NetWorker: NMM Troubleshooting Guide

GATHER INFORMATION:

Minimum Information Required for ANY NetWorker support case:

• NetWorker Server name, OS
• NetWorker Client name, OS
• NetWorker Server Version and Build
• NetWorker Client Version and Build
• NetWorker Module for Microsoft (NMM) Version and Build

The following article provides instructions for collecting these details: NetWorker: Methods for Identifying NetWorker Software version
 
Minimum Information Required for NMM support:
 

• Microsoft Application to be backed up or restored
• Microsoft Application version and service pack and rollup
   
  For backup; define the save set and client to be backed up
  For restore; define database or save set to be restored and source client which was backed up

Compatibility Issues:

• Before investigating any issue, check compatibility documentation to ensure that no potential compatibility issues exist: E-Lab Interoperability Navigator 2.0-HOME (You must sign in with your Dell support account)

GATHER LOGS:

• From the NetWorker server, collect an NSRGET bundle: NetWorker: How to Use the NSRGet NetWorker Data Collection Tool
  • Recommended options: nsrget -o:elfr
• For backup related issues, collect the policy logs folder for the policies where backups failed:
  • Linux: /nsr/logs/policy/POLICY_NAME
  • Windows (Default): C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\logs\policy\POLICY_NAME

• From the NetWorker client:
  • <Networker_install_path>\applogs\nmm.raw
  • <Networker_install_path>\logs\daemon.raw
  • <Networker_install_path>\applogs
  • The main NMM log file is: nmm.raw
  • NetWorker: How to use nsr_render_log to render .raw log files
  • Also look for files with .trace extension which is usually indicating networking errors.
  • <Networker_install_path>\nsr\applogs\nwsnap.raw includes details from the Power Snap component of NMM and if there was an error with a specific part of save stream.

• Additional Logs 
  Get these if nmm.raw includes RM errors
  • <Networker_install_path>\nsr\rmagentps\logs\client includes Replication Manager logs:
    • erm_clientXXXXX_debug.log
    • erm_clientXXXXX_detail.log
    • erm_clientXXXXX_summary.log

Configuration Checker

NMM software includes a Config Checker which is an excellent summary report of the system, software, and configuration. 
Config Checker can be run during installation of NMM, see NMM Installation Guide, or anytime after NMM installation is complete. NMM documentation is available through Support for NetWorker Module for Microsoft | Manuals & Documents

TO ENABLE DEBUGGING:

To Enable Power Snap debugging.
 

Add this variable to the Application Information field of the client resource.
NSR_PS_DEBUG_LEVEL=level
Where level is number from 1 to 9. 

To Enable NMM debugging:

Modify Backup Command in the client resource to nsrsnap_vss_save.exe -D9
-D9 can generate a lot of messages and increase size of nmm.raw.
It is good practice to remove -D9 after troubleshooting data has been collected.

PERMISSIONS:

NETWORKER PERMISSIONS:

• For ALL NMM hosts Regardless of Application, or Save set being backed up, you must add to the NSR Resource's Administrator field,
  group=administrators,host=nmmhostname
   
  Example 1:
  Where sqlapp1 and exmbx1 are a host with NMM installed, add this to NSR resource Administrators field:
  group=administrators,host=sqlapp1
group=administrators,host=exmbx1
   
  Or as an alternative, add:
  user=system,host=sqlapp1
user=system,host=exmbx1
user=administrator,host=sqlapp1
user=administrator,host=exmbx1
   
• For Clustered instances or cluster server names, add the physical nodes to the remote access field 
   
  Example 2:
  For virtual SQL server sqlv1 with two physical nodes sqlapp1 and sqlapp2,
   
  Add this to the NSR administrators field:
  group=administrators,host=sqlapp1
group=administrators,host=sqlapp2
   
  Or as an alternative addL
  user=system,host=sqlapp1
user=system,host=sqlapp2
user=administrator,host=sqlapp1
user=administrator,host=sqlapp2
   
  AND _ 
  Add this to Remote Access field of the virtual sqlv1 client,
  *@sqlcn1
*@sqlcn2
   

APPLICATION PERMISSIONS:

• See:  NMM 9.0 Hyper-V VSS Minimum Required CSV Privileges
• The following Microsoft Applications use VSS for backups.
  • Exchange
  • SQL Server
  • SharePoint
  • Hyper-V
• Client Resources:  All use backup command: nsrsnap_vss_save
• Save Sets: See below table
   
  The corresponding save sets for each application are listed below:
  These are applications that use VSS-based backups. 
   

The NMM client resource's Application Information field must have:
NSR_SNAP_TYPE=vss 

Specific Microsoft applications like Exchange and Hyper-V. Require additional variables in the Application Information field. Please refer to NMM User Guides.
 
SQL Server VDI backups (non-VSS):

NMM uses the Microsoft SQL Server Virtual Device Interface (VDI) API to communicate with SQL Server.

SQL VDI backups use this Backup Command: nsrsqlsv

See table below for Save sets and exceptions to the backup command.
 

Active Directory backups (non-VSS):
 

Client Resources is a domain controller and NMM is installed as with NetWorker Client.
 
Backup Command: nsradsave.exe
 
Save Set: Uses the Distinguished Name (DN) format:
 
See table for examples.
 

Other Considerations:
 

For issues specific to VSS failures, see: NetWorker: Troubleshooting Backup Failures Due to VSS Issues