VAW Backup Job Errors

[sconley]

When running a VAM backup job using the Workstation Edition of VAW I receive the following error:

1/5/2018 12:37:23 AM :: Creating VSS snapshot Error: Failed to create snapshot: Backup job failed.
Cannot create a shadow copy of the volumes containing writer's data.
A VSS critical writer has failed. Writer name: [Oracle VSS Writer - SEND]. Class ID: [{26d02976-b909-43ad-af7e-62a4f625e372}]. Instance ID: [{81b0fe7c-722b-442e-a6bd-5750594dcdeb}]. Writer's state: [VSS_WS_FAILED_AT_PREPARE_BACKUP]. Error code: [0x800423f4].

I currently have a case open (Case # 02456021) and am in an exchange with support where they are telling me to disable Application Aware Processing, however I do not see a way to do this given that this is the Workstation Edition of the product, and AAP is specifically only available in the Server Edition. Any thoughts on this?

[Vitaliy S.]

I would recommend to review VSS writers and providers status on the backed up computer. Make sure there are no errors listed against Oracle VSS writer.

As for the support recommendation, then please let them know that you're using Workstation Edition.

[sconley]

This ended up escalated to a dev, and the issue is on the Oracle end. We can either change the mode that the database runs in to NOARCHIVE so that VSS can process the database or disable the VSS writers, which is straight out of the Oracle documentation. I also found that shutting down the database will allow the backup to complete. So for us the solution ended up being to have the user shut down the database as this is an integrated database that we do not have control over.

[Dima P.]

Sean,

If it’s possible to script the database shutdown, you can initiate the backup process after executing such script (VAW provides the option to start backup via command line).

[sconley]

The two issues I have with this are that I lose having control via the B&R console, which is very nice. However, more than that, the user apparently has processes that could be running during the backup time. So, the only real option is to let the user shut down the database manually.

[Dima P.]

I lose having control via the B&R console, which is very nice.

You mean that with such approach your agent will operate in standalone mode (without Veeam B&R central management)?

only real option is to let the user shut down the database manually

If you run agent in Server edition - you can add the shutdown script to pre-freeze scripts for application processing. Then user needs to click a single Backup Now button.