NetVault snapshots use wrong provider and snapshots fail or LUN’s can be left connected to the server NetVault creates snapshot on.
NetVault client uses “Dell EqualLogic Auto Snapshot Manager” using the 'Dell EqualLogic VSS HW Provider' or any other hardware provider when NetVault preference is to use Microsoft provider.
NetVault plugins that use snapshots can use these hardware providers or nonstandard software providers see list below when they should be using Microsoft provider.
Exchange
Filesystem
NetVault can choose incorrect provider
Starting NVBU 11.0 it is now possible to specify a VSS provider to use during VSS backups.
- On the client or clients if using a NetVault virtual client in question run 'vssadmin list providers' from command line, in order to get the information on your VSS providers
- Create a text file called 'vss.cfg' under the ..\NetVault Backup\config folder
- Edit the file to specify the provider information as follows:
Note this is an example using the default Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider, change the values to reflect the information returned by the 'vssadmin list provider' command about the specific provider you wish to use :
[Provider]
name = Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0
type = System
ID = {b5946137-7b9f-4925-af80-51abd60b20d5}
Version = 1.0.0.7
- Save the file and run a Volume Shadow Copy backup from NetVault to verify the desired VSS provider is used.
- The NetVault logs should show messages for file system indicating which provider ID is used and the successful completion of the snapshot before backup starts, similar to this:
VSS Provider ID is '{b5946137-7b9f-4925-af80-51abd60b20d5'
Running VSS PrepareForBackup command
Running VSS Command DoSnapshotSet
VSS Command DoSnapshotSet has completed
Created the VSS snapshot
These entries are not seen in the exchange logs but we can see the vss.cfg referenced in the plugin trace files. As seen in extract below
3 VSSBACK ??? 8976 40 0 140511781250 Starting a new Snapshot Set (calling StartSnapshotSet)
3 VSSBACK ??? 8976 41 0 140515265625 Snapshot Set created with ID =
3 VSSBACK ??? 8976 42 0 140515265625 {4ca87e24-d209-4511-9cc6-b7352e8f505c}
2 VSSBACK ??? 8976 32 0 140515265625 Found provider GUID 'b5946137-7b9f-4925-af80-51abd60b20d5'
6 FILESYS ??? 8976 32 0 140515265625 TRUE = FileSysOpen(000000000018D0D0, C:/Program Files (x86)/Quest/NetVault Backup/config/vss.cfg, 101)
