App-aware backup completes with “Failed to add SQL writer entry” error.
This article applies to:
- Product edition: Phoenix
Problem description
App aware backup completes with “Failed to add SQL writer entry” error.
Cause
This error indicates that Phoenix was not able to create a file named vmbackup.conf in the directory C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware Tools and add SqlServerWriter entry to it.
Traceback
Download the Job Logs for Appaware SQL
Extract the logs and go to Phoenix<YYYYMMDD>_<timestamp>.log file to see the below traceback in the logs.
[2019-10-31 15:48:09,879] [ERROR] Response from add_sql_writer: <agents.vmware.guestossvc.sdk.guestossdk.guestos_sdk.GuestOSResponse object at 0x7fa512ad8610>
[2019-10-31 15:48:09,889] [WARNING] Error occurred while taking SQL snapshot 4295032853 Failed to add sql writer entry. error code: 3014 error msg: Failed to open the file: 192.168.2.32. Application aware backup would have just VM backup and would complete with Successful with errors
Resolution
Login with the same set of credentials assigned to this Virtual Machine from the credential store and try to create a file in the C:\ProgramData\Vmware\Vmware Tools directory, preferably from the command prompt as specified below:
- If you are logged into the VM from the same set of credentials which is assigned to it from the credential store then skip to step 5.
- If you are logged in to VM using a different set of credentials from what is assigned to this VM from the credential store then navigate to C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools directory. Here you will find the shortcut of the command prompt.
- Hold the shift key and right-click on the command prompt and run it as a different user.
- Enter the same set of credentials which is assigned to this VM from the credential store.
- From the command prompt change directory to C:\ProgramData\Vmware\Vmware Tools, using the below command.
cd C:\ProgramData\Vmware\Vmware Tools - Create a test file using below command.
type nul >abc.txt - If you get an error as “Access is Denied” while creating the file it means credentials that are being used to create the file do not have sufficient permission to create a file in that folder.
- Modify the permissions so that you are able to create a file in C:\ProgramData\Vmware\Vmware Tools folder.
- Once testing is complete, delete abc.txt file.
Verification
Once the permissions are given, trigger the backup job again and it should complete successfully.