Error when performing Exchange Backup

[egoncharov]

We have the following error when performing Exchange backup job.

Completed status: Failed
Final error: 0xe000fed1 - A failure occurred querying the Writer status.
Final error category: Resource Errors
For additional information regarding this error refer to link V-79-57344-65233

Backup- mailserver2
V-79-57344-34110 - AOFO: Initialization failure on:
\\CCR\Microsoft Information Store\First Storage Group. Advanced Open File
Option used: Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS).

Snapshot provider error (0xE000FED1): A failure occurred querying the Writer
status.

Check the Windows Event Viewer for details.

Writer Name: Exchange Server, Writer ID:
{76FE1AC4-15F7-4BCD-987E-8E1ACB462FB7}, Last error: The VSS Writer failed,
but the operation can be retried (0x800423f3), State: Failed during prepare backup operation (7).

The next volumes are depend on resource: "D:" .

Using the job settings, Backup Exec attempted to back up
the passive copy of the Exchange database. However, the passive copy was not
available after the Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) snapshot was
performed. Try to run the job again.

Writer Name: Microsoft Exchange Writer, Writer ID: {76FE1AC4-15F7-4BCD-987E-8E1ACB462FB7}, Last error: The VSS Writer failed, but the operation can be retried (0x800423f3), State: Failed during backup complete operation (12).

The error is occured in 20-25 minutes after backup job start.

The Information Store is two-node cluster. The error is only on one (passive) node. The rebooting doesn't resolve the issue.
The Exchange server version is 2007 SP1 and it run on Windows 2003 Server R2 SP1.

The were error on mailserver1 in vssadmin list writers associated with exchange. After rebooting it works well. There weren't any errors in vssadmin list writers on mailserver2 as before rebooting as after one.

The AOFO is not selected in job properties (it is confusing me with AOFO: Initialization failure on: error!) .
The option If Exchange 2007 backup source is LCR or CCR: is specified to Back up from the passive copy and if not available, try the active copy (recommended).

The other storage groups are backed up well.

How can I resolve the issue?

P.S. As I noticed some minutes ago, if option If Exchange 2007 backup source is LCR or CCR: is selected to Backup up from the active copy only (job fails if not available) the backup job run well!

[Colin_Weaver · Accepted solution]

Suggest you set  the Backup Job to Backup from the Active Copy ONLY and leave it like this

Symantec are already aware of issues where accessing the VSS writers  for a Passive Copy can fail and are in consultation with Microsoft about the cause.

Symantec have also found that it is difficulty to track the exact error code reported when problems relating to this known issue occur - as the error code depends on Operating System, Exchange and Backup Exec versions, service packs and hotfixes.

Some of the (mulitple) error codes are discussed here, (although judging by your post and one by another forum member recently you may have a new code against the same issue.)
http://entsupport.symantec.com/docs/305815

[egoncharov]

Thanks for the answer. I'll try to use Active Copy only.

And what about AOFO? Is is normal that AOFO is not activated in job settings but it is present in error?

[Colin_Weaver]

Some AOFO style messages appear in the Backup Exec Job and debug logs when attempting to protect VSS aware applications - such as Exchange - this is nromal and will happen whether or not AOFO is enabled against the job.

[egoncharov]

Thanks for the answers. They will be useful for further understanding of Backup Exec.