DPA: Error "failed to fork:12" in DPA agent log during data collection

Summary: The Data Protection Advisor (DPA) agent logs show "failed to fork: 12" errors, resulting in empty backup server reports because the agent host lacks sufficient memory for data‑collection processes. ...

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Symptoms

DPA reports showing no data for a backup server.
The following error is observed in the DPA agent log:
 

ERR 14390.14713 20200602:142136 com.base.runcmd - csystemopen(): failed to fork: 12


This can cause other child processes of the data collection to fail, for example in the case of NetWorker: 

ERR 14390.14713 20200602:142136 agent.mod.nsr - nsrMminfo(): error running mminfo 
against server '<server hostname>'
ERR 14390.14713 20200602:142139 com.base.runcmd - csystemopen(): failed to fork: 12
ERR 14390.14713 20200602:142139 agent.mod.nsr - nsrRunQuery(): error running jobquery
 against server '<server hostname>'

Cause

The above error is due to lack of memory resources on the agent host.
The data collection commands are unable to run, and the result is empty reports.

Resolution

There are two options here:

  1. Increase the memory on the agent host.
  2. Assign the data collection requests to a remote agent which has the NW client and extended client tools installed.

Contact support for more information.

Affected Products

Data Protection Advisor

Products

Data Protection Advisor
Article Properties
Article Number: 000082395
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 09 يونيو 2026
Version:  5
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