GRT Exchange 2010 backup fails with BE2012

[jzondervan]

Hello,

Following situation: 1 media server, running 2008R2 and BE2012 (Sp1a). One virtual Exchange server, running w2k8r2 and Exchange 2010 on VMWare. I make backups through the VMWare agent of all virtual servers without problems.

However:

My GRT backup of Exchange 2010 keeps failing with VSS errors. This is done through the backup agent on the Exchange server itself. It will run once when the Information Store is restarted, but the next day it fails again.
These are the errors:

V-79-57344-65233 - Snapshot Technology: Initialization failure on: "\\dc01.nivonoord.local\Microsoft...

Snapshot technology 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...

V-79-57344-65233 - Snapshot Technology: Initialization failure on: "\\dc01.nivonoord.local\Microsoft...

Snapshot technology 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...
 

In the event log I have several events indicating that indeed another backup is in process (while it's not!).

Tried restarting VSS, Cryptographic Services and the Microsoft Volme Shadow Copy Service before the backup job, but that doesn't help. I really don't want to restart my IS every night...

Anyone seen this behaviour before, or anyone who has any suggestions?

Regards,

Jasper

[CraigV]

Hi Jasper,

When this happens again, open up a command prompt and type: vssadmin list writers. You'd do this on the server giving you hassles.

Any writers not showing as Stable and Running are in error. Restarting the server (or in your instance the Information Store) will reset these writers. But you can follow the TN below to reregister the VSS *.dlls. It's nonintrusive, and doesn't require a server restart.

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH70486

Thanks!

[Backup_Exec1]

Hi Craig ,

As per the link above given by you it suggest not on win208 r2 , & Op Exchange is installed on win2008 r2 ,so just wanted to check is it fine to do it still or for win2008r2 there is some other way to resolve the VSS issue apart from doing a restart.

Thanks

[CraigV]

We don't have 2008 in our environment...only 2008 R2. I have run this script on the servers giving me hassles without any hassles.

[jzondervan]

Hey Craig,

All writers seem to be stable, only the Exchange writer gives a state 'stable' but with a 'retryable error'. I already tried re-registering the writers but this didn't help...

Jasper

[CraigV · Accepted solution]

...restarting the server will fix this, so schedule a restart. Then try the job again...just also make sure that AOFO isn't selected in the job.

[jzondervan]

Hey Craig,

I know a server restart (or even an Information Store restart) will fix it, but just temporarily. After one (1) GRT backup the same problems occur. It looks like (for some reason) BE doesn't tell the Exchange VSS writer that it has completed the backup.

AOFO is not enabled.

Regards,

Jasper

[CraigV]

Mmm...OK, try this then: run a backup using the WIndows backup utility and see if you get the same error. If you do, then the issue becomes a WIndows problem. If it doesn't, then it is BE...either way, make sure the VSS writers are stable before doing so, and report back with an update.

Thanks!

[jzondervan]

OK, I'll try that tonight and let you know the results tomorrow.

Thanks,

Jasper