Recovering NetBackup server from failed hardware.

[ericmartin]

Let me confess that while I have used backup exec for 20 years (off and on), never used netbackup.

The hardware on a none critical "standalone" NetBackup server failed. The motherboard failed, the disk is probably okay.
Eighteen months later a new replacement server will arrive and the old IT guy has long since left. "they" want as much of the old server (catalogs?) moved to the new server. 

All the processes I have read involved having a copy of the "disaster recovery" file. I don't have this. Is it likely to be on the old servers disk?  Is it routinely saved when a backup of a client machine takes place (what has been suggested is that if you backup a client to tape, the tape holds the clients backup and a copy of the disaster recovery?

If I don't have  access to a disaster recovery file but the old servers disk, can I do some sort of migration?

Oh! And until I look at the disk I don't even know if this is Linux or Windows OS (I can handle both)

[Nicolai]

Hi @ericmartin 

You don't need the disaster recovery file as long as the disk are intact.

You need the recovery file in case the catalogue is gone, and you need to restore the catalogue from disk or tape. 

One you got the server up and running, we can advice you how to check the health of the Netbackup server.

Best Regards
Nicolai

[ericmartin]

I don't think the old server will ever be up and running. We will have 

1) A new server with a vanilla OS install and a clean install of netbackup.

2) A complete copy of the files on the old server on a USB stick 

What I want to do is log into the new machine and see if I can recreate the old severs netbackup software configuration using the files on the USB stick.

In terms of OS and netbackup version I will match the new server to that of the old one. 

Eric

[ericmartin]

So I now have access to the old server and it is windows. The motherboard is broken so I can not boot from it.

When  I remove the old broken servers hard drive and put it in the new server I can see the old severs C: drive as an E: drive.

If I reinstall the same version of netback on the new server (a new unconfigured install)  can I then import the old settings from the files on the E: drive? 

[davidmoline]

Hi @ericmartin 

What you are proposing is good. As the system is Windows some of the information on the configuration is stored in the registry, so the simple copy of data from E: to C: will miss that. I'd be looking at using robocopy or xcopy to copy the entire structure from E: to C: (after first installing the software). 

There is probably not a lot that is required from the registry though that is critical for your initial recovery, but if you are able to find the registry hives on E: drive and look at those, this would help. 

From a version point of view - the older the NetBackup version the simpler the recoverey will be. 

Good luck
David