NetBackup UTF-8 Checker Tool

Description

This tool is used to identify if there are any invalid UTF-8 characters in the NetBackup database before migration to the new database in NetBackup 10.2. It does not change any files or settings on your system. It can be downloaded here: https://sort.veritas.com/utility/nbdb-utf8-check

The following steps are performed by this tool:

• Runs the NetBackup nbdb_unload command to unload the database to the specified directory. 
• Performs the validation on the unloaded database files. 
• Generates a report of all records where it found any invalid UTF-8 characters. The following file is created:
  Linux: <install path>/tmp/db_invalid_utf8_report.txt
  Windows: <install path>\Temp\db_invalid_utf8_report.txt

Note: For any issues during the run of the UTF-8 Checker tool, contact Veritas Technical Support.

System Requirements

• Windows or Linux
  If you have installed the NetBackup primary server on UNIX, to run the tool you must first migrate the server to Windows or Linux.
• NetBackup primary server version 10.1.1 or earlier

Prerequisites

• The NetBackup database service (NetBackup Relational Database Manager - NB_dbsrv) must be up and running.
•  For Windows, install the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable package in one of the following ways:
  1. Download the latest version from the link: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170
  2. In the Prerequisites folder of the NetBackup installation package, run vcredist_x64.exe.

Running the tool

Note:

1. For a primary clustered server, run the tool from the active node.
2. For the best performance of the database precheck tool, install the EEB Hotfix
   for the nbdb_unload utility. See the following article:
   https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/downloads/update.UPD714038

Usage:
      nbdb-utf8-check --help
      nbdb-utf8-check --max-threads=<int>
      nbdb-utf8-check --unload-dir=<path for nbdb_unload>
      nbdb-utf8-check --version

Arguments:

        --help                print this usage

        --max-threads=<int> set number of threads to use for processing
                              valid values: 1 to 100 (defaults to 100) processing
                              of database information will be performed in multiple
                              threads. This value can be specified to adjust the
                              number of threads used (especially if thread issues
                              are encountered).

        --unload-dir=<path> provide an alternate path for nbdb_unload to use,
                              the default is the staging dir.

        --version             print version information

Troubleshooting

Problem 1

The nbdb-utf8-check utility fails to run with the following command:

Linux
./nbdb-utf8-check --unload-dir="/dir_unload"

Windows

nbdb-utf8-check.exe --unload-dir="C:\dir_unload"

Error Message

Linux

NB_dbsrv daemon is not running. Please start the daemon and then retry.

The "dbsrv" process was not found in the bpps output:
- Error Code: [ 0 ]

- STDOUT:

- STDERR:

An upgrade to NetBackup 10.2 or later requires a migration of records to a new
NetBackup database server. This check reports any records found with invalid,
non UTF-8 byte sequences which could cause a migration failure. Review the
following article for more information:
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100055151

Windows

Cause

The NetBackup services are not running.

Solution

1. Start the NetBackup services
   Linux: ./bp.startall
   Windows: bpup /f /v

Problem 2

The NBAZDB database fails to unload with the following command:
nbdb-utf8-check.exe --unload-dir="C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\db"

Error Message

Starting unload of NBAZDB. This operation might take some time.
Unload operation failed.

- Command: 'C:\Program Files\Veritas\netbackup\bin\nbdb_unload.exe -dbn NBAZDB C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\db\nbdb_unload_cgjsSZqa'
- Error code: 20
- STDOUT: [Usage:  nbdb_unload [-dbn database_name] [-t table_list] [-s] [-staging] destination_directory
        nbdb_unload [-dbn database_name] -rebuild [-verbose]]
- STDERR: []

Here are some potential reasons the command may have failed:

- The NetBackup processes (especially database services) are not running
- The password between databases may have become out of sync
- The updated nbdb_unload binary has not been installed

An upgrade to NetBackup 10.2 or later requires a migration of records to a new
NetBackup database server. This check reports any records found with invalid,
non UTF-8 byte sequences which could cause a migration failure. Review the
following article for more information:
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100055151

Cause

The nbdb_unload command doesn't unload the NBAZDB database.

Solution

1. Install the EEB Hotfix that updates the nbdb_unload utility for your current version of NetBackup. See the following article: 
   https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/downloads/update.UPD714038