Problem
Exchange backups failing with Status Code 130 - System error occurred.
Error Message
<INSTALL PATH>\netbackup\logs\Bpfis\date.log shows calls MS VSS writers for Exchange with a snapshot error
14:42:21.791 [12496.11760] <32> onlfi_fim_split: FTL - VfMS error 11; see following messages:
14:42:21.791 [12496.11760] <32> onlfi_fim_split: FTL - Fatal method error was reported
14:42:21.791 [12496.11760] <32> onlfi_fim_split: FTL - vfm_freeze_commit: method: VSS_Writer, type: FIM, function: VSS_Writer_freeze_commit
14:42:21.791 [12496.11760] <32> onlfi_fim_split: FTL - VfMS method error 4; see following message:
14:42:21.791 [12496.11760] <32> onlfi_fim_split: FTL - VSS_Writer_freeze_commit: snapshot create failed
Backup fails with status 130
14:42:21.838 [12496.11760] <2> log_fs_dev_rec: INF - mnt_flag=0
14:42:21.838 [12496.11760] <2> log_fs_dev_rec: INF - fi_flag=1
14:42:21.838 [12496.11760] <2> log_fs_dev_rec: INF - fm_flag=0
14:42:21.838 [12496.11760] <2> log_fs_dev_rec: INF - cs_flag=0
14:42:21.838 [12496.11760] <2> onlfi_vfms_logf: INF - Extended status = 130:1:SNAPSHOT_NOTIFICATION::PostSnapshot failed.
14:42:21.838 [12496.11760] <16> bpfis main: FTL - snapshot creation failed - SNAPSHOT_NOTIFICATION::PostSnapshot failed., status 130
14:42:21.838 [12496.11760] <16> bpfis main: FTL - snapshot creation failed, status 130
Windows application event viewer reports the following VSS problem:
MSExchangeIS E9840 An attempt to prepare the database 'DB' for backup failed because the database is already in the process of being backed up. The error code is -2403. (Note that if a backup was recently aborted, then it may take several minutes for the system to detect the aborted backup and initiate backup cleanup procedures, so this message may be generated if an attempt was made to backup a database before a previous backup attempt had fully terminated.)
Cause
This issue is caused if the “Microsoft Exchange Writers” are not stable. We can verify the status of the VSS Writers by executing the command “vssadmin list writers” under command prompt and if the Microsoft Exchange Writer or Microsoft Exchange Replication Writer are not stable and show state as Waiting for completion or Error, this needs to be fixed:
Writer name: 'Microsoft Exchange Writer'
Writer Id: {76fe1ac4-15f7-4bcd-987e-8e1acb462fb7}
Writer Instance Id: {2999e0a2-76fa-4a2a-a0e5-16094458a1b6}
State: [1] Waiting for completion
Last error: No error
The Status must be “Stable” unless a snapshot is being taken. If the status of these writers does not show as Stable, snapshot processing will fail and the Exchange backups will fail with Status Code 130.
In case the MS Exchange backup is being performed using the passive database copy, the “Microsoft Exchange Replica Writer” is used on the note which holds the pasive copy of the database. This VSS writer must also be in Statable state.
Solution
Many times the writer issue has been found resolved by rebooting the Exchange Servers and if after the reboot the writers show stable but in between the Exchange backups if the writers again Fail or go back to Waiting for Completion status, we suggest to contact Microsoft Technical support to resolve the writer issues with the Exchange VSS Writer.
If the Exchange databases are stored on a smart disk array, the third party hardware writer must be used in that case for the Snapshot processing.
C:\>vssadmin list providers
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2001-2005 Microsoft Corp.
Provider name: 'Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0'
Provider type: System
Provider Id: {b5946137-7b9f-4925-af80-51abd60b20d5}
Version: 1.0.0.7