How to use MSDP Cloud Admin command line tool MSDPCLDUTIL.EXE

The MSDP cloud admin tool is located at C:<Backup Exec install path>\Backup Exec\ folder from Backup Exec 21.4. Msdpcldutil.exe is used to manage immutable cloud volume. A cloud administrator who has the required permissions should run this tool.

Msdpcldutil.exe tool is used to create the bucket with object lock enabled and create a cloud volume in it. If the object lock enabled bucket already exists, you can use msdpcldutil.exe to create a cloud volume in this bucket.

This article mentions details about setting up an immutable cloud volume in AWS S3 cloud storage.

Setting up the environment variables:

Open a command prompt and run the following commands to set the environment variables.

Note: A Local Deduplication Storage should be configured first (if not already configured) before running through the below steps.

1.     set MSDPC_ACCESS_KEY=xxxx

2.     set MSDPC_SECRET_KEY=yyyyyyyyyyyyy

3.     set MSDPC_REGION=us-east-1

4.     set MSDPC_PROVIDER=amazon

Note: For Amazon S3:

MSDPC_ACCESS_KEY is the AWS access key associated with an IAM user.

MSDPC_SECRET_KEY is the secret key associated with the access key.

MSDPC_REGION is the AWS region where the bucket will be created or accessed.

To use the cloud admin command-line tool

1.     In the same command prompt used to set the environment variables, run the commands to create/list cloud immutable storage volume.

Note: The command must be run from the location of MSPDCLDUTIL.EXE. It is available in the Backup Exec install directory. (e.g. C:\Program Files\Veritas\Backup Exec)
 

2.      Command to create a cloud immutable storage volume.

msdpcldutil.exe create --bucket bucketname --volume volumename --mode GOVERNANCE –min 1D --max 30D --live 2021-12-31

Replace the values as per requirement.

Note:

   --bucket is used to specify the bucket name

   --volume is used to specify the volume name ( use the same name while configuring the storage in backup exec)

   --mode is used to specify the retention mode: COMPLIANCE or GOVERNANCE (Backup Exec supports only the GOVERNANCE mode.)

   --max  is used to specify the max lock duration: number plus 'D' or 'Y', such as 12Y means 12 years

   --min value, -N value       min lock duration in days ‘D’/years 'Y', such as 12D means 12 days

   --live is used to specify the time frame for which the volume will be enabled for retention lock i.e. its live until date (example, 2021-08-18, format:'YYYY-MM-DD', clock is set:'00:00:00', timezone is set:'UTC'

3. A successful command shoud look something like this -
C:\Program Files\Veritas\Backup Exec>msdpcldutil.exe create --bucket bucketname --volume volumename --mode GOVERNANCE --min 2D --max 3D --live 2022-10-31
Volume: volumename in bucket: objectlock is created successfully

4. List the cloud volumes.

msdpcldutil.exe list --bucket bucketname

Configure the storage in Backup Exec

To configure a cloud deduplication storage device, open the Backup Exec UI.

1.     On the Storage tab, click Configure Cloud Storage.

2.     Enter a name (Volume Name specified when msdpcldutil was run earlier) and description for the cloud storage device.
Note: To use the WORM enabled cloud deduplication storage, ensure that you enter the cloud volume name that you created when you ran MSDPCLDUTIL.exe.

3.     Select the Enable deduplication to cloud storage check box to enable the Backup Exec Cloud Deduplication feature. Click Next.

4.     Enable encryption if required.

5.     In the Cloud storage field, select the Amazon S3 cloud-based storage service provider and click Next.

6.      In the Cloud storage field, select the Amazon server name from the drop-down list.

7.      In the Storage tier field, select a tier from the drop-down list.

8.      In the Logon account field, select an account from the drop-down list. Add a new one if required.

9.      Select the bucket from the list of buckets that are associated with the server name and then click Next.

Note: If you want to use the WORM enabled cloud deduplication storage, ensure that you select the bucket name that you created when you ran MSDPCLDUTIL.exe.

10.   Specify how many concurrent operations can run at the same time on this cloud storage device, and then click Next.

11.   Review the configuration summary, and then click Finish.

12.   Backup Exec creates a cloud storage device. You must restart Backup Exec

services to bring the new device online.

13.   After the device is online, the device details will reflect the WORM properties defined against the cloud bucket and volume.