IT24006: ERROR ANS4174E RC=-1 WHEN TRAILING CHARACTER IN THE GUEST NAME IS '.' (PERIOD)

IBM Spectrum Protect client 7.1.8.x interim fix downloads

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• When a VMware guest name is ending with a '.' (period), the
  'Backup VM' command will fail at the end of the backup in the
  local staging directory cleanup phase with the following errors
  seen in the data mover node's dsmerror.log :
  
  As many messages as there are megablocks representing the VM
  guest the following one :
  
  ANS5250E An unexpected error was encountered.
     IBM Spectrum Protect function name : vcmLogger::trace
     IBM Spectrum Protect function      :
  CacheManager::remove_element: Failed to save element: Path:
  'C:\mnt\tsmvmbackup\fullvm\CDF_Local\vmname.\Hard Disk 1' Job:
  1001  MB Number: <xxx>
     IBM Spectrum Protect return code   : 115
     IBM Spectrum Protect file
  :..\..\common\vm\vmbackvcm.cpp(218)
  
  (where "xxx" corresponds to the number of the megablock)
  
  then
  
  ANS5250E An unexpected error was encountered.
     IBM Spectrum Protect function name : vcmLogger::trace
     IBM Spectrum Protect function      :
  VolumeControl::write_bitmap: can't open file
  'C:\mnt\tsmvmbackup\fullvm\CDF_Local\vmname.\Hard Disk 1' for
  writing
     IBM Spectrum Protect return code   : 115
     IBM Spectrum Protect file
  :..\..\common\vm\vmbackvcm.cpp(218)
  ANS5250E An unexpected error was encountered.
     IBM Spectrum Protect function name : vcmLogger::trace
     IBM Spectrum Protect function      :
  VolumeControlManager::write_object: write_bitmap() failed
  (id='Path: 'C:\mnt\tsmvmbackup\fullvm\CDF_Local\vmname.\Hard
  Disk 1' Job: 1001')
     IBM Spectrum Protect return code   : 115
     IBM Spectrum Protect file
  :..\..\common\vm\vmbackvcm.cpp(218)
  ANS5250E An unexpected error was encountered.
     IBM Spectrum Protect function name : vcmLogger::trace
     IBM Spectrum Protect function      :
  CacheManager::remove_element: Failed to save element: Path:
  'C:\mnt\tsmvmbackup\fullvm\CDF_Local\vmname.\Hard Disk 1' Job:
  1001
     IBM Spectrum Protect return code   : 115
     IBM Spectrum Protect file
  :..\..\common\vm\vmbackvcm.cpp(218)
  ANS5250E An unexpected error was encountered.
     IBM Spectrum Protect function name : vcmLogger::trace
     IBM Spectrum Protect function      :
  VolumeControlManager::get_first_valid_megablock_in_volume:
  get_elemnt from cache failed (id='Path:
  'C:\mnt\tsmvmbackup\fullvm\CDF_Local\vmname.
         \Hard Disk 1' Job: 1001')
     IBM Spectrum Protect return code   : 115
     IBM Spectrum Protect file
  :..\..\common\vm\vmbackvcm.cpp(218)
  ANS0361I DIAG: VmBackupControlFiles(): Error -1 in access vcm
  lib to get the list of ctl's
  ANS5250E An unexpected error was encountered.
     IBM Spectrum Protect function name : vcmLogger::trace
     IBM Spectrum Protect function      :
  VolumeControlManager::remove_volume_from_cache: Volume not in
  cache, nothing to remove (id='Path:
  'C:\mnt\tsmvmbackup\fullvm\CDF_Local\vmname.\Hard Disk 1' Job:
  1001')
     IBM Spectrum Protect return code   : 115
     IBM Spectrum Protect file
  :..\..\common\vm\vmbackvcm.cpp(218)
  ANS4174E Full VM backup of VMware Virtual Machine 'vmname.'
  failed with RC=-1 mode=Incremental Forever - Full, target node
  name='<datacenter node>', data mover node name='<datac mover
  node>'
  
  IBM Spectrum ProteProducts affected:
  IBM Spectrum Protect Backup-Archive Client version
  7.1 and 8.1 on Windows x64 and Linux x86_64 platforms.
  Note: The Backup-Archive Client is a prerequisite to using the
  Data Protection for VMware. In Data Protection for VMware
  environments, the Backup-Archive Client is also known as the
  data mover.
  
  This problem also affects IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual
  Environments: Data Protection for VMware 8.1. If you are using
  Data Protection for VMware 8.1, refer to APAR IT20941
  
  Initial Impact: Medium
  
  Additional Keywords: tsm4ve tdp4ve backup vm internal error
  

Local fix

• Rename the guest to avoid the trailing '.' (period) character
  and retry the backup
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * Data Protection for VMware Data Mover versions 7.1 and 8.1   *
  * running on all Microsoft Windows x64 and Linux x86_64        *
  * platforms                                                    *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * See ERROR DESCRIPTION                                        *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  * This issue is projected to be fixed in the Backup-Archive    *
  * Client version 7.1.8.2 on Windows x64 and Linux x86_64       *
  * platforms.                                                   *
  * Note 1: The Backup-Archive Client is a prerequisite to using *
  * the Data Protection for VMware. In Data Protection for VMware*
  * environments, the Backup-Archive Client is also known as the *
  * data mover.                                                  *
  * Note 2: This is subject to change at the discretion of IBM.  *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• Now client displays the message that the VM names end with a
  period is not supported.
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

  IT20941

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  TSM CLIENT

• Fixed component ID

  5698ISMCL

Applicable component levels

• R81L PSY

     UP

• R81W PSY

     UP