How to verify Windows Open File Backup operation using VSSADMIN and BPFIS before contacting Veritas Technical Support

The NetBackup Support organization often receives Cases for VSS Open File Backup problems that are not directly attributed to NetBackup. Often, the problem is due to Volume Shadow Copy configuration, File Locking, an Operating System problem, a resource issue or a compatibility issue with another 3rd Party Vendor application.

Provided below are some tests to verify Open File Backup operation with NetBackup on Windows Server platforms prior to contacting Veritas Technical Support and confirm Microsoft VSS is working as expected.

Test #1 — Create, list & delete a Shadow Copy using VSSADMIN

This test verifies that Windows and the Volume Shadow Service is operating correctly.

1. First, add the storage location for a volume using vssadmin command.
   
   C:\>
vssadmin Add ShadowStorage /For=C: /On=D: /MaxSize=900MB
    
2. Create a shadow using vssadmin command.
   
   C:\>
vssadmin create shadow /for=C:
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2001 Microsoft Corp.
Successfully created shadow copy for 'C:\'
Shadow Copy ID: {c4695448-3cab-4bd5-a7ae-2af61c509dfd}
Shadow Copy Volume Name: \\?\GLOBALROOT\Device\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy1
    
3. List the shadow using vssadmin command.
   
   C:\>
vssadmin list shadows
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2001 Microsoft Corp.

Contents of shadow copy set ID: {d0db889e-2e79-42f0-8716-605a5c18965f}
Contained 1 shadow copies at creation time: 5/3/2006 11:36:20 AM
Shadow Copy ID: {7f0bc357-1915-44d7-ab4c-c2988c9d1049}
Original Volume: (C:)\\?\Volume{33c37ee9-d389-11da-a17d-806e6f6e6963}\
Shadow Copy Volume: \\?\GLOBALROOT\Device\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy2
Originating Machine: client01
Service Machine: client01
Provider: 'Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0'
Type: ClientAccessible
Attributes: Persistent, Client-accessible, No auto release, No writers, Differential
    
4. Delete the shadow using vssadmin command.
   
   C:\>
vssadmin delete shadows /for=C:

vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2001 Microsoft Corp.

Do you really want to delete 1 shadow copies (Y/N): [N]? y
Successfully deleted 1 shadow copies.
    

Test #2 — Create, list & delete a snapshot using BPFIS and VSS

This test verifies that the NetBackup 'bpfis' process can communicate properly with Microsoft's Volume Shadow Service

1. Create a VSS Snapshot using bpfis via the command line
   
   C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin>
bpfis.exe create -owner NBU -fso -WOFB -fim VSS:prov_type=1,snap_attr=0,max_snapshots=1 -id test123 -nbu_version 12345 C:\
INF - BACKUP START 15628
INF - FIS_ID=test123
INF - REMAP FILE BACKUP C:\ USING \\?\GLOBALROOT\Device\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy72\ OPTIONS:ALT_PATH_PREFIX=C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\temp\_vrts_frzn_img_15628_1,FITYPE=MIRROR,MNTPOINT=C:\,FSTYPE=NTFS
INF - EXIT STATUS 0: the requested operation was successfully completed
    
2. Query the newly created VSS Snapshot with bpfis.
   
   C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin>
bpfis.exe query -fq -id test123 -copy 1
INF - BACKUP START 1936
INF - Snapshot method: VSS
INF - Snapshot image host  : LOCALHOST
INF - Snapshot image owner : NBU
INF - Time created       : 1481141732 -> Wed Dec 07 12:15:32 2016

INF - REMAP FILE BACKUP C:\ USING \\?\GLOBALROOT\Device\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy72\ OPTIONS:ALT_PATH_PREFIX=C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\temp\_vrts_frzn_img_15628_1,FITYPE=MIRROR,MNTPOINT=C:\,FSTYPE=NTFS
INF - EXIT STATUS 0: the requested operation was successfully completed
   
   Note: Copy 1 is added to the end of the command to designate the copy number of the snapshot.
    
3. List the Snapshot using vssadmin command.
   
   C:\>
vssadmin list shadows
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2001-2013 Microsoft Corp.

Contents of shadow copy set ID: {3842044b-3065-498b-99e3-b395c9af0c80}
   Contained 1 shadow copies at creation time: 12/7/2016 12:15:39 PM
      Shadow Copy ID: {6199feb7-74f6-4ea1-8eef-836ba913c947}
         Original Volume: (C:)\\?\Volume{769fe827-7bd2-11e6-80b5-806e6f6e6963}\
         Shadow Copy Volume: \\?\GLOBALROOT\Device\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy72
         Originating Machine: sclnbu5400-01.labs.veritas.com
         Service Machine: sclnbu5400-01.labs.veritas.com
         Provider: 'Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0'
         Type: ApplicationRollback
         Attributes: Persistent, No auto release, Differential
    
4. Check that the config file for the snapshot matches vssadmin output
   
   C:\>
type "C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\online_util\fi_cntl\bpfis.fim.test123.1.0" | findstr "fs_name fi_args fi_fs_name vss_prov_type"
FSDEV-fs_name=C:\
FSDEV-fi_host_fs_name=
FSDEV-fi_args=prov_type=1,snap_attr=0,max_snapshots=1
FSDEV-fi_fs_name=\\?\GLOBALROOT\Device\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy72
HDEF-vss_prov_type=1
    
5. Test Snapshot deletion and clean up using bpfis.
   
   C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin>
bpfis delete -id test123 -copy 1
INF - BACKUP START 9592
INF - EXIT STATUS 0: the requested operation was successfully completed
   
   Note: Copy 1 is added to the end of the command to designate the copy number of the snapshot.
    
6. Verify the snapshot removal with vssadmin command.
   
   C:\>
vssadmin list shadows
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2001 Microsoft Corp.

No items found that satisfy the query.

What To Gather When Contacting Veritas Technical Support for Open File Backup Issue

When contacting Veritas Technical Support for a Windows Open File Backup issue, please gather the following information for the call:

1. Enable Client Logs
   
   Open the Backup, Archive and Restore Console.
   Select File > NetBackup Client Properties > Troubleshooting tab
   Set General Level = 2 and VERBOSE = 5
   Open a Command Prompt, change to the NetBackup\logs directory, & create the following log directories:
   
   cd install_path\NetBackup\logs
mklogdir bpfis bpcd bpbkar
   
   Then retry the Snapshot Backup operation that is failing and collect the logs for Veritas Technical Support.
    
2. Gather NetBackup Support Utility (NBSU) Output
   
   Open a Command Prompt and navigate to install_path\NetBackup\bin\support
   Execute the nbsu.exe Support Tool to gather information about the client.
   
   Example:
   cd "\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\support"
nbsu
   
   The tool will save the output to a Microsoft CAB file in the path from which the command was ran.
   
   Example:
   C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\support\<hostname_nbu-role_date_time>.cab
    

Note: If the NetBackup client software is installed in a different path, adjust where to locate the output according to the install path used on the client.