NetWorker NMM backup failure: Backup level 'MSSQL:' is obsolete. Change the backup level to logs only and restart the backup.
Summary: NMM SQL VDI Backups fail with Backup level 'MSSQL:' is obsolete. Change the backup level to logs only and restart the backup.
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Symptoms
Upgrade from NMM 8.x to NMM 9.x
NetWorker Server:9.2.1 on Windows Server 2012 R2
SQL Server 2008
NMM 9.2.1.1.Build.194
When running NMM SQL VDI backups with level Incremental, Backup fails with the following error:
NetWorker Server:9.2.1 on Windows Server 2012 R2
SQL Server 2008
NMM 9.2.1.1.Build.194
When running NMM SQL VDI backups with level Incremental, Backup fails with the following error:
157931:(pid 10772):Backup level 'MSSQL:' is obsolete. Change the backup level to logs only and restart the backup. 37758:(pid 10772): Usage: nsrsqlsv [<options>] {path} options: [-CGjqRTvkuHXZ] [-A SQL virtual server name] [-s NetWorker Server] [-c NetWorker client] [-N name] [-b pool] [-g group] [-S count] [-l level] [-m masquerade] [-O "sqlOption1[,sqlOption2][,...]"] [-D debuglevel] [-I <textfilename>] [-U <SQL Server username>] [-P <SQL Server user password>] [-h "DB_to_exclude1[,DB_to_exclude2][,...]"] [-h ["DB_to_exclude_wildcards"]] [-f aes] [-w browse] [-y retention] [-a <optionKey=value>] path: d-path | i-path d-path: MSSQL: | [MSSQL:]s-path [[MSSQL:]s-path [...]] i-path: MSSQL$inst-name: | MSSQL$inst-name:s-path [...] s-path: database | database. | database.filegroup | database.filegroup. | database.filegroup.file
Cause
In NMM SQL VDI 9.x Backup Level Incremental is no longer supported.
The only supported levels are ( FULL, Logs Only, Cumulative Incremental )
Supported levels can be found in the Dell EMC NetWorker Module for Microsoft Administration Guide
The below table explains the three level of backups:
The only supported levels are ( FULL, Logs Only, Cumulative Incremental )
Supported levels can be found in the Dell EMC NetWorker Module for Microsoft Administration Guide
The below table explains the three level of backups:
| Backup Levels | Description |
| Full | Entire database backup, including all filegroups or files in the database. |
| Logs only backup | A logs only backup, corresponds to a SQL Server transaction log backup. A log file backup by itself cannot be used to recover a database. A log file backup is used after a database recovery to restore the database to the point of the original failure. Note: The logs only backup option appears in NMC. When using the Command Line to perform logs only backup, use the txnlogs command. |
| Cumulative incremental | Cumulative incremental captures all changes since the last full backup. |
Resolution
Change the Action/Client schedule from Incremental to Logs Only. Also make sure the Client Override Behavior setting in the action properties is set correctly to avoid the wrong backup level taking precedence. For example, client properties may have an old schedule configured that still uses "incr" even though action properties has been set to "logs only". In this case, set Client Override Behavior to "Client Cannot Override".
Affected Products
NetWorker Module for MicrosoftProducts
NetWorker, NetWorker Module for MicrosoftArticle Properties
Article Number: 000057387
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 29 Jul 2025
Version: 3
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