Check point uses on Standard Backup

[Baski]

Hi Team,

I have doubt on check point on Standard Policies (File system policies).

We have some BCP files sytem policies and will take more then 15 hrs every day. So, I have made all policies with check point Interval 15 min for if backup fails , I want re-un the backup, So, backup will run from point of failure.

But only Suspend bakcup ( some time) will work above concept. but not failed bakcup ( always).  Is there any way failed backups to re-start ( failed streams - Right click " Restart")  from point of failure.

Master, Media and clients are NBU 6.5.6 and OS Solaris 5.10

Thanks for your help.

[Marianne]

Checkpoint Restart works on failed jobs as well. Extract from Admin Guide:

Take checkpoints every __ minutes (policy attribute)
By taking checkpoints during a backup, you can save time if the backup fails. By
taking checkpoints periodically during the backup, NetBackup can retry a failed
backup from the beginning of the last checkpoint rather than restart the entire
job.
The checkpoint frequency indicates how often NetBackup takes a checkpoint
during a backup. The default is 15 minutes. The administrator determines
checkpoint frequency on a policy-by-policy basis. When you select the checkpoint
frequency, balance the loss of performance due to frequent checkpoints with the
possible time lost when failed backups restart. If the frequency of checkpoints
affects performance, increase the time between checkpoints.
Checkpoints are saved at file boundaries and point to the next file in the list.
Checkpoint restart is only available after choosing the MS-Windows or Standard
policy type. Check Take checkpoints every __ minutes to enable checkpoint
restart. When the box is checked, NetBackup takes checkpoints during a backup
job at the frequency you specify. If the box is not checked, no checkpoints are
taken and a failed backup restarts from the beginning of the job. Checkpoint
restart can also be used for restore jobs.

The question now is: What is the status code of your failed jobs?

Failed jobs where checkpoints are enabled are in Incomplete state. These jobs can be restarted from last checkpoint.

Certain status codes (such as 150) will put job in Done state. These jobs cannot be restarted from last checkpoint.

Please also see the following in the Admin Guide:

In the following situations, NetBackup starts a new job instead of resuming an incomplete job:

• If a new job is due to run, or, for calendar-based scheduling, another run day has arrived.
• If the time since the last incomplete backup was longer than the shortest frequency in any schedule for the policy.
• If the time indicated by the Clean-up property, Move backup job from incomplete state to done state, has passed.

[MN_Pankaj]

Since Baski used the word " Restart" in original question, let's clarify that "Resume" and "Restart" are two different things, and both are present in the right-mouse-click options of a job. When we are talking about NBU Check-points (or CPR), we are talking about "Resume", and not "Restart".

A "Restart" would start a job from the beginning (ignoring any checkpoints). A "Resume" would start a job from the last checkpoint. If the "Resume" option is grayed out i.e. not selectable, then selecting the "Restart" option would start that job from the beginning. A "Resume" option may not be available due to the reasons mentioned above by Marianne.

If you *are* sure that you did select "Resume", and the job still started from beginning, then we are looking at a defect. Since you mention that the NBU version is 6.5.6, and OS is Solaris 10, there was a defect that could cause a "Resume" to not start from the last checkpoint. In NBU 7.0GA, another two defects were introduced in the backup "Resume" functionality. All three defects have been corrected in NBU 7.5GA. NBU 7.5GA also has additional verbose in backup bpbkar to report how CPR is functioning, in order to investigate more if need be.