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Backup Exec 10d job failing when backing up SQL Server

Marius_Sirbu
Level 3
We have an IBM 3581 Tape Autoloader which contains an IBM LTO3 3580-TD3 drive connected to an IBM x460 which had an IBM DS4300 disk storage system connected via 2 QLogic 2340 HBA's. The tape autoloader is connected via an Adaptec 29320ALP SCSI controller.
We have installed another 2 QLogic 2460 HBA's and a new IBM DS4700 disk storage system.
The server runs Windows 2003 Enterprise SP1
Since then we are unable to backup the SQL databases (now located in the new disk storage system). The Backup Exec job fails with the error "An invalid command was sent to the storage device".
An EventID 11 is posted in the Windows System event log saying: "The driver detected a controller error on \Device\Scsi\adpu3201"
Issue exists only when backing up the SQL databases (via the Backup Exec SQL Agent) - total size of databases to be backed up is about 140GB.
It fails at 70MB or at 60GB or anywhere so it is random.

What we have done till now:
When we installed the new system we also installed the new storport driver in Microsoft KB 932755 as it is a requirement for the new storage system. We installed in the mean time also the one in Microsoft KB 941276.
Backup Exec was 10d SP3 - now it is SP4
Veritas driver was 5.1.1.1 - now it is 5.1.23 (the one in http://support.veritas.com/docs/285593)
Adaptec driver was 3.0.0.0 we tried with 7.0.0.6 and also with the Microsoft native version
We have updated SCSI controller firmware to last vesion
We have updated autoloader firmware to the last version
We have updated tape drive firmware to the last version
We have updated firmware and drivers of the QLogic HBA's to the last version
We have already tried lowering the speed of the SCSI controller from 320 to 160 and the to 80. Besides longer time until the job fails we didn't obtain anything.
We have tried backing up files (backup of SQL database to disk and then backup to tape) from both storage systems and the jobs were OK with 60 GB from the old storage system and 85 GB from the new storage system, even with 320 speed on the SCSI controller.
We tested the tape autoloader on a different system and it is ok.
We tried setting the BusyRetryCount in the registry to 250 even (http://support.veritas.com/docs/336636)
We uninstalled and reinstalled the drivers for the tape autoloader and the drive by using tapeinst.
Basically we did everything in http://support.veritas.com/docs/255501
We tried with Write Single Block mode and with Write SCSI Pasthrough mode

As a summary we can backup files but we cannot backup SQL databases.

What can we do or try now?

Thanks!
9 REPLIES 9

CraigV
Moderator
Moderator
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Hi Marius,

Check out this link that directly addresses your first error:

http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/279532.htm

Also make sure that Removable Storage service is stopped and disabled.

Laters!

Marius_Sirbu
Level 3

Hi Craig,

Removable Storage service is stopped.
The card is not a SCSI RAID, it is 29320ALP not 29320ALP-R
The tape autoloader is the single device connected to the SCSI card.

Thanks

CraigV
Moderator
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Mmm...and nothing else is attached to the SCSI card but that autoloader?

Marius_Sirbu
Level 3
Yes, only the autoloader. I also did hmmmm :)
It has Multiple LUN activated and BE sees the autoloader and the tape drive on the same SCSI ID with different LUNs

CraigV
Moderator
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Hi Marius,

Take that Multiple LUN off, and as best practice the autoloader robotics and tape drives SCSI LUN IDs should be different.
The tape drive is always lower than the robotics, so consider changing that.
As an example, 1 of my sites has the following SCSI IDs assigned:

HP StorageWorks 1/8 G2 autoloader robotics - SCSI LUN ID 1
Tape drive - SCSI LUN ID 0

Hope this helps!

Marius_Sirbu
Level 3

Currently the setup is:
Tape Drive: SCSI ID 5, LUN 0
Autoloader: SCSI ID 5, LUN 1

Isn't this OK?

CraigV
Moderator
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THat is correct...when you back up normal files from that server to your autoloader, does it give you the same error?

Marius_Sirbu
Level 3
No.

I've backed up 60GB of files from the old storage system to tape with no error and also 85 GB of files from the new storage system to tape also with no error.
I'm doing daily full backup of SQL databases to disk using BE and it works also without error.

The error shows up only when doing backup of SQL databases with BE to tape.

CraigV
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited
Hi Marius,

I'd like to recommend you upgrading to BEWS 12.5, but that's not always possible, so for now that's out the door.
I've checked around and it seems like you have done everything that MS and Symantec have recommended.
I'd suggest logging a call with Symantec support. Let them know all that you have done. They are able to analyse any logs they ask you to pull, but post the solution here so we all know.

Laters!