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NBU 7.6 and long folder directory path names

JaquesC
Level 4

Hi there,

We have a few very, VERY long folder names and folder structures, now I understand that Microsoft has a limitation and there are hotfixes and patches for we have corruption issues or whatever the case may be to address it, we have installed each and every hotfix, and we have been restoring these long folder structures from NBU master to various locations for some time now, most of the time without any issues, recently however we cannot work with some of these elongated folder structures.

Sometimes in the NBU logs for a particular restore that has long folder paths and structure, I can see NBU trying to rename the structure but fails, but even so this has never caused an issue or never produced and problems for us, things just somehow "carry on"

We logged a Microsoft call, they have checked all items on their end and have said we need to approach our backup vendor to check their side.

A recent test restore from NBU of this long folder structure, we could open and use the contents on Server 2003/Server 2008 R2, any end user client based MS like Win 7 or 8, the only OS that we couldn’t work with the data content was on Server 2012, any ideas where to start

I want to go back with a clear answer that either NBU has nothing to do with it or yes do this and that and this...

 

2 ACCEPTED SOLUTIONS

Accepted Solutions

Nicolai
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I did found some tech notes about a 256 directory limitation back in Netbackup 6.5X. But I don't think we can help you with a answer if Netbackup has a issues with long directory path on Windows 2012. For that I think you need to open a support case with Veritas/Symantec. They have a internal database to look up such questions.

As a hint - enable the tar debug directory in [install_path]/netbackup/logs and re-try the operation. Set verbose in the Netbackup BAR GUI to 5 and re-try the restore.

Attach the tar debug log of a failed attempt as a text file to a post, maybe we can see something.

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watsons
Level 6

Well... when it comes to this, I will always ask the Windows team to do a native backup test. 

If the native backup (without using Netbackup) works, then we can check if Netbackup has such limitation on pathname (obviously it has).

If it fails, I don't see why we still need to call Symantec/Netbackup because that even the OS cannot do anything about this. 

Besides, I see no reason why a pathname cannot be trimmed down. :)

 

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5 REPLIES 5

Nicolai
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What version of Netbackup are you using ?

Can you plese link to a Microsoft tech note about the directory issue ?

JaquesC
Level 4

We have NBU 7.6.0.1 in the environment

I will link the MS technotes shortly, but you will find it in google, its just the standard hotfixes and "limitations" in terms of maximum characters or folder path length etc..

Running NBU on Server 2008 R2 64bit

Nicolai
Moderator
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I did found some tech notes about a 256 directory limitation back in Netbackup 6.5X. But I don't think we can help you with a answer if Netbackup has a issues with long directory path on Windows 2012. For that I think you need to open a support case with Veritas/Symantec. They have a internal database to look up such questions.

As a hint - enable the tar debug directory in [install_path]/netbackup/logs and re-try the operation. Set verbose in the Netbackup BAR GUI to 5 and re-try the restore.

Attach the tar debug log of a failed attempt as a text file to a post, maybe we can see something.

Marianne
Moderator
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NetBackup pathname limit: http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO88106 

According to this doc, the limit is 1023.

Another TN: http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH43036 

Some Microsoft articles/forums seem to suggest that Windows path limit is 260 chars.
This MS forum post says that W2012 REFS path length limit is 256 chars:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/Lync/en-US/9297bd19-1ed9-414d-9ae9-f7b1a0e94bf9/windows-... 

Not sure why Microsoft told you to approach the backup vendor....

watsons
Level 6

Well... when it comes to this, I will always ask the Windows team to do a native backup test. 

If the native backup (without using Netbackup) works, then we can check if Netbackup has such limitation on pathname (obviously it has).

If it fails, I don't see why we still need to call Symantec/Netbackup because that even the OS cannot do anything about this. 

Besides, I see no reason why a pathname cannot be trimmed down. :)