Migrating Catalog off Appliance 5220

[cpass700]

Has anyone ever attempted migrating the NetBackup Catalog from an Appliance 5220 to a Linux NetBackup server. We installed the NetBackup agent on the new server with the same name, NBU version, and /cat mount point. After the restore, we can see no information from the NetBackup Administration Console such as policies, clients, job history, etc...

[Marianne]

Here are all the requirements for master server migration to a new server:

Using catalog backup and recovery to transfer NetBackup catalogs between UNIX or Linux master servers as part of a hardware refresh
http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH77448

Important bits is exact same hostname, NBU version and patch level as well as exact same location.

If you are a knowledgeable Unix/Linux system administrator, you should be able to prepare symbolic links before you install NBU and attempt catalog recovery.

[Mark_Solutions]

Of course that means you new Master needs the same name as you current one - where presumably all of your de-dupe images live - which means that server will need to rebuilt and you loose your images!

This needs carful consideration as to the consequences of what you are doing and lots of planning as it may either not be a good idea or easier to start from scratch

[cpass700]

@Marianne, should the symbolic links be created prior to installing NetBackup on the new server?

@Mark_Solutions, all of our images have expired from the dedupe pool and advanced disk pool on the Appliance 5220. We are currently using it strictly as a master server. Our backups are all going to our media server that includes a MSDP and Advanced Disk Pool.

[Marianne]

Yes, the links must be created before the installation. (Well, I found it easier...)

Bear in mind that NBU catalogs on an appliance is on a separate filesystem.

NBU installation and catalog location paths must be similar to original master when you start the catalog recovery.

Please look for all references to 'symbolic links' in Disaster recovery chapter in Troubleshooting Guide.

[Mark_Solutions]

Thats OK then - shouldn't be too bad

You can always raise a supporty case ahead of time so that you have an engineer available to you when you do the proceedure and then if there is an issue they will be at hand for you

[cpass700 · Accepted solution]

The issue was resolved by doing the following, thanks to Symantec:

1) As with any DR, the hostname must be the same and the NBU version on both servers must be the same.

For example, if the appliance is 2.5.3, the non appliance must be 7.5.0.6 to match.

2) The symlinks must be set up on the non-appliance server

# netbackup stop

# bpps -a

(ensure nothing is running)

# mkdir -p /cat/{db,nbdb}

# mv /usr/openv/db/* /cat/nbdb

# mv /usr/openv/netbackup/db/* /cat/db

# rm -rf /usr/openv/db/ /usr/openv/netbackup/db/

# ln -s /cat/nbdb /usr/openv/db

# ln -s /cat/db /usr/openv/netbackup/db

# netbackup start

3) At this point, the catalog restore should be successful.