Troubleshooting › Virtual Machine Backup and Restore Related › Problems Caused by Duplicate VM UUID

Problems Caused by Duplicate VM UUID

Symptom 1

VM node is overwritten after importing another VM node into Console.

For example, you have 2 virtual machines VM1 and VM2 with the same UUID (which is called Instance UUID for VMware, and VM UUID for Hyper-V) in the ESXi hosts which are managed by different vCenter VC1 and VC2. You import VM1 into console and it shows up in the node list view of console. Later on, you import VM2 into console. In the node list view VM1 is overwritten by VM2 (in other words, VM2 is added but VM1 is gone).

Symptom 2

VM node’s information in the Hypervisor column changes back and forth while auto discovery is running.

For example, you have 2 virtual machines VM1 and VM2 with the same UUID (which is called Instance UUID for VMware, and VM UUID for Hyper-V) in the ESXi hosts which are managed by different vCenter VC1 and VC2. You import VM1 into console. And you also import at least one VM from the vCenter VC2 so that both VC1 and VC2 are added into the Node Discovery List (you can check the list at Node Discovery Configuration page which is at Settings tab). While node discovery runs, it firstly connects to VC1 and detects VM1 by the UUID, so that Hypervisor column is updated with information of VC1. But later on, when it connects to VC2, it detects the VM2 by the same UUID, so that Hypervisor column is updated with information of VC2.

Solution

Arcserve UDP uses VM’s UUID (which is called Instance UUID for VMware, and VM UUID for Hyper-V) to identify a VM node. Although it is very rare that VMs have duplicated UUID, problematic behaviors may happen in Arcserve UDP in such case.

To solve the problems, refer the following steps to manually change the UUID of the VM (applicable for VMware VM only). After you have manually changed the UUID of the VM, delete the original VM from the Arcserve UDP Console and re-import the VM.

1. Open the following URL:

   https://<vCenter host name>/mob/

2. Log in as an administrator.
3. Search “content” in the NAME column, and click the link in the VALUE column in the same row.
4. Search “rootFolder” in NAME column, and click the link in the VALUE column in the same row.
5. Search “childEntity” in NAME column. In the VALUE column in the same row, find the Datacenter in which the VM reside and click on its link.
6. Search “vmFolder” in NAME column, and click the link in the VALUE column in the same row.
7. Search “childEntity” in NAME column. In VALUE column in the same row, click on “more…” to expand the VM list. Search the VM you are looking for and click the link.
8. Search ReconfigVM_Task in the Methods table, and click the link.
9. In the new browser opened, remove all contents in the VALUE field, and type the following code:

   <spec>
   

   <instanceUuid>2499952a-6c85-480e-b7df-4cbd2137eb69</instanceUuid>
   

   </spec>
   

   Note: The 2499952a-6c85-480e-b7df-4cbd2137eb69 string mentioned above is a sample UUID. You should replace it with the UUID that you want to apply.

10. Click on Invoke Method link to apply the new UUID.
11. To verify that new UUID is applied, close the newly opened browser and go back to the page where you did step 8.
12. Search “config” in NAME column and click on the link in the VALUE column in the same row.
13. Search “instanceUuid” in NAME column. The UUID of the VM is shown in the VALUE column in the same row.