First of all is not recommended to have NetWorker client version higher than the NetWorker server version.
Apart from that I think the issue here is related to the HW provider (Dell).
If you run this command on the client you should see 2 providers, Software provider (Microsoft VSS) and HW provider (Dell).
I didn't understand completely what you meant by "If VDS/VSS's has been denied access on EqualLogic backup is successful as it is AFAIK downgraded to Microsoft VSS software provider", do you mean that you disabled HW provider? Then that is normal, as the issue here is related to the HW provider.
Check this KB, where it recommends to disable HW provider:
I remember there was a variable (and also some registry changes) where you can force to use VSS (Software provider) during a VSS backup when having installed HW provider:
To force a server to use the Microsoft VSS provider, do the following:
Start the registry editor (regedit.exe).
Move to HKLM \SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\BackupRestore.
Set the DWORD registry value useMicrosoftProvider to 1 and click OK. If the value doesn't exist, create it.
I'll try to find the variable on NetWorker to force the use of software provider, but having the above settings in place would be enough to avoid any HW provider issues.
With "denying access" I simply meant changing access configuration on EqualLogic so that they do not match CLIENT initiator. Effectively disabling access to HW provider. For.ex. "Initiator tried to bypass the security phase but we cannot."
Your answer could be helpful forcing use of software provider. By now it should be implemented 'cos if someone accidentally changes EqualLogic VDS/VSS access configuration properly those backups will immediately fail.
But let me further narrow down question to HW provider. Is there any ideas how to get it work? I am also pleased to any comments or links for further reading why this might not be a big issue (using SW instead of HW provider).
I think that HW provider is supported, so backup should work fine if the permissions are set correctly.
By using t he software provider (VSS) you only lose some snapshot capabilities and features that the HW provider have, but apart from that backup is equaly effective using either of the providers.
I think this link can bring further information about shadow copies:
A hardware-based shadow copy provider makes use of the Volume Shadow Copy Service functionality that defines the point in time, allows data synchronization, manages the shadow copy, and provides a common interface with backup applications. However, the Volume Shadow Copy Service does not specify the underlying mechanism by which the hardware-based provider produces and maintains shadow copies.
SW Provider:
Software-based shadow copy providers typically intercept and process read and write I/O requests in a software layer between the file system and the volume manager software.
These providers are implemented as a user-mode DLL component and at least one kernel-mode device driver, typically a storage filter driver. Unlike hardware-based providers, software-based providers create shadow copies at the software level, not the hardware level.
A software-based shadow copy provider must maintain a "point-in-time" view of a volume by having access to a data set that can be used to re-create volume status before the shadow copy creation time. An example is the copy-on-write technique of the system provider. However, the Volume Shadow Copy Service places no restrictions on what technique the software-based providers use to create and maintain shadow copies.
System Provider (VSS):
One shadow copy provider, the system provider, is supplied in the Windows operating system. Although a default provider is supplied in Windows, other vendors are free to supply implementations that are optimized for their storage hardware and software applications.
To maintain the "point-in-time" view of a volume that is contained in a shadow copy, the system provider uses a copy-on-write technique. Copies of the blocks on volume that have been modified since the beginning of the shadow copy creation are stored in a shadow copy storage area.
The system provider can expose the production volume, which can be written to and read from normally. When the shadow copy is needed, it logically applies the differences to data on the production volume to expose the complete shadow copy.
For the system provider, the shadow copy storage area must be on an NTFS volume. The volume to be shadow copied does not need to be an NTFS volume, but at least one volume mounted on the system must be an NTFS volume.
CarlosRojas
1.7K Posts
1
June 13th, 2012 23:00
Hi Japallan,
First of all is not recommended to have NetWorker client version higher than the NetWorker server version.
Apart from that I think the issue here is related to the HW provider (Dell).
If you run this command on the client you should see 2 providers, Software provider (Microsoft VSS) and HW provider (Dell).
I didn't understand completely what you meant by "If VDS/VSS's has been denied access on EqualLogic backup is successful as it is AFAIK downgraded to Microsoft VSS software provider", do you mean that you disabled HW provider? Then that is normal, as the issue here is related to the HW provider.
Check this KB, where it recommends to disable HW provider:
https://solutions.emc.com/emcsolutionview.asp?id=esg127259
I remember there was a variable (and also some registry changes) where you can force to use VSS (Software provider) during a VSS backup when having installed HW provider:
To force a server to use the Microsoft VSS provider, do the following:
Also check this MS KB:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941956
I'll try to find the variable on NetWorker to force the use of software provider, but having the above settings in place would be enough to avoid any HW provider issues.
Thank you.
Carlos.
japallan
2 Posts
0
June 14th, 2012 02:00
Thanks Carlos,
I could check client/server version issue.
With "denying access" I simply meant changing access configuration on EqualLogic so that they do not match CLIENT initiator. Effectively disabling access to HW provider. For.ex. "Initiator tried to bypass the security phase but we cannot."
Your answer could be helpful forcing use of software provider. By now it should be implemented 'cos if someone accidentally changes EqualLogic VDS/VSS access configuration properly those backups will immediately fail.
But let me further narrow down question to HW provider. Is there any ideas how to get it work? I am also pleased to any comments or links for further reading why this might not be a big issue (using SW instead of HW provider).
Best regards,
japallan
CarlosRojas
1.7K Posts
0
June 14th, 2012 03:00
Hi Japallan,
I think that HW provider is supported, so backup should work fine if the permissions are set correctly.
By using t he software provider (VSS) you only lose some snapshot capabilities and features that the HW provider have, but apart from that backup is equaly effective using either of the providers.
I think this link can bring further information about shadow copies:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee923636%28v=ws.10%29.aspx
HW provider:
A hardware-based shadow copy provider makes use of the Volume Shadow Copy Service functionality that defines the point in time, allows data synchronization, manages the shadow copy, and provides a common interface with backup applications. However, the Volume Shadow Copy Service does not specify the underlying mechanism by which the hardware-based provider produces and maintains shadow copies.
SW Provider:
Software-based shadow copy providers typically intercept and process read and write I/O requests in a software layer between the file system and the volume manager software.
These providers are implemented as a user-mode DLL component and at least one kernel-mode device driver, typically a storage filter driver. Unlike hardware-based providers, software-based providers create shadow copies at the software level, not the hardware level.
A software-based shadow copy provider must maintain a "point-in-time" view of a volume by having access to a data set that can be used to re-create volume status before the shadow copy creation time. An example is the copy-on-write technique of the system provider. However, the Volume Shadow Copy Service places no restrictions on what technique the software-based providers use to create and maintain shadow copies.
System Provider (VSS):
One shadow copy provider, the system provider, is supplied in the Windows operating system. Although a default provider is supplied in Windows, other vendors are free to supply implementations that are optimized for their storage hardware and software applications.
To maintain the "point-in-time" view of a volume that is contained in a shadow copy, the system provider uses a copy-on-write technique. Copies of the blocks on volume that have been modified since the beginning of the shadow copy creation are stored in a shadow copy storage area.
The system provider can expose the production volume, which can be written to and read from normally. When the shadow copy is needed, it logically applies the differences to data on the production volume to expose the complete shadow copy.
For the system provider, the shadow copy storage area must be on an NTFS volume. The volume to be shadow copied does not need to be an NTFS volume, but at least one volume mounted on the system must be an NTFS volume.
Thank you.
Carlos.