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Reconfiguring environment for AIR using MSDP

RonCaplinger
Level 6

Does anoyone here have some advice on the best way to switch from using a single NetBackup domain to multiple domains?  With the advent of AIR and MSDPs, I want to take advantage of those technologies and eliminate the need at a disaster to promote a media server to master, then undo that after the disaster is over.  I'm not looking to split my EMM server, I basically want the current master to retain the current EMM database and just create new EMM databases at the remote locations.

Current production config (all servers using NBU 7.5.0.5, all licensing is up to date):

  • Main site - 1 Solaris master, 2 Linux media servers, 1 Solaris media server
  • Remote site #1 - 1 Solaris media server
  • Remote site #2 - 1 Solaris media server

Planned config:

  • Main site - 1 Solaris master, 2 Linux media servers, 1 Solaris media server
  • Remote site #1 - 1 Solaris master server, 1 Linux media server
  • Remote site #2 - 1 Solaris master server, 1 Linux media server

I plan to promote the existing Solaris media servers at the two remote locations to master servers, so all of the masters will be Solaris and all media servers will be Linux.  I have the MSDP set up for testing backups/restores/replications/duplications to tape/etc., at each location and everything is going smoothly.

I have concerns:

  1. Do I need to do anything special to wipe out the MSDPs at the remote locations before I reconfigure the media servers for the new domain?
  2. If I decomm the Solaris media server at a remote site from the existing domain, is it safe to retain the media server's name and uninstall the media server software, then re-install the software as a new master server?  Or do I have to change the server name?

If anyone has performed a media server-> master server promotion as a permanent change (not just in a disaster situation), I would be interested in hearing about your experience.

 

Thanks!

3 REPLIES 3

Brook_Humphrey
Level 4
Employee Accredited Certified

Yes for the plan you have in place it seems well thought out and you are asking the correct questions.

One thing I did not see is if you were using x86 or sparc for your soalris servers. If it is sparc then try to use client side dedupe as much as possible to disstribute the load a little better. Other then this it should all be good.

Now you will want to properly decomission you current media servers with you current master. Netbackup 7.x makes this pretty easy:

http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO43775

Once you have them decomissioned you can just uninstall the media servers. and then reinstall as a master. 

For the MSDP you will just need to unmount the volume and format then remount before you start the install as a master.

And last yes you can keep the same name once it is properly decomissioned netbackup will have no record of it at your main site.

 

Let me know if you have any further questions or I was unclear about something, 

 

Thanks

RonCaplinger
Level 6

Brook,

Thanks for the advice, it was helpful!  However, I was not very clear on my current config: I already have the new Linux media servers active for testing with my existing Solaris master, and the MSDP's are configured with that master. They have about a week's worth of prod data (that I'm in the process of duplicating to my old storage) taht I've used for testing deduplication and replication across our WAN.

I'm not exactly sure what I need to do with the existing MSDP on that Linux media server. It is on Fiber Channel-attached disk.  Once the new Solaris master server is ready, I need to decommission the Linux media server from the old master and then define it to its new master.  All that should affect is the EMM database and such on the old master, nothig happens to the configuration or existing setup on the media server, right?

I'm assuming I don't have to uninstall everything on the Linux media server and then reinstall it again.  I believe all I then need to do is use the "Configure Storage Servers" wizard to set up the storage, but doesn't it do some configuration behind the scenes?  Is it going to give me an trouble if the MSDP was created on this storage server once before?

Brook_Humphrey
Level 4
Employee Accredited Certified

Ok for that the issue is it is easier jsut to uninstall it than to try to remove msdp and readd it after assigning the media server to a new master.

It could be done but just uninstalling it takes care of it all at once otherwise we will need to manually nuinstall MSDP.

If you decide to uninstall MSDP anyway do it before you remove it fomr the current master server. 

 

You will need to move all the images someplace else first.

then delete any storage units that use the disk pool

then remove the disk pool

then remove the credentials for the for the storage server

then you will need to format the path you used to store the data and databses 

last goto /usr/openv/lib/ost-plugins and remove the cfg file for the disk pool. It will be named the same as the hostname for the media server that was hosting it.

 

A simple uninstall is actually easier and probably faster. When you reinstall it just point it to the new master server. Then run the add new storage wizard. 

With the uninstall you will still need move the images somplace else if you entend to keep them and format the paths also.

 

If you need anything else let me know