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VM Socket License not releasing

  • 23 December 2021
  • 12 replies
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Userlevel 2
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Hi,

We had a backup of a virtual machine that backed up on a host that wasnt included in calculations for VM Socket licensning. 

I have moved the virtual machine to a host that was included in the VM socket licensning and have taken an incremenmntal and Synthetic full (which in job properties show as being on the hypervisor host i expect) yet the VM Socket licensning is still showing as using a VM Socket license for the “extra” host.

This has been the case for a few days so licensning would definitely have been refreshed.

Any help to release this licnese would be appreciated.

Thanks

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Best answer by Stuart Painter 14 April 2022, 12:51

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12 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +15

Hi @Tom Evans 

Thanks for the question, this is in fact expected behaviour for license consumption.

In order for the VM to show correct Hypervisor license consumption, you will need to run a new traditional Full backup.

VM socket license is consumed by the hypervisor with the last Full backup.

Thanks,

Stuart

Badge +15

If you need documentation reference, here it is:

Usage Calculation for the VM Sockets on Hypervisor Hosts License

https://documentation.commvault.com/11.24/essential/6965_usage_calculation_for_vm_sockets_on_hypervisor_hosts_license_01.html

"Counts all VM sockets on a physical hypervisor host based on the last successful full or synthetic full backup of a virtual machine that resides on the host."

Userlevel 2
Badge +7

Hi Stuart,

Thanks for your reply but this is not how the documentation reads?

Usage Calculation for the VM Sockets on Hypervisor Hosts License (commvault.com)

This indicates a synthetic full works the same as a traditional full?

Thanks

Badge +15

@Tom Evans  I have had this issue before and the Synthetic Full did not work for me. A regular Full did the trick in my case.

Userlevel 7
Badge +15

Hi @Tom Evans, @dude 

This may need further clarification either on the actual process or on documentation.

My understanding is traditional full is needed as this activity has physical contact the hypervisor host, whereas synthetic full is a backend process run exclusively on the MA.

For example, a full backup of VM1 on HypervisorA will activate and consume a socket licence on HyperVisorA.

If VM1 is then moved to HypervisorB, the socket license is still consumed by HypervisorA.

Incremental backups for VM1 are performed, the socket license is still consumed by HypervisorA.

Synthetic full backups are performed (maybe with more incrementals) for VM1, the socket license is still consumed by HypervisorA.

Only when a new traditional full backup for VM1 is performed will the socket license be consumed by HypervisorB.

Additionally, if you need to release the socket license for HypervisorA, all VMs previously protected with a full backup on HypervisorA will need a new traditional Full backup on their respective new hypervisors.

Let me know if this concurs with what you are seeing or if you are seeing something else and I will follow up internally with the right team to get this behaviour explained or documentation updated.

Thanks,

Stuart

Badge +15

@Stuart Painter I would vote for a clarification in the documentation since it discusses the license count for Hypervisor hosts. Not quite sure it add synthetic full there.

Userlevel 7
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@dude 

I agree, but I’ll seek a confirmation / double-check internally before approaching documentation team just be sure.

Thanks,

Stuart

Userlevel 2
Badge +7

Hi @Stuart Painter 

I know previously when ive had this issue taking an incremental then a syntehtic full once its moved back to the correct hypervisor host has worked fine. 

Looks like in the below thread this was also suggested as a solution

License consumption VM sockets after ESXi IP change | Community (commvault.com)

The only change from when i have done this before is that previously i was running 11.21 and now im running 11.24.

Thanks

Userlevel 2
Badge +7

Not sure why this has been marked as answered as i was awaiting further information from @Stuart Painter?

For reference the license has now been released however no fulls have been run?

Userlevel 7
Badge +23

@Tom Evans , my mistake, I unmarked it.

I’ll await @Stuart Painter ‘s update.

Userlevel 4
Badge +11

@Tom Evans 

At this point if you have already run the incremental and a synthetic full and the VM has not moved to the new host you can open a case to have us look into the issue further as based upon BOL this should have moved the VM or if you need to you can run a traditional Full backup which will then move the VM to the new host.

Userlevel 7
Badge +15

Hi @Tom Evans 

Apologies, it’s taken such a long time to get this followed up and answered. I have now had a confirmation from Development on the expected behaviours, so I’ll summarise here to (hopefully) round off this thread.

A VM is discovered and protected on a particular Hypervisor host, we’ll call this host01.

A VM socket license will be consumed per-socked for host01.

If the VM is then migrated to another hypervisor host, this time host02, the socket license remains consumed with host01.

To have the socket license consumption for this VM released from host01 and transferred to host02, either a traditional full backup of the VM on host02 OR an incremental backup of the VM on host02 plus a synthetic full backup is needed.

This calculation is performed per-VM, so whilst a host might consume 1 or 2, etc. hypervisor socket licenses, each VM with a latest full backup on this hypervisor will hold the socket licenses on the host. Only once ALL VMs are moved from this host and have a new full or inc + synth full backup on a new host will the socket license be released.

Thanks,

Stuart

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