Forum Discussion

Gareth_Maddern's avatar
Gareth_Maddern
Level 2
8 years ago

Using ansible to automate client updates/upgrades or tasks on netbackup 7/8 appliances

Hi,

I'm not able find anything of interest in google or veritas support docs.

We're looking at automation of most of our common sysadmin tasks including upgrading and patching netbackup on clients and media servers using ansible, just a quick question if there's any plans to provide or support a netbackup appliance ansible type module to perform such tasks, also would remote command execution via ansible be supported? Maybe a silly question or one that has been addressed somewhere.

Sure more people would be curious if ansible support is on the roadmap for netbackup appliances etc. ?

Many thanks in advance

Gareth Maddern

Ansible
appliance
NetBackup
  • Marianne's avatar
    Marianne
    Level 6
    8 years ago

    A very warm Welcome Gary!!!

    I think you will experience problems with remote commands on the appliances. 
    They are really locked down from a Security point of view that it will be very hard or impossible.

    If you contact Veritas, they will probably point you to LiveUpdate which is the Veritas tool for bulk client and media server updates.

    DOCUMENTATION: The NetBackup LiveUpdate Process.
    http://www.veritas.com/docs/000095366

     

    • andrew_mcc1's avatar
      andrew_mcc1
      Level 6
      8 years ago

      I heard there is some activity along these lines plus the Linux client changed to use rpm files for installs and upgades from 7.7.3. You may want to reach out to your local Veritas pre-sales SE... Regards, Andrew

      PS: Not sure Veritas recommend LiveUpdate these days - its a Symantec technology

      • X2's avatar
        X2
        Moderator
        7 years ago

        andrew_mcc1my advice would be to tread carefully when using those rpms. The rpms are there for sure, but there is a lot of configuration which goes on without those rpms during the install process.

        Veritas has provided Chef and SCCM deployment scripts. Not sure if anyone has used those for "upgrade".

        For our part, we have been using SCCM for the past year or so and Ansible (getting help from Expect) playbook - both processes were developed inhouse. Our Windows admins have looked at the SCCM script for Veritas has provided and looks quite similar to what they have been doing for deployments.

    • Gareth_Maddern's avatar
      Gareth_Maddern
      Level 2
      8 years ago

      Hi Marianne,

      Why thank you, you seem strangeley familiar ;-)

      Yes at present we will use the update_clients method from the appliance(s) to upgrade all clients to V8 and this can be scripted from appliance also making life a lot easier.

      Again thanks to all for their replies, kindest regards

      Gareth

      • Marianne's avatar
        Marianne
        Level 6
        7 years ago

        Gareth_Maddern

        Veritas is looking for input w.r.t. NetBackup deployment tools.
        Extract from CPEP email:

        Details:

        Our NetBackup Product Management Team is conducting this survey to capture your input regarding the NetBackup Deployment Tools.  As we continue to invest in the deployment tool area of NetBackup, we also recognize that there may be a need for many of our customers to use multiple deployment tools.

         Requirements:
        Current NetBackup User

        The survey can be accessed here:  https://www.research.net/r/NBU_Deploy_CEP-4301

         If you know someone in your company that would also be interested in participating, please forward this email to them.

  • Michael_G_Ander's avatar
    Michael_G_Ander
    Level 6
    8 years ago

    Do not think you will get support for a specific automation product, but there might be some kind of silentinstall/upgrade script like there is for some OS'es.

    Which you then can call with your automation product of choice.