"michaelg via SQLMonster.com" wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I am running an active-active cluster on SQL 2000 SP3a over a Windows 2003
> Enterprise server. We have two production instances running (SQL1 and SQL2).
> Each was setup on a different node originally. When the two instances are
> running on the same node, the instance that was not setup on that node
> experiences locked files and failed backups.
>
> Here is an example:
>
> SQL1 was setup on Node1 and SQL2 was setup on Node2. When SQL1 and SQL2 are
> both running on Node1, our backup job fails because it sees that a couple of
> the database backup files are locked. Even after I clear the locks and re-run
> the backup script, the job still fails for the same reason. Now when I run
> the same job when SQL2 is back on Node2, the job completes successfully. Not
> all of the database backups fail, just the ones that are over 2Gb.
>
> Has anyone experienced this or heard about this before? I've checked postings
> here as well as TechNet, but haven't found anything.
>
> Thanks for your assistance.
> Michael
>
> --
> Message posted via SQLMonster.com
> http://www.sqlmonster.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx/sql-server/200609/1
>
>

>> both running on Node1, our backup job fails
>
>By 'our backup job', I assume you meant the SQL Server database backup job.
>
>The problem should not have anything to do with how the two instances were
>originally set up. Nor should it necessarily have anything to do with the
>fact that the two instances were running on the same node. It was a
>coincident that it did happen when the two instances were running on the same
>node.
>
>To resolve the problem, you need to first determine what process(es) or
>programs are locking the backup files. My hunch is that they are most likely
>locked either by an anti-virus program or a network file backup job. In other
>words, the anti-virus or the network file backup job happened to collide with
>the database backup on this particular node.
>
>One way to be sure about what is locking the backup file is to add another
>step immediately before the SQL Server backup to dump out all the NT handles
>or just the handles on the backup file. You can use the sysinternals tool
>handle.exe for this purpose.
>
>Linchi
>
>> Hello,
>>
>[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>> Thanks for your assistance.
>> Michael

"michaelg via SQLMonster.com" wrote:

> Yes, I meant the SQL Server database backup jobs.
>
> This is not a one-time event. No matter what time I run the database backup
> job on Node1, the job fails. This makes me think that it is not a tape backup
> or any scheduled event. When I moved back to Node2 this morning, the job ran
> fine multiple times.
>
> I am not familiar with the handle.exe. Is this a 3rd party tool or is it
> included in Microsoft?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Linchi Shea wrote:
> >> both running on Node1, our backup job fails
> >
> >By 'our backup job', I assume you meant the SQL Server database backup job.
> >
> >The problem should not have anything to do with how the two instances were
> >originally set up. Nor should it necessarily have anything to do with the
> >fact that the two instances were running on the same node. It was a
> >coincident that it did happen when the two instances were running on the same
> >node.
> >
> >To resolve the problem, you need to first determine what process(es) or
> >programs are locking the backup files. My hunch is that they are most likely
> >locked either by an anti-virus program or a network file backup job. In other
> >words, the anti-virus or the network file backup job happened to collide with
> >the database backup on this particular node.
> >
> >One way to be sure about what is locking the backup file is to add another
> >step immediately before the SQL Server backup to dump out all the NT handles
> >or just the handles on the backup file. You can use the sysinternals tool
> >handle.exe for this purpose.
> >
> >Linchi
> >
> >> Hello,
> >>
> >[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> >> Thanks for your assistance.
> >> Michael
>
> --
> Message posted via http://www.sqlmonster.com
>
>