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How to back up NetBackup server itself?

nbmagic
Level 4

Can somebody here please instruct me how to backup NB server itself? If the server is built on VMware guest linux host, then are there any additional tools?

 

Thanks!

7 REPLIES 7

RamNagalla
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first thing you need to do/make sure is about catalog backup of netbackup master server, if catalog backup is not configured, you need to configure it first and set up the DR file , this is required to recover the master server in case of DR.

then you need to look for protecting the FS backups.. since master server is VM, if you have Vmware backups configured in this master enviornment you can configure it to take vmware snaphost using Netbackup.

if Vmware backups are not configured.. then you can add master server & media servers into reguler FS policy (standard policy type)and take backup as you take regular clients.

 

Thanks!

A follow-up on backing up Catalog.

catalog backup is not configured. How do I set up the DR file?
If it is not for DR, only for recovering the server in local, what is the way to back it up?

Thanks!

A follow-up on backing up Catalog.

catalog backup is not configured. How do I set up the DR file? I guess I don't understand what is DR file for if I don't use the catalog for DR?

RamNagalla
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Please go though this article, it explines for windows, however it same for unix as well

https://vox.veritas.com/t5/Articles/How-to-perform-Netbackup-catalog-Backup-and-Restore-operations/t...

sdo
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I'd be a bit wary about backing up a "Master Server" VM as a VM.  This will "stun" the master server whilst the snapshot is being taken.  Plus, a VM style backup of a virtual Master Server will save the entire catalog again (if the catalog is on apparent local disk), which is a waste of resource, time and storage.  If the catalog is on an RDM then it won't include that, so maybe you'll be ok-ish with a VM style backup.

Usually, the only things we might consider backing-up (apart from already having a catalog backup policy configured) via a file level backup of the master server are things like:

/etc/hosts

/etc/*.conf

/usr/openv/netbackup/db/class

/usr/openv/netbackup/db/client

...and any binaries, kits, tools, drivers, scripts, and any custom NetBackup "touch/value" files, perhaps even the NetBackup logs, and maybe your NetBackup BMR SRT and BMR ISO folders.

There is no point in backing-up the whole of /usr/bin or /usr/sbin or even /usr/openv/netbackup/bin because these are of no real use in a DR or Master Server recovery situation, because the only way to recover a working Master Server is to do a fresh install of the "Server" kit, and then perform a catalog recovery.

Also, it is very important that you get the "Catalog Backup DR File" off-host, and keep it safe.  Some of us will even email this DR file "off-site", i.e. away from the data-centre that contains teh master server.  Unless you are working in an ultra-secure environment, then usually emailing this DR file to say a corporate Office 365 account should be quite safe, as it doesn't contain anything useful to anyone else.

sdo
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The reason I like to take a backup of /usr/openv/netbackup/db/class is because if you accidentally delete a policy or seriously goof an edit, then you can restore one or more backup policies quite easily.

And - FYI - the /usr/openv/netbackup/db/client is the folder which contains the Master Server's "Client Attributes", again I like to save this regularly in case I ever need to recover any individual client attributes - or perhaps inspect how it once looked.

Tape_Archived
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Please add the master server name in your backup policy or create a seperate policy. Let the backup run in afternoon or when there is less backup load. 

By default these netbackup installation files are exculded from the master server's client properties so you may not have to do anything apart from verifying the exculsion list.

Also follow the suggestions described by sdo.