Potential problem when backing up a VMware VM with Changed Block Tracking enabled running on ESXi 6.0 or ESXi 6.0.X

Last Update: 2017-02-08 09:33:21 UTC

Description:
Potential problem when backing up a VMware VM with Changed Block Tracking enabled running on ESXi 6.0 or ESXi 6.0.X

VMware recently published a KB article (link below):

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2136854 The KB article indicates that a bug has been introduced in CBT which results in CBT returning incorrect changed sector list, which results in inconsistent virtual machine backups, full and incremental 

The above bug from VMware will affect arcserve backup incase of virtual machine agent backup and arcserve UDP (agentless backups).

 

Solution:

 

Arcserve UDP – agentless backup:

How to detect if backups are been affected
-Use “recovery point check” option under, schedule section of agentless plan, this will check the backed up data and report back incase of errors.

Workaround

-Install UDP agent inside the VM and backup using agent based plan.

Arcserve backup – VMagent backup:

How to detect if backups are been affected
Currently there isn’t a way to detect corrupt backups. We suggest you follow the workaround below to avoid corrupted backup sessions

Workaround

• Install client agent for windows inside the guest and backup virtual machines using agent based backup.

Note – THIS IS NOW RESOLVED WITH A PATCH FROM VMware: 

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2137547

For more info please refer VMware KB: KB:http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2136854