Agentless backup of a virtual machine without meeting CBT requirements fails with an error

Details

Agentless backup of a virtual machine fails without CBT requirements. 

Causes

Agentless backups of ESXi virtual machines use VMware's CBT.

Change block tracking on a virtual machine (CBT).

https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article?legacyId=1020128

When the requirements described in "Resolution" in the above article are not met, agentless backup task fails in error since CBT does not function properly.

For example, during an agentless backup of a virtual machine with hardware version 7 or earlier, a red error occurs and the backup task fails with Exit Code: -628.

07/22/2024 05:41:31.556 Host name: localhost.localdomain, version: 6.0.0, sslthumbprint: BD:C4:32:36:22:0D:38:3E:42:80:B7:93:07:10:CB:D9:9B:DB:92:C0, port: 902 
07/22/2024 05:41:31.556 Check VM name: aaaa (UUID: 564d98cb-cb5a-d60e-b6db-d07bca699d88) 
07/22/2024 05:41:32.235 Guest OS: Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit), Guest ID: windows7Server64Guest, CBT enabled: 0, VMXSpec: 6, CPU: 1, RAM: 4096 MB, Host: localhost.localdomain 
07/22/2024 05:41:32.235 Enable CBT for VM aaaa 
07/22/2024 05:41:32.477 Failed to change CBT for VM aaaa, return 0, A specified parameter was not correct: spec.changeTrackingEnabled Level = ERROR[0] 
07/22/2024 05:41:32.477 Skip backup VM aaaa 
07/22/2024 05:41:32.477 No valid backup source VM Level = ERROR[0] 
07/22/2024 05:41:32.477 #### ERROR TestConnectVMs() @ C:\Gitlab-Runner\builds\rzVgP-QGf\0\actiphy\activeimage-protector\Core\AipCopy\AgentlessBackup.cpp(511): -628 Level = ERROR[0] 
07/22/2024 05:41:32.478 {IDS_STRING3018}Exit Code: -628 
07/22/2024 05:41:32.478 [-628] Connect to VM error

The same error is recorded for vSphere Client.

The virtual machine version number can be found in vmware.log under virtualHW.version when the machine is powered on.

Example:  For hardware version 4

2024-07-22T05:38:47.703Z| vmx| I120: DICT virtualHW.version = "4"

Workaround

If the virtual machine version is less than 7, resolve this issue by upgrading the version. Contact Broadcom Inc. to understand the upgrade's impact.

Reference

Upgrading a virtual machine hardware to the latest version (multiple versions)

https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article?legacyId=1010675

Target Product

- ActiveImage Protector 2018

- ActiveImage Protector 2022

(35374627711001)