Having a problem when trying to use Backup exec 10d SP2, to backup an SQL Database referenced via a UNC path. Heres is an example of the setup:
Server1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise SP1, SQL 2000 Enterprise SP3, Backup Exec 10d SP2 with SQL Agent
Server2 - Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 SP1, configured as a Database NAS(via a 10Gigabit interconnection between the servers)
The SQL on Server1 has a networked database,that is stored on Server2, connecting via a UNC path I.E. \\Server2\dbshare\database.mdf. This has been setup via Microsofts instructions on using UNC rather than a mapped drive for reliability, and for the fact our company has alot of mapped drives as it is (Citrix environment, which this database is accessed from). The SQL Agent doesn't have any problems with any of the smaller databases that are local directly on Server1, but the UNC path-based database it doesn't like. I set Backup exec to use Debug logs and ran the SGMon and the error that comes up is:
"SQL Agent Database Path Error. The database contains a path with extra backslashes. The database needs to be detached then attached again using a corrected path. See support website."
So I check the support website and come up with nada. I check the forums and see that some users had issues when a local path, I.E. c:\path\\morepath\database.mdf, had extra backslashes. But with this being a UNC path the double backslashes are sorta needed. Does anyone here know if there is a workaround or patch to actually let SQL Agent backup an SQL database that has a UNC path? Because currently moving the database local is not an option due to drive space, and the need for it being in our centralized database NAS. And mapping it to a drive isn't an option due to its need to be used via a Citrix environment. Also this database is live 24 hours and hence the need for a live backup solution.
At this point we have had to use the built-in SQL backup via a Maintenance plan, then backup the backup file to tape via Backup Exec. This isn't our best solution as it takes longer and slows down the server and database usage for a greater time.
Sorry for the length of the post, but this is really frustrating.
Any comments, questions, workarounds, etc. at this point would be more than welcome.
Brent