Things to exclude on NT/2K/2003 - a definitive list?

[Anonymous]

I have just installed netbackup client software on first 2003 machine. And the backup reports everytime:
WRN - can't open file: C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v1.1.4322\CONFIG\enterprisesec.config.cch.2060.53060812 (WIN32 5: Unknown error)
WRN - can't open file: C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v1.1.4322\CONFIG\security.config.cch.2060.53060812 (WIN32 5: Unknown error)

I assume this is the norm for these files? If so I was wondering going through NT and 2000 now to 2003 if there are definite items that can be added to the exclude list of said clients.

Maybe a bit extreme to exclude them, as they only give a Status 1 at the end of the backup, but would be nice to know for sure which files can be excluded.

I remember a previous discussion that mentioned it was ok to exclude the perflib.dat file?

Under v3.4 I'm sure I excluded pagefile.sys as it was trying to capture this, but have removed it since newer version does not try this file at all.

I suppose also you should exclude any paths to MS SQL data files, as these also can't be opened as they should be backed up via agent or via a flat backup onto the filesystem.
Another are the *.lock files on media servers within the Netbackup path.

Any others that you religiously exclude on Windows Server clients?

Whats your thoughts on this, or should I just leave as is.
Regards.

[Stumpr2]

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader

C:\WINNT\system32\Perflib_Perfdata*

C:\WINNT\system32\CPL.CFG

pagefile.sysMessage was edited by:
Bob Stump

[Scott_Murray]

Hello,

While we're on this theme, I'd also be keen to see if anyone has had trouble backing up the cluster.log file on Win2003 clusters.
We'd don't want to exclude this file, but intermittently we get the following warning message:
ERR - failure reading file: C:\WINDOWS\Cluster\cluster.log (WIN32 13: Unknown error)
Any advice appreciated.

Thanks.

[Tim_Dile]

I'm sure I read that if your using the string ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES it wouldn't backup files that was in the builtin Windows "DONOTBACKUPSFILES", like the page file etc... I could be wrong.

If I am then I need to address this and add these to the Exclude list.

Tim

[Jonathan_Bonde]

I'm having similar issues. While the backup does complete successfully, it completes with Status Code 1. I'd like to reduce the Status Code 1 in my environment if possible.

This is a common message I see on .net servers
WRN - can't open file: C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50215\CONFIG\enterprisesec.config.cch.1620.191875437 (WIN32 5: Access is denied. )

Stuart, I exclude the following by default on all Veritas client servers:
C:\Program Files\VERITAS\NetBackup\bin\*.lock
C:\Program Files\VERITAS\NetBackup\bin\bprd.d\*.lock
C:\Program Files\VERITAS\NetBackup\bin\bpsched.d\*.lock
C:\Program Files\VERITAS\Volmgr\misc\*

[Jeffrey_Redingt]

If you are using an older version of the client then you could see those files being missed. Otherwise there shouldn't be an issue. I back up about 20-30 Windows 2003 servers and have never had an error on any of the OS files.

[patrickkuah]

I do got this "WIN32" error after upgrading to 5.1MP3A, i did logged a call to Veritas before but they claimed it Windows issue.
I was told error that contained "WIN32" error, it most likely to be a WIndows issue rather than the Netbackup. Do you see any error in the event viewer?

patrickMessage was edited by:
Patrick Kuah

[Scott_Chubb]

I have on my desk 144 server backup requests and 7 of them have this issue. From what I can gather from the MS knowledge base, these files shouldn't be excluded. I would like to resolve all of these status 1 issues if anyone has an idea.

Thanks

[Anonymous]

The .NET Framework files issue is documented in this Veritas Technote
http://support.veritas.com/docs/277549
which references this MS KB article
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/815168/EN-US/

which states that .cch files are dynamically created and do not need backed up.

However, I added *.cch to my exclude list and I still get the .NET Framework errors. But I assume my filename wildcard is incorrect.

For a filename: security.config.cch.2060.53060812
Exclude = *.*.cch.*.*

Going to implement this and see how it goes

Another to add to the list but only temporarily, and has been much talked about is the VSP cache file when you updated software to 5.1MP3a where the software tries to backup the .vsp file but should be fixed in MP4 (expected soon - Q4 2005 apparently)

So for now if you are on 5.1MP3a add to Windows Clients/Servers

Exclude = *.vsp

[Scott_Chubb]

Excellent find!

Thank you very much.

[Wiley_Winter]

I get these messages frequently. When I attempt a restore, I cannot find the backups that "partially" finished. The log shows that a temporary file didn't backup because it was open. Does Netbackup not allow a restore of the partial backup??
Thanks

[Stumpr2]

You can't restore what you didn't back up.
A partial means that 1 or more files were not backed up.
If you are trying to restore a file that failed in the backup....
....then it cannot be restored. GIGO?

[Gerald_W__Gitau]

Ok guys, WK3 has a cool utility called Miscrosoft Volume shadow copy Service. Just add your client under Master Server Host properties master server - Client Attributes. Click on Windows open file Backup - click add and type the name of the client. Check Enable windows open file backups for this client, under snapshot provider select Use Microsoft Shadow Copy Service (VSS). Apply the new settings and restart the master server services. This will backup all the open files. Try it.

[Glenda_Mojica_2]

Hi Gerald,

(Just add your client under Master Server Host properties master server - Client Attributes. Click on Windows open file Backup - click add and type the name of the client. Check Enable windows open file backups for this client, under snapshot provider select Use Microsoft Shadow Copy Service (VSS). Apply the new settings and restart the master server services. This will backup all the open files. Try it. )


Will this create more VSP cache file in the clients drives?

Coz I'm having problem deleting all these VSP cache.
It's filing up even in my systems drive.
and i cannot afford a reboot
I tried 3rd party tools, other VSP file will be deleted but otheres remain there, even if rebooted.

[Gerald_W__Gitau]

Hi Glenda,

On all my clients (2003) that are using Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Services (VSS), no directory is created for cache. But the ones using Veritas Snapshot Provider (VSP) they do have a cache directory. I will have to monitor and give you a detailed report if they is any change in drive size when a backup is running.

I'm using VSS to backup our DC's and these includes everything in C:\ and I always get status 0.

[WY-Thinker]

Gerald

We too have been having discussions on the benefits of VSS vs VSP and I would be interested to know if you came to any conclusions on the amount of disk used when using VSS rather than VSP

[Dennis_Strom]

What we discoverd was VSP files would be tagged by our anti virus software once that happened it could not be deleted until after a reboot. The files have to be unlocked first. this was confirmed by support. VSS files are not tagged by the anti virus software.

It would be nice if Veritas allowed us to define where the VSP or VSS files are put. This was a feature for a while then it went away. Bummmer.