INCLUDE.VMSNAPSHOTATTEMPTS

Supported Clients

This feature is available only if the client operates as a data mover for IBM Spectrum Protect™ for Virtual Environments.

This option can be used with supported Linux clients that are configured to back up VMware virtual machines.

This option can be used with supported Windows clients that are configured to back up VMware virtual machines.

This option can be used with supported Windows clients that are configured to back up VMs on Hyper-V hosts that run on Windows Server 2016 operating systems.

Options File

This option is valid in the client options file (dsm.opt). It can also be included on the server in a client options set. It is not valid on the command line.

Parameters

vmname

A required positional parameter that specifies the name of the virtual machine to attempt the total number of snapshots for, if a backup attempt fails due to snapshot failure. The name is the virtual machine display name.

Only one virtual machine can be specified on each INCLUDE.VMSNAPSHOTATTEMPTS statement. However, to configure the total snapshot attempts for other virtual machines, you can use the following methods:

• For each virtual machine that you want this option to apply to, specify as many INCLUDE.VMSNAPSHOTATTEMPTS statements as needed to reattempt snapshots that failed.
• Use wildcard characters for the vmname parameter value to specify virtual machine names that match the wildcard pattern. An asterisk (*) matches any character string. A question mark (?) matches a single character. If the virtual machine name contains a space character, enclose the name in double quotation marks (").

Tip: If the virtual machine name contains special characters, type the question mark wildcard (?) in place of the special characters when you specify the virtual machine name.

num_with_quiescing

A positional parameter that specifies the following action:

For VMware backup operations:

• For Windows virtual machines with IBM Spectrum Protect application protection enabled, num_with_quiescing specifies the number of times to attempt the snapshot with IBM Spectrum Protect VSS quiescing and Microsoft Windows system provider VSS quiescing. VSS quiescing applies only to Windows virtual machines.

  Depending on the number that you specify, the first snapshot attempt is always made with IBM Spectrum Protect VSS quiescing. Subsequent snapshot attempts are made with Windows system provider VSS quiescing.

• For Windows virtual machines without IBM Spectrum Protect application protection enabled and for Linux virtual machines, num_with_quiescing specifies the number of times to attempt the snapshot with VMware Tools file system quiescing.

The maximum value that you can specify is ten (10). The default value is two (2). The minimum value that you can specify is zero (0).

For Hyper-V RCT backup operations:

The num_with_quiescing parameter specifies the number of times to attempt snapshots with quiescing to create application-consistent backups.

You can specify a value in the range 0 - 10. The default value is 2.

num_without_quiescing

For VMware backup operations:

A positional parameter that specifies the number of times to attempt the snapshot with VMware Tools file system quiescing and application (VSS) quiescing disabled after the specified number of attempts with VSS quiescing (num_with_quiescing) completes. For example, you can specify this parameter for a virtual machine that is already protected by an IBM® Data Protection agent that is installed in a guest virtual machine.

The maximum value that you can specify is ten (10). The minimum value that you can specify is zero (0), which is the default value.

Important: When this parameter is applied to a virtual machine backup, the backup is considered crash-consistent. As a result, operating system, file system, and application consistency are not guaranteed. An include.vmsnapshotattempts 0 0 entry is not valid. Backup operations require at least one snapshot.

For Hyper-V RCT backup operations:

The num_without_quiescing option specifies the number of times to attempt snapshots without quiescing after the specified number of attempts in the num_with_quiescing option are completed.

You can specify a value in the range 0 - 10. The default value is 0.

Important: When this parameter is applied to a VM backup, the backup is considered crash-consistent. As a result, operating system, file system, and application consistency are not guaranteed. An include.vmsnapshotattempts 0 0 entry is not valid. Backup operations require at least one snapshot.