Problem
VMware backups failed with Status 156. The NetBackup Activity Monitor Job Details and the NetBackup backup host bpfis log report the following message:
VIXAPI freeze (VMware snapshot) failed with -1: Unrecognized error.
Using the vSphere Snapshot Manager to create a snapshot of the same virtual machine is successful.
Error Message
7/4/2014 16:36:19 - snapshot backup of client clientA using method VMware_v27/4/2014 16:36:25 - Info bpbrm(pid=57356) INF - vmwareLogger: VmPowerOp: SYM_VMC_ERROR: SOAP_ERROR 7/4/2014 16:36:25 - Info bpbrm(pid=57356) INF - vmwareLogger: SOAP 1.1 fault: "":ServerFaultCode [no subcode] 7/4/2014 16:36:25 - Info bpbrm(pid=57356) INF - vmwareLogger: SetVmPowerStateAPI: Operation: enableChangeTracking failed 7/4/2014 16:36:25 - Info bpbrm(pid=57356) INF - vmwareLogger: SetVmPowerStateAPI: enableChangeTracking: Error: SYM_VMC_ERROR: SOAP_ERROR 7/4/2014 16:36:28 - Info bpbrm(pid=57356) INF - vmwareLogger: CreateSnapshotExAPI: SYM_VMC_ERROR: SOAP_ERROR <cut>7/4/2014 16:38:38 - Info bpbrm(pid=57356) INF - vmwareLogger: CreateSnapshotExAPI: SYM_VMC_ERROR: SOAP_ERROR 7/4/2014 16:38:51 - Critical bpbrm(pid=57356) from client clientA: FTL - VMware_freeze: VIXAPI freeze (VMware snapshot) failed with -1: Unrecognized error
7/4/2014 16:38:51 - Critical bpbrm(pid=57356) from client clientA: FTL - vfm_freeze: method: VMware_v2, type: FIM, function: VMware_v2_freeze
7/4/2014 16:38:51 - Critical bpbrm(pid=57356) from client clientA: FTL -
7/4/2014 16:38:51 - Critical bpbrm(pid=57356) from client clientA: FTL - vfm_freeze: method: VMware_v2, type: FIM, function: VMware_v2_freeze
7/4/2014 16:38:51 - Critical bpbrm(pid=57356) from client clientA: FTL -
7/4/2014 16:38:51 - Critical bpbrm(pid=57356) from client clientA: FTL - snapshot processing failed, status 156
7/4/2014 16:38:51 - Critical bpbrm(pid=57356) from client clientA: FTL - snapshot creation failed, status 156
7/4/2014 16:38:51 - Warning bpbrm(pid=57356) from client clientA: WRN - ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES is not frozen
Cause
This message is encountered if the VMware ESX host currently hosting this virtual machine is missing the vStorage APIs license. This license is required when performing snapshots and backups using the VMware VDDK/VADP interfaces.
For example the following VMware licensing is missing the vStorage APIs feature:
Product Features:
Up to 256 GB of memory
Up to 4-way virtual SMP
While the following correctly shows the vStorage APIs feature:
Product Features:
Up to 32-way virtual SMP
vCenter agent for VMware host
vStorage APIs
VMsafe
vSphere HA
Hot-Pluggable virtual HW
vMotion
vSphere FT
vSphere Data Recovery
vShield Zones
vSphere DRS
Storage vMotion
MPIO / Third-Party Multi-Pathing
vSphere Distributed Switch
Host profiles
Solution
Confirm this license is present on the ESX host by connecting to the vCenter Server or the ESX host using the VMware vSphere client. For example if connecting to the vCenter server -
1. Go to "Home -> Inventory -> Hosts and Clusters"
2. Locate the ESX host currently hosting the failing virtual machine.
3. Click on the ESX host and select its "Configuration" tab.
4. Under "Software" select "Licensed Features."
5. Under "Product Features" check for the following entry"
vStorage APIs
If this feature is not listed it will need to be obtained from VMware and installed on each ESX host that will be hosting virtual machines being protected using the NetBackup for VMware agent.
Applies To
Netbackup with VMware backup.
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