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Backup job that is scheduled to be perform is not starting (missed backup)?

Brad Alexander
  • Updated
  1. LINK QUESTIONS
  2. Product Version:
    3. Servosity Standard: All
    ServosityPro: Post-5.2
    ServosityOBS: Post-5.2
    OS: All platforms
  3. Problem Description:
    4. Backup job that is scheduled to be perform is not starting? How can we troubleshoot for the cause of the issue?
  4. Cause:
    5. Outlined below are some guidelines on how to troubleshoot the issue:


    1. Please verify if the affected machine is switched off, hibernated or in standby mode when the scheduled backup is due to run.


    2. Please ensure that the "Run scheduled backup on computers named" for the backup set has been populated properly:

      Example:
      computer_name.png

      This field is introduced in ServosityOBS version 5.2 to assure that one backup set can only be run on one computer, making multiple computer backup using a single backup account more robust.


      After that, enter correct values for the "Run scheduled backup on computers named" for those problematic backup set.


    3. If the affected client is on ServosityPro/ServosityStandard version 5.2.1.0 and scheduled backup jobs are usually missed after the server is rebooted, please verify on the info.log.

      The info.log is located in:

      ServosityPro:
      (Windows)  C:\Program Files\ServosityPro\ipc\Scheduler
      (Linux)  /usr/local/obm/ipc/Scheduler
      (Mac OS X)  /Applications/ServosityPro/ipc/Scheduler

      Servosity Standard
      (Windows)  C:\Program Files\ServosityStandard\ipc\Scheduler
      (Mac OS X)  /Applications/ServosityStandard/ipc/Scheduler

      Verify if there are entries similar to the example below:

      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss] Scheduler Version=5.2.1.0
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss] Java Vendor=Sun Microsystems Inc. Version=1.4.2_10
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss] [info] Starting Scheduler, User:'Username', Home:'C:\Documents and Settings\Username\.obm'
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss] Another Scheduler is running! This Scheduler will not start!

      To get the scheduler running again, you need to remove a file called "running" which reside in the folder ${Install-Home}\ipc\Scheduler\ and then restart the [Online Backup Scheduler] service.


    4. Verify if the home.txt has been populated correctly. The home.txt is located in:

      ServosityPro:
      (Windows)  C:\Program Files\ServosityPro
      (Linux)  /usr/local/pro
      (Mac OS X)  /Applications/ServosityPro

      ServosityStandard:
      (Windows)  C:\Program Files\ServosityStandard
      (Mac OS X)  /Applications/ServosityStandard

      You should see at least one entry pointing to a .pro (or .standard) folder that is accessible by the local scheduler service, for example "C:\Documents and Settings\administrator\.pro". Please modify the home.txt file if this is not the case.


    5. Check if the scheduler service is running by inspecting the client side scheduler log. The scheduler debug log is located in:

      ServosityPro:
      (Windows)  C:\Documents and Settings\administrator\.pro\log\Scheduler\debug.log
      (Linux)  ~/.pro/log/Scheduler/debug.log
      (Mac OS X)  ~/.pro/log/Scheduler/debug.log

      ServosityStandard:
      (Windows)  C:\Documents and Settings\administrator\.standard\log\Scheduler\debug.log
      (Mac OS X)  ~/.standard/log/Scheduler/debug.log

      This log contain every details on the scheduler service.

      If the schedule is working fine, the client side scheduler log should contain entries similar to the following example:

      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][Thread][Reloader] Loading profile from server ...
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][LocalProfile.loadFromServer] Loading profile from server ...
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][LocalProfile.loadFromServer] Loaded profile from server.
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][BackupSet (Backup_ID)] Next backup will run in 0 hr 36 min 37 sec
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][BackupSet (Backup_ID)] Next backup will run in 80 hr 16 min 37 sec
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][Thread][Reloader] Loaded profile from server.

      Otherwise, please restart the scheduler service. If the problem persist, please consider re-installing the ServosityPro / Servosity Standard software or the scheduler service.

      If the ServosityPro/ServosityStandard software is installed on a Windows 2000 machine, the scheduler service can stall at times due to the instability of Windows 2000's Services. A workaround is to write a batch job that restart the scheduler service periodically.

      Please also check whether entries similar to the following example can be found at the scheduled backup time:

      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][BackupSet (Backup_ID)] Wake Up ...
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][BackupSet (Backup_ID)] This backup job will run to its completion.
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][BackupSet (Backup_ID)] Start running backup

      Otherwise, if there is error message found, please contact our Support Engineer with details of the situation.


    6. If the ServosityPro software is installed on a Linux machine, please try running the Configurator.sh script to set appropriate backup account and password.


    7. If the affected client is on ServosityPro/ServosityStandard version Post-5.2.6.3, please verify whether entries similar to the following example can be found at the client side scheduler log:

      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][LocalProfile.loadFromServer] Loading profile from server ...
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][error][Scheduler.run] Cannot load profile from server. Retry in 300 seconds ... Error= '[SSLSocketJVM14.getSSLSocket] Hostname verifying failed!'. Still Fail After Retry!!!! ...
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info] Scheduler stopped.

      If there is, the problem is most likely related to the certificate installed on the ServosityOBS server. Instruction on how to resolve the issue can be found http://support.servosity.com/entries/114826-error-hostname-verifying-failed-connection-issue-related-to-certificate


    8. If the ServosityPro software is installed on a Linux machine, and the version of the affected client is on Post-5.5.1.0, please verify whether entries similar to the following example can be found at the client side scheduler log:

      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][Backup Set (Backup ID)] Start running backup
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][error][OBM.ErrorStream][Backup Set] Error: no `server
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][Backup Set (Backup ID)] Finished running backup
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][error][OBM.ErrorStream][Backup Set] ' JVM at `/usr/local/obm/jvm/lib/i386/server
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][error][OBM.ErrorStream][Backup Set] /libjvm.so'.

      If there is, the problem is most likely related to the Java package that is bundled with the ServosityPro application. To resolve the issue, please refer to http://support.servosity.com/entries/115083-scheduled-backup-on-linux-is-not-running-no-server-jvm-at-usr-local-obm-jvm-lib-i386-server-libjvm-so


    9. If the backup type of the affected backup set is MS Exchange mail-level, and the affected client has just been upgraded from ServosityPro version 5.2 to 5.5, please verify whether entries similar to the following example can be found at the client side scheduler log:

      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][error][OBM.ErrorStream][Backup Set] 'ObmJW' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][error][OBM.ErrorStream][Backup Set] operable program or batch file.

      or

      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][error][OBM.ErrorStream][Backup Set] 'bJW' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][error][OBM.ErrorStream][Backup Set] operable program or batch file.

      If there is, the problem is most likely related to the renaming of the ObmJW.exe file (for AhsayOBM version 5.2 to 5.5). To resolve the issue, please refer to http://support.servosity.com/entries/164514-scheduled-ms-exchange-mail-level-backup-is-not-running-obmjw-bjw-is-not-recognized-as-an-internal-or-external-command


    10. If the backup type of the affected backup set is MS Exchange mail-level, and the affected machine has any Windows Security Update patch released after 16-04-2009 installed, please verify whether entries similar to the following example can be found at the client side scheduler log:

      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][OBM.OutputStream][Backup Set] Error occurred during initialization of VM
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][OBM.OutputStream][Backup Set] Could not reserve enough space for object heap

      If there is, the problem is most likely related to insufficient physical memory. To resolve the issue, please refer to http://support.servosity.com/entries/164516-scheduled-ms-exchange-mail-level-backup-is-not-running-could-not-reserve-enough-space-for-object-heap


    11. Please verify whether entries similar to the following example could be found at the client side scheduler log:

      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][BackupSet (Backup_ID)] Next backup will run in 0 hr 1 min 0 sec
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][BackupSet (Backup_ID)] Skipping scheduled backup on this computer. Schedule should run on machine_a, current computer name:machine_b

      When a scheduled backup is due to run, the scheduler service will first verify if the machine found on the machine is the same as the machine name specified in the backup set setting (please refer to Step 2 above). If the machine of the affected machine has changed, the scheduled backup job will be skipped by the scheduler service, because the machine name cannot be matched.

      To resolve the issue, please ensure that the scheduled backups on the corresponding machine is configured properly, please make sure that the correct machine name has been set in the ServosityOBS management console for the relevant backup set. Under [Manage System]- > [Manage User] -> [Username] -> [Backup Set] -> [Run scheduled backup on computers named].


    12. If the ServosityPro/ServosityStandard software is installed on a Mac OS X machine, and the hostname of the affected machine is often changed due to different DHCP server assignment (user who travel often with MacBook). Please verify whether entries similar to the following example could be found at the client side scheduler log:

      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][BackupSet (Backup_ID)] Next backup will run in 0 hr 1 min 0 sec
      [YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm:ss][info][BackupSet (Backup_ID)] Skipping scheduled backup on this computer. Schedule should run on hostname_a, current computer name:hostname_b

      When a scheduled backup is due to run, the scheduler service will first verify if the hostname found on the machine is the same as the hostname / machine name specified in the backup set setting (please refer to Step 2 above). If the hostname of the affected machine has changed, the scheduled backup job will actually be skipped by the scheduler service, because the hostname cannot be matched.

      To resolve the issue, please follow the instructions as follow:

      1. Open a terminal
      2. Enter the command "sudo vi /etc/hostconfig"
      3. Add the following entry "HOSTNAME={%YOUR MACHINE NAME%} into the /etc/hostconfig file
      4. Reboot the machine

      After the machine has been restarted:

      1. Open a terminal
      2. Use the "hostname" command to obtain the hostname of the machine, it should now return the machine name you have specified

      Then connect the affected machine to another DHCP network, using the "hostname" command should return your preset hostname

      Finally, to ensure that scheduled backups on are configured properly, please make sure that the correct hostname has been set in the ServosityOBS management console for the relevant backup set. Under [Manage System]- > [Manage User] -> [Username] -> [Backup Set] -> [Run scheduled backup on computers named].


    13. If the ServosityPro/ServosityStandard software is installed on a Mac OS X machine, please also verify in the console.log if there is any error message found. The console.log file can be found in:

      ServsoityPro:
      /Applications/Servosity Online Backup Manager/log/Scheduler

      ServosityStandard:
      /Applications/ServosityStandard


    14. If you are still having problem, please contact our Support Engineer with details of the situation.


    Notes:
    We would just like to clarify that missed backup may not necessarily be problem. End-users may have their PC/server switched off, hibernated or in standby mode when the schedule is due to run, or network can be unavailable or being cut off during the scheduled backup time. We have also seen cases where the system clocks of the client machine and that of ServsoityOBS are off.