VSPAPI.dll is a DLL that gets installed during Advanced Open File Option (AOFO) installation. VSPAPI.dll along with Volume Snapshot Provider (VSP)  driver called VSP.SYS is responsible for local or remote Symantec snapshot backups.


Resolution:
1. Make sure AOFO option is installed and licensed.

Note: A valid serial number will be required to install the AOFO on a registered copy of Backup Exec (tm) software .


Follow the steps given below to install AOFO on Local server. For installing AOFO on remote servers please refer to the related technote section.

a.  Open the Backup Exec software

b.  In the VERITAS Backup Exec window, on the menu bar, click Tools

c.  In the Tools menu, click Serial Numbers and Installation

d.  In the Welcome window, click Next

e.  In the Program Maintenance window, click to select the Local Install (Figure 1) option.

Figure 1
 

f.  Click Next

g.  In the VERITAS Backup Exec Serial Number window, add the serial number of the Advanced Open File Option (AOFO)

Note:  To use a 60 day evaluation license, click Next without entering a serial number. The evaluation copy of Backup Exec for Windows Servers enables many options that must be purchased as separate items and are NOT included as part of the Backup Exec for Windows Servers base installation.

h.  Click Next

i.  In the list of available features, click the down arrow next to Advanced Open File Option (Figure 2)

Figure 2
 

j.  In the drop-down menu click to select This feature will be installed on XXXX's hard drive (Figure 3)

Figure 3
 

k.  Click Next

l.   In the Ready to Install the Program window, click Install

Note:  A window will appear showing the status of the installation.

m.  Click Finish

Note:  The computer must be restarted to complete the installation.



2.  Manually check the presence of  VSPAPI.dll and VSP.SYS on Local or Remote server(s).

a.  Check the presence of VSPAPI.dll

Location for local server: <program files>Veritas\backup exec\nt\vspapi.dll

Location for remote server:<program files>\Veritas\backup exec\rant\vspapi.dll



b. Check the presence of VSP.SYS

Location for local & remote server : <systemroot>\system32\drivers

VSP.SYS can also be checked in System Information under Software Environment under Drivers (Figure 4)

Figure 4:
 


Note: Verify the version of VSP.SYS and VSPAPI.dll are correct with respect to the version of Backup Exec. Absence of either of these files indicates a broken installation of AOFO.

3. This error can also be caused by a permissions issue. This error may be received if the logon account that is specified in the job definition does not have sufficient privileges to detect the presence of VSP.sys or VSPAPI.dll.  

a. To find out what logon account is being used to access the resource in question edit the backup job by right clicking and selecting properties as shown in (Figure 5) below.

 

b. Click on Resource Credentials as shown in (Figure 6) below.

 

c. Select the Resource server and then click on change button as shown in (Figure 7) below.

 

d. One can see the Logon Account Selection box as shown in (Figure 8) below.

 

The logon account should  have local  admin rights to the  server  that is  experiencing the problem.  It is recommended that if you are backing up servers in a domain the logon account should be a member of the Domain Admins and Administrators group.  If you are backing up servers in a Workgroup the logon account should be a part of the local administrators group on each server.  It is not recommended for the logon account to be a part of the Backup Operators group.

NOTE: If the issue is unresolved after following steps 2 & 3, uninstall and re-install AOFO on the server that is producing the AOFO error. For details please refer to the related technote section below.