Exchange Consistency Checks and AOFO

[Tim_Jahns]

The documentation for 10.x leads me to believe that AOFO is necessary in order to "Perform consistency check before backup when using Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy (VSS) snapshot provider."

When I enable AOFO I get error e00084af. When I disable AOFO my backups run normally.

If AOFO is disabled and I configure consistency checks, are they indeed running? (I find no evidence one way or the other in the job log.)

Thanks,

-Tim

[tejashree_Bhate]

Hello,

Are you using AOFO to backup Exchange? In that case perform Exchange backups without the AOFO option enabled.


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[Tim_Jahns]

No, I am not using AOFO.

My question is this: Do Consistency checks run (if selected) even if AOFO is disabled?

[padmaja_rajopad]

Hi,

Consistency Check can be performed if "Microsoft Shadow Copy Provider" is selected in the AOFO options or when ADBO option is used.

If the last option is checked "Continue with backup if consistency check fails" then the consistency check will be performed eevn if the job fails.

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[Tim_Jahns]

Ok, when I run a full Exchange Backup with AOFO (as you indicate is necessary to take advantage consistency checking), I get a Job Error of e00084af with a reference to link V-79-57344-33967. The closest match to my situation is a reference to the Static Volume, of which I am absolutely positive I do not have a problem with. (My exchange DB is only about 1GB so it shouldn't have a problem with the Static Cache anyway.) In any case, the job fails immediately after it starts. Note, the error occurs regardless of whether or not Consistency Checking is enabled when AOFO is enabled.

[tejashree_Bhate]

Hello,

Please paste the exact error message as in the job log.


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[Tim_Jahns]

The exact error messge in the "Job Failed" pop is:

Category Name: Job Failed
Backup Exchange-Backup Rotation (Exchange)-Daily Full Exchange Backups -- The job failed with the following error: The directory or file was not found, or could not be accessed.

The exact error message in the Job History section of the job log is:

Error category : Job Errors
Error : e00084af - The directory or file was not found, or could not be accessed.
For additional information regarding this error refer to link V-79-57344-33967

[Deepali_Badave]

Hello,

Backup operation fails with the error "Directory was not found, or could not be accessed. None of the files or subdirectories contained within will be backed up."
This error is particularly observed when the Advanced Open File Option is used to backup all the partitions of the server in a single job.

Please refer the following technote:

http://support.veritas.com/docs/261831


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[Tim_Jahns]

I do not believe I have a problem with my Static Volume Cache. It is on a partition that has about 50 times more space than I need to back up my 1GB Exchange DB. I am also backing up the Exchange DB with a single job and AOFO is configured to lock volumes seperately. Please note that the error occurs right away, that is, there is no pause while AOFO tries to obtain a volume lock.

[Martin_Tizzard]

Hi Tim

I might be able to help with your question as I am presently testing Backup Exec v10d for a migration at my company.

Firstly,in my opinion it is not necessary to install the AOFO option if you want to perform a VSS snapshot backup of Exchange. It is very important to understand how the VSS snapshot process actually works and why you can select other options under the AOFO Options in Backup Exec.

The underlying process encompasses three steps. A Requester makes the initial request, a Writer which is an API written into the specific application (i.e. Exchange VSS Writer) and the Provider. It is the Provider which dictates the way the snapshot is performed. There are different types of Provider such as Hardware, Software and System which operate in a strict hyeriachical architecture. That is to say if a Hardware Provider is installed that will be selected for the snapshot if compatible with the underlying application, then software (in this case Symantec VSP), then System ( Microsoft built-in system Provider)

This is in itself a topic worth understanding (and I do not for one moment pretend to be an expert!) as it means that you will understand the required settings when wishing to backup using VSS snapshots.

Firstly remember there are two places where AOFO (and other) settings can be made. One is under Tools - Options which are Global Settings and then the job settings itself so make sure nothing is set incorrectly (or even at all!) at the Global Default Level under AOFO

If you select the AOFO option under the job settings you should only be able to see and select the radio button under Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service. This should then be set to Automatic so that the VSS technology looks for a Hardware, Software then System provider which it will find as the MS System Provider will definitely exist.

Installing the AOFO option simply opens up the other options under this setting so that you can use the Veritas Volume Provider as your Software provider so it is not necessary to purchase this as aseperate option. It merely means you will only be able to perform VSS snapshots using the Microsoft System Provider which should still work.

If your Logs and Database reside on seperate volumes then it it advisable to untick 'Process Logical Volumes one at a time' so that a single snap of Exchange occurs. We are using iSCSI presented volumes which have meant that we need to process logical volumes one at a time as the Exchange Program Files reside on non-iSCSI storage but the Logs and Database reside on iSCSI volumes. Hence when the VSS snapshot is called we use a seperate Provider for the iSCSI snap.

Hopefully that makes some sense!

[Tim_Jahns]

I appreciate your thoughtful reply. However, the question remains whether or not AOFO is necessary to accomplish Exchange Consistency checks (and if so why does the backup job fail). A Symantec/Veritas rep posted (above) that AOFO is indeed required (and I have read 10d documentation that states as much). If this is true, then I do indeed require AOFO (which I purchased and installed for this and other file backup jobs) to perform Exchange consistency checks. All this being said please know that I have configured AOFO to use the default provider (which should automatically select VSS) and that my Static Volume Cache is configured appropriately.

The question remains, why am I getting an error as soon as my Exchange backup job (which is configured to only do a full backup of Exchange) executes and subsequently fails?

[shweta_rege]

Hello,


- Do you have AOFO Licensed?


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Thanks.

[Tim_Jahns]

Yes.