Fortimail FML-VM01 in is Broken - REISERFS Error - lost all config, vm goes into to maintenance mode

[NeoRant]

This is my first time using Fortimail and I have to admit, this system has a lot of bugs/issues, a bit unstable. The VM/webadmin tends to freeze at times. I once lost an entire configuration, where the vm was reset thus losing its 1 yr license/expired, I had to turn on udp to reapply 1yr license to get the VM up. Now the VM upon starting in Hyper-V is broken. I need to replicate this Fortimail VM for redundancy, but I will not replicate a broken VM. Additionally, there are other VMs on the same host comprising Fortimail and they are working fine i.e. checkpoint creation/removals, replication etc can be done.

Can i get some assistance?

[AEK]

Hi @NeoRant 

Which FortiMail version are you using?

A REISERFS error is usually a filesystem corruption. Can be caused by physical disk error, power outage, ungraceful shutdown of the VM or by other external factor.

Usually in such case restoring the VM from a good VM backup is the best and fastest solution.

[NeoRant]

Hi AEK, you are a master. I did some reading myself and it is one of the newest type of filesystems used Linux, faster than ext2, 3 etc. However, a server host that the fortimail vm was on had a raid error, (a disk failed in the raid), dell server was unable to boot past raid in bios. We managed to get server booted though. The fortimail vm just booted with the error. To be honest, since purchasing this fortimail vm0, it has been unstable, often freezes and shutdown on its own at times, without me doing anything. Unfortunately, there are no backups of this vm as it was not yet put in production. I sent a ticket to FortiCloud TAC support. I no when to play hero and fix things, but it is also wise to seek support, especially when it is available, for added knowledge and efficiency.

If no vm backup, can it be restored/fixed?

The only backup i have is the config.

[AEK]

Hi NeoRant

If I don't have a good VM backup then I'd not fix it and put it in prod following such issue.

The best thing I'd do is:

1. Deploy a new VM of the same version
2. Move the license to the new VM (CS ticket)
3. Restore the config
4. Update to the latest patch of that version

[NeoRant]

Hi AEK, I was thinking the same thing, hence why i love exporting/saving cfg files/backup configs for all my boxes/appliances in case for restoration n not starting from scratch, thank you for your support.

A question though, will the re-application/upload of the already registered license( in forticloud - asset management) show up as "license already in use" or something on re-deployed vm? I was reading some forums in the past, someone got a message like that.

[AEK · Accepted solution]

Honestly I'm not sure about that. I usually open a CS ticket to move the license and it always worked fine like that.

However in ma late experience I had one FWB VM with a temporary license, and I could move it without opening a CS ticket, just by shutting down the old VM and pushing the license file to the new VM it worked fine.

So I'm not sure about how it is supposed to work. I think it would be a good idea to create a new post for this question.

[NeoRant]

Hi AEK, thank you so much, excellent suggestion. Ok here what i am going to do in order:

1. Wait for FortiCloue TAC support to respond to my issue above as i created a ticket last week.

2. If they provide fix i will work with them. My ticket is in a stage "researching".

3. If they are unable to fix issue, i will follow our line of thinking, reconfigure an deploy new vm n apply license.

4. Create cust serv ticket asking them to move license to redeployed vm.

I will update you.

[jh0rv4t]

https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/ReiserFS

ReiserFS is considered as deprecated in the Linux kernel.

I would use XFS or ZFS. The later has raid capability.

Or use ext4.