SureBackup a VM with old VMware Tools installed

[pcbona]

We want to verify our proxy server that is a locked down appliance running centOS underneath. We cannot install VMware tools on this box and the manufacurer included some type of tools in the OVA file.

Another VM:
Compatibility: ESXi 6.5 and later (VM version 13)
VMware Tools: Running, version:10287 (Current)

Proxy VM:
Compatibility: ESXi 6.5 and later (VM version 13)
VMware Tools: Running, version:2147483647 (Guest Managed)
Version Status: The VMware Tools status is unknown A VMware Tools implementation is installed on the guest operating system, but it is not managed by VMware.

If we boot up the VM in our SureBackup job, everything is OK. I can ping the VM from the Veeam Backup server with the masqueraded IP and if i click on the VM in the SureBackup log, it connects to the gui after i authorized myself. The SureBackup Job fails at this VM with the reason: Error: Results: OS did not boot in the allotted time. I disabled VM heartbeat and VM responds to ping in the startup options for this VM. This does not have any effect on the error. In the detailed Log, i can find following:

Code: Select all

[11.05.2018 11:35:43] <01> Info     [SureBackup] [SRVMWBWF01] [PowerOnVm] [StableIp] > SmartDetect = True
[11.05.2018 11:35:43] <01> Info     [SureBackup] [SRVMWBWF01] [PowerOnVm] [StableIp] Waiting for IP-address during 900 second(s)
[11.05.2018 11:35:43] <01> Info     [SureBackup] [SRVMWBWF01] [PowerOnVm] [StableIp] ==========================================================================================================================================================================
[11.05.2018 11:35:43] <01> Info     [SureBackup] [SRVMWBWF01] [PowerOnVm] [StableIp] | VM                                          | VM IP           | Real IP         | Device ID   | Power State | VM State   | Tools Status | Version Status | Heartbeat |
[11.05.2018 11:35:43] <01> Info     [SureBackup] [SRVMWBWF01] [PowerOnVm] [StableIp] ==========================================================================================================================================================================
[11.05.2018 11:35:43] <01> Info     [SureBackup] [SRVMWBWF01] [PowerOnVm] [StableIp] | SRVMWBWF01_1bd9c16fce3a47ff8928e564c85c24e4 | ???.???.???.??? | ???.???.???.??? |           0 | PowerOn     | NotRunning   | NotRunning   | Unmanaged      | Gray      |
[11.05.2018 11:41:42] <01> Info     [SureBackup] [SRVMWBWF01] [PowerOnVm] [StableIp] | SRVMWBWF01_1bd9c16fce3a47ff8928e564c85c24e4 | 172.16.222.91   | 172.16.222.91   |           0 | PowerOn     | Running      | Ok           | Unmanaged      | Gray      |
[11.05.2018 11:42:13] <01> Info     [SureBackup] [SRVMWBWF01] [PowerOnVm] [StableIp] | SRVMWBWF01_1bd9c16fce3a47ff8928e564c85c24e4 | 172.16.222.91   | 172.16.222.91   |           0 | PowerOn     | Running      | Ok           | Unmanaged      | Yellow    |
[11.05.2018 11:42:43] <01> Info     [SureBackup] [SRVMWBWF01] [PowerOnVm] [StableIp] | SRVMWBWF01_1bd9c16fce3a47ff8928e564c85c24e4 | 172.16.222.91   | 172.16.222.91   |           0 | PowerOn     | Running      | Ok           | Unmanaged      | Green     |
[11.05.2018 11:50:48] <01> Info     [SureBackup] [SRVMWBWF01] [PowerOnVm] [StableIp] IP-address hasn't been detected

We mask the IP range 172.16.222.0 to 172.16.221.0 and i can ping the VM 172.16.221.91 while the SureBackup job is running. I can ping the VM after around 10 Minutes, while the maximum allowed boot time has been set to 15 Minutes. Changing that to 30 Minutes didnt change anything. So i my understanding, SureBackup knows the IP of the VM, that it has some sort of VMware tools installed and that the Heartbeat is received.

What is the reason that the verification of this VM is failing? We already got in contact with the manufacturer. But recent support cases with them dont give me much confidence that they will be able to update the VMware tools on their appliance.

[foggy]

The reason is unknown VMware Tools status, since VMware Tools replies to Veeam B&R requests are most likely unexpected. If there were no VMware Tools at all, the test would not be performed and the job wouldn't fail.