Problem with NT Agent

[bigugly]

Running Arcserve 7 on a Novell 5.1 box and the NT/2000 Agent (win32agent version 7 build 1037)on NT 4.0. No problem backing up Novell. When ever I try to back up the NT machine, I get errors E15030 (Can't receive data/packet from agent) AND E15036 (something error about orderly release?). I've tried backing up small jobs on the NT server (less than 200mb) without any problems.

I'm stumped. Any ideas?

 

[ARCserveGuru]

could you edit asconfig.ini on the arcserve novell server.

Find the section called workstation backup and restore, and under it set the workstationconnectiontimeout from 300 to, say.... 600 (i.e. 5 minutes to 10 minutes)

Now you'll have to do the same to the NT client agent, go to the NT server with the problems and edit the registry, go to HKLM/software/computerassociates/arcserveit/clientagent/paramaters......

then change the receivedtimeout and the sendtimeout to about 3000...

good luck

guru

 

[bigugly]

OK, after 2 weeks of frustration, I gave up and called CA for support on this.

The solution reminded me of a post I read here about someone complaining that they knew alot about how to get around Arcserve's "quirks", even if the "quirks" didn't make any sense and there was no logical explanation why the workaround should fix the problem.

Anyway...I was instructed to check the "Enable GFS" box under schedule. Fixed the problem. Don't ask me why...

 

[ARCserveGuru]

Ay? enable GFS? What does that have to do with??? Hmmmmm.... Talk about quirks hehehe I'll keep that quirk in mind next time...

hehe, hey bigugly.... Tell me why?

guru

 

[bigugly]

OK. Problem's back. It's official. I hate Arcserve. I also hate Computer Associates. And, yes, of course it worked perfectly the night before last, and of course I told CA support to close the incident.

Gonna try the timeout setting. I don't know how this plays into it, but I noticed that throughput on the compare (this is where the errors are popping up now) is VERY low (around 300k or less).

I must have done something reeeeaall bad in a previous life to deserve this...

 

[ARCserveGuru]

Mr BigUgly.....

I know why the problem occurs now, it isn't a quirk. Well, actually it is, it happens solely when Netware 7 backs up NT with a normal rotation job.

Try doing a custom rotation or as support suggested, a GFS...

But try the custom and see how it goes.

Do this before trying the extended timouts, but if you already have it doesn't matter. It'll just extend the time to a tomeout

Let me know how this goes,

Guru

P.S: I have reproduced this issue in my lab.

 

[bigugly]

Ahhhgh...
This didn't happen with Arcserve 6.6 for Netware!

Am I crazy or is this total BS that this doesn't work?

How is custom going to be different from rotation (which is what I've always run)? Will I be able to identify past sessions, media needed, etc. as easily in case of a needed restore? Will I have to manually manage the database?

I'm starting to feel depressed.

 

[ARCserveGuru]

Aw

http://www big

ugly....

Restores will be the same, it'll just ask for the tape you require. Custom is going to be no different from rotation, so relax. What configuration do you have now? 5 day full weekly? 4 day incremental with 1 day full? It can all be done on custom. It'll be fine.

So we found one glitch in the product. Gee I wish it was as solid as microsoft yeah right.

Let it go, a glitch is a glitch

guru

 

[bigugly]

I'm doing 5 day full backups.
How does a custom job label the session? Doesn't it just plop the day in as the label? If so, how could I easily identify a session by date it took place?

BTW, ever since switching on GFS, the problem only seems to occur at compare. As long as this remains the case, I might just stick with rotation and keep a close eye on it.

 

[ARCserveGuru]

So you have Compare backup media to tape selected? maybe if it always occurs when this is happening, you might want to think about going without it, or doing some other verification?

guru

 

[bigugly]

Yeah, it seems to only be occuring in compare when it does happen. I've got it set to "First 10mb". I think I set it to scan headers on Friday. Might have fixed the problem...I dunno...seems sort of sporadic. Anyway, Weekly on Friday completed with no problems.

At this point, I can live with this.
I would like to see it fixed as I can't believe I'm the only person in the world experiencing this problem.

 

[ARCserveGuru]

hahaha, yeah your right bigugly, but what can you do?

guru