NetWorker: How to Move a Client File Index to a New Location

Summary: How to move a Client File Index to an alternate location. How to change a Client File Index location for an existing client.

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Instructions

How to move a Client File Index to an alternate location.
How to change a Client File Index location for an existing client.

Error: 'nsrd: index warning: Filesystem containing file index for client '(clientname)' is getting full.
Error: 'no space left on device'

The NetWorker Management Console (NMC) alerts window may alert high disk usage for the /nsr path.


Default Client File Index Location:

During the initial client setup, the NetWorker software designates a default location for the client file index on the NetWorker server. This default location is:
  • Linux: /nsr/index/client_name
  • Windows: C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\index\client_name
If you have installed NetWorker in a nondefault location, the index folder path is relative to NetWorker's nsr folder ../nsr/index.


Changing the index location for a specific Client

You can move a client file index from its current location to a new location. For example, if the size of the client file index is too large, you can move it to a location with more space.
 
  1. Perform a Server Protection -> Server backup.
  2. On the NetWorker server, open a root shell or an Administrator PowerShell prompt.
  3. Collect the bootstrap save set details: mminfo -B
  4. Stop NetWorker services:
    • Linux: nsr_shutdown or systemctl stop networker
    • Windows: net stop nsrd
  1. Copy the existing client file index to the new location:
    • Linux: cp -Rv /nsr/index/CLIENT_NAME /NEW_PATH/
    • Windows: 
robocopy "C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\index\CLIENT_NAME" `
         "DRIVE:\FOLDER\CLIENT_NAME" `
         /MIR /COPYALL

Example:

PS F:\indexes> robocopy "C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\index\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan" `
>>          "F:\indexes\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan" `
>>          /MIR /COPYALL

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   ROBOCOPY     ::     Robust File Copy for Windows
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Started : Wednesday, January 21, 2026 1:56:17 PM
   Source : C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\index\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan\
     Dest : F:\indexes\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan\

    Files : *.*

  Options : *.* /S /E /COPYALL /PURGE /MIR /R:1000000 /W:30

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                           3    C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\index\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan\
100%        New File                  14        nsr.dir
100%        New File                1022        README
            New File                   0        v6ck.lck
                           3    C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\index\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan\db6\
100%        New File                 192        v6hdr
            New File                   0        v6hdr.lck
100%        New File                  56        v6journal
          New Dir          3    C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\index\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan\db6\69690000\
100%        New File               25028        6969396f.k0
100%        New File               18764        6969396f.k1
100%        New File              209524        6969396f.rec
          New Dir          3    C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\index\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan\db6\696a0000\
100%        New File               25044        696a8ae6.k0
100%        New File               18776        696a8ae6.k1
100%        New File              209684        696a8ae6.rec
          New Dir          3    C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\index\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan\db6\696b0000\
100%        New File               25060        696bdc65.k0
100%        New File               18788        696bdc65.k1
100%        New File              209844        696bdc65.rec
          New Dir          3    C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\index\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan\db6\696d0000\
100%        New File               25076        696d2de7.k0
100%        New File               18800        696d2de7.k1
100%        New File              210004        696d2de7.rec
          New Dir          3    C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\index\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan\db6\696e0000\
100%        New File               25124        696e7f6b.k0
100%        New File               18836        696e7f6b.k1
100%        New File              210452        696e7f6b.rec
          New Dir          3    C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\index\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan\db6\696f0000\
100%        New File               25172        696fd0ec.k0
100%        New File               18872        696fd0ec.k1
100%        New File              210892        696fd0ec.rec
          New Dir          3    C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\index\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan\db6\69710000\
100%        New File                 124        69711f35.k0
100%        New File                 108        69711f35.k1
100%        New File                5580        69711f35.rec

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

               Total    Copied   Skipped  Mismatch    FAILED    Extras
    Dirs :         9         7         2         0         0         0
   Files :        27        27         0         0         0         0
   Bytes :    1.45 m    1.45 m         0         0         0         0
   Times :   0:00:00   0:00:00                       0:00:00   0:00:00


   Speed :           2,978,280 Bytes/sec.
   Speed :             170.419 MegaBytes/min.
   Ended : Wednesday, January 21, 2026 1:56:18 PM
  1. Access the nsrdb in offline mode: nsradmin -d "PATH_TO_NSRDB"
    • Linux: /nsr/res/nsrdb
    • Windows (Default): C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\res\nsrdb
  1. From the nsradmin prompt update the client's "index path": . type: nsr client; name: CLIENT_NAME
  2. Update the index path: update index path: "NEW_INDEX_PATH"
For windows paths, you must "escape" the \, meaning you must use \\ (shown in the example below). You are also prompted to update the client resource, enter y to confirm the change. If there are multiple client resources for the same client, you are prompted to confirm for each client.

Example:

nsradmin> . type: nsr client; name: lnx-srvr02.networker.lan
Current query set
nsradmin> update index path: "F:\\indexes\\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan"
                  index path: "F:\\indexes\\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan";
Update? y
updated resource id 178.0.164.7.0.0.0.0.69.121.60.105.192.168.0.22(11)
                  index path: "F:\\indexes\\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan";
Update? y
updated resource id 178.0.164.7.0.0.0.0.69.121.60.105.192.168.0.22(12)
                  index path: "F:\\indexes\\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan";
  1. Exit the nsradmin prompt: quit
  2. Start NetWorker:
    • Linux: systemctl start networker
    • Windows: net start nsrd
  1. Validate the client's index with: nsrck -L6 CLIENT_NAME

Example:

PS F:\indexes> nsrck -L6 lnx-srvr02.networker.lan
195147:nsrck: Checking index for client 'lnx-srvr02.networker.lan'.
201544:nsrck: Check of client 'lnx-srvr02.networker.lan' successful. 'F:\indexes\lnx-srvr02.networker.lan' contains 9372 records occupying 1493 KB
9354:nsrck: Completed checking 1 client(s)
201540:nsrck: All succeeded
Depending on the size of the client's index, running nsrck can take a long time to complete.
 
  1. Perform a backup of the client.
  2. Perform a Server Protection -> Server backup.  
Once backup functionality is validated, you can remove the original index for the client (/nsr/index/CLIENT_NAME). 

Additional Information

 

Affected Products

NetWorker
Article Properties
Article Number: 000080544
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 28 Apr 2026
Version:  10
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