Sharepoint 2013 GRT Backups

[bmaro]

We are attempting to set up Sharepoint GRT 2013 backups.  Master is aix 7.1 Netbackup 7.6.0.3  Media Server is Netbackup Appliance 5230 2.6.0.3 Client is Windows 2008 R2 Netbackup Version 7.6.0.3.  Sharepoint Version is 2013.

We are able to backup up Sharepoint without using GRT(using Sharepoint agent) but when we tried GRT the job starts, starts the snapshot and sits there for anywhere from 24-96 hours and errors with a status 130.  It never makes it to actually backing up any data.  There is no firewall involved here and name resolution other checks etc are ok.  In the bpfis log we see the dbs on the backend sql server getting frozen and snapped but we backup never starts.

One odd thing we are seeing in the bpfis log is this-status: FAILED, (9) READ_FAILED; system: (10036) A blocking operation is currently executing. ; FROM 0.0.0.0 TO client name client ip(it has actual web server name and ip) bpspsserver VIA pbx

We are not sure if this is related but can't figure out why this message is showing.  We were able to telnet between the clients and master/media ports 111 7394 ,13724 1556, 135,139,445.

We also tested nfs connections between media and client and that worked.  We have had a case opened with Symantec for about two months and it has gone to backline and we're all stumped. Anyone seen this or have any ideas?  Thanks.

[watsons]

From what you described, it is somewhat slow for Support to troubleshoot that.

A few things I would ask (also for Support to answer):

1) When you said "starts the snapshot", did this job complete successfully or not? 

2) The snapshot completion is crucial because otherwise you don't have one to backup with. As you mentioned, bpfis logs has some errors. That could simply mean snapshot is not created properly.

NOTE: Whether a snapshot is created successfully can be easly seen in bpfis.

Try creating a snapshot on its own to narrow down the cause: 

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH47808

[bmaro]

Hi Watsons,

When the job starts it starts the parent job which is labeled backup which executes bpresolver then it starts a child job that is labeled snapshot.  Then the child snapshot job sits there, detailed status says backup started but it never writes any data so yes it seems the snapshot never gets created.  In bpfis we can see it freezing the dbs getting ready for the snapshot but doesnt seem to ever complete as after several hours(24-96 hours) the child snapshot job gets a status 130.  I'm going to comb through the logs again to see if I can find anything else, the bpfis log is about 700 pages just for this one job.  thanks for the technote, I forgot to mention in my initial post we checked vss(vssadmin list writers etc) and they check out fine and also I was able to create snapshots using vss of each drive on the system.  Initially when this sharepoint farm was setup they were going to use REMOTEBLOB which I understand is not supported with GRT so they disabled it but I am not familiar with REMOTEBLOB other then what it is so I'm unsure if they left any remnants of REMOTEBLOB.  In the technote you sent I will try test#2 bpfis with VSS and report back.  Thanks.

[bmaro]

Continued I also checked the needed permissions for sharepoint grt and they are all set up along with serice/domain account running netbackup client service on each server in the farm.  When I tested vss I used the sharepoint account that the netbackup client service is running in.  When I get in the office tomorrow I will try vss with bpfis.  thanks.