Vmware Tools Version status on replicas

[rolandk]

Hi,

all the VMs i`m replicating have up to date Vmware Tools.

But, for the replica VMs, in "Virtual Machines" Tab i see something i cannot interpret - for some of the replica VMs the tools are outdated, for some they are not installed and for some they are recent.

None of the replica VMs were started at any time, so i`m wondering what this means - why do the Vmware Tools status information differ when all tools of the original VMs are up to date - and how can Vsphere get status of that tools at all, since none of the VMs was ever running ?

regards
Roland

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Roland,

vCenter Server retrieves VMware Tools status via Managed Object Browser (MOB), so this is the first place I would recommend looking at. What is VMware Tools state for recent VM replicas? Is it the same or different like you've described? How often do you run your replication jobs?

Thanks!

[rolandk]

>vCenter Server retrieves VMware Tools status via Managed Object Browser (MOB), so this is the first place I would recommend looking at.

you mean, vcenter server or they gui may lie about the tools status ?
i never used MOB, i need to get a clue how to use it...

>What is VMware Tools state for recent VM replicas?
Is it the same or different like you've described?

the tools state is "not running", which makes perfectly sense for replicas.
What does NOT make sense is the fact, that the tools version of the replicas mostly differ from the tools version of the running VMs they are replicated from. so let`s say "VM A" has tools up to date - so why does "VM A_replica" has outdated tools ?

> How often do you run your replication jobs?

once every day.

[Vitaliy S.]

you mean, vcenter server or they gui may lie about the tools status ?

Neither nor... I was just trying to say that vCenter Server could have replicated the info from the source VM to the target one, but for some reason didn't update Tools status in MOB, it is just my guess. Let me talk to our QC team tomorrow on what behavior should be observed in this case.

[hans_lenze]

What's the ESXi build number on your production site and what's the ESXi build number on the DR site?

If there's a difference in the patch level of both sites, this message is expected.
I'd guess that the ESXi hosts in the DR site have a higher build number.

[rolandk]

>I'd guess that the ESXi hosts in the DR site have a higher build number.

wrong guess - build numbers are the same.

[veremin]

Then, it might be a perfect time to open ticket with our support team and let them investigate it directly, since we seem to have run out the ideas. Thanks.

[hans_lenze]

Are your tools the same as well?

Here's how to check:

Code: Select all

esxcli --formatter=csv --format-param=fields="Name,Version" software vib get -n tools-light

source: http://blogs.vmware.com/vsphere/2013/10 ... ative.html

[jasona111]

Hi,

I have a replication job using Veeam v7 upd 4 that runs daily... But the VMWare Tools Version Status shows three different options, Not Installed, Current, upgrade Available.. All the original source machines are running current VMTools and Hardware...

Can someone explain why this happens... I'm imagine VMWare isn't getting updated information as the VM isn't run, and is reporting the last known status of that VM

[Vitaliy S.]

Do you have the same version/build number of ESXi host in the source and in the target location?

[jasona111]

Yes sir I do...

Build 1892794

[Vitaliy S.]

Hmm... did you ever power on the VMs that have different status? Also is there anything in common between the replicated VMs that have the same status?

[juanmachado]

Did you ever find a solution for this? We are having this issue now. Thanks.

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Juan, that's a pretty old thread, but thanks for finding it and raising your questions over here. Can you please tell us if all replicas are affected? What is the vSphere version? And when did you start seeing it?

[juanmachado]

Yes, all replicas.
Started noticing it because our Vmware Skyline Advisor alerted us about the vulnerable vmtools versions on all the replicas.

I have a ticket opened with Veeam now (Case #04974244)

- Source VMs are running the latest version of vmtools.
- As soon as a VM is replicated to our DR site, each VM has this warning: "Unsupported older version
Upgrade or reinstall VMware Tools. This version is not supported with the existing host. "
- We get out of scope alerts from our Vmware Skyline Advisor system:
Finding ID: vSphere-VMToolsCVE20203941-VMSA#202002
Type: Security
Description: VMware Tools workaround addresses a local privilege escalation vulnerability (CVE-2020-3941).

All VMs alert as:
"VM xxx_rep has Tools Version which is at risk of CVE-2020-3941

I have tested and reproduced the behavior. If I turn the replica ON, the vm status changes from " Unsupported older version Upgrade or reinstall VMware Tools. This version is not supported with the existing host." to "Current
VMware Tools is installed and the version is current".
As soon as a new replica occurs, the tools go back to "unsupported versions".

[PetrM]

Hi Juan,

I'm pretty sure that the same behavior can be reproduced even without Veeam. For example, do you experience the same problem if you register a new VM on DR site using .vmx of the original VM from Production site? I advice that you don't experiment with production workloads but you could take some test VM instead.

Thanks!

[juanmachado]

So is it an expected behavior ?

[PetrM]

No, I don't think so, it looks like a technical issue which must be investigated, I just shared an idea for finding a cause. Anyway, our support team will be able to narrow down the issue.

Thanks!

[gpa@glenstal.com]

Is there any update on this? I notice that when a new replica is created by VBR that there are NO VMware Tools installed "Lifecycle Manager cannot perform an initial installation" - this is surely a problem?

[PetrM]

Hi Greg,

Not sure that I've got what the problem is, a new replica represents an exact copy of the original VM. I recommend to let our support team to look deeper into it over the remote session and debug logs analysis.

Thanks!

[gpa@glenstal.com]

I followed up with Support. The issue is really down to how the interface reports it. It would appear that there is no VM Tools installed, however if you go to the bother of doing a failover it turns out that VM Tools IS installed. I guess you just have to "keep the faith"