IT24697: BACKUP FAILS WITH "FAILED TO CREATE A SNAPSHOT OF VOLUME SPP_NNNNN_MMMM_X__Y_ZZ_VSNAP ON SERVER <VSNAP SERVER>"

Download Information: Version 10.1.2.x IBM Spectrum Protectâ„¢ Plus

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• The backup of a virtual machine fails with the following error
  in the joblog:
  Failed to create a snapshot of volume
  spp_nnnnn_mmmm_x__y_zz_vsnap on server <vsnap server>
  
  The vSnap server can be a 'localhost' in the case the integrated
  vSnap is used or an external vSnap server.
  
  IBM Spectrum Protect Versions Affected:
  IBM Spectrum Protect Plus 10.1.x
  
  Customer/L2 Diagnostics:
  Review the vSnap logs
  
  vsnap.zfs    Adding new snapshot named spp_nnnnn_mmmm_x__y_zz
     for volume id 1
  vsnap.linux.system    Executing command: sudo -n zfs snapshot
     vpool1/ln1@snap9
  vsnap.linux.system    Return code 1: sudo -n zfs snapshot
     vpool1/ln1@snap9
  vsnap.linux.system    Ouput: ["cannot create snapshot
     'vpool1/ln1@snap9': dataset already exists"]
  vsnap.api    Traceback (most recent call last):
    File "/src/workspace/vsnap/zfs.py", line 1327, in add_snapshot
    File "/src/workspace/vsnap/linux/system.py", line 201, in
      run_shell_command
  vsnap.common.errors.CommandFailureError: Command failed: cannot
     create snapshot 'vpool1/ln1@snap9': dataset already exists
  ...
  vsnap.api    API request failed with internal server error
  
  This APAR applies when the snapshot can not be created because
  it already exists with the same name.
  
  Initial Impact: Medium
  
  Additional Keywords: SPP, SPPlus
  

Local fix

• 1. Run "zfs destroy <zfs volume>" to delete that particular
  volume (for example, considering the volume in above extract the
   command would be "zfs destroy vpool1/ln1@snap9")
    The destroy command will only remove the impacted snapshot.
    Removing the wrong snapshot makes the related guest backup(s)
  unrecoverable.
  2. Try the backup again
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * IBM Spectrum Protect Plus levels 10.1.0. * and 10.1.1.*      *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * See ERROR DESCRIPTION                                        *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  * Apply fixing level when available. This problem is currently *
  * fixed in level 10.1.2 and higher.                            *
  * Note that this is subject to change at the discretion of IBM.*
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• The problem occurs when a previous snapshot creation fails on
  vSnap and a subsequent run of the job attempts to create the
  snapshot again. There may be a partially created snapshot left
  behind from the previous attempt whose name conflicts with the
  new attempt and thus prevents the new snapshot from being
  created.
  

Temporary fix

• The partially created snapshot can be manually deleted using
  command 'zfs destroy <pool>/<vol>@<snap>' on the vSnap server.
  Values of <pool>, <vol> and <snap> can be determined from the
  vSnap logs which will show a message indicating: "cannot create
  snapshot '<pool>/<vol>@<snap>': dataset already exists."
  

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

•    VSNAP
  

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  SP PLUS

• Fixed component ID

  5737SPLUS

Applicable component levels