How to decommission a NetBackup media server?

Description

In NetBackup, the preferred method for decommissioning a media server is via the nbdecommission utility/command.

• Example:
  nbdecommission -oldserver <old_server> -newserver <new_server>
• For more details on this command, please see the NetBackup Commands Reference Guide for the installed version.

Decommissioning and removing a media server from a NetBackup configuration manually requires several steps; most of which will be done automatically using the command utility mentioned above.

• If devices attached to the media server contain NetBackup media, move the media to a new media server. If the media is no longer usable or valid, delete it from the NetBackup configuration.

• If not using nbdecommission, the following procedure can be used to decommission a server (the <old_server>) and move; its media to a new media server (the <new_server>).

• If this procedure is not performed and a subsequent restore requires media that is associated with the old media server, the media must be imported. Importing media consumes more time than the following procedure.

• If the server is configured for MSDP (Media Server Deduplication Pool), please see the Related Articles section below for the KB article (100004810) with steps on how to remove the related configuration.

To manually decommission a media server

Note: All commands referenced below can be found in the following directories:

UNIX/Linux: /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/admincmd
Windows: install_path\NetBackup\bin\admincmd

1. To determine which tapes on <old_server> contain NetBackup images that have not expired, run the bpmedialist command as follows, where the -l option produces one line of output per tape:
   bpmedialist -mlist -l -h <old_server>

2. Use the NetBackup Administration Console to move the tapes in the robots that are attached to <old_server> to non-robotic status (standalone).

   • Select each robot that is attached to <old_server>.

   • Select all of the tapes and move them to standalone (select Actions > Move).

3. Choose another server or the Primary/Master server to manage the tapes from the decommissioned server. Logically move the media from <old_server> to <new_server>, by running the following command:
   bpmedia -movedb -allvolumes -oldserver <old_server> -newserver <new_server>

   • Note: This command modifies the NetBackup image database and the media server entry in the header files of all the backups taken by <old_server> is replaced with a <new_server> entry.

   • Examples:
     An image header file:
     
     # FRAG: c# f# K rem mt den fn id/path host bs off md dwo f_flags f_unused1 exp mpx rl chkpt rsm_nbr seq_no media_subtype keep_date copy_date i_unused1
FRAGMENT 1 1 890 0 0 0 0 C:\backup\windows_client_1320927029_C1_F1 windowsmaster 262144 0 0 -1 0 windowsmaster 1322136629 0 65537 0 0 0 1 0 1320927040 0
BACKUP_ID windows_client_1320927029
     
     Note: The images reside in C:\backup. In order to restore the backups move the images to same location on new media server. The operating system should be the same so that the path could be accessed.
     
     Now if this command is executed:
     bpmedia -movedb -allvolumes -oldserver windowsmaster -newserver linuxmedia
     
     The header file looks like this:
     
     # FRAG: c# f# K rem mt den fn id/path host bs off md dwo f_flags f_unused1 exp mpx rl chkpt rsm_nbr seq_no media_subtype keep_date copy_date i_unused1
FRAGMENT 1 1 890 0 0 0 0 C:\backup\windows_client_1320927029_C1_F1 linuxmedia 262144 0 0 -1 0 windowsmaster 1322136629 0 65537 0 0 0 1 0 1320927040 0
BACKUP_ID windows_client_1320927029
     
     Run tpconfig or vmoprcmd afterwards to ensure that nothing remains showing against the old media server.

4. Use the Administration Console to configure NetBackup so that restore requests are directed to <new_server>.

   • In the General Server host properties of the Primary/Master server, add a Media Host Override entry that specifies <old_server> for the Original backup server and <new_server> as the Restore server.

5. Use the NetBackup Administration Console to delete the following in this order:

   • All storage units that use the robots that are associated with <old_server>.

   • Drives from <old_server>.

   • Robots from <old_server>.

   • Note: In case NetBackup is already uninstalled from the media server ,while deleting the devices from the GUI ,we may get an error mentioning the volume manager daemon on that server is not running. In that case, from the Primary/Master(EMM) server, run the following command:
     nbemmcmd -deletealldevices -machinename <old_server> -machinetype media

6. Modify any policies that specify the storage units on <old_server>.

   • Change the policies to point to any other defined storage units in the NetBackup configuration or to Any Available.

7. Use the NetBackup Administration Console to remove any reference to the decommissioned media server in the Servers host properties of the Primary/Master server, all media servers, and all clients.

8. Restart the NetBackup daemons or services on any system that was updated.

9. To remove reference to the media server from EMM, run command:
   nbemmcmd -deletehost -machinename <old_server> -machinetype media

   • Then, to verify that all references have been removed, run command:
     nbemmcmd -listhosts

10. Remove any files named <old_server> found in the remote_versions directory:
    
    UNIX/Linux: /opt/openv/netbackup/remote_versions/
    Windows: install_path\NetBackup\Remote_Versions\

11. If any robots from <old_server> are reused on other media servers, perform the following actions:

    • Shut down the affected servers and disconnect the robots from the old servers. Connect the robots to the new media servers. Verify that the operating systems on the new media servers recognize the robots.

    • Use the NetBackup Device Configuration Wizard to add the robots and drives to the media servers.

    • Use the NetBackup Administration Console to create the appropriate NetBackup storage units.

    • Use the NetBackup Administration Console to inventory the robots that are attached to <new_server>. The inventory updates the location of all tapes in these robots.

Note: This document is also applicable to a SAN media server. A SAN media server is the same as a media server except it only backs up itself and does not backup remote clients.