Failed to start Proxy Master issue (4033122)

Exchange Backup Fails with "'Failed to start Proxy Master issue'

contact info was not being included in the stanza entry of the client itself, in the machines.dat file

Note that in the machines.dat file you'll need to include all the NVBU Clients in the DAG *including* the one in which you'll be editing the machines.dat file on, for this work around

FIX FOR BUG # 15006  --  'Failed to start Proxy Master issue'

NV Server:  NVBUSRVR

Node 1:  ExchClient01

Node 2:  ExchClient02

Node 3:  ExchClient03  ('Current Real Client' / active node)

      Below is a workaround that might work to fix the problem 'Failed to launch Proxy Master on ...'. This is a preliminary workaround, since the issue is known. Different (short) workarounds might be available at a later time.

I. Preliminary

In this topology, NVBUSRVR is the NVBU Server, and in each node of the DAG there is installed one Quest NVBU Client ExchClient01, ExchClient02, ExchClient03

In the latest trace, the active node in the DAG appears to be ExchClient03, i.e. if a backup is started, then the Quest NVBU Virtual Client will contact with the Quest NVBU software in ExchClient03, and this Quest NVBU Client in ExchClient03 will be in charge of the Backup by starting the Quest NVBU Plug-in for Exchange Proxy Masters processes in the rest of the nodes in the DAG. Currently the Backup fails, because the Quest NVBU software in the Client of one of the nodes in the DAG is not able to start the Proxy Masters in the rest of the Quest NVBU Clients in the others nodes in the DAG.

The reason is because for the Quest NVBU software in one node, the network location of the other Quest NVBU Clients in the DAG is unknown. Below is a procedure to make visible to the Quest NVBU software in one node the network location of the all the nodes in the DAG.

II. Workaround

Currently the Quest NVBU Client from where the backups are started is ExchClient03, so in this Client machine, perform the following procedure:

1. Open Quest NVBU nvconfigurator and in the 'Service' tab click 'Stop Service'. NVBU services are stopped

2. In windows, navigate to the 'etc' directory under the Quest NVBU installation, for example 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Quest Software\NetVault Backup\etc'

3. Save a copy of the file machines.dat, just in case. For example, 'copy machines.dat machines.dat_saved'

4. Open with a text editor (for example notepad) the file machines.dat

5. Add an stanza for each of the clients at the end of the file, as follows. For example:

(Note: check first if Quest NVBU Client ExchClient03 entry already exists in the file, is that is the case, then just enter the lines for the other two Quest NVBU Clients) (Note: replace the text IP_address_of_the_machine for the actual IP address, i.e. zzz.zzz.zzz.zzz)

[ExchClient01]

Networks=IP_address_of_the_machine

Preferred Address=IP_address_of_the_machine

Contact Address=IP_address_of_the_machine

[ExchClient02]

Networks=IP_address_of_the_machine

Preferred Address=IP_address_of_the_machine

Contact Address=IP_address_of_the_machine

[ExchClient03]

Networks=IP_address_of_the_machine

Preferred Address=IP_address_of_the_machine

Contact Address=IP_address_of_the_machine

6. Save the file

7. Go back to Quest NVBU nvconfigurator and the 'Service' tab. Click 'Start Service'

8. Now two things can happen: (1) NVBU Service in nvconfigurator says Current State: Running and stays like that, or (2) stays Running for few seconds and then changes to Stopped.

9. If the Service stays as Running, then we are done

10. If the Service says Running for a few seconds, and then Stopped, then we need to Start it again. Before start it again, in Windows open 'Task Manager', and in the 'Processes' tab, click in the column 'Image Name' to order the name of the processes by name. Then, look if there is a Quest NVBU process named 'nvstatsmngr.exe' or 'nvstatsmngr.exe*32'. If existing, right click in the Quest NVBU process and select 'End Process'. Select 'End Process' if prompted. Then you can close or leave Task Manager. Go back to Quest NVBU nvconfigurator, and in the tab 'Service' click 'Start Service'.

III. Perform Backup

At this point, in the file machines.dat, Quest NVBU should have filled out the information about the other Quest NVBU Clients in the DAG, the entries might be changed to something like:

[ExchClient01]

Type=ZZZZ

UDP Fragment Size=ZZZZ

Server=ZZZZZ

Description=

NVVersion=ZZZZ

NVBuildLevel=ZZ

Networks=ZZZ.ZZZ.ZZZ.ZZZ

Preferred Address=ZZZ.ZZZ.ZZZ.ZZZ

Contact Address=ZZZ.ZZZ.ZZZ.ZZZ

Fixed entry=ZZZZ

Id=ZZ

Version=ZZZZZZZZZZZ

Outside Firewall=ZZZZ

However, note that the file might be not editable (by a locking editor) since the file might be in use by the Quest NVBU processes.

At this point go back to the Quest NetVault Server NVBUSRVR and retry the Backup of the selected databases in the DAG

IV. Final Notes

Note that we are doing this procedure in the Quest NVBU Client in node ExchClient03 because is the ExchClient03 is the node that appears to be currently active in the DAG. The same procedure would need to be done in each of the nodes in the DAG, so in case the DAG cluster swtiches the active node, then Quest NVBU Client performing the Backup would be able to start the Proxy Master in the other nodes.

While the above procedure might look lengthy, it actually might take about five or less minute per node.