Hardware VSS, Hyper V hosts. Snapshot is disabled for this fully provisioned volume.

[DPS_IT]

Hello i am trying to implement our backup solution (Veeam backup and replication v9) to use an off host proxy to backup VM's from our Hyper V hosts. On each host i have installed the cli tools and the 3par hardware vss tools although when i initaite a backup the job fails.

(off host proxy)

Task details: Failed to create snapshot HP 3PAR VSS Provider on Hyper-V Off-Host Backup Proxy (mode: Crash consistent) Details: Unknown status of async operation
The shadow copy provider had an error. Check the System and Application event logs for more information.
--tr:Failed to create VSS snapshot.
--tr:Failed to perform pre-backup tasks.

(Hyper V host server)

3PARVSS5054: ERROR: CLI: Snapshot is disabled for this fully provisioned volume. Please set the snapshot space association with setvv.

3PARVSS5081: ERROR: SnapshotSet {62cab660-fd5e-40e5-86c1-357cedf20188} creation failed due to Virtual Copy creation failure.

After re reading the 3par hardware vss documentation it does state 

"Snapshot space must be available on Virtual Volumes. To take snapshots on the base volume, the volume must have snapshot space allocated during the base volume creation. See the HP 3PAR InForm OS Command Line Interface Reference for instructions on creating a base volume with snapshot allocation, or assigning snapshot space after the base volume is created. "

I have read the document and have run from cli showvv -cpgalloc which states the UsrCPG and SnpCFG which the latter has nothing configured.

What is the best method of assigning space from cli or the 3par client? And what would be the correct process of doing so.

Thanks

[Sheldon Smith]

If I'm reading your question correctly, you do not have a copy CPG assigned. From the CLI,
setvv -snp_cpg <snp_cpg> <VV_name>
For example: setvv -snp_cpg MyCPG MyVolume

Note: While I work for Hewlett Packard Enterprise, all of my comments (whether noted or not), are my own and are not any official representation of the company.
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[JJ3]

Dear all hi,

I have a question regarding the initial question. On my knowledge, when we are using the HW VSS, the snapshot is created on the configured “copy-cpg” setting of each volume but I do not understand why it s needed to have space on the actual virtual machine?

[sbhat09]

Hello @JJ3,

Yes. Irrespective of the VSS provider, snapshots are always created in copy CPG. It doesn't require any space on the actual VM. Can you please provide more details of your scenario if you are looking for much precise response?

Regards,
Srinivas Bhat

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[JJ3]

Hi,

I am taking a backup of a host that hosting VMs (offhost mode) through veeam and I get the below errors:

Failed to create snapshot (HPE 3PAR/Primera VSS Provider) (mode: Veeam application-aware processing) Details: Unknown status of async operation The shadow copy provider had an error. Check the System and Application event logs for more information. --tr:Failed to create VSS snapshot. --tr:Failed to perform pre-backup tasks. Retrying snapshot creation attempt (Unknown status of async operation The shadow copy provider had an error. Check the System and Application event logs for more information. --tr:Failed to create VSS snapshot. --tr:Failed to perform pre-backup tasks.) One or more source networks were possibly mapped onto the same cloud network. Simultaneous partial failovers of VMs residing on those networks may result in issues.

From the host event viewer logs I found these errors below, which I cannot find any related information:

1. 3PARVSS5054: ERROR: CLI: Snapshot is disabled for this thin provisioned volume. Please set the snapshot space association with setvv.

2. 3PARVSS5081: ERROR: SnapshotSet {ID} creation failed due to Virtual Copy creation failure.

3. VSS EventID:12340 Details: Volume Shadow Copy Error: VSS waited more than 40 seconds for all volumes to be flushed. This caused volume \\?\Volume{ID}\ to timeout while waiting for the release-writes phase of shadow copy creation. Trying again when disk activity is lower may solve this problem.
Operation:
Executing Asynchronous Operation
Context:
Current State: flush-and-hold writes
Volume Name: \\?\Volume{ID}\

4. VSS EventID:12298 Details: Volume Shadow Copy Service error: The I/O writes cannot be held during the shadow copy creation period on volume \\?\Volume{ID}\. The volume index in the shadow copy set is 0. Error details: Open[0x00000000, The operation completed successfully.
], Flush[0x00000000, The operation completed successfully.
], Release[0x00000000, The operation completed successfully.
], OnRun[0x80042314, The shadow copy provider timed out while holding writes to the volume being shadow copied. This is probably due to excessive activity on the volume by an application or a system service. Try again later when activity on the volume is reduced.
].
Operation:
Executing Asynchronous Operation
Context:
Current State: DoSnapshotSet

Veeam does not have any answer for this. I am seeking to find any relevant advice and guidance by anyone.

3PAR OS: 3.3.1.648 (MU5)+P126,P132,P135,P140,P146,P150,P151,P155,P156