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Netbackup Upgrade from 6.5.5 to 7.1

Persian
Level 3

I was hoping some of you wonderful Netbackup Gurus could guide me through this painful process.

We currently have Netbackup 6.5.5 running and we would like to upgrade to 7.1. I was hoping someone could guide me through the following problems.

The problems:

1. We are currently running Netbackup 6.5.5 on a 32bit Windows 2003 server. We will need to install 7.1 on brand new hardware 64bit OS. 

2. We are currently using the 6.5.5 Netbackup server for a file server as well. We will need to name the new Netbackup server something different so the current Netbackup server can remain as a file server.

 

 What is the best way to do this?

Any good guides besides the Symantec guides?

 Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you

9 REPLIES 9

Marianne
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited Certified

Please note that NBU 7.1 is still supported as master server on 32-bit Windows.

See p.22 of NetBackup 7.x Operating System (CL) for Client,Server,Dedupe,OpsCenter,NDMP,BMR,SAN Client,MSEO:    http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH76648

If you really want to migrate to new hardware with a new server name, you will need a Symantec Consulting Partner to do the migration for you: http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH31385

Straight forward migration (keeping same hostname) using catalatog backup and recovery is supported: http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH77447

Persian
Level 3

So you are saying that without a Consulting Partner we cannot do this on our own?

Marianne
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited Certified

You will not be be able to restore the EMM database to another hostname.

Persian
Level 3

Why not if I may ask? Is this something that only the pros can do?

Marianne
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited Certified

The master server name is woven into every fiber of the NBU databases, especially when the master is the media server as well.

Expert knowledge of NBU is a requirement to be trained as a consultant. There is no step-by-step how-to document. Even the trained consultants have guideline documents. Each environment is unique and guidelines have to be applied and adjusted as required by the unique circumstances.

 

There are a couple of options available if you want to attempt the migration. Please have a look at the following discussions (both Linux, but principals are the same):

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/netbackup-migrate-new-server

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/import-netbackup-6-catalog-netbackup-7

The other option is 'Recovery without Import':

Original 3-page white paper: http://eval.symantec.com/mktginfo/products/White_Papers/Data_Protection/nbu_wp_replicatingbucatalogs_103003.pdf

Updated detailed doc:
http://eval.symantec.com/mktginfo/enterprise/white_papers/b-whitepaper_implementing_highly_available_dr_with_veritas_netbackup_01_08_13599373.pdf

This method will enable you to preserve backups, but you will not be able to append to tapes from old master. You will need to provide new tapes for backups on new master. You will have to use 'Media List Reports' obtained on old master to see when 'old' tapes can be moved to Scratch.

Don_Wilder
Level 3

One thing that will help you in this is keeping the master server name the same, so when building your new server you will want to shutdown your current master when you install the NBU application on the new hardware so it can have the same name as your current master.

Having a support professional do this is highly recommended though. Consider it brain surgery on your NetBackup environment. And make sure you have a 100% good backup of your current master.

rizwan84tx
Level 6
Certified

We had similar type of upgrade to one of our customer,

NBU master/Media - 6.5.6 (Windows EE 2003 x86)

Let me share the steps we performed in few points.

1)Upgraded the server to 7.1.

2)Hot catalog backup after upgrade & protect the catalog DR file.

3)Built Windows 2008 R2 x64 with same hostname as the existing server.

4)Brought new server online and downed the old server; Ran window updates.

5) Check if the new server is properly zoned to backup san and device drives are visible to OS.

5)Installed the NBU 7.1 (the installation path must be same as existing server).

6)Configured Drives and Robots.

7)Recovered the catalog using the DR file.

Upgrade Completed sucessfully with no pain!!!

Always remember when you while upgrading to new hardware the Hostname,NBU patch and installtion path must be same as old server.

Marianne
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited Certified

@Persian's requirement is to have a new name for the new master:

2. We are currently using the 6.5.5 Netbackup server for a file server as well. We will need to name the new Netbackup server something different so the current Netbackup server can remain as a file server.

This can only be done via consulting.

rizwan84tx
Level 6
Certified

Ohhh!!!!! .....

Isolating the newly built master server from prod lan, and backup the clients via dedicated isolated lan?????