IT22356: VMWARE BACKUP OF VM WITH SESPARSE DISKS SUCCESSFUL BUT CREATES A BACKUP IMAGE WITH EMPTY GUEST DISKS

Download Information: Version 8.1.4 IBM Spectrum Protectâ„¢ for Virtual Environments

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• A 'BACKUP VM' of a VMware guest running with disks that are in
  SEsparse format will complete successfully without any error or
  warning but will generate a backup image on the server that has
  empty disks.
  The backup of that type of guest is not supported and needs to
  be documented.
  Also, the 'BACKUP VM' process should stop and issue a message
  explaining the reason.
  Independently from the vmdk format, the VMware snapshot
  mechanism will use SEsparse format as SEsparse is a default
  format for all delta disks on the VMFS6 datastores. On VMFS5,
  SEsparse is used for virtual disks of the size 2 TB and larger.
  The fact that SEsparse format is used for snapshots does not
  affect VM backups.
  
  IBM Spectrum Protect Versions Affected:
  IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments - Data Protection
  for VMware on Windows and Linux for all supported versions
  
  Initial Impact: Medium
  
  Additional Keywords: tsm4ve tdp4ve sparse
  

Local fix

• Do not use guests with vmdk disks in SEsparse format.
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * Data Protection for VMware version 6.3, 6.4, 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 8.1.4 on Windows x64 and Linux *
  * x86 platforms.                                               *
  * Note 1: This is subject to change at the discretion of IBM.  *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• If an unknown disk is found the backup now fails.
  

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

• Fixed component name

  TSM FOR VE DP V

• Fixed component ID

  5725TVEVM

Applicable component levels

• R81W PSY

     UP

• R81L PSY

     UP