Veritas NetBackup™ Replication Director Solutions Guide

Last Published:
Product(s): NetBackup (8.2, 8.1.1)
  1. Introduction
    1.  
      About NetBackup Replication Director
    2.  
      About the roles of the Replication Director plug-ins
    3.  
      Software required to use Replication Director
    4.  
      NetBackup configuration for Replication Director
    5.  
      Tools for troubleshooting Replication Director
  2. Additional configuration topics
    1.  
      Configuring the NetBackup Client Service
    2.  
      NetBackup naming conventions
    3.  
      How to configure a multi-NIC environment
  3. Creating a NetBackup storage server for snapshot replication
    1.  
      Creating a NetBackup storage server for snapshot replication
    2.  
      Updating an OpenStorage storage server to reflect plug-in updates
    3.  
      Adding the storage server credentials to a NetBackup server
  4. Configuring disk pools for snapshot and replication
    1. About disk pools for snapshots and snapshot replication
      1.  
        About disk volumes for snapshots and snapshot replication
    2.  
      Creating disk pools for snapshot replication
    3.  
      Updating disk pools after volumes are added, are deleted, or are changed
    4.  
      Updating an OpenStorage disk pool to reflect plug-in updates
    5.  
      How to resolve snapshot disk volume changes
    6. Using bpstsinfo to view the replication topology of a device
      1.  
        NetApp storage server sample bpstsinfo output
  5. Configuring storage units and storage unit groups for snapshots and snapshot replication
    1.  
      Creating storage units for a Replication Director configuration
    2.  
      Creating storage unit groups for snapshots
  6. Configuring storage lifecycle policies for snapshots and snapshot replication
    1.  
      About configuring storage lifecycle policies for snapshots and snapshot replication
    2.  
      Creating a storage lifecycle policy for snapshots and snapshot replication
    3. Operation types in a storage lifecycle policy
      1. Snapshot operation in an SLP
        1.  
          Primary snapshot storage unit
        2.  
          Primary + Replication source snapshot storage unit
        3.  
          Replication source + Replication target snapshot storage unit
        4.  
          Replication target snapshot storage unit
        5.  
          Replication source + Replication target + Mirror snapshot storage unit
        6.  
          Replication target + Mirror snapshot storage unit
      2.  
        Replication operation in an SLP
      3. Index From Snapshot operation in an SLP
        1.  
          Determining where and when the Index From Snapshot operation occurs
        2.  
          Pre-requisites for indexing for an NDMP policy
        3.  
          Configuring indexing for an NDMP policy
      4.  
        Backup From Snapshot operation in an SLP
      5.  
        Duplication operation in an SLP
    4. Retention types for storage lifecycle policy operations
      1.  
        Expire after copy retention type for SLP operations
      2.  
        Fixed retention type for SLP operations
      3.  
        Maximum snapshot limit retention type for SLP operations
      4.  
        Mirror retention type for SLP operations
      5.  
        Target retention type for SLP operations
  7. Configuring backup policies for snapshots and snapshot replication
    1.  
      About configuring a backup policy for Replication Director
    2.  
      Configuring an NDMP policy to protect a NAS host
    3.  
      Configuring a Standard or MS-Windows policy to protect clients using NDMP with Data Mover
    4.  
      Configuring a Standard or MS-Windows policy to protect NAS volumes or SAN-connected devices
    5. About NDMP support for Replication Director
      1.  
        Limitations of Replication Director with NDMP
      2.  
        Authorizing NetBackup access to a NAS (NDMP) host
      3.  
        ALL_FILESYSTEMS and VOLUME_EXCLUDE_LIST directives
      4.  
        Configuring an NDMP policy in a multi-network environment
  8. Restoring from a snapshot
    1.  
      About restores from array-based snapshots
    2.  
      Restoring files and folders from an array-based snapshot
    3. About restores from array-based snapshots of virtual machines
      1.  
        Restoring files from array-based snapshots of virtual machines
    4.  
      Using OpsCenter to restore from array-based snapshots
    5.  
      How NetApp performs a volume-level rollback restore
    6.  
      Restoring (rolling back) from an array-based snapshot
  9. OpsCenter reporting
    1.  
      Veritas OpsCenter reporting
    2.  
      Configuring an alert for OpenStorage events
    3.  
      Storage lifecycle policy reporting
    4.  
      Disk pool monitoring
    5.  
      Monitoring snapshot replication jobs
    6.  
      Reporting on storage units, storage unit groups, and storage lifecycle policies
  10. Using NetApp disk arrays with Replication Director
    1.  
      Using NetApp disk arrays with Replication Director
    2. Supported NetApp topologies
      1.  
        NetApp topologies that Replication Director does not support
    3. Using NetApp Data ONTAP 7-mode with Replication Director
      1.  
        Configuration overview: NetApp 7-Mode with Replication Director
      2.  
        Licenses required for NetApp Data ONTAP 7-Mode with Replication Director
      3.  
        Software required to use NetApp Data ONTAP 7-Mode with Replication Director
      4. About using NetApp SAN-connected storage with Replication Director
        1.  
          Using SnapDrive for iSCSI setup on Windows
        2.  
          SAN-connected storage limitations
      5.  
        If the OnCommand Unified Manager root or administrator password has changed
      6.  
        Considerations when configuring an OnCommand Unified Manager as a NetBackup storage server
      7.  
        Importing existing NetApp relationships for NetBackup control
      8.  
        Enabling Unicode and language settings on NetApp disk arrays
    4. Using NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP with Replication Director
      1.  
        Configuration overview: NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP with Replication Director
      2.  
        Licenses required for NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP with Replication Director
      3.  
        Software required to use NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP with Replication Director
      4.  
        Configuring Replication Director to work with Clustered Data ONTAP
      5.  
        About creating backup policies for Clustered Data ONTAP with Replication Director
      6.  
        Protecting volumes with nested junctions for Clustered Data ONTAP
      7.  
        Limitations to using Clustered Data ONTAP with Replication Director
  11. Using Oracle with Replication Director
    1.  
      Requirements for Oracle support
    2. About Oracle support for Replication Director
      1.  
        Configuring an Oracle Intelligent Policy
      2.  
        Configuring a script- or template-based Oracle policy
  12. Using Virtual Machines with Replication Director
    1.  
      Requirements for virtual machine support
    2. About virtual machines and Replication Director
      1.  
        Notes on Replication Director for virtual machines
      2.  
        Configuring a policy for virtual machines to use Replication Director
      3.  
        About jobs in the Activity Monitor that use Replication Director for virtual machines
  13. Terminology
    1.  
      Replication terminology

Creating a NetBackup storage server for snapshot replication

A NetBackup storage server is a NetBackup entity that has exclusive access to manage snapshots on the volumes of an OpenStorage partner. This procedure describes creating a storage server using the Storage Server Configuration Wizard. Specific partner considerations are referenced throughout.

To create a storage server

  1. Before launching the Storage Server Configuration Wizard, make sure that the OpenStorage partner has the necessary software installed and is online. The volumes of the disk array must also be configured.
  2. Click Configure Disk Storage Servers in the NetBackup Administration Console main window to launch the Storage Server Configuration Wizard.
  3. Select OpenStorage as the disk storage type. Click Next.
  4. Configure the details of the storage server.

    Media server

    Select the media server to query the storage server. This is the media server that is assigned the credentials for the storage server. Credentials allow the media server to communicate with the storage server.

    Note that all of the media servers in the configuration appear in the list, even if the OpenStorage plug-in is not installed. Select a media server where the OpenStorage plug-in is installed.

    • Enter the user name to log on to the storage host.

      If the storage host does not require logon credentials, enter dummy credentials.

    • Enter the password for the logon account.

    • Re-enter the password to confirm the password.

    For a media server to communicate with and have access to a storage server, it must be added to the Replication Director environment.

    See Adding the storage server credentials to a NetBackup server.

    Storage server type

    Select the type of storage server to create:

    • For a NetApp 7-mode configuration, select NetApp OnCommand server (7-mode) (Network_NTAP).

    • For a NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP configuration, select NetApp OnCommand server (cluster-mode) (NTAP_CDOT).

    Storage server name

    Enter the name of the storage server. The name that you use for the storage server must be used consistently throughout both the NetBackup environment and the storage vendor environment.

    Enter the exact name of the storage server, whether a fully-qualified name or a short name.

    • In a NetApp 7-mode configuration, this is the OnCommand Unified Manager.

    • In a NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP configuration, this is the computer that hosts the NBUPlugin 2.0, not the OnCommand Unified Manager.

    Click Next.

  5. The Additional Media Server Configuration for OpenStorage Devices panel appears in environments where there are multiple media servers or where the master server is on a different host from the media server.
    • Enable the check boxes for all media servers that are to be used to access the storage server for snapshots, snapshot replication, or restores.

    • Enable the check box for the computer that hosts the master server, if it appears in the list. The master server host must be enabled so that the NetBackup catalog is updated correctly for rollback and restore operations.

      Note:

      The master server does not appear in the list if it was already selected in the Add Storage Server wizard pane as a media server for the Select media server property (Step 4).

  6. The wizard displays a summary panel that lists the configuration information that you've entered. Click Back to make any changes or Next to create the storage server.
  7. The wizard declares that the storage server was successfully created. To create a disk pool, make a check in the check box labeled Create a disk pool using the storage server that you have just created. A disk pool is necessary for snapshots and snapshot replication.

    Click Next to launch the Disk Pool Configuration Wizard.

  8. Select the type of disk pool that you want to create. If an OpenStorage partner does not appear for selection, make sure that the license has been installed and that an OpenStorage storage server has been created
  9. On the Select Storage Server panel, select the storage server that was created earlier in the wizard. Click Next.
  10. The Select Disk Pool Properties and Volumes panel presents all of the volumes that have been configured in the storage of the OpenStorage partner by the storage administrator.

    A disk pool can contain only those volumes that share similar properties. So that dissimilar volumes are not combined, NetBackup filters the volumes for selection.

    Select the Primary property to configure this first disk pool for snapshots. The list displays all of the volumes that match the selected property.

  11. Select a primary volume in the table to be part of this first disk pool. Notice that primary volumes also have the Source property set as well. Snapshots on the primary volume are the source for snapshot replication. Click Next.
  12. In the Additional Disk Pool Information panel, name the disk pool and add any comments you want to make regarding the disk pool.

    See NetBackup naming conventions.

    Enable Limit I/O streams to limit the number of read and write streams (jobs) for each volume in the disk pool. Select the number of read and write streams to allow per volume. When the limit is reached, NetBackup chooses another volume for write operations, if available. If not available, NetBackup queues jobs until a volume is available.

    Click Next.

  13. Review the summary screen that lists the disk pool configuration. Click Back to make any changes or Next to create the disk pool.
  14. The wizard declares that the disk pool was successfully created. To create a storage unit, make a check in the check box labeled Create a storage unit using the disk pool that you have just created. A storage unit is necessary for snapshots and snapshot replication.

    Click Next.

  15. In the Storage Unit Creation panel:
    • Name the storage unit.

    • Select the media server(s) that can use the storage unit:

    Use any available media server to transport data

    NetBackup selects any media server to access the storage unit.

    Use only the selected media servers

    NetBackup uses only the media server that is specified to access the storage unit.

    Only the media servers that have the OpenStorage plug-in installed appear in this list. For a media server to communicate with and have access to a storage server, it must be added to the Replication Director environment.

    Note:

    A storage unit can represent many physical devices. When a storage unit is a replication target, NetBackup lets the plug-in select which device to use within the storage unit. For replication jobs, storage units and storage unit groups ignore the Maximum concurrent jobs setting. NetBackup does not attempt to throttle the parameters.

  16. Click Next. The final wizard panel displays, announcing that the wizard has been completed.

You've just configured a storage server, a disk pool, and a storage unit to contain the primary snapshots. Configure additional disk pools (and storage units) for every group of disk volumes that will contain snapshot replications of the primary snapshots.

For example, in the following figure, two disk pools are necessary:

  • One disk pool that contains volumes to hold primary snapshots and act as a source for other replications, and

  • A second disk pool that contains the volumes that are replication targets for snapshot replications.

See the following topic for more information about creating more disk pools and storage units.

See Creating disk pools for snapshot replication.