How to use NetBackup LiveUpdate

The following is the NetBackup Live Update Process.  Note the steps in the image below correspond to the steps outlined.  

Image 1: NetBackup Live Update Process Flow
 

1. NetBackup Maintenance Updates are manually downloaded from a support site to the NetBackup LiveUpdate server.

2. From the NetBackup Master Server, the NetBackup LiveUpdate policy is initiated.  A new command, nbexecute, is used to submit the request to nbpem.  The nbexecute command's arguments include: the executable to run (the new Media Server pass-through command); the opaque arguments to pass to the executable; the host to run it on (selected Media Server); job type; the generic policy to use; and other arguments.  If a schedule is specified, it is checked for open backup windows.  If no schedule is specified, all schedules are checked for open windows.  If a window is open, the command is submitted to nbjm via the new generic job request.

NOTE: A new Media Server pass-through command, named nbmtrans (i.e. NetBackup Media Server Transport) is implemented on the Media Server.  It is started by nbjm via bpcd and uses Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) to talk back to nbjm, either directly or by using the existing libjmcomm wrapper library.

3. Nbmtrans launches (via bpcd) the LiveUpdate session on the Client by executing nbliveup on the Client.  When bpcd goes away, the socket connection remains alive enabling the Client process to report the progress.

4. Nbmtrans forwards these updates to nbjm.  The LiveUpdate agent on the NetBackup Client checks on the NetBackup LiveUpdate Server to see if any new updates are available.

5. Any new updates are downloaded to the NetBackup Client, and LiveUpdate launches the NetBackup patch installation scripts to install the patches in silent mode.

6. Using socket communication, the nbliveup command reports the status of the LiveUpdate session back to the caller.  It also communicates patch installation information back as well.

7. Using CORBA, nbmtrans communicates back to nbjm, where information is updated in the NetBackup Activity monitor.

NOTE: Currently, on a Windows host, if the patch is installed manually, running LiveUpdate attempts to install the same patch again.  This is a defect on Windows hosts that will be addressed in a later Release Update.  On a UNIX host, if the patch is manually installed and LiveUpdate is run, the process does not attempt to install the patch again using LiveUpdate.

NOTE: All NetBackup communications (e.g., from master to media to client) use standard the NetBackup ports that get used for backups and restores.