NetWorker: Redirected recover (initiated from NMC) failed while source client is offline

• A redirected restore is being performed from the NetWorker Management Console (NMC) to restore files from one client (source) to an alternate client (destination).
• The source client is offline and cannot be powered on; or no longer physically exists.
• The client was deleted from NetWorker, but still has backups in the NetWorker server's media database. The needed save sets have been identified using the NMC Media->Save Sets function or using the NetWorker server mminfo command:

mminfo -avot -q client=CLIENT_NAME

• The deleted source client was added back to NetWorker so that its save sets would be picked up in the restore UI.
• When attempting to pull up backups from the offline source client, the following errors appear in the NMC:
  • No OS information is shown when selecting the source client.
  • Error: Dispatcher Timed Out.
  • Error: Connecting to host source-client-name failed: Dispatcher: Request timed out.
  • Unknown client operating system.
• The Next button is unavailable.

Option 1:

Perform the recovery from the command-line. See the NetWorker Command Reference Guide for details on how to use the recover command: https://www.dell.com/support/home/product-support/product/networker/docs

Option 2:

2. Ensure that the client is not in any Protection Groups. If Protection Groups are selected, clear them:

Figure 2: "Protection group list" selection in the client properties general tab.

3. In the Globals (2 of 2) tab, select the client state drop-down and select retired:

Figure 3: "Client state" drop-down in the client properties Globals (2 of 2) tab.

4. Open an Administrator PowerShell prompt or root shell on the NetWorker server. Use nsradmin in offline mode to update the "client os type." This is a read-only field and can only be modified in offline-mode. A service restart is required for the change to apply.

nsrdb default location:

Linux: /nsr/res/nsrdb
Windows: C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\res\nsrdb

A. Create a copy of the nsrdb in the /tmp directory:

Linux: 

cp -Rv /nsr/res/nsrdb /tmp/nsrdb_`date -I`

Windows: Use windows file explorer to create a copy of the nsrdb
PowerShell option:

PS C:\Users\Administrator> $date = Get-Date -Format yyyMMdd
PS C:\Users\Administrator> Copy-Item -Path "C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\res\nsrdb" -Destination "C:\tmp\nsrdb_$date" -Recurse -Verbose

B. Enter:

nsradmin -d "PATH_TO_NSRDB"

C. Enter:

option hidden

D. Enter:

. type: nsr client; name: client-name

E. Enter:

update client os type: OS-TYPE

root@lnx-nwserv:~# nsradmin -d /nsr/res/nsrdb
NetWorker administration program.
Use the "help" command for help, "visual" for full-screen mode.
nsradmin> option hidden
Hidden display option turned on

Display options:
        Dynamic: Off;
        Hidden: On;
        Raw I18N: Off;
        Resource ID: Off;
        Regexp: Off;
nsradmin> . type: nsr client; name: win-client01.amer.lan
nsradmin> update client OS type: Windows NT Server on Intel
              client OS type: Windows NT Server on Intel;
Update? y
updated resource id 53.0.166.57.0.0.0.0.233.98.62.102.192.168.9.101(3)
nsradmin> q

F. Restart NetWorker services on the NetWorker server. 

Linux:

systemctl restart networker

Windows (PowerShell):

net stop nsrd ; net start nsrd

5. Connect to the NetWorker server from the NMC and open the client properties again. In the Info & Licensing tab the client OS type should reflect the settings applied in step 4:

Figure 4: "Client OS type" shown in the client properties "Info & Licensing" tab.

6. Initiate the recovery again from the Recover tab:

Figure 5: The Next option is no longer unavailable, and the Unknown client operating system error is gone.