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General troubleshooting steps

 

Updated: May 13, 2016

Applies To: System Center 2012 SP1 - Data Protection Manager, System Center 2012 - Data Protection Manager, System Center 2012 R2 Data Protection Manager

Use these standard procedures to get started with DPM troubleshooting.

Verify the status of the DPM service

The DPM service runs only when DPM jobs are being processed, and it stops automatically after a job is completed. If the instructions for troubleshooting an issue direct you to verify the status of the DPM service, follow these steps.

  1. On the DPM server, in Administrative Tools, open Services.

  2. In Services, right-click the DPM service in the Details pane, and then click Properties.

  3. On the General tab, ensure that Startup type is set to Automatic.

  4. To start the service, on the General tab, click Start.

    If the DPM service starts successfully, the General tab displays the service status as Started. If the DPM service is running normally, scheduled protection jobs and other DPM jobs should start.

  5. If the DPM service does not start, use Windows Event Viewer to look for possible shutdowns of services on which DPM depends. The following services are of interest:

    • DPM File Agent

    • SQLAgent$MICROSOFT$DPM$ (SQL Agent)

    • MSSQL$MICROSOFT$DPM$ (SQL Server)

    • Virtual Disk Service (VDS)

    • Volume Shadow Copy (VSS)

  6. If you see a service shutdown event for any of these services, start the service and ensure that the Startup type is set to Automatic.

  7. If you cannot resolve the problem by enabling any disabled services listed in step 5, try restarting the individual services:

    1. Shut down individual services in the following order: VDS, VSS, SQL Agent, SQL Server. The DPM service shuts down automatically.

    2. Start the VSS service.

    3. Start the DPM service. If the DPM service starts successfully, all dependent services—VDS, SQL Agent, and SQL Server—will also restart.

  8. If the DPM service still does not start, restart the Windows Server operating system.

    If restarting the server does not fix the problem, a database failure might be causing the DPM service to shut down. For information on troubleshooting database failures, see Troubleshoot database issues.

  9. If none of these solutions resolves the problem, contact Microsoft Product Support Services for help. For information, see Microsoft Help and Support.

Check name resolution

Follow this procedure if the instructions for troubleshooting an issue direct you to check name resolution.

  1. On the file server, run the ipconfig command. Note the Domain Name System (DNS) suffix and Internet protocol (IP) address.

  2. On the DPM server, ping the file server name to verify that the server name resolves to the correct fully qualified domain name (FQDN) and IP address.

  3. On the DPM server, run the ipconfig command. Note the DNS suffix and IP address.

  4. On the file server, ping the DPM server name to verify that the server name resolves to the correct FQDN and IP address.

    If the information obtained by ping and by ipconfig for either the file server or the DPM server is not correct, check the DNS client settings on that server.

Note

For instructions on using ping, see Using the ping command in Windows Server Help.

Identify DNS errors

The DPM server and its protected computers cannot communicate reliably unless the Domain Name System (DNS) is functioning properly. Use the following procedures to identify and resolve DNS problems on either the DPM server or a protected computer:

  • In the Services console, review the status of the following services and start them if they are not already started:

    • DNS Client

    • TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper (if the intranet is NetBIOS-enabled)

  • Verify that the Hosts file exists and that the correct path to the Hosts file is configured.

    • Verify that HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\ REG_EXPAND_SZ: DataBasePath is set to %SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\*

    • Verify that the Hosts file is located at %SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\*\hosts.

  • Empty the following caches:

    • To empty the DNS cache, run ipconfig /flushdns

    • To empty the NetBIOS cache, run nbtstat -Rand nbtstat -RR

    • To empty the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) cache, run arp –d *

  • Verify the IP addresses of the DNS servers and Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) server:

    • Run ipconfig /ALLto obtain the IP addresses.

    • Use the Pingand Tracertcommands to check network connectivity to each IP address.

  • In Microsoft Management Console (MMC), open the Group Policy Object Editor snap-in for the local computer and verify the local DNS client settings in Local Computer Policy\Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\DNS Client.

  • Verify DNS Suffix Search List by running ipconfig /ALL.

  • Check related settings by using Network Connections in Control Panel.

    • Right-click the appropriate network connection for the LAN, and then click Properties.

    • Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and then click Properties.

    • On the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties dialog box, click the Advanced button.

    • Verify the settings on DNS and WINS tabs.

  • Run nslookupusing the debug and verbose options to see more detail related to the DNS queries.

  • Use Network Monitor to determine whether the correct DNS server responds to ping.

Resolve access denied issues

"Access Denied" errors that occur while DPM is performing a task that involves communication with a protected computer often indicate a configuration problem on the computer. If you experience an "Access Denied" error in a task that involves communication with the computers, do the following:

  • Verify that the system time on the DPM server and the protected computer is synchronized with the system time on the domain controller.

  • On a computer running Windows Server 2003 SP2, verify that the DPM server is a member of the Distributed COM Users group and that the group has Distributed COM (DCOM) Launch and Access permissions for the file server.

To verify group membership on the file server

  1. In Computer Management, expand System Tools, expand Local Users and Groups, and then click Groups.

  2. In the Details pane, double-click the Distributed COM Users group.

  3. Verify that the computer account for the DPM server is a member of the group.

To verify DCOM Launch and Access permission on the file server

  1. In Administrative Tools, open Component Services.

  2. Expand Component Services, expand Computers, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.

  3. On the COM Security tab, under Access Permissions, click Edit Limits.

  4. Verify that the Distributed COM Users group is allowed both Local Access and Remote Access permissions.

  5. On the COM Security tab, under Launch and Activation Permissions, click Edit Limits.

  6. Verify that the Distributed COM Users groups is allowed the following permissions:

    • Local Launch

    • Remote Launch

    • Local Activation

    • Remote Activation