Advice required configuring Netbackup 7.6 with NDMP to NetApp Filer

[G4v1n]

Hi,

We are in the process of trialling Netbackup 7.6 and I am having some trouble (having never used NetBackup before) getting the configuration to work  As this is a trial I understand I cannot get help via tech support and was instead directed to the forums.

This is our setup.  Netbackup is version 7.6.0.1 and is installed on a Windows 2008 R2 std server.  The data we wish to backup is stored on a NetApp FAS3220 filer running OnTap 8.2P5 7-Mode.  The backup device is a Dell ML6030 with 6 LTO6 tape drives.

The backup server, Filer and the 6 tape drives are all connected via fibre switches (Cisco 5548's).  Zoning has been configured on the switch and both the backup server and filer have successfully identified the filer and the 6 tape drives.  Running sysconfig -m and sysconfig -t at the CLI on the filer shows the medium changer and the 6 drives correctly listed in the output.  Ndmp is also set to ON.

Within Netbackup I have been following the Netbackup for NDMP admin guide here

http://kbdownload.symantec.com/resources/sites/BUSINESS/content/live/DOCUMENTATION/6000/DOC6456/en_US/NetBackup7.6_AdminGuide_NDMP.pdf?__gda__=1397564311_a593597888b66485b19a8d72f7be370f

We want to backup via the SAN which according to page 18 of the above guide would be the "NDMP local backup".  To achieve this as per the guide I have so far created the NDMP host with the correct credentials.  Running the tpautoconfig -verify successfully shows the connection is made to the NDMP host (in this case the NetApp filer - see below)

C:\Program Files\Veritas\Volmgr\bin>tpautoconf -verify blk-ntap3220-01a
Connecting to host "blk-ntap3220-01a" as user "root"...
Waiting for connect notification message...
Opening session--attempting with NDMP protocol version 4...
Opening session--successful with NDMP protocol version 4
  host supports MD5 authentication
Getting MD5 challenge from host...
Logging in using MD5 method...
Host info is:
  host name "blk-ntap3220-01a"
  os type "NetApp"
  os version "NetApp Release 8.2P5 7-Mode"
  host id "2015615530"
Login was successful
Host supports LOCAL backup/restore
Host supports 3-way backup/restore
Opening SCSI device "mc0"...
Inquiry result is "ADIC    Scalar i500     640G640G.GS007         "

C:\Program Files\Veritas\Volmgr\bin>

We have successfully added the Robotic Library and the tape drives and an Inventory of the library does return all the tapes that are currently located in the library.

We also have the NetApp filer configured as a storage unit, with the type set to NDMP, and the storage device picked up the robotic library.  See attached file named storage_unit.jpg

We have created a policy as outlined in the guide.  The policy type is set to NDMP and the Policy Storage is set to the storage unti that I was created previously.  The config of the policy can be seen in the attached file named Policy Details.

So Netbackup has been config as per the documentation, however when I try to run a manual backup the job fails with the following error:-

"A backup was tried and the storage unit selected for use had the characteristics that were not compatible with the backup type"

The details of this error are :-

"Verify that the characteristics of the selected storage unit are appropriate for the attempted backup.
* For a NetBackup Snapshot Client, the policy storage unit was set to Any_available and the off-host backup method was set to Third-Party Copy Device or NetBackup Media Server. Do not choose Any_available. A particular storage unit (such as nut-4mm-robot-tl4-0) must be specified when Third-Party Copy Device or NetBackup Media Server is specified as the off-host backup method.
* For an NDMP policy type, verify the following:
* You have defined a storage unit of type NDMP.
* The NDMP host value matches the host name of the client. For example, if the NDMP policy specifies toaster as the client, the configuration for the storage unit must specify toaster as the NDMP host.
* The media server for the storage unit is running the correct version of NetBackup.
* For a policy type other than NDMP, verify that the policy specifies a media manager or disk type storage unit"

As far I can tell that error seems to say that we should have a storage unit of type NDMp, which we do and that the ndmp host name matches the host name of the client in the policy which in this case both are blk-ntap3220-01a.emea.local

I have tried re-creating again from scratch but get the same error again.  

One other thing I have noticed is that if I highlight the client in the policy and then click Change to open the change client window (then don't change anything and click Ok).  when the Validate Policy windows appears I get the following error no matter if I select Complete, Basic or None

Policy: NDMP_Backup -- Schedule: Snapshot -- STU: blk-ntap3220-01a.emea.local --

Specified value of policy storage is incorrect.  Specify valid storage lifecycle policy name for policy storage.

Error code 223: an invalid entry was encountered

Can somebody please advise as to where I am going wrong with this?

Regards

[sri_vani]

Can you please modify the client name as blk-ntap3220-01a.emea.local in the policy and try again..

nt sure hw much it will helpful..just plz giv it a try

[RamNagalla · Accepted solution]

you have slected the "use replication Director" in the Policy attributes...

and for replication Director you need to have 2 Filers with the SLP,  looks like you are not looking for replication Director backups..

if so, uncheck the use replication Director" in policy attributes and try the backups.

[sri_vani]

Also

Check to see if a schedule for the NDMP policy has the Override policy storage selection option enabled.

If the override is an SLP that contains an Index From Snapshot operation, the Index From Snapshot operation is not supported in the NDMP policies that are configured for Replication Director.

The SLP validation process does not detect the unsupported configuration because it does not check whether the Override policy storage selection option is enabled in the policy schedules.

[G4v1n]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies.  Ok I checked the client name and that was correctly set.  We also did not have the Override policy storage selection option set to Enabled

Once I unselected the Use Replication Director  option I can now manually start a backup without error however the job starts and shows as active in the Activity Monitor but when double clicking the job percent complete bar has not increased, and on the detailed status tab 0 bytes have been written.  The log on the detailed status tab shows as follows:-

16/04/2014 10:23:34 - Info nbjm(pid=6204) starting backup job (jobid=14) for client blk-ntap3220-01a.emea.local, policy NDMP_Backup, schedule Snapshot  
16/04/2014 10:23:34 - Info nbjm(pid=6204) requesting STANDARD_RESOURCE resources from RB for backup job (jobid=14, request id:{3FD45A76-CF89-444F-A850-20546513C6A0})  
16/04/2014 10:23:34 - requesting resource blk-ntap3220-01a.emea.local
16/04/2014 10:23:34 - requesting resource wok-backup01.emea.local.NBU_CLIENT.MAXJOBS.blk-ntap3220-01a.emea.local
16/04/2014 10:23:34 - requesting resource wok-backup01.emea.local.NBU_POLICY.MAXJOBS.NDMP_Backup
16/04/2014 10:23:34 - granted resource wok-backup01.emea.local.NBU_CLIENT.MAXJOBS.blk-ntap3220-01a.emea.local
16/04/2014 10:23:34 - granted resource wok-backup01.emea.local.NBU_POLICY.MAXJOBS.NDMP_Backup
16/04/2014 10:23:34 - granted resource 000012
16/04/2014 10:23:34 - granted resource nrst1a
16/04/2014 10:23:34 - granted resource blk-ntap3220-01a.emea.local
16/04/2014 10:23:35 - Info bpbrm(pid=2280) blk-ntap3220-01a.emea.local is the host to backup data from     
16/04/2014 10:23:35 - Info bpbrm(pid=2280) reading file list for client        
16/04/2014 10:23:35 - Info bpbrm(pid=2280) starting ndmpagent on client         
16/04/2014 10:23:35 - Info ndmpagent(pid=8004) Backup started           
16/04/2014 10:23:35 - estimated 0 Kbytes needed
16/04/2014 10:23:35 - Info nbjm(pid=6204) started backup (backupid=blk-ntap3220-01a.emea.local_1397640214) job for client blk-ntap3220-01a.emea.local, policy NDMP_Backup, schedule Snapshot on storage unit blk-ntap3220-01a.emea.local
16/04/2014 10:23:35 - started process bpbrm (2280)
16/04/2014 10:23:35 - connecting
16/04/2014 10:23:35 - connected; connect time: 0:00:00
16/04/2014 10:23:35 - Info bptm(pid=9012) start            
16/04/2014 10:23:35 - Info bptm(pid=9012) using 30 data buffers         
16/04/2014 10:23:35 - Info bptm(pid=9012) using 65536 data buffer size        
16/04/2014 10:23:35 - Info bptm(pid=9012) start backup           
16/04/2014 10:23:36 - Info bptm(pid=9012) Waiting for mount of media id 000012 (copy 1) on server wok-backup01.emea.local. 
16/04/2014 10:23:36 - mounting 000012
16/04/2014 10:38:35 - Error bptm(pid=9012) error requesting media, TpErrno = Robot operation failed     
16/04/2014 10:38:39 - Warning bptm(pid=9012) media id 000012 load operation reported an error     
16/04/2014 10:38:39 - current media 000012 complete, requesting next resource Any
16/04/2014 11:02:27 - Info bptm(pid=9012) Waiting for mount of media id 000012 (copy 1) on server wok-backup01.emea.local. 
16/04/2014 11:02:27 - granted resource 000012
16/04/2014 11:02:27 - granted resource nrst2a
16/04/2014 11:02:27 - granted resource blk-ntap3220-01a.emea.local
16/04/2014 11:02:27 - mounting 000012
16/04/2014 11:03:00 - Error bptm(pid=9012) error requesting media, TpErrno = Robot operation failed     
16/04/2014 11:03:03 - Warning bptm(pid=9012) media id 000012 load operation reported an error     
16/04/2014 11:03:03 - current media 000012 complete, requesting next resource Any
16/04/2014 11:04:02 - Info bptm(pid=9012) Waiting for mount of media id 000012 (copy 1) on server wok-backup01.emea.local. 
16/04/2014 11:04:02 - granted resource 000012
16/04/2014 11:04:02 - granted resource nrst3a
16/04/2014 11:04:02 - granted resource blk-ntap3220-01a.emea.local
16/04/2014 11:04:02 - mounting 000012

So it looks like it tried to mount a tape but for some reason errored or timed out

I ran a quick erase job on another tape and can see that this was successfully mounted without issues and the job completed successfully.  See below:-

16/04/2014 11:07:54 - begin Erase
16/04/2014 11:07:54 - started process bplabel (8544)
16/04/2014 11:07:54 - requesting resource NetBackup:000021
16/04/2014 11:07:55 - granted resource 000021
16/04/2014 11:07:55 - granted resource nrst4a
16/04/2014 11:07:56 - Info bptm(pid=1416) start            
16/04/2014 11:07:56 - Info bptm(pid=1416) Waiting for mount of media id 000021 (copy 1) on server wok-backup01.emea.local. 
16/04/2014 11:07:56 - mounting 000021
16/04/2014 11:07:56 - Info bptm(pid=1416) INF - Waiting for mount of media id 000021 on server wok-backup01.emea.local for reading.
16/04/2014 11:08:38 - mounted; mount time: 0:00:42
16/04/2014 11:08:38 - Info bptm(pid=1416) EXITING with status 0 <----------        
16/04/2014 11:08:41 - erasing 000021
16/04/2014 11:08:41 - labeling 000021
16/04/2014 11:09:04 - labeled 000021; label time: 0:00:23
16/04/2014 11:09:04 - end Erase; elapsed time: 0:01:10
the requested operation was successfully completed(0)

Any ideas on why the backup job can't seem to mount the tape?

Regards

Gavin

[Andy_Welburn]

16/04/2014 10:38:35 - Error bptm(pid=9012) error requesting media, TpErrno = Robot operation failed     
16/04/2014 10:38:39 - Warning bptm(pid=9012) media id 000012 load operation reported an error     
16/04/2014 10:38:39 - current media 000012 complete, requesting next resource Any

- potentially an issue with the media itself as it appears to have tried to load this media into at least 3 drives (nrst1a, nrst2a & nrst3a)

Can you physically check the media? dislodged tape leader or other obvious physical damage.

Presumably other media mounts into these drives are ok?

Does the backup work with other media? If you want to test against a specific media you could create a separate volume pool (I notice you're using 'Netbackup' volume pool) containing the media for 'testing' & point the policy to that voume pool.

[G4v1n]

Hi Andy,

Thanks for your response.  I did notice that the job seemed to be cycling through multiple drives after I has posted my last update.  The media is all brand new as is the library.  

Interestingly we were trialling Netbackup as Backup Exec 2012 wasn't working for us.  We were having a similar issue in that whenever we tried to do an NDMP backup the job would start but remain queued and then cycle through the tape drives trying to laod a tape but never loading one.  We had been told this was down to an ownership issue and that the library/drives needed to be directly connected to the NetApp filer or we should use NetBackup as an alternative.

It seems we are now experiencing a similar issue with NetBackup now also which makes me wonder if there is a more fundamental issue.

In the first post I stated that the backup server/tape library and NetApp filer are all connected into the SAN.We have 2x Cisco Nexus 5548 switches which are our SAN.  The cabling is connected as follows:-

Backup Server = 2 connections - 1 into each nexus 5548 switch

Filer = 2 connections - 1 into each nexus 5548 switch

Tape libray = 6 tape drives - 3 into each nexus 5548 switch.  The tape drives are cabled as follows with tape drives 1, 3 and 5 into the 1st nexus 5548 and tape drives 2, 4 and 6 into the 2nd nexus 5548 switch.

Zoning was configured on the switch as follows

Switch 1 (tape drives 1, 3 and 5, Netapp port 0c and backup server port 0 connected)

zone name Z_WOKINGBKP_L0_TAPEDRIVE vsan 10
  device-alias WOKINGBKP_L0
  device-alias TAPEDRIVE_1
  device-alias TAPEDRIVE_3
  device-alias TAPEDRIVE_5

zone name Z_NETAPP3220_0c_TAPEDRIVE vsan 10
  device-alias BLK-NETAPP3220_0c
  device-alias TAPEDRIVE_1
  device-alias TAPEDRIVE_3
  device-alias TAPEDRIVE_5

sh zoneset brief
zoneset name WOK_FLEXPOD_A vsan 10
  zone Z_WOKESXi01_A_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKESXi02_A_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKESXi03_A_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKESXi04_A_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKESXi05_A_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKESXi06_A_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKESXi07_A_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKESXi08_A_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKESXi09_A_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKINGBKP_L0_TAPEDRIVE
  zone Z_NETAPP3220_0c_TAPEDRIVE

Switch 2 (tape drives 2, 4 and 6, Netapp port 0d and backup server port 1 connected)

zone name Z_WOKINGBKP_R1_TAPEDRIVE vsan 20
  device-alias WOKINGBKP_R1
  device-alias TAPEDRIVE_2
  device-alias TAPEDRIVE_4
  device-alias TAPEDRIVE_6

zone name Z_NETAPP3220_0d_TAPEDRIVE vsan 20
  device-alias BLK-NETAPP3220_0d
  device-alias TAPEDRIVE_2
  device-alias TAPEDRIVE_4
  device-alias TAPEDRIVE_6

zoneset name WOK_FLEXPOD_B vsan 20
  zone Z_WOKESXi01_B_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKESXi02_B_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKESXi03_B_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKESXi04_B_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKESXi05_B_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKESXi06_B_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKESXi07_B_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKESXi08_B_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKESXi09_B_NETAPP3250A
  zone Z_WOKINGBKP_R1_TAPEDRIVE
  zone Z_NETAPP3220_0d_TAPEDRIVE

Is this a supported configuration?  Should all of the drives have been cabled into just 1 switch?

Any help appreciated as we not getting anywhere with NetBackup or BackupExec at the moment

Thanks

[Michael_G_Ander]

Have run backup with tape cabled through two switches/fabrics including direct NDMP from NetApp for multiple years, so pretty sure that is not your issue

It could be that there is a disprenance between the order the filer sees the tape drives in and the order the robot control host sees the tape drives in

Best/easiest way to solve that is by using persistent binding on the host and alias on the filer

Hope this helps you forward

Regards

Michael

[G4v1n]

Hi Michael

Thanks for taking a look at my post.  As it turns out we did get this working in the end and have since purchased a license for Netbackup.

Apologies for not replying back to this thread earlier.

Regards

Gavin

[Marianne]

 As it turns out we did get this working in the end ...

Glad you got it working!

Please share with the community what the actual issue was and how it was fixed?

I will gladly mark your post as solution as this will help other users with similar issues.

[G4v1n]

Hi,

I think it was just a mis-configuration on my part really.  Having never used Netbackup before I don't think I fully understood how it all fits together.

After reading through the admin guide and re-configuring our system we managed to get it working.

Regards

Gavin