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Regarding schedule failing

  • 1.  Regarding schedule failing

    Posted Thu August 17, 2023 12:39 PM

    Dear All,

    We need your assistance for fixing an issue. In the TSM server, one archive schedule is defined to take a weekly full backup of a log file (log.nsf) which contains the daily logging activity of our HCL Domino Mail server. The schedule is being failed due to the file being modified during the archive processing.

    This schedule has been failing for the last two years for the same cause. We also tried several times to take a manual backup at different times but did not get success.

    Below have the snapshot of taking a manual backup:

    Serialization for the archive copy groups is SHRSTatic (Shared Static).

    Please assist us to solve this. 

    Thank you all in advance.



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    Account Operator
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  • 2.  RE: Regarding schedule failing

    Posted Fri August 18, 2023 02:17 AM

    Have you tried to squeeze your Domino server, take a snapshot and do the backup from that snapshot?

    kind regards Martin



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    Martin Haussmann
    SE
    TD SYNNEX
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  • 3.  RE: Regarding schedule failing

    Posted Mon August 21, 2023 06:34 AM

    No, we did not try. Actually, we have no idea about that. We will be glad if you please share the procedure.



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    Account Operator
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  • 4.  RE: Regarding schedule failing

    Posted Mon August 21, 2023 08:27 AM

    As you are not familiar with Domino and the steps to be taken to Backup the Databases, i suppose to use a backupagent from your Backupsoftware Vendor for Backing up Domino. As some people mentioned, the SP Data Protector is a "add On" for IBM Storage Protect Software.
    If you running a other backupsoftware pleas contact the vendor.

    kind regards
    Martin



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    Martin Haussmann
    SE
    TD SYNNEX
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  • 5.  RE: Regarding schedule failing

    Posted Mon August 21, 2023 09:19 AM

    Dear Martin,

    Thanks for your feedback. We are sorry that we did not make you understand. Actually, we are familiar with Domino and the steps of backing up Domino databases. We don't know how to take a snapshot. If possible please provide us the steps.

    Thanks



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    Account Operator
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  • 6.  RE: Regarding schedule failing

    Posted Fri August 18, 2023 03:01 AM

    It has been a while since I have touched on Domino. Since the log.nsf is changing all the time you need to make sure that the data you back up are consistent. 

    SP for Domino Agent based backup is preferred since you will get a consistent backup of the database file. 

    You mention SHRSTatic which will make a try of backup 4 times before skipping the file if it is still in use. Dynamic will try one time and take a backup of whatever it can. Be aware that backing up a file that is changing is not consistent and can result in failed restores. So you need to test that the file is ok to be used by the Domino application... and on a regular basis.

    You will need to define a mgmtclass with the serialization=Dynamic on the archive copygroup. And then make an "include.archive  /local/notesdata/log.nsf classname" in the dsm.sys or inclexcl file on the baclient side.

    Snapshot of the disk can also be an option. There are different options depending on the storage system, if VM and/or if you are using LVM. This will be a crash consistent snapshot then.

    I do not know if quiesce of Domino is an option or any tools for that. You can ask HCL.

    Another question is how will you restore the file and for what purpose? Domino does not allow an overwrite of the file while it is running. I believe it is created during start of the Domino server.

    /Pia



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    Pia Nymann
    IBM
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  • 7.  RE: Regarding schedule failing

    Posted Fri August 18, 2023 03:03 AM

    Hi,

     Can you copy the log.nsf file to a log_copy.nsf file and archive the log_copy.nsf file?



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    Marcel GUERY
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  • 8.  RE: Regarding schedule failing

    Posted Fri August 18, 2023 05:06 AM

    Hi,

    In our environment we use SP Data Protector for Domino. The DP is specific to backup and restore Domino objects (e.g. nsf, ntf).



    ------------------------------
    Arthur 'Bobbie' J Geronimo
    EBIZOLUTION INC, Technician
    ageronimo@ebizolution.com
    +639178111514
    Makati, Philippines
    www.ebizolution.com
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: Regarding schedule failing

    Posted Fri August 18, 2023 07:42 AM

    Yes,

    You should use the SP Data Protector for Domino, but without the "START /B" which is faulty documented in the manual, as this will never return the actual success of the backups.

    Regards Tomas Dalebjörk

    CEO Spictera Ltd

    https://www.spictera.com



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    Tomas Dalebjörk
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  • 10.  RE: Regarding schedule failing

    Posted Mon August 21, 2023 09:12 AM

    Dear Tomas Dalebjörk,

    Thanks for your reply. We have two mail servers running Domino. One is being used as primary and the other one is as secondary. In our Primary mail server, Data Protection for Domino is specified but in the Secondary, data is being backed up and restored through IBM Spectrum Protect backup-archive client. We are facing a problem with archiving log.nsf database from the secondary mail server. Kindly suggest to us how can we fix this and take a backup.

    We have shared with you the defined schedule on both Primary & Secondary Mail servers for your understanding.

    Schedule on Primary Mail server:

    Schedule on Secondary Mail server:

    All except one domain users are using their webmail service through our Secondary Mail server. So it is very important for us to make sure the archive operation of log.nsf database from the Secondary Mail server is successful.

    Thank you.



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    Account Operator
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  • 11.  RE: Regarding schedule failing

    Posted Mon August 21, 2023 10:41 AM

    Hi

    Perhaps the Domino server is configured with circular logging, where the Domino database process locks the log file.

    You can try backing up these files using Open File support (VSS) or the older mechanism which I dont remember the name of anymore...

    But I guess your OS is of a newer version anyhow, right?

    https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/spectrum-protect/8.1.0?topic=reference-snapshotproviderfs



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    Tomas Dalebjörk
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  • 12.  RE: Regarding schedule failing

    Posted Mon August 21, 2023 09:05 AM

    Dear Arthur 'Bobbie' J Geronimo,

    Thanks for your reply. We have two mail servers running Domino. One is being used as primary and the other one is as secondary. In our Primary mail server, Data Protection for Domino is specified but in the Secondary, data is being backed up and restored through IBM Spectrum Protect backup-archive client. We are facing a problem with archiving log.nsf database from the secondary mail server. Kindly suggest to us how can we fix this and take a backup.

    We have shared with you the defined schedule on both Primary & Secondary Mail servers for your understanding.

    Schedule on Primary Mail server:

    Schedule on Primary Mail server:

    All except one domain users are using their webmail service through our Secondary Mail server. So it is very important for us to make sure the archive operation of log.nsf database is successful.

    Thank you.



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    Account Operator
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  • 13.  RE: Regarding schedule failing

    Posted Tue August 22, 2023 04:42 AM

    I do not see point in doing backup of log.nsf. It is server's operational log. Can't think of scenario where I would need to restore it.

    Do backup of mail databases, applications (if any) and for the log.nsf, just exclude it.



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    Mita Mitic
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  • 14.  RE: Regarding schedule failing

    Posted Wed August 23, 2023 07:30 AM

    OK, I think I see where problem is.

    There is a concept of doing archive of TRANSACTIONAL logs of domino server. By that mean it is backup of transactions on all domino databases, in between backups, to let one do point in time restore. This is something that you probably already doing by schedule "DAILY_ARCHIVELOG", and you probably do some maintenance of these archived logs with another of your schedules, "ARCHIVELOG_INACTIVATE_BDMD01"

    This makes sense, since you may go point in time using these logs

    Doing archive of log.nsf, and domlog.nsf is, by my understanding, some misconception - these are not logs that you should archive. Doing archive of domino log is not running BA client archive operation on log.nsf file, but rather doing domdsmc  archivelog operation by TDP for domino, which you are doing already.

    Hope this helps.

    Mita

    You should exclude (at least) log.nsf from any backup/archive operation.



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    Mita Mitic
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  • 15.  RE: Regarding schedule failing

    Posted Tue August 29, 2023 03:44 AM

    Dear Mita Mitic,

    Thanks for your feedback. Yes, you have got the scenario. As I already informed our primary mail server running the Domino mail service is configured with TDP Domino that is why we are not facing any issues with backing up the Domino log.nsf database from our Primary mail server. Currently, a schedule is defined on our Secondary mail server for archiving the Domino log.nsf database through the BA client which is not possible I already got to know from your feedback.

    I have understood from all the feedback that I can ensure the archive operation of the Domino log.nsf database if I configure the server with TDP Domino.

    If you have any other ideas, then you can share them with me. I will be glad for that.

    Thank you in advance.



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    Account Operator
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  • 16.  RE: Regarding schedule failing

    Posted Tue August 29, 2023 03:59 AM

    Hi,

    I believe that there is still some misunderstanding here.

    • Doing archive of domino logs (one should do it) is not equal to doing archive function by BA client of log.nsf.
    • log.nsf is not archive log of domino. It is domino database that contains operational logs of the server, and usually you do not need to do backup/archive of it.

    If your two servers are replicas, you probably do not need to do backup on secondary server at all. If not replica, you may use same commands/scripts from primary server.

    Hope this helps,

    Mita



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    Mita Mitic
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