Hand Over NetBackup

First step is a basic understanding of how NetBackup works.

My advice of 2 days ago is therefore still relevant:

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/backup-tape-2#comment-6971571

i am already start reading in administration guid and apply tasks at netbackup parallel to this

and  i want the most important question to ask because my colleague at work will leave after 7 days so i must handover next 2 days this is the case

Your colleague needs to provide handover to you and in all honesty should be included in your job description.

Each site is unique in the way that backups are managed.

Your colleague needs to provide you with a daily, weekly, monthly tasklist:

Daily tasklist might include backup checks using either NBU reports, Activity Monitor, reporting tool, etc. then troubleshooting backup errors...
Possibly compiling a report that needs to go to 'someone who cares'.
Possibly eject backup tapes that might need to go offsite based on company policy.
Manage/monitor disk space consumed by disk backups, tape usage, etc... etc...

So, process that works for Company 1 might not work for Company 2 might not work for you.

OK, so your colleague is leaving and will handover the NBU environment to you - am I correct ?

If, so :

1.  As Mariannes excellent post says, read the manuals.

2.  Go on a NBU training course - you cannot successfully run a backup environment without training

3.  If it is working, do NOT change anything

4.  If it is not working, do not guess and change things - either look it up or ask ...

5.  If you change something and it does not do what you want put it back.

6.  If you change something and it does not fix a problem, put it back to what it was

7.  NBU does NOT control the network.  Network issues need fixing by Network people, not Netbackup people - start the problem fixing in the correct place.  For example NetBackup error status 24 (socket write failed) is ONLY reported by NBU, not caused by NBU.

8.  NetBackup does NOT write to tape drives.  Tape read/ write / positioning operations are handled by the operating system.  So again, if you have trouble in this area, do not start by blaming NBU -  0;)

Martin

i agree with you marianne that process that works for Company 1 might not work for Company 2 might not work for you but you list gooa items to ask so i need question like that to help me

... add to Mariannes excellent suggested questions :

Are there any known issues.  For example, perhpas you have some 'problem clients' that due to isues outside your control (perhpas it's that dodgy network again)  fail every now and again - however, your colleague accepts this and lives with it as there is no fix that he can make.

Martin

Should provide list of media, master and all critical list of servers( e.g - Exchange ) . gather report of backup clients and backup success rate , rest all can be learnerd only Via a training on Netbackup .

You need to shadow your colleague every minute of the day (within reason) & question question question.

Take copious notes & query everything. Does he/she have an "Idiots Guide to NetBackup"? We have a few that our oppos have compiled to allow new members of staff to follow to run any regular tasks.

Martins & Mariannes excellent suggestions are just a start & as already intimated what else we could offer may not be at all relevant to your situation.

This should've all been put in place with much more than 2 days to go, but ....

Wishing you the very best of luck & remember we will be able to assist with many queries if push comes to shove, just don't put them all down on one post in 2 days time!

Additional questions:

• Provide list of server owners for each client being backed up. (You need to know who to go to when client backup problems are experienced.)
• Company rules for data retention
• Procedures when new clients need to be installed/backed up
• Who holds the license key certificates? Are these licenses registered on the licensing portal? If so, under which user name? If colleague's name, he needs to arrange for transfer to your name or preferably to a generic email address at your company (e.g. backup-admin@xxxxx.yyy). You will need the licenses when upgrade must be done and to download software.
• Where is the NBU software? (needed for recovery of NBU servers and/or clients)
• Who do you contact for support issues (anything not easily resolved with the help of the Troubleshooting Guide)? Do you have a contract with a local reseller for initial contact and support, or should a call be logged directly with Symantec support? If so, you will need Customer ID on license certificate.
• What level of maintenance do you have for NBU?
• Basic - Office hours only support from Symantec
• Essential - 24 x 7 telephone and email support
• BCS - Business Critical Support (access to senior Symantec engineers - like Martin)
• Where/how to arrange for NBU training?

Will add if/when I remember anything else....

as usual marianne

you add alot to me and i am waiting more  add  when you  remember anything else ... thanks