Netbackup 7.1 Migration

[PD001]

We have a current Netbackup 6.5.4 environment, We have a primary site with a 2 node cluster using VCS with Storage Foundation, Puredisk 6.6.3  and 3 stand alone media servers, we also have  BMR, NOM and VBR servers. We have a DR site with a Master Server and Media Server and are doing replication with VVR. We tried to perform a in-place upgrade to NBU 7.1 , but it failed and did not roll back completly and NBU would not start up again due to the EMM database not able to start. 4 days later and having to do multiple uninstalls and reinstalls with Support, we were able to get up and running again. we are not sure what root cause was for the upgrade failure and we also ran across another issue when doing the reinstall that was creating dupe records in VCS. so my question is , to minimize downtime to go to 7.1, could I setup a new server with NBU and migrate my catalog and policies to this server? if not what would be my options to get to 7.1 with minimal risk.

thanks

Pat

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Hi,

Why don't you upgrade DR, make sure you get it correct, then do PROD when you're happy with the result?

Is there any particular issue you picked up when the upgrade failed? Did you go through all the docs on the upgrade portal, there are quite a lot of notes, and some relate to clusters.

[PD001]

thanks we are trying to get o our DR site running and will try that.

[PD001]

Would this be possible to migrate to 7x from 6.5.4.

Standup a 6.5.4 stand Alone Master Server and add to our environment, then upgrade to 7.1,

Would this  upgrade the Catalog at this point and make my existing 6.5.4 master servers useless?

If I could perform backups with my new 7.1 server, the goal is to have a new, not  upgraded master server,

so we would standup a fresh 7.1 Master server and import the catalog

Then could we uninstall 6.5.4 on our clustered Master Servers and reinstall 7.1 without going down like we did last time.

The whole idea is to have a fresh 7.1 environment and not be offline like last attempt.

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Hi,

You can't import a 6.5 catalog on a 7.1 install. It has to be the same version.

Are you using SFHA/DR (VCS) + VVR to cluster netbackup between prod and dr, or do you just have SFHA in the prod site, and you're replicating the catalog to dr?

[PD001]

we are using SFHA/DR (VCS) + VVR,

The step to standup a new 6.5.4 Master Server and be the first one to upgrade to 7.1 would upgrade the catalog,

Then after testing backps, try and upgrade my existing 6.5.4 Master Server Cluster, if this upgrade goes bad, The plan is, I'm not down becuase I have my new 7.1 Master Server.

Would that work?

[PD001]

to upgrade my DR site, would I have to make that the Active node in my GCS? if so, if it fails would it trash my database again? if it does, would I be able to bring my production back online?

[netup2011]

Can i ask,  On a Unix platform,  i  understand 64 bit is only supported.   Can i do a policy migration from 6.5.x or 6.0 to 7.0 or 7.1.  Say, I backup my catalog and install the new 7.0 or 7.1 then restore the catalog?  I am hearing the catalogs are incompatable.  Are too the policies?

Or could i install or restore 6.5.x on the new hardware 64 bit  and then do an upgrade to 7.0 or 7.1, i have heard of one instance of an upgrade failing but that was with VCS.  How acceptable would that solution be ?

Or Should i just,  Manualy recreate all the policies on the new install of 7 or 7.1?  thanks for any and all help?

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Hi,

First do the migration on the same NBU version i.e. Install 6.5.x on 64bit, restore your catalog from 32bit.

Make sure everything is working.

Then upgrade to either 7.0 or 7.1

The policies also get upgraded/modified when you move from the 6.x to 7.1 so please take not of this http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH156810