ESX Server 3.0.2, Patch ESX-1002090; Update to VMware backuptools

Symptoms

• The backup failure issue using vcbResAll might occur in the following scenario:

1. Back up a virtual machine on console operating system by using vcbSnapAll .
2. Restore the backup by using the command vcbResAll with the –b prompt option as follows:

# vcbResAll -h hostname -u username -p password -s /backuproot/ -b prompt

Note: The default option for vcbResAll is –b prompt . So vcbResAll , when used without –b option leads to the same issue.

The restore fails but the following message is displayed instead of an error message:

Per VM log files will be in /var/log/vmware/vcbResAll-11271.
Wed Jan 31 00:03:27 IST 2007: Importing VM [vm_name]...

Extraneous entries similar to the following appear in vm_name-running.log filling up the space in var/log/vmware directory.

How do you want to proceed?
0) Abort Restore
1) Keep Existing
2) Replace Existing

Please choose a number [0-2]:
Please choose a number [0-2]:
Please choose a number [0-2]:
Please choose a number [0-2]:
Please choose a number [0-2]:
Please choose a number [0-2]:
Please choose a number [0-2]:
Please choose a number [0-2]:

• The VCB USAGE: output includes information on using the block list protocol, but the block list protocol is not supported on the ESX Server service console. Attempting to use the protocol on the service console results in an error message similar to the following:
  
  The block list protocol is not supported on this platform
  
  This patch removes information on the unsupported block list protocol from the VCB USAGE output in order to prevent protocol usage that might result in a failure message. 

Deployment Considerations

• You must also install patch ESX-1002088 to complete the fixes addressed by this patch.  Patches ESX-1002088 and ESX-1002090 can be installed in any order.

Download Instructions

Download and verify the patch bundle as follows:

1. Download patch ESX-1002090 from http://www.vmware.com/download/vi/vi3_patches.html .

2. Log in to the ESX Server service console as root.

3. Create a local depot directory.

# mkdir -p /var/updates

Note: VMware recommends that you use the updates directory.

4. Change your working directory to /var/updates .

# cd /var/updates

5. Download the tar file into the /var/updates directory.

7. Extract the compressed tar archive:

# tar -xvzf ESX-1002090.tgz

8. Change to the newly created directory, /var/updates/ESX-1002090 :

# cd ESX-1002090

Installation Instructions

After you download and extract the archive, and if you are in the directory that you previously created, use the following command to install the update:

# esxupdate update

To run esxupdate from a different directory, you must specify the bundle path in the command:

# esxupdate -r file://<directory>/ESX-1002090 update

For example, if the host is called depot:

# esxupdate -r file:///depot/var/updates/ESX-1002090 update

During the update process, logs appear on the terminal. You can specify the verbosity of esxupdate logs by using the -v option as shown below.

# esxupdate -v 10 file://<directory>/ESX-1002090 update

For more information how to use esxupdate, see the Patch Management for ESX Server 3 tech note at http://www.vmware.com/pdf/esx3_esxupdate.pdf .