Avamar: SQL Backup or Browse Fails with "avsql Error <15760>: No Targets After Expansion"

Summary: Avamar SQL based backup and browse operation fails for SQL Standalone server and cluster clients. Avamar SQL backup or database browse fails with "avsql Error <15760>: No targets after expansion." This is due to missing sysadmin roles, connection issues, Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) services connection issues, Avamar Port communication issues, or missing SQL Server Management Objects (SMO) dll files. ...

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Symptoms

There is an issue with Avamar SQL backup and database browsing in both SQL standalone and cluster environments.

Case Scenario

Back up and Browse issue using the avsql plug-in from the Avamar Administrator Console GUI or AUI.

Backup error codes: avsql Error <15760>: No targets after expansion!

When this error is present in the backups, it indicates that a browse issue and database information are not being fetched using the avsql services.

Avamar SQL (avsql) backup or database browse fails with "avsql Error <15760>: No targets after expansion!"

Avsql based backup and browse operation fails for SQL Standalone server and cluster clients.

 

Cause

There are several possible causes for this behavior.
  1. Missing sysadmin roles for the user account or Active directory user (SQL 2012 and above) used under backup agent services.
  2. Connection issue between SQL SMO and Avamar SQL plug-in.
  3. WMI services connection issue between the SQL server and Windows services.
  4. Avamar communication ports no accessible. 
  5. Missing SMO dll files or other required files which function to fetch the Database information.

Resolution

The following steps may be followed to mitigate the backup and browse issues in standalone and cluster configurations:

SQL standalone servers
 
  1. Missing sysadmin roles for the user account used under backup agent services. Check the KB article on how to assign sysadmin roles:
  2. Configure full control permissions for AD account used for SQL server 2012 and above. More detailed information is on Page 11 of Avamar SQL user guide V19.9
  3. Required SMO files are missing for the SQL server services.
  4. Avamar SQL (avsql) services unable to connect to SQL SMO files present on SQL due to a mixed environment
  5. Run the below command to verify if the SQL instance is being browsed.
avsql.exe --debug --operation=browse --verbose
    1. Following flag syntax --usesmoversion="SMO version"  may be used to verify which flag can be used to allow force connection between SMO and avsql services:
    2.  Example for SQL 2016:
 avsql.exe --debug --operation=browse --verbose --usesmoversion=13
  1.  Run the following command to see if the SQL Databases are being browsed:
avsql --operation=browse (local)
  1. Test the connectivity between SMO and SQL server using the below KB: 
[reflection.assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("Microsoft.SQLServer.SMO")
      1. Enter the following statement:
$SQLServer = new-object ("Microsoft.SQLServer.Management.SMO.Server")
      1. Enter the following statement:
foreach($SQLDatabase in $SQLServer.databases) {$SQLDatabase.name}
      1. This results in a list of the databases on the client. This confirms that the SMO is loaded properly and is connecting to SQL Server. If it results in an error, this must be resolved before Avamar can succeed.
  1. Review the cmd outputs of avsql.exe --debug --operation=browse --verbose and look for SQL services-related errors:
  1. Depending on the Bit version of SQL server, the below flag can be first tested with CLI-based browse and later added to avsql.cmd if needed to allow browse operation:
    1. Example:
avsql.exe --debug --operation=browse  verbose --provider-architecture=64bit
  1. Ensure the SQL browser services and named pipes are enabled under the SQL configuration tool, SQL network protocol for the particular SQL server instance.
  2. Ensure the required smo.dll files are present under c:\programfiles\avs\bin on the client version. Verify the SQL server version in use to check for the required version of the smo.dll file.
    • SQL Active/passive or Always-On cluster
      1. Log in to the primary or the owner node of the cluster configuration
      2. Steps 1 - 9 from SQL standalone server troubleshooting can be reviewed and followed from the owner node of the cluster.
      3. The command used to perform CLI-based browse to fetch SQL instance information:
avsql --operation=browse --sqlserver=SQLCluster_name --hostnamesql=SQLCluster_name
      1. Ensure communication between the cluster client IP and Avamar browsing ports 28002 and 28003 (or 30002 and 30003)
      2. If there is a suspected communication issue between the SQL cluster client and SQL listener, go to add the following flag in avsql.cmd under the shared var location:
--sqlserver=listenerIP,listenerPortnumber
    • Note: The above details are present in SQL Studio tool >>High availability>>SQL instance>>Availability Group listener>>listener and right-click for properties.
      1. Add cluster node flags in avsql.cmd file located under shared var location to specify individual SQL servers for communication errors "Unable to connect to the remote client '<IP_ADDRESS>', error code: 2. Ensure that the remote backup agent is running: 
--clusternode=<SQL_node_name>(<IP_ADDRESS>)
      1. Review the paging port used for the cluster client from Avamar GUI>>Navigation>>Policy>> Select the client and edit.
        1. Add 280002/28003, followed by deactivating the client, changing the startup parameters mentioned below, and reactivating the cluster client.
        2. Replace --disable-gui and add --listenport=28002 or 28003 in the cluster startup parameters found under Failover cluster tool>>Select the role used>> Right-click properties on backup agent services for the cluster.
        3. Example:
          1. Before changes: 
            --service  --mcsaddr=coeavr01.coe.int --mcsport=28001 --dpndomain=clients --vardir="E:\Program Files\Backup Agents for Cluster Groups\COEWINFILE\var" --logfile="E:\ProgramFiles\Backup Agents for Cluster Groups\COEWINFILE\var\avagent.log" --sysdir="E:\Program Files\Backup Agents for Cluster Groups\COEWINFILE\etc" --netbind=. --disablegui=true --pin_include=windows.pin,sql.pin
          2. After changes:  
            --service  --mcsaddr=coeavr01.coe.int --mcsport=28001 --dpndomain=clients --vardir="E:\Program Files\Backup Agents for Cluster Groups\COEWINFILE\var" --logfile="E:\Program Files\Backup Agents for Cluster Groups\COEWINFILE\var\avagent.log" --sysdir="E:\Program Files\Backup Agents for Cluster Groups\COEWINFILE\etc" --netbind=. --listenport=28002 --pin_include=windows.pin,sql.pin
        4. The below flag can be added in avsql.cmd under the shared var location to list the SQL databases at the node level: 
          --show_db_in_availability_group=true

           

Affected Products

Avamar Plug-in for SQL

Products

Avamar
Article Properties
Article Number: 000082137
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 19 Nov 2025
Version:  7
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