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Move FSA placeholders

maj_rif
Level 4
Hi,
I am using Enterprise Vault 7.5 (with no service pack) File System Archiving. I am using NTFS storage to store the placeholders
I’m in the process of moving placeholders to new file server due to hardware change. I want to move the placeholders to new server (with new name)
 
I have tried following two methods.

FSAutitlity : I have used FSAUtility -m -s \\unc_path_source -d \\unc_path_destination. The issue is that the command is only moving the archived files to new location and skipping the non-archived files. That file is not working on the main archive points. I have to run the command for all users one by one (is it a bug?)

Backup : I ran the backup job from NetBackup and took the backup of all files including placeholders and files. Restoration job is restoring all placeholders and files to alternate location. NetBackup is restoring actual files rather than placeholders.

I’ll appreciate if you can suggest something that can resolve the issues I am facing. Any other procedure that can assist me to resolve the problem.
2 REPLIES 2

Mouse
Moderator
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or against a volume?

This technote explicitly specifies that you cannot run it against the top-level folder:

Document ID: 320911
http://support.veritas.com/docs/320911
How to move Placeholders from one Server to a new Server

 
Details:
The process below can be used to move Placeholders to a new File Server due to a hardware change. The data on the File Server (including the Placeholders) can be backed up and then restored onto the new File Server and all archived files will open correctly as long as the File System Archiving (FSA) agent is installed again and the new server retains the same name as the old. Not all Backup software can properly backup Placeholders and the use of the FSAUtility to recreate Placeholders may be necessary. The command to recreate Placeholders would be as followed
FSAUtility -c -s \\unc_path_name\folder_name
In the event that a new server needs to be brought online and the NetBIOS name changed then the fsautility will have to be used to correctly move the Placeholders from the old File Server to the new File Server. Perform the following steps to properly move the Placeholders between servers.
1. Setup a new File Server (FS) and install the Operating System (OS).
2. Setup a new Directory Structure on the FS for shares and give the Vault Service Account full access via NTFS permissions and share rights.
3. Configure Enterprise Vault (EV) for the new FS and install the FSA agent on File Server.
4. Setup the Volume and Archive Points on the EV Server and perform an Initial Archiving Run (the Placeholder move will not function correctly unless a Archiving run has been performed).
5. Use the fsautility to move placeholders from old server to new.
a. This Utility can only be run on a sub-folder basis (ie..\\unc_path\subfolder\). It cannot be run against a base volume (ie..\\unc_path) and the Destination Folder must already exist as it will not get created by the FSAUtility.
b. Open Command Prompt Window
c. cd to Program Files\Enterprise Vault\
d. type FSAUtility -m -s \\unc_path_source -d \\unc_path_destination
This will be all that is necessary to get this done. As stated above if keeping the same name it will be much easier to Backup the data and Placeholder (if possible) and then restore back onto the new server.

Mohawk_Marvin
Level 6
Partner

I believe the correct method for migrating to a new file server is to restore the place holders back using the FSAUtility
fsautility –t –s <YOUR UNC PATH>
Then move the original files from source to destination

You could try the following as well which might help you, (but lab test it first):
  • Remove write access to the file servers shares for users.
  • Add the new server as a target
  • Put the NTBackup (or whichever backup tool) .exe in the exclude exe registry key
  • Use NTbackup to do a backup of the data on the file server, as we have put ntbackup.exe into the excludedexes it will backup the placeholders as they are and also backup the hidden xml files that EV uses for archive pointers.
  • Restore the NTbackup to the new file server.
  • Set up the sharing correctly on the new file server.
  • Test retrieval of items from the new file server