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Migrate tapes to new server

srikanth09
Level 4

Hello Everybody,

With reference to: https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/netbackup-migration-0

Can you please help in migrating the old tapes to new server?

1. I will install the Enterprise server on new server

2. Start all configurations from scratch on new server as it is in existing.

The doubt i have here is, i should not configure the volumes on new server right. The media inventory should not be done while configuring. Please clarify.

 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

Marianne
Moderator
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Maybe a good idea to keep the old master around, just stop NBU and disable services when disconnecting the library. This is the day that you 'officially migrate' to the new server.

Devices cannot be shared between different Masters - even with SSO. Each master will have its own EMM database.

Before you stop  NBU on old master, use Host Properties to add new master as SERVER to ALL clients. Just additional SERVER, not yet Master.
Confirm successful forward and reverse lookup between clients and new master. (If using DNS, all should be fine.)

Export policy list: bppllist -allpolicies -L > C:\temp\policies.txt

Deactivate all policies, then perform Catalog backup.

Run Media Summary Report and save output to a text file.

Eject all Assigned (Full and Active) tapes from the robot. Write protect and keep them in a safe place until they expire or needed for restore. 
(If you run NBCC on new master and submit to Symantec, you can put them back after EMM entries have been updated with fix supplied by Support.)

Good idea will be to run 'nbsu' command on old master - this will capture ALL NBU config and save output to text files in ouput folder.

Shut down NBU and start copying images to new master. NBU should be DOWN on both masters.

You may want to copy policies as well if you do not want to recreate from scratch. Policies are located under netbackup\db\class.
You will need to update Storage Unit in all policies if you do so.

Disconnect robot and drives on old master and connect to new master.

Ensure OS can see devices - install up-to-date tape drivers.

Start NBU and run Device config wizard to add devices and Storage Unit.

Create Volume Pools on new master and Inventory robot. (If you had Barcode Rules on old master, recreate them before starting inventory, otherwize all tapes will be put in NetBackup pool.)
ONLY Available tapes should be in the robot at this point in time. If Assigned tapes were left in robot, they will be seen as brand new Available media on new master.

If you copied policies across, Clients will appear in Host Properties.
Else, recreate all policies.
Select all Clients in Host Properties to test connection.
If successful, open SERVERS tab on all clients, select new Master name and click 'Make Master'.

Remember to update STU in policies if they were copied.

 

DISCLAIMER: If you feel unsure of ANY of the steps, PLEASE ask your Symantec Support partner for assistance... 
As I've stated previously - although Recovery Without Import is supported by Symantec, you still need to have a good undertanding of NBU databases and how everything fits together.

 

 

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10 REPLIES 10

Marianne
Moderator
Moderator
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I have moved this post to a new discussion because your other post was marked as solved.

If you carefully read through Recovery without Import White Paper, you will see that Assigned tapes on old master must be added on new server to a non-backup pool. I normally recommend a pool called RESTORE.
This way tapes containing valid backups will not be overwritten.

Best to run Media Summary report (with Verbose option selected) on old server. Save the report and check this report regularly to see when images on tapes expire. At this point you can manually move tapes from RESTORE pool to Scratch or any other backup pool.

Martin has also suggested that you run nbcc on new server and submit to Symantec Support. They will provide script to add Assign info and expiration info to tapes in new environment. This will make my steps in my previous paragraph unnecessary.

mph999
Level 6
Employee Accredited

NBCC willl pick out the tapes as having images, but not being assigned.

NBCCR will then be run, which will assign each media in the media DB and mark them as Full, this then allows the tapes to be read for restore, but not written to until then expire.

Martin

srikanth09
Level 4

Thank You Marianne and Martin,

I read the white paper, and understood the part that we have to create another pool and move all the tapes o that pool in the new server.

1.   The doubt what i have is, while configuring the new server, i should not add the volumes to the pool right. There are other volumes in the library which are assigned to pools and not used yet. I am refering to those volumes. We have added tapes with label ending with D to daily pool and W to Weekly pool etc...

I will be adding only the volumes having data to RESTORE pool on new server right.

2.   Also one more query is that under /usr/openv/netbackup/db/images/: we have directories for all clients and server, Do i need to copy the .f files and Gheader files from all clients to the new server?

3. I did not understand and not sure of the steps for movig tapes to the new server. Is there any document or link available which gives all the steps for carrying out this activity.

It would be very helpful if anyone can share it.

 

Thank You for your support

 

Regards

Sri

Marianne
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Not quite sure I understand your doubt... Let me try....

1. New tapes in new library can be added to pools (daily, weekly, etc) and you can start using them for backups.
 Tapes from old master that contain valid images must be added to new non-backup pool (e.g. RESTORE).
PLEASE verify how media-id's were used in old environment - if 1st 6 charachers were used in old environment, config new master to also use 1st 6 (NBU default is last 6 of 8-digit barcode).

2. Copy ALL directories (including all sub-directories and files) in images folder to new master.

3. There is no documentation that lists any steps for moving media to new server.
When you put these RESTORE tapes in new library, please write-protect them to prevent accidental overwrite.
HOW you put them in the library is up to you - either open the door or enter them through the CAP/MAP.
This is what I would do to ensure they go straight to RESTORE pool:
Check/confirm that RESTORE pool exists - create it if you have not yet done so.
 Next, Inventory Robot.
Select 'Update volume configuration' and 'Advanced Options'.
In Media Settings tab, de-select 'Use barcode Rules'. If media type is different from rest of (new) media in library, select 'Media Type' for these 'RESTORE' tapes. In Volume Pool, select 'RESTORE' pool.
Click OK. 
In Robot Inventory, click Start.

When done, verify that 'old' tapes are shown in robot in their slots with correct media type and in RESTORE pool.

Since this was a once-off, we now need to reset the settings that we have configured:
Start Inventory again, Update button, Advanced options, click 'Reset to Defaults'.

The alternative would be to create a script that uses vmadd to add each media-id with correct density, barcode and pool. This will add media as non-robotic. When you put the tapes in the robot, do Inventory to update robot slots.
If you are not familiar with NBU commands and basic scripting, don't try this.

 

SUGGESTION:

I remember that your budget does not allow for consulting services, but it will be a good idea to contact your local reseller for assistance.
You can then pay them for about half a day's worth of onsite assistance to help you getting started.

Although Recover Without Import method is supported by Symantec, it does require good knowledge of NBU and how every fits together.
Get assistance from your reseller if you feel uncomfortable or have any doubts about any of the steps in the White Paper or any of the steps that I have suggested.

srikanth09
Level 4

Thank You very much Mariane for your patience in replying all my queries.

I have this doubt because we are not going to use new library for new server. We will be using the existing library for new server. There are FULL, ACTIVE and AVAILABLE tapes in the library.

My concern is, when i should activate the media on new server, only after bringing down the existing server?

Since we are going to use the same library, can i add the AVAILABLE volumes to new server when the existing server is online? and can i run the inventory on new server? I do not have an SSO license for the tape library to be accessible on both servers.

 

Regards

Sri

Marianne
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited Certified

Maybe a good idea to keep the old master around, just stop NBU and disable services when disconnecting the library. This is the day that you 'officially migrate' to the new server.

Devices cannot be shared between different Masters - even with SSO. Each master will have its own EMM database.

Before you stop  NBU on old master, use Host Properties to add new master as SERVER to ALL clients. Just additional SERVER, not yet Master.
Confirm successful forward and reverse lookup between clients and new master. (If using DNS, all should be fine.)

Export policy list: bppllist -allpolicies -L > C:\temp\policies.txt

Deactivate all policies, then perform Catalog backup.

Run Media Summary Report and save output to a text file.

Eject all Assigned (Full and Active) tapes from the robot. Write protect and keep them in a safe place until they expire or needed for restore. 
(If you run NBCC on new master and submit to Symantec, you can put them back after EMM entries have been updated with fix supplied by Support.)

Good idea will be to run 'nbsu' command on old master - this will capture ALL NBU config and save output to text files in ouput folder.

Shut down NBU and start copying images to new master. NBU should be DOWN on both masters.

You may want to copy policies as well if you do not want to recreate from scratch. Policies are located under netbackup\db\class.
You will need to update Storage Unit in all policies if you do so.

Disconnect robot and drives on old master and connect to new master.

Ensure OS can see devices - install up-to-date tape drivers.

Start NBU and run Device config wizard to add devices and Storage Unit.

Create Volume Pools on new master and Inventory robot. (If you had Barcode Rules on old master, recreate them before starting inventory, otherwize all tapes will be put in NetBackup pool.)
ONLY Available tapes should be in the robot at this point in time. If Assigned tapes were left in robot, they will be seen as brand new Available media on new master.

If you copied policies across, Clients will appear in Host Properties.
Else, recreate all policies.
Select all Clients in Host Properties to test connection.
If successful, open SERVERS tab on all clients, select new Master name and click 'Make Master'.

Remember to update STU in policies if they were copied.

 

DISCLAIMER: If you feel unsure of ANY of the steps, PLEASE ask your Symantec Support partner for assistance... 
As I've stated previously - although Recovery Without Import is supported by Symantec, you still need to have a good undertanding of NBU databases and how everything fits together.

 

 

srikanth09
Level 4

Thank You Marianne for the comments. We have planned for the migration next weekend. Hopefully everything goes fine.

srikanth09
Level 4


I read the white paper for recovery without import, it says to take catalog backup of existing server. But it doesnt not specify to restore that tape on new server. I need not restore the catalog backup in the new server right.

Marianne
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited Certified

Correct - do not restore catalog backup on new master.

I have also add Catalog to steps in my previous post... Keekp this catalog tape in a safe place.

srikanth09
Level 4

Hi Marianne,

 

Thank you very much for your support. The cutover went fine. There werent any issues. The data is being backed up from new server now. Since the old backup server is also an application producton server, i need to take backup of that. So i manually started only client and network deamons on old backup server. Now it is visible as client to new backup server. Is this fine? or is there any other process for converting the master server as  just client. I do not want to uninstall master server on old server, because if there is any  problem i have to revert back to old server. So i want to keep master server installation on ols server for atleast a month.

Please advice...

 

Thanks

Sri