File Level Backup Host Rescan Issue

Hi ​@E Rintell,

Please correct me if I got it wrong but you are using a file backup job, correct? In this case you don’t need an Agent so I recommend either uninstalling the agent and let VBR do the work (preferred method in my opinion) or configure this as agent backup job (can also be done within VBR).

You should have added the server to be backed up as NAS file share, correct? Have you tried rescannig that object? I don’t think that the managed server is to be rescanned, I think with “host” object VBR means the source object of the job which should be the NAS file share in this case - hope that works, I don’t work with file share backup very often.

Please also check that the permissions are as expected so that the guest integration can be done correctly. The file share rescan should throw errors in case that there are issues.

Here is a guide that might help: Adding File Server - User Guide for VMware vSphere

Please keep us updated. Maybe you can share some screenshots of both the error message and the config.

Take care!

Lukas

If he is doing file level backup he can use the agent or VBR directly there would be no need to add the server as a NAS share.

What version of the agent and VBR are you using?  What is the OS of the server.

You can check the backup logs to see if there is any more details here - C:\ProgramData\Veeam\Backup\Jobname

You could change the server to allow the agent to control the backups and see if that works.  Maybe check the service for the agent to ensure it is running.

I am sorry that my post may have resulted in confusion.   The Windows Server is not the backup destination: it is the object whose critical files are being backed up to a separate NAS (backup infrastructure).   I am using VBR version 12.3 which also should have upgraded the agent.

Thanks  for the help; it is appreciated.

I did look at the logs where I noticed the following:

[23.12.2024 23:01:06.011]    <18>    Info (3)        [DB] Sync agent [5fdfb167-129c-489c-b0f2-b3c1f50abde9]: managementMode [ByVbr]
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.011]    <18>    Info (3)    [CEpAgentPreparer] Agent rintesvr is ready (OK).
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.026]    <18>    Info (3)    [CEpAgentPreparerDiscoveryResult] Starting discovery job for protection groups: 
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.026]    <18>    Info (3)    [CEpAgentPreparer] There are no started discovery job(s)
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.026]    <01>    Info (3)    [EpAgentBackupJobPerformer] Preparing agent rintesvr.
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.042]    <01>    Info (3)    [EpAgentBackupJobPerformer] Agent rintesvr skipped.
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.058]    <01>    Info (3)    [PolicySessionProgressController] Initializing progress
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.089]    <01>    Info (3)    
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.089]    <01>    Info (3)    Performing backup cycles.
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.089]    <01>    Info (3)    [JobSession] Reloading session '14b750cc-aefd-4f82-b077-4157358d875d'
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.105]    <01>    Info (3)    [CPolicyJobDeletedRetentionAlg] Deleted host retention is disabled in advanced options
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.120]    <01>    Info (3)    [PolicyBackupEncryptedStateUpdater] Committing backup encryption state (BackupId='e9060b7f-4a92-486a-bacb-fd384863786a', EncryptionState=Unencrypted, ChildStates='')
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.120]    <01>    Info (3)    Job has been stopped successfully. Name: [RinteSvr Critical Files Backup], JobId: [bf61a881-78e3-406a-956a-b589fe76558f]
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.120]    <01>    Info (3)    Waiting for completion of management jobs.
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.120]    <01>    Info (3)    [BackupJobPostActivity] JobSession '14b750cc-aefd-4f82-b077-4157358d875d' PostActivity: 'AskService'
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.120]    <01>    Info (3)    [BackupJobPostActivity] Session result is Failed. Checking if it is last retry
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.151]    <01>    Info (3)    [BackupJobPostActivity] wouldBeRetried: 'True'. Need post activity: 'False'
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.151]    <01>    Info (3)    [JobSession] Completing session '14b750cc-aefd-4f82-b077-4157358d875d'.
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.151]    <01>    Info (3)    [JobSession] Reloading session '14b750cc-aefd-4f82-b077-4157358d875d'
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.167]    <01>    Info (3)    Backuped size: 0 B, total backuped size: 0 B
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.214]    <01>    Info (3)    Job session '14b750cc-aefd-4f82-b077-4157358d875d' has been completed, status: 'Failed', '0 B' of '0 B' bytes, '0' storages in '0' tasks, '0' successful, '0' failed, details: '', PointIds: []
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.245]    <01>    Info (3)    [BackupJobPostActivity] JobSession '14b750cc-aefd-4f82-b077-4157358d875d' PostActivity: 'AskService'
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.245]    <01>    Info (3)    [BackupJobPostActivity] Session result is Failed. Checking if it is last retry
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.261]    <01>    Info (3)    [BackupJobPostActivity] wouldBeRetried: 'True'. Need post activity: 'False'
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.261]    <01>    Info (3)    [CJobLogsManager] Cannot find quota. JobId : bf61a881-78e3-406a-956a-b589fe76558f.
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.261]    <01>    Info (3)    Cleanup cloud connection cache for job bf61a881-78e3-406a-956a-b589fe76558f
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.276]    <01>    Info (3)    [SVccTransportClientGlobalCache] Initializing VCC transport client provider, reason: first initialization
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.292]    <01>    Info (3)        Job event 'ready2finish' was created for session '14b750cc-aefd-4f82-b077-4157358d875d'. Event full name: 'Global\ready2finishvmjobevent14b750cc-aefd-4f82-b077-4157358d875d'
[23.12.2024 23:01:06.339]    <01>    Info (3)    Job [RinteSvr Critical Files Backup] is ready to finish.

Hi ​@E Rintell  could be a problem with connectivity\Firewall\Antivirus exclusion or permission on the NAS filesystem

• [EpAgentBackupJobPerformer] Preparing agent rintesvr. [EpAgentBackupJobPerformer] Agent rintesvr skipped.

  This suggests the backup preparation was skipped.

  • The job is not properly configured.
  • The agent did not detect files or folders to back up.
  • Permissions or connectivity issues between the server and the NAS.

• Job session '14b750cc-aefd-4f82-b077-4157358d875d' has been completed, status: 'Failed', '0 B' of '0 B' bytes

  No data was transferred.

• Verify the connection between the VBR server and the target NAS storage.
• Test access to the NAS storage from the VBR server and ensure the backup repository is properly configured.
• Ensure the service account used by the Veeam Agent and VBR server has sufficient permissions to access the files on rintesvr and write data to the NAS.
• Recreate the Job: If the job configuration seems suspect, delete and recreate it.
• Firewall/AV Exclusions: Ensure that firewall rules and antivirus software on rintesvr and the NAS allow Veeam-related traffic.

best reagrds

​@Link State, they’re talking about using Veeam Agent for Windows file level mode backup to backup to a NAS device. It’s not about connections during backup or inability to locate files, it looks like the initial rescan of the machine the agent is installed on never completed: https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backup/agents/protection_group_rescan.html?ver=120

​@E Rintell, is it strongly desirable to do this via Veeam Agent for Windows? Nothing wrong with this method, but likely you’ll need a support case (https://veeam.com/kb1771) to review why the rescan is not working correctly.

Alternatively, consider using an Unstructured Data File Backup job and adding the source server as a FileServer:

File server: https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backup/vsphere/adding_managed_server_file_share.html?ver=120

Creating File Backup job: https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backup/vsphere/file_share_backup_job.html?ver=120

Also just a general note -- recreating jobs is rarely useful, and often hides whatever caused the initial issue. I would not do it unless instructed by a KB article or by Veeam Support. It’s not harmful necessarily, but you will be obscuring the actual root cause.