Restore After Hardware and Version Upgrade

[GRAYWOLF]

I recently built a new NB server with 7.1.

The old server was running 6.5.1.

I need to do a restore from a tape that was written to from the old server.

I took down both servers and swapped the HBA back to the old server. When I brought it up it is giving an error in the event logs that the new server is the Master Server. It will not allow many of the services to start up on the old server.

Is there a way to switch the Master to the old server? Is there a better way to make this restore?

[Marianne]

Seems you performed a migrate to new server (including a hostname change) and NOT an upgrade?

Pity you did not ask for advice before doing what you did...

Please share all steps that you  have performed - if the old master was simply switched off with NO changes made to NBU config, I don't understand where the reference to the new server is coming from...

Migrating to new hardware prior to upgrade is perfectly supported via catalog backup and restore, provided hostname remains the same: http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH77447

[Marianne · Accepted solution]

I don't see the 'other thread' that you are referring to? I see other 'import' threads posted by other users... It helps if we have all relevant info....

When you performed this step "Added the new server to all of the clients" you probably selected the old master as well (it appears as a client if you have a policy for it). That would have updated the old server's registry with new master server name.

Instead of trying to resurrect the old master, try Recovery Without Import method (copy images from old master to new master).

Original 3-page white paper: http://eval.symantec.com/mktginfo/products/White_P...

Updated detailed doc:
http://eval.symantec.com/mktginfo/enterprise/white...

[GRAYWOLF]

Unfortunately, that states that the OS and NB versions must be the same and backing up different servers and different barcode sets...none of which is applicable in this situation.

The other thread:

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/lost-tapes

If I change the setting in the old master (for "Specify NetBackup Machines and Policy Type...") will that change it back to the master in the console?

[Marianne]

If the ONLY change to the old master was the SERVER name, your method to update it should work.

Why not investigate the Recovery Without Import method? It is a lot easier than having to change HBA in machines. Hopefully you have a Standalone drive attached to the old master for restores and not attach to the same production library? Hopefully tapes containing backups done on old server are removed from the robot and write-protected?  

If you haven't taken proper care as stated above, you run the risk of overwriting valid backups on the new server. The Recovery Without Import method will prevent that.

BTW - you never mentioned the word IMPORT in your 'lost tapes' post. Hopefully you have NOT labelled those tapes, which is the same as doing a quick erase. Maybe a good idea to provide ALL relevant info?

[GRAYWOLF]

Once I got the new server up and running i moved the HBA over and fired it up. Added the new server to all of the clients. set up the tape library...I tried an import from the tapes that were the current week (related to the problem in the other thread where the names were messed up)

The old server is running other essential functions that precluded just shutting it down or changing the name & IP.

[GRAYWOLF]

I investigated. These are the requirements set forth in the white papers you linked above:

"The following conditions must be met for ‘recovery without import’ to work successfully:
      • The primary and secondary domain Master Servers must run the same operating system and version of NetBackup
      • The barcode ranges used on tapes in the primary and secondary domains must be different
      • The Media Server and client names in the primary and secondary domains must be unique"

The only condition my situation meets is that the Media Server is a unique name. Are you saying that those requirements are not accurate?

We have 1 library and no other drives.

These tapes are used each month for a week and then removed.

I included all relavent info that I can think of. The import wasn't relavent because they were not the ones with the issue. I only imported the ones that were already written to, the problems were the unwritten ones!

I have rephrased my statement so maybe it is easier for you to understand.

[Marianne]

The conditions are relevant if both masters are left up and running.

The Recovery Without Import method allows you to copy images across as a once-off and leave NBU down on the old master. The images in client folders under netbackup\db\images will be merged. Since you had a clear cut-over time from old server to new server, there should not be any duplicate image numbers in the client folders. The method described in these docs to write-protect tapes and add them to a special pool will prevent accidental overwrites when media is added to the robot for restores.. 

Unique labels mean that you cannot have the same labels on more than one set of physical tapes (one set used on Master 1 and one set on Master 2). This will obviously be a problem if media id A00001 is in use on Master 2 and you need to restore from a different tape coming from Master 1, also with label A00001.

You have only one set of unique labels in your environment, meaning if you need to restore from a backup written on Master 1 on tape A00001, Master 2 will not have 'another' A00001 media id in it's EMM and image database with different images on it.

[GRAYWOLF]

Basically, all I had to do was copy the Image folders over to the new server....that is where the backup info is stored.

Thanks