Backing up and restoring placeholder

[Richard_ware]

I've read on this forum that if you restore placeholders to a different location and do an archive run on the volume or add the enabled volumes key, all will be well. However i have restored some placeholders and no matter what i try i cant retreive the files. there is no http traffic, the trace log shows squat, infact when you open the file you seem to be opening the ACTUAL placeholder file. Nothing i (or symantec for that matter) do seems to work. the answer from Symantec is to restore the files using archive Explorer and rearchive them. Obviously they do not live in the real world, as i have over 25,000 files totalling 300Gb

Has anyone got any suggesitons as i dont really want to tell my board of directors that this very expensive solution is in fact a white elaphant.

Thanks

[Michael_Bilsbor]

Hi,

I think you need to go back to support and tell them you don't want to restore and re-archive those items and asked them to further help with the case.  It almost sounds like the driver isn't picking up the request.

When you say different location, you mean different location on the same server?

I'm no FSA expert put perhaps it's a problem with the value in the enabledvolumes registry key.  What have you set it to and what have you(or support) done to determine that is the value it needs to be set to.

[Richard_ware]

Dodo

Well thereby lies a tale, I am restoring to a different server 'cos the original server blew up. so the only alternative was to restore the data which included live files AND placeholders to a different server , named differently as well , and with a different IP no. I had preiously upgarded to V7 5 weeks ago, no problem. When this current server failure arose i started getting into reg keys etc, and on all my servers there is no EnabledVolumes key, but retreival works fine, in fact when i ADD the key it gets deleted when the placeholder service restarts. I have even built a new server called exactly the same with same ip no and restored the files, but no go, The files are okay 'cos i can open them in Archive Explorer.

You can imaging how frustrated i am becoming....

[Scott_H_2]

Have you tried using the FSAUtility to move the placeholders?

[The_Genie]

Hello Richard, it sounds like a bit of a nightmare.  I sympathise with your frustration.

Firstly restoring just the placeholders to the new file server with a different name will not work as there are corresponding SQL tables that require updating.  In addition the Enabled Volumes Reg key will not help you as far as I understand.  Its usually used for settings the volumes on a cluster using FSA.

With regards recalling all those items through Archive Explorer that is not acceptable.  I would agree go back to support with regards to this.

You will need to follow the procedure below. 

1: Build new server with identical name and ip address.  Restore your placeholders.  (You have mentioned that you done this but it did not work upon recall.  Can you say preceisely what occurred when you tried to recall the placeholders? Any errors logged in Event Viewer/Enterprise Vault Event logs?) If you have major problems I would suggest you contact support to assist in getting this working correctly.  They will probably require a DTRACE of the placeholder service when trying to restore an item.  You mentioned that you see no http traffic. EV uses a sys file named evfsf.sys to commuincate with the placeholder service to then make the http request.  Perhaps the process is failing here if you have done the obvious like run the Placeholder service as the Vault Service Account and set EV server in local intranet zone for VSA account.

2: Once you have what is your original server restored (as far as EV is concerned) you will need to use the FSUtil utility to migrate the placeholders.  Instructions for this I believe are in the EV Admin Guide.  Another way to move the data is to recall it all from Archive, move it and re-archive it, however the FSA Utility was designed to stop you having ot do this as with previous versions of EV. 

Good Luck.

[Richard_ware]

Scott - cant use FSA utility to move placeholders as the original placeholders no longer exist, the server died.

Genie - rebuilt a new server ,same name,same ip, no better, it appears that the restored placeholders are now only files, not reparse points. Symantec (EV Support) are blaming the backup software, ironically its Backup Exec, a Symantec product, I just know when i contact Symantec(BackupExec support) they will blame EV.

I am running EV 7 with Backup Exec 11,

Has anyone got a simialr setup and could they run some tests for me, ie backup placeholders, restore to another fileserver and see if the files retrieve.

Regards

[Michael_Bilsbor]

hi,

What's the case reference number?

[Richard_ware]

pm'd

[The_Genie]

Hello Richard.  Are you using EV7SP1?  The FSAutil can recreate placeholders as well, have a look at he utilities guide available for download from the Symantec support website.  Not 100% sure of the top of my head if straight V7 will do this though.... may be worth checking.  I believe it a -o switch to recreate the placeholders.

[Richard_ware]

Any body know HOW it recreates the placeholders?

If John Chisari can pick this up and advise as i saw him discusing the FSAutility on another thread, you seemed to know what you were talking about.

thanks

[John_Chisari]

Richard,

Had a think about this - have you still got that server available that you re-built with the same name and IP etc?  If you do, you can follow these steps.

1. Restore what you can to the file server - at this point don't worry that the placeholders don't work - what we need is the directory structure back - at this point you can actually delete all the files (I can't remember if BE can just restore the directory structure)

2. Re-create archive points - do this with -a option.  So just say the archive point was \\server\share  - type this in:-  fsautility -a \\server\share

3. Once archive points are created - you can then use fsautility -c to recreate the placeholders.

4. Once placeholders are re-created - do a test, the files should now recall without issues.

At this point,  you can then use fsautility -m to move the placeholders to the new fileserver - you will have to do this at the folder level.

However before doing this, you will need to create archivepoints on the new fileserver.

or if the rebuilt oldname server and IP is not available and if you have the room on the new fileserver.

1. Use fsautility -t to restore the original files from their archives to the new fileserver.

2. At this point the files can be archived again.

Hope that helps a bit - if you have issues with doing the above, can you log a case and support will help out.

Let us know how you go.

John

[Richard_ware]

Thanks for picking this up John, I'll try out the suggestions, and post back, are you in US or UK so i'll know whether you ignoring me or just asleep...lol

As for logging with support, they've washed their hands of the case and blame the backup software..

Regards

[Richard_ware]

John

Falling at the first hurdle,

I have built a new server and named it the same, with same ip no. When i run FSAUtility -a \\servername\share it replies "Error: Invalid file server \\servername.domain.com

any thoughts, is it a problem that the original server was a Win2K and the new one is Win2K3/

Thanks

Richard

[John_Chisari]

The different OS versions shouldn't be a problem - Is the old file server listed in the targets in the vault console(VAC)?

If it isn't, I haven't actually tested taking a server out of targets and re-adding, creating the volume and then re-creating archive points - I am assuming that the archive point would still be created OK.

Just make sure the server is in the list of targets and the share is setup exactly like it was before - you may want to give everyone full permissions on the share just in case there is a security roadblock.

Also another test, if you right click the server in the VAC and choose archivepoints - does it connect OK and list the file share and directories underneath?

If all else fails, you may need to go down the restore all files from the archive to the new server using fsautility.

I am in Australia and I don't look at the forums all that often, so am not ignoring you.

[Richard_ware]

Thanks John, hope the weather's not to hot down under...I had actually removed the old target server from the VAC as when i rebuilt a server and called it the same it needed to find it and add it, As for the archive points, is there a way to tell what they were, i'm pretty sure i know but it would be best to check. Is it the top level in Archive Explorer?

Out of interest how do i restore all files from the archive using the fsautility, trying to do it using AExplorer is a painfull process.

Rich

[John_Chisari]

Rich

Yep the archivepoints will the top level folders in archive explorer - also when you view the archives from the VAC.

Also restoring all the files back with fsautility, from the above post.

1. Use fsautility -t to restore the original files from their archives to the new fileserver.

you can also specify -s (for source) and -d (for destination)   - can you just check the syntax as I don't have a server in front of me at the moment.

Not hot here at all, just a cool 15 degrees today, winter is too cold.

one last thing, pm should be in your inbox.

John

Message Edited by John Chisari on 06-12-200711:36 PM