There is an issue with backing up a server that has redirected user folders/files using NovaBACKUP Cloud (xSP) 19.4.x client to an xSP Storage Storage Server device, if the redirected user folders are included in the backup job. When backing up to the xSP device it fails with what looks like a permission issue. If we re-install with 19.1.x or 19.2.x it works just fine for both local and xSP backups. We have a bug report filed for this and it will be looked at in a future a Cloud (xSP) client version.
File Redirection backup issue to xSP Storage Server, if using Folder Redirection GPO. We believe the issue is with the NovaBACKUP 19.4.923.2 and 19.3.x for backup client targeting an xSP Storage Server device for backup of redirected folders, and not an issue with the xSP Storage Server component itself. The workaround that has been found is to install 19.2 or 19.1 NovaBACKUP client to target the same xSP Storage Server and that works fine, if we try 19.4.x client to perform the same backup it cannot backup the redirected folder/file content. It has been verified that NovaBACKUP 19.1.1423 client can backup the same redirected folder structure to xSP Storage Server 19.4.923.2. It does not seem to matter what backup job Run As settings or service Log On As setting is on the Backup/Copy Engine service are in place. Setting the job's Run As property to run as a particular user will only allow that one user to backup his own folders/files, but will skip the rest, even if that user is a Domain Admin/Local Admin. The only way to make this work is to go around the recommendations by Microsoft on how to setup Folder Redirection (and matching GPO) in that your Domain Admin takes ownership of the Redirected folder structure and enables inheritance.
It is a permission issue whereby our backup service is not getting complete access to the redirected folders to back those folders up. I have reproduced it as a Domain Controller running Server 2012 R2, with the backup client on it, and Storage Server on a separate 2012 R2 machine, the 3 total client computers with different OS combo of two Win 10, one Win 7 and one other 2012 R2 machine are able to login and have redirected Desktop/Documents/Photos folders hosted on the redirected share on the DC. When it comes to backing up that redirected Shares folder, if “Administrator” is one of the users that has his folders redirected, like for Desktop/Documents/Photos, then those files will complete the backup, however none of the other users’ redirected folders will be able to backup to the same xSP device. The backup will show completed with Warnings in this case, but only the Administrator’s redirected files will transfer. If only the redirected Users folders (other than Administrator user’s folder if that is part of the redirected folder set, in my case it is but in the customer’s case probably is not) are selected for backup, like E:\Shares\Redirected\, the backup job will complete successfully with all files backed up. I have tried running the job as different Admin users with no success to xSP Storage Server 19.4.923.2 device. I have tried Run As Admin on NovaBACKUP shortcut and no difference. VSS enabled or disabled does not matter. I have attached the log set from the Domain Controller running NBK client, if someone needs to see the logs.
Microsoft article on how to setup and deploy Folder Redirection is here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/folder-redirection/deploy-folder-redirection
Example GPO for folder redirection, which shows the issue with backup to xSP Storage Server device for Redirected Folders, here:
It seems to be because both Local System and Domain Admin cannot get access to the folder structure via Win Explorer, as the Domain Admin even gets permission denied accessing any of the sub-folder under those users by default, even just to read the contents. The Domain Admin can enter the various redirected user’s folders they just can’t access any sub-folders. Possible due to inheritance.
The errors will show in the backup log as:
“Warning: The following file could not be backed up at this time: \\Ex-Machina\Redirected\Johnny.Rocket\Desktop\test.txt
“Warning: The following file could not be backed up at this time: \\Ex-Machina\Redirected\Johnny.Rocket\Photos\Images\Image1.PNG
“Warning: The following file could not be backed up at this time: \\Ex-Machina\Redirected\Jon.F2\Desktop\test.txt
“Warning: The following file could not be backed up at this time: \\Ex-Machina\Redirected\Joh.F2\Photos\Images\Image1.PNG
Performing the same backup to local drive E:\Test\ will complete all folders successfully while the job is running as either Domain Admin or Logged in User. Since the client is running on a DC, I can’t test Local Admin.
However, if I run the backup job to xSP Storage Server device with Run As as “Johnny.Rocket” user, the job can backup Johnny Rocket’s redirected folder files to xSP device, but skips all of the other users’s folders:
Thank you.
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