Moving a Netbackup Master Server 5

[Hardmandez]

We have our Master server running on an old server that we want to get rid of and we want to transfer the role to our new management server. Does anyone have information on transfering this role between installations of Netbackup so that we don't have to get the rediculosly priced consultant in.

Cheers

 

[bswip]

You can easily migrate from one server to another but there are some caveats.

First, if this is the only server and therefore both a master and a media server (master plays dual role). Then perform your upgrade as if you were doing a D/R test.

Why...because NBU is very tightly coupled with the master server name. Therfore, you will need to make sure that you keep the same server name and restore the catalog to the new server. You will need to make stop all bakcups while you are performing the migration so that the catalog wil be synchronized. Once the catalog is restored, shut down the old server, connect the new server to the network and you're ready to start your backups.

 

[Hardmandez]

Yeah thats the problem the server we want to move the master to has a new name.

Any suggestions on moving it to a new a different named server.

Veritas didn't think their design of Netbackup to throrughly. You can't move the master and your jobs won't run if the master goes down, now thats resilience for you.

Any suggestions on moving it to a new a different named server.

 

[BFOJ]

Hardmandez,

NetBackup does allow a move from one machine to another, including a new machine with another hostname. Below is a general outline of how to accomplish this. Sorry, I did a cut and paste, so the formatting may be a little hard to follow. Also you'll note this was for an NT to W2K, but this procedure will still work for moving NBU from one machine to another using the same operating system. This procedure is compliments of a Veritas contractor we have that provides support to our agency.

NETBACKUP MASTER SERVER MOVE FROM NT TO WIN2000
WITH HOSTNAME CHANGE

On old master server:
1. Confirm version level is NBU 3.4.1 - if is not, upgrade & patch

2. Add new master server to Servers List in Configuration

3. Add new master server to Servers List in all Client Configurations

4. Media and Device Management Interface
a. Move all media to Standalone (non-robotic) status EXCEPT for NBU DB tape

5. Backup Policy Management
a. Run NBU DB Backup - Should be backing up the following Files/Directories on the master:
i. \VERITAS\NetBackup\db
ii. \VERITAS\Netbackup\var
iii. \VERITAS\Volmgr\database
b. Identify DB Backup Media ID and set aside…it is for security purposes only - probably will not be used for recovery

6. Media and Device Management Interface
a. Identify an unassigned tape or add a new tape to the Media Manager and place in robot.
b. Make this tape part of the NetBackup Pool

7. Backup Policy Management
a. CHANGE THE NETBACKUP DB BACKUP FILES LIST to include the following:
i. \VERITAS\NetBackup\db
ii. \VERITAS\Volmgr\database\volDB
iii. \VERITAS\Volmgr\database\poolDB
b. Run a 2nd NBU DB Backup using the above configuration. This is the tape to be used for the NBU recovery on the new master.

On new master server:
1. Connect robot to new master

2. Reboot if necessary and verify OS Hardware Device Manager can see both the drive(s) and the medium changer (robotic ctl) - Medium Change may show as "unknown type" but is not a problem.

3. Install NBU 3.4.1 and current patch - MUST BE IN SAME DIRECTORY PATH AS ON OLD MASTER SERVER. May require a reboot.

4. Confirm that nslookup <new hostname> and nslookup <new IP address> resolve successfully. Do not proceed until these 2 commands work!

5. Move 2nd NBU DB tape to tape drive

6. cd …\VERITAS\Netbackup\bin\admincmda. bprecover -l ?tpath <raw_tape_device_path> bprecover -l -tpath \\.\Tape0

7. Verify that the appropriate .../netbackup/db and .../volmgr/database information is displayed

8. cd ...\VERITAS\Netbackup\bin\admincmda. bprecover -r -tpath <raw_tape_device_path> -dhost <new server hostname> bprecover -r -tpath \\.\Tape0 -dhost wyso3fps1

9. Respond >y= to the recoveries of master data

10. If not already correct, change Master Server name under all NBU Interface Windows (Backup Policy Management, Activity Monitor, Device Monitor, etc…)

11. Activity Monitor - Stop(if running) and re-start all NBU services

12. Media and Device Manager Interface - If not already done, Configure Robot and Drive(s)
a. Delete old tape drive(s) definition
b. Delete old robot definition
c. Run Device Configuration Wizard to reconfigure tape drives and robot
If there's a problem with this step, confirm that the correct Quantum drivers are installed
d. Use Wizard to configure new Storage Unit (STU) if you choose. (Will need to then change all classes to point to new STU.)
e. Run robotic inventory and update volume media manager (manual step to add tapes to media manager if non-barcoded)
f. Under Device Host, select the Robot and right click to bring up pop-up menu. Select Change and verify Volume Data Base Host is correct.

NOTE: Verify that the DLT drive is configured as DLT type - not DLT2 or DLT3. Correct if necessary.
Verify that the STU configured as type DLT, not DLT2 or DLT3. Correct if necessary.

13. NetBackup Configuration Interface
a. Select the Master Server and Properties under the pop up window
b. Under General Server Tab, check the Media Host Override
From=Old master server To=New master server
This allows data backed up by old master to be recovered by new master server for normal client data recoveries.

14. Backup Policy Manager Interface
a. Under the Class menu, select Configure NetBackup Catalog Backup
b. Correct the Server entry to reflect the new Master Server name. If grayed out (not available to change) will need to manually edit the file under :
i. …\VERITAS\Netbackup\db\config\sync and change old server name to new server name

15. Confirm backup of local host, clients and NBU DB catalog

16. Confirm recovery of historical data sample

 

[Hardmandez]

Thanks for that, exactly what we needed. Saved us a fair bit of cash as well.

Thanks again

 

[CampbellGray]

Can BFOJ get back in touch. I also need to move a master server but can't seem to make it work.

Steps 2 & 3 are causing me problems. Can you be more explicit. I get into the configuration window within NetBackup but which bits do I change?

Thanks

 

[PGPhantom]

All he means by those steps is that say on the old server veritas is installed in d:\apps\veritas, on the new server your install directory MUSt be d:\apps\veritas and not for example e:\apps\veritas or some other directory structure.

The other issue is that name resolution is paramount for Veritas to work correctly. This has to work so that all client are able to resolve both IP to name and name to IP for the new master server. If you use DNS - Perfect, that should take care of it for you.

If you use HOSTS files etc, update all of them

 

[CampbellGray]

What I'm confused about is points 2 & 3.

2 - Add new master server to Servers List in Configuration

3 - Add new master server to Servers List in all Client Configurations

 

[BFOJ]

CampbellGray:

Do you see a Server tab? If so, enter the hostname of the new Master Server. For instance if the current hostname is es0040 and the new hostname is esso3es0378, then add this new hostname. If you don't see a Server tab, let me know. I'm at home, so I don't have the screen in front of me, but when I return to work I can give you more explicit steps. Good luck.

 

[CampbellGray]

On the old server I -

Open the 'Configure - NetBackup' window. I right click the server name, top most line and select 'Properties read / write'.

Select the 'servers' tab and type in the field 'Select as Master server in all lists' the name of the new server then press the 'M' button and then press 'OK'

I right client the clients tab and go through the same process as above and change the master server.

Now I try to do the backup. After I start it I get a message back saying 'The following error occurred while attempting to backup the NetBackup catalog: cannot connect on socket'

What I am doing wrong? I can add in the new master server but not do the backup.

 

[BFOJ]

Are you referring to step 7 of the old master server procedure? Is the new Master Server running at this time? Not that you've installed NetBackup on it yet, but that it's on the network and you can ping it.

 

[CampbellGray]

As long as I've got the steps before sorted, yes, step 7 is where I get my error message.

The new master server is up and running with NetBackup installed. I can't remember if the NetBackup services were stopped or started.

 

[talshekel]

I tried the procedure methodically and i keep getting handshake errors when i try recover the db into the new master server. Any ideas
I am using a hosts file on the local box and am testing it on a stand alone master server so name resolution should not be a problem here.

 

[CampbellGray]

BFOJ,

Can you look at my recent posts and see if you can work out what I'm doing wrong?

If I can't work it out I'll need to build a new server and keep both going until the backups, 1 month cycle, slowly faded away.

Thanks

 

[BFOJ]

CampbellGray & talshekel,

Since you may have problems that's specific to your site, let's please correspond via email (if you don't have a problem with that). My email address is bfoj2005@yahoo.com.

If something evolves from this communications that others may benefit from, we can share it in this forum, otherwise it's going to end up with one of those long, long, back and forth, you know what I mean...

 

[AngieD]

Need to do the same - Move NB Master (Unix) from a Master/Media server to a new name Master only (with 4 other seperate & existing media servers, moving the media catalog from the old to the new Master). BFOJ - once converted, do the recovered images on the new Master now see themselves as being created on that new Master? E.G. - are they tried & tested restorable under the new configurations without having to mess with temp. configuration back-settings to do so? Thanks for your time!

 

[mzt4qf]

Hi,
I am going to move Netbackup 4.5 server to the new hardware with different name. Problem is NB Catalog move.
I am coming back to the
NETBACKUP MASTER SERVER MOVE FROM NT TO WIN2000
procedure.
I do not understand what are the points 2,3,7 for in this procedure. Why cant I simply do bprecover on the new server?
Are you able to help me?
Thank you
Regards
Roman

 

[BFOJ]

It's been awhile since I've done this procedure but I'll try and explain those three steps.

step 2: You want to add the new NBU Server information to the Catalog database BEFORE you do your final catalog backup. This is to ensure that the new Server can do a bprecover successfully. Our experience was that if you don't do this step the NetBackup security would not allow us to do a bprecover to a new Server that had a different hostname.

step 3: Your clients will refuse a connection from a NBU Server that is not explicitly listed as an authorized Server to do backups. Again, this is an NBU security feature.

step 7: It's been so long since I did this procedure I can't recall the exact reason for being explicit with this step, but I suggest you do this extra step.

 

[mzt4qf]

Hi,
Thanks for your answer.
It sounds logical but...

My idea was: making catalog backup on the old server. Stopping the old server. Conecting library to the new server. Installing the new one. Recovering the catalog.

Now I have one server licence.
You suggested that I should add the new master name to the old Master Server.
In my 4.5 version It seems that I have following options:
In the properties of the current Master Server Properties I can see Servers bookmark.
There are three options (Global Operations):
- Add to all lists
- Remove from all lists
- Select as Master server in all lists.
Does anybody know what are the consequences of using these options? I am afraid of changing the master server name to not existing one (I still did not install the new Master Server).
Is it possible to have two Master Servers running with one licence. (I am afraid not)?

Thank you
Regards
Roman

 

[comtec17]

The problem is that you will not be able to restore any data with a new master server name. Netbackup is dependant on the host name that backed up the data. If you do this, you will need to run the command:

bpimage -newserver <name> -oldserver <name> -id <backupid> for every single image that the master server owns.

The steps provided above are the easiest way to go about doing this.

Also, yes...you can have the same license key running on 2 master servers. They do not check keys on the network.