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Linux Media - Backup through SAN - Write protect on LUN

laguns97
Level 4

Hi ! I’m gonna try to explain, the best I can, english is not my primary language and Google translate is not always good !

Master (AIX) : NB 7.7.3

Media (Windows) : NB 7.7.3

Media (Linux RH7.5) : NB 7.7.3

We have a lot of client (VMware) and others are physical. We have a SAN where all ESX are connected on it for virtual machines. All our Media Server are zoning in the SAN to see the LUN of all virtual machine, so when it’s time to backup and/or restore, the data travel through fiber instead of network. On Windows system, if we go in Disk Management, we can see all disk (LUN) of ESX servers. All disk (LUN) are set to offline, except one, this disk (LUN) is set to online because we use this disk for restoring. (After restore, the VM Admin can move the vm anywhere). In this way, we cannot restore accidentally a VM and overwrite them. So on Windows Media Server, we have the notion of read only (offline) and write (online) on the disk (LUN) of the SAN. We use this LUN only to restore, after restore, we move the VM.

We installed, there is few weeks, a new Linux Media server. I do the same zoning so the Linux Media server can see the LUN of all virtual machine. HDLM is not installed on Linux server. Last week I took a backup of a VM from the Linux Media via the SAN. Everything was fine, no problem to backup. This morning, I tried to restore a VM to see if Netbackup can write on LUN. Yes, we can… My question, there is a way (on linux server, like Windows) to set all LUN except one, in read only mode ? We would like to use like Windows system, read access to all LUN except one for restore.

I wish we explannation is correct !

 

Thanks for your help !

2 REPLIES 2

Marianne
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited Certified

It seems that SAN policy is only really needed on Windows for overwrite protection. 
Linux does not have the Windows 'bad habit' of trying to writing disk label and automount new disk.
Linux simply leaves disk alone that have not been prepared with mountable filesystems and not added to fstab.
 
Documentation for Windows recommends to run the following on Windows servers before zoning is done: 
Diskpart automount disabled
Diskpart automount scrub

As per VMware Transport Modes: Best practices and troubleshooting  TN :

When using SAN transport or hot-add mode on a Windows Server 2008/2008 R2 VMware Backup Host, make sure to set:

  •  SAN policy to onlineAll
  •  SAN disk as read-only, except during restores

 

Also see AbdulRasheed's comment on ‎07-20-2012 02:59 AM in this Blog

Fortunately, now you also have the option to use NetBackup 5220 appliance or a RedHat Linux system as a backup host! For large production environments, these provide much safer method to do SAN transport backups as you don't have to worry about the notorious behavior in Windows systems.

Another lengthy discussion here: https://vox.veritas.com/t5/NetBackup-Appliance/zoning-Architecture/td-p/535633

 

Thanks Marianne !