Moving / Migrating MSDP and Tape Images to different Master Server

[Thorsten_0815]

Hi,

We would like to replace an existing (operating) Netbackup environment. We're going to change the hardware, and also the host names. The new servers are installed in a different Windows domain with a different naming concept. All clients / servers are on version 8.1.1 (master / media server on Windows).

My problem:
All data (including some active long-term backups) should be transferred from Netbackup01 to Netbackup02. Also the existing Dedup Pool should be transferred.
It is not possible to exchange the hardware 1:1 with identical hostnames, both backup systems will operate parallel for a short period of time during a larger migration (there are more changes in the backgrond).

I see the possibility (for new created backups) to work with A.I.R in these two environments - which is (as far as I know) the intelligent way to replicate & import between two different Netbackup domains.

Later on, I will be able to switch the clients onto the new system and access older backups (from the beginning of the A.I.R start).

But what can I do with the data that has been stored on the Netbackup01 system for several months and years?
Can I move these data also with A.I.R? I can't find any reasonable hints.

MSDP replication only works within a Netbackup domain, but not to another Master / Mediaserver - am I right?

How do I get my "Images on Tape" onto the new system?
So far I have only found instructions for normal catalog import and hardware replacement with identical hostnames.
This is also a procedure that I have often used but which is not fitting my needs.

Are there any ideas outside? :)

Regards
Thorsten

[davidmoline]

Hi Horst

There are not many choices available for the existing data in your MSDP. AIR cannot be used to replicate images after the fact - there is specific information contianed in the IMAGE information regarding SLP AIR parameters which will be missing from your old data. You might think you can use the nbreplicate command - but alas no that is unlikely to work due to the missing information in the backup header. I have seen the following post from Marianne https://vox.veritas.com/t5/NetBackup/Import-MSDP-images/m-p/462337 this may assist, but I think this is only applicable if the MSDP pool remains in the same NetBackup domain. 

For tape the sensible option would be to simply run a 2 phase import of each tape you wish to migrate.
For the MSDP data, assuming Marianne's post does not work, then about the only other option you would have is to duplicate the required images to tape or basic disk, and then import them into the new domain (both time and space consuming). You mention that you will run the two domains in parallel for some time - would that time be sufficient too expire most (if not all) of the backup images in MSDP? 

You could try dupicating the entire MSDP pool data to a new server and attempt to import the pool into the new domain following the Dedupe guide or Marianne's post. This should be done on a new host - that way no real harm done if the import fails, and something you can try/test before you start.

Good luck
David