MSDP Catalog Protection

[backup-botw]

I have read through the documentation on how to setup the policy to protect your MSDP catalog data, but to me it seems excessive in a way. Why can you not just create a normal Standard policy type via the console and then only include the directories you need to backup? Why would Veritas force you to setup, or at least annotate their documentation in this way, this one policy via command line using the drcontrol command?

To me it would be much simpler if A) these catalog pieces had a config wizard just like Configure the Catalog Backup does or B) as I mentioned above you just create your policy like normal and then add the below paths...

/database_path/databases/catalogshadow
/storage_path/etc
/storage_path/var
/usr/openv/lib/ost-plugins/pd.conf
/usr/openv/lib/ost-plugins/mtstrm.conf
/database_path/databases/spa
/database_path/databases/datacheck

Is that feasible or is there something that happens with the drcontrol command that isn't mentioned? I am trying to understand why this one policy creation process seems to be quite convoluted when compared to any other policy creation process.

[sdo]

Marianne once dug an answer out from NetBackup "product management team", here:

https://www.veritas.com/community/forums/deduple-metadata-backup

[sdo]

If one does not like the "policy name" that it creates, you can rename the policy, but be mindful of the exclude list which goes hand-in-hand with the policy name:

https://www.veritas.com/community/forums/new-n5230-v2611-mastermedia-auto-creates-extra-backup-policy

[backup-botw]

Unless I am missing something I dont think those threads address my question. I am not on an appliance and data replication is already occuring via AIR from my production site to my DR site. My question is strictly in regards to the method mentioned in Veritas documentation for creating a policy to backup the MSDP catalog data. What I am looking for is why can I not just create the policy via normal methods in the console? Why is it necessary to use drcontrol via command line to create a policy to backup those paths I have mentioned that are referenced in the documentation? Also if I am only listing specific paths in the backup selection why is an exclude list required at all?

[backup-botw]

I am looking at the structure of the mount points and I am not seeing why the exclude list is needed. If I am only giving the policy the paths...

/storage_path/etc
/storage_path/var

Why would it backup anything else inside /storage_path? Same question holds true for the /database_path directories. If I am telling it which 3 directories to backup then why would it backup anything else? I could see if something like All_Local_Drives was selected, but I am providing the exact paths to backup.

[sdo]

AFAIK, you don't have to use the drcontrol command.  Just configure your own policy.  Have a look at the structure inside an appliance, and you'll see why you need an exclude list and an include list.  The drcontrol utility creates an exclude list and an include list.  So you need one too.  You'll see why when you look at the structure of the mount-points.  I could be wrong about all this, but when I looked at it before, it all made sense to me back then.  Maybe this is all appliance specific.

Here's a TN that says (or just hints?) that the "drcontrol" command is just a backup policy manipulation command:

https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.000023974

...but I suspect that only the -new_policy and -update_policy are involved with the policy manipulation.

[sdo]

I'm so sorry - you're not on an appliance are you.  My bad.  Forgive me.  (sheepish)

[backup-botw]

That's correct...I am NOT on an appliance.

No worries.

[backup-botw]

I have no existing exclude lists on my MSDP servers.

[sdo]

I know it's not Linux/Unix, but the following is not from an appliance...

Anyway... on a test rig that has MSDP, and is Windows based, I did the following:

REM list what MSDP thinks it's main elements are...

C:\Utils>pddeDR list
Logical Name            Type    Category    Physical Name
Path to pdregistry.cfg  2       0           HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Symantec\PureDisk\Agent
Storage Path            1       0           D:\MSDP_Data
StorageData Path        1       0           D:\MSDP_Data\data
StorageDatabase Path    1       0           C:\MSDP_DB\databases
Logging Path            1       0           D:\MSDP_Data\log

REM list what MSDP thinks it need to protect of itself...

C:\Utils>pddeDR list_dr
C:\MSDP_DB\databases\catalogshadow
C:\MSDP_DB\databases\datacheck
C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa
D:\MSDP_Data\etc
D:\MSDP_Data\var
C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\ost-plugins\pd.conf
C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\ost-plugins\mtstrm.conf

REM what I have already got excluded for my MSDP server?  (i.e. my test master/media server)

C:\Utils>bpgetconfig -M hserver exclude

exclude = *:\$RECYCLE.BIN
exclude = *:\VxCJ*.dat
exclude = C:\MSDP_DB
exclude = C:\Program Files\Veritas
exclude = C:\Windows
exclude = D:\MSDP_Data

REM what I have already got included to override the exclude?

C:\Utils>bpgetconfig -M hserver include

REM ...nothing...

REM when I ask drcontrol to create a policy for me, it does so AND tells me what I need to add to my include list...

C:\Utils>drcontrol -new_policy

Note!
If you have exclude lists that exclude part or all of the NetBackup
Deduplication directories, you will need to create exceptions to the exclude
lists for the following paths:
"C:\MSDP_DB\databases\catalogshadow"
"C:\MSDP_DB\databases\datacheck"
"C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa"
"D:\MSDP_Data\etc"
"D:\MSDP_Data\var"
"C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\ost-plugins\pd.conf"
"C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\ost-plugins\mtstrm.conf"
for the policy Dedupe_Catalog_hserver.

The policy Dedupe_Catalog_hserver for host hserver has been successfully created.
The log file may be found at: D:\MSDP_Data\log\drcontrol\policy_admin\new_policy_1454694338.log

REM ...and it created a policy with a selection list of:

C:\Utils>bppllist Dedupe_Catalog_hserver | find /i "include"
INCLUDE C:\MSDP_DB\databases\catalogshadow
INCLUDE C:\MSDP_DB\databases\datacheck
INCLUDE C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa
INCLUDE D:\MSDP_Data\etc
INCLUDE D:\MSDP_Data\var
INCLUDE C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\ost-plugins\pd.conf
INCLUDE C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\ost-plugins\mtstrm.conf

REM ...I don't like the policy name...
REM ...so I copied it to:  HSERVER-7-MSDP-TO-C
REM ...and then added some policy specific includes to the client properties...

C:\Utils>bpgetconfig -M hserver include
include = CLASS:HSERVER-7-MSDP-TO-C
include = C:\MSDP_DB\databases\catalogshadow
include = C:\MSDP_DB\databases\datacheck
include = C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa
include = D:\MSDP_Data\etc
include = D:\MSDP_Data\var
include = C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\ost-plugins\pd.conf
include = C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\ost-plugins\mtstrm.conf

.

So, I think the reason we have to run the steps in this order, is so that tools can work out what must be backed-up based upon what it detects about the way that MSDP is configured and take in to consideration any existing excludes.

[sdo]

You don't.  But others might.

[sdo]

Then I ran the backup policy.

Then I used the drcontrol utility to check that it thinks it has everything it needs saved:

C:\Utils>drcontrol -list_files -policy HSERVER-7-MSDP-TO-C

The most recent full backup image:
backup_time: 1454695545
backupid: hserver_1454695545
client: hserver
policy: HSERVER-7-MSDP-TO-C

Listing of files for client hserver and policy HSERVER-7-MSDP-TO-C was successful.
The log file may be found at: D:\MSDP_Data\log\drcontrol\bplist\bplist_1454696814.log

C:\Utils>type D:\MSDP_Data\log\drcontrol\bplist\bplist_1454696814.log
Symantec NetBackup drcontrol log file: Fri Feb  5 18:26:54 2016

[Fri Feb  5 18:26:54 2016]: NetBackup install path: C:\Program Files\Veritas
[Fri Feb  5 18:26:54 2016]:
Running: "C:\Program Files\Veritas\netbackup\bin\admincmd\bpgetconfig.exe" CLIENT_NAME
[Fri Feb  5 18:26:54 2016]: CLIENT_NAME = hserver

[Fri Feb  5 18:26:54 2016]:
Running: "C:\Program Files\Veritas\pdde\pddeDR.exe" list_dr
[Fri Feb  5 18:26:54 2016]:
Running: "C:\Program Files\Veritas\netbackup\bin\admincmd\bpimagelist.exe" -policy HSERVER-7-MSDP-TO-C -client hserver -hoursago 750 -pt MS-
Windows
[Fri Feb  5 18:26:55 2016]: IMAGE hserver 0 0 12 hserver_1454695545 HSERVER-7-MSDP-TO-C 13 *NULL* root Manual_Full 0 1 1454695545 95 1455905
145 0 0 3206 169 1 1 0 HSERVER-7-MSDP-TO-C_1454695545_FULL.f *NULL* *NULL* 0 1 0 0 0 "NetBackup Deduplication Catalog" 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 *NULL*
0 0 0 *NULL* 4911 0 0 22211 0 0 *NULL* *NULL* 0 0 0 0 *NULL* *NULL* 0 1 0 0
HISTO 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FRAG 1 1 3206 0 0 0 0 C:\NBU_DSU_MSDP_CATALOG_BACKUP\hserver_1454695545_C1_F1 hserver 1048576 0 0 -1 0 hserver 1455905145 0 65537 0 0 0 1 0
1454695640 1 1 *NULL* *NULL* 0 0

[Fri Feb  5 18:26:55 2016]:
The most recent full backup image:
backup_time: 1454695545
backupid: hserver_1454695545
client: hserver
policy: HSERVER-7-MSDP-TO-C

[Fri Feb  5 18:26:55 2016]:
Running: "C:\Program Files\Veritas\netbackup\bin\bplist.exe" -I -l -k HSERVER-7-MSDP-TO-C -C hserver -R -t 13 -X -s 1454695545 "C:\MSDP_DB\d
atabases\catalogshadow"
[Fri Feb  5 18:26:55 2016]: drwx------ root;Admi root;None           0 05 Jun  2015 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\catalogshadow\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;None           0 05 Jun  2015 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\catalogshadow\.catalog_shadow_identity
drwx------ root;Admi root;None           0 22 Jan 03:40 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\catalogshadow\2\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;None          74 05 Jun  2015 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\catalogshadow\2\.chksum
...
...blah blah blah...
...
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 09 Dec 10:10 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\catalogshadow\2\win2016-tp3\

[Fri Feb  5 18:26:55 2016]:
Running: "C:\Program Files\Veritas\netbackup\bin\bplist.exe" -I -l -k HSERVER-7-MSDP-TO-C -C hserver -R -t 13 -X -s 1454695545 "C:\MSDP_DB\d
atabases\datacheck"
[Fri Feb  5 18:26:56 2016]: drwx------ root;Admi root;None           0 27 Jan 20:00 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\datacheck\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;None           0 15 Jun  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\datacheck\AffectedBackup_convert.lst
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         144 02 Feb  2015 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\datacheck\AffectedDO.lst.last
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         144 15 Jan  2015 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\datacheck\CRCFailed.lst.last
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           9 05 Jun  2015 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\datacheck\__crc_cursor__
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         191 27 Jan 20:00 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\datacheck\__po_cursor__
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 15 Jun  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\datacheck\crc_check_write
drwx------ root;Admi root;None           0 15 Jun  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\datacheck\orphanpo\

[Fri Feb  5 18:26:56 2016]:
Running: "C:\Program Files\Veritas\netbackup\bin\bplist.exe" -I -l -k HSERVER-7-MSDP-TO-C -C hserver -R -t 13 -X -s 1454695545 "C:\MSDP_DB\d
atabases\spa"
[Fri Feb  5 18:26:57 2016]: drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 15 Jun  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Nov 15:41 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agent\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         130 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agent\102000000
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          60 17 Nov 15:41 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agent\2
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         104 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agent\3
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agentinstaller\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          81 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agentinstaller\1
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          81 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agentinstaller\10
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          81 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agentinstaller\2
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          81 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agentinstaller\3
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          81 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agentinstaller\4
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          81 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agentinstaller\5
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          81 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agentinstaller\6
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          81 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agentinstaller\7
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          81 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agentinstaller\8
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          81 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agentinstaller\9
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agentmirror\
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agentroutingtableline\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          40 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agentroutingtableline\1
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          40 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\agentroutingtableline\2
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Nov 15:41 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\authentication\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          49 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\authentication\1
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          51 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\authentication\2
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          48 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\authentication\3
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          48 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\authentication\4
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          49 23 Oct 21:51 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\authentication\5
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          49 17 Nov 15:41 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\authentication\6
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\contentrouter\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          66 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\contentrouter\1
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 14 Jun  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\contentroutermode\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          36 14 Jun  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\contentroutermode\1
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 15 Jun  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\cr_retention\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          37 15 Jun  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\cr_retention\1
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          39 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\cr_retention\2
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\dataselection\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          82 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\dataselection\1
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          58 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\dataselection\2
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 05 Feb 10:04 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\eventproperties\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          10 05 Feb 10:04 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\eventproperties\1
drwx------ root;Admi root;None           0 05 Feb 10:07 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\events\
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\forward\
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\metabaseengine\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          73 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\metabaseengine\1
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          73 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\metabaseengine\2
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\replicationsources\
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\replicationtargets\
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\routingtableline\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          40 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\routingtableline\1
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          40 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\routingtableline\2
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 05 Jun  2015 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\scheduler\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          39 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\scheduler\1
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          42 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\scheduler\2
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          25 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\scheduler\3
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          31 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\scheduler\4
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          37 05 Jun  2015 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\scheduler\5
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\spa\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          59 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\spa\1
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\storagepool\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         127 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\storagepool\102
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 14 Jun  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\storagepoolmode\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          36 14 Jun  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\database\storagepoolmode\1
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         574 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\agent
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         155 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\agentinstaller
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         136 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\agentmirror
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         170 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\agentroutingtableline
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          84 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\authentication
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         330 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\contentrouter
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         216 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\contentroutermode
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         124 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\cr_retention
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         437 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\dataselection
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          78 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\eventproperties
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          98 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\events
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         169 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\forward
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         226 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\metabaseengine
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          64 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\replicationsources
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         109 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\replicationtargets
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         170 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\routingtableline
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         104 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\scheduler
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         268 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\spa
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         300 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\storagepool
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         212 17 Mar  2014 C:\MSDP_DB\databases\spa\schema\storagepoolmode

[Fri Feb  5 18:26:57 2016]:
Running: "C:\Program Files\Veritas\netbackup\bin\bplist.exe" -I -l -k HSERVER-7-MSDP-TO-C -C hserver -R -t 13 -X -s 1454695545 "D:\MSDP_Data
\etc"
[Fri Feb  5 18:26:57 2016]: drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 05 Jun  2015 D:\MSDP_Data\etc\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         446 17 Nov 10:35 D:\MSDP_Data\etc\pdregistry.cfg
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Nov 10:35 D:\MSDP_Data\etc\puredisk\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST       16141 17 Nov 10:35 D:\MSDP_Data\etc\puredisk\agent.cfg
-rwx------ root;Admi root;None       16139 14 Nov  2014 D:\MSDP_Data\etc\puredisk\agent.cfg.2015-06-05_17-38-53
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST       43320 17 Nov 10:35 D:\MSDP_Data\etc\puredisk\contentrouter.cfg
-rwx------ root;Admi root;None       45108 17 Mar  2014 D:\MSDP_Data\etc\puredisk\contentrouter.cfg.2014-06-15_02-08-36
-rwx------ root;Admi root;None       43282 14 Nov  2014 D:\MSDP_Data\etc\puredisk\contentrouter.cfg.2015-06-05_17-38-53
-rwx------ root;Admi root;None       43773 05 Jun  2015 D:\MSDP_Data\etc\puredisk\contentrouter.cfg.2015-11-17_10-34-59
-rwx------ root;Admi root;None          66 05 Jun  2015 D:\MSDP_Data\etc\puredisk\fstab.cfg
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST        1303 17 Nov 10:35 D:\MSDP_Data\etc\puredisk\spa.cfg
-rwx------ root;Admi root;None         805 17 Mar  2014 D:\MSDP_Data\etc\puredisk\spa.cfg.2014-06-15_02-08-36
-rwx------ root;Admi root;None        1094 14 Nov  2014 D:\MSDP_Data\etc\puredisk\spa.cfg.2015-06-05_17-38-53
-rwx------ root;Admi root;None          63 17 Nov 10:35 D:\MSDP_Data\etc\runningversion.log

[Fri Feb  5 18:26:57 2016]:
Running: "C:\Program Files\Veritas\netbackup\bin\bplist.exe" -I -l -k HSERVER-7-MSDP-TO-C -C hserver -R -t 13 -X -s 1454695545 "D:\MSDP_Data
\var"
[Fri Feb  5 18:26:58 2016]: drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Mar  2014 D:\MSDP_Data\var\
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Mar  2014 D:\MSDP_Data\var\keys\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         794 17 Mar  2014 D:\MSDP_Data\var\keys\Agent.cert
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         497 17 Mar  2014 D:\MSDP_Data\var\keys\Agent.key
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         794 17 Mar  2014 D:\MSDP_Data\var\keys\spad.cert
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         497 17 Mar  2014 D:\MSDP_Data\var\keys\spad.key
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         794 17 Mar  2014 D:\MSDP_Data\var\keys\spoold.cert
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         497 17 Mar  2014 D:\MSDP_Data\var\keys\spoold.key
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST         361 17 Mar  2014 D:\MSDP_Data\var\keys\spoold.template
drwx------ root;Admi root;SYST           0 17 Mar  2014 D:\MSDP_Data\var\rt\
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          19 17 Mar  2014 D:\MSDP_Data\var\rt\102.current
-rwx------ root;Admi root;SYST          19 17 Mar  2014 D:\MSDP_Data\var\rt\102.recommended

[Fri Feb  5 18:26:58 2016]:
Running: "C:\Program Files\Veritas\netbackup\bin\bplist.exe" -I -l -k HSERVER-7-MSDP-TO-C -C hserver -R -t 13 -X -s 1454695545 "C:\Program F
iles\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\ost-plugins\pd.conf"
[Fri Feb  5 18:26:58 2016]: -rwx------ root;Admi root;None        5616 17 Nov 10:35 C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\ost-plugins\pd.co
nf

[Fri Feb  5 18:26:58 2016]:
Running: "C:\Program Files\Veritas\netbackup\bin\bplist.exe" -I -l -k HSERVER-7-MSDP-TO-C -C hserver -R -t 13 -X -s 1454695545 "C:\Program F
iles\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\ost-plugins\mtstrm.conf"
[Fri Feb  5 18:26:59 2016]: -rwx------ root;SYST root;SYST        3569 15 Jun  2014 C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\ost-plugins\mtstr
m.conf

[Fri Feb  5 18:26:59 2016]: Listing of files for client hserver and policy HSERVER-7-MSDP-TO-C was successful.

C:\Utils>

[sdo]

So, I guess you're right.  A wizard for all this would be so much easier.  But what's not clear to me right now, is whether a wizard run a master would be able to collect all the information that it needs about the configuration of MSDP servers from the MSDP servers themselves.  Maybe some bits of the info it needs just are not visible from a master server?   But then couldn't they embed some kind of protocol that allows a master to run pddeDR on an MSDP server, or at least instruct an MSDP node run pddeDR and feed back the information.

Not enough developers maybe.  Not enough time.  Not enough testers.  Not enough demand.  Until now?

[backup-botw]

Yeah I'm not sure what the reason is, but to me this is something that should definitely have a GUI interface or more documentation as to what exactly is happening and why the drcontrol piece is necessary to setup this policy. To me is just doesn't make sense that every other policy is capable of being setup via the console except for this one.

Am I correct in assuming though that in my setup it would be ok to just create a standard policy for my MSDP servers and have it backup the paths posted previously on all? I have 3 in each environment for a total of 6...no exclude lists on any of them.

[sdo]

I'm not sure that I would recommend to not follow the steps.  I think they must be there for a reason.  I can only guess that the developers must have detected many different styles of installation of MSDP, and this is probably the closest that they could get to in ensuring a safe operating environment, in the time frames that they had.  I can only think they thought long and hard about this.  I don't think that they have deliberately gone out of their way to make it more complicated than it needs to be.  And I don't think it's an easy situation or opportunity (it doesn't feel right to call it a problem) to resolve.  Maybe, now that we're all back in the hands of Veritas that the process will be sweetened somewhat with future improvements.  But, what about different versions? Maybe there are yet more reasons, which are not clear to us right now at this juncture, as to why it should be done this way.

[sdo]

As for your particular deployment, I think I would still run "pddeDR list_dr" and make sure that I have the paths/files that it lists in an include list - just in case anyone ever does, in the future, try to exclude something.

I'd be interested to see what these show for your build:

pddeDR list

pddeDR list_dr

[sdo]

I think my last point for now is...

If we don't follow the recommended steps, on each and every MSDP deployment, then can we ever be sure that it is configured correctly.  Things might change in future versions.  Config's change.  Things get moved.  I don't think we should make any assumptions.

[backup-botw]

Where is this command? I am running Linux on my MSDP servers. I am not seeing pddeDR.

[backup-botw]

Cancel that...I found the command here.../usr/openv/pdde/pdcr/bin.

[backup-botw]

Logical Name    Type    Category        Physical Name
Path to pdregistry.cfg  0       0       /etc/pdregistry.cfg
Storage Path    1       0       /data
StorageData Path        1       0       /data/data
StorageDatabase Path    1       0       /db/databases
Logging Path    1       0       /data/log

and...

/db/databases/catalogshadow
/db/databases/datacheck
/db/databases/spa
/data/etc
/data/var
/usr/openv/lib/ost-plugins/pd.conf
/usr/openv/lib/ost-plugins/mtstrm.conf