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Backup job doing NBD instead of SAN Direct

  • 26 January 2024
  • 9 comments
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S
Userlevel 6
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We just moved a couple of servers to a new volume in NetApp using its new large file/volume feature. Nothing has changed on the backup job except the volume that it is backing up. The smaller server around 3TB was able to be backed up using SAN but the other server that is approximately 43 TB is being backed up using NBD. Prior to the move, both servers are doing SAN direct. 

 

I would think that since these are both on the same volume is one has been successfully backed up using SAN the other should as well. Both servers are also in the same compute cluster and both are using the same proxies. What is causing this behavior?

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Best answer by Chris.Childerhose 26 January 2024, 21:51

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9 comments

coolsport00
Userlevel 7
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My guess is the larger one isn’t using a Proxy which can access the larger VM disks on the Volume and is failing back to nbd. Within the job history (double-clicking the job), is the larger VM indeed using the same proxy? Select the smaller VM and see it’s using the Proxy with direct access to this Volume. Then, select the larger VM and verify it’s using the same Proxy. Can you take a screenshot and share it, blurring out any pertinent info?

Shane Williford - Veeam VMCA/VMCE | Veeam Legend | VUG Leader | VCP-DCV | Twitter: @coolsport00
Chris.Childerhose
Userlevel 7
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Check in the logs here - C:\ProgramData\Veeam\Backup\Jobname

This will have more details on the issue hopefully that you can post here.  Unsure why one VM would back up using SAN then the other NBD.  If the configuration is still the same it should work.

Chris Childerhose - VMCA2022 | VMCE2023 | Veeam Vanguard 7* | Veeam Legend 3* | vExpert 5* | VCAP-DCV/VCP-DCV | Object First Ace | Cisco Champion | Twitter: @cchilderhose | Blog Site – https://just-virtualization.tech
coolsport00
Userlevel 7
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Another thought I had @spider32 - is the larger VM by chance connecting its CD drive to some ISO with ISO storage on another datastore? Your large VM will show as having a 2nd datstore connection to the datastore housing ISO storage. And, your Proxy doesn’t have access to that datastore. 

Shane Williford - Veeam VMCA/VMCE | Veeam Legend | VUG Leader | VCP-DCV | Twitter: @coolsport00
S
Userlevel 6
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Yes, both of them are actually using the same proxies and these proxies have direct access to the volume. I will attach a screenshot once able.

I haven’t looked at the logs yet, just really curious about the behavior where the only change was the volume. Will let you know if I find something conclusive in the log.

Thanks again for your feedback!

 

S
Userlevel 6
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I should have looked if there were any stale snapshots. The VM that is being backed up using NBD had a stale Veeam snapshot causing it to be backed up using NBD. The stale snapshot got created around the same time the VMs were moved to the Large File volume.

Thanks for all your suggestions!

Chris.Childerhose
Userlevel 7
Badge +20

I should have looked if there were any stale snapshots. The VM that is being backed up using NBD had a stale Veeam snapshot causing it to be backed up using NBD. The stale snapshot got created around the same time the VMs were moved to the Large File volume.

Thanks for all your suggestions!

Glad to hear you figured it out.

Chris Childerhose - VMCA2022 | VMCE2023 | Veeam Vanguard 7* | Veeam Legend 3* | vExpert 5* | VCAP-DCV/VCP-DCV | Object First Ace | Cisco Champion | Twitter: @cchilderhose | Blog Site – https://just-virtualization.tech
coolsport00
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

Awesome. Glad you were able to see what happened.

Shane Williford - Veeam VMCA/VMCE | Veeam Legend | VUG Leader | VCP-DCV | Twitter: @coolsport00
dloseke
Userlevel 7
Badge +6

Interesting...I didn’t know that was a thing it would do.  Thanks for posting the root cause.

Derek M. Loseke, Senior Systems Engineer | Veeam Legend 2022-2023 | VMSP/VMTSP | VCP6-DCV | VSP/VTSP | CCNA | https://technotesanddadjokes.com | @dloseke
Scott
Userlevel 7
Badge +8

I should have looked if there were any stale snapshots. The VM that is being backed up using NBD had a stale Veeam snapshot causing it to be backed up using NBD. The stale snapshot got created around the same time the VMs were moved to the Large File volume.

Thanks for all your suggestions!

 

Thanks for posting what was causing it.   I just Veeam Zip things now or use storage snaps and never run into this anymore. 

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