IT28020: BACKUP VM USING SAN TRANSPORT FAILS WHEN DISK SIZE IS NOT A MULTIPLE OF 1 MB

APAR status

• Closed as change to accomodate OEM Vendor's code.

Error description

• The backup of a VM disk fails when the disk size is not a
  multiple of 1 MB with the following error message:
  
  ANS4174E Full VM backup of VMware Virtual Machine 'vmname'
  failed with RC=-1 mode=Incremental Forever - Full, target node
  name='dc_node', data mover node name='dm_node'
  
  ANS1228E Sending of object 'vmname' failed.
  ANS5283E The operation was unsuccessful.
  
  ANS9365E VMware vStorage API error for virtual machine 'vmname'.
  IBM Spectrum Protect function name : RetrievePropertiesEx
  IBM Spectrum Protect file          : ..\..\common\vm\vmvisdk.cpp
  (4944)
  API return code   : 12
  API error message : SOAP 1.1 fault: "":ServerFaultCode[no
  subcode]
  "The object has already been deleted or has not been completely
  created"
  Detail:
  
  This issue is only seen when the transport method used is SAN.
  
  Customer/L2 Diagnostics
  Review a client trace created using traceflag 'service'.
  
  20-12-2018 13:45:37.361 [069032] [54044] :
  ..\..\common\vm\vmvddksdk.cpp(1329): 2018-12-20T13:45:37.361Z
  verbose -[54044] [Originator@6876 sub=Default] Fetching large
  block map: (3408486043648 out of 3231856564224 bytes mapped).
  
  It can be seen in the trace the disk size is not a multiple of 1
  MB:
  
  3231856564224/1024/1024 = 3082138,599609375 MB
  
  See also VMware KB: https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/66936
  
  IBM Spectrum Protect Versions Affected:
  All supported version of IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual
  Environments - Data Protection for VMware.
  
  Initial Impact: Low
  
  Additional Keywords: TSM, "Tivoli Storage Manager", TDP4VE,
  TS001638464
  

Local fix

• There are 2 local fixes possible:
  - Run the backup using another transport method.
  - Resize the disk to a multiple of 1 MB and run the backup
  again. This requires a reboot of the VM.
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments Data           *
  * Protection for VMware versions 7.1 and  8.1 running on all   *
  * Microsoft Windows x64 and Linux x86 platforms.               *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * See ERROR DESCRIPTION                                        *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  * This issue is projected to be fixed in the Data Protection   *
  * for VMware Data Mover version 8.1.8 on Windows x64 and Linux *
  * x86 platforms.                                               *
  * Note 1: This is subject to change at the discretion of IBM.  *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• The issue is due to a restriction in Vmware VDDK
  https://kb.vmware.com/kb/66936.
  An error is now reported during backup of a vm with disk sizes
  that are not multiple of 1MB .
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Modules/Macros

• dsmagent
  

Fix information

Applicable component levels