NetWorker: vProxy Backups fail with "Unable to backup virtual disk "Hard disk 1"

The NetWorker VMware Protection integration is configured with the vProxy Appliance. The backup of a virtual machine fails to complete in the environment. The NetWorker Management Console message indicates it is unable to backup virtual disk "Hard disk 1."

To remove extra disks attached to the vProxy see LKB00022590 NVP-vProxy: How to use health check tool ProxyHC on vProxy appliance .

The vProxy vbackupd-engine.log file and NetWorker server backup log shows:   

YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS TRACE:  [43] Opening source VMDK "[DATASTORE_NAME] [VM_NAME]/[VM_NAME].vmdk" ...
YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS INFO:   [43] Calling VixDiskLib_Open("[DATASTORE_NAME] [VM_NAME]/[VM_NAME].vmdk")...
YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS ERROR:  [43] VDDK Error: 13: You do not have access rights to this file.
YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS ERROR:  [43] Failed to open source VMDK "[DATASTORE_NAME] [VM_NAME]/[VM_NAME].vmdk".
YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS ERROR:  [43] "Hard disk 1": BackupVmdk: "Hard disk 1": Unable to open Virtual Disk "[DATASTORE_NAME] [VM_NAME]/[VM_NAME].vmdk" in "hotadd:nbd" mode.
YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS ERROR:  [43] "Hard disk 1": BackupVmdk: "Hard disk 1": Unable to open Virtual Disk "[DATASTORE_NAME] [VM_NAME]/[VM_NAME].vmdk" in "hotadd:nbd" mode.
YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS ERROR:  [43] "Hard disk 1": BackupVmdk: Failed backup.
YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS ERROR:  [43] Unable to backup virtual disk "Hard disk 1".

The vProxy vbackupd-vddk.log file shows:

DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: VixDiskLib: VixDiskLib_OpenEx: Open a disk.
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: VixDiskLibVim: VixDiskLibVim_GetNfcTicket: Get NFC ticket for [DATASTORE_NAME] [VM_NAME]/[VM_NAME].vmdk.
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: VixDiskLibVim: Request RandomAccessRO diskKey = 2000, readOnly = 1, openSnapshot = 0.
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: VixDiskLibVim: VixDiskLibVim_FreeNfcTicket: Free NFC ticket.
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: NBD_ClientOpen: attempting to create connection to vpxa-nfc://[DATASTORE_NAME] [VM_NAME]/[VM_NAME].vmdk@[ESXI_HOST_FQDN]:902
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: CnxOpenTCPSocket: Cannot connect to server [ESXI_HOST_FQDN]:902: Connection timed out
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: CnxAuthdConnect: Returning false because CnxAuthdConnectTCP failed
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: CnxConnectAuthd: Returning false because CnxAuthdConnect failed
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: Cnx_Connect: Returning false because CnxConnectAuthd failed
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: Cnx_Connect: Error message: Failed to connect to server [ESXI_HOST_FQDN]:902
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: WARN: [NFC ERROR] NfcNewAuthdConnectionEx: Failed to connect to peer. Error: Failed to connect to server [ESXI_HOST_FQDN]:902
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: NBD_ClientOpen: Couldn't connect to [ESXI_HOST_FQDN]:902 Failed to connect to server [ESXI_HOST_FQDN]:902
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: DISKLIB-DSCPTR: : "vpxa-nfc://[DATASTORE_NAME] [VM_NAME]/[VM_NAME].vmdk@[ESXI_HOST_FQDN]:902" : Failed to open NBD extent.
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: DISKLIB-LINK  : "vpxa-nfc://[DATASTORE_NAME] [VM_NAME]/[VM_NAME].vmdk@[ESXI_HOST_FQDN]:902" : failed to open (NBD_ERR_NETWORK_CONNECT).  
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: DISKLIB-CHAIN : "vpxa-nfc://[DATASTORE_NAME] [VM_NAME]/[VM_NAME].vmdk@[ESXI_HOST_FQDN]:902" : failed to open (NBD_ERR_NETWORK_CONNECT).
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: DISKLIB-LIB   : Failed to open 'vpxa-nfc://[DATASTORE_NAME] [VM_NAME]/[VM_NAME].vmdk@[ESXI_HOST_FQDN]:902' with flags 0x1e NBD_ERR_NETWORK_CONNECT (2338).
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: VixDiskLib: Unable to locate appropriate transport mode to open disk. Error 13 (You do not have access rights to this file) at 4570.
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: VixDiskLib: VixDiskLib_OpenEx: Cannot open disk [DATASTORE_NAME] [VM_NAME]/[VM_NAME].vmdk. Error 13 (You do not have access rights to this file) at 4680.
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: VixDiskLib: VixDiskLib_Open: Cannot open disk [DATASTORE_NAME] [VM_NAME]/[VM_NAME].vmdk. Error 13 (You do not have access rights to this file) at 4718.
DD MM HH:MM:SS YYYY: VDDK: INFO: VixDiskLib: VixDiskLib_Disconnect: Disconnect.

The vProxy is not able to connect to the target ESXi host using port 902. The vProxy backup workflow uses VMware Virtual Disk Development Kit (VDDK) commands to connect to the vmdk files, using hotadd or nbd, in order to perform the backup.

Ensure the vProxy can connect to the ESXi host using the required ports (443 and 902). The "Port requirements" table in the Dell NetWorker and VMware Integration guide contains details and up-to-date information about the required ports for the solution.