bpsetconfig: worked with Unix master but not Windows master?

[HoldTheLine]

Hi all,

In the past I was in a mostly *nix environment and had no problems pushing out exclude list updates to Windows clients from Unix masters.  When I try the same thing with a Windows master, the command does not fail but it doesn't update the client, either.  i.e.

bpgetconfig -M <client> exclude   <---- shows me the current exclude list

bpsetconfig -h <client> file_with_new_excludes <------- returns a 0 status but when I run bpgetconfig again nothing has changed.

Any ideas here?  This is with NBU 7.5.0.5

[Will_Restore]

check proper format of your text file

per this old topic https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/exclude-list-0

Exclude = C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\*.lock
Exclude = C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\bprd.d\*.lock
Exclude = C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\bpsched.d\*.lock
Exclude = C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackupDB\data\*
Exclude = C:\Program Files\Veritas\Volmgr\misc\*
 

[CRZ]

Sorry to say, I don't believe the Windows version of the command works that way.  The Commands Guide has a lot of "applies only to UNIX and Linux" caveats:

Symantec NetBackup 7.5 Commands Reference Guide
 http://symantec.com/docs/DOC5182 (see pages 353-4)

I think (but I'm not 100% sure) your command is implying the -e command line switch, which would work if you were running it from your UNIX/Linux master, but it won't work from a Windows master.  (Why would this be so?  I have no earthly idea.)

I think you might be able to run this from a media server*, though, if you have one that isn't Windows somewhere?  (I will be corrected pretty quickly if I'm wrong)

*even there, there might be a caveat, but I'm not going into those weeds unless you need me to.  :)

[Will_Restore]

I think the reason is Unix client properties are held in text file (bp.conf) where Windows client uses registry entries.  And you are correct, -i and -e options only work with Unix. 

  bpsetconfig -h <client> filename 

should work with Windows, where filename contains exclude files in specific format as noted above unless something changed recently ( I have not tried this in v7.5 ).

[HoldTheLine]

Thanks for the responses all, I am sure that I am using the correct syntax so it seems that for whatever reason, a WIndows master is not able to update the exclude list on a WIndows client where a Unix master does it just fine - the mind boggles.  Makes no earthly sense to me either and just makes me grumble that much more for Symantec to break out that global exclude list already!!!

[Mark_Solutions]

Global exclude lists have been wanted for a long time - the trouble comes when a client has multiple exclude lists and ensuring that they get added to all / the correct one.

My customers use one of two methods when doing a global exclude:

1. Push out a registry edit using AD

2. Go to client host properties - select all clients - hit Enter - go to lunch - click OK then add the exclude which applies it to all selected clients - click OK - find something to do for an hour!

Hope this helps

[HoldTheLine]

1. Push out a registry edit using AD

I may look into this, not being a Windows guy this is all new to me.

2. Go to client host properties - select all clients - hit Enter - go to lunch - click OK then add the exclude which applies it to all selected clients - click OK - find something to do for an hour!

Yea, been down that road before - looks like it will have to do in the short term. 

I really miss my *nix servers :( 

[HoldTheLine]

I wonder if it would be possible to set up a Media Server VM running Solaris or Linux,  and do the admin tasks from there?

[CRZ]

I think I suggested that up there!  Or at least, I tried to.  :)

What you want to be sure to do is to specify that the "media server" you want to administer from is specified in the master's Host Properties > Servers configuration NOT as a "Media Server," but rather as an "Additional Server."  (It's the equivalent of a SERVER entry in the bp.conf vs. a MEDIA_SERVER entry, if that helps describe the difference.  If you try to administer from a MEDIA_SERVER, you will get an "invalid server" error for your trouble.  [I think.])

I stole this graphic from the Admin Guide I to show what I'm talking about:

Hope this helps (and works)!

[HoldTheLine]

CRZ, thanks for that info!  So if I get a system set up and add it as a server (not a media server as you point out) I will have the ability to run administrative commands like bpgetconfig and bpsetconfig?  For some reason I had the impression that only a Master or Media could do that, but if that is not the case so much the better.

[HoldTheLine]

This is still bugging me, and am curious about a seperate *nix management node - is anybody here actually doing that?  i.e. a Linux VM that is set up in the environment as a SERVER (I would assume) that has the ability to centrally manage all of these Windows systems. 

Would like more information before I go to management with my request :)

[watsons]

Was trying to update the KEEP_JOBS_HOURS and found this thread about Windows bpsetconfig not working. 

The bpsetconfig command alone will not work in Windows, as it requires a Ctrl-D then Ctrl-Z to update the changes. 

How I got it to work is using wr's suggestion: put the changes into a files, run bpsetconfig -h <host> <filename> to update.