Veritas Backup Exec 9.1 on Windows 2000 Server

[e3media]

Hi

I'm having issues backing up Windows 2003 Server machines from a Windows 2000 Backup Server using Veritas Backup Exec 9.1 Rev 4691. I've selected Shadow Copy Components for the servers in question, but each job always fails with 'Communication failure with remote agent'.

If I deselect Shadow Copy Components, my jobs fails with 'To fully protect Windows Server 2003 , you must select Shadow Copy Components for backup.'

Can anyone help? I ideally would like to back up the shadow copy components because it is a lot easier to perform a full restore if you can restore the system state etc.

We have another Backup Server on our network with the same version of Backup Exec, but it is installed on a Windows 2003 Server box. It has no problem whatsoever backing up other Win2003 Servers, shadow copy components and all.

I have a feeling that the backup server being on Windows 2000 is the root of this problem.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,


Archie

[Dev_T]

Hello,

If this issue is with only one 2003 server, uninstall and reinstall the remote agent.

[Paul_Jeal]

Archie,

If you have another server with the same version of BE installed on Windows 2003, attempt to use that to backup the remote 2003 server that has been failing.
- If that backup, including System State is good, the issue lies with the Windows 2000 server handling the data,  rather than with the remote Windows 2003 server.
- If that backup also fails, this would point to the remote 2003 server as being at fault. You can then uninstall and reinstall the Remote Agent to see if backups reun better after.

Also check the remote 2003 server and confirm if the Wwriters have any issues, using   vssadmin list writers   in a command window. All Writers should be in 'Stable' state and if not, you may need to reboot the server at a convenient time, to reset the status.

[e3media]

Hi Paul

Thanks for your speedy response.

Unfortunately I cannot test with the other Backup Server installed on Windows 2003, because it is on a completely different area of the network and cannot see the servers that I am experiencing difficulties in backing up.

I've reinstalled the Veritas Remote agents after updating the backup server with the latest Service pack (again thanks for your response on the other thread with download details of this). I've then run a small backup job, just backing up shadow copy components. It failed again, with the same message:

Backup - \\E3SVR06\Shadow?Copy?Components \\E3SVR06\Shadow?Copy?Components
The connection to target system has been lost. Backup set canceled.

I've verified that the Remote agent is running as a service correctly, and it still is able to backup data from that server, just not the Shadow copy. Incidently, all Windows 2000 Servers which I am backing up back up their System State and equivalent in Win2k just fine.

I've also run the command line vssadmin list writers and that comes back as them all running stably.

My question is whether specifically Backup Exec 9.1 running on Windows 2000 Server is able to back up Windows 2003 Shadow components. It seems to me that it just isn't possible. I would be inclined to say that at least the Backup Server is at fault, seeing as it fails on this same message with all Windows 2003 boxes it attempts, while all Win2000 boxes are fine.

Cheers

Archie

[Ken_Putnam]

My question is whether specifically Backup Exec 9.1 running on Windows 2000 Server is able to back up Windows 2003 Shadow components. It seems to me that it just isn't possible. I would be inclined to say that at least the Backup Server is at fault, seeing as it fails on this same message with all Windows 2003 boxes it attempts, while all Win2000 boxes are fine.

Well, from the SCL, v9.1 is certified for W2K3 SP1.  Subsequent W2K3 service packs may very well have broken something