fault.RestrictedVersion.summary (free ESXi support)

[DashDave]

Hi There

Sorry if this question is a little simplistic for this forum, but I'm going round and round and making no progress.

I have the new Free version of Backup and Replication 6.5 and I have 2 x VMware ESXi 4.1 servers.

one VMhost has a number of running VMs and I want to upgrade this to ESXi 5.1 ( in preparation for Windows 8 and Server 2012 )

I want to copy all my VMs to a test VMHost running 4.1 - to act as a backup while I do the upgrade to the main VMHost.

When I run B&R 6.5 all seems OK but the migration fails with "31/10/2012 14:49:10 :: Preparing target VM Error: fault.RestrictedVersion.summary"

I thought that B&R 6.5 would work OK between the free VM Hypervisors. I'm I wrong? We are only using the VMs in a software test environment, but the developers will lynch me if I lose their stuff!

Is there anything I can do? Any advise gratefully received.

[Gostev]

Free ESXi is not supported due to VMware restrictions in APIs.

[DashDave]

Yeah! So I find out the hard way. Why give us a complex error message? Why not pop up a link to a web page that tells us the restriction?

Or better still ask when I'm downloading the demo version and tell me it ONLY works of the licensed version.

Sorry, I'm letting off steam cos I have wasted 2 days, trying to figure out why it wont work.

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi David, this information is mentioned in the User Guide under Preparation section, but it might be a good idea to add this info to the Release Notes document as well. Thank you!

[atakacs]

Hello

Very new to the product so I'm pretty sure I am doing some dumb things... Please bear with me...

I have just installed V6.5 and intend to use it with our ESXi 5.1 infrastructure.

Install & licensing went smoothly - no problem. However I tried a replication job (on a live machine), then a copy job (on a turned off machine) and they are both failing after a few seconds of execution. The unsettling issue is that I can't really see any log / help / suggestion as of why they are failing. Is there anything I am missing in the UI that would help me diagnose my issues ? Or should I go hunting into text logs (not quite sure where to look).

Edited: I have just looked into the e-mail notifications I have setup and there is some more info (yeepee)...

The replication job failed due to a "fault.RestrictedVersion.summary" error. As for the copy job it failed "due to space info retrievement fail!". I guess it is time to start hunting into the KB. At any rate not a first good experience even if I'm sure it's mostly my fault.

[dellock6]

That's fun. You are probably trying to run Veeam on a free ESXi server (reading at the error you posted...), this is clearly stated basically everywhere as an unsupported version of ESXi due to VMware restrictions on licensing, and still is Veeam the one to blame???

[atakacs]

well I guess that error message could be more explicit for the layman (you are right the ESXi target was not licensed correctly, thanks for pointing it out).

Just for my info where in the product datasheet (http://www.veeam.com/veeam_backup_6_5_vmware_en_ds.pdf) or, for that matter, on the web site, did you find mention of that requirement ?

[Vitaliy S.]

ESX(i) free limitation is mentioned in the User Guide, page 61.

[atakacs]

I believe it should be clearly stated on the website with the minimum requirements for running the software. You can't expect someone to read 59 pages of manual before deciding to install a software. Furthermore at install and / or execution time a check for the minimal requirements would be welcome.

[Gostev]

We will add such remark on the product download page, thanks for your feedback!

[jainsworth]

So, do I understand correctly that due to VMware's changes, one cannot use Vmware ESX(i) 5.1 with Veeam Backup Free Edition 6.5 to make backups? This worked wonderfully in version 5.0 and earlier along with Veeam Backup 6.1.

[veremin]

So, do I understand correctly that due to VMware's changes, one cannot use Vmware ESX(i) 5.1 with Veeam Backup Free Edition 6.5 to make backups? This worked wonderfully in version 5.0 and earlier along with Veeam Backup 6.1.

Not exactly. VB&R doesn't support Free ESX(i) host due to VMWare restrictions in APIs and VMware EULA.

However,VB&R Free Edition 6.5 does support paid VMWare ESX(i) 5.1 and all other versions previously supported by 6.1.

Thanks.

[jainsworth]

Sorry, left out one item in my original question. And that is it cannot be used with ESX(i) Free Edition. That was possible in earlier versions, and that is what I am trying to clarify. I have downloaded the User Guide as mentioned earlier in this forum topic, but can't seem to find where it is mentioned as a restriction. Perhaps I downloaded the wrong one? Can someone point me to the right user guide and where it says this?

I now need to decide if licensing all my free ESX(i) servers is prudent to use this backup option or take a more traditional route that does not include a backup of vmware files for a guest.

So, to restate, ESX(i) 5.1 Free Edition does not work with VB&R Free Edition 6.5, correct?

This is what used to work in earlier editions.

[Vitaliy S.]

Perhaps I downloaded the wrong one? Can someone point me to the right user guide and where it says this?

Please take a look at page 61 (under VMware Infrastructure section). I've edited my initial post (looks like our tech writers team has re-arranged the UG a bit).

So, to restate, ESX(i) 5.1 Free Edition does not work with VB&R Free Edition 6.5, correct?

Yes, Veeam B&R (not matter what edition you use) does not support ESX(i) free edition.

This is what used to work in earlier editions.

Please take a look at the existing discussion for more details > Veeam with vSphere 5 Hypervisor (e.g. free ESXi) works...

[lux209]

I would recommand to use the "old" Veeam 6.1, it works perfectly with free ESX 5.0U1 hosts (even if it is not supported), but I didn't try with the ESX 5.1.

[tsightler]

I would recommand to use the "old" Veeam 6.1, it works perfectly with free ESX 5.0U1 hosts (even if it is not supported), but I didn't try with the ESX 5.1.

Just want to point out that, if any particular version happens to work it's mostly just luck due to VMware not enforcing the restriction in the VDDK. For example, "old" Veeam 6.1 works because it ships with VDDK 5.0 which just so happened to allow it to work, however, this was an "accident" on VMware's part. With 6.5 Veeam now ships with VDDK 5.1 (required for vSphere 5.1 compatibility), and this version yet again blocks the API for the "free" versions. This has occurred before in the past in the 4.x versions as well.

However, from Veeam's perspective, none of these versions are supported with Free ESXi because VMware specifically says that the API for the free version is restricted, and we really have no control over whether it will work or will not work. In other words, while ESXi 5.0 with Veeam 6.1 will likely work fine "forever" you will never be able to upgrade the ESXi version because VMware has yet again enforced the restriction on newer versions. Well, unless they yet again ship a version without restrictions for ESXi 6.

I know it's confusing, and many people seem confused by thinking that Veeam itself is enforcing these restrictions, but that's simply not true, the error code that started this thread "fault.RestrictedVersion.summary" is the error returned by the VMware API when we make the call to the VDDK.

http://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2011/06/ ... mmary.html

[hanscees]

so why does my veam say:
Error: Your Veeam Backup license does not allow processing of free ESXi.
Veeam Backup & Replication 6.5.0.109

that is not the same as what you are saying above

[tsightler]

If the new version really says this then I think it is misleading. It is not the "Veeam Backup license" that does not allow processing of free ESXi, it's the VMware license that doesn't allow backup due to the API restrictions.

[Gostev]

This is message is from Veeam B&R v3 times, and it should be updated. Not sure how it surfaced back.

[tsanchez88]

Ok, so it doesn't work with ESXi free version, that is already known at this late point in the process.

I stumble across the web site with the free edition, I look thru the web pages, and the overview guide which simply states it supports ESXi 3.5 - 5.1 under supported Hosts.

I download 675Mb of software, install a ton of prerequistes and reboot before installing the Veeam backup itself. I setup my servers and first find out that I have to delete all snapshots from the server before running my first backup, which doesn't seem to be listed in the user guide. After completing that I NOW find out this doesn't work with my Free Licensed version of ESXi 4.1 !!!!!!

If this is a known requirement it should be clearly stated on the website, the overview guide, the user guide and I can't believe when adding Host that there isn't a check to verify that its going to work instead of letting me even try backups that will absoluetly fail. I've since gone back and RE-REVIEWED all the guides and web site and do not find anything that make me think I should have known this before starting. Its not Veeam's fault that the product is unsupported, but YES I feel its their fault for not being clear about the issue.

Sorry I'm just steamed that I spent the better part of a day trying this out only to find out it was NEVER going to work.

[Gostev]

I can't believe when adding Host that there isn't a check to verify that its going to work instead of letting me even try backups that will absolutely fail.

In red is not the case. As Tom already explained above, fail or not will depend on ESXi version/build, which is why there is no such check in the code.

I've since gone back and RE-REVIEWED all the guides and web site and do not find anything that make me think I should have known this before starting.

Strange, as this has always been stated in the User Guide (as already mentioned earlier in this thread, including the actual page number). Also, we've put this note right next to the product name on the Download page a few weeks ago... I just checked - the note is still there, right next to the product name.

[tsanchez88]

You are correct about the download page, after looking at it on the third time... I do see the small greyed out note that it does not work with Free ESXi. Unfortunately when I got to that page, I simply clicked on the link for the version I needed and was gone from that page too quickly. As for the User Guide, I've gone back and checked that one and still don't see the note there. I know I won't be the last one to run into this situation and want to prevent others from having to find out the hard way.

As for the check when adding servers, I was curious if it was possible to either have the code check on the licensing when adding a server or run a couple of check for things like the write access or change block options that will cause problems. Just suggestions.

[Gostev]

Thank you for your suggestions.

Also, I think it is important to note here that we do fully support free Microsoft Hyper-V 2012 with our product - and unlike VMware, Microsoft does not put any restrictions on its free hypervisor. So no things like API or RAM limits, and you even get features such as all kinds of live migration (same thing as VMware VMotion) included... definitely consider that as well - if you are absolutely not willing to spend USD 500 for 6 sockets of vSphere Essentials, which is really a bargain imo.

[apruitt]

Let me see if I understand this correctly. If I purchase vmware essentials it will function with my Free Version of ESXi and also allow Veeam Backup & Replication to function?

[Vitaliy S.]

Yes, that's correct. Once you apply VMware Essentials licence key to your host it will no longer have API restrictions of the free host.

[marius roma]

A friend started downloading the Veeam Free edition from page http://www.veeam.com/virtual-machine-ba ... mainbutton
He noticed that a note in the page says that " Free ESXi is not supported.".
Does it mean that he cannot use it with any free ESXi version?
Does it mean that it is not supported?
Regards
marius

[atta]

Is esxi free edition supported for backup and restore?

[electricd7]

I have a client who is running a single ESXi 4.0.0 server and storing all the VMs on the local datastore. I would like to get Veeam setup in their environment and do nightly backups of their VMs to an external QNAP box. It looks as if Veeam Free edition does not support scheduling in any way shape or form (booo). Does the paid version of Veeam support the non-licensed version of ESXi? If not, then what should we do here?

[Stoo]

Free ESXi is not supported

http://www.veeam.com/kb1435

[veremin]

If not, then what should we do here?

Update existing ESX(i) host to, at least, vSphere Essentials. Thanks.