Backup sets fail to connect to DS-System because stuck retention jobs hold a lock on the sets

Backup sets fail to connect to DS-System because stuck retention jobs hold a lock on the sets

Machine-distilled from a resolved support ticket on 2026-09-28. Source ref: 41d17bf19d94. Verify before relying on it.

Applies to: DS-Client backing up to a DS-System (version not stated in the ticket; seen on a multi-node DS-System cluster)

Symptom: One or more backup sets will not run and report that they cannot connect to the DS-System. Other sets on the same DS-Client may be affected as well.

Cause: Retention processes on the DS-System had become stuck and were holding a lock on the affected backup sets. While the lock was held, the DS-Client could not start a backup session for those sets, so the error appeared as a connection failure.

Resolution: 1. On the DS-System, check for retention (or other maintenance) activities running against the affected backup sets. 2. Try to stop the stuck retention activities. 3. If they will not stop (for example, stopping them returns an error), schedule emergency maintenance and restart the DS-System node or nodes. This clears the stuck processes and releases the locks. 4. After the restart, run the affected backup sets again and confirm they connect and complete. 5. Check whether other backup sets that share the same DS-System were affected and recheck them as well.