An error occurred while taking a snapshot: Failed to quiesce

An error occurred while taking a snapshot: Failed to quiesce the virtual machine. VCSA 6.5 HA

Virtualization has revolutionized data management, enabling seamless operations and enhanced flexibility. VMware’s vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA) 6.5 with vCenter High Availability (VCHA) is a robust solution, but sometimes snapshot errors can disrupt backup processes. Understanding these errors and finding suitable solutions is crucial for maintaining a stable virtual environment.

Identifying the Issue: When attempting to back up VCSA 6.5 with VCHA, especially on the peer node and witness VM, users may encounter a snapshot error message:

“An error occurred while quiescing the virtual machine. See the virtual machine’s event log for details. An error occurred while taking a snapshot: Failed to quiesce the virtual machine. An error occurred while saving the snapshot.”

Exploring the Problem: This error often arises due to the nature of VCSA being in HA mode. VMware Knowledge Base article #2148003 explicitly states that snapshotting VCHA nodes is not supported for backups. The official response from VMware clarifies this stance:

Are snapshots, cloning, and Fault Tolerance supported on VCHA nodes?

  • No, it’s currently not supported to use these operations on any of the VCHA nodes.
Note: File-Based backups of the VCHA  Active node are supported. Do not backup or restore the Passive and Witness nodes. Image-Based backups of the Active VCHA node are not supported. Image-Based backups use snapshots during the process which could cause a failover in environments with high latency, and may result in an inconsistent state on the restored vCenter.

VCSA Backup Snapshot

Solutions and Workarounds: While snapshots for backups are not supported in VCHA mode, VMware recommends utilizing Image Level backups for VCHA nodes. This approach ensures data integrity without disrupting the VCHA’s operation.

Consider implementing these steps:

  1. Image Level Backups: Employ tools and methods that support Image Level backups for VCHA nodes to ensure data protection and integrity.
  2. Regular Monitoring: Continuously monitor VMware documentation and updates for any changes or additional solutions to snapshot errors in VCSA 6.5 with VCHA.
  3. Backup Strategies: Develop comprehensive backup strategies that align with VMware’s guidelines to prevent issues during backup processes.

Snapshot errors during backups in VMware VCSA 6.5 with VCHA can be perplexing, especially when encountering the “Failed to quiesce the virtual machine” message. However, understanding the limitations and following VMware’s recommendations for Image Level backups can ensure data security and prevent disruptions in the high availability setup. Monitoring, adherence to best practices, and exploring officially supported backup methods will help maintain a robust virtual environment.

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