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Question

Failed to read disk over NBD transport mode

  • December 13, 2024
  • 4 replies
  • 190 views

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Hello, I am seeing an error where two VMs out of 20 are failing to backup with error code: "Failed to read disk over NBD transport mode. Ensure the access node can communicate with the host ESX server."

There are two esx servers, windows / vcenter / netapp environment using streaming backups. There are other servers on the same esx server that are backing up fine, its just two that are failing and they were working at some point but have started to fail with this error code. 

Some things I checked:

  • Ping test, problem servers to the ESX, MA, Netapp, Commserve all ok 
  • Checked Advanced Options on Subclient > Access Node ESX Server / Vcenter and host is ok
  • Transport Mode for VMware is set to Auto

Not sure what else I can check? 

4 replies

Damian Andre
Vaulter
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  • Vaulter
  • 1287 replies
  • December 13, 2024

If everything is the same (access node, host, target etc.), then its likely that there is a stale lock or handle on the disk on the proxy/access node.

You can try this:

1. Suspend any Virtual Server Backups using the Proxy
2. Stop the CommVault Services on the Proxy
3. Navigate to C:\windows\temp\vmware-system
 
- Make sure System and Administrators have FULL Access or Rights to "vmware-system"
- Clear all files folders within "vmware-system" you may also need to Stop the VMware USB service as it can hold locks on files and not allow them to be deleted.
- Also if you see other instances of "vmware-system" in C:\\windows\\temp delete those only leaving the 1
 

4. Restart services
 

If that does not help, looking at the VixDiskLib.log file on the VSA proxy may help figure out what the issue is.

Some other suggestions for this sort of issue

  1. Take a snapshot of the affected VMs - then use the “delete all snapshots” function to try do a disk consolidation
  2. Storage vMotion the VM, and then move it back. This often clears up stale locks and processes which might prevent access to the disk. This fixes a LOT of strange VMware behavior with vmdk disk access

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  • Author
  • Byte
  • 38 replies
  • February 12, 2025

Thanks, I am still working on this. I noticed like you said, the VMs have snapshots from what looks like our app team doing software updates. Will this mess up commvault backups? 


Damian Andre
Vaulter
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  • Vaulter
  • 1287 replies
  • February 13, 2025

No, existing snapshots on VMs is generally not an issue - it might become an issue if they are left around for a long time and accumulate a lot of changes. If the vMotion fails then perhaps that could be the issue, and you would need to delete the snapshots and consolidate the VM. I think that could be unlikely though.


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  • Author
  • Byte
  • 38 replies
  • March 5, 2025

We are trying to change the backups to Intellisnap backups. 


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