Symantec NetBackup in

Highly Available
Environments
Administrator's Guide

for Windows, UNIX, and Linux

Release 7.5
Symantec NetBackup in Highly Available Environments
Administrator's Guide
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 Contents

Technical Support ............................................................................................... 4

Chapter 1 About in this guide .............................................................. 11
What's in this guide ...................................................................... 11
Documents related to NetBackup in highly available
environments ........................................................................ 12

Chapter 2 NetBackup protection against single points of

failure ............................................................................. 13
About protecting against component failures .................................... 13
About protecting against network link failures ............................ 15
About protecting against storage device connection
failures .......................................................................... 15
About protecting against storage device failure ........................... 16
About protecting against media availability failures ..................... 16
About protecting against master server failures ........................... 17
About protecting against media server failures ............................ 18
About protecting against LAN client failures ............................... 21
About protecting against SAN client failures ............................... 22
About protecting against site failures .............................................. 22
About protecting catalog in highly available environments .................. 23
About installing media servers in clusters ........................................ 24
About virtual storage units in a NetBackup cluster ....................... 24

Chapter 3 About site disaster recovery with catalog backup

and recovery ................................................................... 31
About catalog recovery ................................................................. 31
About full catalog recovery ...................................................... 32
Performing full catalog restore ................................................. 33
Making the DR environment consistent after a full catalog
restore ........................................................................... 35
About partial catalog recovery .................................................. 35
Performing partial catalog restore ............................................. 36
8 Contents

Making the DR environment consistent after a partial catalog

restore ........................................................................... 37
About disk recovery in DR domain ................................................... 37
Disk recovery in single-domain replication DR
environment ................................................................... 38
Auto Image Replication ........................................................... 38
Disk recovery in cross-domain replication DR environment ........... 38

Chapter 4 About site loss protection with catalog

replication ....................................................................... 41
About auto image replication ......................................................... 41
About conditions for support of replicated NetBackup catalogs ............ 41
About catalog synchronization ....................................................... 44
About NetBackup catalog replication ............................................... 44
About multi-site single domain replication ................................. 44
About multi-site cross domain replication .................................. 47
About full catalog replication ................................................... 49
About partial catalog replication ............................................... 52

Chapter 5 Deploying NetBackup master servers with full

catalog replication ........................................................ 55
About replication considerations .................................................... 55
About non-clustered NetBackup master server with catalog
replication ............................................................................ 56
Installing and configuring non-clustered NetBackup master
server with catalog replication ........................................... 56
About globally clustered NetBackup master servers with catalog
replication ............................................................................ 63
Installing and configuring a globally clustered NetBackup master
server with catalog replication ........................................... 63
Populating the server tables in the EMM .................................... 66
Upgrading NetBackup in clustered replication
configuration .................................................................. 67
Failing over to secondary master server cluster ........................... 67
Testing the NetBackup master server cluster in clustered
replication environment ................................................... 68
 Contents 9

Chapter 6 Using NetBackup to perform backups and restores

in a cluster ...................................................................... 69
About backups and restores with NetBackup in a cluster ..................... 69
Performing user-directed backups with NetBackup in a
cluster ........................................................................... 69
About restoring data in a cluster ............................................... 70
About supported NetBackup database agents and options in a
cluster ................................................................................. 72
About backing up database files in a cluster ................................ 73
About user backups ................................................................ 73
About NetBackup client in a cluster ........................................... 73

Index .................................................................................................................... 75
10 Contents
 Chapter 1
About in this guide
This chapter includes the following topics:

■ What's in this guide

■ Documents related to NetBackup in highly available environments

What's in this guide

The Symantec NetBackup in Highly Available Environments Administrator's Guide
discusses various methods for making NetBackup highly available and provides
guidelines for protecting NetBackup against single point of failures.
This guide looks at the components of a data protection system based on
NetBackup. It outlines different configurations and solutions for reducing the
risk of failure within a particular site and recovering from the loss of the site.
You can use this guide as an aid to create a NetBackup site disaster recovery plan
because it discusses catalog recovery and catalog replication process. However,
this guide is not intended to provide a definitive disaster recovery plan for all
NetBackup environments. Instead, you can use the information to develop site
disaster recovery plans specific to your NetBackup environments.
This guide also provides guidelines for installing and upgrading NetBackup master
servers. In addition, the guide details operating practices when catalogs are
replicated between clustered or non-clustered NetBackup master servers.
The guide does not cover the details of clustering or replication technologies that
are used. Please refer to your specific replication technology documentation for
details on deploying and operating replication layers. For more information about
NetBackup master server clustering, refer to the Symantec NetBackup Clustered
Master Server Administrator's Guide.
See “Documents related to NetBackup in highly available environments”
on page 12.
12 About in this guide
Documents related to NetBackup in highly available environments

Documents related to NetBackup in highly available

environments
When you refer to the Symantec NetBackup in Highly Available Environments
Administrator's Guide you may also want to refer to the following documents:
■ Refer to Symantec NetBackup Clustered Master Server Administrator's Guide
for information about clustering NetBackup.
■ Refer to Symantec NetBackup Installation Guide for information about installing
NetBackup.
■ Refer to Symantec NetBackup Administrator's Guide, Volume I and Volume II
for general information about NetBackup.
 Chapter 2
NetBackup protection
against single points of
failure
This chapter includes the following topics:

■ About protecting against component failures

■ About protecting against site failures

■ About protecting catalog in highly available environments

■ About installing media servers in clusters

About protecting against component failures

NetBackup comprises a number of different components, each of which has the
potential to fail, and disrupt the backup or restore process.
Table 2-1 lists the component level points of failure and the related protection
method.

Table 2-1 NetBackup protection against component failures

Point of failure Protection method

Network links See “About protecting against network link failures” on page 15.

Storage device See “About protecting against storage device connection failures”
connections on page 15.

Storage devices See “About protecting against storage device failure” on page 16.
14 NetBackup protection against single points of failure
About protecting against component failures

Table 2-1 NetBackup protection against component failures (continued)

Point of failure Protection method

Media availability See “About protecting against media availability failures”

on page 16.

Master server See “About protecting against master server failures” on page 17.

Media server See “About protecting against media server failures” on page 18.

LAN client See “About protecting against LAN client failures” on page 21.

SAN client See “About protecting against SAN client failures” on page 22.

Figure 2-1 illustrates various NetBackup components and the single points of
failure. The single points of failure can be eliminated at each component level
either by making the component highly available or by deploying multiple
components for redundancy.

Figure 2-1 Single points of failure and protection methods

Single points of failure and protection methods

Master Server

1
Storage Device 1 Master Server
3 Local and global clustering
2 NIC
2
SAN Redundant NICs
3 Storage Device
Media Server Global scratch pools and
media sharing
4 4 Media Server
Storage unit groups
5 Clients
Application cluster

Clients
5

Connected over SAN

Connected over LAN
 NetBackup protection against single points of failure 15
About protecting against component failures

About protecting against network link failures

The majority of backup traffic is transferred over network connections with 100
MB and 1Gbit speed which provide transfer rate of around 8 MB/sec and 65 MB/sec,
respectively. To make network links highly available, deploy redundant network
teaming. Due to cost considerations, network teaming is often restricted to backup
servers and mission critical clients only. Non-mission critical clients have single
network connections and the risk of connection failure (and the subsequent failure
of the backup) is accepted.

About protecting against storage device connection failures

Connections to storage devices and their controllers also represent single points
of failure. In case of connection failure, the device cannot be used.
See “About protecting against SAN connection failures” on page 15.
See “About protecting against robotic control connection failures” on page 15.

About protecting against SAN connection failures

SAN connections generally exist between the backup servers and the backup
storage; although the NetBackup SAN client also supports SAN connections from
clients to media servers. In all cases, to protect NetBackup against SAN connection
failure, SANs should be configured to provide redundant connections between
the source and the target components.
Most SAN-attached disk arrays have redundant SAN connections and support
dynamic multi-pathing (DMP) software. This redundancy ensures that the
connection to the storage is maintained even if one path fails. In many cases, DMP
software also load balances traffic across SAN connections to improve the data
transfer rates to and from the disk storage.
Many SAN-attached tape devices also offer two connections for redundancy, and
thus they appear to servers as two separate devices. Multi-path selection is not
dynamic. NetBackup selects the first available path it finds and always uses that
path. The second device path is only used if the first path is broken.

About protecting against robotic control connection failures

In tape-based backup environments, the robotic control connections can be single
points of failure. The inability to send instructions to the tape library prevents
backup and restore operations, even if the tape drives are available.
Some tape libraries, such as Sun STK ACSLS or Quantum ATM, use a dedicated
control software that runs on a server that is independent of the library. Such
control servers can be clustered. The media servers send requests to the control
16 NetBackup protection against single points of failure
About protecting against component failures

server, which handles the movement of tapes between slots and drives in the
library.
Other tape libraries depend on a direct device connection from the NetBackup
master server for control instructions to the library. If this device connection is
lost, the tape library cannot be used. SAN-attached tape libraries support multiple
connections to the robotic control for redundancy. You can configure these
connections to provide protection against server failure. For example, you can
configure one path to each node of a clustered master server. You must ensure
that the paths are not active at the same time. If both paths are active, conflicting
instructions can be issued, which could result in backup failure or data loss.

About protecting against storage device failure

Whether they are tapes or disks, when storage devices fail they are considered to
be single points of failure. To protect against storage device failures, you should
have multiple devices as backup targets.
A media server with access to only one tape drive cannot complete backups to
tape if that tape drive goes down. To protect NetBackup against such failures,
configure the media servers to access at least two tape drives. Use SAN-attached
tape drives, which can be shared between media servers. This sharing ensures
that the tape drives are accessible without needing large numbers of redundant
devices. Typically, one or two redundant drives provide for resilience and allow
restore operations to occur while backups are in progress. For example, if you
configure four media servers to share five tape drives, backups can still happen
even if one drive goes down. The backup may take longer, but it completes and
your data remains safe. If media servers run backups at different times, the ratio
of tape drives to servers may be even lower without risking backup failure.
AdvancedDisk disk pools can be created on individual media servers to protect
against the failure of a single disk device.

About protecting against media availability failures

In tape-based backup solutions, failures can occur if no suitable tape media is
available for use by a backup job. With NetBackup, risk of such failures can be
reduced through global scratch pools and media sharing.
Table 2-2 discusses the methods of protection against media availability failures.
 NetBackup protection against single points of failure 17
About protecting against component failures

Table 2-2 NetBackup protection against media availability failures

Protection method Description

Global scratch pools For all the backup jobs and duplication jobs that are written to tapes,
use the tapes that are in a specific media pool with the same retention
criteria as the backed up data. If no suitable tapes are available, the
backup fails.

A global scratch pool is a NetBackup media pool that holds

unassigned tapes that can be automatically re-assigned to a specific
media pool on demand. For instance, a backup or a duplication job
runs and no suitable tapes are available in the media pool specified
by the job. Then an unassigned tape is transferred from the global
scratch pool to the specified media pool and is used for the backup
job. When this tape expires, it is automatically returned to the global
scratch pool for re-use.

Using a global scratch pool ensures that all unassigned tapes are
available for use by any backup job, irrespective of the media pool
specified by the job.

Media sharing Media sharing allows multiple media servers to use partially full
tapes until they are full. It ensures the most efficient use of tape.
Only one media server at a time can write to a tape. When that tape
is not in use, a different media server that requires a tape from that
media pool can use it.

To enable media sharing, set the Volume Pool properties to use the
Maximum number of partially full media property. This property
restricts the number of partially full tapes in a media pool. Until all
tapes are full, empty tapes cannot be assigned to the pool. Until one
tape is full, another empty tape cannot be assigned to the pool.

About protecting against master server failures

A single master server for each NetBackup domain controls all the backup activity
within the domain. Thus, the master server represents the most obvious single
point of failure in the data protection environment. Without the master server,
backups and restores are not possible. To protect NetBackup against such failures,
the master servers must be highly available. NetBackup supports clustering of
the master servers using the following clustering technologies:
■ Microsoft Cluster Server
■ Veritas Cluster Server Windows 2003, 2008, 2008R2
■ Veritas Cluster Server on UNIX/Linux
■ HP Service Guard
18 NetBackup protection against single points of failure
About protecting against component failures

■ HACMP for AIX

More information about installing and configuring NetBackup on these cluster
technologies is available in the Symantec NetBackup Clustered Master Server
Administrator's Guide.

About protecting against media server failures

Although media servers can be configured with redundant network and SAN
connections, the servers themselves remain single points of failure. Methods of
protecting NetBackup against media server failures may vary depending on the
type of media servers that you use.
Table 2-3 lists the different types of media servers and the protection method.

Table 2-3 Type of media servers and protection method

Type of media server Description

Dedicated media Run only the media server software and exclusively back up data
servers from other systems.

See “About protecting against dedicated media server failures”

on page 18.

Non-dedicated media Run other applications also that require backing up. Also back up
servers data from other systems.

See “About protecting against non-dedicated media servers

failures” on page 19.

SAN media servers Run other applications also that require backing up. Do not back
up data from other systems.

See “About protecting against SAN media server failures”

on page 20.

About protecting against dedicated media server failures

Storage unit groups can be used to protect NetBackup against the failure of a
single media server. Storage unit groups can also be used for load balancing across
multiple media servers to ensure optimal backup and restore performance.
Table 2-4 discusses the different modes in which you can configure the storage
unit groups.
 NetBackup protection against single points of failure 19
About protecting against component failures

Table 2-4 Modes for configuring storage unit groups

Mode Description

Failover In the failover mode, the first storage unit is always used, unless
the media server is down. Excess jobs are queued rather than
being directed to the next storage unit. The failover mode
functions similarly to what would be seen if two media servers
were configured as an active or a passive cluster.

Prioritized In the prioritized mode, the first available storage unit in the list
is used. In this mode, jobs that exceed the total number the storage
unit can handle, are directed to the next storage unit in the list.
If the media server is down, all backups are directed to the next
storage unit.

Round robin In the round robin mode, different storage units from the list are
used in a cycle for each job. If each storage unit is on a different
media server, this acts as a load balancing mechanism.

Load balanced The load balance mode only works with Flexible Disk and Media
Manager storage unit types. In the load balance mode, NetBackup
carries out checks on activity and resources available on each
media. The check is carried out before the backup are directed to
the media with the lightest load.

As a best practice, when using prioritized and failover groups to configure two
storage unit groups, use two media servers, as follows:
■ Configure each media server to have a single storage unit. For example, so
Node A has STU A and Node B has STU B.
■ Configure two storage unit groups with the storage units in a specific order in
each one. In this example, SUG AB contains STU A, followed by STU B. SUG
AB contains STU B followed by STU A.
■ Backup policies are then evenly shared between SUG AB and SUG BA.
During operation, the backup traffic is normally shared between the two nodes,
but if one node fails, all backups automatically go to the other node.

About protecting against non-dedicated media servers failures

Storage unit groups can also be used to protect against the failure of non-dedicated
media servers. However such use does not protect other applications running of
a given media server from the failure of that media server. In some cases
non-dedicated media servers may form part of cluster supporting other
applications. These applications can be protected using virtual storage units.
20 NetBackup protection against single points of failure
About protecting against component failures

See “About virtual storage units in a NetBackup cluster” on page 24.

About protecting against SAN media server failures

Unlike regular media servers, SAN media servers only protect themselves. A SAN
media server connects directly to the backup storage in the same way as a regular
media server. But it does not receive data from other client systems over a network
or SAN link.
SAN media servers are usually deployed on the servers that support large,
mission-critical applications, which are often clustered. While the application
may be clustered, you do not need to cluster the SAN media server itself. Instead,
install the SAN media server software on each member node of the cluster and
create application cluster definitions in the NetBackup EMM database for each
virtual name the cluster uses. Then create a storage unit using the virtual name
of the cluster as the media server. The associated application with a given virtual
name use the storage unit that is associated with the same virtual name for
backups.
See “About installing media servers in clusters” on page 24.

Restoring tape backups using an alternative media server

Generally, while restoring files, NetBackup expects to use the same media server
and client that it used for the original backup. However, for disaster recovery,
you use a different media server to restore the backup to a different client. The
media servers and clients at the disaster recovery site are likely to have different
names from those at the primary site.
NetBackup lets you configure failover restore media servers to handle restores
in the event that the original media server is unavailable.
To configure failover restore media servers:
■ On Windows master server, you can configure failover restore media servers
using the NetBackup Administration Console.
Go to Host Properties > Master Server > Restore Failover.
■ On UNIX and Linux master servers , you must create
FAILOVER_RESTORE_MEDIA_SERVER entry in the bp.conf file.

Restoring disk backups using an alternative media server.

NetBackup can share disk storage pools between multiple media servers. During
restore, by default, NetBackup balances the job load and automatically directs the
restore to the least busy media server rather than the one that made the backup.
However, this process can cause problems if the media server selected to perform
 NetBackup protection against single points of failure 21
About protecting against component failures

the restore is licensed as a SAN media server or does not have network access to
the client which requires a restore.
There are three options available if you encounter this problem:
■ Configure the force restore media server setting as follows:
■ On UNIX and Linux master servers, you create
FORCE_RESTORE_MEDIA_SERVER entry in the bp.conf file.
■ On Windows master server, you can define this setting in the NetBackup
Administration Console.
Go to Host Properties > Master Server.
This setting works on a per-server basis. It lets you specify a media server
for restore operations based on the media server that is used to make the
backup. To ensure that the same media server is used to make the backup
and the restore, specify the same name for the backup and restore server.

■ Create the touch file USE_BACKUP_MEDIA_SERVER_FOR_RESTORE, as

follows:
■ On UNIX and Linux master server, create the file in
/usr/openv/netbackup/db/config

■ On Windows master server, create the file in <install

path>\veritas\netbackup\db\config.
USE_BACKUP_MEDIA_SERVER_FOR_RESTORE is a global setting and
always forces restore to the server that did the backup.

Note: When the USE_BACKUP_MEDIA_SERVER_FOR_RESTORE touch file is

created, all FAILOVER_RESTORE_MEDIA_SERVER and
FORCE_RESTORE_MEDIA_SERVER settings are ignored.

■ Run the restore from the command line using the bprestore
-disk_media_server command. This setting works on a per job level. It also
lets you specify the media server that is required for the specific restore job.
Unlike the other two options, this setting is dynamic and can be applied when
needed.

About protecting against LAN client failures

The NetBackup client package (including the application agents) is not cluster
aware and must be installed separately on each node of a cluster that is being
protected as a NetBackup client. When backing up clustered applications specify
the virtual server name associated with the application as the client name in the
22 NetBackup protection against single points of failure
About protecting against site failures

backup policy. This will ensure that the correct node of the cluster is selected
during the backup operation.

About protecting against SAN client failures

The SAN client, like the SAN media server, does not send backup traffic over the
network to the media server. However unlike SAN media servers, which send
backup data directly to the storage devices, SAN clients send backup data over a
SAN connection to a remote media server.
SAN clients are often used to protect clustered applications. To protect NetBackup
against SAN client failures when used in this way, configure the SAN client as
application clusters in EMM. This configuration also ensures that the media server
controlling the backup always opens a fiber transport connection to the active
node of the cluster when a backup is initiated.

About protecting against site failures

Local clustering provides local failover for each site. However, these configurations
do not provide protection against large-scale disasters such as major floods,
hurricanes, and earthquakes that cause outages for an entire region. The entire
cluster can get affected by such an outage. In such situations, global clustering
or wide area clustering ensures data availability by migrating applications to the
remote clusters that are located considerable distances apart.
Global cluster architecture supports deployment of two or more datacenters,
clusters, and subnets that are separated by a larger distance. A global cluster with
replicated master server cluster can monitor and manage the replication jobs and
clusters at each site. In case of a site outage, it controls the shift of replication
roles to the secondary site. It brings up the critical applications and redirects
client traffic, from one cluster to the other.
Auto image replication is a NetBackup feature which allows individual disk based
backups to be replicated between NetBackup domains. Because the backups are
automatically recorded in the NetBackup catalog of the target domain there is
not need for catalog replication of complex catalog recovery procedures when
using auto image replication. For more information, refer to the Symantec
NetBackup Administrator's Guide, Volume I.
 NetBackup protection against single points of failure 23
About protecting catalog in highly available environments

About protecting catalog in highly available

environments
The NetBackup catalog contains information about both existing backups and the
backup policy, including what gets backed up when and to where and how long
the backup is kept for. As such the catalog is a single point of failure and needs
to be protected. Using the RAID storage provides some protection against storage
failure. Replication can also protect against storage failure and site loss. Regular
backups of the catalog can protect against corruption and accidental data loss.
See Table 2-5 on page 23. discusses the various methods for protecting NetBackup
catalogs.

Table 2-5 NetBackup catalog protection in highly available environments

Protection Method Description

Catalog backups The catalog backup protects the NetBackup catalog on the master
server against both hardware failure and data corruption and
catalog backups should be made on a regular basis, ideally at least
daily. The catalog backup is policy-based so it has all of the
scheduling flexibility of a regular backup policy. As the policy
allows for incremental backups, catalog backup times for large
catalogs can be significantly reduced. However it should be noted
that recovery from incremental backups can take longer due to
the need to restore.

Catalog backups written to tape use media from the Catalog Backup
volume pool only.

For more information, refer to the Symantec NetBackup

Administrator's Guide, Volume I.
24 NetBackup protection against single points of failure
About installing media servers in clusters

Table 2-5 NetBackup catalog protection in highly available environments

(continued)

Protection Method Description

Catalog replication Catalog replication is the process of creating and managing

duplicate versions of a catalog database. Catalog replication copies
a database and synchronizes a set of replicas so that the changes
that are made to one replica are reflected in all the others.

Replicating the catalog to a standby master server at the disaster

recovery or secondary site ensures rapid catalog recovery at the
disaster recovery site. Continuous replication ensures that the
catalog is as up to date as the replication link allows.
Note: Replication does not protect against catalog corruption or
accidentally deleting or expiring images. You must make regular
scheduled catalog backups.

See “About NetBackup catalog replication” on page 44.

See “About catalog recovery” on page 31.

About installing media servers in clusters

In cluster configurations NetBackup media servers and SAN media servers should
be installed as non-failover applications on each node of the cluster. Configuring
in this way allows all nodes of the cluster to function as media severs, either in
conjunction with storage unit groups or virtual storage units that fail over with
other applications running on the same cluster.
Configure each media server as you would in a non-clustered environment. For
more information, refer to the Symantec NetBackup Installation Guide.
See “About virtual storage units in a NetBackup cluster” on page 24.

About virtual storage units in a NetBackup cluster

In a typical NetBackup environment, the storage unit is associated with a
NetBackup entity, such as the master server or media server. In the configuration
that is described in this topic, however, a storage unit is associated with the virtual
name of the application in the cluster environment. The storage unit for that
application is not associated with any specific node in the cluster and can failover
to any node in the cluster. This lack of association ensures that the storage unit
follows along with the application, wherever the application is running in the
cluster. The NetBackup master server uses the virtual name of the application as
the media server name when it backs up the clustered application.
 NetBackup protection against single points of failure 25
About installing media servers in clusters

This configuration is supported for Veritas Cluster Server (VCS), Microsoft Cluster
Server (MSCS), SunCluster , Service Guard, and HACMP.

Prerequisites when configuring a NetBackup media server in

a cluster with virtual storage units
The following requirements must be met when you configure a standalone
NetBackup media server in a cluster with virtual storage units:
■ Your hardware must support the clustering technology and NetBackup. For a
list of NetBackup supported storage devices, visit the following Web site. Also,
refer to the documentation that is included with your clustering software.
http://entsupport.symantec.com
■ Verify that storage devices are properly installed and configured to work in
the cluster environment. Refer to the information on how to configure storage
devices in the NetBackup Installation Guide.
■ An IP address and host name (virtual name) must be associated with each
clustered application.
■ Verify that your cluster (VCS, MSCS, SunCluster, Service Guard, or HACMP)
is correctly installed and configured.
■ Make the NetBackup master server the EMM server and the robotic control
host. (You may not be able to change the robotic control host in all
configurations since not all robot types have a robot control option.)
■ Verify that you have the NetBackup Enterprise Server 7.5 installation program
and a valid license key. You must also have a valid license key for the NetBackup
Shared Storage option, if you perform backups to tape.

About installing NetBackup media software in a cluster

Install the NetBackup media server software on each node in the cluster. See the
NetBackup Installation Guide for details.

Note: When you configure NetBackup as described in this topic, do not configure
the NetBackup media server as a failover application. The media server must be
treated as a stand-alone application on each node in the cluster.

About configuring virtual storage units in a NetBackup cluster

Storage units are configured differently depending on whether the storage is
disk-based or tape-based.
Figure 2-2 shows NetBackup as installed on local media servers.
26 NetBackup protection against single points of failure
About installing media servers in clusters

Figure 2-2 NetBackup as installed on local media servers

Application 1 Application 2 Application 3

Virtual Name = VA1 Virtual Name = VA2 Virtual Name = VA3

Hub
Fibre Channel Switch

SCSI

Application 3

shared disk
Application 1 Application 2

shared disk shared disk

Adding tape storage unit

The following procedure describes how to add a tape storage unit.
 NetBackup protection against single points of failure 27
About installing media servers in clusters

To add tape storage unit

1 Ensure NetBackup media server and the Shared Storage Option are installed
and configured on all nodes in the cluster.
2 On the master server, make the following changes to the Servers list.
■ Add the hostname for each node of the cluster.
■ Add the virtual name for each highly available application.
For a UNIX/Linux environment, update the bp.conf file. For Windows, edit
the Servers list in the host properties for the server.
3 On the master server, run the following command to add a host with the
virtual name of the application:
nbemmcmd -addhost -machinename <cluster_name> -machinetype
app_cluster

where <virtual_name> is the virtual name of the application.

4 On the master server, run the following command to associate the host with
each node where the application runs in the cluster:
nbemmcmd -updatehost -add_server_to_app_cluster -machinename
<node_name> -machinetype media -clustername <virtual_name>
-netbackupversion 7.5 -masterserver <master_name>

where the <node_name> is a node where the application can run.

<virtual_name> is the virtual name of the application. <master_name> is the
name of the NetBackup master server.
5 Repeat step 4 for each node where the application can run.
6 On each node where the media server is installed, make the following changes
to the Servers list.
■ Add the hostname for each node of the cluster.
■ Add the virtual name for each highly available application.

7 Use the NetBackup Administration Console to create a storage unit for each
application. Specify the virtual name of the application as media server name
for the storage unit.
8 To back up each application, create a policy that specifies the storage unit
you created in step 7 for that application.
Allocate specific tape devices for this configuration so that you do not stress
storage units jobs. You want to create storage units for each application within
the cluster. Or, you may want to create storage unit groups which many
applications can use.
28 NetBackup protection against single points of failure
About installing media servers in clusters

Adding disk storage units

Symantec recommends that you use the NetBackup Administration Console to
add disk storage units. (You can also perform this task from the command line.)
To add a disk storage unit
1 On the master server, make the following changes to the Servers list.
■ Add the hostname for each node of the cluster.
■ Add the virtual name for each highly available application.
For a UNIX/Linux environment, update the bp.conf file. For Windows, edit
the Servers list in the host properties for the server.
2 On the master server, run the following command to add a host with the
virtual name of the application:
nbemmcmd -addhost -machinename <virtual_name> -machinetype
app_cluster

where <virtual_name> is the virtual name of the application.

3 On the master server, run the following command to associate the host with
each node where the application runs in the cluster:
nbemmcmd -updatehost -add_server_to_app_cluster -machinename
<node_name> -machinetype media -clustername <virtual_name>
-netbackupversion 7.5 -masterserver <master_name>

where <node_name> is a node where the application can run.

<virtual_name> is the virtual name of the application.

<master_name> is the name of the NetBackup master server.

4 Repeat step 3 for each node where the application can run.
5 On each node where the media server is installed, make the following changes
to the Servers list.
■ Add the hostname for each node of the cluster.
■ Add the virtual name for each highly available application.

6 Use the NetBackup Administration Console to create a disk storage unit for
each application. Specify the virtual name of the application as media server
name for the storage unit.
7 To back up each application, create a policy that specifies the storage unit
you created in step 6 for that application.
 NetBackup protection against single points of failure 29
About installing media servers in clusters

Upgrading a NetBackup media server in a cluster with virtual

storage units
The following procedure describes how to upgrade a standalone NetBackup 6.0
or higher media server in a cluster with virtual storage units.
To upgrade a NetBackup media server in a cluster with virtual storage units
1 On each node where NetBackup media server is installed, install the software
on the local disk as you would in a non-cluster environment.
Follow the instructions on how to upgrade as described in the Symantec
NetBackup Installation Guide.
2 On the master server, run the following command:
nbemmcmd -updatehost -machinename <virtual_name> -machinetype
app_cluster -netbackupversion 7.5

where <virtual_name> is the virtual name of the application.

3 Repeat step 2 for each virtual application that you have in your cluster
environment.
30 NetBackup protection against single points of failure
About installing media servers in clusters
 Chapter 3
About site disaster recovery
with catalog backup and
recovery
This chapter includes the following topics:

■ About catalog recovery

■ About disk recovery in DR domain

About catalog recovery

A major problem users encounter during site disaster recovery is that the disaster
recovery (DR) site is not a mirror image of the production site. To perform DR
operations you need a copy of the NetBackup catalog from the production master
server. The NetBackup catalog backup and recovery process is primarily intended
for recovering from catalog storage or master server failure rather than site loss.
The default situation is that NetBackup restores the complete catalog including
the EMM database. The EMM database includes details of the media servers,
backup devices, and storage units. Master server use this information to direct
backups and restores. Master servers also use this information to interrogate the
media servers, to establish the status of the backup devices. In a DR environment
which does not contain these media servers, the performance of the master server
can be affected. Also, the ability to carry out restore operations can be affected,
as polling operations fail to connect and time out.
Use the following approaches to recover the NetBackup environment at a DR site
where the arrangement of media servers and clients is different from the main
production site. Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages.
32 About site disaster recovery with catalog backup and recovery
About catalog recovery

■ In the full catalog recovery approach the whole catalog is recovered and then
unwanted configuration elements can be removed or disabled.
See “About full catalog recovery” on page 32.
■ In the partial catalog recovery the EMM and the BMR databases are not
restored.
See “About partial catalog recovery” on page 35.
The most appropriate method for recovery can be determined by the nature of
the DR facility and how similar it is to the production facility.
When creating your disaster recovery plan, ensure that it is in line with the
approaches discussed in the following sections:
■ See “Planning a cross domain replication disaster recovery domain” on page 48.
■ See “Performing full catalog restore” on page 33.
■ See “Performing partial catalog restore” on page 36.

About full catalog recovery

Full catalog recovery is primarily used to recover the catalog if the data is corrupted
or storage is lost at the production site. Full catalog recovery is recommended for
single domain configurations. Full catalog recovery is used if the DR site has the
same number of media servers with the same names as those used at the
production site.
Full catalog recovery has the following advantages over partial catalog recovery:
■ It restores the relational database components, which include the storage unit
definitions, media assignment, and history.
■ It retains the tape information from the primary site including the media pool
and other assignment information.
■ It restores the BMR data.
■ It enables backups to be run at the DR site using the same policies and tapes
that are used at the production site.
With full catalog recovery, there are the following limitations:
■ When you recover the relational database components, the device configuration
and the server configuration set up at the DR site before recovery is lost. You
must set it again after recovery. The information that exists in the relational
database about production servers and devices may not exist at the DR site.
To ensure smooth operation in the DR environment, these server entries must
be disabled and the devices associated with them should be removed.
 About site disaster recovery with catalog backup and recovery 33
About catalog recovery

■ Full catalog recovery overwrites the device configuration and the server
configuration in the relational database. You must rediscover the DR domain
server and device configuration after the catalog is restored.

Performing full catalog restore

With full catalog recovery the complete catalog backup is recovered to the DR
master server. The media servers that do not exist in the DR environment are
deactivated to avoid unnecessary pooling. All device records are removed because
the device configuration at the DR site can be different to the production site.
Device discovery is run to update the EMM database. You must perform the
following procedure before restores can be started. Also, document the procedure
in your DR plan.
To prepare for full catalog restore
1 On UNIX and Linux master servers, create copies of the bp.conf and vm.conf
files.
2 Run the bprecover command to recover the entire catalog.

Note: The DR master server must have the same name and topology as the
production master server. If the production master server is a cluster then
the DR master server must also be a cluster. The number of member nodes
and the names of the nodes can be different.

Note: If a catalog backup that was created on a separate media server is used,
then a media server with the same name is required for the catalog recovery.

3 Deactivate all the backup policies to prevent backups from starting

automatically.
■ You can do this manually using the NetBackup Adminstration Console
■ Or run the bppllist <policy> -set -inactive CLI.

4 Shut down NetBackup.

5 On UNIX and Linux master servers, replace the bp.conf and the vm.conf files
that were restored from the catalog backup with the copies created in step 1.
6 Start the NetBackup Relational Database Manager, NetBackup PBX, and EMM
services on the new master server.
■ On UNIX and Linux master servers, run the following commands:
■ /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/nbdbms_start_stop start
34 About site disaster recovery with catalog backup and recovery
About catalog recovery

■ start /opt/VRTSpbx/bin/pbx_exchange

■ /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/nbemm

Note: For NetBackup versions 6.5.3 and higher, run the nbemm
-maintenance command.

■ On Windows master servers, start the following Windows services:

■ NetBackup Relational Database Manager
■ Symantec Private Branch Exchange
■ NetBackup Enterprise Media Manager

Note: The PBX process may already be running because the NetBackup
commands do not stop and start PBX.

For more information about NetBackup Relational Database Manager

service, see the Symantec NetBackup Troubleshooting Guide.

7 Deactivate the media servers that are not part of the DR environment. Run
the following command:
nbemmcmd -updatehost -machinename <Media Server> -machinestateop
set_admin_pause -machinetype media -masterserver <Master Server>

8 Delete all the tape devices from the EMM database. Run the following
command:
nbemmcmd -deletealldevices -allrecords

9 Restart NetBackup.
10 Using the Device Configuration wizard create the new tape drive and library
configuration.
11 If bar code masking rules were used at step 6, ensure that the same rules are
set here. If necessary, add them.
12 Using the NetBackup Adminstration Console, verify if all the recovery media
are set to non-robotic.
13 ■ If some recovery media still need to be set to non-robotic, do the following:
■ Select the robotic media, right-click and select Move.
■ Change the robot field to Standalone.
 About site disaster recovery with catalog backup and recovery 35
About catalog recovery

■ Click OK to save the changes.

14 Once all the recovery media are set to non-robotic, in the Inventory all the
tape libraries field ensure that the media are identified in the correct library.
You can now start restore and recovery operations of the client data that is backed
up at the production datacenter .

Making the DR environment consistent after a full catalog restore

In the event of a major incident at the production site, operate from the DR site
for some time after the basic recovery is completed. The following additional tasks
may be optionally carried out once the DR environment is operational to make
the DR environment consistent.
To make the DR environment consistent
1 Modify the backup policies, including the catalog backup policy, to use the
storage units available at the DR site and enable them.
2 Delete the backup policies that are no longer required.
3 Delete the storage units that are associated with the media servers and are
not part of the DR environment.
4 Modify any Storage Lifecycle Policies that use storage units that you have
deleted.

About partial catalog recovery

Partial catalog recovery is recommended for multi-domain configurations. Partial
catalog recovery is used for DR sites where the server layout is different from the
production site with fewer media servers, different library types, etc. Partial
catalog recovery is a variation of the Recovery without import method. It is
subjected to many of the same constraints. For more information, go to the
following link:
Partial catalog recovery recovers only the flat file components and not the
relational database. Thus, the details of the existing infrastructure (servers, devices
etc.) at the DR site is not lost during the recovery process. It also means that the
media server information that is associated with the backups is not recovered.
The media server must be manually added to the database and is unassigned.
Ensure that the media server are placed in a pool where they cannot get
accidentally overwritten.
Partial catalog recovery has the following advantages over full catalog recovery:
36 About site disaster recovery with catalog backup and recovery
About catalog recovery

■ No elements of the configuration need to be removed or rediscovered. The

recovery process does not affect the general configuration of the DR
environment.
■ It does not affect the server topology. The master server topology at the DR
site does not need to reflect the topology at the production site. Thus, a catalog
backup from a clustered master server can be restored to a standalone master
server at the DR site.
■ The DR site can be a production site, provided the client names, backup policy
names, and tape label ranges used in the two environments are unique. Also,
it must be possible to do a partial recovery to another production backup
domain.
With partial catalog recovery, you cannot recover the tape information from the
primary site at the DR site. Ensure that the tapes are not accidentally overwritten.
These tapes must not be easily used for backups at the DR site.

Performing partial catalog restore

With partial catalog approach, it is assumed that restore operations do not need
tapes to be assigned or located in specific media pools. It is also assumed that a
tape exists in EMM and NetBackup can mount and read the tape for restoring.
The following steps must be carried out before restores can be started:
To prepare for partial catalog restore
1 On UNIX and Linux master servers create copies of the bp.conf and vm.conf
files.
2 Recover only the NetBackup catalog image and configuration files.
■ When using the NetBackup Administration Console, select the Partial
catalog recovery option when prompted.
■ Or run the bprecover -wizard command.

Note: The DR master server must have the same name as the production
master server.

Note: If a catalog backup that was created on a separate media server is used,
a media server with the same name is required for the catalog recovery.

3 Run the cat_export –all –staging to export the metadata from the
replicated relational database backup.
 About site disaster recovery with catalog backup and recovery 37
About disk recovery in DR domain

4 Run the command cat_import –all to import the exported metadata into
the active relational database. Alternatively, set the parameter
LIST_FS_IMAGE_HEADERS to YES in the bp.conf file or the registry depending
on the master server platform. This will cause the next catalog cleanup job
to automatically import the exported metadata.
5 Deactivate all the backup policies to prevent backups from starting
automatically.
■ You can do this manually using the NetBackup Adminstration Console.
■ Or run the bppllist <policy> -set -inactive CLI.

6 Shut down NetBackup.

7 On UNIX and Linux master servers, replace the bp.conf and the vm.conf files
that were restored from the catalog backup with the copies created in step 1
8 Start NetBackup.
9 Inventory all the tape libraries to ensure that the tapes are added to the
non-scratch media pool. This pool prevents tapes from being accidentally
overwritten by active backup policies at a later time.
You can now start restore and recovery operations of client data that is backed
up at the production datacenter.

Making the DR environment consistent after a partial catalog restore

In the event of a major incident at the production site, operate from the DR site
for some time after the basic recovery is completed. The following additional tasks
may be optionally carried out once the DR environment is operational to make
the DR environment consistent.
To make the DR environment consistent
1 Modify and enable backup policies, and the catalog backup policy, that is
required at the DR site.
2 Delete the policies that are no longer required.

About disk recovery in DR domain

With introduction of OpenStorage and other AdvancedDisk types, deduplication
disk as a backup storage medium is preferred over tape storage. Using disk storage
you can replicate the contents of a disk device to another disk device in a secondary
location. This replication eliminates the need to transport the physical backup
media to a disaster recovery site.
38 About site disaster recovery with catalog backup and recovery
About disk recovery in DR domain

Disk recovery in single-domain replication DR environment

You can use the storage lifecycle policies, to optimize replication of deduplicating
disks when duplicating backups within the same NetBackup domain. This is an
efficient way to create duplicate copies of backup images at a disaster recovery
site, which is controlled by the same master server as the production site. However,
optimized deduplication is effective only for single-domain replication.

Auto Image Replication

Auto Image Replication extends the concept of duplicating backups to separate
domains, allowing individual backup copies to be sent to a DR domain. As backup
copies created using auto image replication are automatically cataloged in the DR
domain there is not need for additional recovery steps within the DR domain.
Refer to Symantec NetBackup Administrator's Guide, Volume Ifor more information
about auto image replication.

Disk recovery in cross-domain replication DR environment

If the disk technology being used does not support Auto Image Replication, an
alternative approach is simply to replicate the entire storage and then use a
combination of catalog recovery and the nbcatsync utility to populate the catalog
at the disaster recovery location. You can use the nbcatsync utility for
cross-domain replication. Using the nbcatsync utility, you can replicate disk
storage between the production domain and the disaster recovery domain without
importing the entire contents of the replicated disk storage.
The nbcatsync utility facilitates replication even if disk media IDs recorded at
the EMM database and at the metadata component of the image database are
different. The nbcatsync utility aligns the disk media IDs in the image database
metadata with the media IDs in the disaster recovery domain’s EMM database.
The regular backups and catalog backups that are made at the production site are
written to the replicating disk storage. The catalog backup’s disaster recovery file
is sent to the disaster recovery domain.
The nbcatsync utility is supported on all master server platforms. You can use it
with all Advanced Disk types supported by NetBackup.
 About site disaster recovery with catalog backup and recovery 39
About disk recovery in DR domain

To recover disk in a cross-domain replication environment in the event of a disaster,

perform the following steps on the DR domain’s master server:
1 Align the disk media ID information in the catalog backup’s DR file with the
disk media ID information in the DR domain’s EMM database. For this, run
the following command:
nbcatsync -sync_dr_file <DR file name>

2 Perform a partial catalog recovery from the replicated catalog backup by

running the command,
bprecover -wizard

3 Run the command cat_export –all –staging to export the metadata from
the replicated relational database backup.
4 Run the command cat_import –all to import the exported metadata into
the active relational database.
5 Align the disk media IDs associated with the image records recovered by the
partial catalog recovery with the disk media IDs present in the DR domain.
For this, run the command
nbcatsync -backupid <restored catalog backup ID>
40 About site disaster recovery with catalog backup and recovery
About disk recovery in DR domain
 Chapter 4
About site loss protection
with catalog replication
This chapter includes the following topics:

■ About auto image replication

■ About conditions for support of replicated NetBackup catalogs

■ About catalog synchronization

■ About NetBackup catalog replication

About auto image replication

The Auto Image Replication feature allows backups to be duplicated between the
NetBackup domains and it automatically creates the catalog entries in the target
domain as the backups are duplicated. Symantec recommends the use of Auto
Image Replication instead of live catalog replication as a means of populating the
NetBackup catalog at a disaster recovery site. Refer relevant section in NetBackup
Administrator’s Guide for more information on Auto Image Replication. The
document discusses alternative methods of replicating the catalog data are in
case the network environment does not lend itself to the use of Auto Image
Replication.

About conditions for support of replicated NetBackup

catalogs
A NetBackup environment set up for replication is supported in the same way as
any other NetBackup server. If the replicated catalog volume fails and is
unrecoverable within a reasonable amount of time, NetBackup support
42 About site loss protection with catalog replication
About conditions for support of replicated NetBackup catalogs

recommendations are the same as in the case of an unrecoverable disk failure of

a non-replicated catalog. You should restore the catalog from the latest available
catalog backup on the primary master server.

Note: Data can be lost in any data replication solution. To protect the NetBackup
catalog, you must not solely rely on the replication technology due to the risk of
failure of the replication technology. Data on the primary NetBackup server can
get corrupted due to replication to the secondary hot standby NetBackup server.
Therefore, you must frequently back up the NetBackup server catalogs.

Warning: Replication can adversely affect the application performance. Since

additional time is required to commit changes to the NetBackup catalog, it may
affect the overall backup times. Use replication at your own risk. Symantec shall
have no liability for any replication failure based on your failure to properly install,
configure, and monitor your replication solution.

The conditions of support for replication of NetBackup catalogs are as follows:

■ The replication technology that is employed must maintain a consistent and
write-ordered copy of the data at all times.
■ The use of asynchronous replication technologies is allowed, if write-order
fidelity can be maintained.
■ The use of scheduled replication technologies such as hourly snapshots is not
supported.
■ The NetBackup master server and the EMM server must reside on the same
virtual server that is controlled as a single entity.
■ The primary and the secondary master servers must be of similar type,
specification, operating system, and use the same virtual host name.
■ The secondary master server must not have any other NetBackup function,
neither in the same domain as the primary master server, nor in another
domain. For example, you cannot use the secondary master server as a media
server if it is not used as a master server. You also cannot use it as a master
server for another NetBackup domain. Catalogs are replicated but cannot be
merged.
■ All master servers must be running NetBackup version 6.5.4 or higher.
■ Configure both the clustered and the non-clustered environments to use a
virtual hostname and IP address for the NetBackup master server that is
separate from the physical host names and IP addresses of the servers. Separate
virtual hostname and IP address let you control the active master server node
 About site loss protection with catalog replication 43
About conditions for support of replicated NetBackup catalogs

through DNS routing. It also prevents the primary and the secondary master
servers from being active in the domain at the same time. For clustered
environments this requirement is met automatically by the cluster
configuration. For non-clustered environments the virtual hostname must be
specified during installation.
■ Ensure that the primary master server and the secondary master server use
the same version of NetBackup and dependent component. Verify that the
operating system, NetBackup binaries, EEBs, and configurations files that are
not included in the paths are specified for replication.
■ Replication between clustered and non-clustered master servers is not possible.
Server pairs must be either clustered or non-clustered.
■ The NetBackup catalog mount point must be the same at both the primary and
the secondary sites.
■ Only the catalog data is replicated between servers and must all be co-located
on a single volume or volume set for replication. For clustered master servers
the cluster common volume is replicated.
For non-clustered master serversSee “About non-clustered NetBackup master
server with catalog replication” on page 56.for details of the paths that must
be linked to a volume set for replication.
■ Ensure that the virtual name or DNS alias does not resolve to both the primary
and the secondary hosts at the same time.
■ Catalog replication does not remove the requirement for catalog backup.
Regularly back up the NetBackup catalog from the primary master server to
protect against accidental image expiration or other inconsistencies that are
introduced in the catalog on the primary site and replicated to the secondary
site.
■ If catalogs are replicated between NetBackup domains (rather than to a
secondary server that can access the primary domain’s media servers) only
the backups that are written to the tape and the replicated BasicDisk storage
can be restored in the disaster recovery domain.
■ Replication of the catalogs to a secondary master server lets you restore data
during a short-term outage of the primary master server. In cross domain
replication configurations, ensure that backups can be run after a failover.
The catalogs should be able to be failed back to the primary server at a later
date without data loss. Consider this support condition when you plan making
backups at the DR site during a prolonged outage and then moving back to the
primary site without losing information about the backups that are created at
the DR site.
44 About site loss protection with catalog replication
About catalog synchronization

■ Verify if NetBackup comes up using the replicated copy on the secondary site.
This usage is not a requirement for support.
■ Both the catalog and the backup images must be accessible at the secondary
site.
Users need to address the procedures that are related to availability of valid
copies of the backup images. Users should also define procedures for enabling
the NetBackup server to restore from the images at the secondary site. This
document does not address these procedures.
■ Users are responsible for installing, configuring, and monitoring their data
replication solution. Users must ensure that the replication technology
continuously maintains a consistent write-ordered copy of the NetBackup
catalog volume.

About catalog synchronization

Replication is a near instantaneous activity compared to the movement of tapes
between sites. Replicated catalog data that is presented in the DR domain can be
more current than the stock of tapes available in the DR domain which are
dispatched from the production domain some time earlier. During restore
operations, select only the backups that are created before the tapes were
dispatched from the production domain for restore.

About NetBackup catalog replication

To decide the NetBackup data protection strategy, you need to decide whether
the DR site should be part of the same NetBackup domain or be a separate
NetBackup domain.
NetBackup can be configured with catalog replication in the following ways:
■ Multi-site single domain replication
See “About multi-site single domain replication” on page 44.
■ Multi-site cross domain replication
See “About multi-site cross domain replication” on page 47.

About multi-site single domain replication

Multi-site single domain is used where clients and media servers at both sites are
under control of a common master server. Since both servers are part of the same
domain, they see the same media servers and clients, and the NetBackup catalog
is completely valid on the secondary master server.
 About site loss protection with catalog replication 45
About NetBackup catalog replication

In the multi-site single domain model, NetBackup catalogs are replicated between
the sites. In the event of a problem at the primary site, the master server is failed
over to a standby node on the secondary site. Backups are created on both sites
(either by in-line copy or duplication depending on the configuration). Thus, the
loss of a single site does not represent a true disaster, but loss of a number of
application servers. Because the backup domain spans both sites, the loss of a
single site results in reduction of the backup and restore capability, rather than
destroying the backup environment. The multi-site single domain model uses a
combination of master server clustering and storage replication. This combination
allows the master server to be relocated easily and quickly to the secondary
location.
The multi-site single domain model can be configured in following ways:
■ Multi-site single domain with stretched SAN
See “About multi-site single domain with stretched SAN ” on page 45.
■ Multi-site single domain with optimized duplication
See “About multi-site single domain with optimized duplication” on page 46.

About multi-site single domain with stretched SAN

To configure a multi-site single domain with stretched SAN, the media servers at
each site must be configured with SAN access to backup devices at both sites. This
access allows media servers to write and duplicate backups between the sites.
This configuration works well for distances of up to 50 miles between sites, but
becomes less effective as distance and latency increase.
Figure 4-1 displays how a replicated global cluster is configured with multi-site
single domain with stretched SAN.
46 About site loss protection with catalog replication
About NetBackup catalog replication

Figure 4-1 Multi-site single domain with stretched SAN

Multi-site single domain with stretched SAN

Site A Site B

Replication layer

GCO cluster Master server

Master server

Media servers

Clients
Stretched SAN Clients

About multi-site single domain with optimized duplication

To configure a multi-site single domain with optimized duplication, the stretched
SAN must be replaced with a connection between the OpenStorage devices carrying
out optimized duplication. In this configuration, the geographical separation can
be greater because smaller data volumes are exchanged between sites. Using the
hierarchical duplication capability in storage lifecycle policies, it is possible to
create backups in the OpenStorage device at one site. You can then duplicate the
backups to the OpenStorage device at the other site and finally duplicate the
duplicated copy to tape for long-term storage.
Figure 4-2 displays how a replicated global cluster is configured with multi-site
single domain with optimized duplication.
 About site loss protection with catalog replication 47
About NetBackup catalog replication

Figure 4-2 Multi-site single domain with optimized duplication

Multi-site single domain with optimized duplication

Site A Site B

Replication layer

Master server
Master server

Clients Clients

Media servers

Optimized duplication

About multi-site cross domain replication

Multi-site cross domain replication is used when the DR site is a separate
NetBackup domain than the production domain. The DR site has different media
servers and devices.
Multi-site cross domain replication is only supported for tape and BasicDisk
storage. AdvancedDisk types have specific media server or device configuration
requirements that do not allow them to be accessed in disaster recovery domains.

About multi-site cross domain and BasicDisk storage

You can replicate the images that are stored on non-staging BasicDisk storage
between domains. The replication target must be mounted against the same mount
point on a media server in the DR domain. Also, set the
FAILOVER_RESTORE_MEDIA_SERVER parameter to ensure that the correct
media server is selected. For example, you can replicate a BasicDisk storage unit
using the mount point /BD1 on media server prdmed1 in the production domain
to the DR domain. /BD1 can be mounted on a media server drmed1, if the bp.conf
file on the DR master server is edited to set FAILOVER_RESTORE_MEDIA_SERVER
= prdmed1 drmed1. This setting is only possible for the BasicDisk storage units
48 About site loss protection with catalog replication
About NetBackup catalog replication

that do not act as staging storage units and are not supported with staging storage
units or other disk types.

Planning a cross domain replication disaster recovery domain

To use the replicated catalog data on the secondary master server in the DR
domain, ensure that the master server, media servers, network connections, and
NetBackup software are functional.
Symantec recommends that you document the DR configuration steps, particularly
if the DR domain is not normally configured. This documentation is particularly
important if the domain is a facility provided by a specialist DR services company.
When you are preparing a DR plan, the following points must be considered:

Table 4-1 Planning a cross domain replication disaster recovery domain

Step Description

Step 1 Install the same NetBackup version on the master server, media servers, and
clients in the DR domain that is used at the production domain.
Note: If the production domain has media servers with older versions of
NetBackup, do not install the older version on the media servers in the DR
domain. Use the same version for the master server and the media servers in
the DR domain.

Note: If the full catalog replication method is used and the master server at the
production domain is clustered, a clustered master server must also exist in the
DR domain. The member nodes of the cluster do not need to be the same as those
nodes at the production domain. If the partial catalog replication method is used
then a clustered master server in the DR domain is not required.

Step 2 Test the network connectivity and authentication between the clients and servers
using test backup policies. Disable the policies after testing.

Step 3 Tape drives and libraries must be connected to the media servers. The tape
drives used in the DR domain must be read-compatible with the tapes from the
production domain. They must be configured as the same media type in
NetBackup.

Step 4 Set the FAILOVER_RESTORE_MEDIA_SERVER parameter to allow backups to

be written to the media servers at the production domain so that backups can
be restored using the media servers in the DR domain.

Step 5 If partial replication method is used, create a non-scratch Media Pool which is
not used by any backup policy. Configure bar code rules to ensure that the backup
tapes are automatically added to that pool.
 About site loss protection with catalog replication 49
About NetBackup catalog replication

Table 4-1 Planning a cross domain replication disaster recovery domain

(continued)

Step Description

Step 6 If different library types are used in the DR domain and at the production domain,
ensure that the barcode masking operates in the same way. Remove the trailing
characters wherever required. You can configure rules to manage this operation.

Step 7 Ensure the following:

■ If the original backup tapes are used for DR purposes, they must be loaded
in the tape libraries in the DR domain.
■ If backups are duplicated to secondary tapes for DR purposes, then load the
off-site tapes in the tape libraries. Also the ALT_RESTORE_COPY_NUMBER
file is created with the appropriate copy number in it.
Note: Symantec recommends that the tapes are physically write-locked before
they are placed in libraries in the DR domain. This locking reduces the risk of
accidental overwriting of valid backups.

About full catalog replication

In full catalog replication, all parts of the catalog are replicated to the secondary
master server. In full catalog replication, the tape information from the production
domain, the media pool, and other assignments is retained. Backups can be run
in the DR domain using the same policies and tapes that are used at the production
domain. The replication can be reversed, which simplifies a transition back to the
production domain. However, replicating the relational database components
implies that the device configuration and the server configuration of the
production domain is replicated to the DR domain. This configuration information
cannot be used and the configuration in the DR domain must be discovered after
recovery.
Full catalog replication is not recommended for cross domain replication.

Recovering the catalog with full catalog replication

With full catalog replication, complete catalog backup is recovered to the DR
master server. The media servers that do not exist in the DR environment should
be deactivated to avoid unnecessary pooling. Since the device configuration at
the DR site is likely to be different to the production site all device records are
removed. Further, device discovery is run to update the EMM database.
This approach assumes that NetBackup is installed but not running on the
secondary master server and the media servers in the DR domain. Also, the
50 About site loss protection with catalog replication
About NetBackup catalog replication

secondary master server and the media servers are configured to communicate
with each other.
Before restores can be started, carry out the following procedure to prepare for
full catalog restore. You must document this procedure in your DR plan:
1 Ensure that replication between the primary and the secondary sites is
stopped.
The replication is stopped if the primary master server is unavailable or if
the replication link is disabled.
2 Mount the replicated volume to the appropriate mount point on the secondary
master server.
3 Start the NetBackup Relational Database Manager, NetBackup PBX, and EMM
services on the new master server.
■ On UNIX and Linux master servers run the following commands:
■ /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/nbdbms_start_stop start

■ /opt/VRTSpbx/bin/pbx_exchange

■ “/usr/openv/netbackup/bin/nbemm –maintenance

■ On Windows master servers start the following Windows services:

■ NetBackup Relational Database Manager
■ Symantec Private Branch Exchange
■ NetBackup Enterprise Media Manager

Note: The PBX process may already be running since it is not stopped and
started by the NetBackup startup and shutdown commands.

4 Deactivate the media servers that are not part of the DR environment. Run
the following command:
nbemmcmd -updatehost -machinename <Media Server> -machinestateop
set_admin_pause -machinetype media -masterserver <Master Server>
 About site loss protection with catalog replication 51
About NetBackup catalog replication

5 If any media servers in the DR domain have the same names as media servers
in the production domain, delete all tape devices from the EMM database.
Run the following command:
nbemmcmd -deletealldevices -allrecords

Note: This step resolves possible device configuration conflicts on media

servers. Skip this step, if the media servers in the DR domain have different
names to those of the media servers in the production domain.

6 Restart NetBackup.
7 Optionally, you can deactivate all backup policies to prevent backups from
starting automatically.
■ You can deactivate the backup policies manually using the NetBackup
Administration Console.
■ Or run the bppllist <policy> -set -inactive CLI.

8 Register the media servers that form part of the DR environment in EMM by
starting NetBackup on each media server.
9 Using the Device Configuration Wizard, create the new tape drive and library
configuration.
10 Using the NetBackup Adminstration Console, verify if all the recovery media
are set to non-robotic.
11 If some recovery media still need to be set to non-robotic, do the following:
■ Select the robotic media, right-click, and select Move.
■ Change the robot field to Standalone.
■ Click OK to save the changes.

12 Once all the recovery media are set to non-robotic, in the Inventory all the
tape libraries field ensure that the media are identified in the correct library.
You can now start restore and recovery operations of client data that is backed
up at the production datacenter.

Making the DR environment consistent with full catalog

replication
In the event of a major incident at the production site, operate from the DR site
for some time after the basic recovery is completed. The following additional tasks
52 About site loss protection with catalog replication
About NetBackup catalog replication

may be optionally carried out once the DR environment is operational to make

the DR environment consistent.
To make the DR environment consistent
1 Modify and enable the catalog backup policy and the other backup policies
that are required in the DR domain.
2 Delete the policies that are no longer required.
3 Delete the storage units that are associated with the media servers that do
not form part of the DR environment.

About partial catalog replication

In partial catalog replication only the image database, policy, and the client
configuration are replicated. With partial catalog replication the relational
database components are not replicated. Thus, the media servers and the devices
can be preconfigured in the DR domain. You do no't need to rediscover them in
the event of a failover to the secondary master server. The tapes from the
production domain are not assigned in the DR domain. You have to manually add
the tapes to the database and place them in a pool where they cannot get
accidentally overwritten.

Performing partial catalog restore with partial catalog

replication
The partial catalog replication approach uses the recovery without import method.
In this method, the EMM database is not replicated to the DR master server. In
this method, it is assumed that restore operations do not need tapes to be assigned
or located in specific media pools.
In this approach it is assumed that the secondary master server and any media
servers at the secondary site are installed and configured. Also, the assumption
is the tape libraries and tape devices are configured.
Before restores can be started, carry out the following procedure to prepare for
partial catalog restore. You must document this procedure in your disaster recovery
plan.

Preparing an environment for partial catalog replication

Preparing an environment for partial catalog replication
The catalog image metadata, which is required to run restore operations, is stored
in the relational database so the relational database (or a backup of it) must be
replicated along with the flat file information.
 About site loss protection with catalog replication 53
About NetBackup catalog replication

Before attempting to use partial catalog replication under NetBackup 7.5, you
need to follow the steps:
To recover the catalog with partial catalog replication
1 Ensure that replication between the primary and the secondary sites is
stopped.
Replication stops if the primary master server is unavailable or if the
replication link is disabled.
2 Mount the replicated volume to the appropriate mount point on the secondary
master server.
3 Change the configuration on the source (production) and target (disaster
recovery) master servers to ensure that the staging area for the relational
database is located on the replicated storage. It can be achieved as follows:
■ Create a suitable directory on the replicated storage.
■ Use the command nbdb_admin –vxdbms_nb_staging <directory> to
make this directory the staging area.

4 Locate the staging area for the relational database on the replicated storage
to ensure that a copy of the relational database is replicated every time the
catalog is backed up. However you may want to make more frequent backups
of this component to ensure a more current recovery point. To ensure, create
a script that runs the command nbdb_backup –online <directory>
-truncate_tlog. Schedule this script to run at regular intervals.

5 Run the command cat_export –all –staging to export the metadata from
the replicated relational database backup.
6 Run the command cat_import –all to import the exported metadata into
the active relational database. Alternatively, set the parameter
LIST_FS_IMAGE_HEADERS to YES in the bp.conf file or the registry depending
on the master server platform. It ensures the next catalog cleanup job to
automatically import the exported metadata.
7 Start NetBackup on the secondary master server.
8 If the backup policies are replicated, deactivate all backup policies to prevent
backups from starting automatically.
■ You can deactivate the backup policies manually using the NetBackup
Administration Console.
■ Or run the bppllist <policy> -set -inactive CLI.

9 Ensure that barcode rules are defined to add tapes into a non-scratch media
pool which is not in use by any backup policy.
54 About site loss protection with catalog replication
About NetBackup catalog replication

10 Ensure that the appropriate FAILOVER_RESTORE_MEDIA_SERVER settings

are defined to direct restore operations through the media servers at the
secondary site.
11 Inventory all the tape libraries to ensure that the tapes are added to the
non-scratch media pool. This action prevents tapes from being accidentally
over written by active backup policies later.
You can now start restore and recovery operations of client data that is backed
up at the production datacenter.

Making the DR environment consistent with partial catalog

replication
In the event of a major incident at the production site, operate from the DR site
for some time after the recovery is completed. The following additional tasks may
be optionally carried out once the DR environment is operational to make the DR
environment consistent.
To make the DR environment consistent with partial catalog replication
1 Modify and enable the catalog backup policy and any other backup policies
that are required in the DR domain.
2 Delete the policies that are no longer required.
 Chapter 5
Deploying NetBackup
master servers with full
catalog replication
This chapter includes the following topics:

■ About replication considerations

■ About non-clustered NetBackup master server with catalog replication

■ About globally clustered NetBackup master servers with catalog replication

About replication considerations

To deploy NetBackup with catalog replication, you must consider the following
factors for planning the actual deployment.

Table 5-1 Replication considerations

Considerations Description

Master server Symantec does not recommend operating a master server as a

considerations combined master and media server. If the storage devices available
at the different sites are not compatible, it can lead to problems with
storage unit definitions and backup failures.

Catalog replication is not a substitute for catalog backup and the

catalog must be backed up on a regular basis.
56 Deploying NetBackup master servers with full catalog replication
About non-clustered NetBackup master server with catalog replication

Table 5-1 Replication considerations (continued)

Considerations Description

Networking In a multi-site single domain configuration, the master server controls

considerations the media servers on both the sites. The metadata must pass between
the sites. This metadata traffic is sent over a standard I/P link between
the sites. The same link can be used as the heartbeat link for the global
cluster control. Symantec recommends that a link of at least 10 Mb/sec
and ideally 100 Mb/sec must be provided between the sites to handle
this traffic.

If host-based replication is used, additional I/P bandwidth is required

for the replication layer. The additional bandwidth must also be
factored in.

DNS If the master server nodes at the secondary site are on a different
considerations subnet from the master server nodes at the primary site, a DNS change
is required as part of the failover process. You can initiate the DNS
change automatically by using the cluster failover process. You can
also initiate the process manually. The backup system does not
function correctly until the change is fully propagated, which can
affect the recovery time in a site failover.
Note: To propagate the DNS change automatically by the cluster
service group, the DNS resource must come on-line after NetBackup
starts.

About non-clustered NetBackup master server with

catalog replication
The following topic provides guidelines for installing, configuring, and operating
non-clustered NetBackup master server cluster with catalog replication:

Installing and configuring non-clustered NetBackup master server with

catalog replication
The installation and configuration of non-clustered NetBackup master servers
with catalog replication progresses through multiple stages which are described
inTable 5-2

Note: VxSS or NBAC is not supported with catalog replication for non-clustered
master servers. For more information about NBAC, refer to the NetBackup Security
and Encryption Guide.
 Deploying NetBackup master servers with full catalog replication 57
About non-clustered NetBackup master server with catalog replication

Table 5-2 Installing and configuring non-clustered NetBackup master server

cluster with catalog replication

Step Description

Step 1 Make sure that you meet all the conditions of support before
proceeding with the actual installation.

See “About conditions for support of replicated NetBackup catalogs”

on page 41.

Step 2 Install and configure the non-clustered NetBackup master server on

the primary site.

See “Installing and configuring the primary NetBackup master server”

on page 57.

Step 3 Install and configure the non-clustered NetBackup master server on

the secondary site.

See “Installing and configuring secondary NetBackup master server”

on page 59.

Installing and configuring the primary NetBackup master server

The primary master server is the server that normally functions as the master
server. Thus, it must be installed first.
The following procedure provides guidelines for installing and configuring the
primary non-clustered master server with catalog replication.
To install and configure the primary non-clustered master server with catalog
replication
1 You must use a DNS alias name for the master server. The DNS alias name
ensures a smooth failover to the secondary master server. Before you start
the installation, define this alias name in DNS and map it to the primary
master server. Configure all the media servers and clients in the NetBackup
domain to use this alias name for the master server and EMM server.
2 Install the NetBackup master server on the primary master server node.
Specify the alias name for the master server and EMM server.
3 Shut down NetBackup after the installation is complete.
4 To ensure that NetBackup starts correctly when switching to the secondary
master server, modify the server.conf and vxdbms.conf files. Also, change
the string NB_<hostname> to NB_<alias name> in each file.
On Windows master server, these files are located at:
■ <install path>\VERITAS\netbackupdb\conf\server.conf
58 Deploying NetBackup master servers with full catalog replication
About non-clustered NetBackup master server with catalog replication

■ <install path>\VERITAS\netbackupdb\data\vxdmbs.conf

On UNIX and Linux master server, these files are located at:
■ /usr/openv/var/global/server.conf

■ /usr/openv/db/data/vxdbms.conf

5 Move the catalog components to the volume that is replicated to the secondary
master server.
For Windows installations, map the following paths to a common volume.
Use the folder mount points or junction points on Windows 2003 and symbolic
links on Windows 2008:
■ <install path>\VERITAS\netbackup\db

■ <install path>\VERITAS\netbackupdb\data

■ <install path>\VERITAS\netbackup\vault\sessions

■ <install path>\VERITAS\volmgr\misc

■ <install path>\VERITAS\netbackup\var

■ <install path>\VERITAS\kms

For UNIX and Linux installations, soft link the following paths to locations
on a common volume:
■ /usr/openv/netbackup/db

■ /usr/openv/db/data

■ /usr/openv/netbackup/vault/sessions

■ /usr/openv/volmgr/database

■ /usr/openv/var

■ /usr/openv/kms

Note: You can use the nbdb_move command to relocate the EMM database
rather than linking /usr/openv/db/data for UNIX and Linux or <install
path>\VERITAS \netbackupdb\data for Windows. However, all other paths
must be linked.
 Deploying NetBackup master servers with full catalog replication 59
About non-clustered NetBackup master server with catalog replication

6 Configure NetBackup so that it can be manually started and stopped on the

primary master server. By default, NetBackup is started automatically when
the master server is booted.
To prevent this automatic start, make the changes as per Steps 7, 8 and , 9
after the initial installation and after applying patches or upgrades.
7 Make the following changes on the NetBackup master server.
■ On UNIX and Linux master server, remove the links to
/etc/init.d/netbackup created during the installation to enable
automatic startup.
Refer to the Symantec NetBackup Installation Guide for details of links
for each operating system.
■ On Windows master server, go to the Services Manager and set the
Startup type for all the NetBackup services to Manual.

8 Start NetBackup on the primary master server to confirm that it comes up

correctly and then shut it down again.
At this stage, you may run the NetBackup Configuration Wizard to configure
media servers and storage devices.
9 To start and stop NetBackup manually run the following commands. It is
recommended to document these commands in the failover procedure.
On UNIX and Linux master server:
■ To start NetBackup, run the following command:
/etc/init.d/netbackup start command

■ To stop NetBackup, run the following command

/etc/init.d/netbackup stop

On Windows master server:

■ To start NetBackup, run the following command:
<install path>\VERITAS\NetBackup\bin\bpup

■ To stop NetBackup, run the following command:

<install path>\VERITAS\NetBackup\bin\bpdown

Installing and configuring secondary NetBackup master server

The following procedure provides guidelines for installing and configuring the
secondary non-clustered master server with catalog replication.
60 Deploying NetBackup master servers with full catalog replication
About non-clustered NetBackup master server with catalog replication

To install and configure the secondary non-clustered master server with catalog
replication
1 Stop NetBackup on the primary master server.
2 Map the DNS alias name to the secondary master server.
3 Install the NetBackup master server on the secondary master server node,
specifying the alias name for the master server and EMM server. During
installation, apply the same list of servers on the secondary master server.
4 After the installation is complete, shut down NetBackup.
5 To ensure NetBackup starts correctly when switching to the secondary master
server, modify the server.conf and vxdbms.conf. Also, change the string
NB_<hostname> to NB_<alias name> in each file.

On Windows master server these files are located at:

■ <install path>\VERITAS\netbackupdb\conf\server.conf

■ <install path>\VERITAS\netbackupdb\data\vxdmbs.conf

On UNIX or Linux master server these files are located at:

■ /usr/openv/var/global/server.conf

■ /usr/openv/db/data/vxdbms.conf

6 Create a small disk volume (100 MB) and mount it to the same mount point
used for the replicated volume on the primary server. This volume is known
as the upgrade volume and is to be presented every time NetBackup is
upgraded on the secondary master server.

Note: During a failover operation the replicated volume is mounted on the

secondary master server and not the upgrade volume.

7 Move the catalog components to the upgrade volume.

For Windows installations map the following paths to a common volume
using folder mount points or junction points on Windows 2003 and symbolic
links on Windows 2008:
■ <install path>\VERITAS\netbackup\db

■ <install path>\VERITAS\netbackupdb\data

■ <install path>\VERITAS\netbackup\vault\sessions

■ <install path>\VERITAS\volmgr\misc

■ <install path>\VERITAS\netbackup\var
 Deploying NetBackup master servers with full catalog replication 61
About non-clustered NetBackup master server with catalog replication

■ <install path>\VERITAS\kms

For UNIX and Linux installations, soft-link the following paths to locations
on a common volume:
■ /usr/openv/netbackup/db

■ /usr/openv/db/data

■ /usr/openv/netbackup/vault/sessions

■ /usr/openv/volmgr/database

■ /usr/openv/var

■ /usr/openv/kms

8 Configure NetBackup so that it can be manually started and stopped on the

primary master server. By default, NetBackup is started automatically when
the master server is booted.
To prevent this automatic start, make the changes as per Steps 7, 8 and , 9
after the initial installation and after applying patches or upgrades.
9 Make the following changes on the NetBackup master server.
■ On UNIX and Linux master server, remove the links to
/etc/init.d/netbackup created during the installation to enable
automatic startup.
Refer to the Symantec NetBackup Installation Guide for details of links
for each operating system.
■ On Windows master server, go to the Services Manager and set the
Startup type for all the NetBackup services to Manual.

10 Start NetBackup on the primary master server. Confirm that NetBackup

comes up and then shut it down again.
At this stage, you may run the NetBackup Configuration Wizard to configure
media servers and storage devices.
11 To start and stop NetBackup manually the run the following commands. It
is recommended to document these commands in the failover procedure.
On UNIX and Linux master server:
■ To start NetBackup, run the following command:
/etc/init.d/netbackup start command

■ To stop NetBackup, run the following command:

/etc/init.d/netbackup stop

On Windows master server:

62 Deploying NetBackup master servers with full catalog replication
About non-clustered NetBackup master server with catalog replication

■ To start NetBackup, run the following command:

<install path>\VERITAS\NetBackup\bin\bpup

■ To stop NetBackup, run the following command:

<install path>\VERITAS\NetBackup\bin\bpdown

12 After NetBackup shuts down, dismount the upgrade volume. Then reset the
DNS alias name to the primary master server. Then restart NetBackup on the
primary master server.

Upgrading NetBackup master server in a non-clustered

replicated configuration
To upgrade NetBackup in a replicated configuration, the primary and the secondary
master servers must run the same version of NetBackup. If the secondary master
server is not running the same version as the primary master server, NetBackup
may not start in a failover situation. The primary master server is upgraded in
the usual way. Refer to the Symantec NetBackup Installation Guide for detailed
instructions.
Guidelines for upgrading NetBackup in a replicated configuration are described
in the following table.

Table 5-3 Upgrading NetBackup master server in a non-clustered replicated

configuration

Step Description

Step 1 Present the upgrade volume to the appropriate mount point.

Step 2 Reassign the DNS alias.

You can also create a temporary local alias for the master server.

Step 3 Start NetBackup.

Step 4 Install the latest version of NetBackup.

Step 5 Stop NetBackup.

Step 6 Reassign the DNS alias.

Or remove the local alias.

Step 7 Dismount the upgrade volume.

 Deploying NetBackup master servers with full catalog replication 63
About globally clustered NetBackup master servers with catalog replication

Note: During major NetBackup upgrades such as, from 6.5.x to 7.0 the server.conf
and vxdbms.conf files may be replaced. After upgrading always check these files.
Ensure that they contain the correct name for the master server and modify them
if necessary.

About globally clustered NetBackup master servers

with catalog replication
This section provides guidelines for installing, configuring, and operating a globally
clustered NetBackup master server with catalog replication.

Installing and configuring a globally clustered NetBackup master server

with catalog replication
The installation and configuration of clustered NetBackup master servers with
catalog replication progresses through multiple stages which are described in
Table 5-4.

Table 5-4 Installing and configuring clustered NetBackup master server cluster
with catalog replication

Stage Description Action

Stage 1 Installation prerequisites Make sure that you meet all the conditions of
support before proceeding with the actual
installation.

See “About conditions for support of replicated

NetBackup catalogs” on page 41.

See “About replication considerations” on page 55.

Stage 2 Installing and configuring Install and configure the NetBackup master server
the clustered NetBackup cluster on the primary site.
master on the primary site
See “Installing and configuring primary NetBackup
master server cluster” on page 64.

Stage 3 Installing and configuring Install and configure the NetBackup master server
the clustered NetBackup cluster on the secondary site.
master on the secondary
See “Installing and configuring secondary
node
NetBackup master server cluster” on page 65.
64 Deploying NetBackup master servers with full catalog replication
About globally clustered NetBackup master servers with catalog replication

About clustering considerations

The NetBackup master server nodes on both the sites must be configured as
clustered master servers, although they can be single node clusters on each site.
NetBackup allows a member node to be upgraded only while the node is off line
without affecting the database structure. Therefore, if master servers are not
clustered, there is a risk of data loss and corruption during an upgrade operation.
The NetBackup master server is an active or a passive application. It can only run
on one node of the cluster at any one time. In a replicated environment, the cluster
members at both sites effectively form a single cluster. You can create a global
cluster with two to four nodes, depending on the level of resilience required.

Single node cluster This configuration requires two nodes—one node at each site. This
at both sites configuration is the most efficient in terms of the servers involved.
The disadvantage of this configuration is that even a local problem
with the primary master server requires a site failover operation.

Dual node on This configuration requires three nodes—two at the primary site
primary site and and one at the secondary site. During normal operations, since there
single node on is single node at each site, site failover is not required to address
secondary site issues with the primary master server. Instead a local failover can
be used. However, there is no protection for the node on the
secondary site.

As a general best practice, this configuration is recommended.

Dual node on both This configuration requires four nodes, three of which are always
sites idle. This configuration allows local failover capability at sites. With
this configuration, if a local server problem is encountered, there
is no need to failover.

Installing and configuring primary NetBackup master server

cluster
To install the NetBackup master server cluster follow the instructions that are
described in the Symantec NetBackup Clustered Master Server Administraor's
Guide. Guidelines to install the primary NetBackup master server cluster with
catalog replication are described in the following table.
 Deploying NetBackup master servers with full catalog replication 65
About globally clustered NetBackup master servers with catalog replication

Table 5-5 Guidelines to installing the primary NetBackup master server cluster
with catalog replication

Step Description

Step 1 When you install NetBackup master server cluster on primary node,
specify:

■ Replicated storage as the mount point for the cluster common

storage.
■ All servers that are part of the domain.
■ Servers that form the secondary site cluster.

Step 2 After the NetBackup cluster group is created, reconfigure the storage
resources to include the replication control components.

Step 3 For some replications layers, especially for Veritas Volume Replicator
(VVR), the replication agent must be in a separate service group. You
must link the agent with the NetBackup application service group.

Step 4 If the replication technology offers a bandwidth planning and analysis

tool, configure the NetBackup master server cluster to run on the
primary master server cluster for some time. Perform the
configuration before you implement the replication layer and stretch
the cluster to the secondary site.

Installing and configuring secondary NetBackup master server

cluster
To install and configure the secondary NetBackup master server cluster, it is not
necessary to have the same number of nodes as the primary NetBackup master
server cluster. The secondary NetBackup master server cluster can be a single
node cluster but should be clustered. Guidelines to install the secondary NetBackup
master server cluster with catalog replication are described in the following table.

Table 5-6 Guidelines to installing the secondary NetBackup master server

cluster with catalog replication

Step Description

Step 1 Install the secondary NetBackup master server cluster using the same
virtual name and cluster common mount point as the primary
NetBackup master server cluster.

Step 2 During installation, specify all the NetBackup servers, the master
server cluster nodes and the media servers at the primary site.
66 Deploying NetBackup master servers with full catalog replication
About globally clustered NetBackup master servers with catalog replication

Table 5-6 Guidelines to installing the secondary NetBackup master server

cluster with catalog replication (continued)

Step Description

Step 3 Initially, to configure the secondary NetBackup master server cluster,

use a temporary volume as the cluster common volume instead of
replication target of the primary NetBackup master server cluster. A
temporary volume helps to prevent data loss and access conflicts. The
catalog setup that is done during Windows installation and cluster
configuration on UNIX and Linux platforms creates and seeds the
EMM database on the cluster common storage.

Step 4 Create a small disk volume (100MB) and mount it to the same mount
point used for replicated volume on the primary NetBackup master
server cluster. After the cluster configuration is complete, take the
cluster offline and map it with the common replication target. Remove
its mapping from the temporary storage.

This volume is required for Windows environments each time the

secondary NetBackup master server cluster is upgraded. Thus, this
volume is known as upgrade volume.

For UNIX and Linux environments, this volume is not required after
the initial installation. You can remove the upgrade volume after the
installation.

Step 5 Do not configure the replication agent on the secondary site to

automatically reverse the direction of replication. Do not reverse the
replication until the primary site is operational again.

Populating the server tables in the EMM

The server tables must be correctly populated in the EMM. Server tables can be
populated automatically by failing over the master server cluster to each node in
turn.
Guidelines to populating the server tables in the EMM are described in the
following table.

Table 5-7 Guidelines to populating the server tables in the EMM

Step Description

Step 1 After the cluster setup on the secondary site is complete, take
NetBackup offline on the primary site.
 Deploying NetBackup master servers with full catalog replication 67
About globally clustered NetBackup master servers with catalog replication

Table 5-7 Guidelines to populating the server tables in the EMM (continued)

Step Description

Step 2 Reverse the replication direction and bring NetBackup on-line on the
secondary site.

Bringing the NetBackup master server cluster on-line on a particular

node of the cluster automatically adds that node to the list of known
servers in the EMM server tables. In case of multiple nodes at the
secondary site, the master server must be failed over to each node.

Step 3 After all the member nodes are added, take NetBackup offline from
the secondary site.

Step 4 Reverse the replication direction and bring NetBackup online on the
primary site.

Upgrading NetBackup in clustered replication configuration

Note: The master server clusters at the primary and the secondary site must run
the same version of NetBackup. If there are different versions, NetBackup may
not start in a failover situation.

Failing over to secondary master server cluster

You need to failover to the secondary master server cluster when:
■ All the nodes of the primary master server cluster fail.
■ Access to the primary site is denied.
The exact failover procedure can vary for different replication technologies.
Table 5-8 lists the high-level steps to failover to the secondary master server
cluster.

Table 5-8 Failing over to secondary master server cluster

Step Description

Step 1 Stop NetBackup on the primary master server cluster.

Step 2 Stop or reverse the replication of the catalog volume.

Step 3 If necessary, update the DNS with the new virtual IP address for the
master server.
68 Deploying NetBackup master servers with full catalog replication
About globally clustered NetBackup master servers with catalog replication

Table 5-8 Failing over to secondary master server cluster (continued)

Step Description

Step 4 Start NetBackup on the secondary master server cluster.

Note: Step 1 and 2 occur automatically if the primary site fails.

In globally clustered environment the process of failing over to secondary master

server can be automated. To automate the process, multiple heartbeat connections
must exist between the clusters. Failure of the heartbeat network can cause the
secondary master server cluster to come online while the primary master server
cluster is still operational.

Testing the NetBackup master server cluster in clustered replication

environment
It is recommended to test the ability of the secondary master server cluster to
come online without going through a full failover operation. In case of a full
failover, the exact procedure can vary for different replication technologies.
Table 5-9 lists the high-level steps that must be followed for testing.

Table 5-9 Testing the NetBackup master server cluster in clustered replication
environment

Step Description

Step 1 Suspend replication between the primary and the secondary master
server clusters.

Step 2 Isolate the secondary master server cluster from the network.

Step 3 Start NetBackup on the secondary master server cluster.

Step 4 Perform the required validation checks. Ensure that NetBackup is

running on the secondary master server cluster.

Step 5 Stop NetBackup on the secondary master server cluster.

Step 6 Re-establish network connections on the secondary master server

cluster.

Step 7 Restart the replication.

 Chapter 6
Using NetBackup to
perform backups and
restores in a cluster
This chapter includes the following topics:

■ About backups and restores with NetBackup in a cluster

■ About supported NetBackup database agents and options in a cluster

About backups and restores with NetBackup in a

cluster
This topic provides links to instructions on how to perform user-directed backups
and restore data in a cluster. Additionally, specific instructions for performing
backups and restores can be found in other NetBackup guides. See the NetBackup
Backup, Archive, and Restore Getting Started Guide and the administrator guides
for NetBackup’s database agents and options.
The backup and restore process is the same whether you are in a cluster or a
non-cluster environment. See the Symantec NetBackup Troubleshooting Guide
for further information on backup and archive processes and on restore processes.

Performing user-directed backups with NetBackup in a cluster

When you perform user-directed backups in a cluster, you can use the node name
or the virtual name of the client to perform the backup. If you choose the virtual
name, the backup can be restored from any of the cluster nodes. You can also
configure automatic backups.
70 Using NetBackup to perform backups and restores in a cluster
About backups and restores with NetBackup in a cluster

To perform a user-directed backup on a Windows client

1 Open the Backup, Archive, and Restore console.
2 On the File menu, click Specify NetBackup Machines.
3 From the Source client list, select (or add) the wanted node or virtual name.
To perform a user-directed backup on a UNIX/Linux client
1 Open the Backup, Archive, and Restore console.
2 In the Login dialog box, enter the name of the client, either the node or the
virtual client name.
You must log on to the wanted node or virtual client. You cannot specify a
client other than the local client in the Java interface.

About restoring data in a cluster

For all file restore operations, use the procedures on how to perform restores in
the NetBackup Backup, Archive, and Restore Getting Started Guide. When you
restore files to the shared disk drives, restore those files to the virtual server
name.
When you restore individual database files, restore those files to the virtual server
name that corresponds to the client where the database application is installed.

Note: Since a computer can have multiple virtual names in a cluster environment,
files can be backed up in the context of more than one client name. If you carefully
plan your backup policies, you can avoid this problem. However, it may be
necessary to browse more than one client name to locate a backup image. And
you may need to perform more than one restore to restore all of the files that you
need.

The Backup, Archive, and Restore console operates in the context of that client’s
name. You must perform a redirected restore to restore the files on the shared
disk that were backed up with the virtual server name. NetBackup allows a
redirected restore operation only if the necessary configuration is performed on
the NetBackup master server. See the information on how to allow redirected
restores in the Symantec NetBackup Administrator's Guide, Volume I.
There may be other situations that require the appropriate altnames directory
entries to be created on the master server. While NetBackup tries to restore files
from the client, the operation may fail with this error message:

131 client is not validated to use this server

 Using NetBackup to perform backups and restores in a cluster 71
About backups and restores with NetBackup in a cluster

If you see this message, you must set up the altnames directory to allow the
operation to succeed. For example, the required network interface parameter may
be set to a valid network name for the client. But this name may not match the
NetBackup Client name parameter for that client. This situation often happens
for NetBackup clients in a cluster. Alternatively, you can perform a server-directed
restore and avoid the need to set up the altnames directory.
See “Example: Performing a user-directed restore in a NetBackup cluster”
on page 71.

Example: Performing a user-directed restore in a NetBackup

cluster
For example, assume the cluster virtual server name is TOE and the cluster node
names are TIC and TAC. Files on the shared disk must be backed up by a NetBackup
policy that includes TOE in the client list.
To perform a server-directed restore of files on the shared disk, set both the source
client and the destination client to TOE. The server-directed restore does not have
to know which node is in control of the shared disk at the time of the restore.
To perform a user-directed restore of files in a NetBackup cluster
1 Create the following files on the master server.
For a UNIX or Linux server:
/usr/openv/netbackup/db/altnames/tic
/usr/openv/netbackup/db/altnames/tac

For a Windows server:

shared_drive_install_path\NetBackup\db\altnames\tic
shared_drive_install_path\NetBackup\db\altnames\tac

2 In both files, add the virtual server name TOE on one line in the file.
3 Determine which node (TIC or TAC) has control of the shared disk.
4 Start the Backup, Archive, and Restore interface on that node and select the
virtual server name (TOE) as the source client and the server.
■ On Windows computers, in the File menu, click Specify NetBackup
Machines.
■ On UNIX or Linux computers, in the Actions menu, click NetBackup
Machines.

5 Browse the backed-up files by using the virtual server name (TOE) from the
shared disk and restore them as needed.
72 Using NetBackup to perform backups and restores in a cluster
About supported NetBackup database agents and options in a cluster

About supported NetBackup database agents and

options in a cluster
Only certain database agents and NetBackup options are supported in a clustered
environment.
For information on how to install and configure database agents and options in
a cluster, refer to the administrator’s guide for that agent or option.

Backing up database files in Database applications are installed on a cluster as virtual

a cluster servers. To protect the data for these virtual servers, install
the appropriate NetBackup database agent on each node of
the cluster. With NetBackup for Windows, database agents
are installed along with NetBackup server and the
NetBackup client.. Also create a backup policy for that
database agent. When you configure a policy for the
application or database in the cluster, always use the virtual
server name of the application or database as the client
name in the policy. For complete installation and
configuration instructions for a particular database agent,
see the NetBackup documentation for that agent.

User backups User backups that are run on individual nodes of the cluster
generally run as a backup of the node, not the NetBackup
virtual server. You may find it easier to use scheduled
backups rather than user backups to protect the data in the
cluster.
 Using NetBackup to perform backups and restores in a cluster 73
About supported NetBackup database agents and options in a cluster

NetBackup client in a cluster You may choose to install only the NetBackup client in a
cluster. In this configuration, you can back up the data from
the cluster across the network to a separate NetBackup
server. In this situation the NetBackup-specific
configuration tasks for tape devices, media, and so on, are
separate from the setup and maintenance of the cluster
itself. However, the NetBackup client itself cannot fail over.

To install the NetBackup client on an MSCS, VCS, SunCluster

, Service Guard cluster, or HACMP cluster

The NetBackup client is installed on a cluster as it is in a

non-clustered environment. Refer to the Symantec
NetBackup Installation Guide for information on how to
install the NetBackup client. On Windows systems, you may
have problems with name resolution when you try to back
up data on the cluster. (This data can be either local data or
shared data.) Consider setting the Required Network
Interface parameter for each client to the fully qualified
name of the node where the NetBackup client is installed.

About backing up database files in a cluster

Database applications are installed on a cluster as virtual servers. To protect the
data for these virtual servers, install the appropriate NetBackup database agent
on each node of the cluster. With NetBackup for Windows, database agents are
installed along with NetBackup server and the NetBackup client.. Also create a
backup policy for that database agent. When you configure a policy for the
application or database in the cluster, always use the virtual server name of the
application or database as the client name in the policy. For complete installation
and configuration instructions for a particular database agent, see the NetBackup
documentation for that agent.

About user backups

User backups that are run on individual nodes of the cluster generally run as a
backup of the node, not the NetBackup virtual server. You may find easier to use
scheduled backups rather than user backups to protect the data in the cluster.

About NetBackup client in a cluster

You may choose to install only the NetBackup client in a cluster. In this
configuration, you can back up the data from the cluster across the network to a
separate NetBackup server. In this situation the NetBackup-specific configuration
tasks for tape devices, media, and so on, are separate from the setup and
74 Using NetBackup to perform backups and restores in a cluster
About supported NetBackup database agents and options in a cluster

maintenance of the cluster itself. However, the NetBackup client itself cannot fail
over.
To install the NetBackup client on an MSCS, VCS, SunCluster , Service Guard
cluster, or HACMP cluster
The NetBackup client is installed on a cluster as it is in a non-clustered
environment. Refer to the Symantec NetBackup Installation Guide for information
on how to install the NetBackup client. On Windows systems, you may have
problems with name resolution when you try to back up data on the cluster. (This
data can be either local data or shared data.) Consider setting the Required
Network Interface parameter for each client to the fully qualified name of the
node where the NetBackup client is installed.
 Index

A F
adding disk storage unit 28 full catalog recovery 32
restoring full catalog 33
B full catalog replication 49
restoring full catalog 49
backing up database files 73
full catalog restore 49
backups
user-directed 69
L
C LAN client protection 21
catalog protection
catalog replication 23 M
See also catalog repllication master server protection
online catalog backup 23 clustering 17
catalog recovery 31 media availability protection
full catalog recovery 32 global scratch pool 16
partial catalog recovery 35 media sharing 16
catalog replication media server
catalog synchronization 44 non-failover cluster configuration 24
conditions for support 41 restore backup 20
considerations. See replication considerations multi-site cross domain replication
full catalog replication 49 BasicDisk storage 47
multi-site cross domain replication 47 multi-site single domain replication 44
multi-site single domain 44 optimized duplication 46
partial catalog replication 52 stretched SAN 45
catalog synchronization 44
clustered master server N
installing primary master server 64
NetBackup client in cluster 73
installing seconday master server 65
network link protection
server table 66
redundant network teaming 15
testing with catalog replication 68
non-clustered master server
upgrade volume 65
installing primary master server 57
upgrading NetBackup 67
installing secondary master server 59
upgrade volume 59
D upgrading NetBackup 62
database agents 72 non-dedicated media server protection
dedicated media server protection storage unit group 19
storage unit group 18 non-failover cluster configuration
disc recovery 37 media server 24
SAN media server 24
76 Index

O protection method (continued)

options 72 storage device
redundant drives 16
P
partial catalog recovery 35 R
restoring partial catalog 36 replication considerations 55
partial catalog replication 52 clustering considerations 64
restoring partial catalog 52 DNS considerations 56
partial catalog restore 52 master server considerations 55
point of failure networking considerations 56
component 13 restore data in cluster 70
dedicated media server 18 restore full catalog 33
LAN client 21 restore partial catalog 36
master server 17 robotic control connection protection
media availability 16 control server cluster 15
media server 18 redundant connections 15
network link 15
non-dedicated media server 19 S
SAN client 22 SAN client protection 22
SAN media server 20 SAN connection protection
site 22 dynamic multi-pathing 15
storage device 16 SAN media server
storage device connection 15 non-failover cluster configuration 24
robotic control connection 15 SAN media server protection
SAN connection 15 application cluster 20
prerequisites standalone media server 25 site protection
protection method global cluster 22
dedicated media server storage device protection
storage unit group 18 redundant drives 16
LAN client 21 storage unit
master server configuring for robotic device 26
clustering 17
media availability
global scratch pool 16
U
media sharing 16 user backups 73
network link user-directed backups 69
redundant network teaming 15
non-dedicated media server V
storage unit group 19 virtual storage unit. See configuring with standalone
robotic control connection media server
control server cluster 15 upgrading media server 29
redundant connections 15
SAN client 22
SAN connection
dynamic multi-pathing 15
SAN media server
application cluster 20
site
global cluster 22