Migrating to new master, but maintaining old one as media...

[Ytsejamer1]

Hey everyone,

I'm relatively new to the Netbackup world...I've used the program, done restores, backups, setup policies, but haven't had to implement it or get into the inner workings and configuration of this program.  That being said, I'm hoping some of you might be able to jump in and offer a few helpful suggestions.  I've scoured the forums for the last couple of hours but have a few remaining questions.

Our old master/media server is Win2k3 SP1 running NB6.5.1.  Unfortunately it's dying and has some intermittent hardware failures causing the system to reboot.  It's long in the tooth, but we need to keep it available as it's connected to our old tape library.  I'd like to be able to bring up a new NB 6.5.1 server (with a new name, new IP) and set it as the master/media server.  However, I'd like to set the old one to be available as a media server so it can access the tape library its connected to.  The new server cannot hook up to the old library...

I've read quite a few posts from James Dunn in regards to the FORCE_RESTORE_MEDIA_SERVER entry in the bp.conf file however I'm unsure as to which server this entry needs to be added to...the old one or the new one.

I've contacted Symantec, but they insist having a new server name isn't possible if I want to retain all my policies, etc.  I cannot be the first person needing to keep their old server in the mix, but want to migrate to a newer master server...

Any help and details are very much appreciated!  Thanks everyone!

[zippy]

FORCE_RESTORE_MEDIA_SERVER = Old_server_name New_server_name

Jim

[Ytsejamer1]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the post.  I know about this FORCE_RESTORE_MEDIA_SERVER entry, i'm just unsure which server it needs to be entered on: The old one, or the new one?  I'm sort of new to this, so a few more details in addition to the entry would be very helpful to me! :)

I would post the instructions Symantec gave me, but this forum can't handle long posts! :(


Message Edited by Ytsejamer1 on 05-01-2008 11:38 AM

[zippy]

on the new server you would put this bp.conf file.

you need to stick the same line in your /usr/openv/volmgr/vm.conf file

The old failing server, you need to pitch it.

I've contacted Symantec, but they insist having a new server name isn't possible if I want to retain all my policies, etc.  I cannot be the first person needing to keep their old server in the mix, but want to migrate to a newer master server...

Funny stuff right there they told me the same thing 7 years ago, they also said that they would migrate it me at a cost, so i figured if they can do it then well why couldnt I.

cool

JD

JD

[Ytsejamer1]

Thanks for the details...

I'd agree on pitching the old server, but it does work (most of the time) and need to keep it as it's connected to our old tape library.  The new server cannot physically hook to the old tape library.  That's why I need to keep it in the NB system....

[zippy]

Umm bad.

You have a new server with a new library with new tapes correct?

you also have

an old server attatched to an old tape library with old tapes correct?

you can move the database to the new server, but the only good it will do is allow you to see the images and tapes but not be able to restore them from the new server.

You will see the 8mm tapes they wont be in the physically in the libray.

[Ytsejamer1]

The new server hasn't been loaded with NB yet.  I'm trying to get my ducks in a row so I understand the procedure for accomplishing what I need to first before I install anything.  I think i have much to understand before I start editing files...

The old library with old tapes is attached to our existing server.  The existing server also has been hooked up to our "new library" (we're using samfs actually, so as far as NB is concerned, it's just disk repository).

What I really need to figure out is the best way to get my policies and clients seeing the new server (new name) while being able to have the old server be able to restore data off of old tapes.  I could care less if my new server sees old tapes. 

Some of our clients though used to back up to the old tapes...i'm getting lost in the best way to do this project.

[zippy]

Then build the new server, install netbackup, add your new master each client bp.cpnf file

SERVER = New-server

SERVER = Old_server

config the new master from scratch.

POC

your thinking to hard about this one.

If you have new equipment, then now is your chance to make a better system.

[Storage_SE]

Hi Guys,

According to this post, the master server is Windows so a bp.conf file doesn't apply as this is only for Unix systems. For Windows you'll need to make the modification via the following registry value on the master server:

HKLM\software\veritas\netbackup\currentversion\config\FORCE_RESTORE_MEDIA_SERVER

This can also be done via the Netbackup Admin Console. Both options are outlined in the following tech note ID which can be found at support.veritas.com

282182

One option in regards to your delimma would be to do a catalog backup of your current master server and then shut it down. Next, bring up the server you want to be the new master with the hostname of the old one, install it as a NBU master and make sure it's patched to the same exact versions as the original. Once that's done, run a catalog restore. Now this will be your new master server. Then, re-build the old one with a different hostname and bring it up as a media server.

The only thing to remember is that you'll need to make sure you had the appropriate registry entry (as outlined above) so that any backups done prior to the migration can be done by the new media server.

[J_H_Is_gone]

I recently went through something like this.

old windows master (2 unix media)

made new unix media (the conversion that consulting helped with did not work)

so I ended up with both the old and the new masters.

so for each client (in the gui client properties - list of master servers - I have both old and new masters ( on uinix clients this is bp.conf, on windows clients this is reg)).

I put stand alone drives on the old master.

hooked up the old robot and my new robot to the new master (and 2 media servers + two san media servers)

I only keep tapes in the database for 6 months.  so for the last few months if we had a restore from an old tape that was still in the database on the old master we just did restores from there.  We had put the force restore for the old media servers in the old master.

now I can do old or new restores until all my tapes expire.

not what I had planed but the conversion from windows to unix did not work.

[Ytsejamer1]

Wow...i never thought a somewhat common situation would be such a bear and have so many "roadblocks".

Maybe I can clarify my system and goals here.

All clients are Windows.  NB is running 6.5.1 running on Win2k3 SP1.  The system is hooked up to an older tape library and robot that only that system will be hooked to.  Old backup jobs were written to tape on this older system.  We brought in SAM-FS and configured this existing system with a new storage unit.  This storage unit just points to the file system subfolder named backups.

I want to bring a new NB 6.5.1 server online.  I want clients to see this new server as the master, I want policies to reflect the same.  I really would like to have the new server have a new name.  The old server will remain on the domain.  I want the existing server to remain as a just a media server.

Is there no official way to do this?  At least when Symantec bought its corporate AV, you could bring a new server online, click "set as master" and off you were. 

[Ytsejamer1]

Okay...what about this...

Install NB on the new server, configure it as additional server.  Go into admin console and then set it as master.  Then make sure the old server is listed in Additional servers so that it can do restores as needed from the old library.  Go to each client and set the server registry entry to the new server name.

I know i'm ignoring the catalog database, policies, etc...there's got to be a way...

[J_H_Is_gone]

I think you have it,  it just depends on if you want to move the catalog or not.

if you want the catalog on the New master, then you have to migraite and have conuslting help you.

if you don't need the Old catalon on the New master then you got it.

set up the new master and media servers and tape drives as a new system.

from the old master gui ( or write some script that can do it , don't know if you can for windows - I am a unix person).  go to the client properities of each server.  add your New master to the server list (top window) and when ready click the button for it to be the Master.

keeping the old master in the list allows the old master to do restores to it from the tapes in the old catalog.

you just have to remake all your policies on the new master.

remake any barcode rules.

and any other items ( like servers that us vnetd port)

this is what I ended up with in the end anyway, and would have been much easier then trying to do the migration to a new server ( that did not work).