Avamar: SQL differential backup completes with the exception "Couldn't find the differential_base_lsn value in the metadata file"
Summary: Avamar: SQL plug-in - SQL differential backup completing with exception "Couldn't find the differential_base_lsn value in the metadata file."
Symptoms
The Avamar SQL plug-in backup log presents the following lines for the differential backup.
2018-06-06 11:13:39 avsql Warning <17378>: Private properties of resouce could not be resolved for Name.
2018-06-06 11:13:45 avsql Warning <43543>: Couldn't find the differential_base_lsn value in the metadata file.
Due to the changes in this plugin version, it is recommended to take a FULL backup for the database '<sql-db-name>'.
The above warning showed up because Plugin backup left "Differential_base_lsn" values as empty when different logical names are detected for the same database. To check Logical Names" run SQL query:
SELECT d.name AS DatabaseName,
f.name AS LogicalName,
f.physical_name AS PhysicalName,
f.type_desc AS TypeofFile
FROM sys.master_files f
INNER JOIN sys.databases d ON d.database_id = f.database_id;
Here are the results:
DatabaseName LogicalName PhysicalName TypeofFile
master master C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\master.mdf ROWS
master mastlog C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\mastlog.ldf LOG
tempdb tempdev C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\tempdb.mdf ROWS
tempdb templog C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\templog.ldf LOG
model modeldev C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\model.mdf ROWS
model modellog C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\modellog.ldf LOG
msdb MSDBData C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\MSDBData.mdf ROWS
msdb MSDBLog C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\MSDBLog.ldf LOG
db_1 DB_1 C:\SQL_AG_2\DB_1.mdf ROWS
db_1 DB_1_log C:\SQL_AG_2\DB_1_log.ldf LOG
db1_2020 DB_1 C:\Recovery\db1_2020_data_0.mdf ROWS
db1_2020 DB_1_log C:\Recovery\db1_2020_log_0.ldf LOG
feb13_restore DB_1 C:\SQL_AG_2\feb13_restore_data_0.mdf ROWS
feb13_restore DB_1_log C:\SQL_AG_2\feb13_restore_log_0.ldf LOG
db_1_1 DB_1 C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\file ROWS
Cause
"Differential_base_lsn" values are empty when different logical names are present for a database.
The above warning message causes the backup to complete with an exception, but the backup is valid and can be restored fully. The issue was addressed with the change in the Plugin code to not rely on Database logical names.
Resolution
The warning can be safely ignored.
Alternatively contact Avamar support for a Plugin hotfix where the cosmetic issue has been fully addressed.