Windows 2016 OS Volumes restore

[mandeep.s]

Hi,

I came across an issue in which one of our customers are running exchange 2016 on a Windows Server 2016 VM.

Veeam B&R server in their environment is running on a Win 2012 R2 VM.

They are running veeam v9.5 but when I can't see any of the Refs volumes from the exchange server whenever I perform a FLR.

Also Exchange level restore for that server comes up with error: The volume does not contain a recognized file system.

Are there any settings in veeam tweaking which will help resolve the issue or does the VM on which Veeam Backup and replication server is running needs to be upgraded to win server 2016 as well.

Thanks

[infused]

Just did this myself to test... ouch. Cannot see the volumes. What's the deal here?

Veeam server is 2012 R2. Exchange is 2016 with Exchange 2016 CU4 installed.

[Mike Resseler]

Mandeep, Hayden,

I'm not sure I follow. You (or the customer) is running a windows server 2016 VM with Exchange on it. Veeam B&R is running on a windows 2012 R2 installed. Are you running the exchange data on a ReFS volume? (I assume the binaries are on a NTFS partition as per Microsoft guidance?)

ReFS as a filesystem has been supported for 2012 R2 so I don't see any issue there, the only thing that might be a problem (as far as my logic tells me) is that 2012 R2 cannot read the ReFS version 3.1 since that did not exist in 2012 R2 and has changed quite a bit between 2012 R2 and 2016.

Please log a support call and post the support case here. After that, when support has investigated, please let us know also what the outcome is.

Thanks
Mike

[veremin]

Both the console and the mount server must be installed on machines running Microsoft Windows Server 2016 to restore files from VM disks formatted with ReFS 3.1. Windows 2012 R2 simply does not understand ReFS 3.1 file system, just as the error message says. Thanks!

[mandeep.s]

Mike,

Yes, you followed it correctly. Also I confirmed that the drives that dont show up in FLR in Veeam are formatted with Refs 3.1

Also do I need to log a support case after Vladmir's reply.

Thanks

[infused]

Thanks.

I think we might blow away the 2012 R2 box then and install 2016 and re-import the Veeam config.

[kubimike]

@infused make sure your NICs are supported in 2016 before you do!

[infused]

vmware 6 using vmxnet3 seems to be fine but cheers.

[infused]

Can confirm on a 2016 server all is good now. I can mount the ReFS drives.

[Mike Resseler]

@infused
Thanks for letting us know
@mandeep.s
Could you simply install the console on a windows server 2016 (so not the entire VBR, just the console). Log in from there and do the restore where that server will be the mount server. You probably won't need to upgrade then. And yes, my bad, if you want to restore a 2016 ReFS volume, the console and mount server needs to be 2016 also. As stated in the online help. Not sure why I forgot that for a second

[mandeep.s]

Thanks Mike

[rbradley]

Hi Mandeep,
This does not surprise me as I ran into this with one of my clients 2008R2 Veeam server and exchange was upgraded to 2012R2.
As someone mentioned before Veeam cannot understand the files to restore, but I found an alternative to reinstalling the OS of the Veeam server.

Bear in mind I haven't tested with with 2016 but in my case with Veeam been 2008R2 and exchange on 2012R2, we got this to work by having a 2012R2 server (in our case an IT management TS) with the Veeam 9 console installed.
Restore via the IT 2012R2 server worked and no need to reinstall the Veeam backup server.

In my scenario this client had Citrix/TS and have many engineers work on it so it made sense, but using OS login here it should have also worked on a 8.1 client as well eg an IT staff computer.

If you haven't reinstalled feel free to test for your case, I would love to know just for curiosity sake.
Richard

[mandeep.s]

Hi Richard,

Thank you for sharing this.

I was able to do the restore by installing veeam b&R console on a server running Win 2016 . The actual veeam backup server is still running on Win 2012 R2.

So technically what you said did work.

[LeighM]

This worked for me. I had the same issue. Installing the Console on a Windows 10 VM and doing the Exchange 2016 Restore which was sitting on ReFS volumes worked.

Thank you,