How to backup AWS EC2 instances ( Windows and Rdhat Linux) using NBU 8.1

[samshaw]

Hello there,

How are you ? Can we backup and restore AWS (Amazon) EC2 instances with NetBackup 8.1 ? Yes, we are installing NBU client on EC2 insntaces for backup. I am able to backup file system volumes (c:, d: etc) but I was wondering on how to backup the whole EC2 instance (VM itself).

Any help or pointer to it will be appreciated. 

Thanks.

[Mouse]

AWS does not provide access to images of AMI VMs, neither it provides access to database files of RDS - it's a closed ecosystem that works through API where you can trigger a snapshot for an AMI or RDS either through AWS console or a script or Veritas' new product called CloudPoint. However, you won't have direct access to the snapshot - the economy of AWS works on storing everything in AWS' walled garden.

I wrote a set of scripts back in 2014 to help one of my customers to trigger RDS and AMI snapshots through the NBU scheduler and it was not too difficult as the API is pretty well documented - but it is not possible to back an AMI up like a VMware VM.

[samshaw]

Thanks very much for your answer.

I would think, I should be able to backup windows servers with traditional file backups ( since I have the NBU client running on the EC2 instances)? 

I am thinking of ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES, System State or Shadown Copy components directives , should do it (it should capture everything on windows server ) ? Although not sure, what would be different between ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES, system state or shadow copy  for Windows 2012 R2 ?

Thank you.

[Mouse]

Correct, to be completely clear on this - you can back up data within an AMI but not the AMI itself with NBU.

On Windows, ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES includes System state (see https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/123711489-126541862-0/v42177434-126541862) so there is no need to specify it separately

[samshaw]

Thank you for the response.

I should be able to spawn a new EC2 instance with the volumes I have restored right (C:\ volume should have all of Windows system configs)....correct ? 

Also,

1) How would you restore the system state info when building a new EC2 instance from file restoration ? 

2) I am noticing that some of my System state restore are failing with message "Unable to reset disk quota information " or error writing file, err=win 32 13:data is invalid.

3) My restored C and D volume have different size and number of files comaprd to source ?

Thanks.

[Mouse]

Correct, on Windows you'd perhaps think of using BMR which is a FOC feature but it has to be configured and enabled separately, this is to automate the DR process which is a bit cumbersome as explained in this article http://www.veritas.com/docs/100023866

[samshaw]

Thank you so very much for detailed info (http://www.veritas.com/docs/100023866). This works only for windows though , is there such detailed guide for Linux (RHEL)?

Thank you.

[Mouse · Accepted solution]

For many reasons, Linux restore is easier if you utilise an alternative disk for the restored data. Some of good hints can be found here: https://vox.veritas.com/t5/NetBackup/Full-Linux-and-windows-restore-without-BMR-option/td-p/650270

I still think that setting up BMR is a much better solution considering that both Windows and Linux DR procedures can be cumbersome