Exchange Server explorer.exe memory leak starts during BE job

[casit]

Hi all,

This is my first time posting here, so thanks in advance.

Our environment:

BackExec 2010 running in Server 2003 (x86), Dell PE2900 III

Exchange 2007 running in SBS2008 (x64), IBM x3650 M3 server

SQL 2008 Standard running in Server 2008 Standard (x64), IBM x3650 M3 server

The issue I am experiencing is that while the server hosting BE 2010 runs our daily backup job, on the exchange server explorer.exe begin eating all available memory until it hit 99% usage and services grind to a halt (this is also our DC).  Even after the BE job completes (or fails), exporer.exe will retain the memory until I reboot the exhange server.

This issue first appeared when I replaced a failed Raid5 drive.  Although IBM approved, it was a Seagate rather than IBM, and came with Full Disk Encryption capability (not active).  The following BE job failed and explorer.exe hung the exchange server, so I enabled Advance Open File per the error report from the failed job.  The next several jobs then ran without issue, then the next failed and exchange hung.  After that, the jobs began running to completion, but exchange hangs with the explorere.exe issue every time.

Presently I am testing to see if turning off verify for the job in BE will prevent to hang, but that is a temporary solution even if it works.

Has anyone here experienced or heard of an issue like this?

[pkh · Accepted solution]

1) If you are not already on BE 2010 R3 SP4, I would suggest that you upgrade to BE 2010 R3 which is the latest version. Your existing licence keys will work.  You can download BE 2010 R3 from either the fileconnect site or

http://trialware.norton.com/files/fc/Backup_Exec_2010_13.0.5204_MultiPlatforms_Multilingual_DVD.iso

After your upgrade, do not forget to run LiveUpdate a couple of time to update it to SP4 and the latest hotfixes.

After you have upgraded to R3 SP4, push out the remote agent again.

2) If you are already on BE 2010 R3 SP4, I would suggest that you push out the remote agent again and recreate your job.  You should also turn off AOFO.

3) If there is any anti-virus software on either the Exchange or media server, turn it off.

[casit]

@pkh

Great info--I'm not on R3 yet, but will be soon in light of this.

Just curious, why do you suggest turning AOFO off?  Is it not needed with R3 fully patched?

Thanks for the help--it was looking grim.

-Michael

[pkh]

You never turn on AOFO when you back up databases like Exchange or SQL Server databases. It has been this way since forever

[casit]

Very good to know--the BE error code link suggested turning it on to fix the shadow copy issue we were having.  Hopefully it won't come back with R3 SP4.