Problem Backing up Win2K3 System State

[DSMCBackup]

Hi,

I have a server which is a passive node in a cluster, so it only has a C drive to backup. When trying to backup, it fails with VSS errors on the Sys State, and this in the dsmerror.log:

21-10-2007 21:17:48 AddVolumeForComponent(): Unexpected error: cannot add volume E:\ to the snapshot set.

E: is not stipulated in the dsm.opt file, so I dont know why its trying to add it? Any ideas?

 

[DSMCBackup]

Just to add more info, the server is part of a Microsoft Cluster, not Veritas (which works GRRR)

We failed the cluster over, and the server that failed now holds the cluster drive, and the backup worked fine. The one that WAS working, no longer works.

I dont know much about MS clustering. Any one seen this before?

 

[DSMCBackup]

Have isolated this now, it is the SystemServices.Eventlog that wont backup.

Any ideas?

 

[ProbablyDown]

So you have a another dsm.opt that backs up the cluster drive (E:\) right?

If so... make sure that your regular C:\ dsm.opt has
DOMAIN C:

Generally the way to do it is to have the dsm.opt for the cluster residing on the cluster drive. (so E: in your case). What I do is create a folder on my cluster drive - say E:\tsm - and within that my dsm.opt, dsmerror.log, and dsmsched.log go there for the cluster node. I think thats pretty standard setup.

 

[DSMCBackup]

Hi,

yeah that is how its setup. The e: drive isnt marked down for backup on the C: dsm.opt, just the C: SYSTEMSTATE and SYSTEMSERVICES.

We have this setup many times, and it always works with Veritas... bloody microsoft!

 

[ProbablyDown]

Hahaha... ya - OH... check the schedule and the clopt... maybe you have something in there? Just a thought..

 

[DSMCBackup]

Hi

Can close ths one. Turns out after a bit more looking into that the Event Log had a 4th branch - OTG , from the Email Extender application running on the cluster ( i didnt expect this)

As the log file is situatied on the Cluster drive, whichever node is not running the application cannot view this part of the event log, hence TSM throws a wobbler.

Weve decided to run our own backups of the eventlog and back these up instead.

Cheers!

 

[ProbablyDown]

Good one.. nice catch...