Error Message

Attempts to open the files restored by NetApp Snapshot result in the messages similar to the following:

 

Excel File:

"Excel cannot open the file 'Filename.xlsx' because the file format or the file extension is not valid. Verify that the file has not been corrupted and that the file extension has not been corrupted and that the file extension matches the format of the file."

 

PDF File:

"We can't open this file"

"Something went wrong."

 

Note: Different file types will generate different error messages indicating that the file can't be open or is somehow corrupted. 

 

Per the compatibility guide the NetApp Snapshot feature is not supported at this time. When a placeholder in the Snapshot is copied back to the file server the recall mechanism attempts to restore the file from the archive to the location the placeholder resided first. In this case it's the Snapshot which is read only. Simultaneously, a container that resembles the restored file is created on the destination of where the Snapshot is being copied to. This container resembles the full file in name and size. As the file can not be recalled to the Snapshot, and subsequently copied to the original location, the container remains on the filer appearing to be a corrupted file. 

• Never use unsupported configurations.
• Increase the number of documents to maintain to more than 1 version to minimize and/or prevent potential data loss due to aggressive pruning.
• Finally, if placeholders are lost on a NetApp file do not use NetApp Snapshot. The following methods can be used to recover the item(s):
  • Restore a good copy of the files from a backup of the original location 
  • The archived items can be restored using Enterprise Vault Search. If storing multiple versions then restore a good version of the file(s).
  • Use FSAUtility with -t option to restore the archived files 

Attempts to copy File System Archiving (FSA) Placeholders from NetApp Snapshot to their original location result in the full file appearing to be successfully restored, but corrupted and unusable. Consider the following scenario: A NetApp C-Mode Vserver is being targeted for FSA archiving and is using the NetApp Snapshot feature. A folder structure containing both archived and unarchived items is lost due to accidental deletion. An attempt to recover the folder structure is performed by using the NetApp Snapshot feature. All unarchived items are restored and placeholders appear to be recalled and restored. However, attempts to open the restored placeholders fail. The non-placeholder items have no issues. Issues can be compounded further if Pruning to keep 1 version in the archive is enabled. During the next archiving run the file that was restored from NetApp Snapshot gets archived and the previously stored version in the archive gets pruned. This would leave only the corrupted copy in the archive.

JIRA: CFT-3108