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 Hello,

I have a situation where the option to enable block level backup on subclient is missing. It’s not grayed out, but it’s not available there. The missing option is from MS cluster virtual client (pseudo client). The config meets requirements, nodes are on win2012 r2 and mediagent is installed on both nodes.

 

Here are the cluster subclient:

here’s some random subclient without mediagent package installed

 

As for the doc, blb is supported at ms clusters 

https://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=18527.htm

https://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=3505.htm

Check in the CommCell Consolethat you have loaded the block filter driver on each File Server Node in Cluster, then after the reboots - check the pseduoclient settings.


Check in the CommCell Consolethat you have loaded the block filter driver on each File Server Node in Cluster, then after the reboots - check the pseduoclient settings.

 

But both nodes neither have this setting available. 


Hi @Lukasz 

Thank you for the question, for completeness, I’ll add the documentation links here and I’ll check internally what might be causing this:
 

Block Level Backups

Configuring Cluster Nodes for Windows File System Agent Block-Level Backups

Configuring Cluster Nodes for Block-Level Backups - UNIX FileSystem (n/a here, but for Community benefit)

 

The only potential candidates I can see that may have an impact here are:
1. Install the MediaAgent on all the physical nodes that you want to protect in your cluster environment. For more information, see Installing the MediaAgent.

Note: The VSS Provider package and the File System Agent are installed as part of the MediaAgent installation. Make sure that you do not exclude the VSS Provider check box during the installation.

 

5. To set the content for the subclient, on the Content tab, click Browse to locate the content, and then click OK.

Notes:

  • The subclient content must consist of cluster disks.
  • You cannot enable OnePass for the subclient configured to perform block-level backups.

Thanks,

Stuart


@Lukasz 

Another item to check is if the nodes and cluster client are enabled for v2 Indexing.

Thanks,

Stuart 


Hi @Lukasz , 

 

Please also check the Nodes and cluster and these needs to be on v2 index, you can check this by going to the clients and Properties on Backupset - do we see an Index Tab? if index tab is not seeing than means they are still on v1 index and needs to be upgraded to v2 for Block level option to be available. 

 

https://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp20/article?p=10812.htm


Hi @Lukasz 

Thank you for the question, for completeness, I’ll add the documentation links here and I’ll check internally what might be causing this:
 

Block Level Backups

Configuring Cluster Nodes for Windows File System Agent Block-Level Backups

Configuring Cluster Nodes for Block-Level Backups - UNIX FileSystem (n/a here, but for Community benefit)

 

The only potential candidates I can see that may have an impact here are:
1. Install the MediaAgent on all the physical nodes that you want to protect in your cluster environment. For more information, see Installing the MediaAgent.

Note: The VSS Provider package and the File System Agent are installed as part of the MediaAgent installation. Make sure that you do not exclude the VSS Provider check box during the installation.

 

5. To set the content for the subclient, on the Content tab, click Browse to locate the content, and then click OK.

Notes:

  • The subclient content must consist of cluster disks.
  • You cannot enable OnePass for the subclient configured to perform block-level backups.

Thanks,

Stuart

 

 

Hello Stuart,

it’s kind of old installation, recently updated to fresh SP. I can see that there’s Driver for File Archiver installed on cluster nodes, which is connected to OnePass. I’ll uninstall that and see if it helps.

 

 

regards,

Łukasz.

 


Hi @Lukasz , 

 

Please also check the Nodes and cluster and these needs to be on v2 index, you can check this by going to the clients and Properties on Backupset - do we see an Index Tab? if index tab is not seeing than means they are still on v1 index and needs to be upgraded to v2 for Block level option to be available. 

 

https://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp20/article?p=10812.htm

Hello Suzanny,

it’s look like nodes are on v1, but another client in this enviroment is one v1 as well, but there BLB option is in place. But Just in case I’ll upgrade them to v2, Thank you!.


Sounds good @Lukasz !  Keep us posted :nerd:


Hi @Lukasz ,

 

Did you, by any chance run any backup on either cluster nodes or pseudo client since upgrade and additional package installation?

I had a similar issue when I created 2 cluster pseudoclients and couldn’t see the option to use BLB on one of them. It then appeared after I run file level backup on some test subclient.

Hope this helps.


Hi @Lukasz ,

 

Did you, by any chance run any backup on either cluster nodes or pseudo client since upgrade and additional package installation?

I had a similar issue when I created 2 cluster pseudoclients and couldn’t see the option to use BLB on one of them. It then appeared after I run file level backup on some test subclient.

Hope this helps.

Hello Robert! :)

I’ve checked those nodes and nothing runs directly on them.

 

I’m currently checking the OnePass driver and v2 indexing.

 

regards,

Łukasz.


Hi Lukasz! :)

 

In my case I could see Block Level Backup option on both nodes but it was neither available nor visible on ms cluster pseudoclient. I’ve created test subclient with just 1 small folder, run file level backup job on that subclient and after that the block level backup option was available and it was now possible to configure it on pseudoclient.

My guess is that first backup job run some additional checks/procedures which triggerred and then allowed BLB to be configured. This should be easy to test in you environment, so please let me know if that helps.

Cheers!


Hi Lukasz! :)

 

In my case I could see Block Level Backup option on both nodes but it was neither available nor visible on ms cluster pseudoclient. I’ve created test subclient with just 1 small folder, run file level backup job on that subclient and after that the block level backup option was available and it was now possible to configure it on pseudoclient.

My guess is that first backup job run some additional checks/procedures which triggerred and then allowed BLB to be configured. This should be easy to test in you environment, so please let me know if that helps.

Cheers!

Thanks, I will try this! Currently I’m waiting for some jobs to be completed, then I’ll be able to progress. 


Hello,

I’ve checked mentioned steps

  • workaround with creating new subclient at node didn’t enabled the BLB feature
  • Client was updated to indexing v2 via workflow, just after job was completed we were able to enable BLB on clients.

Thank you all for your help!

 

 

regards,

Łukasz.


Great! Thanks for the update @Lukasz, I’m glad to hear updating those clients to Index V2 has enabled BLB for you.

Thanks,

Stuart


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