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Veritas.com
Support

Shared Drives

Morg
Level 3

‎05-13-2008 02:31 AM

Hi,

I've just started a new job and my first task is to sort out the backups which were started by my predecessor.  What I have is Netbackup 6.5.1 and the Shared Storage Option so that clients can backup over the SAN due to LAN backups maxing out the firewall for servers sitting in the DMZ.

The problem I'm having at the moment is that the tape drives arent shared and I can't seem to find out how to share them.  I'm using a HP MSL6000 with 2 Ultrium4 drives.

Apologies if this is a simple thing to do, I've not used NB before.

Thanks

Morg
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14 REPLIES 14

Patrick_Whelan_
Level 6

‎05-13-2008 03:00 AM

First, do you have the SSO license?
Second, do the systems you want to share the drives, see the drives, from the OS level?

If yes to both of the above, then run the Configure Storage Devices wizard.

If this fails, then post symptoms here.
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Morg
Level 3

‎05-13-2008 06:01 AM

Hi,

Yes we the SSO License and its installed.  Assuming you mean in Device Manager the only server that appears to be able to see the Tape Library\Drives at the moment is the Master Server (also Media Server).  I'm guessing something pretty fundamental has been missed from the initial setup of netbackup. 

On a side note am I correct in thinking that I would need a SSO License for each client that needs to share the tape library\drive?

Thanks,

Leigh
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Patrick_Whelan_
Level 6

‎05-13-2008 06:28 AM

I'm not real sure how the licensing works. But if the OS on each client can not see the tape drives then licensing is irrelevant. Before NetBackup can do anything the OS (i.e. Windows, HP-UX, AIX, Solairs ... ) MUST see the drives. Once the OS sees the drives and the licenses are in place, then the wizard should find everything and all will be well with the world.
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zippy
Level 6

‎05-13-2008 07:21 AM

Morg,
 
Tell use what you enviroment is like.
 
I assume you have a Library.
You have a master server.
You have some SSO servers, how many?
 
In short it works like this....
 
You have a master that controls itself and the SSO servers.  All your clients are configured to use your masters tape drive or drives and or your SSO servers tape drives.  Clients data is passed through the network - through the SSO servers or master servers BUS to the tape drive or drives, all knowlege of the backup sessions is recorded on your masters Database. 
 
The Master and the SSO servers are also clients, they are most likley configured to use their own tape drives.
 
Most companys buy SSO licenses for thier largest servers, meaning the servers that have the most data mounted on them, they dont have the luxury of using BCV's or Snap Technology.
 
 
In short you tape drive are shared via you master, tape drives usage is distributed via the masters Policy window, you can also see the tape drive distribution through teh Storage Units window, click on Devices and you should also see how your tape drive are physically distributed.
 
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Andy_Welburn
Level 6

‎05-13-2008 07:23 AM


@Morg wrote:

On a side note am I correct in thinking that I would need a SSO License for each client that needs to share the tape library\drive?


As far as I'm aware it's licensed per tape drive that is to be shared (that's how it was sold to us anyway! Smiley Happy )


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zippy
Level 6

‎05-13-2008 07:27 AM

SSO = Shared Storage Option, you add the SSO server to your master backup server then share it out through the Netbackup software.
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Morg
Level 3

‎05-13-2008 08:08 AM

I'll try to explain in as much detail as possible the setup I am working with, as I said I'm new the NetBackup so not sure what information is\isn't helpful.

1 x Netbackup 6.5.1 Master Server
1 x HP StorageWorks MSL6000 Tape Library (2 x Ultrium4 DLT Drives + e1200-320 4G Interface Controller)
2 x Netbackup SSO Licenses

In terms of servers, the majority of them are situated within the local LAN so backups can be achieved using that, however, we have a set of servers used for web services that sit in a DMZ.  If you try to backup over the lan for these server it overloads the firewall ports and it drops packets make the backups garbage.  Primarily it is these servers that I want to use the shared storage option on so they can backup across the SAN directly to the tape drives.

At the moment I don't have any SSO servers to the best of my knowledge and I guess thats what I need to set up. 

I have now found out why I couldnt see the tape drive\library from the OS' it was down to SAN Zoning.

There may have been a better way to achieve what I am trying to do, unfortunately the software and licenses together with the initial setup was done before I started working for the company.

Your responses are very much appreciated.

Leigh a.k.a Morg


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zippy
Level 6

‎05-13-2008 08:10 AM

you have two tape drives?
 
One drive and robot is the masters, you dont need an SSO license for this one.
 
the other server, this would be the one that you have decided to be the other SSO server gets teh other drive.
 
If it was me and I was new to Veritas, I would configure your master to see both drive and leave the SSO stuff for a later time when you get a better grasp for Veritas, unless you have this need to backup a large database, then I would consider configuring the SSO server on the database server.
 
Get a credit on the aditional SSO license and yell at your Salesman for selling it to you.
 
 


Message Edited by James Dunn on 05-13-2008 11:16 AM
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Morg
Level 3

‎05-13-2008 08:47 AM

I've had a look round the back of the server and tape library and there doesnt appears to be a direct connection between the two.  Does that make a difference to the licensing?

The DMZ servers are a mixture of application and database servers so shared storage is a necessity.  Am I right in thinking that I would setup one of these servers as media server and then configure the rest of the clients in the DMZ to point at that media server for backups rather than the Master?

This all stemmed from the fact that Drives under Devices shows the two drives as not shared.  Is this just down to the fact that I have not configured any additional media servers\SSO servers?

Regards,

Leigh
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Omar_Villa
Level 6
Employee

‎05-13-2008 09:08 AM

I think the first issue here is understand what SSO is for, because I dont see any media server configured on your environment or u plan to make a media server to every single client you have? I think not, SSO means is that you can share 1 drive over multiple media servers, but only one media server can use it at the time, you normaly do this to load balance your backup load or when you have a client with high amounts of data so you can perform direct backups to drive. So first if you can share with us how many clients you have? which ones are the ones with the biggest amount of info and from there you can start with your architecture design, then you can use your new STU's and configure the rest of your clients to use this STU's.
 
 
Hope this helps.
regards
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zippy
Level 6

‎05-13-2008 09:10 AM

If you have a real SAN
then you should have a tape library - fibre scsi bridge - fibre switches - fc card on server
 
if you dont have a SAN
then you have tape library - fibre scsi bridge - fc card on server
 
most new librarys come with a FC-SCSI Bridge installed within the case
 
 
Picture of a basic SAN
 
real basic SAN with no switches
 
 
You need to allow your future SSO server to physically see the second tape drive, by adding it to your SAN or if you don have one then connecting the SCSI cabel directly to the tape drive, I dont think the later is possible with your library.
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Morg
Level 3

‎05-13-2008 09:40 AM

James - Yes it is a real SAN (Fibre switches, HBA's, etc, etc)
 
Omar - The master server is currently also configured as a media server.  I have licenses for 25 clients (18 standard and 7 enterprise) and they are a mixture of Win\Linux\ESX servers.  The primary use for the SSO is due to a set of web services servers that sit in a dmz making backups over a LAN not possible. 
 
As I see it then.  I have the Master server, also running as a media server, will service the clients sitting on the internal network and using one tape drive in the MSL6000 and another server sitting in the DMZ acting as a media server and using the second tape drive with clients in the DMZ going via this media server across the SAN.  If that's how it works then that makes sense to me and I think I finally understand how this is supposed to work.
 
Regards,

Leigh
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Omar_Villa
Level 6
Employee

‎05-13-2008 12:04 PM

Yes it can work like that, but I will suggest to better move the media server into your ESF instead the DMZ, this because you will need to open more ports between the media server and the master than the clients and the master/media, read chapter 3 of this guide http://ftp.support.veritas.com/pub/support/products/NetBackup_Enterprise_Server/290226.pdf, you will see that if you left the media server out of the DMZ you only need to open port vnetd (13724) other way you will need to open PBX, vnetd, bptm, bpbrm and bpcd, which Im sure your IT risk team will not be happy.
 
regards
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Morg
Level 3

‎05-15-2008 03:22 AM

Apologies for not responding sooner my focus was shifted elsewhere.
 
Anyway, it appears that my predecessor at already requested that the various ports needed for the media server to talk to the master server to be opened on the firewall.
 
I've now setup the media server in the DMZ and allocated one of the tape drives in the tape library to it.  I have setup a small backup from one of the servers for tonight so fingers crossed it will work.
 
Thanks to the both of you for your help it was very much appreciated.  I have another issue that has me scratching my head so I'm off to make a new thread.
 
Thanks
 
Leigh
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