Forum Discussion

bharatgangawane's avatar
bharatgangawane
Level 5
13 years ago

Move images from catalog.

Hi All ,

I want to move or delete the Images from the catalog due to space issue.
Want to move or delete those images which is having a more size in catalog and backup not happning for those client.

Find the below envoronment details for your refrence.
Master Server :-
OS = Solaris 10
NBU Version = 6.5.4
Netbackup installed on diffrent SAN mount point.

For your kind information i have taken images backup for those client(path :- /usr/openv/netbackup/db/images/client1 & client2) on tape and want to delete those images from cagtalog to create a space in catalog mount point
but we need this images whenever our reqiurement.
So please let us tell the steps how to do this.

Thanks in Advance.
Bharat

7.1.x and Earlier
Backup and Recovery
NetBackup
  • mph999's avatar
    mph999
    13 years ago

    You must NOT do the steps you plan.  If you delete the images, although you have a copy on tape, NBU may expire the tapes and they could be overwritten, and data will be lost.

    If NBU finds a tape in the Media DB but does not find that same tape in the Image DB, it will be expired.  This allows it to be re-used, overwriting any images on it.

    If the tape, only contains the images that you have 'backed up' then you would lose this data.

    Your options.

    1. You could move the images to a location with more space.

    2.  You could compress the catalog

    3. You could archive the catalog, this write the .f files in the catalog (the big files) to tape, and then deletes them from disk.  You have to restore these to do a restore from a client, but it is better than deleting them.

    Option 3 is probably the best.

    All these options are covered in the NetBackup Admin Guide, part 1.

    The 6.5 manuals are here.

    http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH52878

    Regards,

    Martin

  • bharatgangawane's avatar
    bharatgangawane
    Level 5
    13 years ago

    Hi Martin ,

    Thanks for this guding but i take the backup with infinity retention period.

    And please explain in details how to compress the catalog and archive.

    Thanks

    Bharat 

  • mph999's avatar
    mph999
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    You must NOT do the steps you plan.  If you delete the images, although you have a copy on tape, NBU may expire the tapes and they could be overwritten, and data will be lost.

    If NBU finds a tape in the Media DB but does not find that same tape in the Image DB, it will be expired.  This allows it to be re-used, overwriting any images on it.

    If the tape, only contains the images that you have 'backed up' then you would lose this data.

    Your options.

    1. You could move the images to a location with more space.

    2.  You could compress the catalog

    3. You could archive the catalog, this write the .f files in the catalog (the big files) to tape, and then deletes them from disk.  You have to restore these to do a restore from a client, but it is better than deleting them.

    Option 3 is probably the best.

    All these options are covered in the NetBackup Admin Guide, part 1.

    The 6.5 manuals are here.

    http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH52878

    Regards,

    Martin

  • mph999's avatar
    mph999
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    It does not matter what the retention is.  If you remove the catalog files from the directory, NBU could expire the actual backed up data from the tape.

    Let me explain it another way.

    The catalog for a client called womble looks like this

    /usr/openv/netbackup/db/images/womble/1345000000/

    policyname_1345123123

    policyname_1345123123.f

    You are saying you have backed up these files.

    If these files are deleted, NBU could expire the tape that contains the real actual data.  These files are only an index of the backup, not the backup itself.

    If you look in the Admin guide part 1, it explains exactly how to archive the catalog step-by-step.

    It is too long to post here, it is all in the manuals.  If you search for "Archiving the catalog" you should find it.

    All you have to do, is follow the steps exactly, and it will work.

    Martin

  • Mark_Solutions's avatar
    Mark_Solutions
    Level 6
    13 years ago
    Agree with Martin - do not delete anything! If you do not want those backups anymore you could expire them I would prefer not to compress the catalog as it has known to cause issues Either move the images (per client or all if it) to a drive with more space or use catalog archiving - but if archiving think about your future plans as a move to V7.5 changes its structure moving a lot into the EMM database I would go with the move to a new drive out of the options available Hope this helps
  • mph999's avatar
    mph999
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    He he ... Mark and I have slightly different views ....

    I must add that I am guessing that you do not have any spare disk space ... am I correct ?

    If you do, and you move the complete catalog, or just teh parts for a particulat client you MUST do it as per the steps in the Admin Guides.  You cannot just 'copy' the files to another location, or NBU will expire the tapes.

    Martin

  • Mark_Solutions's avatar
    Mark_Solutions
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    I was on my phone when i wrote that so couldnt add a link ... but yes, the correct guide must be follwed - have done it many times for customers when you just move the enitre db directory.

    If your catalog is approaching 1TB then it is time to look at clearing it down, if it is much smaller then i would move it

    Hope this helps