Windows Change Journal and reparse points in folders listed in Exclude File List

[rodrigo_c]

I am trying to backup a file system (3 million files, 4 TB) using Accelerator and Windows Change Journal. As some folders have reparse points pointing to data that I don't need to backup, I've put them all in the client Exclude File List. Nevertheless NetBackup insists on looking for reparse points in these folders. As a consequence, it decides not to use change journal for enumeration, hampering performance. Is there a technical reason to worry about reparse points in a folder excluded from backup selection by user? How could I stop NetBackup from doing that? I wish to use change journal also for enumeration, but reparse point detection in excluded folders is preventing it from working correctly. Log excerpt (folder THIS_FOLDER_HAS_A_REPARSE_POINT has been included in the client Exclude File List): 17:30:43.914 [3888.3228] <4> dos_backup::_change_journal_prepare: INF - initializing change journal usage for <> 17:32:04.515 [3888.3228] <2> NBJournalData::_build_lists: INF - detected reparse point change 17:32:04.515 [3888.3228] <2> NBJournalData::_build_lists: INF - detected reparse point <\THIS_FOLDER_HAS_A_REPARSE_POINT> 17:32:05.809 [3888.3228] <2> tar_base::V_vTarMsgW: JBD - not using change journal data for <>: hard link or reparse point change detected 17:32:05.809 [3888.3228] <2> tar_base::V_vTarMsgW: JBD - not using change journal data for enumeration for <> but will use it for change detection 20:09:43.542 [3888.3228] <2> tar_base::V_vTarMsgW: INF - Excluded: F:\THIS_FOLDER_HAS_A_REPARSE_POINT

[revarooo]

It does mention in TN

Log messages about the Use Change Journal option and Accelerator: http://www.veritas.com/docs/000044678

In the backup selections, a path contains a reparse point (directory junction or a symbolic link). The Use Change Journal option cannot be used. NetBackup must perform a regular file system scan to back up the directories correctly.

Unfortunately there is no way around this.

[rodrigo_c]

Thank you, revarooo, but I don't think so.

The path that contains a reparse point is a subdirectory of the backup selections.

And that subdirectory has been excluded from the backup selections by means of an Exclude File List.

Why is NetBackup looking for reparse points in folders excluded from backup selections?

[tunix2k]

The exclude list is used when client (bpbkar32) is sending data. Not prior for bpmount/snapshotting/create or update track file etc.

If change journal is working for netbackup it would enumerate all files including these in directory F:\THIS_FOLDER_HAS_A_REPARSE_POINT, but these files would not be send to media server.

[rodrigo_c]

Sorry to insist on this topic, but can NetBackup behaviour be changed so as to consider the Exclude File List before searching for reparse points?

As I don't need to backup the data pointed to by any reparse point, I don't mind if these files can't be enumerated or have change detected by windows change journal.

But I do wish to use windows change journal for enumeration of the remaining backup selections (where no reparse point exists), to improve backup performance.

[sdo]

I'm not sure about this... but if NetBackup cannot use the CJ for enumeration, then it is probably because the the reparse point is an object which move around the file system, i.e. one day it could here, and another day over there... on an admins whim so to speak... and MS Windows NTFS probably doesn't track these changes... and so NetBackup cannot track these changes... and so, the presence of even just one single reparse point means that software *must* take the safe option and not use CJ enumeration.