Ask the Expert: File System backups using NetWorker

It would be better if you give an idea about different parallelism used in networker (client/save group /tape sessions) ,It is very confusing to me. 

This discussion has started. We welcome your quetions, thoughts and ideas from today to September 19. Also be advised that a separate ATE event about Networker is being held on this link: Ask the Expert: NetWorker Module for Microsoft (NMM) - Configurations, Best Practices and Solutions.

Can we take  backup of a big file system to different tape drives simultaneously?

Hello nijokjhcl,

yes, it can be achieved dividing save sets at folder level and by leveraging tape/disk device's tar/max sessions value.

HTH

Thanks for your suggestion.But I have many files in the parent folder itself to backup. In that case do you have any suggestion ,any alternate way to achieve it ?

Can you throw some light on slow file system backups?

What could be the possible reasons behind it and how do we troubleshoot it?

After cluster fail over, facing the file backup issue in Windows environment.

Error: "Client_Name: C:\ 88224:save: The base volume for the path [Cluster node path name] is unavailable or offline.  Please ensure all volumes are online for backup operations."

Os type; windows 2008.

Faced the same error in windows 2012 server and 've included the below cmd in save operations tab backup is success but its not working for 2008 OS.

VSS:NSR_SYS_WRITER_WIN32_SERVCOMP_USER=yes

All the VSS writers are running fine and restarted as well. but no luck in 2008 OS.

Is it possible to restore a data from one flavor to another flavor? If not, why Networker is called cross-platform architecture.

and Can you explain how we need to use nsr_migration cmd.

Till NMM 2.4, we need to configure the File system backup by using special group. But, I could find in NMM 3 onwards, File system backup is running fine in normal group.  Why the snapshot concept is removed on NMM 3 onwards. Actually, for taking snapshot type backup is faster than normal file group backup. why again EMC has moved into old method of backup.?

How do we perform the restore of Synthetic backup and by which concept the incr+synth backup is running?

Hi nijokjhcl,

You can make use of directives to skip folders and not files inside parent folder. So when you will specify parent folder it will backup files and not the folders of the parent folder and along with parent folder you can specify subfolders as different save sets.

HTH

Deepak

Hello Prajith,

There are many factors which affect backup performance.

1. Network, If going over network (issues with network, incorrect network card configuration, incorrect switch/router/firewall configuration)

2.  Dense file system (millions of small files) - Using BBB (block based backup is a solution for windows machines)

3. Tape drive/device configuration (incorrect target/max sessions configured)

4. Memory considerations (if backing up to local storage node)

5. Slow read due to disk/SAN issues

HTH

Deepak

Hello prashanna,

When you are referring to cross platform, is it between Windows and UNIX/Linux. Assuming it is between Windows and UNIX/Linux. It is not possible because of different types of file system architecture.

But it is still possible to restore data from one windows version to another and one UNIX flavor to another (not true for NDMP platforms).

NetWorker is called as a Cross platform product as it supports multiple platforms and can be backed up to cross platform storage nodes.

it is also possible to migrate a NetWorker server to and from any supported platform.

HTH

Deepak

Hi prashanna,

As you know that there are multiple components involved in NMM backups. Considering NMM as a module to backup Microsoft APPs and having said being a complex architecture. Product management decided to use existing networker client (nsrexecd) and binaries for file system backups and remote communication.

You can still achieve good backup performance using traditional NetWorker file system backups when using optimum configurations.

HTH

Deepak

Hi prashanna,

For Windows 2008 and earlier versions:

Check the following registry key:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SystemWriter\ReportWin32ServicesNonSystemState.

If it is not set to 1, then set it to 1

HTH

Deepak