Thursday, July 26, 2012

Cumulative Update 2 for System Center 2012

Microsoft had recently release the Cumulative Update 2 (CU2) for System Center 2012.   Part of  it, it fixes the issues for Data Protection Manager 2012 (DPM 2012), Orchestrator (SCO 2012), Operations Manager (SCOM 2012), AppContoller and Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM 2012).

Most of the fixes are for the SCDPM and the SCVMM.

The Descriptions of bug fixes are in this link.

But if you want to download the CU2 only for the SCDPM 2012 then go to this link directly.

Note : Remember to backup your DPM database before you perform this rollup update.

The issue of the VM Status of Unsupported VM Configuration (Error 644) is resolved with the patch for the SCVMM and SCDPM.

keywords : DPM 2012, KB2706783, VM status of unsupported VM configuration (Error 644), error 644, VMM,

Thursday, July 19, 2012

VMM - VM status of Unsupported VM Configuration (Error 644)

I had provisioned a Standard W2K8R2 VM with the System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2012.  Once installation is done, I attached the DPM ISO (with Share image file instead of copying it – tick in the box) to install through the VMM.  Everything went successfully, till I wanna detach the ISO.  I tried to detach the ISO but in vain through the VMM.

Error Message (Error 644) :

The specified host drive \\domain.local\Library\ISOs\SCDPM2012.iso does not exist on the host machine.

After some "bing”, it seems that it’s a common problem.  Steps carried our is as below :

  • Launch the Hyper-V Manager in that particular server that is hosting the VM. 
  • Detach the ISO or DVD, in the Settings for that particular VM and click Apply and then OK.
  • Then go back to the VMM, refresh it and the error “Unsupported VM Configuration” is no longer there.

Source from TechNet

Hope the above steps helps.

keywords :

Virtual machine configured to use an ISO has a status of Unsupported VM Configuration in System Center 2012 Virtual Machine Manager, VMM 2012,

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

DPM–DPM Agent “Unavailable”

I would like to share with all that I had experienced the  DPM Agent is “Unavailable” many times.  Even though after uninstall and reinstall it, the next few hours later the Agent Status displays in the DPM Console as Unavailable.

After lots of troubleshooting, at last found that the Domain Controllers (DC) TIME was not in sync.  Therefore, after working with the AD team to sync all their DCs, the DPM Agent is all normal and status is OK.

Lesson learn from the project is to have the AD team to check on all their DCs time is in sync and the protected servers time are in sync with the DCs.

Keywords : DPM Agent unavailable, agent not available, DPM agent change to unavailable after few hours or next day

Monday, July 2, 2012

DPM–How To Enable End User Recovery

The End User Recovery (EUR) is a great feature in DPM.  However you should consider if you need this feature.  It will have an impact to your Active Directory Schema, which is some company has their schema fine tune and edited to their company needs.  So before proceeding, do discuss first with the Schema Administrator, the Active Directory Administrator, the global IT before the change is taken.
Another thing to consider before enable the EUR is the following:
  • If enable the EUR, you can’t control on what file servers EUR should be functioning.
  • You can’t control which security groups or domain users that should be able to perform the action or not
So at some point of time, some management prefer the backup administrators to do the restore rather than to let the users to do the restore.  But anyway, if you have the confident that the end users knows what they are doing, then can proceed with the EUR.
 
The pre-requisite is that the clients in the domain must be running Windows 7 or Vista with XP1, which the Shadow Copy Client software is already installed in the operating system.  EUR also supports the Windows XP with SP2, but the Shadow Copy Client software must be install or deploy to it before the users can do the recovery.
 
Firstly log into your DPM console.  You’ll realise that the End-User recovery is dimmed.
 
SC-DPM2010-43
There are 2 methods to extend the Schema to enable the End-user recovery (choose only 1 method).  Both methods requires the user with  the permission to extend the Active Directory Schema.
 
Part 1
  • Method 1 – Through the DPM Console
  • Method 2 – Through the Active Directory domain controller.
Part 2
  • Activating the End-User Recovery


Part 1

Method 1 – Extend Schema through the DPM Console

 

SC-DPM2010-48
Step 1.1 Click on the Configure Active Directory …


SC-DPM2010-45


Step 1.2 Enter the user credential that has permission to extend the schema in the Active Directory and click OK


SC-DPM2010-46
Step 1.3 Click Yes to confirm.


DC01-12


Step 1.4 Click OK to confirm.


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Step 1.5 Once the schema is extended, click OK on the confirmation.

Method 2 – Extend Schema through Active Directory domain controller

Step 2.1 Log in to the Domain Controller of the domain.


DC01-2

Step 2.2 Copy the file DPMADSchemaExtension from the DPM server (copy the file to your DPM desktop).  It should be located in the C:\Program Files\Microsoft DPM\DPM\End User Recovery folder (unless it’s installed in another location but find for the End User Recovery directory). 
 

DC01-3
Step 2.3 Right-click on the DPMADSchemaExtension and Run as administrator (which also has the authority to extend the Schema).


DC01-4

Step 2.4 Click Yes to acknowledge to continue to extend the Schema as shown above.

DC01-6
Step 2.5 Key in your DPM servername e.g. SC-DPM and click OK.


DC01-7

Step 2.6 Key in the FQDN domain name e.g. systemcenter.com and click OK


DC01-11

Step 2.7 Click OK since the DPM server and the Protected server is in the same domain.


DC01-12 DC01-13
Step 2.8 Click OK to update. 
Step 2.9 Once it’s completed click OK to confirm.


Part 2

Activating the End-User Recovery

Step 3.1 Once the Schema is extended, then switch to the DPM console again.  Now you’ll be able to check the Enable End-User Recovery box.


SC-DPM2010-52


Step 3.2 Once check and click OK, then a pop-up box will appear


image


Step 3.3 Click OK.
Step 3.4 Do a Synchronization to your file server and your EUR is ready for operations.

Thank you and hope this helps you.
keywords : End-User recovery, EUR, how to get End-User Recovery activated or started