NetBackup™ Troubleshooting Guide

Last Published:
Product(s): NetBackup (10.3.0.1, 10.3)
  1. Introduction
    1.  
      NetBackup logging and status code information
    2.  
      Troubleshooting a problem
    3.  
      Problem report for Technical Support
    4.  
      About gathering information for NetBackup-Java applications
  2. Troubleshooting procedures
    1.  
      About troubleshooting procedures
    2. Troubleshooting NetBackup problems
      1.  
        Verifying that all processes are running on UNIX or Linux servers
      2.  
        Verifying that all processes are running on Windows servers
    3.  
      Troubleshooting installation problems
    4.  
      Troubleshooting configuration problems
    5.  
      Device configuration problem resolution
    6.  
      Testing the primary server and clients
    7.  
      Testing the media server and clients
    8.  
      Resolving network communication problems with UNIX clients
    9.  
      Resolving network communication problems with Windows clients
    10. Troubleshooting vnetd proxy connections
      1.  
        vnetd proxy connection requirements
      2.  
        Where to begin to troubleshoot vnetd proxy connections
      3.  
        Verify that the vnetd process and proxies are active
      4.  
        Verify that the host connections are proxied
      5.  
        Test the vnetd proxy connections
      6.  
        Examine the log files of the connecting and accepting processes
      7.  
        Viewing the vnetd proxy log files
    11. Troubleshooting security certificate revocation
      1.  
        Troubleshooting cloud provider's revoked SSL certificate issues
      2.  
        Troubleshooting cloud provider's CRL download issues
      3.  
        How a host's CRL affects certificate revocation troubleshooting
      4.  
        NetBackup job fails because of revoked certificate or unavailability of CRLs
      5.  
        NetBackup job fails because of apparent network error
      6.  
        NetBackup job fails because of unavailable resource
      7.  
        Primary server security certificate is revoked
      8.  
        Determining a NetBackup host's certificate state
      9.  
        Troubleshooting issues with external CA-signed certificate revocation
    12.  
      About troubleshooting networks and host names
    13. Verifying host name and service entries in NetBackup
      1.  
        Example of host name and service entries on UNIX primary server and client
      2.  
        Example of host name and service entries on UNIX primary server and media server
      3.  
        Example of host name and service entries on UNIX PC clients
      4.  
        Example of host name and service entries on UNIX server that connects to multiple networks
    14.  
      About the bpclntcmd utility
    15.  
      Using the Host properties to access configuration settings
    16.  
      Resolving full disk problems
    17. Frozen media troubleshooting considerations
      1.  
        Logs for troubleshooting frozen media
      2.  
        About the conditions that cause media to freeze
    18. Troubleshooting problems with the NetBackup web services
      1.  
        Viewing NetBackup web services logs
      2.  
        Troubleshooting web service issues after external CA configuration
    19.  
      Troubleshooting problems with the NetBackup web server certificate
    20. Resolving PBX problems
      1.  
        Checking PBX installation
      2.  
        Checking that PBX is running
      3.  
        Checking that PBX is set correctly
      4.  
        Accessing the PBX logs
      5.  
        Troubleshooting PBX security
      6.  
        Determining if the PBX daemon or service is available
    21. Troubleshooting problems with validation of the remote host
      1.  
        Viewing logs pertaining to host validation
      2.  
        Enabling insecure communication with NetBackup 8.0 and earlier hosts
      3.  
        Approving pending host ID-to-host name mappings
      4.  
        Clearing host cache
    22. Troubleshooting Auto Image Replication
      1.  
        Rules for primary servers used with Auto Image Replication and SLPs
      2. Targeted A.I.R. trusted primary server operation failed in case of external certificate configuration
        1.  
          Add or update trust
        2.  
          Remove trust
      3.  
        About troubleshooting automatic import jobs that SLP components manage
    23.  
      Troubleshooting network interface card performance
    24.  
      About SERVER entries in the bp.conf file
    25.  
      About unavailable storage unit problems
    26.  
      Resolving a NetBackup Administration operations failure on Windows
    27.  
      Resolving garbled text displayed in NetBackup Administration Console on a UNIX computer
    28.  
      Troubleshooting error messages in the NetBackup Administration Console
    29.  
      Extra disk space required for logs and temporary files for the NetBackup Administration Console
    30.  
      Unable to logon to the NetBackup Administration Console after external CA configuration
    31.  
      Troubleshooting file-based external certificate issues
    32.  
      Troubleshooting Windows certificate store issues
    33.  
      Troubleshooting backup failures
    34.  
      Troubleshooting backup failure issues with NAT clients or NAT servers
    35.  
      Troubleshooting issues with the NetBackup Messaging Broker (or nbmqbroker) service
    36.  
      Issues with email notifications for Windows systems
    37.  
      Issues with KMS configuration
    38.  
      Issues with initiating the NetBackup CA migration because of large key size
    39.  
      Issues with the non-privileged user (service user) account
    40.  
      Issues with group name format in the auth.conf file
    41.  
      Troubleshooting the VxUpdate add package process
    42.  
      Issues with FIPS mode
    43.  
      Issues with malware scanning
    44.  
      Issues with NetBackup jobs that are enabled for data-in-transit encryption
    45.  
      Issues with Unstructured Data Instant Access
    46.  
      Troubleshooting issues with multi-factor authentication
    47.  
      Troubleshooting issues with multi-person authorization
  3. Using NetBackup utilities
    1.  
      About NetBackup troubleshooting utilities
    2.  
      About the analysis utilities for NetBackup debug logs
    3.  
      About the Logging Assistant
    4.  
      About network troubleshooting utilities
    5. About the NetBackup support utility (nbsu)
      1.  
        Output from the NetBackup support utility (nbsu)
      2.  
        Example of a progress display for the NetBackup support utility (nbsu)
    6. About the NetBackup consistency check utility (NBCC)
      1.  
        Output from the NetBackup consistency check utility (NBCC)
      2.  
        Example of an NBCC progress display
    7.  
      About the NetBackup consistency check repair (NBCCR) utility
    8.  
      About the nbcplogs utility
    9. About the robotic test utilities
      1.  
        Robotic tests on UNIX
      2.  
        Robotic tests on Windows
    10. About the NetBackup Smart Diagnosis (nbsmartdiag) utility
      1.  
        Workflow to use the nbsmartdiag utility for NetBackup host communication
    11.  
      About log collection by job ID
  4. Disaster recovery
    1.  
      About disaster recovery
    2.  
      About disaster recovery requirements
    3.  
      Disaster recovery packages
    4.  
      About disaster recovery settings
    5.  
      Recommended backup practices
    6. About disk recovery procedures for UNIX and Linux
      1. About recovering the primary server disk for UNIX and Linux
        1.  
          Recovering the primary server when root is intact
        2.  
          Recovering the primary server when the root partition is lost
      2.  
        About recovering the NetBackup media server disk for UNIX
      3.  
        Recovering the system disk on a UNIX client workstation
    7. About clustered NetBackup server recovery for UNIX and Linux
      1.  
        Replacing a failed node on a UNIX or Linux cluster
      2.  
        Recovering the entire UNIX or Linux cluster
    8. About disk recovery procedures for Windows
      1. About recovering the primary server disk for Windows
        1.  
          Recovering the primary server with Windows intact
        2.  
          Recovering the primary server and Windows
      2.  
        About recovering the NetBackup media server disk for Windows
      3.  
        Recovering a Windows client disk
    9. About clustered NetBackup server recovery for Windows
      1.  
        Replacing a failed node on a Windows VCS cluster
      2.  
        Recovering the shared disk on a Windows VCS cluster
      3.  
        Recovering the entire Windows VCS cluster
    10.  
      Generating a certificate on a clustered primary server after disaster recovery installation
    11.  
      About restoring disaster recovery package
    12.  
      About the DR_PKG_MARKER_FILE environment variable
    13.  
      Restoring disaster recovery package on Windows
    14.  
      Restoring disaster recovery package on UNIX
    15. About recovering the NetBackup catalog
      1.  
        About the catalog backup process
      2.  
        Prerequisites for recovering the NetBackup catalog or NetBackup catalog image files
      3.  
        About NetBackup catalog recovery on Windows computers
      4.  
        About NetBackup catalog recovery from disk devices
      5.  
        About NetBackup catalog recovery and symbolic links
      6. About NetBackup catalog recovery
        1.  
          Specifying the NetBackup job ID number after a catalog recovery
      7.  
        NetBackup disaster recovery email example
      8. About recovering the entire NetBackup catalog
        1.  
          Recovering the entire NetBackup catalog using the NetBackup catalog recovery wizard
        2.  
          Recovering the entire NetBackup catalog using bprecover -wizard
      9.  
        Establishing a connection with NAT media server before catalog recovery
      10. About recovering the NetBackup catalog image files
        1.  
          Recovering the NetBackup catalog image files using the NetBackup catalog recovery wizard
        2.  
          Recovering the NetBackup catalog image files using bprecover -wizard
      11. About recovering the NetBackup databases
        1.  
          Recovering the NetBackup database from a backup
        2.  
          Recovering the NetBackup database from staging
        3.  
          About processing the NetBackup database in staging
        4.  
          Terminating database connections
      12.  
        Recovering the NetBackup catalog when NetBackup Access Control is configured
      13.  
        Recovering the NetBackup catalog from a nonprimary copy of a catalog backup
      14.  
        Recovering the NetBackup catalog without the disaster recovery file
      15.  
        Recovering a NetBackup user-directed online catalog backup from the command line
      16.  
        Restoring files from a NetBackup online catalog backup
      17.  
        Unfreezing the NetBackup online catalog recovery media
      18.  
        Steps to carry out when you see exit status 5988 during catalog recovery

Recovering the NetBackup catalog image files using bprecover -wizard

The bprecover -wizard command is an alternative to using the NetBackup catalog recovery wizard.

Warning:

Do not run any client backups before you recover the NetBackup catalog.

To recover the catalog image files using bprecover -wizard

  1. Run the nbgetconfig command and save the output. This output can be used after the catalog recovery to recover the host-specific information that is overwritten during the catalog recovery.

    For example:

    ./nbgetconfig > sample.txt

  2. Review the prerequisites before starting the catalog recovery.

    See Prerequisites for recovering the NetBackup catalog or NetBackup catalog image files.

  3. If recovering the catalog to a new NetBackup installation, such as at a disaster recovery site, do the following:

    • Install NetBackup.

    • Configure the devices that are required for the recovery.

    • Add the media that are required for the recovery to the devices.

    • Create symbolic links to match those in the original environment.

      See About NetBackup catalog recovery and symbolic links.

  4. Start the NetBackup services on the primary server by entering the following command:

    • On Windows:

      install_path\NetBackup\bin\bpup

    • On UNIX and Linux:

      /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/bp.start_all

  5. Start the bprecover wizard by entering the following command:

    bprecover -wizard

    The following is displayed:

    Welcome to the NetBackup Catalog Recovery Wizard!
    Please make sure the devices and media that contain catalog
    disaster recovery data are available
    Are you ready to continue?(Y/N)
  6. Enter Y to continue. You are prompted to enter the full path name of the disaster recovery file, as follows:

    Please specify the full pathname to the catalog disaster recovery file:

  7. Enter the fully qualified path name to the disaster recovery file for the backup that you want to restore. For example:

    /mnt/hdd2/netbackup/dr-file/Backup-Catalog_1318222845_FULL

    If the most recent catalog backup was an incremental backup, use the disaster recovery file from the incremental backup. (There is no need to first restore the full backup and then follow with the incremental backup.) Alternately, you can recover from earlier version of the catalog.

    If you specified a DR file for a full backup, a message similar to the following appears:

    vm2._1318222845
    All media resources were located
    
    Do you want to recover the entire NetBackup catalog? (Y/N)

    If you specified a DR file for an incremental backup, a message similar to the following is displayed:

    vm2.example.com_1318309224
    All media resources were located
    
    The last catalog backup in the catalog disaster recovery file is 
    an incremental.
    If no catalog backup images exist in the catalog,
    a PARTIAL catalog recovery will only restore the NetBackup catalog
    files backed up in that incremental backup.
    
    However, all of the catalog backup images up to the last full catalog
    backup are restored.  Then you can restore the remaining NetBackup 
    catalog files from the Backup, Archive, and Restore user interface.
    If catalog backup images already exist, all files that were included
    in the related set of catalog backups are restored.
    
    Do you want to recover the entire NetBackup catalog? (Y/N)
  8. Enter N to continue. The following is displayed:
    A PARTIAL catalog recovery includes the images directory
    containing the dotf files and staging of the NetBackup relational 
    database (NBDB) for further processing.
    
    Do you also want to include policy data?(Y/N)
  9. Enter Y or N to continue. The following is displayed:

    Do you also want to include licensing data?(Y/N)

  10. Enter Y or N to continue. The following is displayed:
    Catalog recovery is in progress. Please wait...
    
    Gathering configuration information.
    Waiting for the security services to start operation.
    Generating identity for host 'vm2.example.com_1318309224'
    Setting up security on target host: vm2.example.com_1318309224
    nbatd is successfully configured on NetBackup Primary Server.
    Operation completed successfully.
    
    Completed successful recovery of NBDB in staging directory on 
    vm2.
    
    This portion of the catalog recovery has completed.
    Because this was a PARTIAL recovery of the NetBackup catalog,
    any remaining files included in the catalog backup can be restored
    using the Backup, Archive, and Restore user interface.
    
    
    The "nbdb_restore -recover -staging" command can be used to replace
    NBDB in the data directory with the contents from the staging 
    directory.
    
    WRN - NetBackup will not run scheduled backup jobs until NetBackup 
    is restarted.
    
    WRN - Local or global-level settings that you have configured on the 
    master server before catalog recovery are overwritten.
    It is recommended that you re-configure the required settings after 
    the services are restarted.
    
    For more information, please review the log file:
    /usr/openv/netbackup/logs/user_ops/root/logs/Recover1318357550.log
    
  11. When the recovery job is finished, each image file is restored to the proper image directory and the configuration files are restored. If you chose to recover the policy data and licensing data, it is restored also.
  12. If you want to recover the image header information without recovering the entire NetBackup database, perform the following steps:
    • Step a - Back up the target database. Run the following command.

      nbdb_backup -online directory

      Make sure that you do not specify the staging folder as the output directory. (The staging folder contains the schema data and configuration data for the NetBackup database from the catalog backup. Image .f and configuration files are recovered to their final destinations.)

    • Step b - Recover the NetBackup database from the staging directory.

      nbdb_restore -recover -staging
    • Step c - Export the image header data that you want to import from the backup.

      For example, the following command exports export all image header data. The data is exported to the netbackup/db.export directory.

      cat_export -all
    • Step d- Recover the NetBackup database with the following command.

      nbdb_restore -recover directory

      Make sure that you specify the same directory as in step a.

    • Step e- Run the cat_import command to import the image header data that you extracted in step c.

      cat_import -all -replace_destination -delete_source

      The command does the following:

      • Imports all of the image header data in the netbackup/db.export directory.

      • Replaces any image header data that was exported that already exists in the target database.

      • Removes the image header data that resides in the netbackup/db.export directory.

    • Step f- If you recovered the catalog from a disk device, you may have to fix the disk media ID references. Run the following command:

      nbcatsync -sync_dr_file DR file path -dryrun

      Replace DR file path with the path to the catalog DR file.

    • Step g - If the result of the dry run is satisfactory, run the following command:

      nbcatsync -sync_dr_file DR file path
  13. Before you continue, be aware of the following points:

    • If you recovered the catalog from removable media, NetBackup freezes the catalog media.

    • Before you restart NetBackup, Veritas recommends that you freeze the media that contains the backups more recent than the date of the catalog from which you recovered.

    • NetBackup does not run scheduled backup jobs until you stop and then restart NetBackup.

      You can submit backup jobs manually before you stop and restart NetBackup. However, if you do not freeze the media that contains the backups more recent than the date of the catalog from which you recovered, NetBackup may overwrite that media.

    • Because this operation is a partial recovery, you must recover the database portion of the catalog.

  14. Clean up allowed list cache for all hosts.
  15. Recover the host settings that you backed up in step 1. Run the following command.
    ./nbsetconfig sample.txt
  16. Stop and restart NetBackup services on the primary server and other hosts, as follows:

    • On Windows:

      install_path\NetBackup\bin\bpdown
      install_path\NetBackup\bin\bpup
    • On UNIX:

      /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/bp.kill_all
      /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/bp.start_all
  17. After the services are restarted, run the following command:
    • If NetBackup (or host ID-based) certificates are used in your NetBackup domain, do the following:

      On a non-clustered setup:

      Windows:

      install_path\netbackup\bin\nbcertcmd -renewcertificate

      UNIX:

      /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/nbcertcmd -renewcertificate

      On a clustered setup:

      Windows:

      install_path\netbackup\bin\nbcertcmd -renewcertificate -cluster

      UNIX:

      /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/nbcertcmd -renewcertificate -cluster
    • If external CA-signed certificates are used in your NetBackup domain, perform the following steps.

      Non-clustered setup:

      UNIX:

      /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/nbcertcmd -enrollCertificate

      Windows:

      install_path\netbackup\bin\nbcertcmd -enrollCertificate

      Clustered setup:

      UNIX:

      /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/nbcertcmd -enrollCertificate -cluster

      Windows:

      install_path\netbackup\bin\nbcertcmd -enrollCertificate -cluster
  18. If the catalog recovery is part of a server recovery procedure, complete the remaining steps in the appropriate recovery procedure.

    This procedure can include the following tasks:

    • Importing the backups from the backup media into the catalog

    • Write protecting the media

    • Ejecting the media and setting it aside

    • Freezing the media