SQL Server Performance Forum – Threads Archive

Backup fails to write to network mapped drive

I have changed our sql 2ksp3 servers to backup to our network drive, instead of their local arrays. Each server now has a Z: drive which maps into an area of the network.
The scheduled backups are working for all servers, apart from one, which consistently fails with the following error: /*—————————–
BACKUP DATABASE [SUBS] TO DISK = N’Z:SUBS.bak’ WITH INIT, NOUNLOAD, SKIP, STATS=10, FORMAT
—————————–*/
Server: Msg 3201, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
Cannot open backup device ‘Z:SUBS.bak’. Device error or device off-line. See the SQL Server error log for more details.
Server: Msg 3013, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
BACKUP DATABASE is terminating abnormally. The sql server is logged on as a domain user, which has write access to the share and network. Sql agent also runs under this user.
Sql logs show: BackupDiskFile::CreateMedia: Backup device ‘Z:SUBS.bak’ failed to create. Operating system error = 5(Access is denied.). I have also read the KB article athttp://support.microsoft.com/defaul…port/kb/articles/Q207/1/87.asp&NoWebContent=1 which suggests the network security settings are wrong, but ive double checked them and they appear ok. If i go onto the server I can create files on Z: drive, using the user sql server runs as. Can anyone please suggest why the job could be failing?
Thanks

no idea i’m afraid.
the account isn’t getting locked out or anything?
why have you chosen this backup strategy? mapped drives give me the willies. i’d look at dumping locally then moving across the network using robocopy.exe. Tom Pullen
DBA, Oxfam GB

Fixed it now, thanks. It seems the backup files already existed from a previous attempt, but were owned by another user and werent shared for write access to the sql server (the sql user was recently changed, I guess I should have figured this out earlier!). Yes I agree, Id rather choose the strategy you recommend, but our servers are running out of space to host their own backups, even temporarily <img src=’/community/emoticons/emotion-6.gif’ alt=’

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Force your employer to buy you some spanking new servers with 150GB disks in arrays of 12 on multi-channel duplxed raid controllers in that case! And ask them for a Ferrari while you’re at it.. <img src=’/community/emoticons/emotion-5.gif’ alt=’

‘ /> Tom Pullen DBA, Oxfam GB

Ok, Im taking your advice. Ill let you know how I get on <img src=’/community/emoticons/emotion-5.gif’ alt=’;-)’ />

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