Sounds similar to this
http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/290900.htm which is definitely
a case of "scary".  Seems like there is a problem with the way MS DFS
Replication shares interacts with NetBackup.  I don't do Windows either
but my MS colleagues assure me that there is nothing "funny" about the
filesystems that NetBackup is "choosing" not to back up.  Personally I
think the fault likes with Microsoft/Windows though for telling
NetBackup not to back them up.  The end result is the same though
"scary".  I'd rather NetBackup got told about everything and I had to
sort out the code 1s and take responsibility for deciding what not to
back up.

cheers, Phil


Phil Weber MBCS CITP
Storage Technical Services - Senior UNIX Technologist
Business Technology

Phone: 01384 26 4136

Egg Banking plc

-----Original Message-----
From: veritas-bu-bounces AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu
[mailto:veritas-bu-bounces AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu] On Behalf Of bob944
Sent: 21 April 2008 23:37
To: veritas-bu AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu
Cc: bancal AT walla DOT com
Subject: Re: [Veritas-bu] NetBackup silently filters MS SQL datafiles
w/oany warning


> We encounter a stange thing with NetBackup as it backs up MS 
> SQL files on some of Windows hosts.
>  
> There are puzzling info messages in bpbkar.log on some 
> NetBackup clients: 
> 6:13:46.708: [7200.3120] <2> tar_base::V_vTarMsgW: INF - 
> Filtered 'Shadow Copy Components' Object: 
> D:\mssql\data\MSSQL\Data\master.mdf

I don't do Windows, but will take a stab at this:  isn't the log entry
clearly saying "this widget is backed up by Shadow Copy?"

You are doing a shadow copy components backup of your w2k3 systems,
correct?

> Even though NetBackup warns that it skips certain files, the 
> backup job finishes sucessfully (with zero status code).

Status 0 is correct.  It's a filesystem backup and it backed up all the
files and directories in the filesystem that it is supposed to.  

> It looks as if NetBackup silently filters certain files 
> without notifying an administrator about that. Till now we 

It handled it exactly the same way NetBackup handles excluded files:
recognizes it isn't _supposed_ to back it up (because Microsoft has
apparently categorized it as requiring Shadow Copy and says a filesystem
backup of it isn't good and/or useful for recovery) and puts a note in
the log so that a sharp admin can see it as you have and fully account
for everything on the system.

> supposed that as soon as Netbackup comes across a MS SQL file 
> it either backs it up if the file is closed or skips it and 
> ussues a warning in job log if the file stays open at the 
> moment of backup. In the latter case backup job finishes with 
> status code 1 (partial backup). 

Rather, it skips an open file if the writing process has acquired an
exclusive write lock (no readers allowed) or if OTM/VSP/VSS couldn't
capture a consistent image of the volume.  But this is neither case.

You might want to look at the FilesNotToBackUp key that Microsoft
populates with files they do not want you to back up.  There are MSKB
articles on this key and probably a lot on Shadow Copy as well.


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