Why Backupexec crashes if you restart server ?

[AndrejD]

Hello!

Can someone explain it to me, why Backupexec 2010 R3 crashes when windows installs updates and then restarts itself while jobs are running ?
The same happens if you manualy restart server while jobs are running.

If you are lucky, simple service restart helps, if you arent u have to reinstall the backupexec.

Happens on win 2003 servers

Happens on win 2008 servers  

Happens on win 2012 servers. 


I dont get it, The program costs a lot of money and it can`t survive simple server restart.

I`m responsible for more than 30 servers with backupexec and its always the same. If Backupexec doesn`t work check when the server was restarted and in 95% of cases the reason for backupexec fail is server restart.

Best regards

Andrej


 

[CraigV]

Hi,

It shouldn't...if Windows is installing  updates while a backup is running and 1 of these updates affects a BE dependency, then I'd expect BE to crash. If the server restarted during a backup (automatically), then I'd also expect BE to crash...Checkpoint Restart isn't available in BE 2010 R3 so the job wouldn't try resume when the server came up again.

You also don't give any indication as to error messages within BE itself, so check the Alerts tab and report back with any issues detailed there.

Make sure BE 2010 R3 has the latest BE SP (SP4) and any subsequent patches as well.

Thanks!

[pkh]

When a server restarts, all the running jobs would fail. From BE 2012, you can restart the failed jobs if you have enabled checkpoint restart

[AndrejD]

Hello

The problem is that when server restarts. Backupexec services fail to start if you are lucky.

If you aren`t lucky the backupexec services stuck in starting position and usually the only way to fix this is to repair backupexec installation.


I dont care if backupjob fails for one day. I have problem with backupexec that doesn`t run at all.

 

[CraigV]

...any AV installed? Make sure that the BE services are all excluded from any AV scans.

Any alerts in BE or errors in Event Viewer when the services try to start up?

Thanks!

[AndrejD]

The last time the error was that service didnt run as local system account. And the only way to fix this was to repair backupexec installation.

Howerver I don`t get it why does such things happen on backupexec program and the rest works fine.

What is wrong with backupexec as a program that everytime you restart your server u must pray that backupexec will run again without repairing it. 

Why is so hard to make a program that will survive common things like server restart ?

 

[CraigV]

...honestly never happened to me so it isn't a generalised issue to be honest.

Your services need to run as a domain account. Check the TN below for the rights BE requires at a minimum to run, and make sure you're not using a local system account for them all:

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH36718

If they do run on a local system account currently, then create a new domain account with domain admin rights at a minimum, and use BEutility to change the service account to this.

Then restart the server and see if this happens again.
Thanks!

[pkh]

Have you investigated the cause of the crashes, like looking at the eventlog and/or analyzing the dumps?

[AndrejD]

I tryied to investigate why it crashed but I never got far.

[VJware]

Have you logged a case with Support to check why the crash happens on various installations of BE ? As mentioned earlier, this isn't a generalised issue and working with support may help in identifying the cause of the crashes.

[AndrejD]

Could you explain how you analyze dumps ? 

[VJware]

Analysing crash dumps requires access to code, symbols etc which can be done properly by the support team only.

[AndrejD]

Oh

I hoped you have some tool that analyzes data automaticaly.