Networker

Re: [Networker] NW 7.6.2 and the DISASTER_RECOVERY: saveset

2011-08-19 08:53:48
Subject: Re: [Networker] NW 7.6.2 and the DISASTER_RECOVERY: saveset
From: Michael Leone <Michael.Leone AT PHA.PHILA DOT GOV>
To: NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2011 08:51:30 -0400
> 1. Use "diskshadow /l writers.log" to start diskshadow and direct 
> output to a log file.
> 2. From the DISKSHADOW> prompt run "list writers detailed".
> 3. Exit diskshadow.
> 
> The writers.log will contain the list of files for all writers. 
> Check for some on your USB drive

In my case, I found out that "E:\Lotus\Domino" was listed among the VSS 
SYSTEM WRITERS files. Which means that any saveset that includes 
DISASTER_RECOVERY: will also include this folder (all 346G of it, at least 
for now). And then I will *also* have to back all of E;normally, because I 
can't do recovers from individual files in the DISASTER_RECOVERY: saveset. 
So each backup will require about a TB of free space for snapshots alone 
(the E: drive is close to 700G now, half of which is that 
"E:\Lotus\Domino" which will be effectively backed up twice), on top of 
the space needed to keep AFTD copies.

<SIGH>

So this is what Support has come up with:

1. If you use saveset ALL, then DISASTER_RECOVERY:\ saveset will include 
the E drive (even if you add to skip E drive in directive).
2. Here we are trying to exclude the DISASTER_RECOVERY:\ saveset since 
that is the saveset which is causing issue with VSS and running out of 
space.
3. Now that you have split the E drive to individual sub-folders as 
saveset, it will work fine.
Now the main concern is about the DISASTER_RECOVERY:\ saveset. We cannot 
manipulate this DISASTER_RECOVERY:\ saveset as the coding is internal and 
it decides what to backup as critical.
Either we skip the DISASTER_RECOVERY:\ saveset or increase the disk space 
to include this saveset snapshot.

Since the whole reason of upgrading to 7.6.2 was to get DISASTER_RECOVERY: 
support for Win2008 R2 (especially this server; it's our main mail store), 
it looks like I have no choice but to try and upgrade the disk space of my 
AFTD device, since that's where VSS seems to be putting the snapshots, and 
is the same drive that I use as AFTD saving of backups. Maybe I can add a 
500G SAN drive or something, and find some why to tell VSS to use that 
drive for it's snapshots. The only other choice is to exclude 
DISASTER_RECOVERY: from backup, which is no real choice at all. (and which 
I will unfortunately have to do, at least temporarily, until I can get 
this space issue sorted out).

VSS can be a right pain, if you ask me. :-( Oh, I'm sure it can be useful 
for recovering "previous versions" of files, as VSS describes it, but 
mostly what it does is seem to give Networker heartburn ...

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