How to perform alternate media server restore?

[g_amit]

Hello,

I'm performing restore to alternate media server operation. I've followed below steps before performing restore on alternate media server.

1) Configure Master server and Media server (7.1) on two different windows 2008 x64 servers

2) Created a basic disk storage on master server,configured policy to take a backup on this STU.

3) Now in order to restore using other media server (the one who did not write the backup image) I went to Host properties > Master server > General    Properties and in right pane of that window under section 'Media host override' clicked on 'Add' button.

4) Put Master server as original backup server and Media server as 'restore server'.

5) Restart Netbackup services using bpdown.

6) Took manual backup. It was successful

7) Now tried to restore the same backup.

    Here I was expecting restore would now be successful as it is geting read & written by alternate media server (my media server here). But restore job failed with error 'media write error) status 85 and remain in incomplete state..

Please let me know if the steps I carried are corret or do I've made mistakes in my configuration? Also please let me that in case of restore from alternate media server, do we need storage unit (disk or tape) be shared between all the media server's in configuration? In my case shared between master server and media server.

Thanks,

Amit

[Omar_Villa]

Do u see the Force media server restore entry in bp.conf?

[Omar_Villa]

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH7582

[Marianne]

You storage unit is Basic Disk atached to the master server. Media Host override will not work in this instance. The only 'shared' disk configuration that will work is OST-type disk.

This method works best for tape where all media servers have access to the media in a robot.

[g_amit]

Hi Marianne,

Thanks for your update..And letting me know that it does not support basic disk..Actally in my configuration,I'm using OST-Disk as well. And since it failed on OST-Disk I tried with Basic Disk..

I've disk pool's (OST) configured on both Master server and Media server. And Media server have access to OST-Disk storage configured on Master server and Media server OST-storage is also accessible by master server.So I believe they are shared disk pools. I had also configured force_media_server option as someone had stated above. Still it failed..

So any idea why it might have failed. Also it would be more helpful if you could provide exact steps I should follow to test this scenario in case of OST-Disks.

[Marianne]

OST restore is totally different to any other type of restore.

All 'previously known logic' goes out the window with OST restores. Media Host Override has no effect as media server for restore is chosen using a 'load balancing logic'.

See this TN for detailed explanation: http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH87200

The Windows equivalent of /usr/openv/netbackup/db/config/USE_BACKUP_MEDIA_SERVER_FOR_RESTORE is an empty file with no extention in <install-path>\veritas\netbackup\db\config.

Not sure if a combination of the 'touch file' and Media Host Override will have the desired effect.