NDMP Backups with Symantec Backup Exec and HP MSL4048 Tape Library

[CJSCOLTRINITY]

I am doing NDMP backups using Symantec Backup Exec to a HP MSL4048 Tape Library connected to my NetApp Filers directly via FC.

Most evenings the backup jobs fail with an error of 0xe0008f4 - An unknown error has occurred.  If I rerun the job it sometime works.  I have always managed to get the job to work but it can take up to about half a dozen tries to get it to work.

I can see that a tape is loaded into the drive but then the job fails.  Sometimes it will leave the tape in the drive and sets the drive to prevent removal of the tape from the drive.  Once this has happened to all of the drives connected to the filer the only way I have found to unload the tapes from the drives is to reboot the tape library which resets the prevent tape removal flag from the drive so that I can either manually move the tape out using the Remote Management Interface of the tape library or let Backup Exec unload the tape when it tries to load a different one.

Anyone have any suggestions as to why these jobs are failing or some hints on where I can look to investigate the issue, e.g. are there some ndmp logs somewhere on the filer?  I am not sure if this is an issue with Backup Exec, ndmp (or something else on the filer) or a problem with the tape library.

[aborzenkov]

This article gives some recommendations how to troubleshoot this error as well as long list of references to other articles. May be, some of them helps.

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH71644

[CJSCOLTRINITY]

That is not the error I am getting.  I am getting 0xe0008f4 not 0xe00084af.

[CJSCOLTRINITY]

Sorry the error was 0xe00084f4.  I have found this document and will try what it suggests as I am also getting V-79-57344-34036.  http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH154620&actp=search&viewlocale=en_US&searchid=1333113785292

[till_echterhof]

the tape library has one or two drives?

direct connected without SAN switch?

where is the robotic path connected?

[CJSCOLTRINITY]

The tape library has 4 drives.  As each of the NetApp controllers are directly connected to two of the drives each (no SAN switch involved) I have configured the library as two logical libraries so that each controller has access to a robotic path.  For the first logical library containing drives 1 and 2 connected to one of the NetApp controllers drive 1 is configured to host the robotic path as a LUN.  For the second logical library containing drives 3 and 4 connected to the other NetApp controller drive 4 is configured to host the robotic path as a LUN.

[till_echterhof]

ok, thats fine. do you use 8GB FC tape drives? then it will be useful to limit the speed to 4GB.. we had many problems in the past with auto sense!

[pradeeps]

Hello Calvin,

Can you verify the foll.

1) The version of BackupExec that you are using is certified with the version of Data ONTAP on your NetApp system. You can refer to http://www.netapp.com/us/solutions/a-z/backup-to-tape/backup-to-tape-ndmp.html for certified versions.

2) The tape drive type within the MSL 4048 library is certified with Data ONTAP on your NetApp system. You can refer to http://www.netapp.com/us/solutions/a-z/data-protection-devices.html

3) Verify that MSL 4048 library is certified with the version of BackupExec that you are using. You can find the interop matrix on Symantec's support site.

[CJSCOLTRINITY]

I am running Symantec Backup Exec 2010 R3 and Data ONTAP 8.0.2 7-mode.  The NDMP Certification page lists Symantec Backup Exec 2010 R2 but not R3.  Also for Symantec Backup Exec 2010 R2 it lists Data ONTAP 8.0 7-mode, for some other products it list 8.0.x 7-mode so it would suggest that 8.0.2 7-mode is not certified.

The tape library has FC HP LTO-5 drives in it which has been supported since Data ONTAP 7.3.2P5D4.

The Symantec Backup Exec Hardware Compatibility List says that NetApp Data ONTAP 7.0 or newer with NDMP is compatible with Symantec Backup Exec 2010 R2 or newer so this would suggest that by Symantec Backup Exec 2010 R3 with Data ONTAP 8.0.2 7-mode is supported.  See http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH137050.

This same document also lists the MSL4048 with FC LTO-5 as being supported by Symantec Backup Exec 2010 R3 with NDMP.

[TICKBOXSUPPORT]

Hi Calvin,

  Did you get this resolved? I am facing the same error.

Dug up some other links that I will try:

Backup fails with error E00084F4 (V-79-57344-34036).        

http://www.online-it-support.co.uk/?tag=backup

NDMP Backups fail with the following error in the job log: "Storage device reported an error on a request to write a media location identifier (file mark)."

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH66148

Thanks!

[CJSCOLTRINITY]

My Backup Exec system is running much better now.  I deleted all of the tape drives and libraries out of Backup Exec and get it to rediscover them.  That has helped.  There is a technote about it somewhere