VMware vSphere Backup Job: Storage API Error

Product version: 10.11

Last modified: 5 August 2024

Problem

The VMware vSphere backup job fails with the following storage API error that appears in the logs:

Error113: EventError113{jobId='43', title='Replication of the "BouServ" VM has failed',

description='VMware vSphere Storage API error has occurred on the Onboard transporter.

Background

This error occurs if the NAKIVO Transporter fails to read the source VM disk(s). The possible reasons:

  • VMDK file damage

  • ESXi storage damage

  • HBA controller issue

  • Permission issue

  • Connectivity problem

  • VM disk is left mounted on the transporter after HotAdd mode etc.

Solution

To work around the problem, consider one of the following solutions:

  1. Check the ESXi events for possible errors related to the storage or HBA controller.

  2. Check if the account used for the backup has enough permissions to read files from ESXi storage.

  3. If the HotAdd mode is used, please make sure there are no disks belonging failed VM that are left mounted on the transporter server.

  4. Make sure the VPXA and HOSTD services work properly, then try to restart them on your ESXi host. Refer to this article for more details.

  5. Unless it was done before, deploy a new transporter on the Source ESXi host and use it as a source transporter for the job.