on 05-04-2011 04:07 AM
VERITAS NetBackup SERVER MIGRATION ACTIVITY EXPERIENCE
Today I am going to share my VERITAS NetBackup Server Up gradation and Tape Library Migration Activity. I will also share some points which I faced after this Activity and the steps which guided me to decrease my down time.
There may be so many points which might forgot to share but I hope this will also help towards successful Migration.
I request to all that before doing Migration / UP Gradation Activity make sure that you have properly read the Release Notes of New Product (In my case it was NetBackup Server 7.1) and also make sure that your all Clients and existing environment support New Product. As an example what I faced is my Win2000 OS with SP4 are not supported to install the NetBackup Client 7.1
Agenda
One existing Machine running Veritas NetBackup Server 6.5.5 with an IBM Tape Library and the agenda is to configure Netbackup Server 7.1 on a New Machine with a New Tape Library. All the data of Old NetBackup Server should be present on the New NetBackup Server(Data means Catalog data,Volume Pools,Policies etc)
Live/Running NetBackup Server configuration
IBM Tape Library with two Tape Drives
Cartridge capacity = 44
Installed cartridge = 32
Cartridge Type = LTO-4
NetBackup version = 6.5.5
OS of NetBackup Server = win2003 R2
Suggested Environment
IBM Tape Library TS3310 (New)
Cartridge capacity = 144
Installed cartridge = 5
Cartridge Type = LTO-5
NetBackup version required = 7.1
OS of NetBackup Server = win2008 R2
Activity Started
Note:
Initially to decrease the down time we isolate the new NetBackup Server Machine with the existing/Live environment
1.) First of all from the licensing portal of Symantec download 7.1 product. Here you may find the difficulty because you will need the notification ID which you will get from Customer Support. See a helpful link below for reference:
https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/netbackup-71-now-available
2.) Install NetBackup 6.5.0 on New Machine.
3.) Update the VERITAS NetBackup Server to 6.5.5
4.) Configure the New Tape Library on the New NetBackup Server (Make sure that the New Tape Library Drivers are properly installed and the OS is able to detect the Tape Library. For verification check the Device Manager of windows).
5.) Take the backup of Catalog to Tape Cartridge from Live NetBackup Server and copy the DR file from Live NetBackup Server to USB/Flash Drive and Shutdown the Live NetBackup Server and now connect your New NetBackup Server to the Network which we did not do when we started the Activity. The isolation of NetBackup Server saves our time from point # 1 to point # 5. See the below link of how to take the Catalog Backup for reference:
https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/articles/howto-take-online-hot-catalog-backup
6.) Insert the Tape Cartridge of Catalog Backup (of LIVE Tape Library) to the New Tape Library which is connected with New NetBackup Server and supply/copy the DR file to the New NetBackup Server which will required while Catalog Recovery Wizard.
7.) Restore the Catalog Backup on to the New NetBackup Server. (See the Point # 11 if you will face Media Type problem)
8.) Restart the New NetBackup Server
9.) De activate all NetBackup policies so that they may not trigger and check The Catalog Search, Media, Volume pools and Policies to verify the restore is successful and check the last backup to make sure that the restore is up to date.
10.) You will also find the Old Tape Library again on to the New NetBackup Server after Catalog Recovery so Configure the New Tape Library once again to the New NetBackup server from the first TAB "Getting Started" and Remove the Old Tape Library.
11.) If you want to use the Tape Cartridges of Old Tape Library in the New Tape Library so you make sure that the Media Type should be same while adding the Tape Cartridges from Old Tape Library to New Tape Library and keep in mind that the Media/Tape Cartridges is just one generation back if you want to write on Old Tape Cartridges. In my case my Old Tape Cartridges is LTO 4 and new Tape Library is LTO 5. If you mistakenly configured Tapes with wrong Media Type, change the Media Type via below command as an example:
C:\Program Files\VERITAS\Volmgr\bin>vmchange.exe -new_mt HCART3 -m MEDIA-ID
Make sure that Media Type should be same while adding the Old Tapes to the New Tape Library. You can lose the data while changing the Media ID on the New NetBackup Server.
12.) If you moved all the Tape Cartridges properly. Inventory Robot and Activate all NetBackup Policies which you de activated at point # 9 so that your backup will start where they left on Old Tape Library.
Note:
If you are interested to use Brand New Tape Cartridges in the New Tape Library so all the differential/cumulative backups’ policies will take the Full backup first.
13.) Now install the Netbackup Server 7.1
Problem which I faced after and while Up gradation
https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/ko/forums/more-two-tape-drives-are-not-working
https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/does-netbackup-offers-head-cleaning#comment-5515231
https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/exchange-error-69
https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/not-able-install-solaris-client-71-solaris-9
https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/how-install-dlo-win2008
These are the problem which I faced while this Activity and I hope if you will see this Article it will help to in decreasing the Down Time.
Very nice. It would be very useful for others.
Thanks Zahid.
For step 11, should the old tapes be configured as LTO3 in the new tape library or LTO5?
If they are configured as HCART so configure them as HCART
OR
If they are configured as HCART3 so configure them as HCART3
I hope it will help you
Kindly help me to understand below line,
Keep in mind that both Tape Libraries (Old and New) will not work simultaneously on the Master Server.
Its mean that you may need additional license for this. Its better that you may consult with your regional Sales person. See the below link too for your help. It may help you:
https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/netbackup-licensing
This posting is about Veritas NetBackup Server migration activity experience. There are steps listed about downloading the Symantec 7.1 product. It looks like one will need notification ID which you will get from Customer Support. One of the problems stated is about the newly installed Library which has six drives. There are links for the problems and I think it is a good idea. At least readers who check out the site can click on the link. Dedicated server details are freely available on the Internet.
Thanks Paul for your kind input