Xenserver shows VM offline, but is alive

[Florian Hanig]

Hi All,

 

I use Xenserver 6.5 and have a strange situation with 1 vm.

The VM is alive, I can access via RDP over Network and it works well.

In Xencenter the VM is shown as offline.

 

I've logged on the Xenserver via SSH and do:

# list_domains

1 | VM_GUID....... |    B H



# xe vm-param-get param-name=power-state uuid=VM_GUID......

halted

 

So I have no backup from the VM and it's very important for me.

What should i check and do now, to bring the VM in a valid good state ?

 

 

[Tobias Kreidl]

I would do a power state reset as that VM appears to be in a strange state. Follow the procedure given here: https://support.citrix.com/article/CTX220777

Is this a pool of hosts? If so, make sure NTP is properly synchronized and set up. Check your offsets with "ntpstat -s" on each XenServer host.

 

--Tobias

[Florian Hanig]

The VM is very important and I won't do any risks...

 

I can log into the VM via RDP and do a soft shutdown there... 

After that trying to boot ?

 

Is this the best option or any other suggestions ?

[Alan Lantz]

If you have no backup then the VM is not important to you.  Seriously.  I would take a snapshot and export it to a file first

so you have a backup of the VM.  I would then restart the VM and see if that state then appears proper. Is your XenServer 

up to date on hotfixes? Is it restarted on a regular interval or has it been running for years ? Also, on 6.5 you need to 

evaluate and decide on an upgrade path.  And of course a backup solution.

 

--Alan--

 

[Florian Hanig]

Yes, Xenserver is up to date.

 

So I can snapshot now over Xenserver Gui ?

This is possible in actual state ?
 

And If I do not export the Snapshot to a file, is this possible, too ? 

Why should I export the Snapshot to a file additionally ?

 

--Florian--

[Tobias Kreidl]

Yes, you can do a snapshot from the GUI (XenCenter) and run an export of that snapshot from XenCenter, as well.

The export is just playing it safe -- being super cautious! You could also do a full clone of the snapshot into another VM as a backup, instead.

 

-=Tobias

[Alan Lantz]

You want a copy of your VM data accessible in a cold offliine storage state somewhere, a true backup copy,

if the data is important. Your vdi could corrupt or get overwritten, your file system could become corrupt.

if a single hard drive your drive could fail, a bug could destroy data, etc, etc. Granted, we didn't do a  quiesced

backup, but at least its something to work with in a disaster recovery situation.

 

--Alan--