"ALERT: Failed to backup ConfigStore." on an ESXi host

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

An alert "ALERT: Failed to backup ConfigStore." may be generated on an ESXi host.

Environment

VMware ESXi 7.0 U3

Cause

When multiple ConfigStore backup processes run simultaneously, the database becomes locked, causing subsequent processes to fail with a 'busy' status.

The following logs are recorded in /var/run/log/syslog.log :

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z backup.sh[#######3]: Saving current state in /bootbank
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z backup.sh[#######4]: Saving current state in /usr/lib/vmware/hostd/docroot/downloads/########-#########-###-############/firmware-backup.$$
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z backup.sh[#######4]: Creating ConfigStore Backup
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z backup.sh[#######3]: Creating ConfigStore Backup
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z configStoreBackup[#######1]: Stat backup /var/lib/vmware/configstore/backup/current-store-1: rc = 0, errno = 0
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z configStoreBackup[#######2]: Stat backup /var/lib/vmware/configstore/backup/current-store-1: rc = 0, errno = 0
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z configStoreBackup[#######1]: ConfigStore backup into /var/lib/vmware/configstore/backup/current-store-1 is halted, because it is busy
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z configStoreBackup[#######2]: ConfigStore backup into /var/lib/vmware/configstore/backup/current-store-1 completed successfully
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z configStoreBackup[#######2]: ConfigStore backup into /var/lib/vmware/configstore/backup/current-store-1 completed with rc = 0
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z configStoreBackup[#######2]: Stat backup /var/lib/vmware/configstore/backup/datafile-store: rc = 0, errno = 2
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z configStoreBackup[#######2]: ConfigStore backup into /var/lib/vmware/configstore/backup/datafile-store completed successfully
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z configStoreBackup[#######2]: ConfigStore backup into /var/lib/vmware/configstore/backup/datafile-store completed with rc = 0
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z configStoreBackup[#######1]: Failed to vacuum configstore into /var/lib/vmware/configstore/backup/current-store-1, rc=1, err=output file already exists
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z configStoreBackup[#######1]: ConfigStore backup into /var/lib/vmware/configstore/backup/current-store-1 completed with rc = 1
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z backup.sh[#######4]: ConfigStoreBackup Errorcode:[1]

Resolution

No action is required if this error is temporary.

If the alert occurs frequently, collect a support bundle and open a support case with Broadcom Support.