Migration of backups from Netbackup 6.5 to appliance 5220 - Netbackup 7.5

[alfieboy]

Dear all,

I have read through a number of posts on the forums, all of which had been very helpful. However, I could do with more advice on the above subject.

I will provide a brief summary of the work.

Summary:

The existing backup system consists of two master(media) servers each using a Quantum PX500 autoloader using DLT tapes. Each server is located at separate sites and are installed with Netbackup 6.5.5.

These servers are to be replaced with two 5220 appliances running Netbackup 7.5.0.5. Both of the appliances have disk storage. In addition, one server has a HP Ultrum5 tape.

The objective is to migrate the backed up data from the existing systems to the replacement systems. Effectively, the data on the current DLTs needs to be copied to the new appliances. The appliances will be configured in line with the existing servers in terms of policies. The existing calaogue will need to be restored on the new appliances.

I appreciate this is a summary of the objective and doesn't include the tasks necessary to complete this work.

I would appreciate it if you would comment on this post.

 Best regards,

Alf

[Mark_Solutions · Accepted solution]

To migrate your catalogs from a traditional server to an appliance will require catalog manipulation which can only be done by trained PS specialists

As that will clearly not be a cheap option you do have other possibilities here

1. Keep you current Master Server  - they will need to be upgraded to 7.5.0.5 - and use the appliances as media servers so that you do not have to have the catalog manipulation work done

2. Make the DLT tape library also available to the appliance so that old tapes can be accessed - if you follow 1. above then you would just need to transfer the image ownership from the old media servers to the new media servers (appliances) using the vmchange command

3. If you do not want to do either of the above then you will need to make the DLT library available to the appliances initially - import all of your tapes into NetBackup to populate the images catalog - and then duplicate them all to LTO tapes after which the DLT images can be expired - if you have a lot of tapes that could take a LONG time.

So easiest is to keep your Master but upgrade it first but if that is not an option then you could want the catlog migrating - see this link:

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH31385

[alfieboy]

Hello Mark,

Many thanks for your informative response. I can contribute a little more as I now have more information about the task ahead.

The facts remain the same in terms of servers and appliances. In fact, both appliances have the internal storage of 4.5 T (RAID 6) and both have an externally attached HP 1/8 G2 tape library with a single Ultrium 5 tape drive.

Mark, please note my response to your points raised earlier.

 P1. This is unlikely as the appliances are currently configured and the existing servers are close to 8 years old. I am not sure this option would be considered to be frank. The idea is to replace old with new.

P2: This is dependant on the outcome of a potential upgrade of the existing servers in point 1 above.

P3: This option seems reasonable. With this option the existing tape libraries would be daisychained to the new |SCSI tape libraies. The existing tape libraries would now be accessible by the appliances together with the new tape libraries. At this point at historical data would be made available to the appliances. Mark, you mention importing the existing tapes into Netbackup. I take the image files would then be used to describe the backups?

In terms of tapes, I believe there are 32 tapes in the existing library, quite old the capacity per tape is likely to be low.

Regards,

Alf

[Mark_Solutions]

If the old library is SCSI attached then there is no SCSI connection on an appliance to connect it to.

You would need to add a fibre bridge to the library to get it connected

For importing old tapes just follow this proceedure:

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH43584

This populates the image database (catalog) with all of the old images

Once imported you can duplicate them (via the catalog section in the admin console) to the new LTO tapes

Once done you can expire the images on the DLT tapes to leave all the same data in the catalog but just referencing the LTO tapes - once done you can decomission the old library.

The policies would need to be re-created manually

Hope this helps

[alfieboy]

Hello Mark,

Thank you for your reply.

With the difference in technology as it stands, points 1-3 as discussed, none cannot be undertaken at present.

The hardware compatability will have to be rectified first.

Regards,

Alf.

[EnriquePereira]

Hi alfieboy,

I have not seen tha platform you have for your master servers, but if it is unix, there is a choice of migrating it to appliances without consulting services:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&pmv=print&impressions=&viewlocale=&id=TE...

Also there is a "recovery without import" procedure, but still needs to be the same plaform:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH28722

For conecting the tape drives, you can reinstall the old servers as media servers just to transfer the backups.