BE 8.6 Skipped Files

[polymorphicAlpha]

We are having a problem with backups on SQL servers with BE 8.6.

We're running the latest patches for 8.6, Windows 2000 Advanced Server, SQL Enterprise Edition & Exchange 2000. We are running Exchange Remote Agent and BE Remote Agent.

Basically, trying to run a full backup on our Exchange box results in nothing being backed up, yet no failures. Every single file marked for backup is skipped and the job is marked as successful. The job takes about 1 minute. However, if we completely kill Exchange's services on the box, the job will run.

I also get the same results for a SQL backup on a completely different server. This server has other backup jobs running every day on the same drive. When I created a new job to run on some stored procedures and SQL jobs we have in the Data directory under MSSQL, every single file marked for backup is skipped!!!! I've tried the Copy File job and the Full\Reset Archive Bit job to no avail.

As a side note, we are running multiple backup jobs daily successfully on these same servers, so Backup Exec does work. It is merely these directories I guess. I don't know.

 

[SQLBill]

First, how many remote agent licenses do you have? I believe you need one per remote server.

Second, do you have the SQL Agent?

Third, do you have the OPEN FILE Option (OFO)?

It seems that either you don't have enough remote agents installed or, most likely, the files are in use (open file) while you are trying to back them up. I know that you cannot backup SQL Server files without SQL Agent. I'm not sure about Exchange whether Exchange Agent allows you to backup up files that are in use or if you need the OFO.

By the way, I prefer to use the native SQL Server BACKUP DATABASE commands to create .bak files on the disk and then copy those files to tape using BE.

-SQLBill

 

[polymorphicAlpha]

Yes, we have plenty of licenses as well as the SQL agents. As I said, we do SQL backups on the same boxes I'm having troubles on. The files are possibly open while doing the backups though. But, if that were the case, like in our other backups, the report would say "file is in use" and fail on that particular file. Instead it just says "...unable to open file. File skipped.".

Our SQL backups via BE are perfect. We do fulls on Fridays and diffs the rest of the week. They always work. We test by restoring every once in a while too. Doing a native backup as well as a tape backup seems redundant to me.