Veeam Service Provider Console (SPC) is a powerful tool for managing and monitoring VM backups in a multi-tenant environment. However, as with any software, occasional issues may arise.
One common problem for virtual machines (VMs) in a tenant’s environment is false Recovery Point Objective (RPO) errors. This blog will address this issue, providing step-by-step instructions on identifying and resolving these false RPO errors.
Understanding False RPO Alarms
False RPO errors occur when a VM is recreated or restored using the same name as a previous VM. In such cases, Veeam SPC may mistakenly interpret the new VM as the old one, leading to RPO errors even if the backups are functioning correctly. This can be frustrating, but the solution is relatively straightforward.
Identifying the Issue
When facing false RPO errors, you might encounter an error message similar to the following:
“The following VM backups have fallen out of the configured RPO interval.”
The fix is pretty simple:
- Run a few commands to backup your Windows Management Instrumentation data
- Reinstall the Veeam WMI server component
If you are interested in those steps and how to verify if this is indeed your problem, continue reading below.
Problem Verification
From an elevated powershell window, on the tenant Veeam backup & replication server run this command:
- get-wmiobject -Namespace “root\VeeamBS” -Class “VM” | Out-File -FilePath “C:\temp\wmi-root-veeambs-class_vm.txt”
If you review the output, search for the problem VM, in our case it’s called EngimaVM. You still have multiple entries for it, each with a different Instance Uid.
—————————————————-
__GENUS : 2
__CLASS : VM
__SUPERCLASS :
__DYNASTY : VM
__RELPATH : VM.InstanceUid=”6256fd23-e20f-49ee-8a62-143aa33db840″
__PROPERTY_COUNT : 14
__DERIVATION : {}
__SERVER : *Redacted*
__NAMESPACE : root\VeeamBS
__PATH : \\*Redacted*\root\VeeamBS:VM.InstanceUid=”6256fd23-e20f-49ee-8a62-143aa33db840″
DnsName :
GuestOsName :
GuestOsType : 189
GuestOsTypeString : windows9_64Guest
HierarchyRef : vm-39027
HierarchyRootName : 192.168.1.5
HostUid : *Redacted*
InstanceUid : 6256fd23-e20f-49ee-8a62-143aa33db840
IpAddresses :
IsVapp : False
Name : EnigmaVM
Platform : 0
PlatformId : 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
Usn : *Redacted*
PSComputerName : *Redacted*
—————————————————-
__GENUS : 2
__CLASS : VM
__SUPERCLASS :
__DYNASTY : VM
__RELPATH : VM.InstanceUid=”82c00f1c-99ea-429a-9657-6b1a401a4de6″
__PROPERTY_COUNT : 14
__DERIVATION : {}
__SERVER : *Redacted*
__NAMESPACE : root\VeeamBS
__PATH : \\*Redacted*\root\VeeamBS:VM.InstanceUid=”82c00f1c-99ea-429a-9657-6b1a401a4de6″
DnsName : EnigmaVM.domain.net
GuestOsName : Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit)
GuestOsType : 189
GuestOsTypeString : windows9_64Guest
HierarchyRef : vm-73145
HierarchyRootName : 192.168.1.5
HostUid : *Redacted*
InstanceUid : 82c00f1c-99ea-429a-9657-6b1a401a4de6
IpAddresses : *Redacted*
IsVapp : False
Name : EnigmaVM
Platform : 0
PlatformId : 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
Usn : *Redacted*
PSComputerName : *Redacted*
As you can see above, we have two entries for EnigmaVM, each with a different InstanceUid. That’s problematic! If you’re curious, you can run the below commands to see what instance Veeam has backups and restore points for.
- get-wmiobject -Namespace “root\VeeamBS” -Class “VMinbackup” | Out-File -FilePath “C:\temp\wmi-root-veeambs-class_vminbackup.txt”
- get-wmiobject -Namespace “root\VeeamBS” -Class “restorepoint” | Out-File -FilePath “C:\temp\wmi-root-veeambs-class_restorepoint.txt”
The Fix – Backup and Reinstall the Veeam WMI Server Component
From an elevated PowerShell prompt run these steps on the tenant Veeam Backup & Replication server.
- net stop Winmgmt /y mkdir c:\temp\WMI winmgmt /backup “c:\temp\WMI\MyWMI.data”
- net start Winmgmt Then we will want to perform the uninstall and reinstall of Veeam WMI
- cd C:\Program Files\Veeam\Backup and Replication\Backup Veeam.Backup.WmiServer.exe /uninstall
- Veeam.Backup.WmiServer.exe /install
The RPO alarm should clear with time but if you are interested in making it happen now, here are some steps you can follow:
- Head over to the Discovery section of VCSP web console
- Choose the backup server tab
- Check the backup server in question and click collect data
These steps should clear out the RPO alarm within a minute or two.
Get Expert Help From Helixstorm
False RPO errors in the Veeam Service Provider Console can be a huge source of frustration. However, by following the steps outlined here, you can easily identify and resolve the issue. By taking the time to understand and troubleshoot these errors, you can ensure the seamless functioning of your Veeam SPC.
Looking for something else? Read about other common problems in Veeam (and their solutions), or connect with one of our managed IT experts to get customized help tailored to your unique situation.
