Backup Exec 8.6: Job Fails, no apparent changes were made...

[Redhill_Wonder]

Hello All,

just inherited a 2000 SBS Server with Dell's version of BE 8.6.

Been running ok up until 10 days ago, when jobs have started failing with no apparent changes made to the jobs. Comparing the job log with a previous successful backup I have noticed the following: "the .DR file required for Intelligent DR..." is no longer created/updated and the failed backup fails when "The media provided to continue the backup already contains data from one or more sets created during this operation. The operation cannot be continued."

So it looks as if it requires another media, although it is backing up exactly the same amount as when the backups were successful.

Does someone have any pointers or troubleshooting ideas?

Also additional questions: how does it update the .DR file when I have not specified this in the backup Job (there seems to be no option to enable this in the Job properties). Lastly, is there any way to avoid getting an alert email every 15 mins, reporting the failed job? I thought one email would be enough!

Thanks in advance,

[Ken_Putnam]

"The media provided to continue the backup already contains data from one or more sets created during this operation. The operation cannot be continued."

does indedd mean that the tape has filled up. 

 Are  the jobs Overwrite or Append?

How much data is written to tape before the alert appears?

What kind of drive and media are you using?

Don't use IDR, myself.  Wouldn't touch it

You can change the alert frequency.  See  http://support.veritas.com/docs/192055  bullet 20 under v8.x

set the inteval to "0" (zero) and you should get only one alert

[Redhill_Wonder]

Ken,

thanks for your reply. I'll be back in the office on Monday and I'll get some more details.

Cheers,

R.

[Redhill_Wonder]

Ken,

all the jobs are set to overwrite and to use hardware compression, it looks as if the job reaches  @29 GB and then it fails (it ran ok up to 28.5 GB).

The drive is a DDS4 with compression enabled, media is DDS-4 (20GB native, 40 GB compressed) so it should comfortably accomodate over 30GB!

Not tried the registry hack to change the alerts, will do now.

Thanks,

Red

[Ken_Putnam]

The drive is a DDS4 with compression enabled, media is DDS-4 (20GB native, 40 GB compressed) so it should comfortably accomodate over 30GB!

Remember that 2:1 compression is marketing hype, not engineering promise

I usually figure on about 1.2-1.3:1.   You are gettin almost 1.5:1, so are way ahead of the curve

See http://support.veritas.com/docs/199542

[Redhill_Wonder]

Ken,

thanks again. I have created a new tape set for the extended backups, I'll see how it goes.

I have tried the registry change to limit the event emails but it doesn't seem to work: do you know if I can just create the key in point 20 or do I have to create the lot as in the document?

Thanks,

Red

[Ken_Putnam]

You should be able to create just the one

Going back and re-reading the TechNote, I think I may have mis-remembered the useage in v8.6

Do you want to be able to insert a tape the next morning, or do you want the job to cancel ?

[Redhill_Wonder]

Ken,

I would like to insert the tape the following morning. I'd like Backup Exec to send me only one notification, at the moment it is sending one every 15 minutes and you can imagine how many we get on a Monday morning!

Thanks,

Red

[Ken_Putnam]

I think that you may be SOL

I found  http://support.veritas.com/docs/248727  which says

VERITAS Technical Services currently has this issue under investigation. Please refer back to this document periodically for any changes in the status and resolution of this issue will be reflected here.

But is dated May of 2003!

[Redhill_Wonder]

Thanks Ken,

problem solved !!!!

[Ken_Putnam]

What was the resolution, if you don't mind?

[Redhill_Wonder]

Sorry Ken, that was meant in a sarcastic way: as the Veritas document says, turn off the alerts!

Thanks again,

Red

[Ken_Putnam]

Message Edited by Ken Putnam on 08-22-200712:35 PM