Backup Exec 2012 Dedupe Store Full - How to free disk space?

[AB_Panthro]

I use Backup Exec 2012 to backup my Exchange 2010 message store, and it appears my dedupe store has run out of disk space.  My jobs failed at the weekend with the following error:

V-79-57344-33935 - The backup-to-disk folder that was specified for this job ran out of disk space. ...

Either free some disk space, or specify a different backup-to-disk folder for the job. Before other ...

The jobs that I've setup on BE2012 for our environment were previously set to retain data for 4 weeks, but after running out of dedupe store disk space I've set them to 3 weeks.  I also deleted a couple of older backup sets to help free up some space.

Unfortunately, the server still says there is no disk space and the home tab's "Storage Status" visual still shows as 0 bytes free.

Any idea how I can successfully free up disk space in the dedupe store and get my backups running again?

[Kiran_Bandi]

Backup exec 11d media server cannot communicate with a higher revision backup exec agent. Hence the error message...

And why two media servers? Any particular reason for it?

[AB_Panthro]

Have you replied to the correct topic??

[Kiran_Bandi]

Sorry AB, opened two discussions at the same time and posted the wrong reply here... 

Filling the APPRAISAL  mate....

[pkh · Accepted solution]

Have you tried to reclaim space in your dedup folder using the procedure in this document?

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH130103

[RLeon]

Yes, the deduplication engine is very strange. You could manually kick start its cleanup (and related) processes to speed up the space release.

Do the following in strict order.
Works everytime in our Backup Exec; works everytime in our Netbackup.

In the Backup Exec directory, type the following commands (note the double hyphens -- :(

1. Crcontrol --processqueue
Wait for it to finish. To check if it has, type Crcontrol --processqueueinfo

2. Crcontrol --processqueue
Yes, do it again. Wait for it to finish.

3. Crcontrol --compactreleasesp
Wait for it to finish. To check, type Crcontrol --compactstate

4. Crcontrol --processqueue
Yep. Again, let it finish.

5. Crcontrol --processqueue
I'm not joking. (And of course, always let it finish)

6. Crcontrol --dsstat 1
This command shows you the available space now.
The space that was still occupied by the deleted backup sets should be freed by now.

Sometimes you have to do 1-6 twice.
Also note that sometimes "Crcontrol --processqueue" and "Crcontrol --compactreleasesp" take a very long time to finish. (Depending on the size of your dedupe storage).
It is better to do this when no backups are running, and allow plenty of time.

RLeon

[pkh]

The procedure that you have outlined is given in the document that I have referenced.

[RLeon]

After I submitted my reply, I noticed you posted the link to the document. Anyway, thanks for the link.

RLeon

[AB_Panthro]

Is the above procedure ok to perform in 2012?

[RLeon]

Yes. In the technote posted by pkh, if you click "Products - Show all", it says that the procedure also applies to BE2012.

RLeon

[AB_Panthro]

Working through it now, thanks. 

Why doesn't BE2012 it do this itself?  The article says it'll do it every 12 hours, but I freed up space around 18hrs ago and nothing has changed...

I take it once this is done, the 3wk retention I put in place for each of the jobs will allow them to be overwritten if older, or do I have to do something else first?

[AB_Panthro]

Thanks RLeon, that has freed up a little bit of space.

Now can anyone tell me how to make sure that Backup Exec 2012 will overwrite older data now that I have reduced the retention period from 4 weeks to 3?

[pkh]

The way your backup sets are deleted could be affected by DLM.  See my article below

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/articles/when-backup-sets-are-deleted-under-dlm

[AB_Panthro]

The tech article reclaimed enough space for the jobs to start running again, thanks.