SUMMARY
Unitrends VSS SQL agent errors and warning messages
ISSUE
Describe Unitrends VSS SQL agent errors and warning messages.
For more detailed information on backup failures and performance issues see Unitrends KB 5062 - Backup Failures and Performance Issues
RESOLUTION
When a VSS SQL backup fails, check the following for errors and warning messages, then proceed to the applicable error below:
- From the Status page or Backup report, select the failed backup and check the messages in the output summary.
- On the SQL server, check the catalog files located in ..\PCBP\Catlog.dir\vSQL
- On the SQL server, check the Windows Application Event log. The Unitrends agent reports major backup information events, warnings, and messages.
Error messages and cause are given here. Locate the error message to determine next steps.
Case #1: Scheduled backup fail, because VSS SQL Writer is not running or SQL Server VSS Writer are not operating properly
---- Error Messages -----
Unable to perform a backup of database 'dbTest2008’', instance 'SQLSRV/INST': The problem occurred while trying to connect to the SQL Server VSS Writer. Please check that the SQL Server VSS Writer is installed and running on the client.
----- End Error Messages -----
Case #2: Restore failed (the same reason) as #1
----- Error Messages -----
Unable to perform a restore of database ‘dbTest2008’, instance ‘SQLSRV’: The problem occurred while trying to connect to the SQL Server VSS Writer. Please check that the SQL Server VSS Writer is installed and running on the client.
----- End Error Messages -----
Case #3: Scheduled backup fail, because instance is not running or database offline
----- Error Messages -----
Unable to perform the scheduled backup. Please verify that the SQL Server instance 'SQLSRV/INST' is running and that database 'dbTest2008’' is online and has not been excluded from the SQL Server VSS Writer.
----- End Error Messages -----
Case #4: Restore failed because writer status is in failed state
----- Error Messages -----
Unable to perform the restore operation, detecting that SQL Server VSS Writer is in a failed state. Please verify that SQL Server is accessible. Review the events in the Application event log for more information.
----- End Error Messages -----
Case #5: Backup failed because writer status is in failed state
----- Error Messages -----
Unable to perform the backup operation, detecting that SQL Server VSS Writer is in a failed state. Please verify that SQL Server is accessible. Review the events in the Application event log for more information.
----- End Error Messages -----
Case #6: Differential Backup failed because user may take full backup outside agent or backup was scheduled by 2 different DPU.
----- Error Messages -----
Unable to perform a Differential backup of database 'dbTest2008’', instance 'SQLSRV/INST': It appears that the VSS SQL Server Agent was not used to perform associated backups for this database or the associated backup(s) for this database reside on a different DPU appliance. Please perform a Full on-demand backup of this database. Review the client log for additional information.
----- End Error Messages -----
Case #7: Transactional Log Backup failed because user may take some backup outside agent (SQL Agent, NT backup, other software) or backup was scheduled by 2 different DPU.
----- Error Messages -----
Unable to perform a Transaction Log backup of database 'dbTest2008’', instance 'SQLSRV/INST': It appears that a continuous sequence of Transaction Log backups is not intact. Please perform a Full on-demand backup of this database. Review the client log for additional information.
----- End Error Messages -----
Case #8: Differential Backup failed, because user may take a full backup outside of agent and a Maintenance plan was found.
----- Error Messages -----
Unable to perform a Differential backup of database 'dbTest2008’', instance 'SQLSRV/INST'.
Database validation failed: It appears that this database is part of the SQL Server Maintenance plan and cannot be validated for backup using the Unitrends SQL Server Agent. Database checkpoints may become out of sync resulting in potential failure of restore operations for Differential and Transaction Log backups.
Please perform a Full on-demand backup of this database. Review the client log for additional information.
----- End Error Messages -----
Case #9: Transactional Log Backup failed, because user may take some backup outside of agent and a Maintenance plan was found.
----- Error Messages -----
Unable to perform a Transaction Log backup of database 'dbTest2008’', instance 'SQLSRV/INST'.
Database validation failed: It appears that this database is part of the SQL Server Maintenance plan and cannot be validated for backup using the Unitrends SQL Server Agent. Database checkpoints may become out of sync resulting in potential failure of restore operations for Differential and Transaction Log backups.
Please perform a Full on-demand backup of this database. Review the client log for additional information.
----- End Error Messages -----
Case #10: Warning when we do perform successful validation of backups (like log chain intact), but Maintenance plan was found for backup for this database (it could be never run, because SQL Agent nor running, etc.)
----- Warning Messages -----
It appears that database 'dbTest2008’', instance 'SQLSRV/INST' is part of the SQL Server Maintenance plan. Performing a backup of this database using the Unitrends SQL Server Agent may cause database checkpoints to become out of sync, resulting in failed restore operations for Differential and Transaction Log backups.
----- End Warning Messages -----
Case #11: When we cannot create Unitrends backup table in msdb, and cannot validate log chain as well, but backups was successfully taken from client.
----- Warning Messages -----
Unable to create integrity backup table for database 'dbTest2008’', instance 'SQLSRV/INST': Checkpoint error occurred. Please contact the Database Administrator to ensure that CREATE TABLE permissions have been granted on database ‘msdb’ for the Unitrends’ agent service account.
----- End Warning Messages -----
Case #12: Scheduled backup fail, because SQL Server cannot perform differential backup of master databases
----- Error Messages -----
You can only perform a full backup of the master database. Use BACKUP DATABASE to back up the entire master database. BACKUP DATABASE is terminating abnormally.
The agent has waited a set amount of time waiting for SQL Server to respond to its backup request, but did not receive any response. Failed close vdi device. An abort request is preventing anything except termination actions. The agent has encountered a critical error, and has issued an abort request to the VDI.
Unable to perform a Differential backup of database 'master', instance 'W2K8SQL64VSS'.
----- End Error Messages -----
CAUSE
When a Unitrends VSS SQL backup or restore fails, a warning message or error is created. The location and use cases for each of these errors is described below.