BMR - Successful Configuration?

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Hi,

I would like to have your feedback on what constitutes a successful BMR configuration. I have installed and configured BMR Master Server, BMR boot servers, and have completed successful, status 0, backups with "collect disaster recover information" selected.

One would pressume that having done this one would be able to do a BMR restore to the same server without any issues. Or is that a bit enthusiastic?

Is there any difference in using CD boot vs Network boot with regard to the drivers that it use for the boot / Mini OS? Which one is best?

I've faced an issue whereby one of the windows clients I'm trying to restore is not finding the Network Card in the server, and it can therefore not get an IP to start the process of retrieving the configuration. I used the BMR boot cd created from the image supplied with the netbackup software.

Am i missing something in the process?

[Yasuhisa_Ishika]

I have an experience with IBM x server that try to boot from only subset of attached NICs(not try for each NICs). The sever has twelve NICs, and it try to boot only from on-board NICs and one additional NIC boards. After few hours investigation, I found that this server can try legacy boot(PXE boot) for only four NICs in group of same boot microcode. Unfortunately, this server is connected to backup network with one of non-bootable NICs. To recover the server, I had to do CD boot.

[mandar_khanolka]

1. Successful BMR  backup is not sufficient to say "BMR configuration is successful"

2. >> Is there any difference in using CD boot vs Network boot with regard to the drivers that it use for the boot / Mini OS? Which one is best?

If CD SRT is prepared using the same NW based SRT then there is logically no difference with respect to drivers and mini-os environment. Only booting method differs.

If CD SRT is prepared out of generic SRT then it wont contain client specific drivers in it and that may cause failure while accessing critical devices like disk/nw. So better to burn ISO after doing prepare to restore for that client/family of client.

I would say BMR configuration is successful when BMR prepare to restore step for intended client is happening successfullly. This steps makes sure

a. BMR client full backup is available

b. SRT is correct with respect to client being restored

c. SRT contains requried drivers and resources to restore the client.

Still in restore environment there can be some issues introduce like client-server NW commn problem, NW card is not coming up due to invalid or incorrect version of device driver. etc.

In your case looks like device driver would be a problem as it failed to detect NW card during boot. I consider you are restoring to the same machine. Sometimes the NW driver captured during backup process does not work in BMR restore env as it is mini-os which does not support same nw driver version. You may want to provide details of you NW card or paste client xml config here.

Thanks.

Mandar

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Hi Mandar,

Thanks, I've been hoping you would find my post :)

I'm onsite and testing again. Is there anything I need to look for in the xml (i assume you mean bmrcli.xml?) file? This is a military institution so getting info from inside to the net is an issue.

Thanks

riaan

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Thanks for the feedback :)

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Hi,

Just ran the restore again to get the exact error.

network initialization failed rc=3997697

Seems like a common thing with the driver not being part of the BMRDB,or not winpe 2.1 compatible.

The network card is a Intel 82567LM-3 gigabit adapter running MS 10.5.1.0 driver (10/21/2008). It seems a bit old so I'm going to try and update the client with the latest from intel. then rerun the backup.

do we need to insert this driver manually using the boot server assistant or will the backup grab it?

Riaan

[mandar_khanolka]

Hey Riaan,

Yeah you need to insert a different version of this driver into WINPE SRT.

I will update you the link of this driver soon.

Thanks.

Mandar

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Same error...

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Hi Mandar,

I've installed this version Intel 11.13.51.0 (7/20/2011) e1k62x64 is the specific driver name.

I've rerun the backup, it now reflects under the clients driver details. I then did a new prepare to restore from the SRT (network) {EDIT} and I also did a driver package creation, {EDIT} and created a new boot cd.

Trying that now.

[mandar_khanolka]

I just got confirmation from Suchitra that you need to use e1k60x64 driver version.

Please re-try.

Thanks.

Mandar

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Hi,

Just to confirm, must I install that driver on the client. Then add the driver to SRT using add driver package wizard, and then prepare to restore, and then create new boot media?

Is a full backup required?

Riaan

[mandar_khanolka]

Using createdriverpackage wizard on bmr boot server insert this driver into BMR driver repository.

Then:

1. create fresh srt

2. Map this specific driver using edit config -> driver map interface

3. do PTR

4. burn ISO out of this SRT.

5. Then do media boot restore.

>> Is a full backup required?

YES.

Thanks.

Mandar

[RiaanBadenhorst]

The driver you mentioned doesn't want to install on the client, do you mean to say we're only supposed to use it for the SRT/Boot CD?

Thanks for all the help.

[mandar_khanolka]

Yes. This driver is not meant for client and rather needs to be available inside SRT so that it works in restore time winpe based mini-OS.

Thanks.

Mandar

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Hi Mandar,

Ok I tried adding the driver using the add package wizard but it fails, it says the e1k60x64 isn't meant for that OS (i selected windows 2008 R2 64 bit).

Confused...., what does the WinPE environment run? Just 2008/Win7?

[mandar_khanolka]

Current BMR winpe version is 2.1 and is based upon windows 2008.

Thanks.

Mandar

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Hi Mandar,

Ok so I've managed to get back onsite. I created a package for this driver using 2008 and I can see it under the packages. The problem now is that as its Windows 2008, I can't see if when I want to add it to the Copied Configuration for my client (which is 2008 R2).

How can we get around this, the windows version is obviously picked up when BMR discovers the client during a backup. So your plan to use the Windows 2008 driver on the BMR cd doesn't seem to be possible. I only have Windows 2008 R2 clients so I cant run a prepare to restore on a Win 2008 cd and just use its CD to boot Win 2008 R2 either.

I also notice the driver that was discovered during BMR (the correct one) was not being forced into use during BMR boot. I changed this option to force it, recreated the boot media but its still fails with the same RC error.

Thanks

Riaan

[mandar_khanolka]

You need to remove win2008 R2 driver from the copied config and add windows 2008 driver version from the available driver list. In this case it should forcefully go into the SRT and when client boots using this SRT, this driver should work.

Thanks.

Mandar