IT43280: 'INSUFFICIENT SPACE ON DATASTORE' MESSAGE ON BACKUP OF VMWARE GUEST WITH MANY OR BIG RDM OR INDEPENDENT DISKS

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• Protection of a VMware guest that has many or big disks of type
  RDM (Raw Device Mapping) or independent can fail with the
  message :
  ERROR .. Unprotected VM:  <VMName>.
   Last error:
      [There is not enough free space on the volume/datastore
       <DatastoreName> to take a snapshot for VM <VMName>.
       Free more space or change the global setting Used space
       threshold on datastore or a volume before backup cannot
       take snapshots of a VM (percentage).
       Datastore space usage 98%, global snapshot threshold 95%]
  
  Guests disks of type RDM or independent are automatically
  excluded from VMware snapshots but IBM Spectrum Protect Plus
  incorrectly includes the sizes of these disks when calculating
  if there is sufficient remaining space on the datastore to hold
  the VM snapshot during the backup process.
  When the total calculated is above the 95% threshold, the backup
  is stopped.
  
  IBM Spectrum Protect Plus Versions Affected:
  IBM Spectrum Protect Plus 10.1.x
  
  Additional Keywords: SPP, SPPLUS, TS012156901, limit, size,
                       space
  

Local fix

• Individually select the guest disks to protect instead of
  associating the whole VM to the SLA.
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * IBM Spectrum Protect Plus level 10.1.x                       *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * See ERROR DESCRIPTION                                        *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  * Apply fixing level when available. This problem is currently *
  * projected to be fixed in IBM Spectrum Protect Plus level     *
  * 10.1.15. Note that this is subject to change at the          *
  * discretion of IBM                                            *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• This problem has been fixed so that IBM Spectrum Protect Plus
  excludes RDM or independent disk from VMware datastore available
  space calculation.
  

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:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  SP PLUS

• Fixed component ID

  5737SPLUS

Applicable component levels