IT28538: IBM SPECTRUM PROTECT PLUS EXCHANGE BACKUP MORE THAN 100,000 TRANSACTION LOG FILES

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• IBM Spectrum Protect Plus for Microsoft Exchange cannot backup
  more than 100,000
  transaction log files. The backup operation may not complete due
  to a crash.
  Additionally the log files may grow to over 1GB
  
  Platforms affected: All Windows
  
  Initial Impact: --> 1
  

Local fix

• Exchange transaction log files grow during normal exchange
  activities. Normal VSS backup operations will truncate the
  transaction log files.
  Having a SLA policy that will keep transaction log files under
  100k will prevent the issue.
  
  The following cases have also been identified. Enabling circular
  logging during these cases will
  prevent the transaction log files from growing. Once they
  operations complete, disable circular logging.
  
  -Moving mailboxes from one database to another
  -Loading a database
  -Any time VSS backups have not been ran on a database for
  long period of time (Maybe weeks or months)
  
  For the above cases, perform the following:
  - Disable SLA backups for the database(s)
  - Enable Exchange circular logging
  - Perform the mailbox move or load operations
  - Disable Exchange circular logging
  - Enable SLA backups for the database(s)
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * IBM Spectrum Protect Plus level 10.1.3                       *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * When backup Exchange database with 100,000 log files, out    *
  * SpAgent will put all log file records in the input / output  *
  * json file for cbt copyfiles(). The input/output json file    *
  * will be very huge and it will cause exception when parsing   *
  * the huge json file (it's a limitation of C# string). And     *
  * also, the 100,000 log files caused a very huge command.log.  *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  * Apply fixing level when available. This problem is currently *
  * projected to be fixed IBM Spectrum Protect Plus level        *
  * 10.1.4. Note that this is subject to change at the           *
  * discretion of IBM.                                           *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• In the fix, we support '*' in the input / output json, like one
  record 'E00*.log' for all log files. It will reduce the json
  file and command.log size.
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  SP PLUS

• Fixed component ID

  5737SPLUS

Applicable component levels