ArcServe Backup 12 and the new log format

bbackx · Post by **bbackx** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 3:53 am

Hi,

Me again, finally found some time to continue my remote monitoring project.
A problem does exist: we are using arcserve backup (by CA) for our backups and would like to monitor those backups (eg: status, number of files in the backup, size, ...).
Since version 12, they changed the log format from simple txt-files to a database. Luckily, there is a tool to create xml-files containing the needed info.
A backup job consists of many job ID's, and for each ID, I get an xml-entry like the following:

Code: Select all

<REC>
    <VAL>Finished  </VAL>
    <VAL>DONDERDAG                 </VAL>
    <VAL>214  </VAL>
    <VAL>7  </VAL>
    <VAL>07/31/2009 00:04:14  </VAL>
    <VAL>29094  </VAL>
    <VAL>03/30/2012 17:50:28  </VAL>
    <VAL>09DD  </VAL>
    <VAL>1  </VAL>
</REC>

Does anyone has experience with Arcserve Backup and knows if there is a way to get some clearer named entries (eg: status, day, job ID, ...) instead of just <VAL></VAL>. The CA-support forum doesn't really give me any answers

KS-Soft · Post by **KS-Soft** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 1:24 pm

I think Arcserve can use any SQL server as database? Then I think its better to check this database instead of checking XML file. You may setup ODBC Query test method, execute SQL query and check result...

Regards
Alex

bbackx · Post by **bbackx** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 2:26 am

Didn't know that arcserve could use an SQL database.
However it's still not an ideal solution since we would have to install an SQL-server on all the servers we monitor (about 100 which are running ArcServe Backup).
Creating the XML-file is a whole lot easier to do.

KS-Soft · Post by **KS-Soft** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:47 am

Such XML format is really bad for checking. All fields have the same name?! I don't know how HostMonitor or some other monitoring program can determine what exactly line should be checked.
If you can check for some exact and unique string (like 'backup error') then you may use built-in tests, otherwise you need custom made test just for Arcserve...

On the other hand may be you don't need these files at all? Arcserver can send SNMP Trap messages, right? So you may setup it to send SNMP Traps to HostMonitor and use SNMP Trap test method to receive these messages.

Regards
Alex

bbackx · Post by **bbackx** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 2:11 am

I know, if they would just have given a different name for each field (as usual in .xml-files) it would be a great way to process logs.

I'll have a look at the SNMP Trap messages, thanks for the tip.

bbackx · Post by **bbackx** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:59 am

Can't seem to get things to work with snmp.
My test setup contains the Host Monitor server, Arcserve Backup and an active RMA (all installed on one server for testing purposes).
I've configured Arcserve to send an snmp-message to 127.0.0.1 when the backup-job is finished, but nothing seems to happen

The active RMA doesn't see anything SNMP-related passing, nor does the HM-server.

KS-Soft · Post by **KS-Soft** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:59 am

I've configured Arcserve to send an snmp-message to 127.0.0.1 when the backup-job is finished, but nothing seems to happen

Have you setup SNMP Trap test? What software is started on 127.0.0.0 (the same system where Arcserve is running?)? Active RMA? HostMonitor?

Regards
Alex