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heavy-d avatar image
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heavy-d asked ZhengqiLou-MSFT commented

Exchange 2019 DAG Autoreseed Disk Reclaimer not working

I am trying to test the Autoreseed feature. I unplug a disk and the normal Event IDs showing the DB status is failed, its trying to repair, repeat a number of times, then it gets to the Event ID 1149 disk Reclaimer showing it searching for available spare volumes.
The Volume Manager found the following volumes:
UnknownVolumeCount=0
UnEncryptedEmptySpareVolumeCount=0
EncryptingEmptySpareVolumeCount=0
EncryptedEmptySpareVolumeCount=2
QuarantinedVolumeCount=0
NotUsableAsSpareVolumeCount=18
ErrorVolumeCount=0
ReFSVolumeCount=0
---UnEncryptedEmptySpareVolumeList---
---EncryptingEmptySpareVolumeList---
---EncryptedEmptySpareVolumeList---
D:\ExchangeVolumes\Volume16\ ( \\?\Volume{df9fa9d4-517c-43f0-8d98-e19428a8644e}\ )
D:\ExchangeVolumes\Volume17\ ( \\?\Volume{190fb710-e0ca-4f8f-a8fb-9a525fc5ae0e}\ )

Even though if shows two available volumes it never uses them. It just continues with the repeating errors that the DB is failed.
Any clues?
Thanks!!

office-exchange-server-administration
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ZhengqiLou-MSFT avatar image
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ZhengqiLou-MSFT answered

Hi @heavy-d ,

---EncryptedEmptySpareVolumeList---

Does that mean you have encrypted these volumes with Bitlocker? If so:
85522-image.png

Also check the DAG AutoReseed settings with

 Get-DatabaseAvailabilityGroup DAG | Format-List *auto*

Regards,
Lou


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heavy-d avatar image
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heavy-d answered ZhengqiLou-MSFT commented

Yes, bitlocker is enabled on the spare volumes and AutoDagBitlockerEnabled is already set. Here is the output of the command you suggested.
AutoDagSchemaVersion : 1.0
AutoDagDatabaseCopiesPerDatabase : 2
AutoDagDatabaseCopiesPerVolume : 6
AutoDagTotalNumberOfDatabases : 0
AutoDagTotalNumberOfServers : 0
AutoDagDatabasesRootFolderPath : D:\ExchangeDatabases
AutoDagVolumesRootFolderPath : D:\ExchangeVolumes
AutoDagAllServersInstalled : False
AutoDagAutoReseedEnabled : True
AutoDagDiskReclaimerEnabled : True
AutoDagBitlockerEnabled : True
AutoDagFIPSCompliant : False
AutoDagAutoRedistributeEnabled : True
AutoDagSIPEnabled : False

The above paths are the correct locations of the mount points on the D: drive.

I found this error in the event viewer but not sure how to handle it: Could not determine which databases should be grouped on the same volume. Please ensure that the databases in the DAG have their DatabaseGroup properties set according to the database-volume grouping desired. If the DatabaseGroup property is left blank, please manually assign the database mount points as desired.

I looked up the parameter for DatabaseGroup, but the technet article says it is used only internally by Microsoft.

Thank you

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Hi @heavy-d ,

Could you find the files in the VolumesRootFolder: D:\ExchangeVolumes ?

For the database group event, could you manually configure the volumes and directory: Configure AutoReseed for a database availability group

Best regards,
Lou

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heavy-d avatar image
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heavy-d answered ZhengqiLou-MSFT edited

The root D:\ExchangeVolumes contains the ..Volume## folders/mount points as per the article you linked. the spare volumes have the appropriate folders that are empty. I used that article to setup the AutoReseed and have gone through it numerous times to verify all matches.
Is there any logs or something that actually says what specifically is failing?
Thanks

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Hi @heavy-d ,

Did some research and I couldn't find any MS official docs that has a clarification for this issue.
The most professional was: https://msexchangeguru.com/2013/02/12/e2013-auto-reseed/
Please Note: Since the web site is not hosted by Microsoft, the link may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

And for the DatabaseGroup, I check it on my lab and it's blank by default. And I think you don't have to set a value.
Could you try disable the Bitlocker and have a try? And are there any Event logs useful?


Best regards,
Lou

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heavy-d avatar image
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heavy-d answered ZhengqiLou-MSFT commented

I have already went through that article, thank you.
I unecrypted one of the spare volumes and it still does the same thing.
Here are the events:
Log Name: Microsoft-Exchange-HighAvailability/Seeding
Source: Microsoft-Exchange-HighAvailability
Date: 4/12/2021 9:53:49 AM
Event ID: 1119
Task Category: Auto Reseed Manager
Level: Error
User: SYSTEM
Description:
Automatic Reseed Manager failed to resume database copy 'MBXDB1903' as part of repair workflow 'FailedSuspendedCopyAutoReseed' after a maximum of 3 attempts. The workflow will next attempt to assign a spare volume and reseed the database copy.
Log Name: Microsoft-Exchange-HighAvailability/Seeding
Source: Microsoft-Exchange-HighAvailability
Date: 4/12/2021 9:53:49 AM
Event ID: 1111
Task Category: Auto Reseed Manager
Level: Error
User: SYSTEM
Description:
Automatic Reseed Manager failed to execute repair workflow 'FailedSuspendedCopyAutoReseed' for database 'MBXDB1903'. Error: The Automatic Reseed Manager encountered an error: The automatic repair operation for database copy 'MBXDB1903\HEX1902' will not be run because one of the prerequisite checks failed. Error: Could not determine which databases should be grouped on the same volume. Please ensure that the databases in the DAG have their DatabaseGroup properties set according to the database-volume grouping desired. If the DatabaseGroup property is left blank, please manually assign the database mount points as desired.
Other ideas?
Thanks

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Hi @heavy-d ,

If you run Mountvol, could you see the mount points like:
87351-snipaste-2021-04-13-17-25-05.png
You don't have to set the value for DatabaseGroup, you should manually assign the database mount points with

 mountvol c:\ExchangeDatabases\DB01 \\?\Volume{GUID}\

I'm doing some tests in my lab and if I get a result, I will post here.

Best regards,
Lou

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heavy-d avatar image
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heavy-d answered ZhengqiLou-MSFT commented

Yes. I have attached what the normal mount points look like as well as the two spare volumes.
87810-mountpoints.png
Thanks



mountpoints.png (72.1 KiB)
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Hi @heavy-d ,

Sorry for the late, from the snip you shared, I couldn't find the mount point with another disk.
Could you try using the disk manager to add it?
Run -> diskmgmt.msc -> right click the volume disk -> Change Drive Letter and Paths -> add -> Choose D:\ExchangevOLUMES\Volume14

Then check if the mountvol shows the volumes correctlly.

Best regards,
Lou

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Im a little confused. I have mount point D:\ExchangeVolumes\Volume14, it is the very first one in the image above. Can you explain with more details please?
Thank you

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Hi @heavy-d ,

So sorry that I was run into a loop of the volumes:(
You're right and It should be like what you posted.

And I've check the Event Viewer and find the same event:
89455-image.png
But after I changed the volumes file to a more likely correct path, I didn't see it.

Also could you find any useful Error events from the Event viewer?

Best regards,
Lou

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