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BaffledBackup's avatar
BaffledBackup
Level 3
10 years ago

BackupExec 2012 fails Exchange GRT backup after GRT restore

SBS 2011 (Server 2008 R2, Exchange 2010, SQL 2008), Backup Exec 2012, all fully patched. RD1000 USB 3.0 backup drive.

Backups of system and Exchange running flawlessly since build three years ago.  Performed random restores of files/Shareport/Exchange (always full), no errors.

A week ago I needed to do a GRT restore of a user's folder and 97 messages.  Worked great, no errors, then suddenly the GRT backup fails with the following:

Capture.PNG

Further, Exchange transaction log files aren't being purged.  Seeing Events 9287 and 2007 in Application log.

Ran Windows Server Backup to test, worked fine, purged transaction logs.

Tried running BEX 2012 full backup of Exchnage only with GRT disabled, same error.  Tried with AOFO disabled, GRT enabled, failed.  Tried with both disabled, worked fine.

To add insult to injury, if I remove the login account for BEX from the Exchange Address Book, no Exchange backup occurs.

Any ideas?

2012
Backing Up
Backup and Recovery
Backup Exec
Backup Exec (media server only)
Windows Server (2003-2008)
  • BaffledBackup's avatar
    BaffledBackup
    10 years ago

    Something happened on the way to the regular backup last night.

     

    I was notified the regular Full backup had failed around midnight, and the media was offline.  i checked the logs and BEX, and sure enough, the RDX was offline.  Windows showed the drive online and accessible (I saved/deteled a text file to test), and the Dell RDX tool showed the drive working fine.

     

    I set the drive status to Online, and attempted to restart the backup.  Within 5 minutes, the drive went offline again.  I checked drive status again, stopped/restarted BEX services, restarted the backup, same problem.

    I restarted the server, thinking something may've glitched, media showed online both in Windows & BEX, so I started the backup.  Same thing...within 5 minutes the drive went offline.

    In all of these attempts, I could set the drive online again, but it would go offline shortly thereafter.

     

    Frustrated and needing a backup, I deleted all jobs, then the media, restarted BEX services.

    I re-created the Media pool (Backup-to-Disk-Cartridge), using defaults (as I always do), then created the server (no Exchnage) backup, and ran a test of the backup...it ran fine.  OK, so I ran the backup immediately and waited.

    Next morning, backup worked fine, no issues.

    To see if this had any effect on Exchange, I created an Exchange backup WITH GRT, and ran a full (during work hours) to another cartridge....ran smooth as silk, no errors.

    Can I assume the solution was the cataloging/rights problem, which caused the Meda Pool to corrupt/damage/etc?  Backups to this same pool have been working (except this Exchange GRT issue) for almost 3 years.

    One final question...how did the missing rights issue occur?  Was this a Microsoft OS modification?  I perform software installs using vendor defaults.

     

    Thanks.

16 Replies

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  • CraigV's avatar
    CraigV
    Moderator
    10 years ago

    AOFO shouldn't be used when backing up databases.

    Have you tried to recreate the job? DId anything change on the media server in terms of patches etc? Or WIndows/Exchange patches?

    THanks!

  • BaffledBackup's avatar
    BaffledBackup
    Level 3
    10 years ago

    AOFO shouldn't be used when backing up databases.

    I'm aware of that from this week's research.  I've since turned it off.  However, as I stated originally, I've been backing-up with AOFO & GRT from day 1, 3 years ago without issue.

     

    Have you tried to recreate the job?

    Twice, no change.

     

    DId anything change on the media server in terms of patches etc?  Or WIndows/Exchange patches?

    No, nothing's changed, other than the latest Windows updates (WSUS).  I tend to wait at least two (2) months to apply Exchange patches...let everyone else work the kinks out.

     

     

  • VJware's avatar
    VJware
    Level 6
    10 years ago

    Quite strange that non-GRT backups aren't successful either since this message usually relates to the "staging" part. What is the staging location set for backup under the backup setting - grt settings ?

    Have you tried running a backup to an alternate location without GRT and AOFO ?

  • BaffledBackup's avatar
    BaffledBackup
    Level 3
    10 years ago

    Quite strange that non-GRT backups aren't successful either since this message usually relates to the "staging" part.

    You missed my original post...GRT/AOFO disabled, backup worked.

    What is the staging location set for backup under the backup setting - grt settings ?  Have you tried running a backup to an alternate location without GRT and AOFO ?

    ..and that's why I posted, as I would not have thought of looking at the actual BEX settings (outside the job).  I bet that's it...it's using C:\TEMP, but that folder hasn't been updated since the GRT restore.  Trying that right now and will see how it goes.

     

  • VJware's avatar
    VJware
    Level 6
    10 years ago

    I was reading this line of yours "Tried running BEX 2012 full backup of Exchnage only with GRT disabled, same error. "  This is strange.

  • BaffledBackup's avatar
    BaffledBackup
    Level 3
    10 years ago

    Sorry, typical IT week.

    Update on this issue...

    Created a new temp folder on the second partition, gave the BEX account full rights (owner), ran a GRT...same error.

    On the flip side, I removed Exchange from the regular backup, disabled GRT for Exchange, but left it for Sharepoint, and am receiving a similar error (same error codes, but the text under Errors states, "...the folder or directory is not accessible..".

    I haven't been able to run a file/system backup due to space issues testing the Exchange backup.

    I deleted the original job, and have created two separeate jobs: 1 for Exchange (only), 1 for System/FIles/Sharepoint/etc.

    I'll post the results.

  • VJware's avatar
    VJware
    Level 6
    10 years ago

    Is it possible to run GRT enabled backups to a non-RDX device ?

    Also, for the existing backup, turn off "Delayed Cataloging" when running GRT backups to the RDX device.

  • BaffledBackup's avatar
    BaffledBackup
    Level 3
    10 years ago

    Sorry for the delay again, I was trying to get the full backups schedule properly, as they're not separate jobs, and had to play with the start times.

    I have a 500Gb LaCie drive (USB3) on a USB2 port.  Created a new backup job, with GRT enabled, AOFO disabled...and it's running.  No failure at the onset.  I let it run for 10 minutes, then cancelled (during the work day, really slowed things down).  Worked flawlessly.

    I can't find the 'Delayed Cataloging" option.  I found a Symantec TID that referenced such, but the option isn't listed.  Can I assume it's a BEX 2014/2015-only option?

    At this point, I'm stumped.  Why would running a GRT with AOFO restore kill backup VSS functionality to an RDX drive?  A Windows update, possibly?  Windows Updates are the only changes that have occured.

  • VJware's avatar
    VJware
    Level 6
    10 years ago

    "Delayed Cataloging" applies to BE 2012 as well.

    It's not recommended to explicitly use AOFO with Exchange backups and secondly, the error message which you mentioned at the beginning is related to GRT staging and not VSS functionality.

  • BaffledBackup's avatar
    BaffledBackup
    Level 3
    10 years ago

    I see...I was getting information concerning how VSS was used for the snapshots, and made an illogical leap the issue lay with VSS/media.

    So...where do I go from here?  I've two weeks of successful backups, no AOFO or GRT.  This leaves me without the ability to resotre indvidual items/folders.

    The sad thkng is that I had a two year support contract when we upgraded to 2012, but never used it (expired last year).