BackupExec run altering File Last Accessed Date

[Jim_2]

Is there a way to tell BackupExec (v10.0) running on Windows 2003 Server to NOT update the File Last Accessed Date whenever it backs up a file? This problem makes it impossible to use that file date for automated storage management solutions. The support document #191065 (http://support.veritas.com/docs/191065 ) says "Backup Exec does not modify the file's access date with any of the supplied backup methods.", but that is not true. It DOES modify the LastAccessed dates on most (but not all!?!) files whenever we backup. Is there a way to stop this behaviour? Thanks, Jim

[Jim_2]

Anyone else experiencing file Last Accessed Dates being altered? Symantec, are you there? Please let us know if there is a solution. Thanks in advance.

[Swati_Joshi]

Hi Jim!

When you view the properties of a file (including the last accessed date), you have to access the file - which makes it the current date. You'll ALWAYS find the last accessed date to be the current date if you are looking at the properties.

When Backup Exec makes a FULL or INCREMENTAL backup, we have to access the file properties to change the Archive bit on the file. Doing so, changes the access date.

But COPY and DIFFERENTIAL backups do not modify the Archive Bit and thus won't affect the access date.

Other applications, particularly antivirus software's, routinely access the files (and in doing so modify the access date). Most of them can be configured to preserve the last access date.

You can refer to following technote in this context:
http://support.veritas.com/docs/240220

Thanks and Regards,
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[Jim_2]

Thanks Swati. I was told by Veritas that BE should NEVER change the LastAccessed date, no matter what type of backup it's doing. I was told earlier that when BE opens a file, either for full or diff/incremental backup, the OS is what changes the LastAccessedDate and BE has to change it back. We find dates changed on DIFF backups as well as FULL backups. We do not run any other processes or programs on the BackupExec server or this targeted file server (meaning no AV products).

Yesterday I ran FileMon.exe utility from SysInternals.com on a file being backed up and found that BE was the last process to touch the file and change the LastAccessed date. No other process running on the file server touched the file. Allowing BE to alter the LastAccessed date seems like it makes tight Hierarchical Storage Management data management very difficult if not impossible.

[Deepali_Badave]

Hello,

Make sure that antivirus service is stopped during the backup.

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[Jim_2]

>> antivirus service is stopped during the backup.

Thanks for the reply ...

No AV service running on this server at the time of the test, as verified by the services list I sent over to Symantec support. It is a new buildup. In fact, nothing else is running on this server that isn't supplied by MSFT or Veritas. I have been contacted by Symantec support and they are "pushing it up the line". We used filemon.exe from SysInternals to verifiy that it was BackupExec's beremote.exe agent changing the LastAccessed date. They verified that BE should NEVER change the LastAccessed date, no matter what type of backup is being done (it happens on Fulls and Differentials). The OS changes LastAccessed Date whenever a process opens the file, but BE reads the datetime beforehand and supposedly restores it back ... except it isn't working on our servers (Win 2003 or Win 2000), even on the local server where BE Server is installed) . I'll post back if a solution is found.

[shweta_rege]

Hello,



- Could you please update us on the issue....




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Thanks.