Problem
Administrators who have NetBackup installed on their servers may be considering an upgrade to the operating system, instead of performing a hardware refresh. This consideration could be accompanied by concerns, particularly if the server in question is designated as the NetBackup Primary Server.
Error Message
N/A - There are no errors associated with this issue.
Cause
The current operating system might be outdated and no longer supported by Veritas and/or the operating system vendor. For instance, a primary/master server running NetBackup 8.3 on Windows Server 2008 Standard might need to be upgraded to Windows Server 2016.
Performing an upgrade of the server’s operating system should not pose any issues, provided that the new operating system is supported. The following compatibility lists should be consulted based on specific hardware and application configuration/needs:
- Operating System Software Compatibility List
- Hardware and Cloud Storage Compatibility List
- Database and Application Agent Compatibility List
Note: For more information on the compatibility lists for the applicable version, see Related Articles below.
Solution
As best practice, the following steps are recommended prior to the operating system upgrade:
- Ensure a full catalog backup has been performed and stored in an accessible location. This ensures that should a problem arise, NetBackup may be reinstalled and the catalog recovered.
- For NetBackup versions above 8.0, a backup of the security certificates and related information, contained in the Disaster Recovery (DR) package alongside the DR file, is necessary.
- If KMS encryption is being used, the KMS database should be backed up.
- Any configuration files, touch files, or similar should also be backed up, as many of these are not included in a catalog backup.
- Stop NetBackup and PBX services.
- For more details, see Related Articles below.
- (Conditional) On Windows Servers, disable all NetBackup services.
- This approach enhances the likelihood of a successful upgrade.
These best practices are not exhaustive. For more information and a comprehensive checklist, the Veritas Services and Operations Readiness Tools (SORT) website can be visited and the Installation and Upgrade Checklist option can be used.
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Please note that this document is a translation from English, and may have been machine-translated. It is possible that updates have been made to the original version after this document was translated and published. Veritas does not guarantee the accuracy regarding the completeness of the translation. You may also refer to the English Version of this knowledge base article for up-to-date information.