Creating virtual lab through powershell

[dbr]

Hi guys,

since scripting is not covered by support policy I have no case ID.

Because my virtual lab configuration crashed several times and I had to create some labs from scratch, I want to start scripting my virtual lab configuration. I've awaited virtual lab scripting a long time and with version 10 it's available. If I run Add-VBRViAdvancedVirtualLab I get an error:

Code: Select all

Add-VBRViAdvancedVirtualLab -Name $name -Server $esx -CacheDatastore $datastore -ProxyAppliance $appliance -NetworkOptions $networkoptions -NetworkMappingRule $mapping -EnableRoutingBetweenvNics -IpMappingRule $staticmapping -Force

Add-VBRViAdvancedVirtualLab : Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
At line:1 char:1
+ Add-VBRViAdvancedVirtualLab -Name $name -Server $esx -CacheDatastore  ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Add-VBRViAdvancedVirtualLab], NullReferenceException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : System.NullReferenceException,Veeam.Backup.PowerShell.Cmdlets.AddVBRViAdvancedVirtualLab

Comparing to the configuration in the gui I even don't understand the difference between NetworkOptions and NetworkMappingRule respectively when the one or the other is used. If NetworkOptions is omitted I get the same error If -NetworkMappingRule is omitted the error is "Add-VBRViAdvancedVirtualLab : Specify NetworkMappingRule parameter." even though the parameter isn't mandatory. Can someone shed some light on this or does someone have an idea how to narrow down the issue?

Thanks, Daniel.

[jhoughes]

We need your entire script to see what you are running to set your variables. Also, you should verify that each variable has a value, as the 'NullReferenceException' typically means that one of your variables is null.

Here's a sample of where I created a virtual lab as a demo for VeeamON:
https://github.com/jhoughes/VeeamON2020 ... mation.ps1

[dbr]

Hi Joe,

The variables are all filled with the correct object types. I understand that troubleshooting an one line without the rest of the script is hard, but I hoped I would get an answer like your's. At first glance your scripts look incredible! I will trash my temporary one and will use your's as template and try again. Thanks for the hint.

Can you clarify when to use the parameters NetworkOptions and NetworkMappingRule, anyway? I'm confused because the NetworkMappingRule parameter expects an object created by New-VBRViNetworkMappingRule and NetworkOptions expects an object by New-VBRViVirtualLabNetworkOptions which also expects an object created by New-VBRViNetworkMappingRule as parameter NetworkMappingRule. Here a hierarchical view of what I mean:

NetworkMappingRule (New-VBRViNetworkMappingRule)
-- Server
-- ProductionNetwork
-- IsolatedNetworkName
-- VLANID

NetworkOptions (New-VBRViVirtualLabNetworkOptions)
-- NetworkMappingRule (New-VBRViNetworkMappingRule)
---- Server
---- ProductionNetwork
---- IsolatedNetworkName
---- VLANID
-- IPAddress
-- SubnetMask
-- MasqueradeIPAddress
-- DNSServer
-- EnableDHCP

[dbr]

Hi Joe,

Regarding the main issue: I don't know exactly what caused the issue, but I edited your script to fit my needs and could get the lab creation working. Nice Work. Thanks a lot again!

[dbr]

@jhoughes

Today I tried to run my modified script to create the lab again. But it doesn't work anymore. The only difference I see is that meanwhile I upgraded to VBR11 and I know Veeam powershell has been switched from snapin to module. I'm sure that this script worked before, I modified it neither after running it once nor after upgrading to VBR11 . Can you please try to create a virtual lab with your script within a VBR11 environment? Sure, it can also be a change in VMware environment, but as I know there wasn't one and I just want to rule out that this issue is related to the VBR upgrade and changes in Veeam powershell.

Error message:

Code: Select all

Add-VBRViAdvancedVirtualLab : Cannot resolve provided network for proxy appliance.
At C:\Scripts\virtuallab\Untitled99.ps1:82 char:15
+ ... irtualLab = Add-VBRViAdvancedVirtualLab -Server $DestinationServer -N ...
+                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidOperation: (:) [Add-VBRViAdvancedVirtualLab], Exception
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ErrorSetProxyApplianceOptions,Veeam.Backup.PowerShell.Cmdlets.AddVBRViAdvancedVirtualLab

I found this in the powershell logs:

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[17.03.2021 16:31:35] <18> Warning      There are no valid port groups for host host-686929
[17.03.2021 16:31:35] <18> Error        Cannot resolve production network for <removed for privacy>.
[17.03.2021 16:31:35] <18> Error        There are no valid port groups for host host-686929 (System.Exception)
[17.03.2021 16:31:35] <18> Error           at Veeam.Backup.Core.CNetworkFinder.GetDefaultPortGroup(ISoapConnectionBase conn, String hostRef)
[17.03.2021 16:31:35] <18> Error           at Veeam.Backup.SureBackup.CProxyApplianceConnectionToProductionNetworkOptionsResolver.Resolve()
[17.03.2021 16:31:35] <18> Info         Validating VMware server '<removed for privacy>' (ID: '<removed for privacy>').
[17.03.2021 16:31:36] <18> Warning      [Soap] GetManagementServerIp call is valid only for standalone ESX with API version 2.5 or grater.

ESX-Host is running version 6.7.0, build 17098360.

Thanks in advance,
Daniel

PS: There's a typo in the error message: "ESX with API version 2.5 or grater."

[dbr]

Even though powershell is not covered by support policy, I was able to create a support case: 04712560.

PS: You can ignore the warning ...GetManagementServerIp..., it was in the logs prior to update to VBR 11, too.

[oleg.feoktistov]

Hi Daniel,

It rather looks like infrastructure-related issue to me. Have you tried to create a lab with the same configs through UI to see if it works?

Thanks,
Oleg

[dbr]

Yes, I did. It works without issues. Even though neither the VMware infrastructure nor the scripts have change since before upgrading to VBR 11, I will check my script step by step to see whether a variable is not set correctly or anything else. I will come back with my findings afterwards.

Thanks, Daniel.

[dbr]

Hi Oleg,

to rule out any other changes I installed a fresh VBR10 environment, no server no jobs, just an empty installation with a connection to our VMware environment only. My script works perfectly and the virtual lab has been created. After upgrade to VBR11 I removed the "add-pssnapin veeampssnapin" command because of the switch from snapin to modules. I ran the script again and the error occurs. Support said if it works via the gui, then it is probably related to the script. How can it be related to the script if nothing (except add-pssnapin) has changed? As above, Powershell logs say there are no valid ports groups. We only use standard switches instead of dvs ones, but that shouldn't matter because I'm able to the lab via gui. Any further ideas?

Daniel

[jhoughes]

I only use DVS so haven't tested VSS, but I'll try to get to it in my lab later to confirm on v11.

[dbr]

Hi Joe,

Were you able to check with standard switches? Meanwhile I tested with vCenter version 7.0.1 build 17491160 and another destination esx host with version 6.5.0 build 17167537 with no success.

Daniel

[oleg.feoktistov]

Hi Daniel,

I've managed to duly test clean installation of the virtual lab with all the parameters you used in the environment with vCenter v6.5 and destination Esxi v6.5. I could create the lab with the same parameters from both the UI and Powershell. I also checked the backend code for "Cannot resolve provided network for proxy appliance." error. The logic behind that is clear - we search for the first occurrence of a network specified in New-VBRViVirtualLabProxyAppliance cmdlet in an array of all networks received from vCenter/Esxi to revalidate that the production network you want to connect your proxy to exists. If we don't find one, we exit with the exception you see. I'd suggest to keep working with the support and also share the updates here.

Thanks,
Oleg

[dbr]

Hi Oleg,

thanks for investigating. I'm still in contact with tier 2 support and we will have a session tomorrow. I will come back with the findings here.

Daniel

[oleg.feoktistov]

Hi Daniel,

Thanks. I’ll also keep tracking your case from product management side.

Best regards,
Oleg

[dbr]

We were able to find the root cause. First, the logic regarding networks when creating labs has changed in VBR11. In VBR10 no checks are made and it just creates the lab with the parameters provided. Second, the error "Cannot resolve provided network for proxy appliance." was more a subsequent issue. As logged in the PowerShell log it cannot find the default port group, so it wouldn't even check for existence of the provided proxy appliance production network. The default port group is the port group with vlan id 0. And that's the point: Even if one provides a production network when creating the appliance object with New-VBRViVirtualLabProxyAppliance, it checks for a default port group. Checking for a default port group is intended in case the parameter "-Network" is omitted. The check for the default port group shouldn't be neccessary if a production network is provided when creating the appliance object.

Workaround: Configure a dummy virtual machine port group with vlan id 0 on your esx host.

Maybe R&D could adjust the logic in order to be able to create labs on esx hosts without a virtual machine port group with vlan id 0.

[oleg.feoktistov]

Hi Daniel,

I've analysed your case and brought this question up with Devs/QA. I'll keep you posted on the outcome of our discussion.

Thanks,
Oleg

[oleg.feoktistov]

This is confirmed as a bug. The fix is scheduled for the next product version. Thanks!

[Leo0601]

Hi Experts,

Virtual lab is not created through PowerShell for Veeam 10. I am getting the below error while creating a virtual lab through PowerShell in vSphere 7.0.

Add-VBRViSimpleVirtualLab : Failed to add virtual lab. Specify both NetworkMappingRule and NetworkOptions parameters.

Below is my powershell code.

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$Server = Get-VBRServer -Name "ESXiIP"
$DatastoreName = (Find-VBRViDatastore -Server $Server | select Name, Freespace -Unique| Sort-Object -Descending -Property  FreeSpace | select -First 1).Name
$Datastore = Find-VBRViDatastore -Server $Server -Name $DatastoreName 
$Network = Get-VBRViServerNetworkInfo -Server $Server | Where-Object {$_.NetworkName -eq "VMNetwork(o)VLAN10-DepondsOnYourNetwork"}
$Appliance = New-VBRViVirtualLabProxyAppliance -Server $Server -Datastore $Datastore -Network $Network -ObtainIPAutomatically -ObtainDNSAutomatically -Name ProxyApplianceName
Add-VBRViSimpleVirtualLab -Server $Server -CacheDatastore $Datastore -Name VirtualLabName -ProxyAppliance $Appliance

Can someone please help to fix it.

I am looking forward to hear from you.

[Leo0601]

Can anyone help me to fix this issue please ?