Surebackup Job + Predefined scripts

[Stabz]

Hello,

Just a quick question to use predefined test scripts in a Surebackup Job.
If I want to use the DNS, Domain Controler scripts,is that a prerequisites to enable Guest Application Processing in the backup job?

[Mildur]

Hi Philippe

No, the should work also without AAIP.
For DNS and domain controllers, the predefined tests only check if the application-specific port provides a response.

What can happen, is that without AAIP, the domain controller may have problems starting up the domain services.

Thanks
Fabian

[Stabz]

Hi Mildur,
Hmm that's what i thought but I m encoutering to an issue when I try to test my DC in an Application with this tests.

Without AAIP, the VM starts and the Surebackup block at this point, the vm is not stuck, I can use it through my vCenter, after the period of time to start the VM in the Virtual lab the job fail with the error at the Powering On.

With AAIP the Surebackup finishes without any problem...

[Andreas Neufert]

When it fails, did you checked the DNS, DC and GlobalCatalog test within the SureBackup Job or Application Group for the VM that you test? The reason why I am asking is the following. Domain Controllers might take longer to start than usual VMs, specifically if their DNS setting does not point to themselves. The default wait until the operating systems is started together with the VMware Tools within the VM takes longer and might run into the timeout within the Veeam SureBackup Job. In the SureBackup Job or the Application Group you can increase the wait time for boot, maybe it helps. It is as well very important that you do not touch the console of the VM while the SureBackup job starts as this can interrupt the boot processing. With Active Directoy in AAIP mode we will boot multiple times to set the non authorative restore mode.

[Regnor]

I also remember seeing problems in Surebackup when the domain controller was only backed up crash-consistent without application aware processing.
Normally, with AAP enabled, the DC will boot in safe-mode and, depending on the selection in the application group, Veeam will reboot it in authoritative/non-authoritative mode.
Perhaps for crash-consistent backups Veeam doesn't detect the domain controller role or can't connect to the VM.

[Stabz]

To recap
Without AAP:
- Application Group : Test DNS, DC, Global Catalog scripts= Failed after 35min (time define in the startup option), the vm boot but nothing happens
- Application Group : Without test scripts = everything is ok

With AAP:
- Application Group : Test DNS, DC, Global Catalog scripts = everything is ok

As Regnor said without AAP Veeam doesn't seem to detect the role on the server.

[Mildur]

Application Group : Test DNS, DC, Global Catalog scripts= Failed after 35min (time define in the startup option), the vm boot but nothing happens

Can you do a manual restore test (instant vm recovery to an isolated network) and see, if the domain services are running and if the Active Directory Users and Computers console can be opened and the domain objects are visible? If it fails in the sure backup job, it will also fail when you have to do a restore of your production environment.

[Andreas Neufert]

The DNS, DC and GC tests are port (ping similar) tests from the outside of the VM over network.
But the above shared error message failed on another level before the service tests were done.
Veeam identifies if a VM was started in the lab, by checking if the VMware tools were visible over the vcenter.
Only if this happened we start the PING test and then the application tests.

In you environment without AAIP backups something broke within the VM, so that the VM does not fully start with the VMware tools registered at the vcenter.
I think SureBackup does exactly it´s job and show you that in this scenario the VM would not start correctly.

You can check with the "whout AAIP" why the Vmware Tools were not started. Check as well vcenter if it is registered there as started correctly (VMware Tools from the VM).

[Stabz]

Hello,

Without APP the VMware tools and ping tests work perfectly.

I ll try to test it again but this time on my lab.

[Regnor]

Just came across this error and thought it would be worth sharing it here:

Error: Results: unable to perform Domain Controller restore from a crash-consistent backup. Be sure application-aware processing is enabled in the backup job settings

[Stabz]

Hello Regnor,

thanks for your feedback. That's confirm my thoughts