Cannot BACKUP or RESTORE a database snapshot.

[HankHill]

SQL Server 2008 backups.  Backing up multiple databases in a single batch.  Most of them succeed.  Failures have the error message from the subject (full error for a single DB below.)  I found an article that pertains to NBU 6.5 but no solution offered.  I was looking at the DB properties, but nothign really jumped out at me. 

NBU SQL client connets with sa.  Services run as Local System.

1/24/2013 10:22:19 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720) INF - BACKUP STARTED USING        
1/24/2013 10:22:19 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720) Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 (SP1) - 10.50.2500.0 (X64)    
1/24/2013 10:22:19 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720) Jun 17 2011 00:54:03         
1/24/2013 10:22:19 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720) Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation         
1/24/2013 10:22:19 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720) Enterprise Edition (64-bit) on Windows NT 6.1 <X64> (Build 7601: Service Pack 1)
1/24/2013 10:22:19 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720) Batch = C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\DbExt\MsSql\EU-SQL-05_DIFF.bch, Op# = 10      
1/24/2013 10:22:19 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720) INF - Using backup image EU-SQL-01b.MSSQL7.EU-SQL-05\SODA.inc.SODA_PROD_Authentication_MIS_ss.~.7.001of001.20130125032218..C       
1/24/2013 10:22:20 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720) INF - backup database "SODA_PROD_Authentication_MIS_ss" to VIRTUAL_DEVICE='VNBU0-14720-18172-1359084139' with  stats = 10, blocksize = 65536, maxtransfersize = 4194304, buffercount = 2, differential
1/24/2013 10:22:21 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720) INF - Number of stripes: 1, Number of buffers per stripe 2.
1/24/2013 10:22:21 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720) INF - Created VDI object for SQL Server instance <SODA>. Connection timeout is <300> seconds.
1/24/2013 10:25:10 PM - Info dbclient(pid=5224) INF - ODBC return code <2>, SQL State <01000>, SQL Message <3211><[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]10 percent processed.>.
1/24/2013 10:27:21 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720) ERR - Error in GetConfiguration: 0x80770003.       
1/24/2013 10:27:22 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720)     CONTINUATION: - The api was waiting and the timeout interval had elapsed.
1/24/2013 10:27:22 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720) DBMS MSG - ODBC return code <-1>, SQL State <37000>, SQL Message <3002><[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]Cannot BACKUP or RESTORE a database snapshot.>.
1/24/2013 10:27:23 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720) DBMS MSG - SQL Message <3013><[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]BACKUP DATABASE is terminating abnormally.>
1/24/2013 10:27:23 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720) ERR - Error found executing <backup database "SODA_PROD_Authentication_MIS_ss" to VIRTUAL_DEVICE='VNBU0-14720-18172-1359084139' with  stats = 10, blocksize = 65536, maxtransfersize = 4194304, buffercount = 2, differential>.
1/24/2013 10:27:27 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720) ERR - Error in VDS->Close: 0x80770004.       
1/24/2013 10:27:28 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720)     CONTINUATION: - An abort request is preventing anything except termination actions.
1/24/2013 10:27:28 PM - Info dbclient(pid=14720) INF - OPERATION #10 of batch C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\DbExt\MsSql\EU-SQL-05_DIFF.bch FAILED with STATUS 1 (0 is normal). Elapsed time = 310(310) seconds.

[RamNagalla]

see the below tech notes

 DBMS MSG - ODBC return code <-1>, SQL State <37000>

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH74042

ERR - Error in GetConfiguration: 0x80770003.

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH189888

[Will_Restore]

I would verify the database can be backed up by itself.  You can test this in NetBackup for SQL GUI on the client (backed Selected database).  If it still fails ask your DBA to look into it.  Perhaps something else has a lock on it. 

[HankHill]

Backup of one of the failed databases was successful through the GUI on the client.

OPERATION BACKUP
DATABASE "SODA_PROD_Client_Unit_Balance"
SQLHOST "EU-SQL-05"
SQLINSTANCE "SODA"
NBSERVER "US-BAK-01.SHL.PROD"
MAXTRANSFERSIZE 6
BLOCKSIZE 7
BROWSECLIENT "EU-SQL-05"
DUMPOPTION INCREMENTAL
NUMBUFS 2
ENDOPER TRUE

INF - BACKUP STARTED USING
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 (SP1) - 10.50.2500.0 (X64)
Jun 17 2011 00:54:03
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
Enterprise Edition (64-bit) on Windows NT 6.1 <X64> (Build 7601: Service Pack 1)
Batch = C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\dbext\mssql\temp\__19_17_49_971_00.bch, Op# = 1
INF - Using backup image EU-SQL-01b.MSSQL7.EU-SQL-05\SODA.inc.SODA_PROD_Client_Unit_Balance.~.7.001of001.20130125191752..C
INF - backup database "SODA_PROD_Client_Unit_Balance" to VIRTUAL_DEVICE='VNBU0-18676-9416-1359141474' with  stats = 10, blocksize = 65536, maxtransfersize = 4194304, buffercount = 2, differential
INF - Number of stripes: 1, Number of buffers per stripe 2.
INF - Created VDI object for SQL Server instance <SODA>. Connection timeout is <300> seconds.
Backup started Fri Jan 25 19:17:56 2013

INF - Thread has been closed for stripe #0
INF - OPERATION #1 of batch C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\dbext\mssql\temp\__19_17_49_971_00.bch SUCCEEDED with STATUS 0 (0 is normal). Elapsed time = 60(1) seconds
INF - Results of executing <C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\dbext\mssql\temp\__19_17_49_971_00.bch>:
<1> operations succeeded. <0> operations failed.
 

[HankHill]

Belay that, I just noticed that, as far as I can tell for the failed ones, they all have _MIS_ss at the end of the database name.  There are no actual databases with that at the end of the name so I'm not sure where it comes from.  Checking with DBAs.

[Will_Restore · Accepted solution]

OK, if they are in fact valid databases, another thing to check is Client Read Timeout on the Media Server.  Default is 300 seconds (5 minutes), try larger number like 3600 (1 hour). 

[HankHill]

Turns out those MIS_ss databases are all snapshots that we don't need to backup so I guess not valid databases afterall.

[Marianne]

Backing up database snapshots work best when integrated with NBU Snapshot Client.

At the beginning of the backup job, NBU interfaces with snapshot provider to create the snapshot and then backs up from the snapshot.
Depending on settings, snapshot is either kept for quick recovery or 'snapped back' when backup ends.