ESX Server 3.0.1, Patch ESX-1002085; Updates to VMware backuptools

Symptoms:

The following symptoms might be seen in systems without this patch:

• The backup failure issue using vcbResAll might happen 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]:

 

Deployment Considerations

You must also install patch ESX-1002083 to complete the fixes addressed by this patch. Patches ESX-1002083 and ESX-1002085 can be installed in any order.

Download Instructions

Download and verify the patch bundle as follows:

1.      Download patch ESX-1002085 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-1002085.tgz

8.      Change to the newly created directory, /var/updates/ESX-1002085:

# cd ESX-1002085

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-1002085 update

For example, if the host is called depot:

# esxupdate -r file:///depot/var/updates/ESX-1002085 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-1002085 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 .