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bpstart/bpend notify script usage with VMware type backup

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Is it possible to use bpstart_notify and bpend_notify scripts with a VMware type backup job? (single VM in the policy)

From what I understand bpstart_notify runs when bpbkar starts on client. But with VMware type backup, the bpbkar process starts during the actual backup job. The need is to run something before the snapshot is taken and then run another set after the snapshot is consolidated after backp completes.

I have tried the pre and post scripts in /usr/sbin/ directory but they seem to run almost at the same time ( I generated some files pre and post and they all had same file stamps).

Any other pointers?

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Mike_Gavrilov
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No, it isn't possible to use bpstart/bpend notify script inside VM:

https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.000016858

and you can't run it on backup host.

Marianne
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Even if you ran this a normal MS-Windows policy, it would not work.

bpstart_notify runs before bpbkar is started, meaning after bpfis has taken the snapshot. 

See this similar post:

https://vox.veritas.com/t5/NetBackup/Delaying-BPSTART-notify/m-p/838918

Curious to know what the 'something' is that needs to run before the snapshot...
Maybe that 'something' is supported with Snapshot Client option?

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@MarianneI'm trying to setup a methodology to backup VCSA 6.5 (vCenter Server Appliance) using NetBackup. The inbuilt method of backing up VCSA is not even close to an Enterprise type backup as there are no scheduling capabilities and restore is dependent on "reinstalling VCSA" and replacing the required files.

VCSA 6.5 uses vPostgreSQL database and we are not going to purchase the plugin from Zmanda for a single VM. So, as VCSA 6.5 supports vSphere Storage APIs - Data Protection, and PostgreSQL has WAL, I was leaning towards using some scripts to quiesce the database before backup (VMware type policy). So, the "something" that you asked about is basically the scripts need to quite down the database. I'm hoping to achieve this without having to shutdown the database.

BTW, is there anyone using VCSA 6.5 with ESXi 6.5 and performing backup of VCSA using VMware type policy?

AlexeyF
Level 4

Maybe I misunderstand the question but we use bpstart_notify and bpend_notify with VMware type policy for PostgreSQL virtual machines.

We call those scripts from  /etc/vmware-tools/backupScripts.d  directory on the guest VM. And it works.