EV NBU Agent, Directory DB backups

[FreKac2]

Hi all,

Do anyone know why the Directory DB can't be backed up at the same time as open partitions and index, using the EV NBU agent ?

I mean from an EV perspective let say you do archiving->backup of open partitions/index.

Potentially you've enabled new users during the archiving which then is not exactly consistant with the index/partitions/fingerprintDB/VS DB.

In a "murphy"-scenario you could loose the Directory DB, so the exchange mailbox/archive entries are lost but they have archived content.

The last one might not be an issue depending if re-linking will work if that particular data is gone. (meaning not just the entry in ExchangeMailboxEntry table). 

Cheers

Fredrik

[Maverik]

You probably would be better posting to the NBU forum as though it is an agent for backup of EV it is supported by NBU not EV guys, and probably the best people to answer this would be NBU support guys.

[FreKac2]

I may post there as well, unfortunately it's knowing one part not both.

E.g. NBU guys don't know the specifics of EV and vice versa :)

[Maverik]

I know it can be a pain.  Let me know if you dont have any joy there and I will try and find out more tomorrow.

[Rob_Wilcox1]

Fredrik,

What versions of NBU and EV are you refering to here?

[FreKac2]

Rob,

Have tested it with EV8 SP4 and NBU 7.0, haven't had the time yet to upgrade to EV9 and 7.0.1 to see if anything has changed.

Doesn't say in the relase notes of 7.0.1

Posted in the NBU forum as well, with some more "thoughts"

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/ev-nbu-agent-backup-selection-configuration-why

I wonder if the reason for the directory not being able to be included is because NBU flip the Backupmode "switches" during the backup ?

I guess it's easy to see what is going on by hitting 'get-indexlocationbackupmode' in the shell during the backup.

On the other hand that could have been solved by the agent/NBU and doing the DirDB first or last in the backup job (speculating here of course :) )

Another thing, do I make this bigger than it really is (can't think of an english saying here) ?

/Fredrik

[Rob_Wilcox1]

Fredrik,

Just to let you know this is still being looked in to.

[Rob_Wilcox1]

Hi Fredrik,

I've not had chance to look at this properly, but does this technote answer the questions about best-practice ?

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH126604

[FreKac2]

Hi Rob,

Good to hear :)

In regard to the technote:

It states what to do but not the why.

E.g. why would you put indexing in a different policy, what is the thought behind that best practice, someone must have come up with it since it's documented :) ?

Why can't the Dir DB be included in the open partition/vsdb backup policy ?

I may be wrong but as far as I know NBU works like this (lets follow the BP setup)

Open Partition/VS DB/FingerPrintDB Policy->Backup Job 1 Starts(set backupmode)->backup of the selected items->Backup Job 1 Done (clear backupmode)

DirectoryDB/MonitoringDB/AuditDB Policy->Backup Job 2 Starts(set backupmode)->backup of the selected items->Backup Job 2 Done (clear backupmode)

Index Locations Policy->Backup Job 3 Starts (set backupmode)->backup of the selected itesm->Backup Job 3 Done (clear backupmode).

So lets say, that between backup 1 and 2 there is a longer time difference than what you intended, e.g. tape drive allocation problems.

Then you have a potential issue.

Since the VS backup is done, it will now start to replace mails with shortcuts and also new users may have been added.

So lets for the arguments sake say that you have a crash and need to restore.

Now you have an older backup copy of the DirDB than the VSDB and VSptns, so e.g. the new users don't have any record in the DirDB but they have content that have been deleted from their mailbox in the newer VS ptns.

For indexing it's only a question of how much data you need to update if there is a difference but how do you solve the issue with the Dir DB ?

Again, it may not be a problem but that is why I'm asking :)

Edit: Just checked, EV is not put into backupmode when doing DirDB backups, then again it's not that important for my question in regard to backups not being consistent with the "other" backups.

[Rob_Wilcox1]

The answer to the question about why the Directory Database Backup is outside of the normal backup is that the directory database contains information on the current status of the partitions, index locations, and vault stores.  If we took a backup whilst one or more of these was flagged as being in backup mode, that backup would contain a directory database where the flags were set.

With me so far?

If you then come to restore that directory database, you'd pull back that directory database, and those locations would "still" be marked as in backup mode, and you'd have to manually then take them out of backup mode to make them operational.

Hope that helps,

[FreKac2]

But ;)

What of the "potential" issue of backups being of different "levels" ?

I mean, to make sure that backupmode is not "on" after a restore (to me at least) sounds like a very simple thing to add to a restore procedure, compared to the scenario I posted above ?

[Rob_Wilcox1]

I think there is more debate to be had here, and I will need to try to find out the best course to follow in that regard.

Let me find out, and get back to you.

[FreKac2]

No problem Rob, just drop me a message off list if you like.

Cheers

Fredrik

[Rob_Wilcox1 · Accepted solution]

Fredrik,

This has gone to NBU development as a "defect".  The request is to change this in a future version.

No promises, but at least it's in the system now !

Hope that helps,

[AndrewB]

is there a doc like that for the 6.5.5 client?

[Rob_Wilcox1]

Do these help?

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH73363

And

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH126604

[AndrewB]

perfect, thanks.

[FreKac2]

Thanks Rob.

Cheers,

Fredrik