Netbackup 6.5.3.1 / VSS instant recovery failing to delete old snapshots

[stan888]

Hi,
We are attempting to implement Microsoft VSS for snap-shotting in our NetBackup 6.5.3.1 environment. The clients are both 32 & 64 bit Windows 2003 Server.

The snapshot parameters are:
Instant recovery is enabled
Maximum snapshots = 1
Provider type = 1 (System)
Snapshot attribute = 1 (Differential)

All backups successfully complete, and VSS shadows are successfully created both for the snapshot backup and for the open files (shadow copy components).

The issue: NetBackup is not clearing or overwriting old snapshots with each successive backup. When we list shadows, and shadow storage, it is increasing and increasing. IT is not honouring the Maximum Snapshot setting.

The bpfis log doesn’t really appear to show any errors other than for methods which we are not employing (VxVM, Flashsnap, etc.). A section is as follows:

11:54:10.744 [348.4724] <2> logparams: D:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\bpfis.exe delete -nbu -id htpststr001.san.mgmt.det_1248918143 -bpstart_to 300 -bpend_to 300 -clnt htpststr001.san.mgmt.det
11:54:10.744 [348.4724] <4> bpfis: INF - BACKUP START 348
11:54:11.713 [348.4724] <8> onlfi_initialize_vfms: VfMS error 10; see following messages:
11:54:11.713 [348.4724] <8> onlfi_initialize_vfms: Non-fatal method error was reported
11:54:11.713 [348.4724] <8> onlfi_initialize_vfms: vfm_configure_fi_one: method: FlashSnap, type: FIM, function: FlashSnap_init
11:54:11.713 [348.4724] <8> onlfi_initialize_vfms: VfMS method error 3; see following message:
11:54:11.713 [348.4724] <8> onlfi_initialize_vfms: FlashSnap_init: Veritas Volume Manager not installed.
11:54:11.713 [348.4724] <8> onlfi_initialize_vfms: VfMS error 10; see following messages:
11:54:11.713 [348.4724] <8> onlfi_initialize_vfms: Non-fatal method error was reported
11:54:11.713 [348.4724] <8> onlfi_initialize_vfms: vfm_configure_fi_one: method: vxvm, type: FIM, function: vxvm_init
11:54:11.713 [348.4724] <8> onlfi_initialize_vfms: VfMS method error 3; see following message:
11:54:11.713 [348.4724] <8> onlfi_initialize_vfms: vxvm_init: Veritas Volume Manager not installed.
11:54:11.713 [348.4724] <4> onlfi_thaw: Thawing C:\ using snapshot method VSS.
11:54:11.713 [348.4724] <2> onlfi_vfms_logf: vfm_thaw: delete snapshot ...
11:54:11.744 [348.4724] <2> onlfi_vfms_logf: snapshot services: emcclariionfi:Thu Jul 30 2009 11:54:11.744000 <Thread id - 4724> Unable to import any login credentials for any appliances.
11:54:11.760 [348.4724] <2> onlfi_vfms_logf: snapshot services: hpevafi:Thu Jul 30 2009 11:54:11.760000 <Thread id - 4724> CHpEvaPlugin::init: CLI tool is not installed.
11:54:11.760 [348.4724] <2> onlfi_vfms_logf: snapshot services: hpmsafi:Thu Jul 30 2009 11:54:11.760000 <Thread id - 4724> No array mangement credentials are available in configuration file.
11:54:13.806 [348.4724] <4> onlfi_thaw: do_thaw return value: 0
11:54:13.806 [348.4724] <4> onlfi_thaw: Thawing D:\ using snapshot method VSS.
11:54:15.806 [348.4724] <4> onlfi_thaw: do_thaw return value: 0
11:54:19.806 [348.4724] <2> fis_delete_id: removing D:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\online_util\fi_cntl\bpfis.fim.htpststr001.san.mgmt.det_1248918143.0
11:54:19.806 [348.4724] <2> fis_delete_id: removing D:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\online_util\fi_cntl\bpfis.fim.htpststr001.san.mgmt.det_1248918143.0.fiid
11:54:19.853 [348.4724] <4> bpfis: INF - EXIT STATUS 0: the requested operation was successfully completed



Has anyone any experience of NetBackup / VSS not clearing snapshots after backups?

We will ultimately be using a HP EVA for the snapshots, but we want to ensure correct functioning at a VSS level before we go further.

Rgds
/Stan

[Abesama]

It seems bpfis is claiming that the snapshot's been deleted, so try cross-checking following 3 debug log for the same time frame (in maximum verbosity)

bpfis
online_util
Windows event log (app)

And also try "bpfis query" after you test backups with different maximum snapshots setting like 2 or 3, or with the instant recovery enabled/disabled.

Giving it a fresh start is also a good idea, if reboot of the client is not possible then try shutdown NetBackup Client service, make sure there's no bpinetd/bpcd/bpbkar/bpfis/online_util processes running, and then start up NetBackup client service again, test backup.

Because VSS is provided by Microsoft, Symantec might (usually they do) ask you to log a support call with Microsoft to resolve this from VSS side too - Symantec would perhaps say that bpfis told VSS to remove the snapshot, and VSS is telling back to bpfis that it's  been deleted, that's why bpfis is returning the exit code 0.

Abe

[J_H_Is_gone]

You said you are just starting - make sure that your virus scanner excludes the extensions on the vsp or vss files, if it has it locked it will not remove it.

check tech notes for more info.

When performing a backup, the following error is reported, "An unexpected error occurred when cleaning up snapshot volumes. Confirm that all snapped volumes are correctly resynchronized with the original volumes." seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/276343.htm