Backups going on Nearstore failing with 83

[Soumyaa]

Hi All,

Master Server NBU version is 6.5.6. OS is HP-UX B.11.11

Media server NBU version is 6.5.6. OS is HP-UX B.11.23

Client NBU version is 6.5.6. OS is Win 2003 5

Problem: Client had full backup on AAA Storage unit and its Nearstore volume. When its getting full, I changed the Storage Unit to BBB which is also a Nearstore volume. Both the Storage units are on same media server. Now, when I initiate an incremental backup, then backup of same client on BBB is failing with error 83 with a note that " Cannot create an incremental image with out a preceding full image" (from bpbrm log)

When I initiate full backup, its getting success and after that incremental also.

My qquestion: If the same cleint is on same media server and master server, why its failing with such weird note when I changed Storage unit from AAA to BBB. For both Storage units, nearstore servers are different with different volumes. The disk type selected for both the STUs is "Basic Disk'

Let me know why this error is happening ?? Am I missing any simple logic here?? Let me know if you need more info on this.

[Soumyaa]

to add on to my post, I am thinking that when a full backup completes, all that information will be stored in Catalog and catalog is in master server. So changing an STU and initiating an incremental backup will not ask for full backup on new STU location. Am I right here to this point atleast?

If I am right to above point, why its not happening in Nearstore STUs with different Nearstore servers and with different volumes on it?

[sksujeet]

Are both the incremental and full in the same policy?If not it might cause this kind of behaviour, make sure the full and incremental schedule should be in the same policy.

[Soumyaa]

Yeah, both are in the same policy.

[Soumyaa]

This is not the scenario with 1 client. Numerous clients in different polcies in differenct media servers are failing with the same reason. I mean to say that there is no policy corruption or this is problem with 1 media server or 1 client. Hmm...

[sksujeet]

I think we have to consider error 83 first as because of that it is causing the "Cannot create an incremental image with out a preceding full image" (from bpbrm log".

AAA Storage unit and BBB storage unit are on different Nearstore volume?

Are both the Nearstore volume on the same version ?( have seen this issue sometimes when the firmware on nearstore itself is not up to date)

Have you tried the full and incremental on BBB storage unit if it is on different Nearstore volume to check if it causes 83 error message ?

Please post bpdm logs?

[watsons · Accepted solution]

I believe this is due to the different Nearstore volume on AAA & BBB, Nearstore is not a usual local/shared disk drives - I don't think it works the same way Netbackup would expect it on typical DSU.

I am not entirely sure about Nearstore, but from my past understanding it has built-in deduplication feature similar to SnapVault (also by Netapp). A base (full) copy is required and the changed blocks (incr) will be recorded over time. So a full copy is required and I believe, on the same volume. Unless Netapp has changed this that it allows full & incr to span across volumes. I may be wrong, but probably a good idea to check with Netapp.

[Soumyaa]

When I queried this with Netapps team here, they said a base copy (full backup) should be needed to proceed for incrementals. So watsons is right and my expectation is also right that nearstore voulme needs a full copy for every incremental.