PowerProtect Data Manager: Unable to Disable Retention Lock Due to "Request Entity Is Too Large"

• The Retention Lock disable job fails in the PPDM.
• Error Code: CPM0016
  • PPDM error codes represent a broad issue category and can map to numerous possible root causes. Ensure the log error matches the example shown below
• System Job Error:  A JSONObject text must begin with '{' at 1 [character 2 line 1]
• Log failure: Request entity is too large 

Error in log compliance-verification.log
Log Location: /var/log/brs/compliance-verification

2026-06-09T07:09:31.328Z INFO [] [ForkJoinPool.commonPool-worker-14] [00000000-0000-4000-a000-000000000000][][TASK_ID:92fbb09ab74149d5][TRACE_ID:b030c12908fb1ca8;JOB_ID:8ba3a2025c05c8cf][] [c.e.b.d.c.r.c.DdRestClient.executeRestRequest(601)] - executeRestRequest uri: https://[HOSTNAME]:3009/rest/v1.0/dd-systems/[SYSTEM_ID]/mtrees/%2Fdata%2Fcol1%2F[STORAGE_UNIT]/rlfiles, method: PUT took: 61 milliseconds
 
... before the job reported failure below, we actually see "Request entity is too large" 

2026-06-09T07:09:31.328Z INFO [] [ForkJoinPool.commonPool-worker-14] [00000000-0000-4000-a000-000000000000][][TASK_ID:92fbb09ab74149d5][TRACE_ID:b030c12908fb1ca8;JOB_ID:8ba3a2025c05c8cf][] [c.e.b.d.c.r.c.DdRestClient.executeRestRequest(608)] - Received Status Code 413 with body <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<service_status><details>Request entity is too large</details><code>5439</code></service_status>
2026-06-09T07:09:31.328Z ERROR [] [ForkJoinPool.commonPool-worker-14] [00000000-0000-4000-a000-000000000000][][TASK_ID:92fbb09ab74149d5][TRACE_ID:b030c12908fb1ca8;JOB_ID:8ba3a2025c05c8cf][] [c.e.b.d.c.r.c.DdRestClient.executeRestRequest(658)] - A JSONObject text must begin with '{' at 1 [character 2 line 1]
2026-06-09T07:09:31.328Z ERROR [] [ForkJoinPool.commonPool-worker-14] [00000000-0000-4000-a000-000000000000][][TASK_ID:92fbb09ab74149d5][TRACE_ID:b030c12908fb1ca8;JOB_ID:8ba3a2025c05c8cf][] [c.e.b.d.c.r.c.DdRestClient.putResource(411)] - Exception when trying to put data, PowerProtect DD System = [HOSTNAME], error = A JSONObject text must begin with '{' at 1 [character 2 line 1]
2026-06-09T07:09:31.328Z ERROR [] [ForkJoinPool.commonPool-worker-14] [00000000-0000-4000-a000-000000000000][][TASK_ID:92fbb09ab74149d5][TRACE_ID:b030c12908fb1ca8;JOB_ID:8ba3a2025c05c8cf][] [c.e.b.c.r.s.r.d.DataCopyDDAccessor.resetRetentionLockOnDD(532)] - Reset file retention lock - Exception {}
com.emc.brs.datadomain.common.rest.connection.DdRestClientException: A JSONObject text must begin with '{' at 1 [character 2 line 1]
at com.emc.brs.datadomain.common.rest.connection.DdRestClient.executeRestRequest(DdRestClient.java:659)
at com.emc.brs.datadomain.common.rest.connection.DdRestClient.putResource(DdRestClient.java:409)
at com.emc.brs.datadomain.common.rest.connection.DdRestClient.putResource(DdRestClient.java:393)
at com.emc.brs.datadomain.common.rest.connection.DataCopyDDAccessor.resetRetentionLockOnDD(DataCopyDDAccessor.java:479)
at com.emc.brs.copy.rest.service.retentiontimeandlock.ActionSetRetentionInfo.resetRetentionLockOnDD(ActionSetRetentionInfo.java:1197)
at com.emc.brs.copy.rest.service.retentiontimeandlock.ActionSetRetentionInfo.resetRetentionLockWithSplit(ActionSetRetentionInfo.java:1110)
at com.emc.brs.copy.rest.service.retentiontimeandlock.ActionSetRetentionInfo.resetRetentionLock(ActionSetRetentionInfo.java:979)
at com.emc.brs.copy.rest.service.retentiontimeandlock.ActionRetentionTimeAndLock.executeResetRetentionLockRequest(ActionRetentionTimeAndLock.java:309

When PPDM tries to disable a retention lock on a backup containing a large number of files, the request can exceed the size limit supported by Data Domain. The request is rejected, causing the retention lock removal operation to fail.

A permanent fix is under development. At the time of publication, this defect remained unresolved in PowerProtect Data Manager version 20.2 and earlier.

Workaround:

1. Contact Dell Technical Support to request assistance with manually removing the retention lock from the affected backup copies.
2. Ensure the retention lock is removed from both PowerProtect Data Manager and the PowerProtect Data Domain system to keep the systems synchronized and prevent retention lock inconsistencies.