Error Code 32:406 Preferred data path is offline or busy

Data Protection Job goes to waiting/pending state because of inability to access storage path or media.

Symptoms

Job goes to a pending/waiting state with Error Code: [32:406]: Preferred data path is offline or busy.

Causes

Usually related to use of tape library. The prefered data path is not available because one or more of the components in the data path is offline or otherwise not available.  Pending/Waiting jobs will resume when either the prefered data path comes back online, or alternate data paths are enabled and available.

Cause for offline/unavailabilty can be any of a number of reasons

Resolution

Data path consists of MediaAgent, Library, DrivePool and Spare Media Pool. The Preferred Data path uses the MediaAgent co-hosted with the Client Agent.  If the associated Storage Policy has more than one data path from the same MediaAgent, check which data path is being used by the job.

Running Check Readiness for the Client is the easiest way to identify any problems with the data path.

To verify each component individually:

• In Job Controller, open Details and check for number of readers being used.
• Open MediaAgent Properites and verify that both the MediaAgent and Index Cache states are online and ready
• Open the Library Properties and verify its state is online and ready
• Open the Master Drive Pool and verify the online/ready state of all drives in the drive pool.  Check for offline, occupied, or reserved drives.  You should have sufficient number of ready state drives to accommodate all readers needed for the job.

Correct any offline state.  If drives are busy, you can suspend the job and wait until drives are not busy or let that job retry as scheduled until drives are free and the job can continue.