NAS Workgroup server - backups completing, but with error..?

[C_B_4]

We have a Buffalo Terastation that we do all our backups to. It holds a TB and I've got it on it's own subnet so backups just scream. It's a Linux based device, not Windows. Anyhow, the Backup To Disk is working just fine with no errors. When I backup from that device to actual tape, the job completes, but I get "Exceptions" about not being able to start the remote agent and stuff like that. It obviously makes sense, I'm just curious is this could cause my data to be unreliable?

[perry_baker]

As you thought the errors about the Remote Agent not being present are normal...since it really isnt present. When backing up a remote linux based system the data transfer is via SMB and as long as the version of SMB used by the Buffalo is compatible with Windows you are fine.

The data backed up from the Buffalo should be restorable, there should not be any problems.

Are you backing up the Backup-to-Disk folder?

[Bin_Fang_2]

The exceptions are normal since a remote agent cannot be installed on this particular NAS server. The backup job should not be affected by this issue. It is a good practice for you to separate the NAS jobs from other ones so that the final job status will not affect any other backup operations. See the following links for more info:

http://support.veritas.com/docs/271106
http://support.veritas.com/docs/242619

[C_B_4]

> As you thought the errors about the Remote Agent not
> being present are normal...since it really isnt
> present. When backing up a remote linux based system
> the data transfer is via SMB and as long as the
> version of SMB used by the Buffalo is compatible with
> Windows you are fine.
>
> The data backed up from the Buffalo should be
> restorable, there should not be any problems.
>
> Are you backing up the Backup-to-Disk folder?

Yep. I backup everything to a backup to disk folder on the NAS device. Then, I backup the data in that folder to tape. It's such a great system for us as the tape job is much slower than the disk one. I run the disk one at night and the tape one during the day.

So everything is probably just fine?

[Bin_Fang_2]

Are you using the normal backup for the B2D on the NAS? It might be better to duplicate the B2D to the tape. This way you can restore the backups directly from the tape instead of restoring it to the disk then restore again when needed. In your case, the backup to tape is mainly for disaster recovery since you have it on your NAS and it is much faster if available.

To really make sure the backup is Ok or not, you can do a quick test by restoring a couple of folders back to a server and verify.

[C_B_4]

> Are you using the normal backup for the B2D on the
> NAS? It might be better to duplicate the B2D to the
> tape. This way you can restore the backups directly
> from the tape instead of restoring it to the disk
> then restore again when needed. In your case, the
> backup to tape is mainly for disaster recovery since
> you have it on your NAS and it is much faster if
> available.

I don't understand what you mean by "Duplicate the B2D to the tape".

[Ken_Putnam]

If you do a normal "Copy" backup, you must restore the BKF files to disk before you can restore user data

If you do a "Duplicate" then you can restore data directly from tape. This can be automated using policies so that the B2T kicks off as soon as the B2D completes