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NDMP SnapMirror Backup & Restore issues

COLIN_DALZIEL
4,436 Views

I've searched for and looked through the existing discussions & documents which relate to NDMP backups but haven't come across the issue I'm experiencing.

I'm setting up a FAS2020A for use on a remote site with several volumes/CIFS shares which are being SnapMirrored to our FAS3140 cluster on an hourly basis. The source volumes are de-duplicated with a 20% snapshot reserve. My objecttive is to discontinue tape backups at the remote site. I'm using Symantec NetBackup v6.5.6 to carry out NDMP backups of the SnapMirror Read-Only destination volumes. NetBackup reports that the backup jobs have completed successfully however following a test restore, which NetBackup also logs as successful, to an alternate volume/CIFS share on the NDMP connected filer, the allegedly restored data is not visible in Windows Explorer. I have a number of existing NDMP backup jobs of Unix style volumes which have been functioning correctly for several years from which my Unix support team successfully carry out test restore jobs on a monthly basis.

I haven't loaded up this question with technical data regarding the configuration of the filers or NetBackup because I suspect that I'm missing something basic here in the whole process of successfully backing up and restoring SnapMirror destination volumes. However if further more detailed information is required to aid investigation of this issue, I can make it available.

I'd appreciate any insights which the community can offer.

Thanks

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

larryet
4,436 Views

Hi Colin,  I believe the cifs clients cannot see the data because the directories are not in unicode format.  Check that the following two options are turned on on the volumes:  create_unicode and convert_unicode.  You might also see some error messages in the filer's log file stating a denied directory acess of a cifs client trying to acces directory in non-unicode format.

You may want to make a small directory using the same methods as the one you have now for testing.

Hope this gets you on the correct path.

Larry

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3 REPLIES 3

larryet
4,437 Views

Hi Colin,  I believe the cifs clients cannot see the data because the directories are not in unicode format.  Check that the following two options are turned on on the volumes:  create_unicode and convert_unicode.  You might also see some error messages in the filer's log file stating a denied directory acess of a cifs client trying to acces directory in non-unicode format.

You may want to make a small directory using the same methods as the one you have now for testing.

Hope this gets you on the correct path.

Larry

COLIN_DALZIEL
4,436 Views

Thanks Larry,

You have indeed confirmed my suspicions that I'd missed something basic & pointed me in the direction of a solution. My target test volume for the restored data was configured with create_unicode=on but convert_unicode=off. I've corrected the test volume & carried out a further restore job which confirmed that the restored data is now visible in Windows Explorer.

I've marked your answer as correct.

larryet
4,436 Views

Good news, thanks Colin.

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