NetBackup How-To Guide Configuring MSCS N+1 Environments to Work with the NetBackup Enterprise Vault Agent This document will cover the steps required to configure Microsoft Cluster Server/Failover Cluster N+1 Enterprise Vault environments when using the NetBackup Enterprise Vault agent to back up the environment. If you have any feedback or questions about this document please email them to EV-TFE-Feedback@symantec.com stating the document title. This document applies to the following version(s) of Enterprise Vault: 8, 9, & 10 This document applies to the following version(s) of NetBackup: 7.0.x, 7.1.x, & 7.5.x This document is provided for informational purposes only. All warranties relating to the information in this document, either express or implied, are disclaimed to the maximum extent allowed by law. The information in this document is subject to change without notice. Copyright © 2012 Symantec Corporation. All rights reserved. Symantec, the Symantec logo and Enterprise Vault are trademarks or registered trademarks of Symantec Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners NetBackup How To Guide – Configuring MSCS N+1 Environments to Work with the NetBackup Enterprise Vault Agent Document Control Contributors Who Contribution ESi Technologies Contributor Evan Barrett Author, contributor Revision History Version Date Changes 1.0 December 2011 Initial release 2.0 April 2012 Disclaimer added and minor revisions Related Documents Version Date Title Table of Contents Disclaimer 1 Current Issues with the NetBackup Enterprise Vault Agent 2 Resolving Backup Issues 3 Table of Figures Figure 1 - Cluster Configuration before Failover 2 Figure 2 - Cluster configuration after failover 2 Figure 3 - Adding a Generic Service 3 Figure 4 - Selecting the Service Type 4 i NetBackup How To Guide – Configuring MSCS N+1 Environments to Work with the NetBackup Enterprise Vault Agent Figure 5 - Service Confirmation 5 Figure 6 - Click on Finish 5 Figure 7 - New Resource Appears Offline 6 Figure 8 - Changing the Name of the New Resource 7 Figure 9 - Editing the Dependencies for the Newly Created Resource 8 Figure 10 - Configuring the Registry Replication Settings 9 Figure 11- After Registry Replication Configuration 10 Figure 12 - Bring the New Resource Online 11 ii NetBackup How To Guide – Configuring MSCS N+1 Environments to Work with the NetBackup Enterprise Vault Agent Disclaimer This How-To guide offers a workaround to the issues described in this document. It is not a 100% Symantec supported solution. Symantec Support can only provide best-effort support when using this guide. Page 1 NetBackup How To Guide – Configuring MSCS N+1 Environments to Work with the NetBackup Enterprise Vault Agent Current Issues with the NetBackup Enterprise Vault Agent The NetBackup 7.0.x and 7.1.x Enterprise Vault agents, when used in an N+1 Microsoft Cluster Server/Failover Cluster environment, currently cannot back up all Enterprise Vault components in the event of a failover of an Enterprise Vault instance from one node to another. Figure 1 illustrates a simple N+1 cluster configuration. EVNODE1 and EVNODE2 currently host instances of Enterprise Vault. EVNODE3 can act as a failover node for either instance of Enterprise Vault (EVINSTANCE1 or EVINSTANCE2). Note how the NetBackup client names have been configured for EVNODE1 (EVINSTANCE1) and EVNODE2 (EVINSTANCE2). However, the NetBackup client name for EVNODE3 cannot be set to EVINSTANCE1 and EVINSTANCE2 at the same time as this node can host either instance. EVNODE1 (active node for EVINSTANCE1) NBU client name: EVINSTANCE1 EVNODE2 (active node for EVINSTANCE2) NBU client name: EVINSTANCE2 EVNODE3 (standby node for EV) NBU client name: EVNODE3 Figure 1 - Cluster Configuration before Failover After a failover of EVINSTANCE2 to EVNODE3, Index Location backups fail for EVINSTANCE2. When using the EV_INDEX_LOCATION=<site_name> directive, all index locations for the specified site are backed up. The backups fail for EVINSTANCE2 due to the fact that the NetBackup client name is not properly configured on the failed over node (EVNODE) as shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 - Cluster configuration after failover Page 2 NetBackup How To Guide – Configuring MSCS N+1 Environments to Work with the NetBackup Enterprise Vault Agent Resolving Backup Issues Backup issues can be resolved by ensuring that the NetBackup client name is automatically configured on the cluster node after a failover. The NetBackup client name is stored in the registry and can be successfully replicated to the failover node by setting up the necessary cluster resources. The following steps will illustrate how to properly configure cluster resources for the replication of registry settings. 1. On all active nodes hosting an Enterprise Vault instance, ensure that the NetBackup client name is set to Enterprise Vault instance name either by using the NetBackup Administration console or by setting the name in the (HKLM\SOFTWARE\VERITAS\NetBackup\CurrentVersion\Config\Client_Name) registry such as EVINSTANCE1 (as shown in Figure 1). 2. Open the Microsoft Failover Cluster Manager and add a Generic Service (4 – Generic Service) resource as shown in Figure 3. Figure 3 - Adding a Generic Service Page 3 NetBackup How To Guide – Configuring MSCS N+1 Environments to Work with the NetBackup Enterprise Vault Agent 3. Select “Application Experience” service. If this service is not present in the list, choose any other such as Application Identity or Application Information and click on Next. Figure 4 - Selecting the Service Type Notes: It should be noted that Application Identity can only be used once within a cluster configuration. Some end users have reported that Application Experience will shut down after 8 to 10 minutes and will report a failed/offline resource. However, registry settings have been properly copied even though the resource may show as failed or offline and backups should continue to work. Page 4 NetBackup How To Guide – Configuring MSCS N+1 Environments to Work with the NetBackup Enterprise Vault Agent 4. Click on Next again Figure 5 - Service Confirmation 5. Click on Finish Figure 6 - Click on Finish Page 5 NetBackup How To Guide – Configuring MSCS N+1 Environments to Work with the NetBackup Enterprise Vault Agent 6. The newly added resource should appear as Offline Figure 7 - New Resource Appears Offline 7. Edit the properties of the newly created resource. Change the name under the general tab to something meaningful such as “NetBackup Client Registry Settings” Page 6 NetBackup How To Guide – Configuring MSCS N+1 Environments to Work with the NetBackup Enterprise Vault Agent Figure 8 - Changing the Name of the New Resource Page 7 NetBackup How To Guide – Configuring MSCS N+1 Environments to Work with the NetBackup Enterprise Vault Agent 8. While still in the properties window for the newly created resource, click on the Dependencies tab and select the name of the instance (such as EVINSTANCE1) and a shared disk resources as shown in Figure 9. Figure 9 - Editing the Dependencies for the Newly Created Resource Page 8 NetBackup How To Guide – Configuring MSCS N+1 Environments to Work with the NetBackup Enterprise Vault Agent 9. The next step is to add the registry replication path. newly created resource, click on the While still in the properties window of the Registry Replication tab and add SOFTWARE\VERITAS\NetBackup\CurrentVersion\Config as shown in Figure 10 and Figure 11. Figure 10 - Configuring the Registry Replication Settings Page 9 NetBackup How To Guide – Configuring MSCS N+1 Environments to Work with the NetBackup Enterprise Vault Agent Figure 11- After Registry Replication Configuration Page 10 NetBackup How To Guide – Configuring MSCS N+1 Environments to Work with the NetBackup Enterprise Vault Agent 10. Start the resource as shown in Figure 12. Figure 12 - Bring the New Resource Online 11. If possible, fail the Enterprise Vault instance over to the standby node. Ensure that the NetBackup client settings have been properly replicated by bringing up Registry Editor and browsing HKLM\SOFTWARE\VERITAS\NetBackup\CurrentVersion\Config. Note: After a failback from the standby node to the original node, the standby node will still have the same NetBackup registry settings as the original node. This will not affect Enterprise Vault backups as backups will take place on the active node. Page 11 About Symantec: Symantec is a global leader in providing storage, security and systems management solutions to help consumers and organizations secure and manage their information-driven world. Our software and services protect against more risks at more points, more completely and efficiently, enabling information confidence is used wherever or stored. For specific country offices and Symantec Corporation Copyright © 2012 Symantec contact numbers, please visit our World Headquarters Corporation. All rights reserved. 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