Known Issues and Limitations: Version 8.1.x IBM Spectrum Protect™ Snapshot MMC Snapin & Base System Services

Content

This document is divided into linked sections for ease of navigation. You may use the links below to jump to the desired section of the document.

General Issues and Limitations
Exchange Environment Specific Issues and Limitations
SQL Environment Specific Issues and Limitations
VSS Issues and Limitations
National Language Support (NLS), and Other Issues When Operating in a Non-English Environment
Data Protection for VMware "application protection" Integration Related Issues and Limitations



General Issues and Limitations

• Updates, clarifications, and corrections to the currently published version of the IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot 8.1 publications are located in the Documentation Updates tech note at the following URL: http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg27048772

• Metro / Global Mirror configurations are not supported with IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot components running on the Windows platform.

• Changing the temporary password of the Configuration Wizard Marco leads to Errors

The configuration wizard of IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot for Windows provides an option for the wizard to configure the IBM Spectrum Protect server.

When the option is selected, an administrator can edit the server configuration macro before it is submitted to the server.

The generated macro template includes statements which contain a temporary password. This password will be reset
during configuration using passwordaccess generate.

The problem occurs if the value of the temporary password is changed. This is because another generated
script expects that specific temporary password to be used.

Changing the temporary password directly in the marco could lead to errors like the following:


ACN5229E An error occurred while obtaining VSS information from the following Local DSMAgent Node: 'myNode'.
ACN0520E Failed to connect to Local DSMAGENT Node 'myNode' at address:port 'myDNSaddress:33915'.
Verify that the TSM Client Acceptor Daemon (CAD) is installed, configured, and running properly.

MM/DD/2013 18:13:58 ANS1835E PASSWORDACCESS is GENERATE, but password needed for server 'myServer'.
Either the password is not stored locally, or it was changed at the server.
MM/DD/2013 18:13:58 ANS1025E Session rejected: Authentication failure


Workaround: None. This is a permanent restriction of the product. If you are using the Configuration wizard, you must not change the temporary password defined in the macro called by the configuration wizard. This wizard uses this temporary password in several places.

Also, the comments included in the macro used by the configuration wizard will be updated to include an additional warning that the temporary password should not be changed. (IC99664)

• The following 4 naming limitations exist for:

- the Database name
- the Mount path for 'mount backup' command.
when protected by $component.

1. Database name ends with 14 digits surrounded by parentheses characters. For example: 'DB(20120409153304)'

In this case you will not be able to restore the Database or mount backup by name. To restore or mount backup you will have to specify Object ID associated with the backup after the database name. Object ID should be surrounded by parentheses.

Example 'restore' command: tdpexcc.exe restore $db_or_sg_name($objectID) full

2. Database name either ends with, or contains, a substring of 14 digits surrounded by parentheses characters, and is followed by the equal sign. For example: 'DB(20120409153304)=AB'

In this case you will not be able to run "mount backup" for this Database. There is no workaround for "mount backup" command. "restore" command is not affected.


3. Mount path for 'mount backup' command ends with 14 digits surrounded by parentheses characters. For example: 'c:\dir1\dir2(20120409153304)'

In this case you will not be able to mount a backup by name. To mount backup, you will have to specify the Object ID associated with the backup after the database name. The Object ID should be surrounded by parentheses.

Example 'mount' command: tdpexcc.exe mount backup $db_or_sg_name($objectID)=c:\path\)


4. Mount path for 'mount backup' command either ends with, or contains, a substring of 14 digits surrounded by parentheses characters, and is followed by the equal sign. For example: 'c:\dir1\dir2(20120409153304)=\dir3'

In this case you will not be able to mount backup by name. To mount the backup, you will have to the specify Object ID associated with the backup after the database name. Object ID should be surrounded by parentheses.

Example 'mount' command: tdpexcc.exe mount backup $db_or_sg_name($objectID)=c:\path\)

Note: Backup of a database or name that includes one of the limitations will not be prevented. (IC79445) (IC94303)

• If backup has been mounted on a remote server and a "Restore Into" operation is started, the operation will fail with:

"FMV1086E (RC104) File not found during Backup, Archive or Migrate processing"


Workaround: None. Performing a "Restore Into" operation with a backup that is mounted on a remote server is not supported. You must first unmount the backup from the remote server. (96701)

• Under rare circumstances a Spectrum Protect Snapshot stand alone server backup can fail and make future stand alone backups inoperable without recommended circumvention

The problem can only occur during the initial stand alone server backup when the Spectrum Protect Snapshot agent service is abnormally terminated while the backup is running.

The problem occurs because a saved copy of the local data bases is not available to recover to because a previous backup never completed. Also, subsequent backups fail because the database files were left in a corrupt state by the first backup.

The problem can only happen during the initial backup. Once a backup successfully completes, saved copies of the local databases are available for recovery.

Workaround: Stop the Spectrum Protect Snapshot agent service, delete all local Spectrum Protect Snapshot database files in the Spectrum Protect Snapshot staging directory, and then restart the Spectrum Protect Snapshot agent service. (98688)

• When interacting with the Automation view in the MMC GUI a Tips button is available. When clicked, it displays helpful tips. The displayed tips apply to both command line and PowerShell commands but do not cover PowerShell specific options.

Workaround: Consider the following tips related to PowerShell commands in the Automation view:

- A drop down menu allows choosing between Command Line and PowerShell commands when interacting with a local computer. When interacting with a remote computer, only PowerShell commands are supported.

- Click the "Display Cmdlet Chooser" toolbar icon to toggle the display of the cmdlet chooser window.

- Enter text in the search field of the cmdlet chooser window to help find the cmdlets you are interested in. For example type: 'get' to see all Spectrum Protect Snapshot and Data Protection cmdlets that include "get" in their names.

- Click any combination of cmdlet types in the cmdlet chooser window to narrow down the list of cmdlets to only those types.

- Click the orange arrow icon in the cmdlet chooser window to copy the bare cmdlet name to the command window.

- Click on the orange plus icon in the cmdlet chooser window to copy the full text of the cmdlet to the command window. The type of each parameter will be shown as a placeholder to the right of each parameter. Double click the type (for example string) and type in the desired value.

- Click the "Display as List" toolbar icon to toggle the output between table (default) and list view.

- For general tips on interacting with PowerShell see http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb978526.aspx or search the web for "Scripting with Windows PowerShell". (97889)

• Remotely Mounted backups are not removed from the storage device after manual deletion or expiration

Spectrum Protect Snapshot on Windows Filesystem backups can be mounted using the Remote Mount feature. When one of these remotely mounted backups is manually deleted, or expires based on policy retention definitions, it will be deleted from the Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager inventory. However, the actual snapshot located on the storage device will remain.

Workaround: Ensure that remotely mounted backup images are unmounted prior to manual deletion or expiration.
(33605) (33605-321)

• The stand-alone or TSM configuration wizards may experience a temporary failure

Workaround: Use the Re-Run button to perform the operation again. (88813)

• The Spectrum Protect Snapshot MMC GUI will crash during a local mount operation if all windows drive letters are in use.

Workaround: Perform the operation via the command line interface in order to avoid the MMC GUI crash or free up a drive letter and try the operation again. (88234)

• Remotely Mounted backups are not removed from the storage device after manual deletion or expiration.

Backups can be mounted using the Remote Mount feature. When one of these remotely mounted backups is manually deleted, or expires based on policy retention definitions, it will be deleted from the Spectrum Protect Snapshot inventory. However, the actual snapshot image located on the storage device will remain.

Workaround: Ensure that remotely mounted backup images are unmounted prior to manual deletion or expiration. (33605)

• When performing a mount backup operation specifying multiple volumes. If one of the volumes can not be mounted a message will be displayed.

FMF6013E Mount backup command failed. The mount point and or backup specified is invalid.
Please refer to dsmerror.log for further details.

The message does not indicate which mounts failed. Some may have succeeded.

Workaround: If the message is displayed, then issue a "fcmcli query backup" command to review the mount status of the desired backup. (31077) (31077-410)

• When using the command line to restore a backup, if multiple backups are specified and one or some of the

backups fail, the error message reported by the CLI may report the wrong backup failed.



Workaround: Two workarounds exist:

1) Use the MMC GUI when you wish to restore multiple backups are the same time.
2) Do not issue a single CLI command to restore multiple backups. Instead issue multiple CLI
commands; one for each backup you wish to restore.
Example:
Do not use -> fcmcli restore G:,H: /backupdest=tsm
Instead use -> fcmcli restore G: /backupdest=tsm
fcmcli restore H: /backupdest=tsm (120822)

• In certain situations when using the MMC interface to restore a SQL database backup to some

alternate location, the Restore button is not disabled in the "Alternate Location Restore Settings" form.
This happens after the end-user is warned that a restore operation cannot be performed on non-readable secondary
replica the 'Restore to alternate location' radio button is grayed out, but the 'Restore' button is clickable.
If the restore operation is still performed then the operation fails as expected. This bug allows the restore
operation while the right MMC behavior would be to prevent the restore operation to proceed and eventually to
fail as expected. A warning message already announced that the restore operation cannot be successfully performed.



Workaround: None, you cannot restore on non-readable secondary replica of a SQL AAG database. (120898)

• When "BackupDestination Both" is in the TDP configuration file, the CLI and Cmdlets to delete/remove a backup will

fail with error "ACO5170E Missing, blank, or invalid Local DSMAGENT Node Name is not allowed."


Workaround: Remove "BackupDestination Both" from the TDP configuration file. (131753)

• The file browser window opened during a explore action contains some invalid directory entries when the

backup was mounted RW.

Workaround: None, the User can ignore the invalid entries. (130973)

• After a user mounts a backup, they can use the "Explore" action to browse the files at the mounted location via a

file explore window. The File Explore window has a "Open" button, which a user would assume would open the
selected file. However, when the "Open" button is pressed, the File Explore window is closed.

Workaround: A user can use the native windows file explore to browse and open files at the mounted location. (130972)

• The IBM Spectrum Protect client agent service (dsmagent.exe) crashes if a data protection command is executed

right after the agent is restarted. This issue can also occur if a data protection command is executed directly
after a stopped agent is started


Workaround: Wait 30 seconds after starting or restarting the IBM Spectrum Protect client agent service before
executing any commands (130880)

• The help topics view in the main tool bar does not contain the online help as expected.

Workaround: The online help can be viewed from the action menu and the navigation tree. (146654)



Exchange Environment Specific Issues and Limitations

The database restore view does not show up in the DP for Exchange MMC GUI if the IBM Spectrum Protect Plus MMC GUI is installed, then uninstalled and then IBM  Spectrum Protect Data Protection for Exchange or IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot for Exchange is installed afterwards.

Workaround:  Close the MMC GUI. Edit the user.config file inside the AppData in the %USERPROFILE% directory. In the following example the value "True" should be changed to "False"

<setting name="ExchangeSppIsConfig" serializeAs="String">

<value>True</value>

</setting>  (184973)



SQL Environment Specific Issues and Limitations

• The value displayed in the Physical Path column of the SQL Server | Protect | Files view of the MMC GUI will not display the actual physical path if running on a secondary replica of an AlwaysOn availability group and the physical path is different on the primary and secondary replicas.

Workaround: To see the actual physical path issue the following T-SQL statement in SQL Server Management Studio:

select * from master.sys.master_files (81487)

• When using the SQL Recover view of the MMC GUI interface to delete CopyFull backups, selecting a CopyFull backup may show as FULL instead of CopyFull. The command completes successfully but the backup is not deleted.

Workaround: Use the DELETE BACKUP command from the command line and specify COPYFULL as the backup type.
(35733)

• When trying to display the list of SQL database back ups through the Microsoft Management Console (MMC), an error occurs when there are no SQL database back ups to display. The Get-SqlBackup cmdlet shows that the query completed with a failed status. Additional detail shows errors like one of the following:

1. Error: RC: 112
ACO5550I There are no backups matching the filespec * and the server name *.

2. Error: RC: 113
ACO0261I There are no backups for the server named *.

3. Error: RC: 114
ACO5551I There are no backups matching the criteria specified for server name *.

4. Error: RC: 120
ACO0576I There were no items found.

5. Error: RC: 1909
ACO5552I No matches were found for the criteria specified.

All these errors are expected because there are no SQL database back ups. The correct response is a completed status of success showing no SQL databases in the MMC.


Workaround: Since no SQL databases are displayed, the failure can be ignored (147874)



VSS Issues and Limitations

• Access Denied" messages received during VSS operations with GPT-format physical disks

If you are receiving an "access denied" message and are unable to lock the volume, please refer to this Microsoft article for additional information: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2963861 You will need to install the Microsoft hot fixes appropriate to your environment on each node within the cluster.

To resolve this issue on Windows 2012, please install: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2962407

To resolve this issue on Windows 2012 R2, you will need to install the following updates in the order listed (due to fix dependencies):

Windows Server 2012 R2 Update March, 2014 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2919442

Windows Server 2012 R2 Update April, 2014 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2919355

Note: These KB's must be installed in the following order:
clearcompressionflag.exe,
KB2919355, <------------------- this install takes a long time to install.
KB2932046,
KB2959977,
KB2937592,
KB2938439, and
KB2934018

Windows Server 2012 R2 June 2014 update rollup http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2962409

Note: These KB's must be installed in the following order:
Windows8.1-KB2962409-x64.msu
Windows8.1-KB2959146-x64.msu
Windows8.1-KB2973448-x64.msu

• The "Minimum VSS Requestor Level" status may show as "passed" even though a down level TSM Backup-Archive Client is installed

From within the MMC configuration wizard, the "Requirement Check" page includes a status of the "Minimum VSS Requestor Level". This validation check will indicate a "passed" status in some scenarios where the minimum level of the VSS Requestor or TSM Backup-Archive Client required for that level is not installed. Attempts to perform VSS operations will fail with a message similar to:

Failed - ANS2040E (RC5853) While attempting to communicate with the remote client

Workaround: Ensure that you have the minimum required VSS Requestor or TSM Backup-Archive Client level installed for the level of FlashCopy Manager on Windows, Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange Server, or Data Protection for Microsoft SQL Server code in use. If a down level version of the VSS Requestor or TSM Backup-Archive Client is installed, update that level to the minimum required. You can verify the minimum level required for your environment via the HW & SW Requirements tech notes for your respective software and level. (89544)

IBM Spectrum Protect™ Snapshot Requirements:
http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21427692

IBM Spectrum Protect™ for Databases: Data Protection for Microsoft SQL Server Requirements:
http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21218747

IBM Spectrum Protect™ for Mail: Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange Server Requirements:
http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21219345

• The following message:

FMV9350E (RC6055) Backup operation failed due to volume mixture. Please refer to explanation section for additional information.

should be:

FMV9350E (RC6055) Backup operation failed due to volume mixture. Please refer to the explanation in the Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager Messages Guide for additional information. (87040)

• Microsoft Hotfix KB 3095663 ( https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3095663 ) is not available on the Windows 2012 platform. As a result, instant restore operations may randomly fail with a VSS_E_PROVIDER_VETO message.

Workaround: Restart VSS service before performing instant restore operations, or upgrade the Windows operating system to Windows 2012 R2. (108601)

• When both of the following hardware providers are installed on the same system:
• IBM XIV VSS hardware provider
• Microsoft iSCSI VSS hardware provider

instant restore operations via the VSS ResyncLuns API may fail for XIV volumes.

Workaround: Uninstall the Microsoft iSCSI VSS hardware provider (108975)

• The Configuration Wizard May Fail To Provision the VSS Requester On Windows 2016 Data Center In The Following Circumstances:

The configuration wizard may fail to provision the VSS Requester on Windows 2016 Data Center if the installation image
is on a mapped network drive rather such as \\servername\sharename rather than a local drive such as C:\

Even if the user clicks "Yes" to the Microsoft Windows UAC popup the VSS Requester may not provision and
errors will appear inside the installation directory in the FlashCopyManager\Provision\VssProvisioning.log directory.
MsiInstaller errors will also appear in the Windows Application event log


Workaround: Keep the install image on a local drive rather than a network drive. (128681)

• The hover help of the VSS Options property page in MMC does not display well in Windows 2012.

Workaround: None (128422)

• Backups might fail if a volume migration of OLVM volumes is ongoing. IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot is able to protect OLVM volumes before and after their migration. Before the migration IBM XIV Provider for Microsoft Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service is configured to use the source XIV system as storage device.

Workaround: Once the disks are migrated, IBM XIV Provider for Microsoft Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service needs to be reconfigured to use the target XIV system as the storage device for the backup.

• Cloud volumes require the below APAR fix before they can coexist on a SVC with volumes that are managed by Spectrum Protect Snapshot on Windows

Workaround:  APAR HU01817 "CIMOM UNABLE TO CREATE FLASHCOPY MAPPING, IF A VDISK IS OWNED AND ALSO IN A FLASHCOPY MAPPING"

National Language Support (NLS), and Other Issues When Operating in a Non-English Environment

• If a GB18030 character outside of the supported code pages shown below is used in a text editor in the MMC it will be displayed as a series of question marks such as ???.

Workaround: For Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, the only characters that are supported in MMC text editors are the characters contained in the following code pages:
CP1381 - Simplified Chinese
CP950 - Traditional Chinese
CP932 - Japanese
CP949 - Korean

Avoid the use of characters that are not included in these code pages. (98398)

• In the MMC GUI, mnemonics appear in some tool tips for Japanese and other Double Byte Character Set (DBCS) languages. This happens when the same text used for the control's label is also used for the tooltip.

Workaround: Ignore the mnemonics in tool tips (76487)

• The powershell cmdlet parameter "DaysRetain" is not translated correctly.

Workaround: Use English help message, or use command line help messages instead of powershell cmdlet. (121083)

• When using the custom PowerShell cmdlets, and the Windows system is set to double byte Unicode languages such as Korean or Traditional Chinese, then the output of "Get-Help IBM-SPS-cmdlet -Full" or "Get-Help IBM-SPS-cmdlet -Detail" might display some parameters with a space in the middle of the word, and the alignment will not match the English version.

Workaround: There is a partial workaround for the space in the middle of the word, but not the alignment issue. Run "Get-Help IBM-SPS-cmdlet -ShowWindow" instead of "Get-Help IBM-SPS-cmdlet -Full" or "Get-Help IBM-SPS-cmdlet -Detail" (130527)



Data Protection for VMware "application protection" Integration Related Issues and Limitations

• Backup of a VM with application protection fails when one (or more) Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 databases are dismounted

In this scenario, a virtual machine with application protection enabled was backed up using IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments: Data Protection for VMware 7.1.2. However, the virtual machine contained one (or more) Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 databases that were dismounted. As a result, the backup operation fails with the following warning message:


ANS9432W IBM Spectrum Protect application protection failed to truncate application logs on virtual machine 'VM-name'.


Workaround: Mount the Exchange Server 2013 database, then run the backup operating again. (84115)