NBU 7 Upgrade - VSS cache issues

[Kathryn_Minarik]

Questions about the Upgrade to 7. 

We currently use VSS on our windows server 2003 client and are having the problem described below which we have curbed by excluding the file listed in the virus exclusion list.  My question is... will we have to continue to exclude these files after the upgrade, or has it been fixed with 7.0?

Issue

       Microsoft's Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) is leaving orphaned cache files after a backup is performed on a Windows 2003 client.

Conditions

       Microsoft's Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) is being utilized for backups on a Windows 2003 client.
       The cache files are not being deleted after the backup completes.
 
Cause

       NetBackup uses "control files" during a backup to start and stop Microsoft's VSS.
       These control files are locked during backup and they may not be deleted when the backup is complete.


Answer/Resolution

• Prevent the following folder from being scanned by programs that place locks on files; ie anti-virus software:

  <install_path>\VERITAS\NetBackup\online_util
 

• Delete orphaned control files from the following folder:

  <install_path>\VERITAS\NetBackup\online_util\fi_clnt
 

• Created an exclusion for the anti-virus to exclude the online_util folder
• Use "VSSAdmin list shadows" to remove the orphaned VSS cache files.

Document ID: 290107
http://support.veritas.com/docs/290107

[Kathryn_Minarik]

Anyone??? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

[Marianne · Accepted solution]

IMHO - The TechNote describes a problem with AntiVirus software, not NetBackup.

As long as AV keeps a lock on files, NBU will be unable to remove them, no matter what version.

[Kathryn_Minarik]

Thank you for your response!

Would this issue also cause hundreds of unknown jobs to start then stall during  weekend backups?

[J_H_Is_gone]

Anti virus scanning the VSS file would have no effect on your backups - unless the server you are backing up ran out of room on the disk drives because you have left over vss files still haning around.

( and I heard that in 7.0 NB is suppose to see that a cache file was left behind and remove it - if it can (cannot if it is locked by the virus scanner))