Netbackup 7.5 Exchnage 2010 Policies

[Mike_Laforest]

Upgrading to 7.5 from 6.5.4.  Need assistance creating policies for Exchange 2010. Attempted to follow documentation but it is very confusing. We have no experience with snapshots.

[Marianne]

Go through these videos:

Configuring Exchange 2010 Granular Restore Technology (GRT) Backups with NetBackup 7.0

Configuring Exchange 2010 Database Availability Group (DAG) Backups with NetBackup 7.0 

List of Exchange Videos: http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO41825

[Mike_Laforest]

Thanks for the quick reply.  Does it make a difference that we don't use DAG?

[Marianne · Accepted solution]

The difference is the Backup Selection with Standalone Exchange Server: 'Microsoft Information Store:\ '
instead of 'Microsoft Exchange Database Availability Groups:\' for DAG. Obviously all references to 'virtual name', 'active' and 'passive' will not apply.

You can also have a look at the first video in the list (probably more applicable than the DAG video):

Configuring Snapshot-based Information Store Backups on Exchange 2003, 2007 and 2010 with NetBackup ...

[Mike_Laforest]

I can't watch the videos right now due to work restrictions but I've read the transcript for "Configuring Snapshot-based Information Store Backups on Exchange 2003, 2007 and 2010 with NetBackup ..." and it mentions choosing a Storage Type of Disk.  We backup to tape, so how does NB know to switch to tape storage after the snapshot has completed.  As you can probably tell, I'm VERY new at this, so please be patient with me :-).

[Marianne]

Any type of storage unit can be used for non-GRT backups.
The DSU was just the only storage available for the demo. 

[Mike_Laforest]

So if I want to do GRT backups to tape media, what storage unit should I choose for the policy?  Don't snapshots have to go to disk?

[Marianne]

Snapshot is temp disk area controlled by OS-supplied VSS, not the backup destination.
Nothing special have to be done as far as snapshot is concerned. Simply select snapshot option in Policy Attributes as per the TN's.

For GRT backups you need disk storage as backup destination.

The disk backup image is shared via NFS so that the Exchange can network-mount the disk image locally in order to browse and restore individual items.
This is not possible with tape.

Only non-GRT backups can go to tape.

[Mike_Laforest]

So if I have a non-GRT backup, can I still restore individual mailboxes from tape?

[Marianne]

No. You need GRT to restore individual mail items.

GRT = Granular Recovery Technology.

[Mike_Laforest]

Right now, using 6.5.4, we back up our mailboxes to tape.  So, using 7.5, we would have to use GRT (and therefore disk) in order to be able to restore individual mailboxes?  And does this apply to both Exchange 2010 and 2007?

[Marianne]

Exch 2007 mailboxes can still be backed up to tape in the same way as in NBU 6.5.  Microsoft has discontinued MAPI (mailbox) backups for Exch 2010.

Details in NetBackup for Microsoft Exchange Server Administrator's Guide  and in this video from the video list (URL above):

Configuring Individual Mailbox Item Backups on Exchange 2003 and 2007 using NetBackup 6.5 and 7.0 

[Mike_Laforest]

Tried backing up Microsoft Information Store:\* on an Exchange 2010 server.  Created a Disk storage unit on my master server and select it in the policy.  Chose Snapshot (VSS, default params) and Granular.  Now when I do a manual backup, I get the following error:

10/16/2012 11:29:25 - Info nbjm (pid=22967) starting backup job (jobid=175) for client pailserv2.pail.local, policy Pail_Exchange, schedule Daily
10/16/2012 11:29:25 - Info nbjm (pid=22967) requesting STANDARD_RESOURCE resources from RB for backup job (jobid=175, request id:{44409BCA-17A6-11E2-A39C-00248177B810})
10/16/2012 11:29:25 - requesting resource Disk
10/16/2012 11:29:25 - requesting resource rx3660c.nasittuq.com.NBU_CLIENT.MAXJOBS.pailserv2.pail.local
10/16/2012 11:29:25 - requesting resource rx3660c.nasittuq.com.NBU_POLICY.MAXJOBS.Pail_Exchange
10/16/2012 11:29:25 - granted resource  rx3660c.nasittuq.com.NBU_CLIENT.MAXJOBS.pailserv2.pail.local
10/16/2012 11:29:25 - granted resource  rx3660c.nasittuq.com.NBU_POLICY.MAXJOBS.Pail_Exchange
10/16/2012 11:29:25 - granted resource  MediaID=@aaaab;Path=/usr/openv/netbackup/snapshot;MediaServer=rx3660c.nasittuq.com
10/16/2012 11:29:25 - granted resource  Disk
10/16/2012 11:29:25 - estimated 4347495 kbytes needed
10/16/2012 11:29:26 - begin Parent Job
10/16/2012 11:29:26 - begin Snapshot: Start Notify Script
10/16/2012 11:29:26 - Info RUNCMD (pid=24127) started
10/16/2012 11:29:26 - Info RUNCMD (pid=24127) exiting with status: 0
Operation Status: 0
10/16/2012 11:29:26 - end Snapshot: Start Notify Script; elapsed time 0:00:00
10/16/2012 11:29:26 - begin Snapshot: Step By Condition
Operation Status: 0
10/16/2012 11:29:26 - end Snapshot: Step By Condition; elapsed time 0:00:00
10/16/2012 11:29:26 - begin Snapshot: Read File List
Operation Status: 0
10/16/2012 11:29:26 - end Snapshot: Read File List; elapsed time 0:00:00
10/16/2012 11:29:26 - begin Snapshot: Create Snapshot
10/16/2012 11:29:27 - started process bpbrm (pid=24133)
10/16/2012 11:29:32 - Info bpbrm (pid=24133) pailserv2.pail.local is the host to backup data from
10/16/2012 11:29:32 - Info bpbrm (pid=24133) reading file list from client
10/16/2012 11:29:32 - Info bpbrm (pid=24133) start bpfis on client
10/16/2012 11:29:32 - begin Create Snapshot
10/16/2012 11:29:33 - Info bpfis (pid=22044) Backup started
10/16/2012 11:30:02 - Critical bpbrm (pid=24133) from client pailserv2.pail.local: FTL - snapshot creation failed - SNAPSHOT_NOTIFICATION::PostSnapshot failed., status 130
10/16/2012 11:30:02 - Warning bpbrm (pid=24133) from client pailserv2.pail.local: WRN - NEW_STREAM0 is not frozen
10/16/2012 11:30:02 - Warning bpbrm (pid=24133) from client pailserv2.pail.local: WRN - Microsoft Information Store:\* is not frozen
10/16/2012 11:30:02 - Info bpfis (pid=22044) done. status: 130
10/16/2012 11:30:02 - end Create Snapshot; elapsed time 0:00:30
10/16/2012 11:30:02 - Info bpfis (pid=0) done. status: 130: system error occurred
10/16/2012 11:30:02 - end writing
Operation Status: 130
10/16/2012 11:30:02 - end Snapshot: Create Snapshot; elapsed time 0:00:36
10/16/2012 11:30:02 - begin Snapshot: Stop On Error
Operation Status: 0
10/16/2012 11:30:02 - end Snapshot: Stop On Error; elapsed time 0:00:00
10/16/2012 11:30:02 - begin Snapshot: Delete Snapshot
10/16/2012 11:30:03 - started process bpbrm (pid=24170)
10/16/2012 11:30:05 - begin Delete Snapshot
10/16/2012 11:30:05 - Info bpfis (pid=0) Snapshot will not be deleted
10/16/2012 11:30:06 - Info bpfis (pid=27188) Backup started
10/16/2012 11:30:06 - Critical bpbrm (pid=24170) from client pailserv2.pail.local: FTL - cannot open C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\online_util\fi_cntl\bpfis.fim.pailserv2.pail.local_1350401365.1.0
10/16/2012 11:30:08 - Info bpfis (pid=27188) done. status: 1542
10/16/2012 11:30:08 - end Delete Snapshot; elapsed time 0:00:03
10/16/2012 11:30:08 - Info bpfis (pid=0) done. status: 1542: An existing snapshot is no longer valid and cannot be mounted for subsequent operations
10/16/2012 11:30:08 - end writing
Operation Status: 1542
10/16/2012 11:30:08 - end Snapshot: Delete Snapshot; elapsed time 0:00:06
10/16/2012 11:30:08 - begin Snapshot: End Notify Script
10/16/2012 11:30:08 - Info RUNCMD (pid=24176) started
10/16/2012 11:30:08 - Info RUNCMD (pid=24176) exiting with status: 0
Operation Status: 0
10/16/2012 11:30:08 - end Snapshot: End Notify Script; elapsed time 0:00:00
Operation Status: 1542
10/16/2012 11:30:08 - end Parent Job; elapsed time 0:00:42
An existing snapshot is no longer valid and cannot be mounted for subsequent operations  (1542)
 

I'm thinking I might have messed something up earlier.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Marianne]

See if this TN helps: http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH181190 or this one: http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH154784

[Dyneshia]

If you are doing GRT, there are many other configuration items that need to be met.  Please review :

http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO73076  - Everything you need to know to get Exchange Granular backups to work

Please go through the tech note and confrim everything is set.  In addtion, check the vss writers as from the job detail status it looks like it is failing on the snapshot.

From a command prompt run :

vssadmin list writers

All should be stable and no errors.

[V4]

Check below video and pre-reqs in transcript , if it helps

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/videos/exchange-2010-sp2-grt-netbackup-75

[Marianne]

Mike made me work very hard yesterday... Just deadly silence today??

[Mike_Laforest]

And I really do appreciate all of the feedback you've provided.  But I haven't had a chance to test anything today.  I did find out that the Exchange Writer on the server had failed.  Just waiting for a reboot before I can start playing again.

[Marianne]

You will agree that your original question about Policy config has been answered, right? And that the backup failure is a separate issue?

[Mike_Laforest]

You are correct and thanks for your help.  Do I just select "Mark as solution"?