About busy file processing on UNIX clients
Busy file processing applies only to UNIX clients.
Information about VSP (Volume Snapshot Provider) is available for Windows clients.
See the NetBackup Administrator's Guide, Volume I.
A busy file is a file that was detected as changed during a user or a scheduled backup. Typically, detection occurs if a process writes to a file while NetBackup attempts to back it up.
The following conditions result in the detection of busy files:
Read error on the file
File modification time changed
File inode time changed
File size changed
The backup usually completes with a status of 1, which indicates that the backup was partially successful. Busy file processing allows the user control the actions of NetBackup when busy files are detected.
Busy file processing can be configured in the Busy File Settings host properties for UNIX clients.
See the NetBackup Administrator's Guide, Volume I.
Busy file processing can also be enabled by adding the BUSY_FILE_PROCESSING option to the client /usr/openv/netbackup/bp.conf file. Then add other busy file options to control the processing of busy files. The options can exist in both the client /usr/openv/netbackup/bp.conf file and a user's $HOME/bp.conf. The user's bp.conf file takes precedence when the options are in both places.
NetBackup creates several files and directories when it processes busy files. Initially, a working directory named busy_files is created under /usr/openv/netbackup. NetBackup then creates the /actions directory under busy_files and places action files in that directory. An action file contains the information that NetBackup uses to control the processing of busy files.
By default, the contents of the action file are derived from the BUSY_FILE_ACTION options in bp.conf. A user can also create an action file to control a specific backup policy and schedule. NetBackup creates a logs directory under busy_files for storing busy file status and diagnostic information.