Forum Discussion

Brits's avatar
Brits
Level 6
10 years ago

San based data store backup from netbackup

Hi team, I read somewhere , In order to take San based data store backup we need to present those datastore luns to media server . We only need to present the luns to media server or some other step also required?…...those luns should be in read only mode or read/write both?
7.6
Agent for VMware Virtual Infrastructure
Backup and Recovery
Integration
NetBackup
Windows Server (2003-2008)
  • sdo's avatar
    sdo
    10 years ago

    Is your VMware access host / media server Windows based?

    If so, you may want to execute the commands below on the Windows based media server BEFORE presenting LUNs - otherwise when Windows detects new LUNs it will automatically access the partition tables and read from the LUNs (in an attempt to auto-mount them).  Windows shouldn't be able to mount the volumes, because the volumes will be structured as VMFS volumes - but IMO, I'd rather not let Windows Volume Manager behave in that way.  So, you could use this on the Windows media server:

    diskpart

    diskpart> automount disable

    diskpart> exit

    These commands won't interfere with SAN based VADP backups/restores.

  • SymTerry's avatar
    SymTerry
    Level 6
    10 years ago

    DOC6469 is the 7.6 SAN Client and Fibre Transport Guide. I would browse the guide and get more familiar with the process and whats involved. 

  • Brits's avatar
    Brits
    Level 6
    10 years ago

    Hi Terry, In this doc , I am not able to find anything related to my query. Please suggest

  • Marianne's avatar
    Marianne
    Level 6
    10 years ago
    You need to tell us more about your query. Are you referring to Vmware datastores? If Vmware, have you tried to read through the NBU for Vmware Admin Guide?
  • Brits's avatar
    Brits
    Level 6
    10 years ago

    Yes Marianne , I am referring Vmware datastores.

    in Vmware admin guide , not able to find exact answer howver the below link is provding the detail of presenting the LUN to media server-

    http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH159522

    There is nothing mentioned about those luns , it should be in read only mode or read/write both.. (to aviod any overwriting or to protect the LUN's)

  • Marianne's avatar
    Marianne
    Level 6
    10 years ago

    Datastores need to be mounted before they can be written to. If you turn automount off before zoning the datastores, the risk is minimal.

    See this article: https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/articles/netbackup-vmware-backup-over-san
  • sdo's avatar
    sdo
    Moderator
    10 years ago

    Is your VMware access host / media server Windows based?

    If so, you may want to execute the commands below on the Windows based media server BEFORE presenting LUNs - otherwise when Windows detects new LUNs it will automatically access the partition tables and read from the LUNs (in an attempt to auto-mount them).  Windows shouldn't be able to mount the volumes, because the volumes will be structured as VMFS volumes - but IMO, I'd rather not let Windows Volume Manager behave in that way.  So, you could use this on the Windows media server:

    diskpart

    diskpart> automount disable

    diskpart> exit

    These commands won't interfere with SAN based VADP backups/restores.

  • Brits's avatar
    Brits
    Level 6
    10 years ago

    Thank you Marianne and SDO for suggestions.

    Overall -

    automount disable and automount scrub needs to run from diskpart  , then present the LUN's that contains the VM from the SAN...and start configuring the VM snapshot backup by using SAN trasnport mode 

    is this correct  ?

  • sdo's avatar
    sdo
    Moderator
    10 years ago

    Yep - that's what I would do.

    I guess the automount scrub is optional - as I believe that simply tells Windows to forget about the previous volumes that it has remembered as having been able to automount - so, if the Windows server has never automounted a volume, then there's no need to scrub.

  • sdo's avatar
    sdo
    Moderator
    10 years ago

    More than one SAN fabric?  Storage arrays and servers (ESX and NetBackup) spread across many SAN switches?  How many ESXi hosts?  How many storage arrays?  How many storage array front-end ports?  How many media servers?  How many LUNs?

    If the answer to one or more of those is "lots" - then can I suggest that you very carefully plan your LUN presentations - i.e. think about all of the points along the way.   Here's a thing, last time I sat down and thought about how many different pieces of cables, hardware, firmware, drivers, software and protocol embedding etc... that exist all along the data path from client data to backup target - then there can easily be over 40 different 'elements' along the data path.  You need to consider 'fan-in' and 'fan-out' concepts as well as 'data producer' and 'data consumer' concepts when planning to implement medium to large ESXi VADP backup installations.  HTH.

  • Brits's avatar
    Brits
    Level 6
    10 years ago
    Can't answer all...2 VMware cluster, 15 esxi host in each cluster, 1 master ,1 media server What is fan in, fan out ,data consumer ,data producer concept?