Here is an example of the errors generated --

Recovering 5112 files within /fs04/XXX_Apps/MyApplicationFolder/Images/Slips/ into /D/NDMPRestores

Total estimated disk space needed for recover is 626 MB.

Requesting 5112 file(s), this may take a while...

NDMP Service Debug: The process id for NDMP service is 0x7143718

42795:nsrndmp_recover: Performing recover from Non-NDMP type of device

Host = chyws0016.us.qdx.com (10.44.14.29) port = 8526

NDMP Service Debug: The process id for NDMP service is 0x7143718

42689:nsrndmp_recover: Performing DAR Recovery..

42597:nsrndmp_recover: ndmp header: illegal arguments in request

42596:nsrndmp_recover: data start recover: communication failure.

42849:nsrndmp_recover: Unable to start the NDMP restore process.

42871:nsrndmp_recover: Error during File NDMP Extraction.

nsrdsa_recover : Aborted

42840:nsrndmp_recover: NDMP recover failed.

42880:nsrndmp_recover: Error during NDMP recover

16279:winworkr: NDMP retrieval: child failed with status of 1

I am not sure I understand your answer. I did get the restore to put the data back on the NAS, but that is not what I wanted to do. I can think of a bunch of scenarios where I would want to restore from an NDMP backup to a Windows share. This cannot be done? What if we get rid of the Celera and don't replace it? Our Celera is going off support next year. The replacement may not be the same type of unit or we may want to restore some of the data onto a Windows server share. This cannot be done? We now use the Celera to back up some user PCs (via file copy, not Networker) and then will want to restore directly to a Windows share on a Windows VM. That cannot be done? If I am correct, what use is the redirect option if it is so limited? Why would that limitation be left in place? The target location should be anything with the same file system, in my mind. NFS to NFS should work to any destination, especially if it is the same computer that is running the Networker User program. Am I missing some concept about NDMP that locks us into restoring back to only another NDMP device? All we are doing is reading data off a tape and sending it someplace. Sorry to rant, but this sort of thing is what makes me not so enamoured about Networker. The error messages are nearly useless, there are Unix-like restrictions even when running a program in Windows (the destination in the redirect), the Windows GUI leaves out tons of options that can only be found, without many syntax examples, in the various guides. I could go on and on.

On the non-rant side, thank you for your help. Once I stopped knocking my head against a wall it went very smoothly.

I think you don't understand how NDMP works, but this is something that many people will ignore (I used to assume when younger that NDMP is just protocol I can use to backup and restore to anything else that supports NDMP).  In short, backup is done by ndmpd daemon running on filer and only that filer (or that family of filers if you want) can understand what is being used.  Sure, NDMP is standard, but implementation level between different vendors is not so homogeneous plus their volume structure differs.  I also have Celerra and NetApp and I do backup via NDMP.  But, if I need to protect something for 7 years or so, I won't use NDMP, but rather NFS as:

- that is rare enough to be deviation from standard practice

- I do not wish to be hostage of certain technology in future as I have no idea what future brings

You can rant as much as you want, but this has nothing to do with NetWorker   If you change filers, I see no issue as backups will expire sooner or later. If you use long term retention to archive something, I would suggest to restore that first and do backup of it via share (NFS/CIFS or whatever pleases you).

Thank you , that was helpful, as always. We do have to keep some items for 25 years. I too did not know about the NDMP quirks. That is where our large file storage area is located, not on true Windows boxes. Tapeless backups to archival arrays are looking like a better solution for my situation (millions of small files, long term archiving, future compatibility, etc.). So, just to be sure, NDMP backups from various vendors might not be restorable to each other's devices due to differing implementations, and none of them can be restored to a Windows location, even if the file system on the Celera was built as a CIF type file system?

davek wrote: So, just to be sure, NDMP backups from various vendors might not be restorable to each other's devices due to differing implementations, and none of them can be restored to a Windows location, even if the file system on the Celera was built as a CIF type file system?

That is correct. If you have something worth keeping 25 years, I would keep that on multiple locations and protected by different technologies.  In 25 years technology changes and I doubt anyone in NAS world will guarantee backward compatibility for such long time. If you have to keep this on Centera, I would say ok. But anything else, I would try to keep on ad within format which is most likely to survive - and even then I believe I would need to change format probably 2-3 times in course of 25 years.

Thanks for the reply. However, I had already tried that. It turns out that backups made from NDMP devices cannot be sent to local Windows servers. They can go only to other NDMP devices or the one that the backup was made from. See the threads from Hrvoje above.

Hi

it was just the first thing that popped into mind when I read the Headlines. Anyway I do not have anything else so I rest my case. Good luck with it.

Hi

I think that you are using something like Drive letter:\folder\folder\file.txt   try using drive letter:/folder/file.txt

Best regards Otto