IT33502: BACKUP OF THE VM HOSTING THE VCENTER FAILS AND RESULTS IN A TIME OUT MESSAGE IN THE DSMERROR.LOG

APAR status

• Closed as documentation error.

Error description

• Attempting to backup the VM hosting the vcenter results in a
  small delay that then causes a timeout and the client to report
  an error with the backup attempt, even when the snapshot is
  successfully created. There is no doccumentation that states
  this is not best practice or how to work around the issue.
  
  Customer/L2 Diagnostics:
  - Review the dsmsched.log file for the Datamover node, other
  backups generally complete successfully but the Vcetner VM fails
  and depending on configuration will attempt to request a
  snapshot for this VM multiple times.
  Example:
  
  07/20/2020 08:40:43 ANS4066I Snapshot operation attempt 1 of 2
  for the guest virtual machine 'VcenterVM1' failed using "VMware
  Tools" snapshot.
  Reattempting snapshot with "VMware Tools" snapshot.
  07/20/2020 08:40:51 ANS2345W The virtual machine named
  'VcenterVM1' was found to have an old snapshot 'TSM-VM Snapshot
  Mon Jul 20 08:40:35 2020'. A command was sent to the vCenter to
  remove it.
  
  - Check dsmerror.log file for the SOAP messages
  example:
  07/20/2020 08:41:05 ANS9365E VMware vStorage API error for
  virtual machine 'VcenterVM1'.
  IBM Spectrum Protect function name : RetrievePropertiesEx
  IBM Spectrum Protect file          : ..\..\common\vm\vmvisdk.cpp
  (5011)
  API return code   : -1
  API error message : Error -1 fault: SOAP-ENV:Client[no subcode]
  "End of file or no input: Operation interrupted or timed out
  (1200 s recv delay) (1200 s send delay)"
  Detail: [no detail]
  
  - Check the vmware.log file for the VM to confirm the snapshot
  or snapshots are being created successfully when requested even
  when the backup reports it failed or timed out.
  
  
  Tivoli Storage Manager Versions Affected:
  All supported 7.1 8.1
  
  
  Additional Keywords:
  SPVE;TSMVE;SOAP;backup vm
  

Local fix

• 1. Reduce load on the Vcenter or add more system resources to
  ensure there is as little delay as possible in servicing the
  backup request.
  2. Try backing up the VM by connecting directly to the esx host
  and not via the vcenter. This connects to the ESX host directly
  to remove the delay and allow the backup to work.
  example:
  dsmc  backup VM VcenterVM1 -mode=iffull  -vmchost=<esxi ip or
  fqdn> -vmcuser=root -vmcpw=<pwd of root>
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * IBM Spectrum Protect - Data Protection for Virtual           *
  * Environments v8.1.x.                                         *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * Attempting to backup the VM hosting the vcenter results in a *
  * small delay that then causes a timeout and the client to     *
  * report an error with the backup attempt, even when the       *
  * snapshot is successfully created. There is no documentation  *
  * that states this is not best practice or how to work around  *
  * the issue.                                                   *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  * Apply fixing level when available. This issue is projected   *
  * to be worked around in the 8.1.11 update to the Spectrum     *
  * Protect for Virtual Environments: Data Protection for VMware *
  * by supplying best practice recommendations in the User's     *
  * Guide and Knowledge Center. This is located at               *
  * https://www-03preprod.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSERB6 *
  * _8.1.11/ve.user/t_ve_vsph_backupguitsm.html.                 *
  * Note that this is subject to change at the discretion of     *
  * IBM.                                                         *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• The corrected information is published with the next current
  release (8.1.11) of the Spectrum Protect: Data Protection for
  Virtual Environments documentation and included in the V8.1
  Documentation Updates tech note. The correction is located in
  the topic "Backing up virtual machine data to IBM Spectrum
  Protect".
  

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

Applicable component levels