Cohesity Cloud Scale Technology Manual Deployment Guide for Kubernetes Clusters

Last Published:
Product(s): NetBackup (11.1)
  1. Introduction
    1. About Cloud Scale deployment
      1.  
        Decoupling of NetBackup web services from primary server
      2.  
        Decoupling of NetBackup Policy and Job Management from primary server
      3.  
        Decoupling of NetBackup Database Manager from primary server
      4.  
        Logging feature (fluentbit) in Cloud Scale
    2.  
      About NetBackup Snapshot Manager
    3.  
      Required terminology
    4.  
      User roles and permissions
  2. Section I. Configurations
    1. Prerequisites
      1.  
        Preparing the environment for NetBackup installation on Kubernetes cluster
      2.  
        Prerequisites for Snapshot Manager (AKS/EKS)
      3. Prerequisites for Kubernetes cluster configuration
        1.  
          Config-Checker utility
        2.  
          Data-Migration for AKS
        3.  
          Webhooks validation for EKS
      4. Prerequisites for Cloud Scale configuration
        1.  
          Cluster specific settings
        2.  
          Cloud specific settings
      5.  
        Prerequisites for deploying environment operators
      6.  
        Prerequisites for using private registry
    2. Recommendations and Limitations
      1.  
        Recommendations of NetBackup deployment on Kubernetes cluster
      2.  
        Limitations of NetBackup deployment on Kubernetes cluster
      3.  
        Recommendations and limitations for Cloud Scale deployment
    3. Configurations
      1.  
        Contents of the TAR file
      2.  
        Configuring the cloudscale-values.yaml file
      3.  
        Configuring an External Certificate Authority for Web UI port 443
      4. Loading docker images
        1.  
          Installing the docker images for NetBackup
        2.  
          Installing the docker images for Snapshot Manager
        3.  
          Installing the docker images and binaries for MSDP Scaleout
      5. Configuring NetBackup
        1. Primary and media server CR
          1.  
            After installing primary server CR
          2.  
            After Installing the media server CR
        2.  
          Elastic media server
    4. Configuration of key parameters in Cloud Scale deployments
      1.  
        Tuning touch files
      2.  
        Setting maximum jobs per client
      3.  
        Setting maximum jobs per media server
      4.  
        Enabling intelligent catalog archiving
      5.  
        Enabling security settings
      6.  
        Configuring email server
      7.  
        Reducing catalog storage management
      8.  
        Configuring zone redundancy
      9.  
        Enabling client-side deduplication capabilities
      10.  
        Parameters for logging (fluentbit)
      11.  
        Managing media server configurations in Web UI
  3. Section II. Deployment
    1. Deploying Cloud Scale
      1.  
        How to deploy Cloud Scale
      2.  
        Prerequisites for Cloud Scale deployment
      3.  
        Deploying the operators
      4. Deploying Cloud Scale using Helm chart
        1.  
          Installing Cloud Scale environment
        2. Single node Cloud Scale Technology deployment
          1.  
            Steps to deploy Cloud Scale in single node
      5.  
        Deploying Cloud Scale using kubectl plugin
      6.  
        Verifying Cloud Scale deployment
      7. Post Cloud Scale deployment tasks
        1.  
          Restarting Cloud Scale Technology services
  4. Section III. Monitoring and Management
    1. Monitoring NetBackup
      1.  
        Monitoring the application health
      2.  
        Telemetry reporting
      3.  
        About NetBackup operator logs
      4.  
        Monitoring Primary/Media server CRs
      5.  
        Expanding storage volumes
      6. Allocating static PV for Primary and Media pods
        1.  
          Expanding log volumes for primary pods
        2.  
          Recommendation for media server volume expansion
        3.  
          (AKS-specific) Allocating static PV for Primary and Media pods
        4.  
          (EKS-specific) Allocating static PV for Primary and Media pods
    2. Monitoring Snapshot Manager
      1.  
        Overview
      2.  
        Configuration parameters
      3.  
        Snapshot Manager manual certificate renewal in Cloud Scale
    3. Monitoring fluentbit
      1.  
        Monitoring fluentbit for logging
    4. Monitoring MSDP Scaleout
      1.  
        About MSDP Scaleout status and events
      2.  
        Monitoring with Amazon CloudWatch
      3.  
        Monitoring with Azure Container insights
      4.  
        The Kubernetes resources for MSDP Scaleout and MSDP operator
    5. Managing NetBackup
      1.  
        Managing NetBackup deployment using VxUpdate
      2.  
        Updating the Primary/Media server CRs
      3.  
        Migrating the cloud node for primary or media servers
      4.  
        Migrating cpServer controlPlane node
    6. Managing the Load Balancer service
      1.  
        About the Load Balancer service
      2.  
        Notes for Load Balancer service
      3.  
        Opening the ports from the Load Balancer service
      4.  
        Steps for upgrading Cloud Scale from multiple media load balancer to none
    7. Managing PostrgreSQL DBaaS
      1.  
        Changing database server password in DBaaS
      2.  
        Updating database certificate in DBaaS
    8. Managing logging
      1.  
        Viewing NetBackup logs
      2.  
        Extracting NetBackup logs
    9. Performing catalog backup and recovery
      1.  
        Backing up a catalog
      2. Restoring a catalog
        1.  
          Primary server corrupted
        2.  
          MSDP-X corrupted
        3.  
          MSDP-X and Primary server corrupted
  5. Section IV. Maintenance
    1. PostgreSQL DBaaS Maintenance
      1.  
        Configuring maintenance window for PostgreSQL database in AWS
      2.  
        Setting up alarms for PostgreSQL DBaaS instance
    2. Patching mechanism for primary, media servers, fluentbit pods, and postgres pods
      1.  
        Overview
      2.  
        Patching of primary containers
      3.  
        Patching of media containers
      4.  
        Patching of fluentbit collector pods
      5.  
        Update containerized PostgreSQL pod
    3. Upgrading
      1. Upgrading Cloud Scale Technology
        1.  
          Prerequisites for Cloud Scale Technology upgrade
        2.  
          Upgrade the cluster
        3.  
          Upgrade Cloud Scale
        4.  
          Configuring NetBackup IT Analytics for NetBackup deployment
    4. Cloud Scale Disaster Recovery
      1.  
        Cluster backup
      2.  
        Environment backup
      3.  
        Cluster recovery
      4.  
        Cloud Scale recovery
      5.  
        Environment Disaster Recovery
      6.  
        DBaaS Disaster Recovery
    5. Uninstalling
      1.  
        Uninstalling Cloud Scale Technology
    6. Troubleshooting
      1. Troubleshooting AKS and EKS issues
        1.  
          View the list of operator resources
        2.  
          View the list of product resources
        3.  
          View operator logs
        4.  
          View primary logs
        5.  
          Socket connection failure
        6.  
          Resolving an issue where external IP address is not assigned to a NetBackup server's load balancer services
        7.  
          Resolving the issue where the NetBackup server pod is not scheduled for long time
        8.  
          Resolving an issue where the Storage class does not exist
        9.  
          Resolving an issue where the primary server or media server deployment does not proceed
        10.  
          Resolving an issue of failed probes
        11.  
          Resolving issues when media server PVs are deleted
        12.  
          Resolving an issue related to insufficient storage
        13.  
          Resolving an issue related to invalid nodepool
        14.  
          Resolve an issue related to KMS database
        15.  
          Resolve an issue related to pulling an image from the container registry
        16.  
          Resolving an issue related to recovery of data
        17.  
          Check primary server status
        18.  
          Pod status field shows as pending
        19.  
          Ensure that the container is running the patched image
        20.  
          Getting EEB information from an image, a running container, or persistent data
        21.  
          Resolving the certificate error issue in NetBackup operator pod logs
        22.  
          Pod restart failure due to liveness probe time-out
        23.  
          NetBackup messaging queue broker take more time to start
        24.  
          Host mapping conflict in NetBackup
        25.  
          Issue with capacity licensing reporting which takes longer time
        26.  
          Local connection is getting treated as insecure connection
        27.  
          Backing up data from Primary server's /mnt/nbdata/ directory fails with primary server as a client
        28.  
          Storage server not supporting Instant Access capability on Web UI after upgrading NetBackup
        29.  
          Taint, Toleration, and Node affinity related issues in cpServer
        30.  
          Operations performed on cpServer in environment.yaml file are not reflected
        31.  
          Elastic media server related issues
        32.  
          Failed to register Snapshot Manager with NetBackup
        33.  
          Post Kubernetes cluster restart, flexsnap-listener pod went into CrashLoopBackoff state or pods were unable to connect to flexsnap-rabbitmq
        34.  
          Post Kubernetes cluster restart, issues observed in case of containerized Postgres deployment
        35.  
          Request router logs
        36.  
          Issues with NBPEM/NBJM
        37.  
          Issues with logging feature for Cloud Scale
        38.  
          The flexsnap-listener pod is unable to communicate with RabbitMQ
        39.  
          Job remains in queue for long time
        40.  
          Extracting logs if the nbwsapp or log-viewer pods are down
        41.  
          Helm installation failed with bundle error
        42.  
          Deployment fails with private container registry and Postgres fails to pull the images
      2. Troubleshooting AKS-specific issues
        1.  
          Data migration unsuccessful even after changing the storage class through the storage yaml file
        2.  
          Host validation failed on the target host
        3.  
          Primary pod goes in non-ready state
      3. Troubleshooting EKS-specific issues
        1.  
          Resolving the primary server connection issue
        2.  
          NetBackup Snapshot Manager deployment on EKS fails
        3.  
          Wrong EFS ID is provided in cloudscale-values.yaml file
        4.  
          Primary pod is in ContainerCreating state
        5.  
          Webhook displays an error for PV not found
        6.  
          Cluster Autoscaler initialization issue
        7.  
          Catalog backup job fails with an error (Status 9202)
      4.  
        Troubleshooting issue for bootstrapper pod
      5.  
        Troubleshooting issues for kubectl plugin
  6. Appendix A. CR template
    1.  
      Secret
    2. MSDP Scaleout CR
      1.  
        MSDP Scaleout CR template for AKS
      2.  
        MSDP Scaleout CR template for EKS
  7. Appendix B. MSDP Scaleout
    1.  
      About MSDP Scaleout
    2.  
      Prerequisites for MSDP Scaleout (AKS\EKS)
    3.  
      Limitations in MSDP Scaleout
    4. MSDP Scaleout configuration
      1.  
        Initializing the MSDP operator
      2.  
        Configuring MSDP Scaleout
      3.  
        Configuring the MSDP cloud in MSDP Scaleout
      4.  
        Using MSDP Scaleout as a single storage pool in NetBackup
      5.  
        Using S3 service in MSDP Scaleout
      6.  
        Enabling MSDP S3 service after MSDP Scaleout is deployed
    5.  
      Installing the docker images and binaries for MSDP Scaleout (without environment operators or Helm charts)
    6.  
      Deploying MSDP Scaleout
    7. Managing MSDP Scaleout
      1.  
        Adding MSDP engines
      2.  
        Adding data volumes
      3. Expanding existing data or catalog volumes
        1.  
          Manual storage expansion
      4.  
        MSDP Scaleout scaling recommendations
      5. MSDP Cloud backup and disaster recovery
        1.  
          About the reserved storage space
        2. Cloud LSU disaster recovery
          1.  
            Recovering MSDP S3 IAM configurations from cloud LSU
      6.  
        MSDP multi-domain support
      7.  
        Configuring Auto Image Replication
      8. About MSDP Scaleout logging and troubleshooting
        1.  
          Collecting the logs and the inspection information
    8. MSDP Scaleout maintenance
      1.  
        Pausing the MSDP Scaleout operator for maintenance
      2.  
        Logging in to the pods
      3.  
        Reinstalling MSDP Scaleout operator
      4.  
        Migrating the MSDP Scaleout to another node pool

MSDP-X and Primary server corrupted

  1. Note the storage server, cloud LSU and cloud bucket name.

    Note the DR Passphrase also.

  2. Copy DRPackages files (packages) from the pod to the local VM if not received over the email using the following command:

    kubectl cp <primary-pod-namespace>/<primary-pod-name>:/mnt/nbdb/usr/openv/drpackage_<storageservername> <Path_where_to_copy_on_host_machine>

  3. Delete the corrupted MSDP and Primary server by running the following command:

    kubectl delete -f environment.yaml -n <namespace>

    Note:

    Perform this step carefully as it would delete NetBackup.

  4. Clean the PV and PVCs of primary and MSDP server as follows:

    • Get names of PV attached to primary and MSDP server PVC (catalog, log and data) using the kubectl get pvc -n <namespace> -o wide command.

    • Delete primary and MSDP server PVC (catalog, log and data) using the kubectl delete pvc <pvc-name> -n <namespace> command.

    • Delete the PV linked to primary server PVC using the kubectl delete pv <pv-name> command.

  5. (EKS-specific) Navigate to mounted EFS directory and delete the content from primary_catalog folder by running the rm -rf /efs/* command.
  6. Modify the environment.yaml file with the paused: true field in the MSDP and Media sections.

    Change CR spec from paused: false to paused: true in MSDP Scaleout and media servers. Save it.

    Note:

    Ensure that only primary server is deployed. Now apply the modified environment.yaml file.

    Save the environment.yaml file. Apply the environment.yaml file using the following command:

    kubectl apply -f environment.yaml -n <namespace>

  7. After the primary server is up and running, perform the following:

    • Execute the kubectl exec -it -n <namespace> <primary-pod-name> -- /bin/bash command in the primary server pod.

    • Increase the debug logs level on primary server.

    • Create a directory DRPackages at persisted location using mkdir /mnt/nblogs/DRPackages.

  8. Copy earlier copied DR files to primary pod at /mnt/nblogs/DRPackages using the kubectl cp <Path_of_DRPackages_on_host_machine> <primary-pod-namespace>/<primary-pod-name>:/mnt/nblogs/DRPackages command.
  9. Execute the following steps (after exec) into the primary server pod:

    • Change ownership of files in /mnt/nblogs/DRPackages using the chown nbsvcusr:nbsvcusr <file-name> command.

    • Deactivate NetBackup health probes using the /opt/veritas/vxapp-manage/nb-health deactivate command.

    • Stop the NetBackup services using the /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/bp.kill_all command.

    • Execute the /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/admincmd/nbhostidentity -import -infile /mnt/ndbdb/usr/openv/drpackage/<filename>.drpkg command.

    • Clear NetBackup host cache by running the bpclntcmd -clear_host_cache command.

    • Restart the pods as follows:

      • Navigate to the VRTSk8s-netbackup-<version>/scripts folder.

      • Run the cloudscale_restart.sh script as follows:

        ./cloudscale_restart.sh <action> <namespace>

        Provide the namespace and the required action:

        stop: Stops all the services under primary server (waits until all the services are stopped).

        start: Starts all the services and waits until the services are up and running under primary server.

        restart: Stops the services and waits until all the services are down. Then starts all the services and waits until the services are up and running.

      Note:

      Ignore if policy job pod does not come up in running state. Policy job pod would start once primary services start.

    • Refresh the certificate revocation list using the /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/nbcertcmd -getcrl command.

  10. Run the primary server reconciler as follows:

    • Run the following command to pause the primary server CR:

      helm upgrade cloudscale cloudscale-<version>.tgz -n netbackup --reuse-values --set environment.primary.paused=true

    • Run the following command to un-pause the primary server CR:

      helm upgrade cloudscale cloudscale-<version>.tgz -n netbackup --reuse-values --set environment.primary.paused=false

    The SHA fingerprint is updated in the primary CR's status.
  11. From Web UI, allow reissue of token from primary server for MSDP, media and Snapshot Manager server as follows:

    Navigate to Security > Host Mappings for the MSDP storage server and select Allow Auto reissue Certificate.

    Repeat this for media and Snapshot Manager server entries.

  12. Edit the environment using kubectl edit environment -n <namespace> command and change paused field to false for MSDP.
  13. Perform from step 2 in the following section:

    “Scenario 2: MSDP Scaleout and its data is lost and the NetBackup primary server was destroyed and is re-installed”

  14. Edit environment CR and change paused: false for media server.
  15. Once media server pods are ready, perform full catalog recovery using one of the following options:

    Trigger a catalog recovery from the Web UI.

    Or

    Exec into primary pod and run bprecover -wizard command.

  16. Once recovery is completed, restart the NetBackup services:

    Stop NetBackup services using the /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/bp.kill_all command.

    Start NetBackup services using the /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/bp.start_all command.

  17. Activate NetBackup health probes using the /opt/veritas/vxapp-manage/nb-health activate command.
  18. Verify/Backup/Restore the backup images in NetBackup server to check if the MSDP-X cluster has recovered or not.
  19. Verify that the Primary, Media, MSDP and Snapshot Manager server are up and running.
  20. Verify that the Snapshot Manager is running.