Can someone please explain more about flat files

flat files are just that plain old files

but you do not give enough info for anybody to help

what kind of backup are you doing

what is the error

2014-12-16 12:34:58 avvcbimage FATAL <0000>: [IMG0002] The datastore information from VMX '[XXXXXXXXXX] XXXXXXXXXX / XXXXXXXXXX.vmx' will not permit a restore or backup. (Log #1)
2014-12-16 12:34:58 avvcbimage Error <0000>: [IMG0009] createSnapshot: snapshot creation failed (Log #1)

2014-12-16 12:34:58 avvcbimage FATAL <0000>: [IMG0002] The datastore information from VMX '[XXXXXXXXXX] XXXXXXXXXX / XXXXXXXXXX.vmx' will not permit a restore or backup.

2014-12-16 12:34:58 avvcbimage Info <9772>: Starting graceful (staged) termination, Too many pre-existing snapshots on the datastore will not permit a restore or backup. (wrap-up stage)

2014-12-16 12:34:58 avvcbimage Error <0000>: [IMG0009] createSnapshot: snapshot creation failed

Hi JH,

I have image backups getting failed due to flat files.

Whenever it happens, we are consolidating all flat files and then initiate new image backup. Then backup completes without any error.

I copied the error message here. Can you pls go through it and help me.

Thanks

Are you able to manually (through vCenter) take a snapshot? Is the VM running from a snapshot (orphaned or not)? Can you Storage vMotion the VM to another datastore?

I see nothing in the snippet of error message about flat files, but I'd be surprised if there were any flat files involved, as this is an error backing up a VM, not a file system.

2014-12-16 12:34:58 avvcbimage FATAL <0000>: [IMG0002] The datastore information from VMX '[XXXXXXXXXX] XXXXXXXXXX / XXXXXXXXXX.vmx' will not permit a restore or backup. (Log #1)
2014-12-16 12:34:58 avvcbimage Error <0000>: [IMG0009] createSnapshot: snapshot creation failed (Log #1)

2014-12-16 12:34:58 avvcbimage FATAL <0000>: [IMG0002] The datastore information from VMX '[XXXXXXXXXX]XXXXXXXXXX / XXXXXXXXXX.vmx' will not permit a restore or backup.

2014-12-16 12:34:58 avvcbimage Info <9772>: Starting graceful (staged) termination, Too many pre-existing snapshots on the datastore will not permit a restore or backup. (wrap-up stage)

2014-12-16 12:34:58 avvcbimage Error <0000>: [IMG0009] createSnapshot: snapshot creation failed

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The above error indicates you have orphaned snapshot on the datastore, there are two ways to check this, if you have proxycp.jar installed on your avamar server, you can putty in and run, #java -jar proxycp.jar --listsnapshots 2>/dev/null | grep Snapshot, this command will list all the existing snapshot alongwith the [hidden] which is your orphaned snapshot

second way to check this is by browsing the datastore to the VM folder which holds your .vmx and vmdk files look for vmdk, These vmdk's end in 00000x.vmdk that is your orphaned snapshot. Once you work with your VM team on how to remove these orphaned snapshot and have them work on removing it, your backups should be successful.

The VMware KB explains this in detail: VMware KB: Committing snapshots when there are no snapshot entries in the Snapshot Manager 

you can even try to run #java -jar proxycp.jar --listproxydisk

to check and see if any of your avamar proxy have hot-add disks to them and release it if it does.