Determining that the problem is a Data Protection for Exchange issue or a general VSS issue

The Data Protection client interacts closely with the backup-archive client (DSMAGENT). The client completes all of the Virtual Shadow Copy Service (VSS) operations. You can test the connectivity between the Data Protection client and the IBM Spectrum Protect™ and determine whether the source of the problem is the Microsoft VSS service or with the IBM Spectrum Protect.

About this task

The vssadmin and diskshadow tools are applications that can run backups that use the Microsoft Exchange VSS APIs.
vssadmin

A utility that is installed with your operating system. It can show current volume shadow copy backups and all installed shadow copy writers and providers in the command window.

diskshadow

The diskshadow tool is available on Windows 2008 server and 2008 R2.

With these tools, you can determine the following items:
- Verify VSS provider configurations
- Rule out any possible VSS problems before you run the IBM Spectrum Protect VSS functions
- That you might have a VSS configuration problem or a real hardware problem if an operation does not work with diskshadow or vssadmin
- That you might have an IBM Spectrum Protect problem if an operation works with diskshadow or vssadmin but not with the IBM Spectrum Protect
For VSS operations, you can re-create the problem with the Microsoft diskshadow tool. If you are able to re-create the problem with the diskshadow tool, the source of the problem is likely to be within the VSS provider or the Exchange server.

Procedure

Test the connectivity between the Data Protection client and the IBM Spectrum Protect DSMAgent.
1. Select the Exchange workload that you want to work with and click the Automate tab to open the Automate view.
2. To verify that your installation and configuration is correct, issue the Query Exchange command in the lower details pane and click Execute (or Enter). Alternatively, issue the TDPEXCC QUERY EXCHANGE command on the computer where the Exchange server is installed. The results are displayed in the pane.
The TDPEXCC QUERY EXCHANGE command returns information about the following items:
- Exchange server status
- Circular logging
- VSS components
The following example shows a sample of the output that is generated by the TDPEXCC QUERY EXCHANGE command:
```
Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) Information
--------------------------------------------
Writer Name             : Microsoft Exchange Writer
Local DSMAgent Node     : SERVERA
Writer Status           : Online
Selectable Components   : 4
```
If the TDPEXCC QUERY EXCHANGE command does not return all of this information, you might have a proxy configuration problem. Contact the IBM Spectrum Protect server administrator to have the correct server GRANT PROXY commands that are issued to enable proxy authority for nodes. If all of the information returned to you seems correct, proceed to the next step.
To determine whether the problem is with the Microsoft VSS service or a problem within the IBM Spectrum Protect code, use the vssadmin and diskshadow tools to re-create the error as follows:
1. Issue VSSADMIN commands, as shown in this example:
```
VSSADMIN LIST WRITERS
VSSADMIN LIST PROVIDERS
VSSADMIN LIST SHADOWS
```
  The VSSADMIN LIST SHADOWS command does not list shadow copies of SAN-attached volumes.
  
  The vssadmin tool uses Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider to list the shadow copies that are created.
2. Before you install IBM Spectrum Protect for Mail, test the core VSS function. Do the following diskshadow testing before you install any IBM Spectrum Protect components:
  - Test non-persistent shadow copy creation and deletion by issuing the following DISKSHADOW commands:
```
diskshadow>set verbose on
diskshadow>begin backup
diskshadow>add volume f: (database volume)
diskshadow>add volume g: (log volume)
diskshadow>create
diskshadow>end backup
diskshadow>list shadows all
diskshadow>delete shadows all
diskshadow>list shadows all
```
    Volumes f: and g: represent the Exchange database and log volumes. Repeat issuing theDISKSHADOW commands four times and verify that the Windows event log file contains no errors.
  - Test persistent shadow copy creation and deletion by issuing the following DISKSHADOW commands:
```
diskshadow>set context persistent
diskshadow>set verbose on
diskshadow>begin backup
diskshadow>add volume f: (database volume)
diskshadow>add volume g: (log volume)
diskshadow>create
diskshadow>end backup
diskshadow>list shadows all (this might take a few minutes)
diskshadow>delete shadows all
diskshadow>list shadows all 
```
    Volumes f: and g: represent the Exchange database and log volumes. Repeat issuing the diskshadow commands four times and verify that the Windows event log file contains no errors.
  - Test persistent transportable shadow copy creation and deletion by issuing the following DISKSHADOW commands:
```
diskshadow>set context persistent
diskshadow>set option transportable
diskshadow>add volume f: (database volume)
diskshadow>add volume g: (log volume)
diskshadow>set metadata c:\metadata\exchangemeta.cab 
(the path where you want the metadata stored)
diskshadow>create
```
    You must copy the exchangemeta.cab file from the source server to the offload server. After you copy the file, issue the following commands:
```
diskshadow>load metadata newpath/exchangemeta.cab
diskshadow>import
diskshadow>list shadows all (this might take a few minutes)
diskshadow>delete shadows all
```
    Volumes f: and g: represent the Exchange database and log volumes. Repeat issuing the diskshadow commands four times and verify that the Windows event log file contains no errors.
Perform the following tests to ensure that VSS is working correctly:
1. Test nonpersistent shadow copy creation and deletion:
  - Run "DISKSHADOW k: l:" where k: and l: are the Exchange Server database and log volumes.
  - Repeat the previous step 4 times.
  - Inspect the Windows Event Log to ensure that the results are appropriate.
2. Test persistent shadow copy creation and deletion:
  - Run "DISKSHADOW -p k: l:"
    where k: and l: are the Exchange Server database and log volumes. Run "DISKSHADOW -da" if you do not have enough space.
  - Repeat the previous step 4 times.
  - Inspect the Windows Event Log to ensure that the results are appropriate.
3. Test nonpersistent transportable shadow copy creation and deletion (VSS Hardware Provider environments only):
  - Run "DISKSHADOW -p -t=export.xml k:l:"
    where k: and l: are the Exchange Server database and log volumes.
  - Copy the resultant "export.xml" file from computer 1 to computer 2 before you continue to the next step.
  - On the computer you have set aside for offload, run "DISKSHADOW -i=export.xml"
  - Inspect the Windows Event Log to ensure that things look appropriate.
  If any of these tests fail repeatedly, you have a hardware configuration problem or a real VSS Problem. Consult your hardware documentation for known problems or search Microsoft Knowledge Database for any information.
  If all tests pass, continue to Step 4.
Re-create your specific problem by using diskshadow. If you can re-create your problem, only through a series of steps (for example: a backup fails only when you perform two consecutive local backups), try to perform those same tests by using diskshadow.
- Exchange VSS backups to Local are simulated by running a diskshadow persistent snapshot.
- Exchange VSS backups to the IBM Spectrum Protect are simulated by running a diskshadow nonpersistent snapshot.
- Exchange VSS backups to Local and to the IBM Spectrum Protect are simulated by running a diskshadow persistent snapshot.
- Offloaded Exchange VSS backups to the IBM Spectrum Protect are simulated by running a diskshadow nonpersistent, transportable snapshot.
See the diskshadow documentation for the specific commands for performing backups.

If you can re-create the problem, it most likely is a general VSS issue. See the Microsoft Knowledge Database for information. If your operation passes successfully with diskshadow, it most likely is an IBM Spectrum Protect or Data Protection for Exchange client problem.

What to do next

For more information, see this technote: Verifying VSS functionality for the Data Protection Exchange backup