Veritas Flex Appliance Getting Started and Administration Guide

Last Published:
Product(s): Appliances (1.3)
Platform: Flex Appliance OS
  1. Product overview
    1.  
      Introduction to Veritas Flex Appliance
    2.  
      About the Flex Appliance documentation
    3.  
      Flex Appliance 1.3 new features, enhancements, and changes
    4.  
      Supported upgrade paths to this release
    5.  
      Operational notes
    6.  
      Flex Appliance 1.3 release content
  2. Getting started
    1.  
      Initial configuration guidelines and checklist
    2.  
      Performing the initial configuration
    3.  
      Adding a node
    4.  
      Accessing and using the Flex Appliance Shell
    5.  
      Accessing and using the Flex Appliance Console
    6.  
      Installing the NetBackup Administration Console and client packages
    7.  
      Common tasks in Flex Appliance
  3. Modifying settings
    1.  
      Creating a network bond
    2.  
      Deleting a network bond
    3.  
      Configuring a network interface
    4.  
      Setting the date and time for appliance nodes
    5.  
      Changing DNS or Hosts file settings
  4. Managing users
    1.  
      Overview of the Flex Appliance default users
    2. Managing Flex Appliance Console users and tenants
      1.  
        Adding a tenant
      2.  
        Editing a tenant
      3.  
        Removing a tenant
      4.  
        Adding a local user to the Flex Appliance Console
      5.  
        Connecting an Active Directory domain to the Flex Appliance Console
      6.  
        Importing an Active Directory user or user group to the Flex Appliance Console
      7.  
        Editing an Active Directory domain in the Flex Appliance Console
      8.  
        Changing a user password in the Flex Appliance Console
      9.  
        Removing a user from the Flex Appliance Console
    3.  
      Changing the hostadmin user password in the Flex Appliance Shell
    4. Managing NetBackup application instance users
      1.  
        Adding and removing local NetBackup instance users
      2.  
        Connecting a remote user domain to a NetBackup instance
      3.  
        Changing a user password on a NetBackup instance
  5. Using Flex Appliance
    1. Managing the repository
      1.  
        Adding files to the repository
      2.  
        Removing the current appliance upgrade or update package from the repository
    2. Creating application instances
      1.  
        Creating a NetBackup master server instance
      2.  
        Creating a NetBackup media server instance
    3. Managing application instances
      1.  
        Resizing instance storage
      2.  
        Editing instance network settings
      3. Managing application add-ons on instances
        1.  
          Installing application add-ons
        2.  
          Uninstalling application add-ons
        3.  
          Changing the application add-on installation order
      4.  
        Viewing instance performance metrics
      5. Running NetBackup commands on an application instance
        1.  
          Creating a NetBackup touch file on an application instance
      6.  
        Setting environment variables on NetBackup instances
      7.  
        Storing custom data on a NetBackup instance
      8.  
        Establishing trust with a NetBackup 7.7.3 master server instance
    4. Upgrading application instances
      1.  
        Warnings and considerations for instance rollbacks
    5. About Flex Appliance upgrades and updates
      1.  
        Upgrading Flex Appliance
      2.  
        Updating Flex Appliance
  6. Monitoring the appliance
    1. About AutoSupport and Call Home
      1.  
        Registering an appliance
      2.  
        Viewing Call Home information
      3.  
        Configuring Call Home settings
      4.  
        Deleting and disabling Call Home settings
    2. Monitoring the hardware from the Flex Appliance Shell
      1.  
        Viewing node information
      2.  
        Viewing Primary Storage Shelf information on a Veritas 5340 Appliance
      3.  
        Viewing Expansion Storage Shelf information on a Veritas 5340 Appliance
    3.  
      Viewing hardware faults
    4.  
      Viewing system data
  7. Reconfiguring the appliance
    1.  
      Performing a factory reset
    2.  
      Recovering storage data after a factory reset
    3.  
      Performing a storage reset
    4.  
      Removing a node
  8. Troubleshooting guidelines
    1.  
      General troubleshooting steps
    2.  
      Gathering device logs on a Flex appliance

Adding a node

Flex Appliance supports up to two nodes on the Veritas 5340 Appliance. You can add a second node during initial configuration or any time after.

A multi-node appliance provides the following benefits:

  • Increased efficiency with a shared workload

  • Automatic failover for a single-node failure

Adding a second node consists of the following tasks:

  • Perform the host network configuration on the new node.

  • From the existing node, add the new node to the appliance.

  • Complete the initial configuration on the new node.

Tasks for adding a node

To perform the host network configuration on the new node

  1. Verify the version compatibility between the new node and the node that you want to add it to. The nodes must be running the same upgrade version of Flex Appliance, but they can have different update versions. For example, if your existing node has the 1.3.1 update installed on it, you can add a node that is running version 1.3. However, you cannot add a node that is running version 1.2.

    If the existing node is at a lower version that does not meet these requirements, upgrade that node before you add the new one. If the new node is at a lower version that does not meet these requirements, it must be reimaged to the later version. Contact Veritas Technical Support for assistance and ask your representative to reference article 100044669.

    Veritas also recommends that you install any missing updates after you add the node so that both nodes are running the same version.

  2. Gather the following details for the new node that you want to add to the appliance:

    • IP address

    • Hostname

    Gather the following details from the appliance that you want to add the node to:

    • Default gateway

    • Netmask

    • (Optional) DNS server IP address

    • DNS domain

    • (Optional) Search domain

  3. Use the following steps to access the Flex Appliance Shell from the Veritas Remote Management Interface:
    • Open a supported web browser on a system that has a network connection to the appliance. Flex Appliance supports the following browsers:

      • Google Chrome version 57 or higher

      • Mozilla Firefox version 52 or higher

    • Enter the IP address that is assigned to the remote management port of the new node.

    • Log in to the Veritas Remote Management Interface with the following default credentials:

      • Username: sysadmin

      • Password: P@ssw0rd

    • Change the sysadmin password from the known default password as follows:

      • Navigate to Configuration > Users and select the sysadmin user.

      • Click Modify User.

      • Select the Change Password check box and enter a new password.

    • Navigate to Remote Control > Console Redirection and click Launch Console to launch the Flex Appliance Shell.

  4. Log in to the Flex Appliance Shell with the following default credentials:
    • Username: hostadmin

    • Password: P@ssw0rd

    A welcome message appears in the Flex Appliance Shell with the available commands setup and system.

  5. Enter the following command to configure the host network:

    setup configure-network

    Follow the prompts to enter the host network information. You can enter multiple DNS server IP addresses or search domains using a comma-separated list.

  6. If you did not fill in the optional DNS parameters or want to bypass DNS for the new node, enter the following command to add the hostname resolution information to the appliance Hosts file:

    system add-host

    Follow the prompts to enter the required information for the new node.

To add the new node to the appliance

  1. Log in to Flex Appliance Shell from the other, preexisting node that was previously configured for the appliance.
  2. From the preexisting node, enter the following command to add the new node to the appliance:

    setup add-node with-response new_node=<hostname>, where <hostname> is the hostname of the node that you want to add.

    Follow the prompts to add the node. When you are prompted for the new node's password, enter P@ssw0rd.

    Note:

    Do not perform any other tasks on the appliance until the add-node operation is complete.

To complete the initial configuration on the new node

  1. Log back in to the Flex Appliance Shell from the new node that you just added to the appliance. The shell should now display additional command options.
  2. Enter the following command to change the hostadmin password from the known default password:

    hostadmin: set user password

    Follow the prompts to enter the new password.

  3. If you added this node as part of the appliance initial configuration, return to the initial configuration procedure and refer to the next steps at the end of the procedure to get started using the appliance.

    See Performing the initial configuration.