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Veritas NetBackup™ Status Codes Reference Guide

Last Published: 2020-09-14

Product(s): NetBackup (8.3.0.1)

NetBackup status code: 20

Message: invalid command parameter

Explanation: The following issues may cause this error:

One or more command parameters were not valid. This error can occur when incompatible levels of NetBackup are installed on a master and its media servers or clients. For example, a NetBackup master server has NetBackup 8.0 and the media server or the client has NetBackup 7.7.
The wrong parameters are used when you run a command line.
If you protect the NAS arrays using the VSO FIM snapshot method, Data mover is not supported to perform off-host backup.
For BigData policies, the media server and the backup hosts must use the same NetBackup version.

Recommended Action: Do the following, as appropriate:

Review the NetBackup Problems report for clues.
If the error occurs when you run a command on the command line, verify that the parameters are valid.
This status code may occur if nbjm passes parameters but does not have a required parameter. Review the nbjm unified logs (originator ID 117) for the list of parameters that were passed.
The following information pertains to NetBackup Snapshot Client.
- If the following appears in the /usr/openv/netbackup/logs/bptm log as enabled on a third-party copy backup, multiplexing was enabled on a third-party copy backup:
```
bptm: cannot perform Third-Party-Copy for multiplexed backups
send_brm_msg: ERROR 20
```
  bptm: EXITING with status 20
  The Third-party Copy Device off-host backup method is incompatible with multiplexing (the writing of two or more concurrent backup jobs to the same storage device). You must disable multiplexing for any third-party copy backups. If multiplexing is enabled, the backup fails.
- The media server may not have the correct 3pc.conf file entry for the client disk that is needed for the backup.
  The following appears in the /usr/openv/netbackup/logs/bpbkar log:
```
14:45:00.983 [15773] <4> bpmap_mm_get_devid: GET_DEVICE_INDEX 1 
EMC:SYMMETRIX:601092014000
14:45:00.986 [15773] <4> bpbkar child_send_keepalives: keepalive 
child started, pid = 15822
14:47:02.029 [15773] <4> bpmap_mm_get_devid: keepalive child: 
15822 killed
14:47:02.030 [15773] <4> bpmap_mm_get_devid: DEVICE_INDEX -1
14:47:02.031 [15773] <16> bpmap_send_extend: ERR - can't obtain 
device id string EMC:SYMMETRIX:601092014000
14:47:33.167 [15773] <16> bpbkar Exit: ERR - bpbkar FATAL exit 
status = 227: no entity was found
14:47:33.167 [15773] <4> bpbkar Exit: INF - EXIT STATUS 227: no 
entity was found
14:47:33.168 [15773] <2> bpbkar Exit: INF - Close of stdout 
complete
```
  This shows that a particular device cannot be found in the 3pc.conf file on the media server (14:47:02.031 [15773] <16> bpmap_send_extend: ERR - can't obtain device id string EMC:SYMMETRIX:601092014000).
  The problem is one of the following:
  - The 3pc.conf file on the media server is outdated. Recreate the 3pc.conf file.
  - The media server is not on the same Fibre Channel network as the third-party copy device and client disk. As a result, the 3pc.conf file does not have a correct entry for the client disk. Run the bptpcinfo command with the -x client_name option; this option adds the client disk to the 3pc.conf file. For each disk that is added to the file by means of bptpcinfo -x client_name, you may need to add the device's World Wide Name (WWN=).
  See the NetBackup Snapshot Client Configuration online document.
  See Snapshot Client Assistance in the NetBackup Snapshot Client Administrator's Guide.
- The HP VxFS snapshot mechanism requires a dedicated cache partition for each snapshot. A check is made in the mount table to make sure that the cache partition is not already in use. If the cache partition is already in use, status code 20 occurs.
  Review the /usr/openv/netbackup/logs/bpbkar log for a message similar to the following:
```
bpfsmap: FTL - bpfsmap: snapshot cache already in use, 
/dev/arrayvg/vol4c
bpbkar Exit: ERR - bpbkar FATAL exit status = 20: invalid 
command parameter
bpbkar Exit: INF - EXIT STATUS 20: invalid command parameter
```
  If the snapshot cache partition is already in use, do one of the following: Set up your policy schedules to run at different times or use different cache partitions for each backup.
  If the Allow multiple data streams option is enabled, each stream must have its own dedicated cache partition.
Compare the NetBackup version level on the server to the version level on the clients by doing the following:
- On UNIX or Linux NetBackup servers and clients, review the /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/version file.
- On Windows NetBackup servers, review the install_path\Netbackup\version.txt file or the About NetBackup item on the Help menu.
- On Microsoft Windows clients, review the About NetBackup item on the Help menu.
- If a Java interface displays the error, tell them how to enable the debug print manager in the Java startup file. Retry and compare the parameters that were logged on the Java log with the parameters listed in the commands usage statement.
For the Backup Media Server option for VMware backups, the storage unit that is specified in the policy must be unique to your media servers. If the storage unit is also available on another media server, the snapshot job cannot succeed.
If you protect NAS arrays using VSO FIM snapshot method, perform off-host backup using an alternate client.
For BigData policies, the media server and the backup hosts must use the same NetBackup version.
If these actions do not reveal the problem, create a debug log directory for the process that returned this status code (if the process uses legacy logging). Then retry the operation and review the resulting log.

Click here to view technical notes and other information on the Veritas Technical Support website about this status code.