Help with Netbackup for Exchange 2007

[Tacfire]

Hello Experts,

I've just been thrown into the roll of making Netbackup work with Exchange 2007, so this is trial by Fire :-).  Needless to say I need to get these backups working, and could really use some help.  I have deployed a Master Server, and 18 Media Servers on 9 Clusters (8 Exchange 2007, and 1 SQL 2008).  When I try to run a VSS Backup off the Passive Node, I receive this error?  Any ideas of what could be wrong?

5/24/2010 12:14:15 PM - requesting resource Any
5/24/2010 12:14:15 PM - requesting resource fdswp4105.NBU_CLIENT.MAXJOBS.fdswp2119
5/24/2010 12:14:15 PM - requesting resource fdswp4105.NBU_POLICY.MAXJOBS.fdswv2110
5/24/2010 12:14:16 PM - granted resource fdswp4105.NBU_CLIENT.MAXJOBS.fdswp2119
5/24/2010 12:14:16 PM - granted resource fdswp4105.NBU_POLICY.MAXJOBS.fdswv2110
5/24/2010 12:14:16 PM - granted resource B311L4
5/24/2010 12:14:16 PM - granted resource HP.ULTRIUM4-SCSI.001
5/24/2010 12:14:16 PM - granted resource fdswp4105-hcart-robot-tld-0
5/24/2010 12:14:19 PM - estimated 0 Kbytes needed
5/24/2010 12:14:19 PM - begin Parent Job
5/24/2010 12:14:19 PM - begin Snapshot, Start Notify Script
5/24/2010 12:14:19 PM - started process RUNCMD (4708)
5/24/2010 12:14:19 PM - ended process 0 (4708)
Status 0
5/24/2010 12:14:19 PM - end Snapshot, Start Notify Script; elapsed time: 00:00:00
5/24/2010 12:14:19 PM - begin Snapshot, Step By Condition
Status 0
5/24/2010 12:14:19 PM - end Snapshot, Step By Condition; elapsed time: 00:00:00
5/24/2010 12:14:19 PM - begin Snapshot, Read File List
Status 0
5/24/2010 12:14:19 PM - end Snapshot, Read File List; elapsed time: 00:00:00
5/24/2010 12:14:19 PM - begin Snapshot, Create Snapshot
5/24/2010 12:14:19 PM - started
5/24/2010 12:14:20 PM - started process bpbrm (5432)
5/24/2010 12:14:25 PM - begin Create Snapshot
5/24/2010 12:15:01 PM - Critical bpbrm(pid=5432) from client fdswp2119: FTL - snapshot preparation failed - Error attempting to find volumes to snap., status 130
5/24/2010 12:15:01 PM - Critical bpbrm(pid=5432) from client fdswp2119: FTL - snapshot preparation failed, status 130  
5/24/2010 12:15:10 PM - end Create Snapshot; elapsed time: 00:00:45
5/24/2010 12:15:13 PM - end writing
Status 130
5/24/2010 12:15:13 PM - end Snapshot, Create Snapshot; elapsed time: 00:00:54
5/24/2010 12:15:13 PM - begin Snapshot, Stop On Error
Status 0
5/24/2010 12:15:13 PM - end Snapshot, Stop On Error; elapsed time: 00:00:00
5/24/2010 12:15:13 PM - begin Snapshot, Delete Snapshot On Exit
5/24/2010 12:15:13 PM - begin Snapshot, Delete Snapshot On Exit
5/24/2010 12:15:14 PM - started process bpbrm (5824)
5/24/2010 12:15:29 PM - end writing
Status 0
5/24/2010 12:15:29 PM - end Snapshot, Delete Snapshot On Exit; elapsed time: 00:00:16
5/24/2010 12:15:29 PM - begin Snapshot, End Notify Script
5/24/2010 12:15:30 PM - started process RUNCMD (3736)
5/24/2010 12:15:30 PM - ended process 0 (3736)
Status 0
5/24/2010 12:15:30 PM - end Snapshot, End Notify Script; elapsed time: 00:00:01
Status 130
5/24/2010 12:15:30 PM - end Snapshot, Delete Snapshot On Exit; elapsed time: 00:00:17
system error occurred(130)

Thanks in advance for your help...

[J_H_Is_gone]

"When I try to run a VSS Backup off the Passive Node, I receive this error?  Any ideas of what could be wrong?"


Are you just trying to backup the server or are you trying to backup exchange?
Do you have the license for the exchange agent?
have you setup an exchange policy?

[Tacfire]

Hi, and thanks for the reponse back.  I don't want to make this too long, but this is what I have done so far:

1.  I have installed the media Servers to the Exchange Cluster Nodes, each node respectively (a two node cluster).

2.  I then In stalled the Exchange Keys onto my Master Server

3.  I have then configured the Client to use VSS, under the Host Properties, Master Server opting to use VSS Backup.

4.  Under Media Servers (Host Properties, Media Servers, under the Servers options I have typed in the names of the two physical nodes, and the virtual node.

5.  I then created the Exchange Backup Policy, Added the Two Physical Nodes of the Cluster, selected the Storage, Checked perform Snapshot backup, and then under Options selected the VSS Option. 

6.  Finally, under the Exchange attributes selected the "Passive Copy, and if not available active copy"

[Marianne · Accepted solution]

First things first - what is your NBU version?
I recently came under fire for telling a fellow list member 'the manual is your friend', but it's really the only way...
NBU 6.5: http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/290211.htm
Added support for Exchange 2007 in NetBackup 6.5.2 Documentation Updates : http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/302438.htm
NBU 7: http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/340128.htm

The NBU 7 manual lists the supported features on p. 15 onwards.
It seems that you want to configure the following feature, right?
p. 17:
NetBackup for Exchange with Snapshot Client supports backups of the passive VSS writer of an Exchange 2007 LCR and CCR configuration. NetBackup can back up the data that is replicated by interfacing with the replica (or passive) Exchange server. The benefit of such a backup is to reduce I/O impact on the active Exchange server. NetBackup accesses the replicated data and leaves the active (or live) Exchange server alone. This type of backup is especially beneficial for a backup of a CCR node because the active node is completely left out of the backup. VSS is the only backup Microsoft supports of this replicated data.

p. 70:
To add clients to a NetBackup for Exchange policy
......
Note the following:
■ If Exchange is clustered or in a Database Availability Group (DAG), specify the virtual Exchange name that represents that cluster or DAG.

p. 83:
About configuring snapshot backups of Exchange Server

p. 86:
Configuring a snapshot policy for Exchange Server

p. 91:
Passive Copy, and if not available active copy
This option backs up the passive copy of a database that is all of the following: mounted, included in the backup selections list, and healthy. For an Exchange 2010 DAG, you can also configure a preferred server list. In that case, NetBackup backs up the passive copy on a server in the preferred server list, provided that the database meets the other criteria. If the passive copy is not available and healthy, NetBackup backs up the active copy.

[Tacfire]

Marianne,

Thanks for your very detailed answer, unfortunately, I guess I was not detailed enough in my description of the problem.  I have the Policies configured for backing up Exchange CCR Clusters.  My problem seems to stem from the problem that I have my Clusters configured with Eight (8) Network Interfaces, and am planning on using a dedicated Private Backup Network which does not talk to production, and does not participate in DNS.  My Cluster Nodes each have a separate Backup Network Card, and dedicated Private Backup Network which does not route to other networks (No Default Gateway). 

The Only Gateway is on my production network.  So I have host files, and static routing enabled on each Cluster Node.  When the Nodes (Media Servers) talk separately to the Backup Server (Master Server) there is no issue.  When I ping, the servers respond with their backup network.  
 Additionally, when I try to connect to the Client Properties of the Virtual Node from the Master Server Admin Console, it times out, but can view the client properities of the respective nodes with no issue.  Obviously, the difference is the nodes each have an assigned Backup IP Address, whereas the virtual cluster has only a production address.  I have populated this production addess into the host file of the Master Server, and the Master Server can ping the Virtual address of the cluster. 

I'm stumped :)