Backup of a virtual machine fails with NetBackup error 6 and 23

Problem

The virtual machines in a VMware environment fail to backup with ERR - Error opening the snapshot disks using given transport mode: san Status 23 and status: 6: the backup failed to back up the requested files.

Error Message

Detailed Status shows as below:

Error bpbrm (pid=XXXX) from client CLIENT_NAME: ERR - Error opening the snapshot disks using given transport mode: san Status 23
Critical bpbrm (pid=XXX) from client CLIENT_NAME: FTL - cleanup() failed, status 6
Error bptm (pid=XXXX) media manager terminated by parent process
Info Storage_server_name (pid=XXXX) StorageServer=PureDisk:StorageServer_name; Report=PDDO Stats for (storage_server_name): scanned: 3 KB, CR sent: 0 KB, CR sent over FC: 0 KB, dedup: 100.0%, cache disabled
Critical bpbrm (pid=XXXX) unexpected termination of client CLIENT_NAME
Info bpbkar (pid=0) done. status: 6: the backup failed to back up the requested files
end writing; write time: 0:00:15
the backup failed to back up the requested files (6)

Debug VxMS log shows as below:

g_vixInterfaceLogger:libvix.cpp:1797 <DEBUG> : [VFM_ESINFO] VixDiskLib: VixDiskLib_ConnectEx: Advanced transport modes not    available for opening moref=vm-6262. (Cannot use advanced transport modes for xx.xx.xx.xx/moref=vm-6262/snapshot-11160: Cannot create directory /tmp/vmware-root/42001d98-bc29-c184-9d7d-c517ffbed4c5-vm-6262.)
   vdConnect:VixInterface.cpp:1152 <DEBUG> : Adding SAN remap connection: 40478832
   g_vixInterfaceLogger:libvix.cpp:1797 <DEBUG> : [VFM_ESINFO] 2017-05-02T11:10:32.445+08:00 trivia -[7FA613FFF700] [Originator@6876 sub=ThreadPool] HandleWork() leaving
   vdConnect:VixInterface.cpp:1166 <DEBUG> : Done with ConnectEx(): 40478832

Cause

Corruption in the vmware-<user> directory on the VMware Backup host.

Solution

On the VMware backup host, perform the following steps:

1. Clear the contents of this vmware temporary directory.
   • UNIX/Linux: /tmp/vmware-root/
   • Windows: C:\Windows\TEMP\vmware-SYSTEM\
2. Then retry the backups.