NetWorker: DB2 Backups Are Failing With Media I/O Errors SQL2025N

Summary: DB2 backups failing due to drive or Media resource shortage at the time the backup is running.

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Symptoms

DB2 backup migration from another Backup Vendor environment into a NetWorker environment.

NetWorker DB2 backups fail with the following error: 
SQL2025N  An I/O error occurred.  Error code: "3". Media on which this error occurred: "VENDOR".

There was no issue with the configuration side as when testing at a different time the backups were successful.
The backup administrator migrated DB2 backups from a different backup vendor to NetWorker. File System backups are also running simultaneously for the same clients. All backups are directed to the same media pool.
As DB2 backups were migrated issues were seen with both file system and DB2 application backups, but mainly DB2.

Cause

Capacity Management or resource issue within NetWorker as the Backup Administrators had not catered for the extra resources needed for both the file system and DB2 backups for the clients.
DB2 backups are configured to start simultaneously as other backup jobs creating a contention on available resources and streams to media.

Resolution

  • Adjust schedules to ensure that DB2 backups and other backup types are not triggered simultaneously.
  • Archive Log backups run on-demand, as determined by DB2, and must be configured with dedicated resources and media. 
  • Configure dedicated media; this gives the best protection against failures due to resource unavailability.
  • See the NetWorker Module for Databases and Applications Administration Guide for more information. NetWorker documentation is available through: Support for NetWorker Module for Databases and Applications | Manuals & Documents (Dell Support account sign-in required) 

Affected Products

NetWorker, NetWorker Module for Databases and Applications

Products

NetWorker Family, NetWorker Module
Article Properties
Article Number: 000026456
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 26 Mar 2026
Version:  6
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