What is on unknown tapes?

[Jairo_Yun]

I was told there are some 4000 tapes and they don't know what's on them. I don't know what version they are on, but there is a good chance they used NetBackup.

Is there a Log File or Database that says what directories and/or files were back up to what tapes, and when it was done? If there are log files, I am hoping to parse them. The tapes may have existed from several years ago.

Thanks for any help.
- Newbie

[Stumpr2]

Do you know what the NetBackup master server may have been?
Does it still exist?
Do you have an existing NetBackup master server?
Do you have a "catalog" tape?
What size/type are the tapes?

[Jairo_Yun]

The backups were done at a corporation that I have no contact with. I assume a high level VP may have some contact with them. All I was told is that the tapes were backed up using Veritas. I already did some research on Backup Exec and have been told they probably used NetBackup.

I only know there are some 4000 tapes that they do not know what is on them. I don't know what size/type.

I am trying to get an evaluation version of NetBackup, unsuccessfully so far.

We're trying to find out what is on these tapes without having to load each and every single tape. Sort of a dictionary of this tape has these files for these dates. That way, they can only load the tapes they are interested in.

Thanks for any suggestions,
- Newbie

[Jairo_Yun]

If I cannot get to the file detail of the backup history, I would still like to find out the computer and/or directory information that was backed up to what tape and when.

Can someone point me in any directions? Or am I stuck?

Thanks,
Newbie

[Stumpr2]

I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but if you do not have a NetBackup master server, or the catalog tape from the NetBackup master you are severely handicapped. The NetBackup master server contains all the information that you are wanting to get. It has a catalog tape that could be used to recreate the information in the event that the NetBackup master crashes or is destroyed.

It appears your only out is to import 4000 tapes and that could take a year depending on the size of the tapes. The import function will mount and read the tape and rebuild the catalog from the info it gleams from the tape. This takes two passes on each tape and is a very involved and costly proceedure.

[Jairo_Yun]

Thanks Bob.

If I have a NetBackup master server, is the catalog automatically saved? Or does it have to be set up to be saved to tape?

If the master server is available, how long does the catalog information remain? For example, would it contain backup history (tape label, directories\files backed up, when it was backed up) for backups done say 10 years ago.

Thanks,
Newbie

[Stumpr2]

is the catalog automatically saved?
No, you are at the complete mercy of the netbackup sysadmin at the time of the backups. Hopefully the catalog backup was done to a tape and that tape still exists and can be read.

The master server will keep information only as long as the retention period of the images. It cleans up itself by deleting info on expired images.

[Jairo_Yun]

Thanks again, Bob.

If the catalog was backed up to tape, I would have all the history for backups - tape label, date backed up, directory and file information?

What do you mean by "retention period of the images"?

Thanks,
Newbie

[Stumpr2]

yes, the catalog backup tape has all the information.
That's why it is so important. If you could find a catalog tape then the other 3,999 tapes may be usable.

[Jairo_Yun]

IF I have the catalog backup tape, where is all the backed up information, i.e. tape label, directories backed up, files backed up? Is it in a text, xml, or database format that I can use, and filter? i'd like to bring all that information into Excel or a database where I can run some calculations on it.

Thanks,
- Newbie13

[Yasuhisa_Ishika]

What type is your case?

1. Is Master server still alive?
If master server is still alive, and you want to correct data before expiration(data in retention period) only, you can use easiest way - run some commands on master server.

But if master server is dead, it goes difficult.

2. If you have a catalog tape, and you want to restore data that is not expired in the date when catalog backup was taken, you cant get information by A) or B).

A) Prepare new master server as same name and restore catalog data on new master server.

B) You can read catalog tape directly. But this way is very complexed and hard to do.

If catalog backup is lost, or you want to restore data that is expired but still remain in tape, ... I have no idea, except performing import, spending a year or more.


I tried to read catalog directly by followin way.
Output contains many information, but I know very few about these. I can't explain any more, sorry.
Do you want to do this?


1. mount catalog tape on drive, and restore /usr/openv/netbackup/db to alternate path.

e.g) media HZQ308 is of hcart media type, on Solaris.
# /usr/openv/volmgr/bin/tpreq -m HZQ308 -a r -d hcart -p NetBackup /tmp/hoge
# mt -f /tmp/hoge rew
# cat /tmp/hoge
VERSION 1 UNCOMPRESSED
nbu-master
HZQ308
06/03/05 20:27:32
32768
3
IMAGE1 = /usr/openv/netbackup/db
IMAGE2 = /usr/openv/volmgr/database
IMAGE3 = /usr/openv/var

:
:
# mt -f /tmp/hoge asf 1
# /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/tar -tvf /tmp/hoge -b 64 # check contents
:
:
# mt -f /tmp/hoge asf 1
# mkdir /tmp/test
# /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/tar -x -C /tmp/test -f /tmp/hoge -b 64 /opt/openv/netbackup/db/images
# tpunmount /tmp/hoge


2. list catalog data.

e.g)
# cd /tmp/test/opt/openv/netbackup/db/images/
# ls */*
nbu-client/1117000000:
policy1_1117601801_FULL policy1_1117601973_FULL policy1_1117602043_FULL
policy1_1117601801_FULL.f policy1_1117601973_FULL.f policy1_1117602043_FULL.f

nbu-master/1117000000:
policy1_1117634087_FULL policy1_1117636209_FULL test_1117432697_FULL
policy1_1117634087_FULL.f policy1_1117636209_FULL.f test_1117432697_FULL.f
policy1_1117635566_FULL policy1_1117719061_FULL test_1117609391_FULL
policy1_1117635566_FULL.f policy1_1117719061_FULL.f test_1117609391_FULL.f

3. retrieve information from each file

# cat nbu-master/1117000000/test_1117609391_FULL
PROTOCOL_VERSION 1
KBYTES 32
NUM_FRAGMENTS 1
COPIES 1
VERSION 7
CLIENT_TYPE 0
RETENTION_LEVEL 0
SCHEDULE_TYPE 0
COMPRESSION 1
ENCRYPTION 0
FILES_FILE_COMPRESSED 0
MPX 0
TIR_INFO 0
TIR_EXPIRATION 0
PRIMARY_COPY 1
IMAGE_TYPE 0
ELAPSED 61
EXPIRATION 1118041391
NUM_FILES 1
EXTENDED_SECURITY_INFO 0
REQUEST_PID 0
IND_FILE_RESTORE_FROM_RAW 0
IMAGE_DUMP_LEVEL 0
FILE_SYSTEM_ONLY 0
PREV_BLOCK_INCR_TIME 0
BLOCK_INCR_FULL_TIME 0
STREAM_NUMBER 0
CATARC 0
BACKUP_COPY 0
BACKUP_STATUS 0
JOB_ID 90
NUM_RESUMES 0
RESUME_EXPIRATION 0
PFI_TYPE 0
IMAGE_ATTRIBUTE 0
# FRAG: c# f# K rem mt den fn id/path host bs off md dwo f_flags f_unused1 exp mpx rl chkpt rsm_nbr seq_no i_unused4 i_unused3 i_unused2 i_unused1
FRAGMENT 1 1 32 0 2 6 2 HZQ301 nbu-master 64512 5 1117432697 0 0 *NULL* 1118041391 0 65536 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
BACKUP_ID nbu-master_1117609391
CREATOR root
SCHED_LABEL full
FILES_FILE test_1117609391_FULL.f
FILES_FILE_SIZE 659
HISTO_INFO -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1

4. Get file list

# cat_convert -b2a nbu-master/1117000000/test_1117609391_FULL.f /tmp/datalist
# cat /tmp/datalist
0 0 1 50 0 0 0 0 35651584 / 16877 root root 0 1117609396 1116899815 1116899815
0 0 5 49 1 0 0 0 35651584 /etc/ 16877 root sys 0 1117432565 1116899838 1116899838
1 0 10 53 2 1 0 0 35651584 /etc/hosts 33188 root other 285 1117609370 1117601777 1117601777