Virtual Appliance (SAN) mode backup failing

[jmacdaddy]

Our environment:
Dell PowerEdge 2900 III Server
vSphere 4.0 Update 1 (Enterprise Plus)
Dell PowerVault MD3000i iSCSI SAN
Veeam Backup 4.0 installed on a Windows 2003 Standard SP2 R2 virtual machine
host and storage vMotion both work fine

If I try to execute a SAN mode backup job I get the following error:

Backing up file "[MYORG-VMFS1] MYORG-DC1/MYORG-DC1-flat.vmdk" Unable to establish direct connection to the shared storage (SAN). Please ensure that: - HBA is properly installed in the Veeam Backup server computer, or software iSCSI initiator is configured correctly. - SAN volume can be seen by operating system in the Windows Disk Management snap-in on the Veeam Backup server. - Read access is allowed for the Veeam Backup server computer on the corresponding LUN (refer to your SAN documentation). BackupDisk failed Client error: Failed to open VDDK disk [[MYORG-VMFS1] MYORG-DC1/MYORG-DC1.vmdk] ( is read-only mode - [true] ) Failed to open VMDK. Logon attempt with parameters [VC/ESX: [MYORG-vc1.myorg.local];Port: 443;Login: [myorg\itmanager];VMX Spec: [moref=vm-1620];Snapshot mor: [snapshot-8263];Transports: [san]] failed because of the following errors: Server error: End of file

The ESX host servers have been secured according to the VMWare document www.vmware.com/files/pdf/vi35_security_hardening_wp.pdf.

Yes, I realize this is a 3.5 document, but a hardening doc for 4.0 has yet to be released.

Any ideas?

[Gostev]

Hello, "Virtual Appliance" and "SAN" modes are two different modes. Which one exactly are you using?

For "SAN" mode to work, ensure you can see VMFS volumes in Windows Disk Management snap-in in your Veeam Backup VM, if you do not see those - you do not have storage attached correctly to your VM. Also, please review Known Issues section from Release Notes document around using SAN mode from within VM - it can cause BSOD if you are not using Windows 2008 or later for your Veeam Backup VM.

As for "Virtual Appliance" mode, it should work out of box in your scenario with no extra settings required - if you have VMware license that allows for iSCSI Hot Add.

Hope this helps!

[jmacdaddy]

"As for "Virtual Appliance" mode, it should work out of box in your scenario with no extra settings required - if you have VMware license that allows for iSCSI Hot Add."

Could you expand on this? Does this mean that I setup a backup job and select network mode? If so, will I still be subject to the 30MB/sec backup rate limit due to the well known ESX 4.0 Service Console issue.

[Gostev]

If you want to use the Virtual Applicance mode, you should select the vStorage API : Virtual Applicance mode in the job's settings.

For all information about Virtual Applicance mode please refer to the corresponding thread:
vStorage API in Virtual Applicance mode

[eric]

You should read thread Virtual Appliance mode leaving Snapshots before using the Virtual Appliance Mode...

If you want to use the Virtual Applicance mode, you should select the vStorage API : Virtual Applicance mode in the job's settings.

For all information about Virtual Applicance mode please refer to the corresponding thread:
vStorage API in Virtual Applicance mode

[jmacdaddy]

Ok. I am pretty embarrassed that I never noticed the Virtual Appliance option in the drop down list. I have tested a job and it works.

Eric - thank you for the warning... I will keep an on the snapshots to make sure they are getting deleted correctly.

[Gostev]

I suggest you simply get a hot fix from support and apply it instead of taking chances