxy = New-VBRGoogleCloudComputeProxyAppliance -InstanceType $gcptype -RedirectorPort 443 -Subnet $gcpsubnet
	
	Start-VBRVMRestoreToGoogleCloud -RestorePoint $restorepoint -Zone $gcpzone -InstanceType $gcptype -VMName $gcprestoredVMName -Subnet $gcpsubnet -DiskConfiguration $gcpdisk -ProxyAppliance $gcpproxy -AllocatePublicIP
	}

[amedjber]

Wow, first of all, thank you for your help and your time

It looks complex, but I'll give it a try and use it with my arguments

Thank you again, I'll keep you in touch

[amedjber]

So I tried your code, and it returns this error :

Code: Select all

Get-VBRRestorePoint : Cannot validate argument on parameter 'Name'. The argument is null or empty. Provide an argument that is not null or empty, and then try the 
command again.
At line:11 char:44
+     $restorepoint = Get-VBRRestorePoint -Name $_.Name | Sort-Object $ ...
+                                               ~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidData: (:) [Get-VBRRestorePoint], ParameterBindingValidationException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationError,Veeam.Backup.PowerShell.Cmdlets.GetVBRRestorePoint

It returns this error 3 times during the run of the script. I guess it tries it for each loop.

It still create a single job, but it fails because of the name probably containing wrong characters:
https://i.postimg.cc/brTkq793/error-vee ... ore-ps.png

[Mildur]

Ah, sorry. Should be nom.
It references the coloumn name in your spreadsheet. You are using french names, I was thinking in english

Code: Select all

$conn = Connect-GoogleSheets -AuthScheme OAuthJWT -OAuthJWTCert "C:\Users\sa_veeam\Downloads\gsheets-powershell.json" -OAuthJWTCertType GOOGLEJSON
$servname = Select-GoogleSheets -Connection $conn -Table "XXXXXX" -Column "Nom"
foreach ($server in $servname) 
	{ 
	$gcpaccount = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeAccount -Name "XXXXXXXXX"
	$gcpregion = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeRegion -Account $gcpaccount -Name "europe-west1"
	$gcpzone = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeZone -Region $gcpregion -Name "europe-west1-b"
	$gcptype = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeInstanceType -Zone $gcpzone -Name "e2-small"
	$gcpvpc = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeVPC -Account $gcpaccount -Name "private"
	$gcpsubnet = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeSubnet -VPC $gcpvpc -Region $gcpregion -Name "subnet-pra-2"
	$restorepoint = Get-VBRRestorePoint -Name $_.Nom | Sort-Object $_.creationtime -Descending | Select -First 1
	$gcpdisk = New-VBRGoogleCloudComputeDiskConfiguration -Diskname '{XXXXXXXXXXX}' -DiskType StandardPersistent
	$gcprestoredVMname = $_.Nom + "_Restored"
	$gcpproxy = New-VBRGoogleCloudComputeProxyAppliance -InstanceType $gcptype -RedirectorPort 443 -Subnet $gcpsubnet
	
	Start-VBRVMRestoreToGoogleCloud -RestorePoint $restorepoint -Zone $gcpzone -InstanceType $gcptype -VMName $gcprestoredVMName -Subnet $gcpsubnet -DiskConfiguration $gcpdisk -ProxyAppliance $gcpproxy -AllocatePublicIP
	}

[amedjber]

It gives me the same error :

Code: Select all

Get-VBRRestorePoint : Cannot validate argument on parameter 'Name'. The argument is null or empty. Provide an argument that is 
not null or empty, and then try the command again.
At line:11 char:44
+     $restorepoint = Get-VBRRestorePoint -Name $_.Nom | Sort-Object $_ ...
+                                               ~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidData: (:) [Get-VBRRestorePoint], ParameterBindingValidationException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationError,Veeam.Backup.PowerShell.Cmdlets.GetVBRRestorePoint

I have 2 server names in my column named "Nom" in my Google Sheet by the way.

+ I don't know why, but it actually create 3 jobs in Veeam B&R, even if I have only 2 servers wrote in my Google Sheet...

[Mildur]

Next try. Switch $_. with $server_.

Code: Select all

$conn = Connect-GoogleSheets -AuthScheme OAuthJWT -OAuthJWTCert "C:\Users\sa_veeam\Downloads\gsheets-powershell.json" -OAuthJWTCertType GOOGLEJSON
$servname = Select-GoogleSheets -Connection $conn -Table "XXXXXX" -Column "Nom"
foreach ($server in $servname) 
	{ 
	$gcpaccount = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeAccount -Name "XXXXXXXXX"
	$gcpregion = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeRegion -Account $gcpaccount -Name "europe-west1"
	$gcpzone = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeZone -Region $gcpregion -Name "europe-west1-b"
	$gcptype = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeInstanceType -Zone $gcpzone -Name "e2-small"
	$gcpvpc = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeVPC -Account $gcpaccount -Name "private"
	$gcpsubnet = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeSubnet -VPC $gcpvpc -Region $gcpregion -Name "subnet-pra-2"
	$restorepoint = Get-VBRRestorePoint -Name $server.Nom | Sort-Object $_.creationtime -Descending | Select -First 1
	$gcpdisk = New-VBRGoogleCloudComputeDiskConfiguration -Diskname '{XXXXXXXXXXX}' -DiskType StandardPersistent
	$gcprestoredVMname = $server.Nom + "_Restored"
	$gcpproxy = New-VBRGoogleCloudComputeProxyAppliance -InstanceType $gcptype -RedirectorPort 443 -Subnet $gcpsubnet
	
	Start-VBRVMRestoreToGoogleCloud -RestorePoint $restorepoint -Zone $gcpzone -InstanceType $gcptype -VMName $gcprestoredVMName -Subnet $gcpsubnet -DiskConfiguration $gcpdisk -ProxyAppliance $gcpproxy -AllocatePublicIP
	}

[amedjber]

Thanks again for your help.

With this code, there is the error that I get :

Code: Select all

Get-VBRRestorePoint : Cannot validate argument on parameter 'Name'. The argument is null or empty. Provide an argument that is 
not null or empty, and then try the command again.
At line:11 char:44
+     $restorepoint = Get-VBRRestorePoint -Name $server.Nom | Sort-Obje ...
+                                               ~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidData: (:) [Get-VBRRestorePoint], ParameterBindingValidationException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationError,Veeam.Backup.PowerShell.Cmdlets.GetVBRRestorePoint

But it actually restore VMs. I'm waiting them to end to see the result of the restore

I don't know why, but it creates 3 jobs, even if I have only 2 servers names in my Sheet...

[Mildur]

Is there an empty line or empty data in the coloumn nom in your spreadsheet? The error could be from the last line without a name in it. You can check the content of the array by the following command:

Code: Select all

$conn = Connect-GoogleSheets -AuthScheme OAuthJWT -OAuthJWTCert "C:\Users\sa_veeam\Downloads\gsheets-powershell.json" -OAuthJWTCertType GOOGLEJSON
$servname = Select-GoogleSheets -Connection $conn -Table "XXXXXX" -Column "Nom"
$servname

[amedjber]

Yup, there was one indeed ! I deleted it

I'm still waiting to my restore to finish, I keep you in touch

[amedjber]

Hi,

After many tries, it finally work !

I don't have error anymore, and here is my code :

Code: Select all

$conn = Connect-GoogleSheets -AuthScheme OAuthJWT -OAuthJWTCert "C:\Users\sa_veeam\Downloads\gsheets-powershell.json" -OAuthJWTCertType GOOGLEJSON
$servers = Select-GoogleSheets -Connection $conn -Table "XXXXXXXX" -Column @("Nom","nom_restore")
foreach ($server in $servers) 
	{ 
	$gcpaccount = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeAccount -Name "XXXXXXXXXX"
	$gcpregion = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeRegion -Account $gcpaccount -Name "europe-west1"
	$gcpzone = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeZone -Region $gcpregion -Name "europe-west1-b"
	$gcptype = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeInstanceType -Zone $gcpzone -Name "e2-small"
	$gcpvpc = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeVPC -Account $gcpaccount -Name "private"
	$gcpsubnet = Get-VBRGoogleCloudComputeSubnet -VPC $gcpvpc -Region $gcpregion -Name "XXXXXXX"
	$restorepoint = Get-VBRRestorePoint -Name $server.Nom | Sort-Object $_.creationtime -Descending | Select -First 1
	$gcpdisk = New-VBRGoogleCloudComputeDiskConfiguration -Diskname '{XXXXXXXXXX}' -DiskType StandardPersistent
	$gcprestoredVMname = $server.nom_restore
	$gcpproxy = New-VBRGoogleCloudComputeProxyAppliance -InstanceType $gcptype -RedirectorPort 443 -Subnet $gcpsubnet
	
	Start-VBRVMRestoreToGoogleCloud -RestorePoint $restorepoint -Zone $gcpzone -InstanceType $gcptype -VMName $gcprestoredVMName -Subnet $gcpsubnet -DiskConfiguration $gcpdisk -ProxyAppliance $gcpproxy -AllocatePublicIP
	}

Again a big thank you for people that helped me with my issue, specially Mildur

[Mildur]

You're welcome.
I'm glad we could help