Quiesce fail on Windows Server 2019

[lazman]

Hello,
i have esxi 6.7u1 and veeam B&R 9.5 u4

I'm doing tests with standard Windows Server 2019.
If I try to take a snapshot of the 2019 VM, select: Quiesce guest file system (needs VMware Tools installed).
It gives me an error and does not take the snapshot. I have installed the VMware tools 10.3.10.

I asked VMware for assistance and one of their technicians removed the VMware tools part called "Volume Shadow Copy support". Showing me what time the VM quiesce is now.

My question is:
If veeam needs the VMware tools to temporarily install its "agent" when backing up, and then remove it once the backup is finished, how can I tell if the backup is consistent? I don't want my servers backing up by turning off the power.

Thank you

[Gostev]

Hello! Partly because of the numerous issues with VMware Tools quiescence (especially in early days), Veeam offers a proprietary engine to ensure backup consistency, which is called "application-aware processing". If you enable application-aware processing in the job settings, and make sure you have the option "Require successfull processing" selected, you can be sure your backup is consistent (as otherwise, VM processing will simply fail). Thanks!

[blanchet]

There is a workaround to use VMware Tools quiescing with Windows Server 2019.
https://communities.vmware.com/thread/605519

The problem comes from the GPT partition table and the hidden partition recovery. When removing this partition, snapshot with quiescing works correctly.

Procedure

• Backup the vm with VeeamZip (in case you do a mistake)

• Delete the hidden recovery partition with diskpart (this recovery partition is useless because you already have Veeam to recover the vm)

  Code: Select all

  diskpart
  
  select disk 0
  select partition 1
  delete partition override
  exit
  

• Reboot the vm to check that everything is ok

  Code: Select all

  shutdown /r /t 0

• Create a Veeam backup job with VMware quiescing enabled

• Run the backup job, and check that everything works as expected

This procedure has been validated on the following virtual infrastructure

• VMware ESXi, 6.7.0, 13006603

• Veeam Backup & Replication 9.5u4

• Windows Server 2019 v1809

[zchladek]

Thank You for the hint. I had same problem and now after that I have destroyed the RecoveryPartition I can use ''Quiesence" .
Perfect discovery boy!

Regards Z.CH.

[lazman]

Thank You!

[jessie0]

Hello Gostev,

Two questions please.

1. How do I verify the integrity if data backed up after
selecting both the "application-aware processing" and "quiescence"
options for windows and Linux virtual machines respectively?

2. How does the above work for windows and Linux physical servers?

Thanks.

[wishr]

Hi Jessie,

You may use SureBackup to verify data and applications recoverability.

As for the second question, you cannot use both options at the same time. AAIP only works for applications supporting Microsoft VSS, so it's not suitable for Linux VMs. For more info, please refer to the respective UG sections: AAIP, VMware Tools Quiescence.

Physical machines are being processed by Veeam Agents that. Please check that info for details on Agents centrally managed by backup server: Windows, Linux.

If your applications do are not supported by VSS/VMware Tools Quiescence you may use scripts to prepare the apps for backup - this works for both VMs and physical machines.

Thanks