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Restore files by image (backup id)

RLeon
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Hi all,

This is the 3rd thread about backup images I have created in the past two weeks.
Here are the links to the other two threads: (Big credits to Mark_Solutions)

Question about Backup Image fragments (One backup id split up in to parts):
https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/question-about-backup-image-fragments-one-backup-id-split-parts

Find out the exact backup id(s) associated with specific files/folders that have been backed up:
https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/find-out-exact-backup-ids-associated-specific-filesfolders-have-been-backed

I understand that the areas being discussed in these threads are all related, but I feel that separating the threads could allow the shared knowledge to be better referenced if the discussions go deep enough.


With that out of the way, let's get back to the topic of this thread...
I have been asked to restore everything from within 5 tapes. (a tape is identified by its media id)
Restoring by tape is equivalent to restoring by backup image because Netbackup reporting gives you the list of images stored on each tape. (a backup image is identified by its backup id)

So now I have a list of backup images (all from the 5 tapes) that I need to restore.
I understand that I may need more than just these 5 tapes to restore the images because some of the images have fragments stored on tapes outside of the 5 tapes.
Again, Netbackup reporting tells me what those other tapes are, so no problem.
(For your information, now I need a total of 7 tapes just to restore every image listed on the 5 tapes. I need the two additional tapes because they have fragments of images that belong to the images on the 5 tapes)

Now that I have a list of images I need to restore, and all their fragments in hand, time to restore them!
In Netbackup BAR (restore interface), I could not find a way to restore by image (backup id), at least not easily.
For simplicity, assume that the list of images I have are all Full Backups, with policy type "MS-Windows".

After choosing a client, I am presented with a row of "orbs", each representing a full backup for a particular day.
I understand that each of these "orbs" represents an individual image (backup id), please correct me if I'm wrong.
However, when I click on one, it doesn't give me its backup id, and therefore I cannot be sure that it is one of the images I'm looking for (Remember, I'm specifically looking for the images that are associated with the 5 tapes...)

You may think I could simply check the backup date of a backup id (its ctime code) to find out which "orb" this backup id is associated to. You may be right if there is only one "orb" for any particular date, in which case the only "orb" is the right "orb"!
But in my case there are multiple "orbs" under each and everyday. (Due to the way we setup our backup policies)
Given a date from a backup id (its ctime code), and with multiple "orbs" associated with the date, it is not immediately obvious which "orb" is really the one the backup id is associated with.

I understand that I could open up the image (backup id) and look inside its contents, by using tools such as bpflist, or the Windows command findstr. (If you got this far, you probably know how to use these tools)
And if I do this, I can compare the contents (file by file, folder by folder...) between an image and the "orbs" of the same date.
I can then be 100% sure that the "orb" I have selected for restore is associated with which image (backup id).

Now my question is:
Is there an easier way to restore by tape? (Or by image/backup ids. Same thing really.)
Given a tape (media id), how do I select all the right "orbs" in BAR that would encompass everything associated with the tape, and nothing more? (And also nothing less)

(Oh and I seriously don't have a clue what those "orbs" are supposed to be. They're... just too small for me to see them...)
(....and if you are really interested, the reason why we need to restore by tape is because we need to dispose of these specific tapes physically and securely, but want back all the data on them before doing so...)

Thanks all,

RLeon

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

Yasuhisa_Ishika
Level 6
Partner Accredited Certified

On BAR, uncheck "Show NetBackup History as a Timeline" in [View] Menu.
You can see backups by list instead of "orbs".

This list does not have "Backup ID", but you can check "Backup Time" of each backups.
Backup ID is in form of "client_name"_"backup_time_seconds_from_epoch", you can identify each backups by "Backup Time".

If you want to restore backups written in a given tape, search images with media id from [NetBackup Management]-[Catalog], write down backup time of each backups on notepad. Then, kick BAR and select backup by backup time from list.

View solution in original post

8 REPLIES 8

Yasuhisa_Ishika
Level 6
Partner Accredited Certified

On BAR, uncheck "Show NetBackup History as a Timeline" in [View] Menu.
You can see backups by list instead of "orbs".

This list does not have "Backup ID", but you can check "Backup Time" of each backups.
Backup ID is in form of "client_name"_"backup_time_seconds_from_epoch", you can identify each backups by "Backup Time".

If you want to restore backups written in a given tape, search images with media id from [NetBackup Management]-[Catalog], write down backup time of each backups on notepad. Then, kick BAR and select backup by backup time from list.

RLeon
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Yasuhisa,

I didn't know the "Show NetBackup History as a Timeline" existed!
With this, the exact backup date and time for each "orb" can be compared against those from my list of backup ids, and the matching pairs are the ones I need to restore!

Yes, my entire problem solved with one simple answer.
Thank you!

Now, if only there is a way for the "Show NetBackup History as a Timeline" interface to give me the exact backup ids..... It would certainly make life even easier.
I mark Yasuhisa's post as the solution.
But I hope someone who knows a workaround for this "inconvenience" would post here.

 

Thanks!

 

RLeon

RLeon
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I just realized that in our environment, some of these "orbs" have the exact same client, date and time. So there is still no percise way to tell which "orb" a backup id is associated with.

So my problem isn't really percisely solved, yet.... unless those orbs can tell me their exact backup id.

I will have to clear the "solution" flag on Yasuhisa's post for now.

It was my bad, sorry.

 

RLeon

Yasuhisa_Ishika
Level 6
Partner Accredited Certified
Are there multiple backups which have exactly same date and time in second order? Can you post screenshot of BAR while "Show NetBackup History as a Tmeline" uncleared?

RLeon
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Yasuhisa,

I will try to get the screenshots if and when I can. (a technically trivial task, but may get me in to trouble)

On a closer inspection, even on those "orbs" with the exact same date, time and seconds, I suppose I could further identify them by the "file count" and "image size" information shown when I clear the "Show NetBackup History as a Tmeline" feature.
These two attributes could potentially (and very likely) help me identify the exact backup id of an "orb", but then again, I am hoping there is a way for the "orbs" to show me their backup id.

Thanks for your time!

RLeon

Mark_Solutions
Level 6
Partner Accredited Certified

RLeon

Firstly thanks for the praise at the start of your thread - much appreciated!

Next ... I think you will struggle to get any more detail on this one other than what you have already been advised - I have had a good dig through and cant see anything more

You can, once you have selected a backup set use Action - Preview Media but if your multi stream backups (I can fully understand how you have amny that start at exactly the same time) are on that same tape then that doesnt help you either.

The only other way to look at it is to use bprestore against the set of files you know exist in each image - but that would take as much work as anything else as you would still need to identify everything on each tape to do it.

I think Yasuhisa has guided you about as far as you will get with this one and maybe my notes here may also help and give you some ideas?

There is one more way but it may be just as convoluted ....

So you can see everything in the catalog section and that tells you the image ID, the tape it is on and the time and dat it ran but not what files relate to that image and the .f file related to it is not actually readable, other than the findstr which gives an idea of file names in the image.

But if you right click the image and select "verify" it mounts the tape and reads it to make sure it is OK. If you select Enable Full Logging when you do this then on the Results tab of the catalog you get a log of what it is reading.

You can then cross reference that with the selections in the BAR GUI to identify which image ID relates to which Orb.

Hope that makes sense? If you have only 7 tapes to do this against then it is not too bad - if it is a lot more then it may be just too much work

RLeon
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Mark,

I guess there really isn't an easy way to do this then.
I hope there is something in version 7.5 to remedy this.
There are already a few methods to accurately achieve the results I am trying to get, but as you'd probably agree, they are all very convoluted.
So many steps just to get the backup ids of those orb things in BAR... (What IS that orb thing anyway?)

Your "Enable Full Logging" in catalog method makes perfect sense, but it would be easier for me to simply use bpflist and findstr, which do not involve tape mounting.

I mark Yasuhisa's post (one that I cleared) as the solution. Its method is probably the one I will end up using to match "orbs" to backup ids. (Not just through cross referencing date and time, but ALSO through file count and image size)
And if necessary, I could always call out bpflist and findstr to do the heavy duty stuff.

Thank you both for your time!
I hope many will benefit from your posts.

RLeon

Mark_Solutions
Level 6
Partner Accredited Certified

The Orbs are just a symbol - they have a different colour and pattern accoring to the backup type (Full, Inc, Database etc.)

When you are not showing the timeline if you hover your mouse over them the date and time of the backup appears

Good luck with your challenge!