SOBR event logs for offload sessions

[wes@f1]

My MSP is exploring use of offloading backups to object storage in copy mode as an off-site backup strategy for some customers. We've got it set up and it seems to be working fine, but I discovered afterwards that offload sessions don't log success/failure to a Windows event log. We rely on event logs to pick up backup errors across our customer base as part of our RMM solution rather than having to filter through emails regularly. The sessions report a Success/Failure state within the VBR console, so I expect that information is stored somewhere that I can hopefully query?

[Gostev]

@veremin do you know why these particular sessions are not duplicated into the Windows Event log?

[veremin]

Was an overlook on our part. Any specific information you're expecting to see there, besides

- Name of Scale-Out Backup Repository
- Type of operation (offload, download)
- Mode used (move, copy)
- Session status (success, warning, error)
- Anything else?

Thanks!

[wes@f1]

@veremin, you covered everything I would be looking for in an event log for that action. I recognize at this point that it is likely a feature request based on your response, but is there a way for me to query the session status from the VBR SQL DB in the interim by chance?

[oleg.feoktistov]

In .NET classes only the method for getting the last session for particular job type is implemented, you can query it with powershell.
For SOBR offload jobs it would be:

Code: Select all

$jobType = [Veeam.Backup.Model.EDbJobType]::ArchiveBackup
$sessions = [Veeam.Backup.Core.CBaseSession]::FindLastByJobType($jobType)

If you want to see the status of each offload session, execute the following query on your VBR DB:

Code: Select all

SELECT * FROM [dbo].[Backup.Model.JobSessions]
WHERE job_type = 18000

Result field corresponds to the below:

Success = 0
Warning = 1
Failure = 2

If the discussion with event logs is turned into a feature request, I believe it would make sense to note it for powershell also. So, done.

Thanks,
Oleg

[Gostev]

Please note that we in general, don't recommend using undocumented .NET classes, because they may change from release to release. And since this is not an officially supported functionality, the information on any changes and new class names may be hard to get in future - for example, if Oleg decides to leave Veeam

But of course, I'd like to hope we will get this covered by PowerShell before it happens

[oleg.feoktistov]

Gostev is right. I'm so used to expanding them that I forgot to mention how hard it can get if their implementation differs through releases. No worries on the 2nd point though
Thanks!

[veremin]

you covered everything I would be looking for in an event log for that action

Got it, your request has been noted. Thanks!

[ryan.christensen]

@veremin, you covered everything I would be looking for in an event log for that action. I recognize at this point that it is likely a feature request based on your response, but is there a way for me to query the session status from the VBR SQL DB in the interim by chance?

@wes@f1 Did you figure out a way to consistently monitor these for multiple clients? I am also receiving pressure from management to figure out how to have clients keep a backup copy immutable and in S3 but with no way to monitor offload status I am not comfortable moving forward with that.

[veremin]

We added information regarding SOBR tiering sessions to Windows Event log in version 11. Plus, you can leverage the workaround mentioned by Oleg above. Thanks!

[RobMiller86]

I'm having trouble monitoring the offloads to be sure they are successful. It seems we don't get alerts about them not completing, or not completing on time. Are there any guides or recommendations on how to monitor the status of offload jobs?

TIA!

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Rob,

You can try to use suggestions from Oleg or use Windows event log to track those events as well (see the reply from Vladimir).

Thanks!

[TonioRoffo]

I hate to bring this up also.

Currently we can only monitor events in Veeam Backup, Source Veeam MP event 40002

"The storage management session for repository SOBR Backup has finished: Success

Repository name: SOBR Backup
Job type: Offload
Sesson result: Success
Mode: CopyNewBackupFiles
"

Problem with this one is, that is doesn't correspond to backup jobs.

We have four backup jobs for example, three of them get offloaded and we get the above event. One fails, but completes 4h later in the "Backup Offload" event.

There is no way to correcly account for a correct offload from all our backup jobs, because there is no mention of the job in the event log.

Can this be adapted in any way? It's crucial for our monitoring needs. Now we need to raise an alert ticket on every error in Event 40002 and train our 1st line to check if later runs corrected the offload for the night.

Thanks!

[jorgedlcruz]

Hello,
I know that in upcoming Veeam ONE v12 we will have much better visibility of these tasks, in case you are using it already, or you have license for it (Availability Suite).

Let me see if the Windows events will be improved as well on VBR v12. Will reply a bit later.

[maanlicht]

Do we know if anything has changed in this regard in VBR v12?

[Vitaliy S.]

No, there were no updates in this regard.

[Dima P.]

Hello folks,

Mind me asking if adding information about processed backups to the event, say, under details helps? Offload procedure knowns nothing about the job names, however it seems that it can list the names of the backup files that were offloaded, so I wonder if that would work for your scenario. Thank you!