Veritas NetBackup 8.

2:
Administration
(Lessons)

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 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration (Lessons)

THIS PUBLICATION IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED CONDITIONS,
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without the written permission of the publisher.

Course Developer Lead Subject Matter Technical Contributors and Reviewers

Experts

Ashima Mathur Asaf Sabir Asaf Sabir

Ashlesha Shinde Charles Hockenbarger Paul Ransted
Raj Kiran Prasad Thota Debbie Wilmot
Ranvir Mankoo
Swati Joshi
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ii
 Table of Contents
Course Introduction
About this course .........................................................................................................................0-2
Education and support resources ................................................................................................0-6

Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup

Data Protection and the NetBackup Environment ......................................................................1-5
NetBackup concepts ..................................................................................................................1-13
NetBackup appliance overview..................................................................................................1-20
Using the NetBackup Administration Console ...........................................................................1-26
Using the NetBackup web interface ..........................................................................................1-31
Using NetBackup OpsCenter ......................................................................................................1-42
Installing NetBackup ..................................................................................................................1-47

Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage

NetBackup storage device concepts ............................................................................................2-4
Configuring and managing a basic disk storage unit ...................................................................2-8
Configuring storage unit groups ................................................................................................2-13

Lesson 3: Configuring Policies

Introduction to backup policies ...................................................................................................3-4
Creating and configuring policy attributes ..................................................................................3-7
Creating a policy schedule .........................................................................................................3-13
Adding client to a policy .............................................................................................................3-23
Creating backup selections ........................................................................................................3-26
Managing policies ......................................................................................................................3-36

Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Using and customizing the NetBackup Activity Monitor .............................................................4-4

Performing manual backup operations .....................................................................................4-14
Performing user-directed backups ............................................................................................4-23
Backup job-related tips ..............................................................................................................4-28

Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores

Introduction to restores...............................................................................................................5-4
Performing restore operations using the BAR interface .............................................................5-7
Performing restore operations using OpsCenter Operational Restore .....................................5-19
Restore job-related tips .............................................................................................................5-31

Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools

Understanding disk pools and AdvancedDisk ..............................................................................6-4
Configuring AdvancedDisk .........................................................................................................6-12

Table of Contents iii

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 Managing AdvancedDisk storage ...............................................................................................6-25

Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication

Introduction to NetBackup deduplication ...................................................................................7-4
Configuring NetBackup media server deduplication .................................................................7-14
Configuring client-side deduplication ........................................................................................7-33
Managing NetBackup deduplication..........................................................................................7-38

Lesson 8: Configuring and managing Tape Storage

Understanding Media Manager storage units .............................................................................8-5
Configuring tape devices............................................................................................................8-14
Verifying tape storage ................................................................................................................8-17
NetBackup media concepts .......................................................................................................8-24
Configuring media ......................................................................................................................8-32
Managing robots and tape drives ..............................................................................................8-49
Monitoring media and media states ..........................................................................................8-60
Managing tapes..........................................................................................................................8-71

Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

Introduction to virtual machine backups .....................................................................................9-4
Configuring VMware backups ....................................................................................................9-11
Protecting VMware Assets using the web UI .............................................................................9-46
Performing and monitoring VMware backups ..........................................................................9-59

Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores

Managing virtual machine restores ...........................................................................................10-4
Managing VMware restores ......................................................................................................10-8
Using VMware Instant Recovery ..............................................................................................10-26
VMware Agentless restore ......................................................................................................10-53
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V environment

Introduction to NetBackup for Hyper-V ....................................................................................11-4
Configuring Hyper-V backups ..................................................................................................11-10
Configuring NetBackup policies for Hyper-V … ........................................................................11-16
Performing and Monitoring Hyper-V backups……………………………………………………………………..11-28
Performing Hyper-V restores ...................................................................................................11-31
Performing Hyper-V restores with the NetBackup Add in for SCVMM…………………………………11-38

Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage Lifecycle Policies

Backup duplication concepts .....................................................................................................12-4
Storage lifecycle policy concepts .............................................................................................12-12
Using storage lifecycle policies ................................................................................................12-15
Additional Storage Lifecycle Policy features and benefits .......................................................12-31

iv Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All Rights Reserved Not for Distribution.
 Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the NetBackup Catalog
Introduction to NetBackup catalogs ..........................................................................................13-4
Managing images .....................................................................................................................13-10
Configuring a catalog backup policy ........................................................................................13-27
Disaster recovery strategies.....................................................................................................13-37

Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups

File system backup challenges ...................................................................................................14-4
Optimizing file system backups .................................................................................................14-8
Optimizing file system backups with NetBackup Accelerator .................................................14-14
Using multiple data streams ....................................................................................................14-28
Optimizing tape drive performance using multiplexing ..........................................................14-36
Handling busy files on UNIX and Windows file systems ..........................................................14-39

Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic Information

Performing basic NetBackup troubleshooting ...........................................................................15-4
Identifying NetBackup processes, services, and daemons ......................................................15-13
NetBackup logging overview ...................................................................................................15-24
Using the support utilities ........................................................................................................15-34
Using NetBackup support resources ........................................................................................15-43

Appendix A: Introduction to Application and Database Backups

Application protection concepts ................................................................................................. A-3
Introduction to database backups ............................................................................................ A-11
Introduction to enterprise application backups ....................................................................... A-18

Appendix B: Instant Access Feature for VMware

Introduction and considerations ................................................................................................ B-2
Creating and recovering files from an instant access VM………………………………………………………..B-6
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Appendix C: LTR using Veritas Access

Access Appliance with NetBackup Solution architecture………………………………………………………….C-3
Cloud Support………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..C-22

Table of Contents v
© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All Rights Reserved Not for Distribution.
 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Course Introduction

© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies
LLC or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Course Introduction in the Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

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 Topic: About this course

This course is designed to help technical professionals responsible for the

design, configuration, operation, monitoring, or support of Veritas
NetBackup 8.2.

This course is designed to help technical professionals responsible for the design,
configuration, operation, monitoring, or support of Veritas NetBackup 8.2.
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 Intended audience

This course is intended for NetBackup administrators responsible for:

• Configuring devices and storage units
• Configuring and managing media
• Creating and configuring backup policies
• Performing backups and restores
• Protecting the backup data and configuration

Administering a backup environment for a company or an organization is a complicated

undertaking performed by a team of administrators, operators, and technical engineers,
each with specific tasks. This course is intended for system or network administrators,
system engineers, technical support personnel, and system integration and
development staff who are responsible for configuring devices and storage units,
configuring and managing media, creating and configuring backup policies, performing
backups and restores, and protecting the backup data and configuration.
Course prerequisites
Students attending this course should be familiar with:
• UNIX or Windows system administration.
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• Storage area network (SAN) concepts.

• Data protection concepts and terminology.

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 Course objectives

• Create and configure storage units and storage unit groups.

• Create backup policies that define the rules NetBackup follows.
• Back up and restore data for physical and virtual machine clients.
• Configure AdvancedDisk and NetBackup deduplication storage.
• Configure drives and robots for NetBackup.
• Configure media by defining volumes, volume pools, and volume groups.
• Protect your data with duplication and storage lifecycle policies.
• Protect your NetBackup configuration.

After completing this course, you will be able to perform the tasks listed on this slide.
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 Lessons in this course
• Lesson 0: Course Introduction • Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores
• Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup • Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V environment
• Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage • Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage
• Lesson 3: Configuring Policies Lifecycle Policies
• Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups • Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the
NetBackup Catalog
• Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores
• Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups
• Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools
• Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic
• Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
Information
• Lesson 8: Configuring and managing Tape Storage
• Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

The lessons covered in the NetBackup 8.2 Administration course are displayed on the
slide. The course is structured by going through a number of general steps:
• Lessons 1-5 set the framework for understanding NetBackup, covering basic concepts
such as storage units, backup policies, and how to perform backups and restores of
file systems.
• Lessons 6-8 show how to configure and manage various storage types, including
AdvancedDisk, NetBackup deduplication, and tape libraries.
• Lessons 9-11 cover the protection and recovery of virtual machines, highlighting
VMware and Hyper-V backup and recovery in detail.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Lesson 12 covers duplicating backups and storage lifecycle policies (SLP) specifically.
• Lesson 13 discusses the management of backup images and protection of the
NetBackup catalog.
• Lesson 14 covers many features to optimize backups to file systems through change
tracking, and other NetBackup features.
• Lesson 15 shows how to collect logs and other diagnostic information, setting the
ground work for troubleshooting, and contacting Veritas Support.

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 Topic: Education and support resources

This topic describes Veritas Education offerings and other Veritas resources
available to help you design, configure, operate, monitor, or support Veritas
NetBackup 8.2.

This topic describes Veritas Education offerings and other Veritas resources available to
help you design, configure, operate, monitor, or support Veritas NetBackup 8.2.
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 Veritas Open eXchange
https://vox.veritas.com/

• The latest technology articles from

industry experts
• Easy and fast access to technical content
and product information
• Access to premium content, such as
book previews and free sample chapters
• Peer-to-peer discussion forums
• Training and education resources
Find out more. It’s free!

The Veritas Open eXchange allows customers and users of Veritas products to network
get help and learn more about industry-leading solutions. Veritas Open eXchange is a
customer-focused resource, intended to help you design and implement a utility
computing strategy to provide availability, performance, and automation for your
storage, servers, and applications. Veritas Open eXchange provides the following
resources:
• Technical documents, such as articles, white papers, and product specs.
• Interactive services, such as the discussion forum, where members can discuss
current topics, share tips and tricks, and help one another troubleshoot problems.
Best of all, it is free. Sign up to become a member at https://vox.veritas.com/.
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 SORT for NetBackup users
http://sort.veritas.com/netbackup

Veritas Services and Operations Readiness Tools (SORT) is a set of Web-based tools that
optimizes the end to end experience for Veritas products, such as Storage Foundation
and NetBackup. SORT for NetBackup provides information on whether your
environment is compatible with a NetBackup installation or upgrade, and gives you links
to the latest documentation and software. SORT for NetBackup is available at:
http://sort.veritas.com/netbackup.
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 MyVeritas
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US.html

MyVeritas is your single destination that allows you to access all of your Veritas
enterprise services and information. Visit https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US.html
to view this page.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

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 Veritas Education Services: Links
https://www.veritas.com/services/education-services.html

• Curriculum Paths: Backup & Recovery, Information Governance, Storage &

Availability

• Get Certified in NetBackup and other Veritas products

• View FAQs about Education Services

• Manage your training transcript and print certificates of completion by signing

in to the Veritas Learning Portal

Visit the Veritas Education Services page to learn more about Veritas product training
and certification at: https://www.veritas.com/services/education-services.html. This
slide displays links related to curriculum paths, Veritas certification, and other training
related information.
• Curriculum Paths: Backup & Recovery, Information Governance, Storage &
Availability.
• Get Certified in NetBackup and other Veritas products.
• View FAQs about Education Services.
• Manage your training transcript and print certificates of completion by signing in to
the Veritas Learning Portal.
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Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

0-11
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 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup

© 2018 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Introducing NetBackup lesson in the Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration
course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

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 Lesson introduction
• Lesson 0: Course Introduction • Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores
• Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup • Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V Environment
• Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage • Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage
• Lesson 3: Configuring Policies Lifecycle Policies
• Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups • Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the
NetBackup Catalog
• Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores
• Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups
• Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools
• Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic
• Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
Information
• Lesson 8: Configuring and Managing Tape Storage
• Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

This lesson is the first lesson in this course.

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 Lesson objectives (1/2)
Topic Objective
Data Protection and the NetBackup Discuss considerations for data protection, and identify the
Environment components of a NetBackup environment and their functions.
Define common terms used in the NetBackup product, and describe
NetBackup Concepts
how NetBackup backs up and restores data.

NetBackup Appliance Overview Describe the NetBackup appliance offerings.

Using the NetBackup Administration

Navigate the NetBackup Administration Console.
Console

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
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 Lesson objectives (2/2)
Topic Objective
Use the NetBackup web user interface, discuss Role-Based Access
Using the NetBackup web interface Control (RBAC), describe Veritas Smart Meter, and navigate the
Veritas Smart Meter portal.

Using NetBackup OpsCenter Navigate the OpsCenter Console.

Identify the available NetBackup installation methods, List the

recommended SORT procedures for new installations, create a user
Installing NetBackup
account for the NetBackup Web server, and perform NetBackup
installation

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
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 Topic: Data Protection and the NetBackup Environment

After completing this topic, you will be able to discuss considerations for
data protection, and identify the components of a NetBackup environment
and their functions.

This is the Data Protection and the NetBackup Environment topic.

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 Customer Business Challenge – Data Loss

Top Five Reasons to Back Up

DELETION AUDITING DATABASES HARDWARE DISASTER

FAILURE

Accidental deletion General Data Rollback recovery, Hardware or system Data loss caused by
of files and emails Protection Corruption, Cloning malfunctions. malware, ransomware
or corrupt files. Regulation (GDPR) (QA/Dev), Testing, attack, employee
compliance. Malicious code, etc. sabotage, etc.

Data loss can occur at any time and for all kinds of reasons. This might include crashes,
malware, physical damage or failure, theft, or basic user error. The fact is that data loss
can be a disaster for a business - or even an individual. This slides lists the top five
reasons why you should, indeed, keep regular backups.
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 Data Protection – Why are backups important?

Simple Recovery

Minimize Downtime

Audits, Fines for non-compliance, and Archives

Cost Reduction

The purpose of the backup is to create a copy of data that can be recovered in the event
of a primary data failure. Primary data failures can be the result of hardware or software
failure, data corruption, or a human-caused event, such as a malicious attack (virus or
malware), or accidental deletion of data. Backup copies allow data to be restored from
an earlier point in time to help the business recover from an unplanned event.
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 Brief History of NetBackup

1987 1990 1993 1993 1997

Started as a Rebadged as Rebranded as BackupPlus Veritas acquired

backup solution AWBUS Backup Plus was acquired OpenVision.
for Chrysler by OpenVision.
Corporation

In 1987, Chrysler Corporation engaged Control Data Corporation to write a backup

software solution. A small group of engineers wrote the software which was later
adopted by other Control Data customers. In 1990, Control Data formed the Automated
Workstation Backup System business unit. The first version of AWBUS supported two
tapes drives in a single robotic library carousel with the SGI IRIX operating system. In
1993, Control Data renamed the product to BackupPlus 1.0. This is why many
NetBackup commands have a ‘bp’ prefix. Software improvements included support for
media Volume Management and Server Migration/Hierarchical Storage Management. In
1993, BackupPlus was acquired by OpenVision Technologies and rebranded it as
NetBackup. This is why, on UNIX platforms, NetBackup installs into /usr/openv directory.
On May 6, 1997, Veritas acquired OpenVision Technologies, including absorption of the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

NetBackup product line.

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 Why Choose NetBackup?

TM

Veritas NetBackup
has been the
trusted leader in data
protection for decades.

NETBACKUP PLATFORM

Veritas NetBackup enables 360 Data Management and lets customers build on their
existing investment in NetBackup, providing not only scalable protection for hybrid
environments, but also solving challenges around copy data sprawl, information insight,
and availability of business data. Veritas NetBackup also lets you:
• Back up VMs an average of 45% faster
• Recover concurrent VMs in up to 47% less time
• Simplify and shorten protection windows for application VMs
Customers have choices. In a world full of point solutions and fragmented product sets
from large hardware vendors, Veritas NetBackup protects all data, no matter where it
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

resides: virtual, physical, or cloud.

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 NetBackup component definitions
• Initiates backup and recovery activities on the
media servers (NetBackup management)
Master
• Manages resources for backup and recovery
server
activities
• Tracks the backed up data

Media Write data from clients to storage devices as backup

servers images, and restores the data to the client

Clients Hosts that have data to be backed up

10

The systems that have data to be backed up are called clients. Veritas NetBackup Client
software must be installed on each client. Veritas NetBackup server software that
controls the environment and accesses backup storage devices comes in a few different
flavors. A single host can provide more than one of these server roles.
• The master server controls the backup and recovery activities for the clients
assigned to it. Master servers track what files are backed up to which backup media.
Additionally, the master server centralizes services that manage and allocate the
resources required for all NetBackup operations. This includes the NetBackup
database (sometimes abbreviated as NBDB), which centralizes information about
the backup environment. The NBDB is shown on the slide as a dual-colored cylinder,
next to the master server.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Media servers have some form of storage attached to them—either directly or

through the network. Media servers perform the writing and reading of data to and
from media (disk or tape). They combine clients’ data into GNU tar files called
backup images. One master can control several media servers.
• Clients include all hosts that have data backed up, including the media server and
master server themselves. Clients can be both physical servers, or virtual servers. In
many cases the NetBackup client software is installed on the client system, however
in some cases, such as with virtual machines, the NetBackup client software may not
be necessary.

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 NetBackup domain configurations
NetBackup Server NetBackup Enterprise Server
Master and media Master server
server

Media
Clients servers

NetBackup domain
Clients
Client data
Backup data
Resource Management NetBackup domain

11

The NetBackup server software supports two hierarchies, determined by your need, but
differentiated by the license purchased.
• NetBackup Server is a specific product licensed for smaller environments, where a
single computer plays the role of both the master server and media server.
OpsCenter may also be installed on this system as well.
• NetBackup Enterprise Server serves the needs of larger enterprises, because it
enables you to spread the load among multiple media servers controlled by a
separate master server. A NetBackup Enterprise Server license is required for each of
these server hosts. Note that unless the environment is very small, Veritas
recommends that the master server role should not be mixed with other roles, such
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

as a media server, OpsCenter server, or run CPU intense applications, on the same
server. If it is performing some minimal media server tasks, definitely avoid CPU
intense activities such as hosting a Media Server Deduplication Pool (MSDP).
In either case, everything under the control of an individual master server, including the
media servers or storage hardware, is considered part of a single NetBackup domain.

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 NetBackup domains and OpsCenter
Site A domain Site B domain
master1 master2
OpsCenter

Master
servers

ms1 ms2 Media ms3

servers

Clients

12

The collection of clients and media servers managed by a single master is called a
NetBackup domain. NetBackup domains can be segregated based on geographic,
organizational, performance, or administrative reasons. Sometimes you want to
segregate clients into distinct collections for administrative or performance reasons.
• With NetBackup, you can put each of these separate client groups in its own
NetBackup domain. Each domain has its own master and collection of media
servers.
• A single OpsCenter server can communicate with every master server and so help
you coordinate all of your NetBackup domains.
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 Topic: NetBackup Concepts

After completing this topic, you will be able to define common terms used
in the NetBackup product, and describe how NetBackup backs up and
restores data.

13

This is the NetBackup Concepts topic.

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 NetBackup policies

Attributes How do backups occur? Where do backup images go?

Schedules When do backups occur? Include all data or only changes? How long is backup data retained?

Clients Which systems are backed up?

Backup
Which data is backed up?
Selections
Application-
How are database backups handled? How are virtual machine backups handled?
specific tabs

14

Backup policies provide the instructions that NetBackup follows to back up clients. A
backup policy can apply to one or more clients. The best approach is to group the clients
according to the backup requirements, and creating a policy for each group. In a policy,
you define attributes, schedules, a client list, and a backup selections list.
• Attributes answer questions, such as: What type of client to back up? Where to
store the backup? How should the files be backed up? Are there any special backup
behaviors?
• Schedules answer questions, such as: What is the backup type? When and how
frequently to perform the backup? How long is the backup data retained?
• The Clients list identifies which clients to back up.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• The Backup Selections list identifies which files and directories to back up.
More recent versions of NetBackup have introduced new policy tabs to assist with
application-specific backup settings. In NetBackup 8.1.2 and later, these includes the
following:
• Oracle policies includes the Oracle and Instances and Databases tab, and removes
the Clients tab.
• MS-SQL policies includes the Microsoft SQL Server and Instances and Databases
tabs, and removes the Clients tab.
• VMware policies includes the VMware and Exclude Disks tab.
• Hyper-V policies includes the Hyper-V tab.

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 Backup storage types
Removable
media

Tapes

Disk
Client’s
backup data
(in an image)
Local SAN NetBackup appliance
disk storage or OST-based storage

Cloud

15

The backup data from a client is stored as a backup image, and must be saved
somewhere. Removable media, such as tape, is very cost effective. Robotic libraries
automate operation, and can be shared to provide redundancy and efficient allocation
of resources. Although disk is becoming more popular, removable media still serves a
valuable purpose, such as for long term or off-site storage. Additionally, many modern
tape libraries and removable media devices have competitive performance with disk.
Images can be stored on local or networked disks for rapid access, but increasingly
complex permanent storage solutions are built around disk – such as deduplication –
which can be used alone, or in combination with removable media. You can configure
NetBackup to implement and maintain these optimized solutions. If you have an
account with a supported cloud storage service, NetBackup can store your images there
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

efficiently and safely.

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 The NetBackup catalog

NetBackup Master
server
NetBackup
catalog

• Stores data in a relational database (NBDB)

• Includes:
The NetBackup – Media and device data
database (NBDB) – Backup image header data

• Stores data in flat files

NetBackup • Includes:
configuration files
– Policies, schedules, and job information
– Backup image file metadata

16

NetBackup catalogs are information stores that contain information about the
NetBackup configuration and backups, including records of the files that have been
backed up and the media on which the files are stored. The NetBackup catalogs reside
on the NetBackup master server and consist of the following components:
• The NetBackup database (NBDB) is a relational database that uses SAP SQL
Anywhere. The NBDB stores data for several NetBackup services, including media
and device data, backup image headers, authentication and authorization. Bare
Metal Restore (BMR) data is also stored in a Sybase database if the BMR option is
used. Because the first service to use the relational database was the Enterprise
Media Manager in earlier releases of NetBackup, the database is sometimes
referred to as the EMM database.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• The NetBackup configuration files include policies, schedules, and other files used by
NetBackup. These are sometimes referred to as flat files because they are not stored
in a relational database, and are stored in simple files on the file system of the
NetBackup master server.
A critical NetBackup component is the image database, which stores backup image
metadata. This metadata is stored in two locations: the image header data is stored in
the relational database (NBDB), and the image file list is still stored as flat files in the
NetBackup configuration files. Because the image file lists contain the path to every file
backed up, this is usually the largest component of the NetBackup catalogs.

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 The data backup process

NetBackup
logs and NetBackup
reports 4
master
1 server and
catalog
NetBackup
3
media
server
2

NetBackup Storage
Client Backup
client destination
data image

17

Using NetBackup, you create policies and schedules for backing up data periodically
(such as every hour or every day). The policy and schedule information is maintained in
the NetBackup database. The policy identifies how the backups occur, where the
backups occur, when the backups occur, which clients are backed up, and which files
and directories are backed up from those clients. The following flow is described on this
diagram:
1. When a policy is run, the master server interprets the policy, allocates resources,
and connects to the requested media server.
2. The media server prepares the allocated storage resources and then passes on the
requirements of the backup to the client. The client processes the files to be backed
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

up and transfers them in the form of a tar backup image over the network to the
media server. The media server writes the file image to the allocated storage.
3. The media server also passes information about the backup to the master server
which then stores the information into the backup catalog.
4. During the backup status information is sent to the NetBackup master server, and
NetBackup keeps status information in various log files, enabling you to monitor or
report on the backup. Information is also pulled from the master server by the
OpsCenter server on a periodic basis, based on the OpsCenter configuration.

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 The data restore process
1
NetBackup
logs and NetBackup
reports 4
master
server and
2 catalog
NetBackup
media
server
3

NetBackup Storage
Client Backup
client destination
data image

18

No backup is worth anything unless the data it contains is available to be restored when
needed. Restores can be performed from the master server by an administrator to
restore the data to the destination client machine. Restores can also be performed at
the request of a user. The restore flow is described in this diagram.
1. To restore data, use OpsCenter or the NetBackup Backup, Archive and Restore
interface. The NetBackup master server catalog contains information about what
files and folders have been backed up, and provides the information that the
administrator will then use to select which data to restore.
2. The NetBackup master server uses the information in the NetBackup database to
identify where the backup images are stored, and uses information supplied by the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

administrator to decide where they should be restored on the NetBackup client.

3. The appropriate image is retrieved from storage by the media server, and the
selected files are extracted onto the client.
4. Because NetBackup maintains status information about restores in its log files, you
can monitor and report on restores just like backups. Information is also pulled from
the master server by the OpsCenter server on a periodic basis, based on the
OpsCenter configuration.

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 Protect any workload
Operating systems NetBackup integrates with dozens of server operating system (OS) versions,
including Microsoft Windows, Linux, and UNIX files.
Virtual systems NetBackup integrates with leading hypervisors including VMware vSphere,
Microsoft Hyper-V, and Red Hat Virtualization.
Databases and applications NetBackup integrates with leading relational database and application platforms,
including IBM DB2, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL,
Oracle, SAP, and others.
Storage systems NetBackup protects data at the storage system level by integrating with various
snapshot, replication, and NDMP facilities from Dell EMC, HP, Hitachi, IBM,
NetApp, and others.
Cloud platforms NetBackup supports the backup and recovery of workloads within cloud
environments by leveraging cloud snapshot technology. Orchestrate AWS,
Microsoft, and Google Cloud.
Big Data systems With NetBackup Parallel Streaming, large scale-out, multi-node systems such as
Hadoop and HBase can be protected much more quickly by streaming data from
every node simultaneously.

19

One of the hallmarks of enterprise IT is its heterogeneity. The wide variety of platforms,
applications, and infrastructure often grows with the size of the enterprise. NetBackup
supports a vast array of environments and integrates with every layer of the
infrastructure stack to unify your entire data protection strategy.
• Operating systems - NetBackup integrates with dozens of server operating system
(OS) versions, including Microsoft Windows, Linux, and UNIX files.
• Virtual systems - NetBackup integrates with leading hypervisors including VMware
vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V.
• Databases and applications - NetBackup integrates with leading relational databases
and application platforms, including IBM DB2, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, SAP, and others.

• Storage systems - NetBackup protects data at the storage system level by integrating
with various snapshot, replication, and NDMP facilities from Dell EMC, HP, Hitachi,
IBM, NetApp, and others.
• Cloud platforms - NetBackup supports the backup and recovery of workloads within
cloud environments by leveraging cloud snapshot technology. Orchestrate AWS,
Microsoft, and Google snapshots.
• Big Data systems - With NetBackup Parallel Streaming, large scale-out, multi-node
systems such as Hadoop and HBase can be protected much more quickly by
streaming data from every node simultaneously.
For up-to-date information on compatibility, refer to
http://netbackup.com/compatibility.

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 Topic: NetBackup Appliance overview

After completing this topic, you will be able to describe the NetBackup
appliance offerings.

20

This is the NetBackup Appliance overview topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

1-20 Not for Distribution.

 What is the NetBackup appliance?

NetBackup with Deduplication

Symantec Data Center Security

Built-in WAN Optimization

Veritas InfoScale

Veritas Hardened Operating

System

Optimized Hardware

Redundant Storage

Single Patch Updates

21

A computer appliance is a separate and discrete hardware device with integrated

software and firmware, specifically designed to provide a specific computing resource. A
NetBackup appliance is more than just NetBackup pre-installed on hardware. It is a
turnkey hardware and software solution that is designed to install in minutes, decrease
operational costs and reduce complexity. Advantages of NetBackup appliances include:
• Redundant storage in RAID6 for storing backups.
• Hardware optimally configured by Veritas, with help from Intel, for NetBackup’s
predictable and consistent performance.
• Veritas InfoScale at no additional cost, which provides an industry-leading storage
management infrastructure, built for high-performance and resiliency.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• A Linux-based operating system, optimized for NetBackup and hardened by Veritas,

eliminating the cost of deploying and maintaining the operating system and
applications.
• A built-in WAN Optimization driver that provides the ability to replicate to
appliances on remote sites or to the cloud, up to 10 times faster over high latency
links.
• Symantec Data Center Security, which provides non-signature based Host Intrusion
Prevention, zero-day attacks, user and device controls, and more with, pre-defined
policies.
• Single patch updates that upgrade everything in the appliance.

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 NetBackup Appliance Family

Up to
1-250TB Up to 1374 TB*
1PB

Up to 1920 TB*
Up to 294TB
Media Server Cloud Catalyst
14TB-27TB 240TB
229TB
0.5-16TB
Media Server
4TB
Master/Media Media Server
Server Enterprise Appliance with storage Enterprise Appliance with storage
Master Server with storage

NetBackup 5330 NetBackup 5340

NetBackup NetBackup 5240 Maximum Performance,
Virtual Resilience and Scale Resilience and Scale
Appliances Versatile Implementation
High Availability (Optional) High Availability (Optional)

* Maximum MSDP Size 916 TB in Version 3.1.2 and later

22

NetBackup integrated Appliances reduce complexity by eliminating the need to analyze,

research, and procure separate infrastructure components in order to protect data. The
current appliance product family consists of:

• Virtual Appliances: A scalable data protection solution designed to integrate

NetBackup solutions into your virtual environment. They provide an alternative to
physical appliance solutions to let you leverage your existing virtual infrastructure
and NetBackup expertise. Master/media virtual appliances are a low-cost solution for
environments with smaller data protection requirements that require minimal on-site
infrastructure management expertise. Media server virtual appliances can scale up in
the number of instances and storage capacity to meet the growing requirement of
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

data protection in data centers. Either type of virtual appliance can replicate data to
other sites for disaster recovery.

• NetBackup 5240: A scalable integrated backup appliance that can function as either a
master or a media server and can scale from 4 TB to 294 TB of storage.

• NetBackup 5240 CloudCatalyst: A dedicated cloud gateway that uses MSDP

deduplication technology to upload deduplicated data to the cloud. The data is
uploaded by a CloudCatalyst storage server, which first stores data in a local cache
before uploading it to cloud storage. This cloud storage server is a dedicated host
that can be either a NetBackup appliance or a media server configured for NetBackup
CloudCatalyst.

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 • NetBackup 5330: A high-performance hardware and software storage system that
scales to a total of 1374 TB of usable backup capacity. The maximum MSDP pool size
in 3.1.2 and later is 916 TB; additional capacity can be used for AdvancedDisk and/or
Copilot shares. It consists of a 2U NetBackup 5330 Appliance compute node and one
externally attached 4U Primary Storage Shelf. You can add up to five optional 4U
Expansion Storage Shelves to meet your storage requirements. Veritas also offers a
high availability (HA) solution for NetBackup 5330 Appliance systems consisting of
two connected compute nodes that connect to common storage in an active/active
configuration.

• NetBackup 5340: Offering maximum performance and scalability. The NetBackup

5340 Appliance is a hardware and software storage system that can scale up to a
total of 1920 TB of usable backup capacity (916 TB of which can be used for MSDP in
3.1.2 and later). It consists of one 2U NetBackup 5340 Appliance compute node and
one required externally attached 5U84 Primary Storage Shelf for data storage
purposes. By itself, the NetBackup 5340 Appliance compute node does not provide
internal disk space for data storage. You can add up to three optional 5U84 Expansion
Storage Shelves if you require additional data storage space. Veritas also offers a high
availability (HA) solution for NetBackup 5340 Appliance systems consisting of two
connected compute nodes that connect to common storage in an active/active
configuration.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

1-23 Not for Distribution.

 Understanding NetBackup appliances

• Based on Front-End Terabytes (FETB)

Licensing • Separate from hardware cost
• Offers numerous advantages (replication, retention, refresh)

• Defined by hardware, firmware and software

Versioning • Uses an appliance-specific version number
• Correspond to a specific NetBackup version

• Software and appliance functionality is normally equivalent, but may not be identical
Compatibility • Refer to http://netbackup.com/compatibility, in the NetBackup Appliances section.

24

When comparing do-it-yourself NetBackup environments to using NetBackup

appliances, there are some key differences and similarities to consider.
NetBackup Appliance Licensing
All models of NetBackup appliances use the Data Protection and Optimization Option
(DPOO) license, which is based on front-end Terabytes (FETB) deduplicated by
NetBackup. Unlike most appliance vendors, Veritas keeps licensing costs separate from
hardware costs. This adds value and flexibility to Veritas appliance offerings. When
licensing deduplication from Veritas, you pay only once for each TB of data protected,
regardless of how many copies you make. This can result in drastically reduced costs for
appliances, disk pools or tape libraries used solely to hold replicated data.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Licenses are perpetual and transferable. Which means, you don’t pay the cost of the
deduplication engine again every time you refresh hardware. It also means that existing
DPOO licenses for disk pools can be used if you migrate from legacy servers to
appliances. Licenses are based on the amount of data you protect, not the capacity of
the appliance. Which means you can buy an appliance with extra storage capacity with
an eye towards future growth without paying for storage you are not using. 5230
Appliances can also be licensed as traditional Master or Media servers if, for example,
you will not be using the appliance to deduplicate any data.

1-24 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup Appliance Versioning
NetBackup appliances are Veritas-defined platforms of hardware, firmware and
software. This includes driver revisions, OS levels and patches of all devices or software
components. There are no modifications allowed without the express instructions of
Veritas Support. Modifications to the appliance in any fashion without express
instructions from Veritas Support will void warranty and result in an unsupported
configuration. Only supported appliance-specific patches may be applied to the
NetBackup appliances. Upgrades to NetBackup appliances must follow supported
procedures as given in NetBackup documentation. Never apply operating system or
individual software updates except under the guidance of NetBackup Support.
NetBackup Appliance Compatibility
If you use a separate media server to backup the master server catalog, it must use the
same NetBackup version as the master server. See the Veritas NetBackup Installation
Guide for information about mixed version support. Unless otherwise noted, the
appliance has the same compatibility with other agents or products as the underlying
NetBackup product. For example: A 5240 Appliance master server running 3.2 has the
same compatibility as a non-appliance master server running 8.2, unless otherwise
noted. There are a few functions that are not supported in a NetBackup appliance. For
information about NetBackup appliances compatibility, see the Article 100002560:
NetBackup Appliance Compatibility Notes: http://www.veritas.com/docs/100002560 .
Refer to the NetBackup Master Compatibility List at
http://netbackup.com/compatibility, to view up-to-date information about supported
functionality, including minimum required versions and additional notes.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

1-25 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Using the NetBackup Administration Console

After completing this topic, you will be able to navigate the NetBackup
Administration Console.

26

This is the Using the NetBackup Administration Console topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

1-26 Not for Distribution.

 Navigating the NetBackup Administration Console

Details pane

Object tree

27

The NetBackup Administration Console consists of two major screen areas:

• Object tree (left) pane with various navigation branches. The NetBackup
Management branch contains the utilities used to monitor activity, run and view
reports, configure policies and storage units, manage backup images, and perform
catalog backups. Host properties for the master server, media servers, and clients
can be remotely modified using this branch. The Media and Device Management
branch contains the utilities used to manage the volumes, pools, and devices that
NetBackup uses to store backups.
• Details (right) pane, contains the configuration wizards and details specific to the
utility that is selected in the object tree pane.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

The default program location for the NetBackup Administration Console is

/usr/openv/java/jnbSA on UNIX, and for Windows is C:\Program
Files\Veritas\NetBackup\Java\nbjava.bat. Note that the NetBackup
Administration Console is not natively run on a NetBackup appliance, even if the
appliance is a NetBackup master server. Instead, install the NetBackup Administration
Console on a separate system, and remotely connect to it. Always install the latest
version of the NetBackup Administration Console software, and use the correct version
of the console for the version of the master server being interacted with.

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 NetBackup Administration Console: Activity Monitor

28

The Jobs tab in the Activity Monitor displays information about NetBackup queued,
active, waiting, suspended, incomplete and completed jobs. Functions you can perform
on jobs include canceling, suspending, resuming, or restarting a job. The following tabs
are visible in the details pane of the Activity Monitor:
• The Jobs tab: If you double-click a job listed under the Jobs tab, you obtain valuable
job detail information, including policy, file list, status, kilobytes written, number of
files written, percent complete, and start, elapsed, and end times, which are used to
derive kilobytes per seconds statistics.
• The Daemons tab: Provides status and control for those programs that typically start
whenever the system reboots.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• The Processes tab: Provides visibility to NetBackup process status.

• The Drives tab: Displays the status of NetBackup tape drives associated with the
NetBackup domain controlled by the master server being monitored.

1-28 Not for Distribution.

 Master server host properties: Global Attributes

bpconfig

Refer to the NetBackup Administrator’s Guide for parameter information.

29

This graphic shows the master server host attributes that can be configured on the
Global Attributes dialog box. The Global Attributes properties apply to the currently
selected master server. The Global Attributes properties affect all operations for all
policies and clients. The default values are adequate for most installations but can be
changed. Changes to Global Attributes properties cascade across all component
systems in the backup environment.
Note: See the Veritas NetBackup Administrator’s Guide for additional master server
properties.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

1-29 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup command locations
• NetBackup programs, client commands, notification scripts
– UNIX: /usr/openv/netbackup/bin
– Windows: install_path\NetBackup\bin
• NetBackup administration server only commands
– UNIX: /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/admincmd
– Windows: install_path\NetBackup\bin\admincmd
• Media and device management programs and utilities
– UNIX: /usr/openv/volmgr/bin
– Windows: install_path\VolMgr\bin
• Other utilities and scripts
– UNIX: /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/goodies
– Windows: install_path\NetBackup\bin\goodies
• Command help
– UNIX: Online man pages
– Windows/UNIX: Veritas NetBackup Commands Reference Guide

30

Commands can be issued interactively to administer NetBackup without using a

graphical user interface, such as the NetBackup Administration Console. NetBackup
commands are often used in UNIX shell, Windows command shell (cmd.exe), and
Windows PowerShell. They can also be used as a part of batch scripts to perform
reusable custom operations. Some commands, such as those found in the admincmd
directory, are only available to NetBackup administration servers. By default, this is the
master server, but also all media servers designated as Additional Servers in the host
properties (SERVERS in the bp.conf configuration file). Media servers designated as
simply Media Servers in the host properties (MEDIA_SERVERS in bp.conf) will not
have permission to run these commands.
On Windows, the default installation path is C:\Program Files\Veritas. To
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

simplify command execution, append the paths shown on the slide to your PATH
environment variable.
Command Help is available as follows:
• UNIX: Use the online man pages and ensure that the MANPATH includes
/usr/openv/man or use the Veritas NetBackup Commands Reference Guide.
• Windows: Use the Veritas NetBackup Commands Reference Guide.

1-30 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Using the NetBackup web interface

After completing this topic, you will be able to use the NetBackup web user
interface, discuss Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), and navigate the
Veritas Smart Meter portal.

31

This is the Using the NetBackup web interface topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

1-31 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup web interface: Introduction

Secure, role-based administration with access

control and audit tracking.
Agentless point-and-click restores of files on
virtual machines.
Orchestrate snapshots of cloud workloads in
AWS, Microsoft and Google.
Automate provisioning and ticket creation with
extensive REST API libraries.
Faster upgrades with automatic client updates
and more Appliance options.
Real-time usage and consumption reporting
through Smart Meter.

32

NetBackup web user interface in 8.2 provides the following features:

• A dashboard that displays a quick overview of the information that is important to
you.
• NetBackup security administrators can manage NetBackup security, certificates,
RBAC, API keys, user sessions, and locked NetBackup user accounts.
• Role-based access control (RBAC) that lets the administrator configure user access to
NetBackup and to delegate the tasks that are related to security, backup
management, or workload protection.
• Backup administrators provide protection services to satisfy their service level
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

objectives (SLOs). Protection of assets is achieved through protection plans, job

management, and visibility of the protection status of assets.
• Workload administrators can subscribe assets to the protection plans that meet the
SLO, can monitor protection status, and can perform self-service recovery of virtual
machines. Currently the webUI supports Cloud, Red Hat Virtualization, and VMware
workloads.
• Usage reporting tracks the size of backup data on your master servers. You can also
easily connect to Veritas Smart Meter to view and manage NetBackup licensing.
To start the NetBackup web UI, open a web browser and go
to https://masterserver/webui/login.

1-32 Not for Distribution.

 Working with the NetBackup dashboard
Jobs
Lists job information, including the number of active
and queued jobs and the status of attempted and
completed jobs.
Security events
The Access history view includes a record of login
events. The Audit events view includes events that
are related to tokens, certificates, and the certificate
revocation list (CRL).

Certificates
Displays information about the host ID-based security
certificates in your environment.

Tokens
Displays the information about the authorization
tokens in your environment.

Veritas Smart Meter

Includes a link to the Veritas Smart Meter.

33

The NetBackup dashboard provides a quick view of the details that are related to your
role in your organization.
Dashboard widget and description:
• Jobs: Lists job information, including the number of active and queued jobs, and the
status of attempted and completed jobs.
• Security events: The Access history view includes a record of login events. The Audit
events view includes events that are related to tokens, certificates, and the
certificate revocation list (CRL).
• Certificates: Displays information about the host ID-based security certificates in your
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

environment.
• Tokens: Displays the information about the authorization tokens in your
environment.
• Veritas Smart Meter: This widget includes a link to the Veritas Smart Meter.

1-33 Not for Distribution.

 Role-based access control (RBAC) in the NetBackup web UI
NetBackup uses role-based access control to grant access to the web UI. This access control includes the tasks a user
can perform and the assets the user can view and manage. Access control is accomplished through access rules.

Access rules associate a user or a user group with a role and an object group.

Roles define the permissions a user has.

Object groups define the assets and the NetBackup objects a user can access.

RBAC is only available for the web UI and the APIs. Other access control methods for NetBackup are not supported for the web UI and APIs, with the
exception of Enhanced Auditing (EA). Users that are configured with EA have full permissions for the web UI and APIs. You cannot use the web UI if you
have NetBackup Access Control (NBAC) enabled.

34

The NetBackup web user interface (web UI) provides the ability to apply role-based
access control to grant access to the web UI. This access control includes the tasks a
user can perform and the assets the user can view and manage. Access control is
accomplished through access rules.
• Access rules associate a user or a user group with a role and an object group.
Multiple access rules can be created for a single user or group, allowing for full and
flexible customization of user access.
• Roles define the permissions a user has.
• Object groups define the assets and NetBackup objects a user can access. You can
use object groups to define groups of assets or application servers or to indicate the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

protection plans that users can view or manage. For example, you can grant access
for VMware administrators by creating an object group with specific VMware
application servers. Also add to the object group the specific protection plans that
the VMware administrator can choose to protect VMware assets.
Note: RBAC is only available for the web UI and the APIs. Other access control methods
for NetBackup are not supported for the web UI and APIs, with the exception of
Enhanced Auditing (EA). Users that are configured with EA have full permissions for the
web UI and APIs. You cannot use the web UI if you have NetBackup Access Control
(NBAC) enabled.

1-34 Not for Distribution.

 RBAC features
Predefined roles in RBAC allow users to perform common tasks for a system
administrator, backup administrator, or workload administrator.

USER
AUDIT
RBAC users can perform common tasks for their business role, but are restricted
from accessing other NetBackup areas and features.
PASSWORD
SECURITY
PYSICAL

SYSTEM RBAC is available in the NetBackup web user interface and NetBackup APIs.
CONTROL

LOGIN
MANDATORY

NetBackup audits successful RBAC events.

COMPUTER

ACCESS

IDENTIFICATION
AUTHORIZATION

ROLE-BASED
CREDENTIALS

KEYS

RBAC supports access control of VMware and Cloud workflows.

CONTROLLER
ELECTRONIC

RBAC settings are protected with the NetBackup catalog.

READER
LOCKS

Enhanced Auditing is supported across all interfaces.

35

The following are the important features of Role Based Access Control (RBAC):
• Predefined roles in RBAC allow users to perform common tasks for a system
administrator, backup administrator, or workload administrator. Or, create custom
roles to fit the role of your users. Root users and administrators still have full
permissions in all NetBackup interfaces and in the APIs.
• RBAC users can perform common tasks for their business role, but are restricted from
accessing other NetBackup areas and features. RBAC controls the assets that users
can view or have access to. For example, a backup administrator can only manage
backup images and jobs for the assets for which they have been given access.
• RBAC is available in the NetBackup web user interface and NetBackup APIs, which are
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

installed with NetBackup starting with version 8.1.2.

• NetBackup audits successful RBAC events. These events include when access rules,
roles, or object groups are created, updated, or deleted.
• RBAC currently supports a limited number of workflows. In NetBackup 8.1.2 and
later, this support includes access control of VMware and Cloud workflows.
• RBAC settings are protected with the NetBackup catalog.
• Enhanced Auditing is supported across all interfaces. You can continue to use the
authorization (auth.conf) configurations with the NetBackup Administration Console
and the CLIs. With these older interfaces you can manage access to workflows that
are not yet supported in the NetBackup web UI and NetBackup APIs.

1-35 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup default and custom RBAC roles
Role permissions only determine what kinds of actions a user can perform. Below are the NetBackup default RBAC roles available for
use:
NetBackup Security Administrator
• Manages role-based access control.
• Oversees the security management.

Backup Administrator
• Manage all jobs activity.
• Configure NetBackup to send email notifications to the ticketing system when
certain job failures occur.
• Configure protection plans for the workload administrator.
• View the usage reporting details on backup data size for NetBackup master
servers.

Workload Administrator
• Manage the jobs that they initiate.
• Manage the assets they are granted access to.
• Monitor protection status and subscribes assets to protection plans.
• Perform the recovery for assets they manage.
If the default NetBackup roles for RBAC do not meet your needs, you can configure a role with custom role permissions. Note, however, that customer
roles do have certain limitations.

36

With the NetBackup RBAC default roles you can delegate for tasks like NetBackup
security management, protection plan configuration and job management, and
protection and recovery of assets. Role permissions only determine what kinds of
actions a user can perform. A user’s access rules also determine the assets, application
servers, or protection plans (defined in an object group) that a user can view or manage.
For example, if a user has recovery permissions, that user can only recover assets for
which they are granted access.
NetBackup security administrator: The NetBackup security administrator performs the
following tasks in the NetBackup environment:
• Manages role-based access control. This user can delegate access to NetBackup. This
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

task includes managing the users that can access NetBackup, the role or permissions
that users have, and the NetBackup assets that users can access.
• Oversees the security management. This task includes managing NetBackup hosts
and certificates, managing global security settings, and viewing security events.
Backup administrator: The backup administrator performs the following tasks in the
NetBackup environment:
• Manages all jobs activity. Monitors all job operations. Able to cancel, suspend,
resume, restart, and delete jobs.
• The backup administrator can also configure NetBackup to send email notifications to
their ticketing system when certain job failures occur.
• Configures protection plans for the workload administrator.

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 • Views the usage reporting details on backup data size for NetBackup master
servers.
You can limit access (through object groups) for users with the Backup administrator
role or with a custom role. However, you cannot limit the jobs that a backup
administrator can see. Users with this role can view all job activity.
Workload administrator: The workload administrator performs the following tasks in
the NetBackup environment:
• Manages the jobs that they initiate.
• Manages the assets they are granted access to. Configure assets in the NetBackup
environment including cloud providers, application servers, and asset groups.
• Monitors protection status and subscribes assets to protection plans.
• Performs the recovery for assets they manage.
You can limit access (through object groups) for users with the Workload
administrator role.
If the default NetBackup roles for RBAC do not meet your needs, you can configure a
role with custom role permissions. Note that customer roles do have certain
limitations.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

1-36 Not for Distribution.

 Limitations of custom roles

Host Settings Find and add assets,

Security Administrator role application servers and
protections plans to object
group
Security Administrator role

Alerts and Notifications,

Usage reporting
Backup Administrator role

While creating custom roles, enable minimal number of permissions that allow a user to sign in and use the Web UI

37

When you create custom roles, note the following:

• Some permissions are only available with default RBAC roles or for custom roles
configured with the NetBackup APIs.
• A user can only manage Hosts settings, if that user has the Security administrator
role.
• A user can only manage Alerts and notifications and view Usage reporting, if that
user has the Backup administrator role.
• A user with the Security administrator role also has certain “view” permissions so
that user can find and add assets, application servers, and protection plans to an
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

object group. If you want a user with a custom role to create access rules, be sure
to select the appropriate view permissions for the custom role.
• Some individual permissions do not have a direct correlation with a screen in the
web UI. Users that attempt to sign in but only have a permission of this kind receive
an “Unauthorized” message. When you create custom roles, be sure to enable the
minimal number of permissions so the user can sign in to and use the web UI.

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 Managing user sessions

38

The web UI also allows security administrators to view currently active sessions,
terminate a single or all active sessions, unlock and NetBackup user, and so on.
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 Usage reporting and capacity licensing

Link to the Veritas Smart Meter

The Usage reporting application lists the size of the backup data for the NetBackup master servers in your organization.
This reporting is useful for planning when you use capacity licensing. NetBackup gathers and reports usage and trend
information on a weekly basis.

Policy types supported for usage reporting are:

BigData Informix Oracle VMware MS-Exchange-Server

MS-SQL-Server Standard Hyper-V NDMP Sybase

Usage reporting does not apply to the traditional licensing method and for manually generated capacity license reports.

39

The Usage reporting application lists the size of the backup data for the NetBackup
master servers in your organization. This reporting is useful for planning when you use
capacity licensing. NetBackup gathers and reports usage and trend information on a
weekly basis. This application also includes a link to the Veritas Smart Meter. This portal
allows NetBackup customers to proactively manage their license use through real-time
visibility of consumption patterns. Usage reporting does not apply to the traditional
licensing method also If you manually generate capacity license reports, the data does
not display in the usage report in the NetBackup web UI. Only automatic, scheduled
reports display in the web UI. Policy types supported for usage reporting are: BigData,
Informix, Oracle, VMware, MS-Exchange-Server, MS-SQL-Server, Standard, Hyper-V,
NDMP, and Sybase.
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 Veritas Smart Meter overview
Veritas Smart Meter helps you manage your NetBackup deployment more efficiently, spot trends, and plan for the
future. With accurate, near real-time reporting, it reveals the total amount of data that is backed up.

Accurate, near real-time reporting Usage trends that are shown in a Consumption assessments to alert
of terabytes protected graphical display before licensed capacity is
exceeded

Easy capacity planning and Identification of growth spikes or

budgeting potential gaps in coverage

40

Veritas Smart Meter helps you manage your NetBackup deployment more efficiently,
spot trends, and plan for the future. With accurate, near real-time reporting, it reveals
the total amount of data that is backed up. Smart Meter alerts you if you are close to
exceeding your licensed capacity limits. Smart Meter requires Veritas NetBackup 8.1.2
or later. Smart Meter provides:
• Accurate, near real-time reporting of terabytes protected.
• Usage trends that are shown in a graphical display.
• Consumption assessments to alert before licensed capacity is exceeded.
• Easy capacity planning and budgeting.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Identification of growth spikes or potential gaps in coverage.

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 Accessing and navigating the Veritas Smart Meter portal
Dashboard: Display the Capacity
consumption, Capacity consumption
growth, Alerts, Accounts, and Growth
breakdown widgets.

Accounts: Display accounts with

highest utilization, consumption
breakdown, growth breakdown, etc.

License utilization files: Display a list

of capacity utilization files and upload
license utilization file(s).

Account registration keys: Display a

list of Registration keys, Download
customer registration keys or an
aggregate key.

41

There are multiple ways to access the Veritas Smart Meter portal:
1. Open a web browser, enter the portal address https://taas.veritas.com and then
press Enter. The Veritas Account Login screen is displayed. Note that you must have
a Veritas Account Manager ID that is linked to your Veritas Entitlement Management
System to access and use Veritas Smart Meter.
2. Login to the Veritas NetBackup administration console, click the master server entry
located at the top of the object pane and then click Introducing Veritas Smart
Meter in the details pane. The Veritas Smart Meter window will be displayed. Click
the link located below Launch Veritas Smart Meter to launch the Veritas Smart
Meter portal.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

3. Login to the Veritas NetBackup web user interface, click the Launch Veritas Smart
Meter link included in the Veritas Smart Meter widget to launch the Veritas Smart
Meter portal. Alternatively, you can also click the Launch Veritas Smart Meter link
on the Usage and reporting page.
Smart Meter Portal
• The Dashboard page displays the Capacity consumption, Capacity consumption
growth, Alerts, Accounts, and Growth breakdown widgets.
• The Accounts page displays the Accounts with highest utilization, Consumption
breakdown, growth breakdown, and lists all accounts that are linked to the Veritas
Account Manager ID.
• The License utilization files page displays a list of all the capacity utilization files. An

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 option to manually upload the license utilization files is also available on this page.
• The Account registration keys page displays a list of Registration keys along with
the Account ID and the Account name. An option to download appropriate
customer registration key or an aggregate key is available on this page. A customer
registration key is required for performing fresh installs or for upgrading an existing
NetBackup environment. Customer registration key is a file that contains your
Account IDs (from Veritas Entitled Management System). It does not contain any
entitlement information.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

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 Topic: Using NetBackup OpsCenter

After completing this topic, you will be able to navigate the OpsCenter
console.

42

This is the Using NetBackup OpsCenter topic.

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 Understanding the OpsCenter Interface

• Monitors and reports on NetBackup

operations across multiple master servers
• Uses a web-based console
• Available without an additional license
• Runs on multiple platforms
• Separate installation from NetBackup
• Cannot run on the master server

43

NetBackup OpsCenter is a web-based software application that helps organizations by

providing visibility into their data protection environment, including visibility into
NetBackup and NetBackup appliances. In its core form, OpsCenter displays multi-level
views of backup and archive resources and produces reports for tracking backup results
and other aspects of an environment. OpsCenter is designed to be used by multiple
audiences within an organization who need to manage or monitor IT environments, as
well as backup administrators and operators who perform daily backup duties. This core
form of OpsCenter is available without an additional license.
The OpsCenter server is a web server, and the user interface is accessed through a
standard web browser. OpsCenter server software is included with NetBackup software,
but is installed independently. Additionally, NetBackup 8.0 and later restricts the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

OpsCenter software from running on a NetBackup master server. Although not strictly
required by NetBackup, some advanced features are only accessible through OpsCenter.
When run using the optionally licensed OpsCenter Analytics option, OpsCenter has
additional reporting functionality, which is discussed later in this lesson.

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 Accessing the OpsCenter console

Default OpsCenter address:

https://opscenterhost/opscenter

44

To access the OpsCenter console, start a web browser on a system that has network
connectivity to the OpsCenter server. Type the following URL:
https://opscenterhost/opscenter where opscenterhost is the fully qualified domain
name of the OpsCenter server or the IP address of the OpsCenter server.
Note: If there is a conflict due to an already existing Web server (for example, IIS on
Windows), OpsCenter may have chosen a different port number to avoid conflict. The
default OpsCenter web address may use this non-default port number; for example:
https://opscenterhost:port/opscenter. For more information, see the NetBackup
OpsCenter Administrator’s Guide.
To log on to the OpsCenter Console, provide the necessary logon credentials as follows:
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

1. Enter a user name and password, and select a domain from the Domain drop-down
list. For the initial login by an administrator, use the following values:
• User Name: admin
• Password: password
• Domain: OpsCenterUsers(vx)
2. Click Log On.
3. After the initial log on, change the user name and password. To change existing
passwords, navigate to Settings > User Preferences > MyProfile in OpsCenter.

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 Configuring OpsCenter data collection for NetBackup

45

Before you can use OpsCenter to monitor and manage your NetBackup environment,
you must configure data collection for NetBackup. To configure data collection for
NetBackup:
1. Add a master server to the OpsCenter console:
a. In the OpsCenter console, select Settings > Configurations > NetBackup.
b. Click Add, and fill in the fields. Optionally click the Test Connection button to
ensure the data is correct.
2. Enable data collection for a master server:
a. Use the check box to select one or more master servers from the Master Server
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Name column.
b. Click Enable Data Collection.

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 Comparing OpsCenter and OpsCenter Analytics

OpsCenter OpsCenter Analytics

Advanced business-level reporting including custom and

Operational reporting
custom SQL reports.

Reporting data for last 60 days No time limit on reporting data

No additional license required Licensed option

46

Veritas OpsCenter Analytics is a separately licensed option available for OpsCenter.

Although no license is necessary to use the base OpsCenter product, the Analytics
license unlocks the following additional capabilities in OpsCenter.
• With OpsCenter, you can only perform operational reporting; with OpsCenter
Analytics, advanced, business-level reporting is available. This includes the use of
existing reports as well as custom and custom SQL reports.
• There is a difference between reporting data availability in OpsCenter and
OpsCenter Analytics. The unlicensed product enables reporting on data from the
past 60 days; the licensed option has no limit on the age of reporting data.
This course only covers OpsCenter. For additional information on using OpsCenter
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Analytics, see the Veritas OpsCenter Administrator’s Guide and Veritas Education’s
OpsCenter training. Note: In prior releases of OpsCenter, the Java View Builder was only
available with OpsCenter Analytics. In OpsCenter 7.5 and later, the Java View Builder is
included with the base product.

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 Topic: Installing NetBackup

After completing this topic, you will be able to Identify the available
NetBackup installation methods, List the recommended SORT procedures
for new installations, create a user account for the NetBackup Web server,
and perform NetBackup installation.

47

This is the Installing NetBackup topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

1-47 Not for Distribution.

 Available NetBackup installation methods
Installation type and
Server Client
operating system

Interactive UNIX and Linux Yes (Master and Media Server) Yes

Interactive Windows Yes (Master and Media Server) Yes

Silent UNIX and Linux No Yes

Silent Windows Yes (Master and Media Server) Yes (see note)

Remote UNIX and Linux No Yes (using SSH or SFTP)

Remote Windows Yes (Master and Media Server) Yes

Note: Silent installations of NetBackup clients are not supported if you want to run the NetBackup services as a user instead of a local administrator.

48

The table on this details the various ways you can install NetBackup.
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 Recommended SORT procedures for new installations
Veritas recommends new NetBackup users perform the below three procedures that are
listed for an initial introduction to SORT.

Create a Create
Create
Veritas system-
generic
Account on specific
installation
the SORT installation
reports
webpage reports

49

Veritas recommends new NetBackup users perform the below three procedures that are
listed for an initial introduction to SORT.
1. Create a Veritas Account on the SORT webpage.
2. Create generic installation reports.
3. Create system-specific installation reports.
The tool has many other features and functions, but these serve as a good introduction
to SORT. In addition, the procedures provide a helpful base of knowledge for other SORT
functionality.
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 Creating user account for the NetBackup Web Server
Linux Windows

1 1
2
3
2
4
Note: The home directory path, user name, and
group names are not hard-coded, and can be
changed. The default local user name is nbwebsvc,
and the default local group name is nbwebgrp.

Note: For UNIX and Linux platforms, the UID must

be the same for each local account in a clustered
environment. Be sure that the local accounts are
defined consistently on all cluster nodes.

50

Beginning with NetBackup 8.0, the NetBackup master server includes a configured web
server to support critical backup operations. This web server operates under user
account elements with limited privileges. These user account elements must be
available on each master server (or each node of a clustered master server).
To create the user account and the user group on UNIX or Linux:
1. Create a local group
2. Create a local user account and add it to the group created in step 1.
For security purposes, it is recommended not to create the web server users or groups
with administrator or root privileges but should have sufficient permissions to run
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

daemons.
Note: The home directory path, user name, and group names are not hard-coded, and
can be changed. The default local user name is nbwebsvc, and the default local group
name is nbwebgrp.
Note: For UNIX and Linux platforms, the UID must be the same for each local account in
a clustered environment. Be sure that the local accounts are defined consistently on all
cluster nodes.

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 To create the user account and the user group on Windows:
1. Create a local user account.
2. Create a local group.
3. Make the new user a member of the new group.
4. Grant the Log On As a Service right to the new user.
Note: You must use domain accounts in clustered environments on Windows.
Note: Web service user account names are limited to 20 characters.
Installation of the NetBackup master server fails if any of these requirements are not
met. On Windows, you are asked to provide the password for the user account as part
of the installation process.
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 Lesson summary
• Key points
– In this lesson, you learned how to protect the data in your environment using NetBackup.
– In addition, you learned the basic terms that relate to NetBackup, and the NetBackup options and
agents used to customize your backup environment.
– You also learned about the NetBackup Appliance offerings.
– Finally, you learned how to install NetBackup, use the NetBackup Administration Console, the
NetBackup web user interface, the Veritas Smart Meter portal, and the OpsCenter console.
• Reference materials
– NetBackup Administrator’s Guide
– NetBackup Release Notes
– NetBackup Commands Reference Guide
– NetBackup OpsCenter Administrator’s Guide
– http://www.veritas.com/support

52

For more information about the topics discussed in this lesson, refer to the resources
listed on the slide and remember to check the Veritas Support web site frequently.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

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 Lab 1: Introduction to NetBackup
Lab objectives
• Exercise A: Introduction to your Lab on Demand (LOD) lab environment
• Exercise B: Installing NetBackup Software
• Exercise C: Exploring the NetBackup Administration Console
• Exercise D: NetBackup Host Properties
• Exercise E: Accessing the NetBackup web interface
• Exercise F: Exploring the NetBackup web interface
• Exercise G: Configuring role-based access control
• Exercise H: Creating and editing a custom rule (Optional)

53

The slide shows the objectives for the lab associated with this lesson. Refer to the
corresponding lab guide for specific instructions and lab steps.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

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 What did you learn?
You are about to be asked a series
of questions related to the current
lesson.

54

The next section is a quiz. In this quiz, you are asked a series of questions related to the
current lesson.
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 Question 1: NetBackup commands for scripts
NetBackup commands can be used in UNIX shell or Windows batch scripts to perform
reusable custom operations.

A. True
B. False

55
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 Answer 1: NetBackup commands for scripts
NetBackup commands can be used in UNIX shell or Windows batch scripts to perform
reusable custom operations.

A. True
B. False

The correct answer is A. NetBackup commands can be used in UNIX shell or Windows batch scripts to perform reusable
custom operations.

56
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1-56 Not for Distribution.

 Question 2: Using NetBackup web interface
Access rules define the assets and the NetBackup objects a user can access.

A. True
B. False

57
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

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 Answer 2: Using NetBackup web interface
Access rules define the assets and the NetBackup objects a user can access.

A. True
B. False

The correct answer is B. Access rules associate a user or a user group with a role and an object group.

58
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 Question 3: Using NetBackup web interface
Which of the following policy types are supported for usage reporting?

A. BigData
B. SAP
C. NDMP
D. All of the above

59
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 Answer 3: Using NetBackup web interface
Which of the following policy types are supported for usage reporting?

A. BigData
B. SAP
C. NDMP
D. All of the above

The correct answer is A and C. Policy types supported for usage reporting are: BigData, Informix, Oracle, VMware, MS-
Exchange-Server, MS-SQL-Server, Standard, Hyper-V, NDMP, and Sybase.

60
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 Question 4: About NetBackup OpsCenter
Which statement is true about NetBackup OpsCenter?

A. OpsCenter is a premium option from NetBackup that must be purchased separately.

B. Basic OpsCenter functionality is included with NetBackup.
C. OpsCenter and OpsCenter Analytics are both 100% free.
D. OpsCenter cannot be used to manage NetBackup versions prior to 7.5.

61
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 Answer 4: About NetBackup OpsCenter
Which statement is true about OpsCenter?

A. OpsCenter is a premium option from NetBackup that must be purchased separately.

B. Basic OpsCenter functionality is included with NetBackup.
C. OpsCenter and OpsCenter Analytics are both 100% free.
D. OpsCenter cannot be used to manage NetBackup versions prior to 7.5.

The correct answer is B. Basic OpsCenter functionality is included with NetBackup, and additional functionality can be
added by purchasing the OpsCenter Analytics option.

62
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Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

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 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage

© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Configuring NetBackup Storage lesson in the Veritas NetBackup 8.2:
Administration course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

2-1 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson introduction
• Lesson 0: Course Introduction • Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores
• Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup • Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V environment
• Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage • Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage
• Lesson 3: Configuring Policies Lifecycle Policies
• Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups • Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the
NetBackup Catalog
• Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores
• Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups
• Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools
• Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic
• Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
Information
• Lesson 8: Configuring and managing Tape Storage
• Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

This lesson is the second lesson in this course.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

2-2 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson objectives
Topic Objective
Define the terms storage device, storage unit, and storage unit
NetBackup storage device concepts
group.
Configuring and managing a basic
Configure and manage a basic disk storage unit.
disk storage unit

Configuring storage unit groups Configure storage unit groups.

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

2-3 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: NetBackup storage device concepts

After completing this topic, you will be able to define the terms storage
device, storage unit, and storage unit group.

This is the NetBackup storage device concepts topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

2-4 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup storage concepts

Storage device

• Physical tape and disk devices to which data is written to and restored from

Storage unit

• A logical entity that NetBackup associates with physical storage

• Can reference tape drives, a path to a disk volume, or a disk pool
• Identify the media server(s) and the physical storage

It is important that you know the differences between storage devices, storage units,
storage unit groups, and storage lifecycle policies, so that you can plan and configure
NetBackup to operate most effectively.
• Storage devices are tapes and disk devices to which data can be written and stored.
When discussing storage devices, we are normally referring to the physical devices
as seen by the server.
• Storage units are logical entities that refer to a storage device of a specific type.
Properties of a storage unit define how data is written to media. Additionally,
storage units are a way of defining both the media servers and storage destination
for a backup. Note that a storage unit can be tape drives, a path to a disk volume, or
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

a disk pool (which can be deduplicated disk or cloud storage). Storage units are used
as a backup destination, a location where a backup policy sends a backup.
• Storage unit groups and Storage lifecycle policies (SLPs) are two additional storage
destinations that will be described. Storage unit groups are discussed elsewhere in
this lesson, and SLPs are discussed in the Duplicating Backups lesson.
Within a backup policy, you define a storage destination, which is where NetBackup will
send the backup data. This can be a storage unit, a storage unit group, or a storage
lifecycle policy, depending on your needs. You cannot send a backup directly to a
storage device that is not configured as a storage unit.

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 Storage devices and storage units
Master server

ms1_bdisk_STU ms2_bdisk_STU ms2_tape_STU

Media Media Tape

Basic disk library
server 1 Basic disk server 2
storage storage

Local Area Network

NetBackup
clients

When backup jobs are run, the storage unit specifies:

• Which media server copies the data from the client to the storage device.
• Which storage device is used for the backup.
During a backup, NetBackup stores the backup data on the storage units that were set
up during configuration. In the example on this slide, the storage unit specifies which
media server backs up the data (Media server 1 or Media server 2) and where the
backups are written (the basic disk storage or the tape library). Storage units for tape
libraries and robots are called Media Manager storage units, and are discussed later in
this course, in the Configuring Tape Storage lesson.
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 NetBackup disk storage types

BasicDisk Uses a directory to store backup data.

• Lesson: Configuring NetBackup Storage
• Document: NetBackup Administrator’s Guide Covered in this lesson
• License: None required

AdvancedDisk Uses a disk pool (a collection of disk volumes).

• Lesson: Configuring Disk Pools
• Document: NetBackup AdvancedDisk Solutions Guide
• License: NetBackup Data Protection Optimization Option

OpenStorage Used with storage supporting Veritas OpenStorage API.

• Lesson: Configuring Disk Pools and Duplicating Backups Using Storage Lifecycle Policies
• Document: NetBackup OpenStorage Solutions Guide for Disk
• License: NetBackup Data Protection Optimization Option

PureDisk Uses a Media Server Deduplication Pool (MSDP).

• Lesson: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
• Document: NetBackup Deduplication Guide
• License: NetBackup Data Protection Optimization Option

The slide lists disk storage types in NetBackup (listed by the corresponding disk type
identification categories used in NetBackup). Disk storage types include:
• BasicDisk consists of a directory or folder in a file system that is locally- or network-
attached to the media server. This disk type does not require any additional licenses.
• AdvancedDisk consists of a disk pool, which is a collection of disk volumes, that is
managed by a NetBackup media server or NetBackup appliance. AdvancedDisk has
better management capabilities than BasicDisk.
• OpenStorage uses the Veritas OpenStorage API to control functions and integrate
backup functionality for intelligent third-party disk appliances that support this API.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• PureDisk consists of a specialized disk pool and services that perform deduplication
of backup storage, and reside on a NetBackup media server or NetBackup appliance.
BasicDisk is included with NetBackup and does not require additional licensing. The
other disk types require the NetBackup Data Protection Optimization Option. This
lesson only covers the configuration of BasicDisk. For other disk types, refer to the
appropriate lessons in this course or the appropriate NetBackup documentation, as
listed on the slide.

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 Topic: Configuring and managing a basic disk storage unit

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure and manage a
basic disk storage unit.

This is the Configuring and managing a basic disk storage unit topic.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

2-8 Not for Distribution.

 Adding a basic disk storage unit

bpstuadd -label

To configure storage units, or to copy an existing storage unit configuration and use it as
a template for a new storage unit, perform the following steps:
1. In the object tree pane of the NetBackup Administration Console, expand
NetBackup Management > Storage. The Storage unit information is displayed in the
details pane.
2. Add the storage unit using one of the following methods:
• Select Actions > New > New Storage Unit.
• Right-click Storage Units and select New Storage Unit.
• Copy and then modify the properties of an existing storage unit: Right-click a
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

storage unit in the details pane and select Copy.

3. Complete the entries in the New Storage Unit dialog box.
4. Click OK to add the storage unit to the configuration.
You can create and configure storage units from the command line using the
bpstuadd command. For a full explanation of this command, including syntax, see the
NetBackup Commands Reference Guide.

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 Configuring a basic disk storage unit

bpstuadd -label

10

When creating a Disk storage unit type, you must supply the following properties:
• Storage unit name: A unique name that is used in backup policies and schedules.
• Storage unit type: The type of storage that this storage unit uses, for example, Disk.
• On demand only: Specifies whether the storage unit is only available when a policy
attribute or policy schedule is explicitly configured to use this storage unit. The
storage unit will not be used when the Any Available storage destination is selected.
• Disk type: Specifies the type of disk storage unit to be created. By default: BasicDisk.
• Media server: Specifies the name of the controlling media server.
•
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Absolute pathname to directory: Specifies the absolute path to the file system.
• View Properties button: Displays information about capacity and remaining space.
• This directory can exist on the root file system or system disk: Allows the directory
to exist on the root file system (UNIX) or system disk (Windows).
• Maximum concurrent jobs: The maximum number of backups that NetBackup can
concurrently send to this disk.
• Reduce fragment size to: Specifies (in MB) the largest fragments (underlying file
sizes) created when storing backups.
• High water mark: The threshold that signals that the disk should be considered full.
• Low water mark and Enable Temporary Staging Area: Used for disk staging storage
units. Refer to the NetBackup Administrator’s Guide.

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 Viewing a basic disk storage unit properties

bpstulist

11

After initially configuring a basic disk storage unit, you can subsequently open the basic
disk storage unit to change existing parameters (such as the maximum concurrent jobs,
or water marks). You will notice that certain parameters cannot be modified, such as the
storage unit name, storage unit type, or disk type. Clicking the View Properties button
shows details for the file system on which the basic disk folder resides, such as capacity
and available space.
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 Disk reports for BasicDisk

12

In the NetBackup Administration Console, under NetBackup Management, there is a

section for Reports. Under Disk Reports there are a number of reports that can provide
information on basic disk storage:
• Images On Disk: This report shows which backup images exist on the storage units
selected.
• Disk Logs: This report shows log entries for the storage units selected.
• Disk Storage Unit Status: This report summarizes properties and capacity
information for the storage units selected.
Notice that these reports can be used for various disk storage types, however by
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

selecting a Disk Type of BasicDisk, you can view only the information for basic disk
storage units.

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 Topic: Configuring storage unit groups

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure storage unit
groups.

13

This is the Configuring storage unit groups topic.

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2-13 Not for Distribution.

 Understanding storage unit groups

Storage device

• Physical tape and disk devices to which data is written to and restored from

Storage unit

• A logical entity that NetBackup associates with physical storage

• Can reference tape drives, a path to a disk volume, or a disk pool
• Identify the media server(s) and the physical storage

Storage unit group

• Lets you identify multiple storage units as belonging to a single group

• Specifies the order and manner in which storage units are used

14

It is important that you know the differences between storage devices, storage units,
storage unit groups, and storage lifecycle policies, so that you can plan and configure
NetBackup to operate most effectively.
• Storage devices are tapes and disk devices to which data can be written to, stored,
and restored from. When discussing storage devices, we are normally referring to
the physical devices as seen by the server.
• Storage units are logical entities that refer to a storage device of a specific type.
Properties of a storage unit define how data is written to media.
• Storage unit groups are two or more storage units that have been grouped together.
This enables you to address multiple storage units as a single entity when creating a
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

policy. You may set the priority of the storage units within the group, and the type of
load balancing and failover behavior desired.
• Storage lifecycle policies (SLP) are additional backup destinations with
comprehensive storage plans that include supporting multiple destinations,
including snapshots, duplications, and replications. SLPs are discussed in the
Duplicating Backups lesson.
Within a backup policy, you define a storage destination, which is where NetBackup will
send the backup data. This can be a storage unit, a storage unit group, or a storage
lifecycle policy, depending on your needs . You cannot send a backup directly to a
storage device that is not configured as a storage unit.

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 On demand only and any available

Policy1: Policy2: Policy3:

Storage = ms1_bdisk_STU Storage = Any_available Storage = ms3_tape_STU

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

• Note: Using any_available

is not a best practice.
ms1_bdisk_STU ms1_tape_STU ms2_tape_STU ms3_tape_STU • Veritas recommends that
you use storage unit
On Demand groups to provide multiple
Only Any Available destination options for a
backup.

15

Prior to the concept of storage unit groups, NetBackup used functions known as On
demand only and Any available to be able to send backups to different storage units,
based on availability. When configuring a backup policy, if you select Any_available as
the storage destination for your backup, backup data is directed to an available storage
unit designated as Any available. These are all storage units that are not marked as On
demand only. NetBackup tries locally attached storage units first, and if none are found,
the storage units are tried in alphabetical order. NetBackup uses the first storage unit
that meets the following requirements:
• The storage unit must not be designated as on demand only.
• The storage unit must have available drives.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• The storage unit must have available storage (tape or disk resources) resources.
When you configure a storage unit as On demand only, the storage unit is only used if it
is specified directly within the backup policy, or backup policy schedule. Since the
introduction of storage unit groups in NetBackup, it is no longer recommended to use
Any available as the means of sending backups to different storage units.

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 Creating a new storage unit group

Allows configuration of multiple storage units

which act as a single destination for backup jobs.

bpstuadd -group

16

A storage unit group allows you to configure multiple storage units which act as a single
destination for backup jobs. To create a new storage unit group, navigate to NetBackup
Management > Storage > Storage Unit Group, and select Action > New Storage Unit
Group. Similarly, you can right-click in the console and select New Storage Unit Group
or click on the new storage unit group button.
The bpstuadd command can be used to create storage unit groups. See the NetBackup
Commands guide for syntax and details.
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2-16 Not for Distribution.

 Storage unit group configuration

For Media Server Load Balancing, refer

to the Configuring Disk Pools lesson

17

To configure a storage unit group, provide a unique storage unit group name, and select
which storage units to add to that group. The order in which storage units are used
within a group depends on the storage unit selection option. In the Storage unit
selection area, you choose how storage units are selected within the group as follows:
• Prioritized: Choose the first storage unit in the list that is not busy, down, or out of
media.
• Failover: Choose the first storage unit in the list that is not down or out of media.
• Round Robin: Choose the least recently selected storage unit in the list.
• Media Server Load Balancing: Choose the best available media server based on a
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

ranking system.
Note that the Media Server Load Balancing selection does not support basic disk
storage, and is discussed in more detail in the Configuring Disk Pools lesson.

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 Understanding prioritized storage unit groups
ms1 ms2 ms3

Group priority:
1. ms1_tape_STU
2. ms2_tape_STU
3. ms3_tape_STU
ms1_tape_STU ms2_tape_STU ms3_tape_STU
Job 1 Job 3 Job 5
Job 2 Job 4 Job 6

Job 7
Job 8

18

The total number of concurrent jobs that can go to a specific storage unit will depend on
the storage unit’s configuration, specifically the maximum concurrent jobs that is
configured. The slide shows tape-based storage units (a library with two tape drives)
connected to each media server, however they could just as easily be disk-based storage
that accept two concurrent backups.
Prioritized storage unit groups choose the first storage unit in the list that is not busy
with other jobs, down (physically unavailable), or out of tape media (in the case of tape
libraries). It then fills that storage unit with active jobs, and then moves on to the next
available storage unit in the list. If all storage units are busy, any subsequent jobs will
queue, and wait for the next available storage unit in the group.
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In the example on the slide, media server ms1 is shown with more memory and system
resources than media server ms2, which additionally has more resources than media
server ms3. Using a prioritized storage unit group means that ms1_tape_STU will always
be used first, until it is busy. Storage unit ms2_tape_STU will fill with jobs next, and
finally ms3_tape_STU.

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 Understanding round robin storage unit groups
ms1 ms2 ms3

Group priority:
1. ms1_tape_STU
2. ms2_tape_STU
3. ms3_tape_STU
ms1_tape_STU ms2_tape_STU ms3_tape_STU
Job 1 Job 2 Job 3
Job 4 Job 5 Job 6

Job 7
Job 8

19

Round robin storage unit groups choose the least recently used storage unit in the list
that is available. In the example on the slide, all three media servers are shown with
identical memory and system resources, and using a round robin storage unit group
means that initially the jobs will be distributed evenly amongst the storage units. Once
all storage units are in use, additional jobs will queue and wait for any available storage
unit in the group.
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2-19 Not for Distribution.

 Understanding failover storage unit groups
ms1 ms2

Group priority:
1. ms1_bdisk_STU
2. ms2_tape_STU
Only used if primary
ms1_bdisk_STU* ms2_tape_STU storage unit is down or
Job 1 out of media
Job 2
Job 3
Job 4

* The ms1_bdisk_STU storage unit has Maximum concurrent job = 2 20

A failover storage unit group chooses the first storage unit in the list that is not down or
out of media. All other jobs will queue waiting for this storage unit, even if it is busy. If
the storage unit ever goes down (or runs out of media), then the jobs will fail over to
the next available storage unit in the group.
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2-20 Not for Distribution.

 Spanning backups in basic disk storage unit groups
• Basic disk storage units must be within a storage
unit group. STU-A
• Storage units must share the same media server. Spanning
– A disk staging storage unit cannot span to another supported
storage unit or be a target storage unit.
STU-B
• Backup policy must target the storage unit group.
STU group 1

Spanning STU-C
not
supported
STU-D

STU group 2

21

A backup may span storage units if a disk full condition is detected. Backups can span
from one BasicDisk storage unit to another BasicDisk storage unit if the storage units are
in the same storage unit group. The storage units must also share the same media
server. The following destinations support disk spanning:
• A BasicDisk storage unit spanning to a BasicDisk storage unit. These storage units
must be within a storage unit group.
• An OpenStorage or AdvancedDisk volume spanning to another volume in the disk
pool. These storage units innately support backup images spanning to multiple
volumes, since they use disk pools. This is discussed in further detail in the
Configuring Disk Pools lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

For disk spanning to occur, the following conditions must be met:

• The storage units must share the same media server.
• The backup policy must target the storage unit group.
• A disk staging storage unit cannot span to another storage unit. Also, a disk staging
storage unit is not eligible as a target for disk spanning.
• Disk spanning is not supported on network-based file systems (NFS, CIFS).

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 Enabling basic disk spanning

22

Basic disk spanning is enabled in the media server’s Host Properties under Media, using
the Allow backups to span disk property. By default, this property is enabled. The Allow
backups to span disk property does not apply to AdvancedDisk or OpenStorage storage
units, since backups span disk volumes within disk pools automatically. These storage
units are discussed in more detail in the Configuring Disk Pools lesson.
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2-22 Not for Distribution.

 Reporting on storage units and storage unit groups summary

Type of Information Administration Console Command Line OpsCenter

Storage units Storage > Storage Units bpstulist -U Manage > Storage >
Storage Unit

Storage unit groups Storage > Storage Unit bpstulist –go –U Manage > Storage >
Groups Storage Unit Group

View free space in a nbdevquery –listdv –D

BasicDisk storage unit

23

The table on this slide summarizes the storage unit reporting tools using the NetBackup
Administration Console, NetBackup commands, and OpsCenter.
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2-23 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson summary

• Key points
– In this lesson, you learned about disk-based storage and how it is used.
– You also learned how to configure basic disk storage units, monitor the status of, and view reports
for, basic disk storage.
– Finally, you learned how to configure storage unit groups.
• Reference materials
– Veritas NetBackup™ Administrator's Guide, Volume I​
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/18716246-136359033-0/index
– Veritas NetBackup™ Commands Reference Guide​
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/15263389-133604923-0/index
– Veritas Support​
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US.html

24

For more information about the topics discussed in this lesson, refer to the resources
listed on the slide and remember to check the Veritas Support web site frequently.
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2-24 Not for Distribution.

 Lab 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage
• Exercise A: Viewing disk storage on a NetBackup server system
• Exercise B: Configuring a Basic Disk storage unit
• Exercise C: Configuring a storage unit group

25

The slide shows the objectives for the lab associated with this lesson. Refer to the
corresponding lab guide for specific instructions and lab steps.
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2-25 Not for Distribution.

 What did you learn?
You are about to be asked a series
of questions related to the current
lesson.

26

The next section is a quiz. In this quiz, you are asked a series of questions related to the
current lesson.
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2-26 Not for Distribution.

 Question 1: A logical destination for backups
What is a logical destination for a NetBackup client's backup data?

A. Catalog
B. Policy
C. Storage unit
D. Selection list

27
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2-27 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 1: A logical destination for backups
What is a logical destination for a NetBackup client's backup data?

A. Catalog
B. Policy
C. Storage unit
D. Selection list

The correct answer is C. The logical destinations for a NetBackup client’s data include storage units, storage unit groups,
and storage lifecycle policies.

28
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2-28 Not for Distribution.

 Question 2: Storage unit group selections
Which of the following is not a selection type of storage unit groups?

A. Failover
B. Prioritize
C. First-in First-out
D. Round Robin

29
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2-29 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 2: Storage unit group selections
Which of the following is not a selection type of storage unit groups?

A. Failover
B. Prioritize
C. First-in First-out
D. Round Robin

The correct answer is C. The four storage unit group selections include Failover, Prioritize, Round Robin, and Media
Server Load Balancing.

30
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2-30 Not for Distribution.

 Question 3: Spanning in basic disk storage unit groups
To support spanning backups in basic disk storage unit groups, what needs to be
performed?

A. Enable unrestricted media sharing, in the host properties

B. Allow backups to span disks, in the host properties
C. Ensure each basic disk storage unit is configured on a separate media server
D. Configure the storage unit selection: Spanning

31
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2-31 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 3: Spanning in basic disk storage unit groups
To support spanning backups in basic disk storage unit groups, what needs to be
performed?

A. Enable unrestricted media sharing, in the host properties

B. Allow backups to span disks, in the host properties
C. Ensure each basic disk storage unit is configured on a separate media server
D. Configure the storage unit selection: Spanning

The correct answer is B. Configure Allow backups to span disks in the media server host properties. Ensure that all the
basic disk storage units is configured on the same media server.

32
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2-32 Not for Distribution.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

2-33
Not for Distribution.
 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Lesson 3: Configuring Policies

© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Configuring Policies lesson in the Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration
course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

3-1 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson introduction
• Lesson 0: Course Introduction • Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores
• Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup • Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V environment
• Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage • Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage
• Lesson 3: Configuring Policies Lifecycle Policies
• Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups • Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the
NetBackup Catalog
• Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores
• Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups
• Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools
• Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic
• Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
Information
• Lesson 8: Configuring and managing Tape Storage
• Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

This lesson is the third lesson in this course.

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3-2 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson objectives
Topic Objective

Introduction to backup policies Explain how data protection relates to a policy.

Creating and configuring policy

Identify basic policy types, and configure policy attributes.
attributes
Describe backup schedules types, and create and configure both
Creating a policy schedule
frequency-based and calendar-based schedules.

Adding client to a policy Specify which clients are to be served by a policy.

Define which client files and directories to backup up, and create
Creating backup selections
exclude and include lists.

Managing policies View, edit and copy an existing policy.

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

3-3 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Introduction to backup policies

After completing this topic, you will be able to explain how data protection
relates to a policy.

This is the Introduction to backup policies topic.

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3-4 Not for Distribution.

 Creating a backup plan

• What kinds of clients do you have?

Clients and data • How much and what type of data needs to be backed up?

• How long do your backups take to run?

Scheduling • What is your backup window?
• When does your backup need to run?

• How often do you need to backup up your data?

Restore characteristics • How long do you need to retain the backups?
• How quickly do you need to restore your data?

Policy configuration is flexible enough to meet the various needs of all the clients in a
NetBackup environment. To take advantage of this flexibility, take time to plan before
starting to configure the policies within NetBackup. Include the following tasks in your
planning and preparation:
• Gather client information.
• Group the clients based on backup requirements.
• Consider the storage requirements.
• Consider the backup schedule.
• Group clients by common attributes.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Maximize multiplexed backups.

• Evaluate backup times.

3-5 Not for Distribution.

 Understanding NetBackup policies

Attributes How do backups occur? Where do backup images go?

Schedules When do backups occur? Include all data or only changes? How long is backup data retained?

Clients Which systems are backed up?

Backup
Which data is backed up?
Selections
Application-
How are database backups handled? How are virtual machine backups handled?
specific tabs

Backup policies provide the instructions that NetBackup follows to back up clients. A
backup policy can apply to one or more clients. The best approach is to group the clients
according to the backup requirements, and creating a policy for each group. In a policy
you define attributes, schedules, a client list, and a backup selections list.
• Attributes answer questions, such as: What type of client to back up? Where to
store the backup? How should the files be backed up? Are there any special backup
behaviors?
• Schedules answer questions, such as: What is the backup type? When and how
frequently to perform the backup? How long is the backup data retained?
• The Clients list identifies which clients to back up.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• The Backup Selections list identifies which files and directories to back up.
More recent versions of NetBackup have introduced new policy tabs to assist with
application-specific backup settings. In NetBackup 8.2, these includes the following:
• Oracle policies includes the Oracle and Instances and Databases tab, and removes
the Clients tab.
• MS-SQL policies includes the Microsoft SQL Server and Instances and Databases
tabs, and removes the Clients tab.
• VMware policies includes the VMware and Exclude Disks tab.
• Hyper-V policies includes the Hyper-V tab.

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 Topic: Creating and configuring policy attributes

After completing this topic, you will be able to identify basic policy types,
and configure policy attributes.

This is the Creating and configuring policy attributes topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

3-7 Not for Distribution.

 Policy configuration methods

NetBackup Policy Configuration Wizard

• Quickly creates a simple policy to backup clients.
• Does not provide many configuration options.

NetBackup Administration Console

• Found under NetBackup Management > Policies.
• Recommended method to create policies.

Command Line
• Provided with bppolicynew command.
• Can be used in script-based policy setup.

This slide identifies the methods for creating policies.

• The Policy Configuration Wizard: Used in the NetBackup Administration Console to
quickly define schedules and settings for backing up one or more clients, snapshots,
or virtual machines. It creates a basic policy that may need to be modified after
creation.
• The NetBackup Administration Console: Use the Policies utility under the
NetBackup Management interface to create and edit policies. This is the
recommended method.
• The command-line interface: Use the bppolicynew command.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

The bppolicynew command creates an empty policy, which contains the default
settings for attributes, but no schedules, clients or backup selection lists. It is often
used in scripts to create multiple backup policies. bppolicynew can also be used
to copy an existing policy, similar to the Administration Console’s Copy to New
function. The bppolicynew command is unique in that it also allows you to
rename a backup policy, a feature that is not available in the Administration
Console.

3-8 Not for Distribution.

 Creating a policy using the Administration console

bppolicynew

Perform the following steps to manually create a backup policy:

1. In the left pane of the NetBackup Administration Console, select Master Server >
NetBackup Management > Policies.
2. Perform one of the following:
• Select Actions > New > Policy.
• Right-click the master server in the All Policies pane and select New Policy.
The Add a New Policy dialog box is displayed.
3. Enter the name of your new policy and click OK. Notice that you can activate the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Backup Policy wizard by marking the Use Backup Policy Configuration Wizard check
box.
Your new policy is added with default settings.
You can copy an existing policy by selecting a policy from the list, right-clicking it, and
then selecting Copy To New. This is useful when you must establish multiple policies
that have similar properties. Refer to the NetBackup Administrator’s Guide for more
information about adding policies.

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 Policy dialog box: Attributes tab
BigData
Datastore
DB2
Enterprise-Vault
FlashBackup
FlashBackup-Windows
Hyper-V
Informix-On-BAR
Lotus-Notes
MS-Exchange-Server
MS-SharePoint
MS-SQL-Server
MS-Windows
NBU-Catalog
NDMP
Oracle
PureDisk-Export
SAP
Standard
Sybase
Vault
VMware

10

Attributes determine the basic characteristics of all the backups that NetBackup
performs for the policy. You can view and configure a policy’s attributes using the
NetBackup Administration Console.
• The Attributes tab answers the questions “How is the policy going to perform the
backup?” and “Where are the storage units and volume pools to which the backup
data is to be sent?”
• The Policy type determines the type of clients that can be part of the policy and, in
some cases, the types of backups that can be performed on the clients. Select the
Policy type from the drop-down menu.
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3-10 Not for Distribution.

 Basic policy types

Standard policy type

• For UNIX-based file systems
• Supports UNIX, Linux, Mac OS X

MS-Windows policy type

• For Windows clients and servers
• Support Windows 2008, 2012, 2016, Vista, or Windows 7 SP1, 8, or 10
clients

11

NetBackup installs all the options but the policy types available vary depending on the
licenses purchased. Each policy type offers a unique combination of attributes. The two
policy types shown on this slide are basic NetBackup policy types. Each of these policy
types is distinguished by the types of clients that can be part of the policy, and what is
backed up when a backup job is run.
• Standard policy type: Used for clients and file systems that are UNIX-based, this
includes UNIX, Linux, and Mac OS X 10.8, 10.9 and 10.10 clients.
• MS-Windows policy type: Used for clients and file systems that are Windows-based,
supported Windows operating system levels.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

The supported OS levels can be located on the support website at:

http://www.veritas.com/docs/000115691.

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 Policy storage and Policy volume pool

Volume pools are only required for tape

based storage units, and are covered in the
Configuring Tape Storage lesson.

12

The Policy storage drop-down menu specifies the default storage unit or storage unit
group for backups of this policy. This is the storage unit that is used by default by all
schedules in this policy. However, schedules may be configured to override the policy
storage destination.
The Policy volume pool drop-down menu specifies the volume pool for backups of this
policy. Select the desired volume pool name from the drop-down list. The list displays all
previously configured volume pools. Whenever a new volume is required for either a
robotic or stand-alone drive, it is allocated to NetBackup from the requested volume
pool. Policy storage and volume pools are covered in more detail in a later lesson.
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3-12 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Creating a policy schedule

After completing this topic, you will be able to describe backup schedules
types, and create and configure both frequency-based and calendar-based
schedules.

13

This is the Creating a policy schedule topic.

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3-13 Not for Distribution.

 Creating a new schedule

14

The Schedule tab answers, among other things, the question “When is this policy to be
run?” Use the following procedures to create a new schedule using the Administration
Console:
1. In the left pane of the NetBackup Administration Console, select Master Server >
NetBackup Management > Policies.
2. Double-click a policy.
3. Click the Schedule tab.
4. Click the New button to access the dialog box that you use to build your schedule.
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3-14 Not for Distribution.

 Schedule dialog box: Attributes tab

A policy can contain more

than one schedule.

15

The Attributes tab has the following fields:

• Name: The schedule name is used to refer to a schedule within NetBackup.
• Type of backup: Select from Type of backup drop-down menu. The menu displays
only the backup types that apply to the policy being configured.
• Schedule type pane:
• Calendar: Allows administrators to create a job schedule based on a calendar
view.
• Frequency: Specify how much time must elapse between the successful
completion of a scheduled task and the next attempt. In addition to hours, days,
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

and weeks, NetBackup 8.0 introduced the ability to set frequency in minutes and
seconds.
• Destination pane:
• Multiple copies: Used to create inline copies. This is discussed in the Duplicating
Backups lesson.
• Override policy storage selection and Override policy volume pool: Override
the storage unit or volume pool for this schedule, so that it differs from the one
specified in the policy’s Attribute tab.
• Retention: The time that the image is to be held in the images catalog. By
default, NetBackup does not mix retention levels on a single volume.
For more information about other options on the Schedule dialog box - Attributes tab,
see the NetBackup Administrator’s Guide.

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 Backup types for automatic schedules
Cumulative Everything since the last
Incremental full backup

Full

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

Differential Everything since the last

Incremental full or incremental backup

16

The backup types for automatic schedules are:

• Full backup: A full backup backs up all files specified in the backup selections list ,
regardless of when the files were last modified or backed up. If you run incremental
backups, you must also schedule periodic full backups in order to perform a
complete restore.
• Differential incremental backup: A differential incremental backup backs up all files
specified in the backup selections list for the policy that have changed since the last
successful incremental or full backup. All files are backed up if no prior backup has
been performed. A complete restore requires the last full and all of the differential
incremental backups since the last full or the last full, the last cumulative
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

incremental and all of the differential incremental backups since the last cumulative
incremental.
• Cumulative incremental backup: Cumulative incremental backups back up all files
specified in the backup selections list for a policy that have changed since the last
successful full backup. All files are backed up if no prior backup has been performed.
A complete restore requires the last full backup and the last cumulative incremental.
Cumulative incremental backups generate more files per backup, but complete
restoration is quicker.

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 Schedule dialog box: Start Window tab

17

The Start Window tab provides controls for setting time windows during
which NetBackup can start automatic backups jobs, and users can initiate manual
backups or archives when using this schedule. Configure the start windows so that they
satisfy the requirements necessary to start a task or job. If the start windows closes
before the backup has started it does not run. Once a backup has started, it runs to
completion even if the start window closes. The start window is not used for manual
backups. For example, for backups, you can create a different window that opens each
day for a specific amount of time, or you can keep the window open all week.
For more information about the options on the Schedule dialog box - Start Window tab,
see the NetBackup Administrator’s Guide.
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3-17 Not for Distribution.

 Impact of start window duration on the schedule

Client 1 21:01
Start Window: when
backups may start
21:00 - 01:00 Client 2 22:39

Client 3 23:40

Client 4 00:52

This job does

not run:
Error 196.
Client 5
X
01:45

18

The example on this slide demonstrates the effect of start window duration on a backup
schedule. In the example, backups for Client 1 through Client 4 are started within the
backup start window. Client 4 does not finish before the window closes, but because it
starts within the window, the backup is completed. Client 5 did not start within the
window, so its backup does not run. Client 5 is automatically the first client backup that
is attempted in the next run of this schedule.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

3-18 Not for Distribution.

 Schedule dialog box: Exclude Dates tab

19

You can exclude specific dates, such as January 1, from your backup schedule. Under the
Exclude Dates tab, define the dates you want to exclude from the schedule. Dates can
be excluded by using Recurring Week Days, Recurring Days of the Month or Specific
Dates. Exclude dates applies to both frequency-based and calendar-based schedules.
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3-19 Not for Distribution.

 Schedule dialog box: Attributes tab: Schedule type

Note: Veritas recommends that you do not

mix calendar-based and frequency-based
schedule types within the same policy.

20

Schedule type: Frequency

Using the Frequency schedule type, administrators specify how much time must elapse
between the successful completion of a scheduled task and the next attempt at the
task. When you process a policy with a frequency-based schedule and an open window,
a job is created for each client in the policy client list for which a backup is due to be
performed. A backup is due if the period since the last backup exceeds the schedule’s
frequency. For details, refer to Article 100006713: How NBPEM (NetBackup Policy
Execution Manager) schedules a frequency backup, at:
http://www.veritas.com/docs/100006713.
To set a frequency-based policy schedule, select the Frequency radio button and type a
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

number or select a value from the drop-down menu. Select a frequency of hours, days,
or weeks.
Schedule type: Calendar
Calendar-based scheduling provides you with greater flexibility in scheduling backup
jobs. You can run a backup job any day of the month. If a backup job generated by a
calendar-based schedule fails, the Retries allowed after runday attribute determines if
the retry is allowed to occur after the scheduled calendar day. Even when Retries
allowed after runday is enabled, the backup window must be open to enable the retry
to be attempted.
The Include Dates tab is displayed when Calendar is selected as the Schedule type,
under the Attributes tab, of the Change Schedule dialog box.

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 Schedule dialog box: Include Dates tab

21

Calendar-based scheduling provides several run day options for use in scheduling when
a task runs. A backup can run on Specific Dates rather than follow a recurring schedule,
and specific dates can be added to a recurring schedule. You can schedule specific dates
in any month of any year up to and including December 31, 2037. Define specific
calendar days as run days by clicking in the date on the calendar. This specification
causes the backup to run on the specified day during the valid window that is defined
for that day.
The Recurring Week Days option provides a matrix that enables you to schedule a task
for certain days of each week, weeks of each month, or days on particular weeks of the
month. For example, use this option to schedule a task on the first and third Thursday of
every month. Or, schedule a task that runs the last week in every month. The week day
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

matrix is not a calendar; it is simply a matrix used to select days and weeks in a month.
A check mark entered for a day indicates that the task is scheduled to run on that day of
its respective week. By default, no days are selected. For example, to define specific run
days based on recurring days of the week, such as every Friday, click Fri on the matrix,
and every Friday is automatically selected.
The Recurring Days of the Month option provides a matrix that you can use to schedule
a task for certain days of the month. You can also schedule a task to occur on the last
day of the month, regardless of the actual date.

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 Retention Periods: Master server properties

bpretlevel

22

The retention period in a policy’s schedule determines how long NetBackup retains the
backups images created by that schedule. NetBackup 8.0 and later supports 100
separately defined retention levels. The Retention Periods properties, found in the
master server host properties, define the length of time associated with each level. All
of these retention levels are configurable, with the exception of level 9 and level 25,
which have fixed retention period values. Veritas recommends leaving retention levels
0-8 at the default values. Change higher levels which are currently set to infinite, if you
want to customize. The following list describes the Retention Periods properties.
• The Value specifies the retention level setting.
• The Units property specifies the units of time for the retention period. The list also
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

includes the special units: Infinite and Expires Immediately.

• The Retention Periods pane contains a listing of the current definitions for the 101
possible levels of retention (0 through 100).
• The Schedule Count column indicates how many schedules currently use each level.
If the retention period is changed for a level, it affects all schedules that use that
level.
• The Schedule(s) using this retention level pane contains a listing of the schedules
that use the currently selected retention level, and the policy to which each
schedule belongs.
Click the Impact Report button to display a summary of how changes affect existing
schedules. If you change a retention period, click Impact Report. The list displays all
schedules in which the retention period is less than the frequency period.

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 Topic: Adding clients to a policy

After completing this topic, you will be able to specify which clients are to
be used in a policy.

23

This is the Adding clients to a policy topic.

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3-23 Not for Distribution.

 Adding clients to a policy

24

The Clients tab contains the list of clients that are backed up or affected by this policy.
This answers the question, “Which system is to be backed up?” To add clients to a policy
using the NetBackup Administration Console, click the Clients tab and click New. You
are prompted to provide the name of the client, as well as the hardware and operating
system type. You can either select the Detect client operating system check box or
select the appropriate hardware and operating system for the client in the drop-down
menu.
Note: To be able to use the auto-detect feature, the NetBackup client software must
already be installed on the client, and the master server needs to be allowed to connect
to the client by having an appropriate SERVER entry in the client’s server list. This is
accomplished when you enter the master server name during the installation of the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

client software on the host. For detailed instructions on adding a client to a policy, see
the NetBackup Administrator’s Guide.

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 Topic: Creating backup selections

After completing this topic, you will be able to define which client files and
directories to backup up, and create exclude and include lists.

25

This is the Creating backup selections topic.

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3-25 Not for Distribution.

 About backup selections
What do backup selections do?

• Identify files and directories to be backed up

Who uses backup selections?

• All clients in the policy, but all files do not have to exist for every client

What does not use backup selections?

• User backups and user archives

How are backup selections refined?

• Exclude and include lists

26

Under the Backup Selections tab, you name the files and directories that NetBackup
includes in automatic scheduled backups for clients in this policy. The backup selections
list does not apply to user backups or archives because in those instances the user
selects the files. NetBackup uses the same backup selections list for all clients in the
policy, but it is not required that all files exist on all clients. NetBackup backs up the files
that it finds. However, each client must have at least one of the files in the backup
selections list, or the client backup fails with a status code 71. Backup selections are
processed serially for each client. It is possible, however, to back up more than one
client (or policy) in parallel.
Related items are listed on the exclude and include lists. You can create an exclude list
on a client to specify files that you do not want to include in automatic and manual
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

backups of that client. You can also create an include list for a client to back up a file or
directory that would otherwise be excluded by an exclude list. Many administrators
have a standard exclude list that is copied to all clients, and then use include lists to
customize clients that have exceptions to the standard exclude list.

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 Client backup selections list guidelines

Windows UNIX
Creating a backup
Administration Console or bpplinclude
selections list
• Use one path per line
Entries • Maximum path length of 1,023 characters
• All paths must be absolute

Path restrictions Start all paths with a drive letter Start all paths with a slash (/)

Wildcards supported *, ? *, ?, { }, [ ]

27

When defining files for your policy, the backup selection list can be set using either the
NetBackup Administration Console or the bpplinclude command. It is important
that you follow the conventions and rules used to specify backup selection lists:
• Enter one path per line, with a maximum path length of 1,023 characters.
• All paths must be absolute. Local paths on Windows must start with the drive letter
followed by a colon and a backslash (:\). The drive letter can be either upper- or
lower-case . Network paths can be in UNC format, starting with
\\server\share\. Paths on UNIX must start with a slash (/), and are case
sensitive. Note: \\.\D: is valid for a raw partition backup on Windows.
• Best practice: If the last component in the path is a directory, also follow it with a
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

backslash on Windows (\) or slash on UNIX (/). The trailing slash is not required but
serves as a reminder that the file path is a directory instead of a file (for example:
F:\workfiles\).
• Use wildcards to select files of a specific type or files with common naming
elements. For example:
• K:\tests\*.exe
• K:\tests\test*.txt
• C:\windows\system\log??_02

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 Creating a backup selection list

bpplinclude

28

The backup selections list under the Backup Selections tab names the files, directories,
directives, scripts, and templates that NetBackup includes in automatic backups of
clients covered by the policy. NetBackup uses the same backup selections list for all
clients backed up according to the policy. This answers the question “What is to be
backed up?”
To build a backup selections list when creating a policy using the NetBackup
Administration Console, click the Backup Selections tab and click New. You are then
prompted to provide a new path or directive. For example, you can use C:\ or /home
for a path and ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES for a directive. For detailed information on adding an
entry to the Backup Selections list, see the NetBackup Administrator’s Guide.
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3-28 Not for Distribution.

 Backup selections list directives
Directive Description
ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES • Backs up every local file system (UNIX) or logical drive (Windows) on the client
machine
• Includes the system state or shadow copy components on Windows clients, below
Shadow Copy • Backs up all VSS writers for the Volume Shadow Copy component, in Windows 2003
Components:\ and later
• Backs up critical system-related components, such as the registry, Active Directory,
and other information not fully protected when backing up the file system alone
NEW_STREAM • Recognized only if Allow multiple data streams is set.
• Splits the backup splits into separate streams.
• Discussed in the Optimizing File System Backups lesson.
Policy-specific directives • Apply only to specific policy types and can appear only in backup selections lists for
those policies.
UNSET and UNSET_ALL • Interrupt the streaming of policy-specific directives.
• Requires the Allow multiple data streams policy attribute.

29

Directives on the Backup Selections list signal NetBackup to perform specific,

predefined actions when it processes the files on the selections list.
The ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES directive backs up all local drives, except for those drives that
use removable media. If used, this directive must be the only entry in the backup
selections list. For Windows clients, this directive automatically includes the system
state and shadow copy components, so including other directives is not necessary.
The Shadow Copy Components:\ directive specifies that all of the Volume Shadow Copy
component writers get backed up, backing up critical system-related components, such
as the registry, Active Directory, and other information not fully protected when backing
up the file system alone. The System State:\ directive can still be found, and is used for
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

versions which do not support Shadow Copy Components, such as Windows XP.
The NEW_STREAM directive is available when the Allow multiple data streams
attribute is enabled for the policy. This directive is discussed in greater detail in the
Optimizing File System Backups lesson. Refer to that lesson for further details.
Some directives apply only to specific policy types and appear only in backup selections
lists for those policies. NetBackup passes these directives to the clients along with the
backup selections list, which then perform appropriate action according to the directive.
The UNSET and UNSET_ALL directives interrupt the streaming of policy-specific
directives so that it is not passed with any additional streams.

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 Follow NFS (UNIX)
Configured under the policy Attributes tab

Public network

NetBackup NetBackup
media server UNIX client

NFS
mount
/ /usr /nfs_home /home

30

The next few slides show further settings that can be configured to control backup
selections. These settings can be found under the Policy Attributes tab.
• The Follow NFS attribute applies only to UNIX clients in certain policy types, and
NetBackup enables you to select it in only those instances.
• The Follow NFS attribute specifies that you want NetBackup to back up or archive
any NFS mounted files that are named in the backup selection list, or by the user in
the case of a user backup or archive. Clear the check box to prevent the backup or
archive of NFS mounted files.
This attribute forces the client to back up NFS-mounted drives within the path.
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3-30 Not for Distribution.

 Backup network drives (Windows)
Configured under the policy Attributes tab

Public network

NetBackup NetBackup
media server Windows client

CIFS
share
C:\ D:\ E:\ F:\

31

The Backup Network Drives attribute applies only to certain policy types. The Backup
Network Drives attribute was intended to be used on single-user systems—Win95,
Win98, and ME. These operating systems are not supported with this version of
NetBackup. For a computer that is not a NetBackup client, the preferred method for
backing up data is to use UNC paths. UNC paths are more precise and indicate exactly
what should be backed up. For detailed information on using UNC paths in the Backup
Selections list, see the NetBackup Administrator’s Guide.
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3-31 Not for Distribution.

 Cross mount points
Configured under the policy Attributes tab

NetBackup NetBackup
UNIX client Windows client

/ C:\ D:\

/home C:\data

32

Another policy attribute is Cross mount points. When enabled, this attribute forces the
client to back up locally mounted drives within the path. The Cross mount points check
box controls whether NetBackup crosses file system boundaries during a backup or
archive on UNIX clients or whether NetBackup enters volume mount points during a
backup or archive on Windows clients. It is recommended not to select the Cross mount
points attribute for policies where you use the ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES directive.
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 Exclude and include lists for UNIX clients
Exclude list

• Location: /usr/openv/netbackup/ (on the client)

• Filename: exclude_list[.policy_name[.schedule_name]]
• Example: # this is a comment
/home/doe Article 100019744: A method for centrally
/home/*/test managing exclude and include list for UNIX
/*/temp and Linux clients (using bpsetconfig)
core

Include list

• Location: /usr/openv/netbackup/ (on the client)

• Filename: include_list[.policy_name[.schedule_name]]
• Example: # this is a comment
/home/smith/test

33

On UNIX NetBackup clients, you can exclude specific files from automatic backups by
specifying them in an exclude list on the client. You can also create an include list to add
certain files to the backup. An include list is useful, for example, if you want to exclude
an entire directory except for one file. It is recommended that policy names do not
include a “.” (period) character, because of the exclude and include list file naming
structure.
Note: You can create policy- and schedule-specific lists. NetBackup ignores the general
list if a specific list is present.
For detailed instructions on creating an include or exclude list, see the NetBackup
Administrator’s Guide. For detailed instructions on how to remotely manage include and
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

exclude lists for UNIX clients, refer to the NetBackup Commands Reference guide, and
Article 100019744: A method for centrally managing exclude and include list for UNIX
and Linux clients at: http://www.veritas.com/docs/100019744.

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 Exclude and include lists for Windows clients in the Client host
properties

Exclude list

Include list

34

Exclude lists for NetBackup clients can be used to prevent files that are found within the
backup selection from being backed up. The Exclude Lists properties apply to currently
selected clients running NetBackup.
Note: You can create policy- and schedule-specific lists. NetBackup ignores the general
list if a specific list is present.
The properties in the Exclude Lists pane include:
• Use case sensitive exclude list: Indicates that the files and directories listed for
exclusion or exception are case-sensitive.
• Exclude list: Displays files and directories to exclude from backups. By default there
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

are no exclusions except for a short list of NetBackup-related exclusions.

• Exceptions to the exclude list: This list displays policies, schedules, files and
directories that are excepted from the Exclude list. When the policies on the
Exceptions to the exclude list run, the files and directories on the list are backed up.
This is useful if you want to exclude all files in a directory but one. This is equivalent
to the include list found on UNIX.
• The Add, Add to All, Change, Remove, Copy and Paste buttons each perform
different functions, depending on whether they are used from the Exclude list or
from the Exceptions to the exclude list. Note: The Add to Exclude List dialog box, as
shown on the slide, appears to have drop-down selections for policy and schedule
name, however these are actually text-entry fields.

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 Exclude and include lists for Windows clients in the Backup,
Archive, and Restore interface
Using the Backup, Archive, and Restore
interface on the NetBackup Windows client

Exclude list Include list

35

In the Backup, Archive, and Restore interface, which is found on every NetBackup client,
select File > NetBackup Client Properties from the menu bar. Click on the Exclusions tab
to modify files to exclude from backup, and click on the Inclusions tab for files to
include within the excluded files. Note that modifying the exclude and include lists in
the Backup, Archive, and Restore interface modifies the exact same lists as those in the
client host properties, shown on the previous slide. On Windows, these settings are
stored in the Windows registry. For detailed instructions on creating an include or
exclude list, see the NetBackup Administrator’s Guide.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

3-35 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Managing policies

After completing this topic, you will be able to view, edit, and copy existing
policies.

36

This is the Managing policies topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

3-36 Not for Distribution.

 Viewing and editing a policy using the NetBackup Administration
Console

37

The easiest way to view and edit policies is by using the Policies utility in the NetBackup
Administration console. To run the Policy utility:
1. In the NetBackup Administration Console, in the object tree pane, expand
NetBackup Management > Policies.
2. Within the Policy utility, you can perform the following tasks:
• To see a hierarchical view of the policies, select Policies in the object tree pane.
• To display the details of a single policy, select the policy name in the All Policies
pane. The policy details display in the far right pane.
• To open or change a policy, in the All Policies pane, double-click the policy
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

name. The Change Policy dialog box is displayed.

• To display information about all policies, in the All Policies pane, select
Summary of all Policies. Click the title bar of each horizontal pane to expand or
collapse it.
To edit an existing policy:
1. In the NetBackup Administration Console, in the object tree pane, expand
NetBackup Management > Policies.
2. Right-click the policy name and select Change.

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 Copying an existing policy

bppolicynew

38

You can copy an entire policy from an existing policy to a new one. Use the Copy
to New option to save time creating policies. This option is especially useful for the
policies that contain many of the same policy attributes, schedules, clients, or backup
selections. To copy a policy to create a new one:
1. In the NetBackup Administration Console, in the left pane, expand NetBackup
Management > Policies.
2. In the middle pane, select the policy to copy.
3. Right click and select Copy to New.
4. In the Copy a Policy dialog box, enter the name of the policy that you want to copy.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

You can indicate a policy other than the one that is selected, or leave the original
named policy.
5. Enter the name for the new policy, then click OK. The only difference between the
new policy and the copied policy is the name.
Note that using the policy copy operation can be used for copying policies of the same
policy type, but should be customized after the copy operation to prevent having
policies that perform the same operations. Additionally, the policy copy operation
should probably be avoided when copying a policy to a new policy type. It is more
appropriate to simply create a new policy for the new policy type backup.

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 Copying an existing schedule

39

You can also use the Copy to New option to save time creating schedules. Use this
option to copy a schedule into the same policy or different policy. To copy a schedule to
create a new one:
1. In the NetBackup Administration Console, in the left pane, expand NetBackup
Management > Policies.
2. In the middle pane, expand a policy and select the Schedules node that contains the
schedule that you want to copy.
3. In the right pane, select the schedule that you want to copy.
4. Right click and select Copy to New.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5. In the Copy Schedule dialog box, enter the name of the new schedule.
6. Use the menu to select the name of the policy to which you want to paste the
schedule. You can paste the schedule into the same policy or a different policy.
7. Click OK. The Change Schedule dialog box opens for the new schedule.

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 Lesson summary
• Key points
– You now learned how to create a basic policy that is used to back up files in a file system.
– You learned about the types of schedules that are available in a policy.
– You learned how to define the clients that are backed up by the policy and the files and directories to be
backed up.
– You also learned how to manage policies using the NetBackup Administration Console.
• Reference materials
– Veritas NetBackup™ Administrator's Guide, Volume I​
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/18716246-136359033-0/index
– Veritas NetBackup™ Commands Reference Guide​
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/15263389-133604923-0/index
– Article 100019744: A method for centrally managing exclude and include list for UNIX and Linux clients
– Veritas Support​
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US.html

40

For more information about the topics discussed in this lesson, refer to the resources
listed on the slide and remember to check the Veritas Support web site frequently.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

3-40 Not for Distribution.

 Lab 3: Configuring policies and schedules
• Exercise A: Configuring a NetBackup policy
• Exercise B: Configuring a policy to use calendar-based schedules
• Exercise C: Copying a policy to create a new policy
• Exercise D: (Optional) Lab challenge

41

The slide shows the objectives for the lab associated with this lesson. Refer to the
corresponding lab guide for specific instructions and lab steps.
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3-41 Not for Distribution.

 What did you learn?
You are about to be asked a series
of questions related to the current
lesson.

42

The next section is a quiz. In this quiz, you are asked a series of questions related to the
current lesson.
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3-42 Not for Distribution.

 Question 1: Maximum number of policies
What is the maximum number of policies that NetBackup can be configured to use?

A. 1,000
B. 500
C. Unlimited
D. None of the above

43
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3-43 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 1: Maximum number of policies
What is the maximum number of policies that NetBackup can be configured to use?

A. 1,000
B. 500
C. Unlimited
D. None of the above

The correct answer is C. NetBackup does not limit the number of policies that you can configure. However, the best
approach to setting up policies is to divide clients into groups according to their backup and archiving requirements, and
then create policies that are appropriate for each group.

44
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3-44 Not for Distribution.

 Question 2: Incremental schedules
Which incremental schedule type generates more files per backup?

A. Differential incremental
B. Cumulative incremental
C. Accumulation incremental
D. Differences incremental

45
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3-45 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 2: Incremental schedules
Which incremental schedule type generates more files per backup?

A. Differential incremental
B. Cumulative incremental
C. Accumulation incremental
D. Differences incremental

The correct answer is B.

46
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

3-46 Not for Distribution.

 Question 3: Exclude dates and frequency schedules
Exclude dates are not available in frequency-based schedules.

A. True
B. False

47
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3-47 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 3: Exclude dates and frequency schedules
Exclude dates are not available in frequency-based schedules.

A. True
B. False

The correct answer is B.

48
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3-48 Not for Distribution.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

3-49
Not for Distribution.
 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups

© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Performing File System Backups lesson in the Veritas NetBackup 8.2:
Administration course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-1 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson introduction
• Lesson 0: Course Introduction • Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores
• Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup • Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V environment
• Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage • Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage
• Lesson 3: Configuring Policies Lifecycle Policies
• Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups • Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the
NetBackup Catalog
• Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores
• Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups
• Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools
• Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic
• Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
Information
• Lesson 8: Configuring and Managing Tape Storage
• Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

This lesson is the fourth lesson in this course.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-2 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson objectives
Topic Objective
Using and customizing the Use and customize the Activity Monitor, and suspend, resume,
NetBackup Activity Monitor restart, and prioritize jobs.
Performing manual backup Initiate a manual backup job, and monitor backup jobs using the
operations Activity Monitor.
Configure and perform user-directed backups using the Backup,
Performing user-directed backups
Archive, and Restore console.

Backup job-related tips Identify common backup job-related status codes.

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-3 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Using and customizing the NetBackup Activity
Monitor

After completing this topic, you will be able to use and customize the
Activity Monitor, and suspend, resume, restart, and prioritize jobs.

This is the Using and customizing the NetBackup Activity Monitor topic.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-4 Not for Distribution.

 Monitoring jobs using the Activity Monitor
Icon Legend
Successful
Partially
successful
Active
Queued
Failed
Incomplete
Suspended

• Shows completed jobs < 78 hours old

• Customize with KEEP_JOBS_HOURS = hours
bpdbjobs

The Jobs tab within the Activity Monitor provides a listing of jobs that are queued, are
currently running, have completed successfully (status code 0), have completed partially
successfully (status code 1), or have failed. The Activity Monitor periodically deletes
completed jobs that are more than three days old (specifically any completed jobs older
than 78 hours). To keep jobs in the Activity Monitor longer than the default value, for
example by changing the timeframe from 78 hours to 192 hours, use one of the
following methods:
• On a Windows or UNIX master server, run the command:
echo KEEP_JOBS_HOURS = 192 | nbsetconfig
• On a UNIX master server, add the entry “KEEP_JOBS_HOURS = 192” to the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

/usr/openv/netbackup/bp.conf file.
Alternatively, note that you can view older jobs in the NetBackup report found under
NetBackup Management > Reports > Status of Backups. The Status of Backups report
does not show job details, and only specific types of jobs, such as backup jobs. For
additional settings and details, refer to the NetBackup Administrator’s Guide.

4-5 Not for Distribution.

 Customizing the Activity Monitor

You can use the Activity Monitor in the NetBackup Administration Console to monitor
and control NetBackup jobs. To display job information, in the NetBackup
Administration Console, click Activity Monitor. Summary information about all jobs is
displayed under the Jobs tab in the details pane. By default, not all columns are
displayed. The following procedure describes how to show or hide columns:
1. In the Activity Monitor, select View > Column > Layout. The Column Layout dialog
box is displayed.
2. Select the column to display or hide by selecting its heading from the list.
• Click Show to display the column.
• Click Hide if you do not want to see the column heading.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

3. To change the order in which the columns appear, select the column heading. Then,
click the Move Up or Move Down button to reorder the columns. Columns can also
be reordered from within the NetBackup Administration console by simply using
drag and drop.
4. Click OK to apply the changes.

4-6 Not for Distribution.

 Filtering jobs in the Activity Monitor

Show / hide
custom filters

Show all jobs Show filter

and clear results
applied filters

Filtering jobs in the Activity Monitor simplifies troubleshooting and reporting. For
example, you can filter for jobs that were started before a specific date, queued jobs, or
jobs with status completion codes within a specified range. The Filter dialog box can be
viewed in by accessing the View > Filter menu option, or by clicking on the Show or
Hide Custom Filter button in the top-right corner of the Activity Monitor. Clicking on the
View All button clears currently applied filters and displays all original rows again. To
create a filter:
1. In the Activity Monitor, show the custom filter pane, as shown on the slide.
2. Click Create, and in the Create Filter dialog box provide a name for the filter.
3. Under the Advanced tab, select the Field, Comparison, and Value desired.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4. Click Add to List to add your selections to the filtering criteria.

5. Click Save to create the filter. The filter is immediately applied.
You can edit an existing filter operation with the Edit button. Once the filter is modified,
save the filter by either choosing Save or Save And Apply Filter. There is also
functionality to export and import filters as a binary file, to share frequently used filters
with other hosts and users.

4-7 Not for Distribution.

 Controlling jobs

A NetBackup administrator can cancel a job at any time from both the Activity Monitor
and from the command line. A NetBackup administrator can suspend a job that has
checkpoint restart enabled. In the example on the slide, Suspend Job is greyed out, this
means the job cannot be suspended as there are no checkpoints enabled in the policy
or if enabled a checkpoint hasn't been reached. Jobs cancelled “cleanly” as described
here, exit with NetBackup status code 150 (termination requested by administrator). If
you cancel a scheduled backup job, but the number of retries is not yet exceeded and
the backup window is still open, the backup is reattempted. Also, note that after you
cancel a backup job, the cancellation process can take several minutes. For example, if
the backup is being written to tape, the tape must be rewound and unmounted before
the cancellation process is fully completed.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-8 Not for Distribution.

 Understanding job priorities

• Determines which job is assigned available backup

resources.
• Apply to new and queued jobs only (have no effect
on active jobs). Job priority
range is
• Set in these locations:
0 – 99999
– Default: Host Properties > Master Server > Default
Job Priorities
– Policy: Policy > Job priority
– Dynamic: Activity Monitor > Action > Change Job
Priority

Job priorities provide a method to help determine which jobs get available resources.
This can be used to help administrators prioritize certain high priority clients and data
against other clients with a lower priority. Job priorities can be set as a default value for
different job types in the policy, before the job runs, or on jobs that have already been
added to the Activity Monitor in NetBackup. The NetBackup Resource Broker (nbrb)
uses the job priorities to determine which job is assigned available backup resources, in
addition to other factors, such as multiplexing requirements. The NetBackup resource
broker re-evaluates resource requests every five minutes, or when triggered by an
external event, such as a resource release.
In Master Server Properties > Default Job Priorities, you can set the default job
priorities for different job types. The Default Job Priorities host properties list 18 job
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

types and the configurable default priority for each. The job priority range is 0–99999.

4-9 Not for Distribution.

 Setting specific job priorities
Can be set on backup policy Can be set on queued or running jobs

10

This slide shows how to set job priorities on a policy and on running jobs. Note that
although you can change the job priority of a running job, because it has already
started, this priority has no effect. However, if the job fails, and then gets re-queued for
another attempt, it is re-queued with this new priority.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-10 Not for Distribution.

 Checkpoint restart
Configured under the Policy Attributes tab

ckpt1 ckpt3 ckpt5 ckpt7 ckpt9 ckpt11 ckpt13 ckpt15 ckpt17 ckpt19 ckpt21 1
Backup fails
ckpt2 ckpt4 ckpt6 ckpt8 ckpt10 ckpt12 ckpt14 ckpt16 ckpt18 ckpt20 ckpt22
The job is marked
as incomplete

HOURS
HOURS
SS
TT EE 3
AA 11 22 33 44 55 66
NN Job is
RR DD
TT
done

2 Job resumes
Job starts from the point in the file system ckpt22 ckpt24 ckpt26 ckpt28
indicated in the last checkpoint: “ckpt22”
ckpt23 ckpt25 ckpt27

11

The Take checkpoints every check box indicates whether NetBackup takes checkpoints
during backup jobs based on this policy at the frequency indicated. Taking checkpoints
during a backup is beneficial in the event that a backup based on this policy fails.
Without Take checkpoints every enabled, a failed backup based on this policy is
restarted from the beginning of the job. By taking checkpoints periodically during the
backup, NetBackup can retry a failed backup from the last checkpoint rather than
restarting the entire job.
The number of times that NetBackup automatically reattempts a failed backup is
configured by the Schedule Backup Attempts property located in the Master Server
Properties > Global Attributes dialog box. Policy types MS-Windows (for Windows
clients) and Standard (for UNIX clients) support checkpoints for backup jobs. Job types
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

that do not support checkpoint restart include catalog backups, duplication jobs, Vault
jobs, import jobs, synthetic backup jobs, and most database agents.
Note: Any of the database agents would not support a Checkpoint restart functionality,
it’s basically supports the OS file level type backups.
How often NetBackup takes a checkpoint during a backup is configurable. The
administrator determines on a policy-by-policy basis how to balance more frequent
checkpoints with the likelihood of less time lost in resuming a backup because of more
checkpoints. The default is checkpoints every 15 minutes. The minimum supported
value is every 5 minutes, and maximum is every 180 minutes (every 3 hours).

4-11 Not for Distribution.

 Resuming a suspended or incomplete job

Configured under master server

host properties > Clean-up

12

To resume a suspended or an incomplete job:

1. In the NetBackup Administration Console, open the Activity Monitor and click the
Jobs tab.
2. Select the suspended or the incomplete job you want to resume. Only backup and
the restore jobs that contain checkpoints can be suspended.
3. Select Actions > Resume Job.
Note that if incomplete jobs are not resolved after 3 hours, by default, their state
changes from Incomplete to Done. This settings can be changed in the master server
host properties under the Clean-up tab. A screenshot of that setting is shown on the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

slide.

4-12 Not for Distribution.

 Checkpoint restart limitations

Windows system
• No checkpoints are taken.
state backup

Disk-image (raw)
• No checkpoints are taken.
backup

NTFS single-instance • No checkpoints are taken after NetBackup encounters an NTFS

store (SIS) single-instance store.

NTFS resumed • Archive bits cleared for files backed up after the resume.
incremental backup • Archive bits not cleared for files backed up prior to the resume.

13

The following are checkpoint restart limitations:

• No checkpoints are taken during the backup of a system state or shadow copy
components on a Windows client.
• No checkpoints are taken during a disk-image (raw) backup.
• No checkpoints are taken for the remainder of the backup after NetBackup
encounters an NTFS single-instance store (SIS).
Single-instance store is an architecture designed to maintain duplicate files with a
minimum of disk, cache, and backup media overhead. For more information on NTFS
single-instance store, see the Knowledge Base on the Microsoft Web site at
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd573308%28v=ws.10%29.aspx.
On a Windows client's NTFS file system, when a differential incremental backup is
resumed and then completes successfully, the archive bits are cleared for the files
backed up since the resume, but not for the files backed up prior to the resume. This
means that the files backed up prior to the resume are backed up again on the next
differential incremental backup.

4-13 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Performing manual backup operations

After completing this topic, you will be able to initiate a manual backup job,
and monitor backup jobs using the Activity Monitor.

14

This is the Performing manual backup operations topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-14 Not for Distribution.

 How backups are initiated
Automatic
• Initiated based on the policy schedule
• Can be on a calendar or frequency-based schedule

Manual (immediate)
• Initiated from the NetBackup Administration Console
• Initiated from OpsCenter
• Initiated from command line on a NetBackup server

User-directed
• Initiated by users or scripts on the client
• Performed on authorized NetBackup clients only

15

Backups can be initiated:

• Automatically, based on the policy schedule.
• Manually from the NetBackup Administration Console, OpsCenter or command line
on a NetBackup server.
• By users or scripts, from authorized client servers. This type of backup is not
initiated by an automatic schedule.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-15 Not for Distribution.

 Manual backups
What are manual backups?

• Backups performed on automatic schedules (not user-directed schedules).

• Do not require an open start window.
• Run by NetBackup administrators, or by an external scheduler.
• Also known as immediate backups.
• May be mistaken for user-directed backups.

When to run manual backups?

• Testing a configuration.
• Resubmitting a missed or failed backup.
• Preserving an old configuration prior to upgrading.

How to run manual backups?

• Using the NetBackup Administration Console, OpsCenter or bpbackup -i

16

A manual backup (sometimes called an immediate backup) is a manual submission of an

automatic policy. NetBackup administrators can invoke manual backups, assuming that
an appropriate policy has been defined. Do not confuse manual backups with user-
directed backups:
• Manual backups are performed from the NetBackup server by the backup
administrator and apply only to automatic schedules.
• User-directed backups are performed from the client machine.
A manual backup is not dependent on the policy’s backup window or the time specified
by the schedule. That is why it is also called immediate. In fact, you can create a policy
schedule without an open window and run only manual backups defined by that policy,
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

as needed.
Since you can invoke a manual backup outside a policy’s normal backup window, a
successful manual backup job can affect a frequency-based schedule because it qualifies
as a successful backup. Consider that frequency-based schedules are based on the
amount of time (frequency) since the last successful backup job. This may therefore
mean that an automatic backup does not run when you next intended it to.

4-16 Not for Distribution.

 More backup jobs can start (one job per client per second)
Current limitation of Jobs

• Current “limitation” is 86,400 jobs in a 24 hour period (actual number is lower due to the system load).
• Currently, each new Job is tagged with a UNIX time incremented per second, per Master.
• Mostly customers will not notice a change. Customers are not coming close to this threshold value.

From 8.2 onwards

• From NetBackup 8.2 onwards more backup jobs can start, one job per client per second.
• In 8.2 jobs are tracked, one job per client per second within a time stamp, vs. per Master server.
For example: Internal testing has run +- 362,000 jobs per day.
• If required, this option can be reverted to the older requirement.
• Tuning options are being developed for customers to enable this requirement.

17

This slide displays the information about NetBackup 8.2 and onwards, more backup jobs
can start: one job per client per second.
Note:
• The default parameter is DBM_NEW_IMAGE_DELAY, you can modify this value to
it’s default settings: DBM_NEW_IMAGE_DELAY = N
o Where N > 0 and N <=1000, and N is the time in milliseconds to sleep after each
image creation. If N <= 0, no delay is performed. If N > 1000, only 1000
milliseconds (1 second) delay is used.
• Setting the DBM_NEW_IMAGE_DELAY = 1000 value approximates the previous
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

requirement.

4-17 Not for Distribution.

 Performing a manual backup using the Administration Console

bpbackup -i

18

To initiate a manual backup from the NetBackup Administration Console:

1. From the object tree pane of the NetBackup Administration Console, expand
NetBackup Management and select Policies.
2. In the All Policies pane, click the policy name and select Actions > Manual Backup.
Alternatively, right-click the policy and select Manual Backup.
The Manual Backup dialog box is displayed.
3. Select a schedule and the clients you want to back up.
• If you do not select any schedules, NetBackup uses the schedule that runs least
often. For Automatic schedules, the Frequency is generally used. If there are
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

multiple equivalent candidates, then schedule with the highest retention level is
chosen. It is therefore recommended to explicitly specify the schedule that you
wish to use.
• If you do not select any clients, NetBackup backs up all clients.
• If a User schedule exists, they are not displayed in the schedules list and cannot
be manually backed up because they do not have a backup selection list (the user
selects the files). These types of backups are run from the client system, either by
an application or script, or an administrator (user).
4. Click OK to start the backup.

4-18 Not for Distribution.

 Verifying successful completion of backup jobs

Status Code Icon Description

0 The backup was successful.

1 The backup was partially successful.

157 A checkpoint backup was suspended manually.

Any other status code A backup has experienced a problem.

Any other status code A checkpoint backup has experienced a problem.

19

You can expect backup success to be the norm in a properly configured and well-
maintained NetBackup environment. NetBackup is a very robust application in terms of
detecting and reporting errors, therefore, when problems do occur, you should be able
to track them down and correct them quite reliably.
A status code 0 (and the accompanying success icon:) I in the Activity Monitor
indicates that a backup job has completed successfully. Any other status code or icon
indicates that a backup was only partially successful or has failed. There are other
methods by which you can determine if a problem has occurred with a backup job,
including reports and activity logging.
A status code 1 (and the accompanying partial success icon:) in the Activity Monitor
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

indicates that the job has partially succeeded. For file system backups, this could mean
that some of the targeted files did not get backed up. It could be only one file was
missing, or many files, and there is no indication how important these missing files are.
Look at the job details for information on which files are not included. If those files are
not important (such as temporary or cache files that aren’t needed for recovery),
consider excluding them from future backups, so that you instead complete with status
code 0. Using Windows VSS or other snapshots may fix these issues.
Other reasons may exist for status code 1 backups, and for application and database
backups, a status code 1 may indicate a larger problem, and may result in the inability to
perform restores.

4-19 Not for Distribution.

 Viewing job details in the Activity Monitor

20

To view the details for a specific job, double-click the job under the Jobs tab. The Job
Details dialog box is displayed. Detailed job information is contained under three tabs:
• Job Overview provides a high level view of the job.
• Detailed Status lists the step by step actions performed during the job. Under the
Detailed Status tab, a Troubleshooter button is available to launch the
Troubleshooter, which can help determine the cause of the problem and
recommend corrective actions.
• Job Hierarchy shows the job hierarchy, discussed in more detail on the following
slide.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-20 Not for Distribution.

 Viewing job hierarchy in the Activity Monitor

21

Hierarchical jobs, when one job is a parent of one or more child jobs, is a behavior seen
frequently with Storage Lifecycle Policies, snapshot jobs, catalog backup jobs, and many
other job types. The Activity Monitor in the NetBackup Administration Console can
optionally show a hierarchical job view. There is a button on the toolbar which enables
this functionality, or you can select View > Jobs in Hierarchical Manner from the menu
bar to toggle this view.
You can get this information by moving the Parent Job ID column, which by default is
placed to the far right, close to the Job ID column. In this way, you can see the job
associations. However, the hierarchical job view makes this easier to visualize. The job
hierarchy can also be seen in the Job Hierarchy tab of the job details.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-21 Not for Distribution.

 Viewing jobs with multiple attempts

22

In some cases backup jobs may initially fail, but then, when retried by NetBackup, they
succeed in a future attempt. You are able to see the details for each job attempt in the
Detailed Status tab of the job details. Simply use the up and down arrows to the right of
the Attempt field. The slide displays one of these cases, where the first attempt to run a
backup job resulted in a status code 157: suspend requested by Administrator. The
second attempt at running the job succeeded and exited with a status code 0.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-22 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Performing user-directed backups

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure and perform user-
directed backups using the Backup, Archive, and Restore console.

23

This is the Performing user-directed backups topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-23 Not for Distribution.

 User-directed backups
What are user backups?

• Initiated from the client host.

• Specify the files and folders to be included in the backup.
• Enabled with a User Backup schedule in the policy.
• Enabled only for clients configured in the policy.
• Have storage type and retention level as configured in the policy.

When to run user backups?

• To regularly back up a customized selection of files on a system, manually.

• To initiate backups using a script on the host or client system.

How to run user backups?

• Using the Backup, Archive, and Restore interface or using bpbackup

24

A user-directed backup is invoked by an operator on the client machine either by using

the Backup, Archive, and Restore console, the command line or by running a script. This
type of backup is ad-hoc and can be initiated at any time as permitted by the start
window defined in the user backup schedule. Although the term user backup or user-
directed backup is commonly used, operations are most likely performed by client
administrators, or system administrators on the behalf of users, and a more suitable
description is client-directed or application-directed backups. However, the term “user-
directed” is used throughout the documentation.
The policy must have a user backup schedule that defines the start window during
which users can initiate a backup. The client must be in the policy’s client list. Users
select files and directories to back up. NetBackup ignores the policy’s backup selections
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

list. Clients can obtain status information using progress logs, e-mail notifications, and
the activity monitor. User-directed backups and archives can be initiated by:
• An interactive user, such as a file owner, system administrator, or DBA by using the
BAR console, or NetBackup commands.
• A backup script launched at regular intervals.
• An event trigger that kicks off a backup script.

4-24 Not for Distribution.

 Setting the user schedule and client list for a user-directed backup

Backup Selections is ignored

25

User-directed backups require a backup policy that contains a User Backup schedule,
and the client names added into the Clients tab of that policy. Consider the following:
• When you establish a user backup schedule, you provide users with a start window
during which they can perform their own backups or archives. Users can start
backups and archives only during the times permitted under the schedule’s Start
Window tab. When you set the start window, consider the times that users typically
are at work and likely to need to initiate user-directed backups. If a user starts a
backup outside of this window, the backup job fails.
• User backup schedules can be included in a policy that contains automatic backup
schedules. If you create separate policies for user backups, the considerations are
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

similar to those for automatic backups. Jobs running user backup schedules ignore
the policy’s backup selection list. The files backed up are specified as part of the
request to run the backup job at the time the request is made by the user.
• The policy name you choose is significant. By default, NetBackup alphabetically
searches (uppercase characters first) for the first available policy with a user backup
schedule with an open backup window, and a matching host name under the Clients
tab of the policy. If no user backup schedule is found, the backup fails with a status
code 240: no schedules of the correct type exist in this policy.

4-25 Not for Distribution.

 Initiating a user-directed backup from the BAR console

26

Users can initiate backups and archives using the Backup, Archive, and Restore interface
on the client machine. These operations can be performed without administrator
intervention, and the user does not need to log on to any of the NetBackup servers.
When performing user-directed operations using the NetBackup BAR console, only files
for which the logged-in user has rights are shown. Perform the following steps to start a
user backup operation:
1. From the BAR console, click Select for Backup.
2. Select the desired files and folders for backup by selecting the check box to the left
of the file or folder. To mark all files and folders that currently appear, select Edit >
Mark Displayed Files.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

3. Start the backup operation by clicking the Backup button. The Backup Options
window is displayed. The NetBackup server drop-down allows you to select the
master server you wish to use for this backup, if more than one master server exists
for this client. If a specific policy or schedule should be used, use the Action>
Specify Policy and Schedule dialog prior to clicking on the Backup button.
4. Confirm the backup selection and click Start Backup.

4-26 Not for Distribution.

 Viewing user-directed backup job details

BAR
console

Activity
Monitor

27

The View Status dialog box enables you to view the progress of a NetBackup operation.
The status is displayed in the top pane. Select the job that you want to monitor. The
lower pane reflects the progress of the item selected in the upper pane. The NetBackup
operation is finished when the status changes to Successful. If NetBackup is unable to
back up all of the requested files, a status code is displayed a few lines before the end of
the progress report. The NetBackup Status Codes Reference Guide lists the meaning of
the final status code. You can also monitor user-directed jobs using the Activity Monitor
in the NetBackup Administration Console. User-directed backups display as
User_backup in the Job Schedule column. You can use this to keep track of how many
user-directed backups are being run in your environment.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-27 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Backup job-related tips

After completing this topic, you will be able to identify common backup job-
related status codes.

28

This is the Backup job-related tips topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-28 Not for Distribution.

 Common backup policy issues

• Mis-defined schedules.
Schedule issues • Status code 196 (The client backup was not attempted because the
start window closed).

• Incorrect policy type or client definition.

Client issues • Client software not installed.
• Client connection or access (firewall connections).

Backup • An incorrect backup selections list.

selections issues • Status code 71 (None of the files in the backup selections list exist).

29

The slide describes some common backup policy issues and troubleshooting. For
additional troubleshooting assistance, refer to the NetBackup Troubleshooting Guide, to
the NetBackup Status Code Reference Guide, or attend the Veritas NetBackup
Maintenance and Troubleshooting course.
• Schedule issues: Problems with schedules typically involve incorrect definitions of
policy elements. Mis-defined schedules, clients, or backup selections can lead to a
backup failure. The most common status code associated with policy schedule errors
is: “Status code 196: The client backup was not attempted
because the backup window closed”. Due diligence is required on your
part to verify that such oversights are corrected. Evaluate and adjust the policy
attributes, as necessary. Extend the backup window to avoid errors resulting from the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

backup window being closed.

• Client issues: The slide highlights some common client issues. Some of these are
configuration issues, and a common problem is trying to back up a client, which has
not had the NetBackup client software installed, in which case NetBackup cannot
communicate with any NetBackup processes on that client.

4-29 Not for Distribution.

 If client connection is a problem, it could be the result of the client being shut down,
NetBackup services not running, networking issues including firewalls, and so on.
Common first steps in troubleshooting are running network testing commands such
as ping, however note NetBackup has its own set of network troubleshooting
utilities.
Refer to Article 100017942: Explanation of bpclntcmd options and recommended
troubleshooting when the commands return errors at:
http://www.veritas.com/docs/100017942. Also refer to the NetBackup Commands
Reference Guide for utilities such as nbsu (the NetBackup Support Utility),
bptestbpcd, nbdna, and bptestnetcon commands.
• Backup selection issues: Another common set of issues has to do with incorrectly
specifying the backup selection list. If incorrect directories are specified, or if
directories or folders have changed on the client, then what gets backed up may not
match the expectations of the organization.
If at least one file is backed up then the backup job should return either a status code
of 0 (successful) or 1 (partially successful). If no files are backed up, a status code 71
(None of the files in the backup selections list exist) is displayed.
For additional troubleshooting assistance, refer to the NetBackup Troubleshooting
Guide, or the NetBackup Status Code Reference Guide, or attend the Veritas NetBackup
Maintenance and Troubleshooting course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-30 Not for Distribution.

 Common NetBackup status codes

Status code Description

1 The backup completed, but not all files were backed up.
71 None of the files in the backup selections list exist.
196 The client backup was not attempted because the backup window closed.

31

The slide highlights some common NetBackup job status codes that indicate that there
was an issue encountered when running a backup job.
• NetBackup status code: 1 indicates that the backup was partially successful. With
this status code, you know that at least one file was backed up, but beyond that a
problem occurred.
• NetBackup status code: 71 indicates that none of the files in the policy’s backup
selections list exist. Verify the policy file list to ensure that the file names are correct.
If a single client is the source of the error, consider moving it to a different policy.
• NetBackup status code: 196 indicates that the backup job was queued, but the start
window closed before the backup could run. A 196 error is usually indicative of a
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

resource issue, such as there is not enough time for all backups to complete, the
network can be slow, or there may not be enough tape drives to handle the data
load.
For a detailed explanation of these and other status codes, see the NetBackup Status
Codes Reference Guide.

4-31 Not for Distribution.

 Reporting on backups
Type of Information Administration Console Command Line OpsCenter

Backed up or archived files Backup, Archive, and bplist

Restore console bpflist
nbfindfile
Job status Activity Monitor bpdbjobs Monitor > Jobs
Reports > Backups > Job
Browser
Reports > Backups >
Status
Reports > Job Reports
Backup status Reports > Status of bperror –backstat -U Reports > Backups >
Backups Status
Reports > Client Reports

32

The table on this slide summarizes how backup jobs can be managed using the
NetBackup Administration Console (GUI), NetBackup commands (CLI), and NetBackup
OpsCenter.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-32 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson summary
• Key points
– You learned to customize the Activity Monitor and suspend, resume, restart, and prioritize jobs.
– You also became familiar with how to initiate manual backup jobs, and how to monitor backup jobs
using the NetBackup Activity Monitor.
– You learned to configure and perform user-directed backups using the Backup, Archive, and Restore
console.
– Finally, you learned how to identify common job-related status codes and to perform basic steps to
troubleshoot failed backup jobs.
• Reference materials
– NetBackup Administrator’s Guide
– NetBackup Commands Reference Guide
– NetBackup Status Codes Reference Guide
– NetBackup Troubleshooting Guide
– OpsCenter Administrator’s Guide
– http://www.veritas.com/support

33

For more information about the topics discussed in this lesson, refer to the resources
listed on the slide and remember to check the Veritas Support web site frequently.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-33 Not for Distribution.

 Lab 4: Performing File System Backups
Lab objectives
• Exercise A: Using the Activity Monitor
• Exercise B: Performing Manual backups
• Exercise C: Viewing job details
• Exercise D: Deactivating and activating policies
• Exercise E: Performing user-initiated backups

34

The slide shows the objectives for the lab associated with this lesson. Refer to the
corresponding lab guide for specific instructions and lab steps.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-34 Not for Distribution.

 What did you learn?
You are about to be asked a series
of questions related to the current
lesson.

35

The next section is a quiz. In this quiz, you are asked a series of questions related to the
current lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-35 Not for Distribution.

 Question 1: End-user initiated backups
Which type of backup can be performed from a client machine by a user or script?

A. Immediate
B. Automatic scheduled
C. Manual
D. User-directed

36
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-36 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 1: End-user initiated backups
Which type of backup can be performed from a client machine by a user or script?

A. Immediate
B. Automatic scheduled
C. Manual
D. User-directed

The correct answer is D.

37
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-37 Not for Distribution.

 Question 2: Manual backups
Manual backups apply only to automatic schedules.

A. True
B. False

38
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-38 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 2: Manual backups
Manual backups apply only to automatic schedules.

A. True
B. False

The correct answer is A.

39
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-39 Not for Distribution.

 Question 3: Methods for initiating backups
Backups can be initiated by many methods. Which method does not apply?

A. Automatically, based on a policy schedule

B. Manually from the NetBackup Administration Console
C. Manually from the command line
D. As a user scheduled backup using the NetBackup scheduler

40
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-40 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 3: Methods for initiating backups
Backups can be initiated by many methods. Which method does not apply?

A. Automatically, based on a policy schedule

B. Manually from the NetBackup Administration Console
C. Manually from the command line
D. As a user scheduled backup using the NetBackup scheduler

The correct answer is D.

41
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-41 Not for Distribution.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

4-42
Not for Distribution.
 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores

© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Performing File System Restores lesson in the Veritas NetBackup 8.2:
Administration course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-1 Not for Distribution.

 Lessons in this course
• Lesson 0: Course Introduction • Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores
• Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup • Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V environment
• Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage • Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage
• Lesson 3: Configuring Policies Lifecycle Policies
• Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups • Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the
NetBackup Catalog
• Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores
• Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups
• Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools
• Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic
• Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
Information
• Lesson 8: Configuring and managing Tape Storage
• Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

This lesson is the fifth lesson in this course.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-2 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson objectives
Topic Objective
Describe the restore process and the restore methods used within
Introduction to restores
NetBackup.
Performing restore operations using Restore files and monitor restore operations using the Backup,
the BAR interface Archive, and Restore (BAR) interface.
Performing restore operations using Restore files and monitor restore operations using OpsCenter
OpsCenter Operational Restore Operational Restore.
Monitor restore operations, and identify common restore-related
Restore job-related tips
status codes.

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-3 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Introduction to restores

After completing this topic, you will be able to describe the restore process
and the restore methods used within NetBackup.

This is the Introduction to restores topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-4 Not for Distribution.

 Understanding and modifying restore permissions
Server-directed restores

• NetBackup administrators on a master server can restore to any client, by default

• Optionally prevent server-directed restores on the NetBackup client

Client-directed restores

• Only the client that backs up files to restore those files, by default
• Disable all restrictions with the No.Restrictions setting
• Allow specific clients with altnames settings

The default behavior for NetBackup is to allow NetBackup administrators running the
NetBackup Administration Console, which is connected to a master server, to be able to
restore to any client in that environment. To prevent server-directed restore on a
NetBackup client:
• On Windows clients: In the Backup, Archive, and Restore interface, in the toolbar,
select File > NetBackup Client Properties > General, then clear the Allow server-
directed restores check box.
• On UNIX clients: Add DISALLOW_SERVER_FILE_WRITES to the NetBackup
configuration file on the client: /usr/openv/netbackup/bp.conf.
Additionally, the default behavior is that anyone with the ability to run the Backup,
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Archive, and Restore interface on a specific client, can only restore that client’s data.
To change client restore permissions, first create the altnames directory on your master
server at install_path\NetBackup\db\altnames (Windows) or
/usr/openv/netbackup/db/altnames (UNIX). Then, within the directory:
• To disable all restrictions to allow any client to restore any clients data, create an
empty file with the name No.Restrictions.
• To allow individual clients to perform redirected restores, create a peername file: A
file named after the NetBackup client which has the ability to restore other clients.

5-5 Not for Distribution.

 Restore methods in NetBackup
NetBackup Backup
Archive and Restore
(BAR) interface

Windows Backup
Archive and Restore
(BAR) interface

OpsCenter
Operational Restore

bprestore bprestore -s 02/01/2015 06:00:00 -e 02/10/2010

command 18:00:00 E:\data\smallfiles\file001.txt

There are four different ways to perform restore operations within NetBackup.
• Restores can be initiated from the NetBackup Backup Archive and Restore (BAR)
interface, or by using the Windows Backup Archive and Restore (BAR) interface.
Note: Although the Windows Administration console is no longer supported since
NetBackup 7.7, the Windows BAR tool is still supported, primarily for user backups
of Windows clients. Detailed information about using the Windows BAR console is
provided in Appendix D of this course. To perform an administrator-directed restore
to a specific client, use the Backup, Archive, and Restore interface on the master
server that backs up the source client. To perform a client-directed restore, use the
Backup, Archive, and Restore interface on a client machine.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Administrator restores can be initiated from OpsCenter. See the NetBackup

OpsCenter Administrator’s Guide.
• Experienced administrators may prefer to use the bprestore command. See the
NetBackup Commands Reference Guide.

5-6 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Performing restore operations using the BAR
interface

After completing this topic, you will be able to restore files and monitor
restore operations using the Backup Archive and Restore (BAR) interface.

This is the Performing restore operations using the BAR interface topic.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-7 Not for Distribution.

 Restoring files using the Backup, Archive, and Restore interface
Step Action
Select Restore
1
Files tab
Specify machines
2
and policy type
Select restore
3
type

4 Set the view

Mark files to
5
restore
Preview required
6
media
Set destination /
7
restore options
8 Initiate restore
9 Monitor restore

To perform a restore using the Backup, Archive, and Restore interface, follow the steps
shown on this slide. This procedure is demonstrated in detail in this topic. You can start
the BAR interface either using the NetBackup Administration Console (by selecting
Backup, Archive, and Restore in the object tree pane), or as a standalone application.
On a Windows client, open nbwin.exe (or click on the Backup, Archive, and Restore
shortcut), and on a UNIX client, use the jbpSA & command. By default, NetBackup
clients are configured to allow NetBackup administrators on a master server to direct
restores to any clients. These are referred to as Server-directed restores. To perform an
administrator-directed restore to a specific client, use the Backup, Archive, and Restore
interface on the master server that backs up the source client.
For client-directed restores, by default, NetBackup permits files to be restored only from
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

backups of the client. The client may not restore from backups of other clients.
NetBackup ensures that the client name of the requesting client matches the peer name
that was used to connect to the NetBackup server. The NetBackup administrator can
modify this behaviour, either on a single client or for all clients. See the NetBackup
Administrator's Guide for details.

5-8 Not for Distribution.

 Specifying the NetBackup machines and policy type
Step Action
Select Restore
1
Files tab
Specify machines
2
and policy type
Select restore
3
type

4 Set the view

Mark files to
5
restore
Preview required
6
media
Set destination /
7
restore options
8 Initiate restore
9 Monitor restore

One of the first steps is specifying the NetBackup hosts and policy types by selecting
Actions > Specify NetBackup Machines and Policy Type from the menu, or clicking on
the corresponding button. For normal user-directed restores to the original client,
accept the default settings.
• Server to use for backups and restores: This setting defines the master server used
for restore (not the media server). If you need to add a master server to the drop-
down list, click Edit Server List, and add the master server to that list, and then
select that server.
• Source client for restore: When performing server-directed restores or alternate-
client restores, select the client from the drop-down list. Alternatively type the client
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

name. Be sure to use the correct client name that NetBackup used to backup the
client, otherwise no backup images are found.
• Destination client for restore: Use this field when performing server-directed
restores. For restores to the original client, leave the destination client as is. If you
need to change the destination client, select the corresponding client. Note that the
destination client must have the NetBackup client software installed.
• Policy type for restores: Select a policy type from the drop-down list. If an incorrect
or unused policy type is selected, no valid backups are found for restore.
After you have made all of the necessary selections, click OK.

5-9 Not for Distribution.

 Selecting the Restore type
Step Action
Select Restore
1
Files tab
Specify machines
2
and policy type
Select restore
3
type

4 Set the view

Mark files to
5
restore
Preview required
6
media
Set destination /
7
restore options
8 Initiate restore
9 Monitor restore

10

Select the appropriate restore type from the drop-down menu under the Restore Files
tab. Restore type selections include:
• Normal Backups
• Archived Backups
• Raw Partition Backups
• True Image Backups
• Point in Time Rollback
• Virtual Machine Backups
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Virtual Disk Restore

• Optimized Backups
For most file and folder restores from Standard or MS-Windows policies, select Normal
Backups.

5-10 Not for Distribution.

 Setting the view: Modifying the date range
Step Action
Select Restore
1
Files tab
Specify machines
2
and policy type
Select restore
3
type

4 Set the view

Mark files to
5
restore
Preview required
6
media
Set destination /
7
restore options
8 Initiate restore
9 Monitor restore

11

After you specify a restore type, you need to identify the backups you want to view. This
is performed by setting a date range which NetBackup uses to limit the backup images
examined for restores. Instead of specifying a date range, you can choose your backup
from a list. This changes the date range based on the selected images. From these
backups, you eventually select the files for restore. The Backup, Archive, and Restore
interface provides two ways to set this date range:
• Specify a date range: You can specify a range of dates for the backups you want to
view. Click the Use calendar to set date range button, and the Date Range dialog box
is displayed. Select a Start Date and an End Date and click OK.
• Backup list: Click the List Backups button to display a list of backups. Select the full
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

backup, as well as the subsequent differential or cumulative incremental backups.

Effectively, this just sets the start date and end date that NetBackup uses to examine
prior backups.

5-11 Not for Distribution.

 Setting the view: Identifying restorable files
Step Action
Select Restore Most recent Show all backups in
1 backup the range
Files tab
Specify machines
2 Refresh
and policy type
Select restore
3
type Search
4 Set the view backups

Mark files to
5
restore
Preview required
6
media
Set destination /
7
restore options
8 Initiate restore
9 Monitor restore

12

After selecting the backup images you wish to restore from, you should see a list of files
and folders you can restore from at the bottom pane. If a timeframe was selected that
includes multiple backup images, then it is possible that multiple versions of a file or
folder can be restored. By default, the Backup, Archive, and Restore console displays the
most recent version of the file, for the backup images that are currently selected by the
date range specified. If you want a list of all files from the selected backups, including
files for which there are multiple versions from different dates, click the Show all
backup in the specified date range button. If you want to return to view only the latest
version of the files, click the Show most recent backup in the specified date range
button.
To search for files in a backup, click the Find items to restore button.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

To browse for files in a particular location, set the Browse directory as appropriate.
Note that the default browse directory may be set in a manner which does not
correspond to files or folders that have been backed up. Set it to “/” manually, if
necessary.
To determine which files can be restored, you may need to refresh the screen. Select
View > Refresh. The items you can restore are displayed in the Contents of selected
directory list. From this list, determine which files you can restore.

5-12 Not for Distribution.

 It is possible that a restore requires data stored on multiple backup images. Examples of
such a distribution of backup images include:
• Restore from full and incremental backups. NetBackup’s default search range is for
the most recent backups since the last full backup. You can modify the search range
if you want to restore an image other than the most recent image.
• Restore from a backup series. Cumulative incremental backups require a full backup
and the most recent cumulative backup in the series. Differential incremental
backups require a full backup and all of the differential backups in the series.
• Restore a specific version of a file or directory. To restore an older version of a folder
or a file, specify a time range within which you know it existed. Select only backups
that include the version of the directory or file to restore.
Alternatively, the bplist command displays a list of previously backed-up or archived
files based on the options that you specify. The file list generated by bplist shows
only the files to which you, as the user, have read access. You must also own or have
read access to all directories in the file paths. You can list files that were backed up by
another client only if you are validated to do so as a NetBackup administrator.
Directories output by bplist can be recursively displayed. The output of bplist is
directed to standard output.
bplist examples
The following example recursively lists files on train2 that were backed up on or after
February 25, 2010 in D:\myfiles:
bplist –C train2 –l –s 2/25/10 –R D:\myfiles
The following example displays all files that were backed up.
bplist –C train2 –l –s 01/01/10 –R /
The following example filters out a directory of files that were backed up.
bplist –C train2 –l –s 01/01/10 –R D:\myfiles
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

The –t option enables bplist to reference different policy types. The following
example is for bplist syntax for Microsoft Exchange backups.
bplist –C train2 –t 16 –l –s 01/01/10 –R /
For a detailed explanation of the options you can use with the bplist command, see
the NetBackup Commands Reference Guide. Technical Article 100016074: A listing of
policy types and how they are used with bplist and other commands
(http://www.veritas.com/docs/100016074) describes policy types and how they are
used with bplist and other NetBackup commands.

5-13 Not for Distribution.

 Marking files to restore
Step Action
Select Restore
1
Files tab
Specify machines
2
and policy type
Select restore
3
type

4 Set the view

Mark files to
5
restore
Preview required
6
media
Set destination /
7
restore options
8 Initiate restore
9 Monitor restore

14

To mark a folder for backup or restore, select the check box to the left of the folder.
• A checked box ( ) indicates that all of the files and subfolders within that folder
are marked.
• A partially checked (forward slash mark) box ( ) indicates that only some of the
files or subfolders within that folder are marked.
• To mark all the files (and folders) that are currently displayed, select Edit > Mark
Displayed Files.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-14 Not for Distribution.

 Preview the required media
Step Action Tape
Select Restore
1
Files tab
Specify machines
2
and policy type
Select restore
3
type

4 Set the view

5
Mark files to Disk
restore
Preview required
6
media
Set destination /
7
restore options
8 Initiate restore
9 Monitor restore

15

After selecting the files and folders to restore, click the Preview button. The Media
Required dialog box is displayed with a list of the media required to perform the
restore. Use the contents of this dialog box to verify which media are required to
perform the restore. This helps you determine if you require a tape that is currently
offsite or otherwise unavailable. Note that for disk-based media, the Preview button is
not necessary, and returns the message “No media is required for restore. Images are
on Disk.” If the backups are on disk, instead an informational message is provided to
inform you that no media is required for the restore. Click Restore to start the restore
job. The Restore Marked Files dialog box is displayed and you are required to define
some final parameters before the restore operation starts.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-15 Not for Distribution.

 Set destination and restore options
Step Action
Select Restore
1
Files tab
Specify machines
2
and policy type
Select restore
3
type

4 Set the view

Mark files to
5
restore
Preview required
6
media
Set destination /
7 Initiate the
restore options
restore
8 Initiate restore
9 Monitor restore

16

The Destination pane of the Restore Marked Files dialog box grants you varying levels
of control over the placement of the files:
• Restore everything to its original location (Default): Restores items to the file or
path from which they were backed up.
• Restore everything to a different location (maintaining existing structure): Restores
items to a file or path other than the path from which they were backed up.
• Restore individual directories and files to different locations: Restores items to
paths other than the path from which they were backed up.
• Create and restore to a new virtual hard disk file: For Windows 2008 R2 clients and
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Windows 7 clients, you can restore marked items to a new, virtual hard disk (VHD)
file. If you select this option, you must specify a new VHD file. You cannot restore to
an existing VHD file with this option.
When you enter the destination path and the file name for the new VHD file, do not
include the .vhd extension. The extension is added automatically.
After you enter the new destination path and the file name, click Setting. Set the VHD
file size and select the behavior of the file as follows:
• Virtual hard disk size: Select the VHD file size. Ensure that you do not exceed the
maximum available amount of space.
• Dynamically expanding (default): If you select this option, the VHD file expands up
to the specified virtual hard disk size.

5-16 Not for Distribution.

 • Fixed size: If you select this option, the VHD file is created by using the specified
virtual hard disk size, regardless of the amount of data to be restored.
The Options pane shows the remaining options granting control over how NetBackup
handles files that may already exist:
• Overwrite existing files: This option must be enabled if the restore operation is
required to replace any existing versions of files to be restored. By default this is not
enabled.
• Restore all directories without crossing mount points: This option restricts the
restore to the contents of a single file system.
• Restore without access-control attributes (Windows clients only): An access
control list (ACL) is a table that conveys the access rights that users have to a file or
directory. Each file or directory can have a security attribute that extends or restricts
users’ access. The option to restore file and directory data without restoring ACLs is
available if the destination client and the source of the backup are both Windows
systems. To restore files without restoring ACLs, the following conditions must be
met:
• The policy that backed up the client must have been of policy type MS-Windows.
• The restore must be performed by an administrator logged in to a NetBackup
server (Windows or UNIX). The option is set from the client interface running on
the server. The option is unavailable on stand-alone clients (clients that do not
contain the NetBackup server software).
• The destination client and the source of the backup must both be systems
running supported Windows OS levels. The option is disabled on UNIX clients.
To restore files without restoring ACLs, mark the Restore without access-control
attributes (Windows clients only) check box.
• Rename hard links and Rename soft links: These options request NetBackup to
rename the appropriate links when restoring to an alternate location. For example, if
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

restoring to an alternative boot disk, it is necessary to rename hard links for the
system to boot from the restored disk, but soft links should not be renamed.
• Use default progress log filename: To write the progress messages to a log file other
than the default, clear the Use default progress log filename check box, and then
enter the name of the alternative progress log.
• Override default priority: Select this option to change the priority for the current
restore operation. The available range is 0 - 99999. The higher the number, the
greater the job priority.
After you have selected all of the necessary options, click Start Restore.

5-17 Not for Distribution.

 Monitoring restore operations using the BAR interface
Step Action
Select Restore
1
Files tab
Specify machines
2
and policy type
Select restore
3
type

4 Set the view

Mark files to
5
restore
Preview required
6
media
Set destination /
7
restore options
8 Initiate restore
9 Monitor restore

18

You can monitor the progress of the restore operation from the Task Progress tab in the
Backup, Archive, and Restore interface. Here you see the progress of the restore job as
it executes. If an error is encountered, determine the cause of the problem and perform
corrective actions. Restores can also be monitored from the Activity Monitor in the
Administration Console.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-18 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Performing restore operations using OpsCenter
Operational Restore

After completing this topic, you will be able to restore files and monitor
restore operations using OpsCenter Operational Restore.

19

This is the Performing restore operations using OpsCenter Operational Restore topic.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-19 Not for Distribution.

 Understanding OpsCenter Operational Restore
A simplified search and retrieval feature only available in NetBackup OpsCenter

Finds and restores files across multiple clients and domains

Includes options similar to the Backup, Archive, and Restore (BAR) console, but with additional search
capabilities

Includes a restore cart

Enables previews of required media, including the ability to export this data in multiple formats

Does not require additional licensing or infrastructure

20

Operational Restore provides a simplified search and retrieval mechanism that works
across multiple NetBackup domains, and was introduced in NetBackup OpsCenter 7.5.
Although it requires an OpsCenter server, it comes at no cost and does not require any
license. This feature enables restores to be initiated using the OpsCenter Web console
and removes the need to install the BAR console on customer workstations. The search
capabilities facilitate searches without requiring specialized knowledge of the backup
environment.
Operational Restore includes enhanced filtering selection, the ability to use wildcards
for search, and manual browsing of directory and sub-directory structures of backed-up
images for files with specific metadata. Additionally, a restore cart enables you to view
file selections from multiple search and browse operations and restore them at a later
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

time, or to preview the media required. No additional licensing or infrastructure is

necessary. For additional information on using Operational Restore, see the NetBackup
OpsCenter Administrator’s Guide.

5-20 Not for Distribution.

 Accessing the Operational Restore interface
Step Action
Click Manage >
1
Restore
Click Restore Files
2
and Directories

3 Set search criteria

4 Start the search

Select files and

5
folders to restore
Specify target and
6
restore options
Preview the
7
required media
8 Initiate restore
9 Monitor restore

21

To browse for files and directories for restore:

1. Access the Operational Restore interface in the OpsCenter console by navigating to
the Manage > Restore tab.
2. Click Restore Files and Directories.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-21 Not for Distribution.

 Accessing the Operational Restore interface
Step Action
Click Manage >
1
Restore
Click Restore Files
2
and Directories

3 Set search criteria

4 Start the search

Select files and

5
folders to restore
Specify target and
6
restore options
Preview the
7
required media
8 Initiate restore nbfindfile
9 Monitor restore

22

After clicking the Restore Files and Directories link, the Files and Directories Restore
wizard is displayed. The Files and Directories Restore wizard consists of three panels:
• Select Files or Directories enables you to perform simple or advanced search
operations for locating specific files or directories that you want to restore.
• Restore Options enables you to select a number of restore options, such as
destination client, destination path, and overwrite options for the selected client.
• The Summary displays the list of files or directories that you have selected for
restore.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-22 Not for Distribution.

 Performing a simple search
Step Action
Click Manage >
1
Restore
Click Restore Files
2
and Directories

3 Set search criteria

4 Start the search

Select files and

5
folders to restore
Specify target and
6
restore options
Preview the
7
required media
8 Initiate restore
9 Monitor restore

23

Under the Select Files or Directories tab, the Search tab is displayed.
3. Make your search selections based on the following search criteria:
• Select a time frame that you want to search. The default time frame is Month.
• File or Directory name: Enter a full path using a path delimiter of forward slash (/)
on UNIX or back slash (\) on Windows, or enter a specific file or directory name.
Alternatively, if the exact directory or file name is not known, use the * (any number
of any characters) and ? (any one character) wildcards.
• Search within Clients: Specify the set of clients whose backup information you want
to search. You can search multiple clients from multiple master servers.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Select a view from the View drop-down list.

• Select a master server from the Master Server drop-down list. All NetBackup
master servers that are a part of the selected view are displayed.
• Specify the clients whose backup information you want to search.
When you click Browse and select clients, the Browse Clients dialog box is displayed.
The following options are displayed in the dialog box:
• Selected View: The view that you selected from the View drop-down list is
displayed. If you select a view of type Master Server, all NetBackup master servers
that are added to the view are displayed under the Name column. If you select a
client-type view, the clients are displayed under the selected view in the Name
column.

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 • Filter Clients: You may want to view specific clients when the client list is large. To
filter specific clients, enter a client name, part of a client name, or add the *
wildcard.
• Name: If you select a Master Server type view, each master server is displayed with
a + sign next to it. When you expand a master server, you can see the protected
clients that are associated with it. If you select a client-type view, clients are
displayed. Mark the check box next to one or more clients and click OK.
Veritas recommends using the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for clients, to avoid
confusion and name conflicts. The image catalog contains a directory for each client
name as specified in the policy, so the name of the client that was backed up must be
the name of the client for the source client. After you select the clients, a table is
displayed that provides the client names and the master servers associated with the
clients. If you want to remove a specific client, click Remove.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-24 Not for Distribution.

 Performing an advanced search
Step Action
Click Manage >
1
Restore
Click Restore Files
2
and Directories

3 Set search criteria

4 Start the search

Select files and

5
folders to restore
Specify target and
6
restore options
Preview the
7
required media
8 Initiate restore
9 Monitor restore

25

To perform an advanced search, you can specify advanced search criteria in addition to
the simple search criteria. The Advanced Search criteria are optional. For more
information about the advanced search criteria, see the NetBackup OpsCenter
Administrator’s Guide.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-25 Not for Distribution.

 Starting the search
Step Action
Click Manage >
1
Restore
Click Restore Files
2
and Directories

3 Set search criteria

4 Start the search

Select files and

5
folders to restore
Specify target and
6
restore options
Preview the
7
required media
8 Initiate restore
9 Monitor restore

26

4. After you have made all of your search selections, click Search. It may take some
time for OpsCenter to display the search results. The time to display the search
results may increase with the number of selected clients. OpsCenter highlights the
search results at the bottom of the pane in a table.
This slide presents the procedure to browse the protected files and directories on a
client. This method enables you to select the client to be browsed and specify a time
frame for backup selection. You can select only one client at a time. The most recent
backup in the specified date range is shown by default. Under the Search tab, you can
see that the search has completed successfully. Search results are displayed while the
search is in progress.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

The filter button at the top of the search results table enables you to further filter the
search results. The result is a filtered subset of the last search result from the OpsCenter
database. You can also customize the search results table to display sort order, page
size, columns displayed, and column order. Click the Change Table Settings icon at the
top of the search results table to access the table customizations page.
By default, the search results table lists the following default columns: File or Directory
Name, File or Directory Path, Backup History, Last Backup Time, Modified Time, Client,
and Size. Operational Restore enables you to add Master Server, Last Accessed Time,
and Backup ID columns to the table. If there are additional results, the number of rows
and pages is displayed.
You can also use the nbfindfile command to search files or directories based on
simple search criteria. This command can be executed from the NetBackup master
server, not the OpsCenter Server. For more information about the nbfindfile

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 command, see the NetBackup OpsCenter Administrator’s Guide or the NetBackup
Commands Reference Guide.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-26 Not for Distribution.

 Selecting files and folders to restore
Step Action
Click Manage >
1
Restore
Click Restore Files
2
and Directories

3 Set search criteria

4 Start the search

Select files and

5
folders to restore
Specify target and
6
restore options
Preview the
7
required media
8 Initiate restore
9 Monitor restore

27

5. To select one or more files or directories to restore, mark the check box next to the
file or directory.
• To restore the files or directories now, click Restore now.
• If you want to add the selected files and directories to the Restore Cart and
restore them at a later time, click Add to Restore Cart.
To display the backup history, click the Backup History Selection link for the file or
directory that interests you. The Backup Timeline window is a timeline view of backups
for a specific file or directory. At the top of the Backup Timeline window, the name and
location of the selected backup’s file or directory are displayed. The timeline displays
icons that each represent a different backup or snapshot. By default, the primary
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

backup copy of the most recent backup for this file or folder is selected, however this
window enables an alternate backup copy to be chosen by clicking on that icon.
The Backup table in the middle of the window displays information about the backup
that is selected from the timeline view. It displays information, such as backup time,
policy name, policy type, backup type, and so on. Click an icon to view the details of the
specific backup in the Backup table. After you select the specific backup image that you
want to restore from the Backup table, the copies that are associated with the backup
image are displayed in another table at the bottom of the window. The Copies of
Selected Backup table displays information about the copies that are associated with
the selected backup image. By default, the primary copy is selected.

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 Viewing the Restore Cart and specifying target and restore options
Step Action
Click Manage >
1
Restore
Click Restore Files
2
and Directories

3 Set search criteria

4 Start the search

Select files and

5
folders to restore
Specify target and
6
restore options
Preview the
7
required media
8 Initiate restore
9 Monitor restore

28

6. Select the target and restore options.

The Restore Cart enables you to view file selections from multiple search and browse
operations and restore them at a later time. You may also choose to restore all the file
or directory selections at once. The Restore Cart selection persists for each user across
different OpsCenter sessions. After a file belonging to the Restore Cart is sent for
restore, it is automatically removed from the Restore Cart for the specific user.
You can perform several operations on the files and directories in the Restore Cart. You
can email or export the contents of the Restore Cart. You can also restore or remove
files from the Restore Cart. For more information about performing operations on the
Restore Cart, see the NetBackup OpsCenter Administrator's Guide.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

When you click Restore now, the Restore Options panel is displayed. You can specify
restore options for the files and directories that you selected, such as destination client
and paths, and overwrite and access control options. This panel enables you to specify
the restore options for each source client from which a file or directory has been
selected to be restored.

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 Previewing the required media
Step Action
Click Manage >
1
Restore
Click Restore Files
2
and Directories

3 Set search criteria

4 Start the search

Select files and

5
folders to restore
Specify target and
6 Tape Disk
restore options
Preview the
7
required media
8 Initiate restore
9 Monitor restore

29

7. Prior to initiating the restore, click Preview Media to view the media required for
the restore operation and to determine the availability of the required media. The
Preview Media dialog box is displayed. This helps you determine whether the
required tape is in the library. If the selected backups are all on disk, this option is
not applicable.
When you have finished with the Preview Media dialog box, click Close.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-29 Not for Distribution.

 Restoring files and directories on a client using Operational
Restore
Step Action
Click Manage >
1
Restore
Click Restore Files
2
and Directories

3 Set search criteria

4 Start the search

Select files and

5
folders to restore
Specify target and
6
restore options
Preview the
7
required media
8 Initiate restore
9 Monitor restore
30

The Summary panel displays the list of files and directories that have been selected for
restore. It also displays information about the current location of these files and
directories and where they are to be restored. The Summary panel shows a table that
includes the source file name, the source file path, the source client, the destination file
path, and the destination client. At this point, you have one last opportunity to remove
files or directories from the Summary panel. To remove files or directories that you do
not want to restore, click the Remove files or directories button.
8. In the Summary panel, click Restore to restore all the files or directories.
The corresponding restore jobs are triggered, and the File or Directory Restore
Launch Status dialog box is displayed. This dialog box identifies the job ID of the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

restore job, the name of the master server that is associated with the client on
which the file resides, and the name of the source client.
Click OK to navigate to the OpsCenter Monitor > Jobs tab and view the job progress
details.
The Monitor > Jobs view provides details about NetBackup jobs. In this example,
detailed information about Job ID 264, the restore job, is displayed. Notice that the job
is selected in the content pane, and additional information is displayed in the details
pane.

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 Topic: Restore job-related tips

After completing this topic, you will be able to monitor restore operations,
and identify common restore-related issues.

31

This is the Restore job-related tips topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-31 Not for Distribution.

 Monitoring jobs using the Activity Monitor

32

You can also monitor the progress of the restore operation from the NetBackup
Administration Console Activity Monitor.
Suspending and resuming a restore job
If you are a NetBackup administrator, you can suspend a checkpointed restore job and
resume the job at a later time. For example, while running a restore job for several
hours, you may receive a request for a second restore of a higher priority that requires
the resources being used by the first job. You can suspend the first job, start the second
restore job, and let it complete. You can later resume the first job from the Activity
Monitor and let that job complete. To suspend a restore job, right-click the job in the
Activity Monitor and select Suspend. To restart the job, right-click the suspended job
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

and select Resume. You can also use the Suspend and Resume buttons in the toolbar.
Limitations to Checkpoint Restart for restore jobs include the following:
• The restore restarts at the beginning of the last checkpointed file only, not within
the file.
• Only the backups that are created using Standard or MS-Windows policy types are
supported.
• Third Party Copy and Media Server Copy images that use Standard policy types are
supported, but cannot be suspended or resumed if the backup image has changed
blocks.

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 Cancelling a restore job
If you are a NetBackup administrator, you can cancel a restore job from the Activity Monitor
by right-clicking the job and selecting Cancel. Consider the following ramifications of
cancelling a restore job:
• Even though a restore job is cancelled and is reported as such, all files written up to that
point are considered “restored.”
NetBackup does not replace the files restored to that point with the files that existed
before the restore operation started.
• The last file written at the time of the cancellation may be corrupted.
Performing restore operations using the bprestore command
Use the bprestore command to restore backed-up or archived files, lists of files, or
directories. The bprestore command restores the files from the most recent backups
within the period you specify, except for a true image restore. See the NetBackup
Administrator’s Guide for details of this functionality.
For a detailed explanation of the bprestore command, see the NetBackup Commands
Reference Guide. The bprestore command must include the file list to be restored, which
can be specified by using:
• The list of files following the command
• The -f parameter to specify the location of a file containing the file list
To restore a file, a user must have read access to the backed-up file and write access to the
desired destination where the file is to be placed when it is restored.
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5-33 Not for Distribution.

 Common restore issues
Issue Resolution
Incorrect interpretation of • Check the spelling of the path, file name, and exclude rule.
restore directives • Ensure no information is missing.
Insufficient disk space Ensure there is sufficient space on the destination client or file system.

Improper file permissions Ensure you have read permission for files in the backup image and write
permission for the restore destination.
Access control lists (ACLs) • Ensure the restore is not cross-platform.
• Ensure the tar file is a NetBackup-modified tar file.
Incorrect restore criteria Confirm the policy type, server and client names, restore type, browse
directory, and date range.

34

Problems with restores can include the following:

• Incorrect interpretation of restore directives. If you are restoring by using the
bprestore command, or if you manually type information, such as a path, file
name, or exclude rule, ensure that you have correctly spelled all entries and have
correctly typed all other information.
• Insufficient disk space for restores. Ensure that the destination client or file system
to which you are restoring has enough disk capacity to hold the restore.
• Improper file permissions. Ensure you can read the files that were backed up in the
image and have write permission for the restore destination
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Access control lists (ACLs). By default, the NetBackup modified GNU tar restores
ACLs along with file and directory data. In the following situations, the ACLs cannot
be restored to the file data:
• Where the restore is cross-platform (such as restoring an AIX ACL to a Solaris
client, or restoring a Windows ACL to an HP-UX client)
• When a tar other than the NetBackup-modified tar is used to restore files

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 In these instances, NetBackup stores the ACL information in a series of generated
files in the root directory using the following naming form:
.SeCuRiTy.nnnn
These files can be deleted or read with the ACLs regenerated manually.
Note: You can restore files without restoring ACLs if the destination client and the
source of the backup are both Microsoft Windows systems. See the NetBackup
Administrator’s Guide for details.
• Restore from non-preferred location. Each backup is assigned a primary copy.
NetBackup uses the primary copy to satisfy restore requests. If the primary copy is
not the desired copy, promote the desired copy to the primary. For example, if the
primary copy is on tape and the duplicate copy is on disk, promoting the duplicate
copy to primary ensures a faster restore. This behavior is discussed if further detail
in the Duplicating Backups lesson.
• Incorrect restore criteria. Ensure that you have defined the proper settings for the
restore job, such as the policy type and NetBackup server.
Debug logs for restore operations
The bprestore command writes informational and error messages to a progress log
file if you create the file prior to running the bprestore command and specify the file
with the -L progress_log option. You can use the progress log to find the reason
for the failure if bprestore cannot restore the requested files or directories. You can
also create debug logs for the bplist and bprestore commands by creating the
following directories on the machine from which you run the commands:
• UNIX
/usr/openv/netbackup/logs/bplist/
/usr/openv/netbackup/logs/bprestore/
• Windows
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

install_path\NetBackup\logs\bplist
install_path\NetBackup\logs\bprestore
Create these directories with public-write access. The commands create debug logs
within the respective directories, which you can use for detailed troubleshooting. If a
non-root user is specified under USEMAIL = mail_address in the $HOME/bp.conf file
of a NetBackup UNIX client, NetBackup sends an e-mail containing the restore
completion status to mail_address. This message is sent when the restore process
completes.

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 Verifying correct restore criteria
Incorrect server, client
Incorrectly set names, or policy type?
restore type?

Incorrect browse Incorrectly selected date

directory? range or backups?

36

When attempting a restore, you may receive an error stating No Files Found. This is a
common occurrence when some of the restore fields are not set correctly for the data
in question. Some parameters to check include:
• Source client: Make sure to use the correct host name for the source client. If the
image was registered under the short name, console, then use the short name. If
the backup was done using the FQDN, console.example.com, use the FQDN.
• NetBackup server: Ensure that the correct master server name is used.
• Date range: Enter the date range for valid backups. If the date range you are using
doesn’t yield any results, verify that backups completed for that client, during that
time.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Browser directory: The directory needs to be set so that it is valid for the backup
data. If the default directory shown is for data that was not included in the backup,
then no files will be found. Change the folder to one that is relevant to your backup.
This primarily applies to UNIX and Linux-based images.
• Restore type: If a restore type is chosen that doesn't match your backup, then no
data will be shown. For many backup types, the Normal Backups restore type
should be chosen.
• Keyword: Ensure this entry is clear, if keywords are not being used. Otherwise the
backup images shown will be limited to those using the keywords selected.

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 Reporting on restores

Type of Information Administration Console Command Line OpsCenter

List files Backup, Archive, and bplist
Restore GUI nbfindfile

Restore job status Activity Monitor bpdbjobs Monitor > Jobs

Reports > Restore
Reports

37

The table on this slide summarizes how restore jobs can be managed using the
NetBackup Administration Console, NetBackup commands, and OpsCenter.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-37 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson summary

• Key points
– You learned how to initiate and monitor restore operations using the Backup, Archive, and Restore
interface and Operational Restore.
– You also learned how to monitor restore jobs.
– Finally, you learned how to identify common restore-related status codes.
• Reference materials
– NetBackup Administrator’s Guide
– NetBackup Commands Reference Guide
– NetBackup Status Codes Reference Guide
– NetBackup Troubleshooting Guide
– NetBackup Backup, Archive, and Restore Getting Started Guide
– OpsCenter Administrator’s Guide
– http://www.veritas.com/support

38

For more information about the topics discussed in this lesson, refer to the resources
listed on the slide and remember to check the Veritas Support web site frequently.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-38 Not for Distribution.

 Lab 5: Performing File System Restores
Lab objectives
• Exercise A: Becoming familiar with the key restore settings in the BAR interface.
• Exercise B: Restoring client files to their original location
• Exercise C: Restoring files to an alternate file system location
• Exercise D: Restoring files to an alternate client system
• Exercise E: (Optional) Using the OpsCenter Operational Restore feature

39

The slide shows the objectives for the lab associated with this lesson. Refer to the
corresponding lab guide for specific instructions and lab steps.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4-39 Not for Distribution.

 What did you learn?
You are about to be asked a series
of questions related to the current
lesson.

40

The next section is a quiz. In this quiz, you are asked a series of questions related to the
current lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-40 Not for Distribution.

 Question 1: Initiating restores
By default, restores can be initiated by an administrator from the Backup, Archive, and
Restore interface or by a user on a client machine.

A. True
B. False

41
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-41 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 1: Initiating restores
By default, restores can be initiated by an administrator from the Backup, Archive, and
Restore interface or by a user on a client machine.

A. True
B. False

The correct answer is A.

42
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-42 Not for Distribution.

 Question 2: Which restore method works across domains
Which restore method enables simplified search and retrieval across multiple
NetBackup domains?

A. The Backup, Archive, and Restore interface

B. The OpsCenter Operational Restore feature
C. The NetBackup Administration Console
D. The NetBackup Operations Manager interface

43
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-43 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 2: Which restore method works across domains
Which restore method enables simplified search and retrieval across multiple
NetBackup domains?

A. The Backup, Archive, and Restore interface

B. The OpsCenter Operational Restore feature
C. The NetBackup Administration Console
D. The NetBackup Operations Manager interface

The correct answer is B.

44
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-44 Not for Distribution.

 Question 3: No backup image content is displayed
A restore using the Java BAR is being attempted. Care has been taken to select the appropriate source
client, but no backup image content is displayed. What could be a reason for this to happen?

A. The wrong policy type has been specified.

B. The date range is incorrect.
C. The path does not exist in the images that have been selected.
D. All of the above.

45
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-45 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 3: No backup image content is displayed
A restore using the Java BAR is being attempted. Care has been taken to select the appropriate source
client, but no backup image content is displayed. What could be a reason for this to happen?

A. The wrong policy type has been specified.

B. The date range is incorrect.
C. The path does not exist in the images that have been selected.
D. All of the above.

The correct answer is D.

46
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5-46 Not for Distribution.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

5-47
Not for Distribution.
 Veritas NetBackup 8.2:Administration

Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools

© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Configuring Disk Pools lesson in the Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration
course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-1 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson introduction
• Lesson 0: Course Introduction • Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores
• Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup • Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V Environment
• Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage • Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage
• Lesson 3: Configuring Policies Lifecycle Policies
• Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups • Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the
NetBackup Catalog
• Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores
• Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups
• Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools
• Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic
• Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
Information
• Lesson 8: Configuring and Managing Tape Storage
• Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

This lesson is the sixth lesson in this course.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-2 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson objectives
Topic Objective
Understanding Disk Pools and Describe disk-based storage, including disk pools and AdvancedDisk
AdvancedDisk storage.
Configuring AdvancedDisk Configure storage servers, AdvancedDisk disk pools, and
AdvancedDisk storage units.
Managing AdvancedDisk Storage Monitor and report on configured AdvancedDisk disk pool devices,
as well as perform common AdvancedDisk management tasks.

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-3 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Understanding Disk Pools and AdvancedDisk

After completing this topic, you will be able to describe disk-based storage,
including disk pools and AdvancedDisk storage.

This is the Understanding Disk Pools and AdvancedDisk topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-4 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup disk storage types
BasicDisk Uses a directory to store backup data.
• Lesson: Configuring NetBackup Storage
• Document: NetBackup Administrator’s Guide Covered in this lesson
• License: None required
AdvancedDisk Uses a disk pool (a collection of disk volumes).
• Lesson: Configuring Disk Pools
• Document: NetBackup AdvancedDisk Solutions Guide
• License: NetBackup Data Protection Optimization Option
OpenStorage Used with storage supporting Veritas OpenStorage API.
• Lesson: Configuring Disk Pools and Duplicating
• Ease Backups Using
of management: Storage
Manages Lifecycle
multiple diskPolicies
volumes as one logical
• Document: NetBackup OpenStorage Solutions Guide
destination for Diskstorage lifecycle policies
and supports
• Robust
• License: NetBackup Data Protection Optimization
featureOption
set: Support media server load balancing and spanning disk
PureDisk volumes
Uses a Media Server Deduplication Pool (MSDP).
• Scalable: Easily expand capacity; Handles unlimited theoretical capacity
• Lesson: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
• Document: NetBackup Deduplication Guide
• License: NetBackup Data Protection Optimization Option

The slide reviews disk storage types in NetBackup (listed by the corresponding disk type
identification categories used in NetBackup), including BasicDisk, AdvancedDisk,
OpenStorage and PureDisk. This lesson discusses the AdvancedDisk storage type,
specifically using simple disk pools of multiple disk volumes, on a single media server.
Creating disk pools in NetBackup offers several benefits over basic disk storage units.
Resources are used more efficiently by logically combining disk resources on a single
server or across multiple servers. Using disk pools unlocks a number of additional
features, including capacity management, data classifications, storage lifecycle policies,
and media server load balancing. Disk volumes can be added to a disk pool to increase
capacity, and there is no inherent limitation for capacity size of the disk pool.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-5 Not for Distribution.

 AdvancedDisk and NetBackup licenses

nbdeployutil
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_
US/doc/123533878-127136857-0/v123549289-
127136857

Many licensed options in NetBackup are capacity-based; this means that these options
license a specific amount of data storage of a particular type. The Flexible Disk Option,
which tracks space usage for AdvancedDisk pools, is capacity-based.
Access the NetBackup License Keys dialog box, select Help > License Keys, and
determine if you have the Flexible Disk Option. Capacity-based licensing applies only to
the used capacity (active backup images), rather than the total capacity of the storage
units or disk pools. To report on the actual disk space usage and NetBackup capacity
compliance, you will need to run the nbdeployutil command.
For assistance, refer to nbdeployutil in the NetBackup Commands Reference guide at:
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/123533878-127136857-
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

0/v123549289-127136857.

6-6 Not for Distribution.

 Disk storage terminology
Disk
enclosure
Storage server
(logical)

OpenStorage
Technology (OST)

Disk volume
Disk pool Media
server
(physical)

This slide describes basic disk backup terminology.

• A disk enclosure is a physical container with disk storage, such as a disk array.
• A disk volume is a logical unit of disk storage, as presented by the host operating
system, such as a partition or Volume Manager volume.
• A disk pool is a collection of disk volumes administered in NetBackup as a single
entity. Storage units are configured to target a single disk pool for backup.
• A media server is a NetBackup system that manages the writing of backup data to
storage media. Traditionally, the storage media may be either disk or tape media.
• OpenStorage Technology (OST) is a Veritas API that allows NetBackup to
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

communicate and manage various storage implementations to integrate backup

functionality, including share disks, balance load and performance, use the disk
appliance capabilities such as deduplication, provision storage, and optimize
duplication and replication.
• A Storage server is an entity that was created in NetBackup to write the data to and
read the data from the disks that support OST. In some cases, such as NetBackup
AdvancedDisk, the storage server and the media server reside on the same
NetBackup system. In other cases, the NetBackup media server communicates with
a storage server provided by Veritas or another storage vendor using NetBackup
OST.

6-7 Not for Distribution.

 Using third-party OpenStorage vendors
• Use vendor-supplied software plug-in, installed on media servers that communicate with the OST server
• To find supported functionality and capabilities:
– Refer to the NetBackup Compatibility List for all versions at http://www.netbackup.com/compatibility
– Includes OpenStorage - Supported Functionality:

– Includes OST Storage Servers - Vendor Compatibility:

OpenStorage is a Veritas API that enables NetBackup to communicate with the storage
implementations that conform to the API. Disk appliance vendors participate in the
Veritas OpenStorage Partner Program. Veritas qualifies their storage solutions for the
OpenStorage API. The vendor's storage controls the storage format, the location where
the images reside on the storage, and the data transfer method. As a result,
performance and storage utilization are highly optimized.
Third-party OpenStorage servers include disk appliance vendors that provide a software
plug-in that is installed on the NetBackup media server. NetBackup media servers use
the plug-in to communicate with the disk appliance. From the NetBackup master server,
a disk pool is created that points to the disk vendor’s appliance, which is now known as
a storage server. NetBackup determines when backup images are created, copied, or
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

deleted. Images are moved, expired, or deleted on the storage when NetBackup
instructs the appliance to do so through the API.

6-8 Not for Distribution.

 Topology with third-party OpenStorage vendors

OpenStorage Media Master

vendor servers server

• Disk pool • NetBackup Plug-in

• Disk enclosure installed
• Storage server • Media server

In the event that third-party OpenStorage vendors are being used in a NetBackup
environment, the OpenStorage vendor’s disk array is considered the disk enclosure and
the disk pool. The disk array is also the storage server, since it is responsible for the I/O
to and from disk. To be able to communicate correctly with the OpenStorage vendor’s
disk array, the NetBackup media server need to ensure that a NetBackup plug-in, which
is provided by the third-party vendor, is installed. This is an environment where the
media server and storage server are not contained in the same server.
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6-9 Not for Distribution.

 Using cloud storage vendors
• Use vendor- or Veritas-supplied software plug-in, installed on media servers that communicate with the cloud
server
• To find supported functionality and capabilities:
– Refer to the Hardware and Cloud Storage Compatibility List (HCL) at http://www.netbackup.com/compatibility
– Includes Cloud - Supported Technology Methods and OST Cloud - Vendor Compatibility :

10

OST Cloud Storage plug-ins enable Veritas NetBackup to access Cloud Storage Solutions.
Either the storage vendor or Veritas provides a software plug-in, which is installed on
each NetBackup Media Server that is connected to the cloud solution. Supported
vendors may include ACP, Amazon, AT&T, China Mobile, China Telecom, Chunghwa
Telecom, Cloudian, Datish Systems (OpenDedup), Deutsche Telekom, Dell EMC, Fujitsu,
Google, HGST, Hitachi, IBM, Microsoft, NetApp, Oracle, Quantum, Rackspace, Red Hat,
Scality, StorReduce, SUSE, SwiftStack, Telefonica, and Veritas.
OST Cloud support information, including a detailed list of supported vendors, solutions,
and functionality, is listed in the Hardware and Cloud Storage Compatibility List (HCL) at:
http://www.netbackup.com/compatibility.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-10 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup cloud storage topology

WAN LAN
Cloud storage
vendor
Media Master
servers server

Cloud storage data

• Disk pool
mover
• Disk enclosure
• Storage server
Clients

11

In an environment using a cloud storage vendor, the storage server is the cloud vendors
server. The data movers are the NetBackup media servers, which are assigned to the
storage units that target the disk pool with the cloud storage server. Multiple cloud
storage data movers can target the same cloud storage disk pool, to assist with load
balancing the client’s data.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-11 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Configuring AdvancedDisk

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure storage servers,
AdvancedDisk disk pools, and AdvancedDisk storage units.

12

This is the Configuring AdvancedDisk topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-12 Not for Distribution.

 AdvancedDisk disk pools and storage units
Storage servers Media NetBackup
servers appliance

Disk M1 M2 5340-1
enclosures

Internal
storage

Disk pool: M1_SANdp Disk pool: M2_INTdp Disk pool: 5340-1_advdp

Storage unit: M1_SANstu STU: M2_INTstu STU: 5340-1_advdisk_stu

Veritas recommends pooling disks with similar characteristics

13

The NetBackup AdvancedDisk storage option lets you use the disk storage that is
exposed to NetBackup as a file system for backups. Storage can be direct attached
storage (DAS), network attached storage (NAS), or storage area network (SAN) storage.
NetBackup requires exclusive access to the storage for capacity management and load
balancing.
An AdvancedDisk disk pool enables several disk volumes to be combined into one
logical storage destination in NetBackup. The pool is accessed by a single storage server,
which must also be a NetBackup media server. These disk volumes may exist across
multiple physical disk arrays or internal storage disk volumes on a storage server.
Generally, pooling disks from a server into a single pool is a good idea, however, Veritas
recommends placing disks of significantly different sizes or speeds into separate pools.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Even though high-performing SAN disks and slower drives could go into the same pool,
separating them into separate disk pools allows for predictable performance behavior.
An AdvancedDisk storage unit must be configured to target a single disk pool, and it
cannot specify individual disk volumes in a pool. However, more than one storage unit
can be configured for a single disk pool. This may be performed to allow higher priority
policies to have additional concurrent write streams. NetBackup assumes exclusive
control of all disk volumes configured within a disk pool, enabling NetBackup to manage
and report disk capacity accurately. A disk volume cannot exist in more than one disk
pool. If NetBackup is unable to write an image to a single disk volume in a disk pool, the
backup spans to the next available disk volume. Spanning can occur from any volume to
any other volume in that disk pool. It is not possible for a single backup image to span
multiple disk pools, even if the disk pools exist in a storage unit group.

6-13 Not for Distribution.

 AdvancedDisk configuration overview

Determine whether an Create a new storage Create a new disk pool Configure one or more
AdvancedDisk storage server if necessary storage units for the
server is already disk pool
configured

14

The slide provides an overview of the steps involved to configure a usable disk pool and
corresponding AdvancedDisk storage server.
1. First, determine whether or not the target media server is already configured as an
AdvancedDisk storage server. This process only needs to be performed once per
media server, regardless of the number of AdvancedDisk storage pools hosted on
the media server.
2. Run the Configure a Disk Storage Server wizard if the host needs to be configured as
a storage server, or in other words, if this is the first time the host is being
configured for AdvancedDisk storage.
3. If this host is already a storage server, run the Configure Disk Pool wizard to create a
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

new disk pool. Note that the storage server wizard will automatically start the disk
pool wizard for you after you configure a new AdvancedDisk storage server.
4. Finally, configure one or more storage units for the disk pool. Both the storage
server and disk pool wizards will allow you to create the storage unit as part of those
wizards, but this can also be performed manually in the NetBackup Administration
Console or using NetBackup commands.
You will learn how to perform each of these steps, in more detail, in subsequent topics.

6-14 Not for Distribution.

 Storage Server Configuration Wizard: Selecting AdvancedDisk
storage type

Alternatively

Path:
Unix: /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/admincmd/
Windows: <install_path>\NetBackup\bin\admincmd\

Command:
nbdevconfig -creatests [-noverbose] -storage_server
storage_server_name -stype server_type -media_server [-st
storage_type] [-setattribute attribute] [-reason "string"]

15

Before you can create an AdvancedDisk pool, you must configure an AdvancedDisk
storage server. To do this, use the Storage Server Configuration Wizard. You can also
use the nbdevconfig -creatests command to create a storage server from the
command line. The nbdevconfig command and syntax is discussed in the NetBackup
Commands Reference Guide. The nbdevconfig command is found in the following
directory:
• UNIX: /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/admincmd
• Windows: install_path\bin\admincmd
The Disk Pool Configuration Wizard can be started by clicking on Configure Disk Pool,
however this requires that the media server has already been configured as a storage
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

server first. The first screen of the Storage Server Configuration Wizard requires you to
select the disk type. Select AdvancedDisk and click Next.

6-15 Not for Distribution.

 Storage Server Configuration Wizard: Adding the storage server

Each media server will

only need to be
configured once as an
AdvancedDisk storage
server (even if multiple
disk pools are created).

16

In the Provider storage server details screen you need to select the media server you
are configuring as the storage server. Each media server will only need to be configured
once as an AdvancedDisk storage server, even if multiple disk pools are created for that
storage server.
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6-16 Not for Distribution.

 Storage Server Configuration Wizard: Performing tasks and
starting the disk pool configuration wizard

By default, completing the

wizard starts the disk pool
configuration wizard

17

The Storage Server Configuration Status will then show if the storage server is
configured successfully. By default, the wizard will then go on to help you create a disk
pool for that storage server. You can alternatively close the wizard without this
checkbox, and run the disk pool configuration wizard manually, at a later time.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-17 Not for Distribution.

 Disk Pool Configuration Wizard: Volume selection

or

Alternatively

Path:
Unix: /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/admincmd/
Windows: <install_path>\NetBackup\bin\admincmd\ The entire volume is used for
the AdvancedDisk. No
directory can be specified
Command:
nbdevconfig -createdp [-noverbose] -dp disk_pool_name -stype
server_type -storage_servers storage_server... [-hwm
high_watermark_percent] [-lwm low_watermark_percent] [-
max_io_streams n] [-comment comment] [-dvlist filename] [-M
master_server] [-reason "string"]

18

The Disk Pool Configuration Wizard is automatically started, by default, when you click
Next at the end of the Storage Server Configuration Wizard.
To create a disk pool outside of the wizard, from the NetBackup Administration Console,
expand Media and Device Management > Devices. Right-click Disk Pools and select
New Disk Pool. The Disk Pool Configuration Wizard is displayed. You may also access
the Disk Pool Configuration Wizard by clicking the master server in the Administration
Console. You may also use the nbdevconfig command to configure a new disk pool
from the command line.
No disk pools exist by default. Select the disk volumes to be included in the disk pool. A
disk volume must be formatted and mounted within the operating system before it can
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

be selected for an AdvancedDisk storage unit. Do not select disk volumes that have
already been configured in another pool. Note that the entire disk volume will be used
by the AdvancedDisk pool, and that no directory or folder can be specified in the
configuration.

6-18 Not for Distribution.

 Disk Pool Configuration Wizard: Additional disk pool information

Does not work correctly if the volume file

system is shared with other applications

• Limit I/O streams to manage performance (default = no limit).

• Alternatively, set the maximum concurrent jobs at the storage
unit.

19

Assign a name to the pool and optionally add comments about its function. Configure
additional disk pool information as follows:
• High water mark: The percentage of used capacity at which NetBackup considers a
disk volume in the pool to be full. A disk volume within a disk pool is assigned fewer
backup jobs as it approaches the high water mark.
• Low water mark: The percentage of used capacity at which a clean-up operation
stops purging backup images in order to create space. The purging was initiated
because the High water mark was reached. The Low water mark setting cannot be
greater than the High water mark setting.
• Maximum I/O Streams: Limits the number of streams that can be directed to a disk
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

simultaneously. It is used to avoid disk thrashing, which is the result of too many
jobs writing to the same disk simultaneously. The default is that there is no limit, at
the disk pool, however there are limits that are enforced at the storage unit. A
storage unit supports up to 4096 streams, with a default of 1 concurrent job
running. However, because you can setup multiple storage units for one disk pool,
this value allows you to control the maximum I/O streams to the disk pool,
regardless of any storage unit limits.
For more information on these properties, click the Help button in the Wizard.

6-19 Not for Distribution.

 Disk Pool Configuration Wizard: Configuration status and initiating
storage unit creation

By default, completing the

Disk Pool wizard starts the
storage unit configuration
wizard

20

The Disk Pool Configuration Status displays the status of the disk pool configuration. By
default, the wizard will then go on to help you create a storage unit for that disk pool.
You can alternatively close the wizard without this checkbox, and create a storage unit
manually in the NetBackup Administration Console.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-20 Not for Distribution.

 Disk Pool Configuration Wizard: Storage unit creation

• In most cases, increase the maximum

concurrent jobs from the default of 1
• Consider increasing this further as
you gauge actual disk performance

21

Next, configure the properties of the storage unit for this disk pool. A Media Server
option is available to limit the storage unit to specific media servers. In most cases, you
must increase the Maximum concurrent jobs setting from the default setting of 1. For
example, on the slide we have changed the maximum concurrent jobs to 3, to
correspond to the number of jobs that the three separate disk volumes (G:\, H:\, and
I:\) in this pool should be able to concurrently run without issue.
The Maximum fragment size setting normally does not need to be changed. Changing
this value may impact backup and restore times, and should be tested if any changes
are made. If you chose to configure the storage unit, no additional configuration is
required. The storage unit created for the disk pool may now be selected as a
destination within a backup policy. The disk pool configuration is complete.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-21 Not for Distribution.

 Verifying AdvancedDisk storage server information

Path:
Unix: /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/admincmd/
Windows: <install_path>\NetBackup\bin\admincmd\
Alternatively

Command:
nbdevquery -liststs [-l | -U] [-stype
server_type] [-storage_server storage_server]
[-EMM emm_server]

22

After a storage server has been configured, it may be viewed in the NetBackup
Administration Console by expanding Media and Device Management > Credentials >
Storage Servers. Notice that the Administration Console does not list BasicDisk storage
servers because all media servers support BasicDisk, by default.
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6-22 Not for Distribution.

 Verifying and modifying AdvancedDisk disk pools

Path:
Unix: /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/admincmd/
Windows:
Alternatively
<install_path>\NetBackup\bin\admincmd\

Command:
nbdevquery -listdp | -listmounts [-l |
-U | -D] [-stype server_type] [-dp
disk_pool_name] [-M master_server] [-
EMM emm_server]

23

To view disk pools using the NetBackup Administration Console, expand Media and
Device Management > Devices and select Disk Pools to list all configured disk pools.
The columns display the general configuration for the storage unit, in addition to a
percentage full value, showing the total used capacity of the disk pool. Right-click the
disk pool and select Change to modify disk pool settings, such as water marks, and
limiting the number of I/O streams.
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6-23 Not for Distribution.

 Verifying and modifying AdvancedDisk storage units

24

After an AdvancedDisk storage unit has been configured, it can be viewed in the
NetBackup Administration Console by expanding NetBackup Management > Storage
and selecting Storage Units. Notice that the media_advdisk_pool_stu AdvancedDisk
storage unit is displayed with a Storage Unit Type of Disk. Right-click and select Change
to modify storage unit settings, such as maximum concurrent jobs.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-24 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Managing AdvancedDisk Storage

After completing this topic, you will be able to monitor and report on
configured AdvancedDisk disk pool devices, as well as perform common
AdvancedDisk management tasks.

25

This is the Managing AdvancedDisk Storage topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-25 Not for Distribution.

 Understanding disk volume selection and capacity management in
disk pools
Disk volume selection Capacity management
• Estimates backup size based on prior backup + 20%
• Uses disk volume with most free space
• Uses disk spanning, if no volumes meet estimated
size criteria Disk volume
• Reserves space for the job on selected disk volumes Free
space

High water Potential

mark: 90%
15 GB 35 GB free
free free space
Low water
Disk pool mark: 65%
Used
25 GB 80 GB
free
✓
free
space

26

For backups targeting a disk pool, NetBackup estimates the size of a backup before
selecting a backup destination. The estimate is based on the size of the most recent
similar backup using the policy, schedule, client, and stream (the file list for a specific
job) as criteria. NetBackup adds 20 percent to this size, and it seeks an appropriate
storage destination.
The disk volume in the disk pool with the most free space is used. If the disk does not
have enough space to store the entire image, the job still runs, and the backup image
will span across multiple disk volumes in that disk pool. After a disk volume is selected,
the estimated backup size is reserved on the selected volume within NetBackup. If new
backup jobs are initiated while all disk space is reserved, the new backup jobs queue
until the reserving jobs complete.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A disk pool is configured with high and low water mark values, affecting both the pool
as a whole and its individual disk volumes. At the disk volume level, when the used
capacity percentage exceeds the high water mark value, jobs are no longer assigned to
that disk volume. NetBackup considers a pool to be full when all of its disk volumes
have reached the high water mark value. When a disk volume contains staged backup
images (from a Storage Lifecycle Policy), the images are considered potential free space
if they have already been duplicated. This is discussed in further detail in the Duplicating
Backups lesson. Images that are staged, but not yet duplicated, are considered used
space.

6-26 Not for Distribution.

 AdvancedDisk disk pools and disk volume status

Disk pool Disk pool Disk pool

Disk volume 1 UP Disk volume 1 DOWN Disk volume 1 UP|DOWN

Disk volume 2 UP Disk volume 2 UP Disk volume 2 UP|DOWN
Disk volume 3 UP Disk volume 3 UP Disk volume 3 UP|DOWN
Disk pool UP Disk pool UP Disk pool DOWN

Backup jobs should run; Jobs return status 2073:

restore jobs may fail Disk pool is down

27

NetBackup tracks status information for all disk volumes in a disk pool, and a status for
the disk pool itself. When everything is working properly, the disk volumes will be in an
UP state, and the disk pool will also be in an UP state. If there is a problem with one disk
volume, it will be put into a DOWN state. This can also be performed manually by the
administrator in the case of disk volume maintenance. The disk pool can still be in a
usable UP state as long as there are other, available disk volumes. Backups jobs should
run normally, as long as there is available space, however restore jobs that use those
specific DOWN volumes will fail.
If the entire disk pool becomes unavailable it will be in the DOWN state. This can also be
performed manually by the administrator in the case of disk pool maintenance. In this
case the state of the disk volume is irrelevant, and any backup or restore jobs using this
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

disk pool will return with a status 2073: Disk pool is down. Note that if the disk pool is
brought down manually by an administrator (for maintenance for example), the disk
volumes will normally still appear in the UP state, despite the fact that they cannot be
accessed for backups.

6-27 Not for Distribution.

 Monitoring and managing disk pool state

28

The state of both disk pools and disk volumes can be set UP or DOWN, which is similar
to the state of a tape device. To change the state of a disk pool using the Administration
Console, right-click the disk pool in the Device Monitor, and select Up Disk Pool or
Down Disk Pool. You can also use the nbdevconfig command to change the state of disk
pools or disk volumes as follows:
nbdevconfig -changestate
-dp pool_name
-stype storage_type
-state UP|DOWN|RESET
nbdevconfig –changestate
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

-dp pool_name
–dv disk_volume_name
-stype storage_type
–state [UP|DOWN|RESET]
When a disk pool or disk volume is in a DOWN state, NetBackup considers it to be
unavailable to receive new backups. Typically, this feature is used to prevent backups to
a disk pool, or to prevent backups to an individual disk volume in a disk pool during
maintenance.

6-28 Not for Distribution.

 Running disk reports on AdvancedDisk storage

bpimmedia –stype AdvancedDisk

bperror –DiskPool
bpstulist
nbdevquery –listdp
nbdevquery –listdv

29

There are a number of disk-based reports in the NetBackup Administration Console. For
example, as shown on the slide, you can use the Disk Pool Status report to view the
status of your disk pools. To access this report, in the Administration Console, select
NetBackup Management > Reports > Disk Reports > Disk Pool Status. Some of the
reports, including the commands that correspond to them, include:
• Images on Disk: Shows which backup images reside on NetBackup disk storage. This
is equivalent to running bpimmedia –stype AdvancedDisk.
• Disk Logs: Shows log messages related to NetBackup disk activity. This is equivalent
to running bperror –DiskPool.
• Disk Storage Unit Status: Shows storage unit information. This is equivalent to
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

running bpstulist.
• Disk Pool Status: Shows disk pool status, such as whether the disk pool is in an UP or
DOWN state. This is equivalent to running nbdevquery –listdp for disk pool
status and nbdevquery –listdv for disk volume status (which cannot be seen
in the NetBackup Administration Console).

6-29 Not for Distribution.

 Understanding media server load balancing storage unit groups
ms1 ms2 ms3
✓

1
Server rank based on CPU,
processes, and memory

2
Fewest number of NetBackup
jobs ms1_advdisk_stu ms2_advdisk_stu ms3_advdisk_stu
LoadBalance_stu_group
3
Least reserved space

4
Least recently used Job

30

When a backup jobs is sent to a storage unit group, NetBackup must decide on which
storage unit to use for that job. Storage unit group methods include Prioritized, Failover,
Round Robin, and Media Server Load Balancing. The first three of these methods were
discussed in the Configuring NetBackup Storage lesson. Media Server Load Balancing
chooses the best available media server based on a ranking system. NetBackup chooses
the server based on various criteria. If two or more servers share the best available
rank, NetBackup continues to apply additional criteria until one media server remains.
The order of examined criteria is:
1. Server rank: Rank categories determined by number of processes running on each
CPU and memory thresholds.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

2. Fewest number of jobs: The server with the fewest NetBackup jobs scheduled.
3. Least reserved space: The server with the least amount of reserved space, based
upon the job size estimation by NetBackup.
4. Least recently used: The least recently used storage unit.
For example, of five available media servers in a storage unit group, three have a server
rank of Idle. Of those three, two are running a single job each. Of those two, the server
with the least amount of reserved space is chosen. Alternatively, if only one server had
the best rank, that server is automatically chosen.

6-30 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring a storage unit group with media server load balancing

• Implies that NetBackup selects a

storage unit based on a capacity-
managed approach. It avoids sending
jobs to busy media servers.
• Media server load balancing cannot be
selected for a storage unit group that
includes a BasicDisk storage unit.

31

When configuring a storage unit group, the Storage unit selection area defines how the
storage units will be selected during a backup:
• Prioritized: Choose the first storage unit in the list that is not busy, down, or out of
media.
• Failover: Choose the first storage unit in the list that is not down or out of media.
• Round Robin: Choose the least recently selected storage unit in the list.
• Media Server Load Balancing: Choose the best available media server based on a
ranking system.
The first three of these methods were discussed in more detail in the Configuring
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

NetBackup Storage lesson.

Note: Media Server Load Balancing selection supports most storage types including
AdvancedDisk, tape storage, and deduplication storage, but does not support basic disk
storage.

6-31 Not for Distribution.

 Disk pool management tasks
Task Procedure

1. Source a new disk volume that is not used by another process or application
Add volumes to a
2. Add the disk to the disk pool using the command:
disk pool
nbdevconfig –adddv

1. Remove any backup images on the disk volume

Remove a
2. Place the disk pool and volume in a DOWN state.
volume from a
3. Delete the disk volume using the command:
disk pool
nbdevconfig –deletedv

1. Remove all backup images in the pool.

Remove a disk 2. Remove any storage units targeting the pool.
pool 3. Delete the disk pool using the NetBackup Administration Console or the command:
nbdevconfig –deletedp

32

The slide displays some other disk pool management tasks that you may need to
perform, such as adding volumes to a disk pool, removing volumes, or removing the
entire disk pool. To add a volume to an existing disk pool, simply source an empty disk
volumes (ensuring it isn’t used by any other process or application), and use the
command shown on the slide to add it to the disk pool. Prior to NetBackup 7.5, an
option to add disk volumes did not exist. Instead, a procedure to create and merge disk
pools was required. Refer to the documentation for your version of NetBackup for
details.
Alternatively, you can increase the storage space in a disk pool by resizing the existing
disk volumes. NetBackup will recognize the additional storage the next time the disks
are scanned by the NetBackup processes. You can manually trigger NetBackup to
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

reexamine the storage by running an Inventory Disk Pool in the NetBackup

Administration Console, or with the nbdevconfig –inventorydp command.
Removing disk volumes can be performed as long as no current NetBackup backup
images exist on the disk volumes, and the disk pool and disk volume are in a DOWN
state and not in use. In addition, before you remove a disk pool, you must remove all
associated storage units. To delete an entire disk pool, you must remove all active
backup images, and all associated storage units.

6-32 Not for Distribution.

 Reporting on disks summary
Type of Information Administration Console Command Line OpsCenter
Storage servers Credentials > nbdevquery -liststs
Storage Servers

Disk pools Devices > Disk Pools nbdevquery -listdp –U Monitor > Devices > Disk
Reports > Disk reports > Disk Pools
pool status Reports > Report Templates
> Backups > Disk Pool
Reports
Reports > Report Templates
> Disk Based Data
Protection > Current Disk
Usage
Disk volume status nbdevquery -listdv -U
-stype disk_type
-dp pool_name
-dv volume_name

33

The table on this slide summarizes the advanced disk and disk pool reporting tools using
the NetBackup Administration Console, NetBackup commands, and OpsCenter.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-33 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson summary

• Key points
– You learned what disk-based storage is and how it is used.
– You also learned about disk pools, AdvancedDisk, and OpenStorage.
– You learned how to configure and manage storage servers, AdvancedDisk disk pools, and AdvancedDisk
storage units.
– Finally, you learned to monitor the status of configured devices and view reports for configured
devices.
• Reference materials
– Veritas NetBackup™ Administrator's Guide, Volume I
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/18716246-136359033-0/index
– Veritas NetBackup™ Commands Reference Guide
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/15263389-133604923-0/index
– Veritas Support
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US.html
34

For more information about the topics discussed in this lesson, refer to the resources
listed on the slide and remember to check the Veritas Support Web site frequently.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-34 Not for Distribution.

 Lab 6: Configuring Disk Pools
• Exercise A: Identifying AdvancedDisk storage
• Exercise B: Configuring AdvancedDisk
• Exercise C: Verifying AdvancedDisk configuration
• Exercise D: Configuring a policy to write backups to AdvancedDisk storage
• Exercise E: Performing and monitoring backups to AdvancedDisk storage
• Exercise F: Monitoring and managing AdvancedDisk disk pools

35
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6-35 Not for Distribution.

 What did you learn?
You are about to be asked a series
of questions related to the current
lesson.

36

The next section is a quiz. In this quiz, you are asked a series of questions related to the
current lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-36 Not for Distribution.

 Question 1: Understanding Disk Pools and AdvancedDisk
A disk volume is a ________________.

A. Logical unit of disk storage

B. Collection of media in a volume
C. Pool of volumes
D. DataStore pool

37
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-37 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 1: Understanding Disk Pools and AdvancedDisk
A disk volume is a ________________.

A. Logical unit of disk storage

B. Collection of media in a volume
C. Pool of volumes
D. DataStore pool

The correct answer is A. A disk volume is a logical unit of disk storage, as presented by the host operating system, such
as a partition or Volume Manager volume.

38
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6-38 Not for Distribution.

 Question 2: Understanding Disk Pools and AdvancedDisk
A disk pool is a ___________________.

A. Disk enclosure
B. Logical grouping of media servers
C. Collection of disk volumes presented as a single entity
D. None of the above

39
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6-39 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 2: Understanding Disk Pools and AdvancedDisk
A disk pool is a ___________________.

A. Disk enclosure
B. Logical grouping of media servers
C. Collection of disk volumes presented as a single entity
D. None of the above

The correct answer is C. A disk pool is a collection of disk volumes administered in NetBackup as a single entity. Storage
units are configured to target a single disk pool for backup.

40
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6-40 Not for Distribution.

 Question 3: Understanding Disk Pools and AdvancedDisk
In an environment with a NetBackup appliance, which machine can be a storage server?

A. NetBackup appliance performs the role of storage server and media server.
B. A separate NetBackup Media Server.
C. A separate NetBackup Master Server.
D. A system with the NetBackup plugin installed.

41
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6-41 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 3: Understanding Disk Pools and AdvancedDisk
In an environment with a NetBackup appliance, which machine can be a storage server?

A. NetBackup Appliance performs the role of storage server and media server.
B. A separate NetBackup Media Server.
C. A separate NetBackup Master Server.
D. A system with the NetBackup plugin installed.

The correct answer is A. NetBackup appliance deployment consists of the complete installation and configuration of all
appliance components to create a backup environment that is ready to use. NetBackup appliances can be easily
integrated into an existing NetBackup environment.

42
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6-42 Not for Distribution.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

6-43
Not for Distribution.
 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication

© 2018 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Configuring Media Server Deduplication lesson in the Veritas NetBackup
8.2: Administration course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

7-1 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson introduction
• Lesson 0: Course Introduction • Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores
• Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup • Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V Environment
• Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage • Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage
• Lesson 3: Configuring Policies Lifecycle Policies
• Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups • Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the
NetBackup Catalog
• Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores
• Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups
• Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools
• Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic
• Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
Information
• Lesson 8: Configuring and Managing Tape Storage
• Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

This lesson is the seventh lesson in this course.

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6-2 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson objectives
Topic Objective
Introduction to NetBackup
Describe what NetBackup deduplication is and how it works.
deduplication
Configuring NetBackup media server Configure a media server for deduplication, including creating a
deduplication media server deduplication disk pool

Configuring client-side deduplication Configure client-side deduplication.

Managing NetBackup deduplication Monitor the results of deduplication.

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
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7-3 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Introduction to NetBackup deduplication

After completing this topic, you will be able to describe what NetBackup
deduplication is and how it works.

This is the Introduction to NetBackup deduplication topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

7-4 Not for Distribution.

 Deduplication overview

What is • Using a hash (fingerprint) to determine data uniqueness

deduplication • Storing only unique data

• Backups: Ideal due to the redundant nature of backup data

Where to
• During backup at the target (media servers and appliances)
deduplicate
• During backup at the source (clients)

• Back up faster while storing less data

Benefits
• Dramatically reduced storage costs and backup load

Deduplication is the elimination of redundant data from storage. Deduplication uses a

hash algorithm to provide a set of data with a unique identifier. This algorithm provides
the ability to prevent the data from being stored multiple times, while still allowing the
data to be restored when necessary. The term single-instance storage (SIS) or intelligent
compression, is sometimes used to describe behavior by some applications to reduce
storage use, which uses similar concepts.
Backups are an ideal candidate for deduplication due to the redundant nature of backup
data. For example, in many environments, most of the data backed up during a full
backup, which normally goes to tape or disk, is identical to that of the previous backups.
In addition to the storage savings that come with only storing unique data, which are
significant, time and other resources are saved. Although many vendors and solutions
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

provide the ability to deduplicate at the target, usually at the backup storage location or
appliance, being able to deduplicate at the source (the clients) provides the ability to
significantly reduce bandwidth use, and also speeds up the entire backup process. This
is especially true when backing up clients over a WAN or slow connection.

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 How NetBackup deduplication works
For all files requiring processing:
1. Separate file metadata and contents. Backup storage:

2. Logically separate file into segments. Metadata

File1
3. Take hash fingerprint of segments. File1|920KB|2010/02/06…

4. Store all unique segments. File2

File2|983KB|2010/02/07…
5. Process the next file.
File1 4 Content
2
Metadata
File1 1
File Content A B C D A B C D E F
Data to
3 File2
back up:
Metadata
File2
File Content A E C F
5

Similar to normal backups, the first step is to determine which data needs to be backed
up. After a list of files that require processing has been established, the following high-
level procedure is used for the files:
1. The file metadata, including file permissions, directory location, file name, and so
on, is separated from the actual content of the file. The file metadata is stored by
NetBackup.
2. The file contents are logically separated into segments. Starting NetBackup 8.1.1,
variable-length deduplication is used. This enables to get higher deduplication ratios.
3. An SHA256 fingerprint is created for each segment, which is used to uniquely
identify the segment. Prior to NetBackup 8.1, an enhanced MD5 fingerprint was
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

used.
4. If a segment has not been previously recorded, that segment is stored in the
deduplication storage area. If a file has not been previously recorded, a new file
pointer, which points to all the data segments that comprise that file’s contents, is
created.
5. Additional files are processed similarly.
In the example on this slide, File2 has two unique segments: E and F. File2 also has
some segments that were previously backed up.

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 NetBackup deduplication options
Media Server Deduplication Pool (MSDP) on a media server
• A disk pool using proprietary NetBackup deduplication technology.
• Installed on a NetBackup media server.

MSDP on a NetBackup Appliance

• A high-capacity disk pool using proprietary NetBackup deduplication technology.
• Installed on a NetBackup media server with specialized hardware.

Client-side deduplication
• Combined with MSDP, distributes deduplication work to the client.
• Reduces network bandwidth and enables higher parallelization.

Third-party appliance supporting OpenStorage Technology (OST)

• Appliance vendor supporting OpenStorage Technology (OST).
• Managed as a NetBackup storage destination.

NetBackup supports a number of integrated deduplication solutions.

• Media Server Deduplication Pools (MSDP) on a media server: A NetBackup media
server and disk subsystem that meets the system and storage requirements can
easily be made to contain a MSDP. This provides a built-in method for NetBackup to
support deduplication. For all supported systems, NetBackup supports up to 64 TBs
of storage and for certain operating systems, 250 TBs of storage is supported in a
single Media Server Deduplication Pool. Please see
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/article.100038442.html for more
details.
• MSDP on a NetBackup Appliance: NetBackup 52xx and 53xx appliances are easy-to-
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

configure media servers that can also perform deduplication. NetBackup appliances
use dedicated hardware and software to optimize performance, and therefore also
support higher capacities of deduplication pools, in excess of 600 TB, depending on
the model used. The deduplication used in NetBackup appliances is also MSDP, the
same technology as discussed in this lesson.
• NetBackup client-side deduplication: Deduplicating at the source, often known as
client-side deduplication or client deduplication, is supported with NetBackup. This
feature is discussed elsewhere in this lesson.
• Third-party appliances supporting OpenStorage Technology (OST): Third-party
deduplication appliance vendors that support OpenStorage Technology (OST) can
also be managed as a NetBackup storage destination.

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 Comparing media server and client side deduplication
Media server Using load Full data stream
deduplication balancing Deduplication plug-in
Deduplication stream
NetBackup Deduplication engine
clients

Load Client-side
balancing deduplication
media
MSDP server
NetBackup
storage
clients
server

MSDP
storage
8

When deduplicating data, fingerprinting – the process of identifying unique data –

requires heavy CPU processing and memory use. To mitigate this and distribute the load
among servers, use a number of basic configuration:
• Media sever deduplication: The client sends the backup data stream over the
network to the media server (requiring bandwidth use), while the deduplication
storage server performs the fingerprinting. The storage server then only stores
unique data in the MSDP storage.
• Using load balancing: To distribute the load required of the MSDP storage server,
configure and use MSDP load balancing servers. These NetBackup media servers do
not need to be configured as storage servers, but instead get the full stream of data
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

from the client, and perform the fingerprinting work before sending unique data to
the storage server. Minor bandwidth use is required for storage and media server
communication during this process.
• Client-side deduplication: The client performs the fingerprinting and communicates
with the deduplication storage server as to whether the data is unique or has been
stored previously. If the data is unique, the data is sent over the network to the
media server for storage. Minimal network bandwidth is required.

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 NetBackup MSDP components
Legend
Backup data
Full data stream
Deduplicated data stream
Deduplication Catalog metadata
plug-in

Deduplication Deduplication
engine (spoold) manager (spad)

For the best performance,

configure separate storage
Storage path Database path and database disks.

Media server deduplication pool

This slide discusses some NetBackup MSDP components:

• Deduplication plug-in: The deduplication plug-in is the data interface to the
NetBackup deduplication engine on the storage server. The plug-in is responsible for
separating the file’s metadata from the file’s content, deduplicating the content
(separating files into segments), and controlling the data stream from NetBackup to
the NetBackup deduplication engine and vice versa. The plug-in runs on the
deduplication storage server. The plug-in also runs on load balancing servers and on
the clients that deduplicate their own data.
• Deduplication engine: The deduplication engine is one of the storage server core
components. It stores and manages deduplicated file data. The binary file name is
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

spoold, which is an abbreviation for storage pool daemon (do not confuse it with a
print spooler daemon). The spoold process is displayed as the NetBackup
Deduplication Engine in the NetBackup Administration Console.
• Deduplication manager: The Deduplication manager is one of the storage server
core components. The deduplication manager maintains the configuration and
controls internal processes, optimized duplication, security, and event escalation.
The deduplication manager binary file name is spad, which is an abbreviation for
storage pool authority daemon. The spad process is displayed as the NetBackup
Deduplication Manager in the NetBackup Administration Console.

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 • Deduplication database: The deduplication database stores and manages the
metadata of deduplicated files. The metadata includes a unique fingerprint that
identifies the file’s content. The metadata also includes information about the file,
such as its owner, where it resides on a client, when it was created, and other
information. The deduplication database is separate from the NetBackup catalog. The
NetBackup catalog maintains the usual NetBackup backup image information.
• Media server deduplication pool: Prior to NetBackup 7.5, the maximum
deduplication storage was 32 TB and NetBackup reserved 10 percent of the storage
space for the deduplication database and transaction logs. Starting in NetBackup 7.5,
the maximum deduplication storage capacity is increased to 64 TB and NetBackup
reserves 4 percent of the storage space for the deduplication database and
transaction logs. Therefore, a storage full condition is triggered at a 96 percent
threshold. Starting in NetBackup 7.6.1 the limit increased to 96 TB on SUSE Linux, and
in NetBackup 7.7.1 the limit increased to 96 TB on Red Hat Linux.
• Storage path: The directory in which NetBackup stores the raw backup data.
• Database path: The directory in which NetBackup stores and maintains the structure
of the stored deduplicated data.
For performance optimization, Veritas recommends that you use a separate disk,
volume, partition, or spindle for the deduplication database.
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7-10 Not for Distribution.

 Deduplication stream handlers

• Enable NetBackup to see the layout of data objects and files

• Align data to achieve better deduplication rates
• Exist for the following data types:
– File system backups Data stream without a stream handler:
– Windows System State
– Microsoft Hyper-V
– VMware vSphere
– NetApp NDMP
– EMC NDMP With a stream
(Celerra and Isilon) handler:

11

NetBackup provides the stream handlers that process various backup data stream types.
Stream handlers improve backup deduplication rates by processing the underlying data
stream. For data that has already been deduplicated, the first backup with a new stream
handler produces a lower deduplication rate. After that first backup, the deduplication
rate should surpass the rate from before the new stream handler was used.
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7-11 Not for Distribution.

 Deduplication and firewall configuration

• Non-deduplicating clients do not require configuration. Legend

Full data stream
• Open ports 10082 and 10102 between:
Deduplicated data
1. Media servers in the same MSDP stream
2. Optimized duplication targets
3. Client-side deduplication sources

Client-side
deduplication
3
Clients

1 Deduplication 2 Remote
Media Server
Deduplication
Pool
Load Balancing
Server

12

NetBackup deduplication components require the IP ports 10082 (spoold, the

Deduplication Engine) and 10102 (spad, the Deduplication Manager) to be opened
between specific servers in your environment, in addition to other NetBackup specific
ports, such as Private Branch Exchange (PBX). Ports 10082 and 10102 need to be
opened between the media servers and any deduplicating targets. Deduplicating targets
include remote deduplication pools (used for replication and optimized duplication),
load-balancing media servers, and hosts using client-side deduplication. Standard
NetBackup clients that do not deduplicate their own data do not need to access these
ports, and only need the standard NetBackup ports to be open.
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7-12 Not for Distribution.

 Deduplication planning

Use cases Recommended deduplication type

• Remote office backups
• Client-side deduplication
• LAN connected file servers
• Load balancing media servers
• Virtual machine backups (a client in a VM)

• Heavily-loaded client systems or database servers

• Media server (server-side) deduplication
• Clientless virtual machine backups
• Load balancing media servers
• NDMP devices

Deduplication appliance already deployed NetBackup OpenStorage Option

For details refer to the NetBackup Deduplication Guide

13

• NetBackup client-side deduplication: Client-side deduplication is optionally used

with media server deduplication, to provide deduplication at the source, which helps
distribute deduplication overhead. Although this works to increase the total number
of clients that can run backups concurrently, and therefore decrease backup
windows, it also means the client is working harder during the backup. This works
very well for remote offices without backup infrastructure, and local clients that
don’t have high CPU overhead, like many file servers.
• NetBackup Media Server Deduplication Option: By default, deduplication is
performed at the target, the deduplication media server. The deduplication server’s
CPU becomes the limiting factor of how many concurrent jobs can run. The CPU of
the client is only minimally impacted by a backup.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Load balancing media servers: By using load balancing media servers you can also
increase the overall bandwidth. This option is preferred for storage servers that are
reaching CPU capacity, and in environments where you do not want to use, or cannot
use, the NetBackup client-side deduplication feature. This prevents impacting CPU on
some heavily loaded application servers, while still distributing deduplication load.
• NetBackup OpenStorage Option: If you already have deduplication appliances
deployed in your environment, this option allows NetBackup to use and manage
them within the NetBackup infrastructure.

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 Topic: Configuring NetBackup media server
deduplication

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure a media server for
deduplication, including creating a media server deduplication disk pool.

This is the Configuring NetBackup media server deduplication topic.

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7-14 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring a deduplication media server

1. Verify the MSDP requirements

2. Confirm that the license key is present
3. Install the NetBackup media server software (if it is not already installed)
4. Configure the media server as a deduplication storage server
5. Create a media server deduplication disk pool

For greater details see the Planning your MSDP deployment

section of the NetBackup Deduplication Guide

15

The slide provides an overview of the steps to configure a deduplication media server.
You learn how to perform each of these steps in the following slides.
The NetBackup Deduplication Guide provides much greater details around planning and
configuring the media server deduplication pool. Some of those steps includes
understanding and putting in place optimizations that are discussed elsewhere in this
lesson (such as fingerprint cache behavior) and in the Managing and Protecting the
NetBackup Catalog lesson (such as MSDP catalog protection).
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7-15 Not for Distribution.

 Verifying MSDP requirements
• Review summary of MSDP server minimum requirements:
Component Storage server Load balancing server
CPU 2.2-GHz, 64-bit, 4 cores* 2.2-GHz, 64-bit, 2 core
RAM 8-32GB, or more (1 GB per 1 TB storage) 4 GB
Disk 130-250 MB/s**, 0.1ms latency max N/A
O/S Must be a supported 64-bit operating system

• For details, review:

– NetBackup Deduplication Guide: About MSDP server requirements section
– NetBackup compatibility at http://www.netbackup.com/compatibility
• Do not combine a master server with MSDP, except in smaller environments
Such environments typically run fewer than 100 total backup jobs a day.

* 8 cores recommended (8 cores required for 64TBs of storage on x86-64)

** 200 MB/s minimum recommended

16

To create a deduplication media server, you need to consider server and storage
prerequisites. Because fingerprinting is process-intensive, the most important factor in
deduplication performance is CPU, followed by memory size and speed, and storage
speeds. The storage server CPU and memory constrain how many jobs can run
concurrently. The storage server requires enough capability for deduplication and for
storage management. Reducing CPU use on the storage server is possible with load
balancing servers and client deduplication.
Processors for deduplication should have a high clock rate and high floating point
performance. Furthermore, high throughput per core is desirable. Each backup stream
uses a separate core. Intel and AMD have similar performance and perform well on
single core throughput. For greater details see the Planning your MSDP deployment
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

section of the NetBackup Deduplication Guide.

Note: Veritas recommends that you do not use the master server as a deduplication
storage server. Master server activity and media server deduplication activity on the
same host degrades performance. In some environments, a single host can function as
both a NetBackup master server and as a deduplication server. Such environments
typically run fewer than 100 total backup jobs a day.

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 Deduplication licensing

• Priced according to front-end TB capacity, not back-end TB

– Size of client’s data (data source)
– Not storage needed for all the client’s backups (destination)
• Covers all forms of NetBackup deduplication, on:
– The client
– The media server
– NetBackup appliances

17

In NetBackup, deduplication is licensed according to the front-end storage capacity, not

the back-end storage size. In other words, the price is determined by the amount of
source data that is actually being backed up, not the capacity of what would be needed
if all source data were deduplicated (the size of the deduplication disk pool). This
licensing covers all forms of deduplication within NetBackup: media server
deduplication and client-side deduplication.
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7-17 Not for Distribution.

 Initiating the Storage Server Configuration Wizard

18

The next step in activating and configuring media server deduplication is to create a
deduplication media server with a media server deduplication pool. Use the Storage
Server Configuration Wizard to do this. Veritas recommends using this wizard to create
this pool. There is also a command line method that can be used, but it is not
recommended unless your MSDP will be more than 64 TB. See the NetBackup
Deduplication Guide for details. Because it is difficult to reconfigure the media server
deduplication pool after it has been created, and after backups have been written to it,
it is extremely important to initially set configuration settings correctly. The wizard steps
you through the following three separate phases:
1. Storage server configuration
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

2. Disk pool configuration

3. Storage unit configuration
A storage server is a NetBackup media server that mounts, reads and writes data from
disk storage. Configuration of a deduplication storage server follows the same paradigm
as configuration of all other disk storage server types. The step where the storage server
is created is where you decide and configure the physical location of the storage to be
used. You may use only a single path to the disk storage and the disk storage must be
used exclusively by NetBackup.

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 Storage Server Configuration Wizard: Selecting Media Server
Deduplication Pool storage type

nbdevconfig –creatests

19

The Welcome screen is the first screen of the Storage Server Configuration Wizard. The
screen reminds you to ensure that you have physically deployed all storage devices prior
to starting this setup. It also reminds you to ensure that all software plug-ins are
installed on the media servers that will be communicating with the storage server. The
media server deduplication plug-ins are installed automatically by the NetBackup
installation. The first screen of the Storage Server Configuration Wizard enables you to
select the disk type. Select Media Server Deduplication Pool and click Next.
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 Storage Server Configuration Wizard: Adding storage server

• Specific to the deduplication media server

• Not related to the operating system
• Used by the storage engine to connect to
the deduplication engine
• Must be kept in a secure and accessible
location
• Can be changed by following steps
provided in Article 100038891: How to
reset the NetBackup authentication
password on an MSDP disk pool

nbdevconfig –creatests

20

On the Add Storage Server screen, you select the media server on which to create the
storage server. You also define credentials for the selected media server. These
credentials are specific to the deduplication media server, not the operating system.
These credentials are used by the storage engine to connect to the deduplication
engine. It is important to keep these credentials in a secure and accessible location.
If you need to later change these credentials, this can be performed using the
spauser command (if the password is known) or with some additional commands and
spadb and tpconfig commands. For specific steps on resetting the password, refer
to Technical Article 100038891: How to reset the NetBackup authentication password on
an MSDP disk pool at: http://www.veritas.com/docs/100038891.
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7-20 Not for Distribution.

 Storage Server Configuration Wizard: Specifying the storage path
and network interface

Use alternate paths for storage and

database for best performance

Specify network interface if the server

has a separate backup network

nbdevconfig –creatests

21

Specify the storage path on this dialog box. You may only select one storage path per
media server. You can set two additional parameters on this screen:
• Use alternate path for deduplication database: This refers to the content router
index. The content router index decreases the amount of space available on the
storage server on which it is installed. Veritas recommends moving this database to
improve performance.
• Use specific network interface: Select this check box to specify a network interface
on the media server. If the media server that is being used has multiple interfaces,
with one that should be used for the backup network, this setting forces NetBackup
to connect to the deduplication media server using only the named interface.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Note: On Windows, you must specify a folder within the drive letter, as the wizard will
not let you continue if you only specify a drive letter.
Caution: Do not create the directories on the server prior to specifying them in the
wizard, but instead allow the Storage Server Configuration Wizard to create those
directories to ensure correct permissions are assigned.
Note: Use care when making these selections, as they cannot later by changed. Changes
to the storage server require deleting and recreating the storage server.

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 Storage Server Configuration Wizard: Optionally enabling
encryption and KMS

Enable encryption and KMS for Media

Server Deduplication Pool

22

NetBackup provides encryption for the deduplicated data. It is separate from and
different than NetBackup policy-based encryption. By default, MSDP encryption is
disabled. On the Storage Server Encryption panel, you can enable encryption and KMS
for Media Server Deduplication Pool. The Enable KMS option is available when you
select Enable Encryption. If you select Enable KMS for the first time, as a one-time KMS
configuration, you must enter the KMS server name, Host master key (HMK)
passphrase, Host master key id, Key protection key (KPK) passphrase, Key protection key
id, Key name, and a Key passphrase. If you select Enable KMS and if KMS is already
configured on the Master Server, you must enter the Key name and the Key passphrase.
For backups, the deduplication plug-in encrypts the data after it is deduplicated. The
data remains encrypted during transfer from the plug-in to the NetBackup Deduplication
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Engine on the storage server. The Deduplication Engine writes the encrypted data to the
storage. For restore jobs, the process functions in the reverse direction.
Note: Do not enable backup encryption by selecting the Encryption option on the
Attributes tab of the Policy dialog box. If you do, NetBackup encrypts the data before it
reaches the plug-in that deduplicates it. Consequently, deduplication rates are very low.
Also, NetBackup does not use the Deduplication Multi-Threaded Agent if policy-based
encryption is configured.

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 Storage Server Configuration Wizard: Optionally defining
deduplication load balancing

Screen only displayed if

additional media servers are
available for load balancing.

nbdevconfig –creatests

23

The Deduplication Load Balancing screen is only displayed if additional media servers
are available. When you use additional media servers for deduplication load balancing,
the fingerprinting process is shared between multiple media servers, and the
fingerprinting process is more efficient. The single copy of the deduplication database
and indexes that are created continue to reside on the storage server; using multiple
media servers does not result in multiple indexes.
Clicking Next will take you to the screen that displays a summary of the settings that
have been made. Confirm these settings before continuing.
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7-23 Not for Distribution.

 Storage Server Configuration Wizard: Performing tasks and
starting the disk pool configuration wizard

By default, completing the wizard will then

start the disk pool configuration wizard.

nbdevconfig –creatests

24

This screen displays the progress as the storage server is created. During this time, the
Next button is disabled. After the process completes, the Next button is enabled. By
default, there is a checkbox enabled stating Create a disk pool using the storage server
that you have created. By clicking Next you start the Disk Pool Configuration Wizard.
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 Disk Pool Configuration Wizard: Volume selection

nbdevconfig –createdp

25

The next step in creating the media server deduplication pool is to create a disk pool. If
you run the Disk Pool Configuration Wizard separately from the Storage Server
Configuration Wizard, you need to select a disk pool type to create of PureDisk. You
may also use the nbdevconfig command to configure a new disk pool from the
command line, however Veritas does not recommend using the command line, and
instead recommends only using the wizard to ensure accuracy during configuration.
On this screen, select the PureDisk disk volume to be included in the disk pool. There
should be only one disk volume per server, as was configured in the storage server
wizard when previously prompted for the storage path.
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7-25 Not for Distribution.

 Disk Pool Configuration Wizard: Additional disk pool information

Limit I/O streams to manage

performance (default = unlimited)

nbdevconfig –createdp

26

In the Additional Disk Pool Information screen, configure the properties of the disk
pool. Assign a name to the pool and optionally add comments about its function.
Configure additional disk pool information as follows:
• High water mark: The percentage of used capacity at which NetBackup considers a
disk volume in the pool to be full. A disk volume pool within a storage unit group is
assigned fewer backup jobs as it approaches the high water mark.
• Low water mark: For most disk types this is the percentage of used capacity at
which a clean-up operation stops purging backup images as a result of the disk pool
reaching the high water mark. This value is not used for deduplication pools.
• Maximum I/O Streams: Limits the number of streams that can be directed to a disk
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

simultaneously. It is used to avoid disk thrashing, which is the result of too many
jobs writing to the same disk simultaneously.
Any disk pool limit that you apply here will affect the total number of jobs that
associated storage units would be able to run.
Vertias recommends you place a limit here to prevent the server from being
overloaded with too many simultaneous backup jobs. A common limit to start with
is “20”. You can test higher values as you test the hardware’s capacity.

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 Disk Pool Configuration Wizard: Configuration status and initiating
storage unit creation

27

The Disk Pool Configuration Status will then show if the disk pool is configured
successfully. By default, the wizard will then go on to help you create a storage unit for
that disk pool. You can alternatively close the wizard without this checkbox, and create
a storage unit manually in the NetBackup Administration Console.
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7-27 Not for Distribution.

 Disk Pool Configuration Wizard: Storage unit creation

• Start with a low value while initial

deduplication (seeding) occurs
• Increase gradually to process more
jobs concurrently

bpstuadd

28

Finally, configure the properties of the storage unit for this disk pool. In most cases, you
will want to increase the Maximum concurrent jobs setting from the default setting of
1. Veritas recommends that you increase the Maximum concurrent jobs value gradually.
Doing so provides information about the total deduplication load. The initial backup
jobs (also known as initial seeding) require more CPU and memory than successive jobs.
After initial seeding, the storage server can process more jobs concurrently. You can
then gradually increase the jobs value over time.
Every environment's effective maximum concurrent jobs value is different. To find the
best performance raise or lower this value until best performance is achieved.
A Media Server option is available to limit the storage unit to specific media servers.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

After the storage unit configuration is complete, no additional configuration is required.

The storage unit created for the deduplication disk pool may now be selected as a
destination within a backup policy.

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 Deduplication processes in the Activity Monitor

29

After a storage server has been configured, the NetBackup media server deduplication
processes are visible in the Running state, under the Activity Monitor Daemons tab. The
two processes that are displayed are the NetBackup deduplication manager (spad) and
the NetBackup deduplication engine (spoold). Prior to MSDP configuration, these
processes should not be found in the Running state. For more information on the
functions of these two processes, see the NetBackup MSDP components section of this
lesson.
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 Verifying PureDisk storage server information

nbdevquery -liststs

30

After a storage server has been configured, it may be viewed in the NetBackup
Administration Console by expanding Media and Device Management > Credentials >
Storage Servers. Notice that the Administration Console does not list BasicDisk storage
servers because all media servers support BasicDisk by default. Note that NetBackup
appliances will also be listed as PureDisk storage servers in this list, and will not look any
different than media servers configured with a media server deduplication pool.
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7-30 Not for Distribution.

 Verifying and modifying PureDisk disk pools

nbdevquery -listdp

31

To view disk pools using the NetBackup Administration Console, expand Media and
Device Management > Devices and select Disk Pools to list all configured disk pools.
The columns display the general configuration for the storage unit, in addition to a
percentage full value, showing the total used capacity of the disk pool. Right-click the
disk pool and select Change to modify disk pool settings, such as water marks, and
limiting the number of I/O streams.
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 Verifying and modifying PureDisk storage units

bpstulist

32

After a PureDisk storage unit has been configured, it can be viewed in the NetBackup
Administration Console by expanding NetBackup Management > Storage and selecting
Storage Units. Notice that the master_msdp_stu storage unit is displayed with a
Storage Unit Type of Disk, and a Disk Type of either PureDisk or Disk Pool. Right-click
and select Change to modify storage unit settings, such as maximum concurrent jobs.
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 Topic: Configuring client-side deduplication

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure client-side

deduplication.

This is the Configuring client-side deduplication topic.

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 How to configure client-side deduplication

• Prior to configuring client-side deduplication:

– Install the NetBackup client software (if it is not already installed)
– Configure the deduplication storage destination
• To configure client-side deduplication:
– Verify the client-side deduplication requirements.
– Configure client-side deduplication options in the Client Attributes.

34

This slide provides an overview of the steps to configure client-side deduplication. You
have already learned how to configure the NetBackup client software and a
deduplication storage destination, such as MSDP. To actually configure client-side
deduplication, you only need to verify the client-side deduplication requirements, and
configure the option in the Client Attributes. You learn how to perform each of these
steps in this topic.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

7-34 Not for Distribution.

 Verifying client-side deduplication requirements and
recommendations
CPU

• CPU is impacted on the client during backups.

• Perform tests to ensure the client applications are not unacceptably impacted.

NetBackup version

• At a minimum, NetBackup 8.0 must be running on the client.

• No additional installation is required.

Operating system

• Only 64-bit operating systems are supported.

35

Because fingerprinting is very process-intensive, the CPU on the client is affected by the
backup process. Veritas recommends performing tests to ensure that client applications
are not adversely impacted. For supported operating systems, refer to Deduplication
Supported Operating Systems section in the Operating System Compatibility Lists at:
http://www.netbackup.com/compatibility. Additionally, see the SORT Web site at:
http://sort.veritas.com/netbackup.
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 Controlling client-side deduplication

•Always
Alwaysuseusethe
the mediaDisables client-side
server: Disables deduplication
client-side (default)
deduplication
media server
(default)
•Prefer
Prefertotouse
useclient- If deduplication
client-side deduplication:plug-in is active, use
If deduplication client-side.
plug-in is
side deduplication
active, use client-side.Otherwise,
Otherwise,useusemedia
mediaserver
serverdeduplication.
deduplication.
•Always
Alwaysuseuseclient-
client-sideIfdeduplication:
deduplication Ifplug-in
deduplication
is active,plug-in is active,
use client-side.
usededuplication
side client-side. Otherwise, fail andfail
Otherwise, retry
andthe job.the job.
retry

36

To establish a client for client-side deduplication, set up the client in the Client
Attributes on the master server. Begin by adding the client to the list of clients that are
displayed in the dialog box. Next, under the General tab, configure the Deduplication
Location that is to be used:
• Always use the media server: This mode turns client-side deduplication off.
Deduplication operations are performed by the media server. This is the default
behavior.
• Prefer to use client-side deduplication: In this mode, the media server determines if
the NetBackup client supports client-side deduplication. If client-side deduplication
is supported, it is used. Otherwise, media server deduplication is used for the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

backup.
• Always use client-side deduplication: In this mode, the backup manager on the
media server determines if the NetBackup client supports client-side deduplication.
If client-side deduplication is supported, it is used. Otherwise, the backup job fails,
and is retried later, depending on your NetBackup configuration settings.

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 Policy attributes to disable client-side deduplication

37

In the NetBackup policy Attribute tab, there is a Disable client-side deduplication policy
attribute. By default, this attribute is disabled. When you enable this attribute, all
backups that are run by this policy use media server deduplication, regardless of other
deduplication settings. This can be used in a situation where client-side deduplication is
configured for some clients, but should not be used in the case of certain backup
policies by those same clients.
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 Topic: Managing NetBackup deduplication

After completing this topic, you will be able to monitor the results of
deduplication in NetBackup.

This is the Managing NetBackup deduplication topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

7-38 Not for Distribution.

 Deduplication rate in the Activity Monitor

By default, the Deduplication Rate column is hidden.

Information about the jobs in this example:

43. Data from winmaster.example.com is sent to an MSDP storage unit for the first time.
46. The same backup occurs to the deduplication disk pool a second time. A small amount
of data has changed between the first and second backups.
47. Backup of data from winmedia.example.com is sent to the deduplication disk pool for
the first time. Even though this is the first backup for winmedia.example.com, because
the data is nearly identical between the two NetBackup clients, deduplication still
occurs.

39

The Deduplication Rate column under the Jobs tab in the Activity Monitor displays the
rate at which deduplication occurs for backups. This Deduplication Rate column is
displayed to the far right, by default, but can moved by rearranging the columns in the
Activity Monitor. This column displays the storage savings that are realized by using
deduplication.
In this example, a backup policy was used that has a storage destination which is a
deduplication pool (master_msdp_stu). Job 43 was the first backup job for
winmaster.example.com using this deduplication destination. The deduplication rate is
59.4%. Although you may expect a very low deduplication rate, often times even the
initial data may have many duplicate blocks. In this case we backed up a very large file
that contained repeating data, and therefore the deduplication rate was high for an
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

initial backup. Job 46 is a second occurrence of the backup performed in Job 43. This
time, the deduplication rate is 99.8% because the same data was written as was written
in the previous job and only a small amount of unique data was found. Job 47 is the first
time that winmedia.example.com was backed up to the deduplication storage. Even
though this is the first backup for this client, because it has almost identical data to
winmaster.example.com, the deduplication rate is very high, at 99.8%.
The results of deduplication are also displayed under the Detailed Status tab of the Job
Details dialog box for a deduplicated backup. The Detailed Status tab includes a line of
text that reflects the details of the backup to the deduplication storage server.

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 An example of job details for a standard backup job to a Media Server Deduplication
Pool follows:
01/27/2015 20:56:19 - begin writing
01/27/2015 20:57:13 - Info bpbkar32 (pid=4636) bpbkar waited 2
times for empty buffer, delayed 2 times.
01/27/2015 20:57:13 - Info bptm (pid=5076) waited for full buffer
898 times, delayed 2402 times
01/27/2015 20:57:14 - Info bptm (pid=5076) EXITING with status 0
<----------
01/27/2015 20:57:14 - Info winmaster.example.com (pid=5076)
StorageServer=PureDisk:winmaster.example.com; Report=PDDO Stats
for (winmaster.example.com): scanned: 1026855 KB, CR sent:
416551 KB, CR sent over FC: 0 KB, dedup: 59.4%, cache disabled
01/27/2015 20:57:14 - Info bpbrm (pid=992) validating image for
client winmaster.example.com
01/27/2015 20:57:15 - Info bpbkar32 (pid=4636) done. status: 0:
the requested operation was successfully completed
01/27/2015 20:57:15 - end writing; write time: 0:00:56
the requested operation was successfully completed (0)
Note that the deduplication rate is listed as dedup: 59.4%.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

7-40 Not for Distribution.

 An example of job details for a client-side deduplication backup follows:
01/27/2015 21:16:07 - Info bptm (pid=6404) using 30 data buffers
01/27/2015 21:16:07 - Info winmaster.example.com (pid=6404) Using
OpenStorage client direct to backup from client
winmedia.example.com to winmaster.example.com
01/27/2015 21:16:19 - begin writing
01/27/2015 21:16:51 - Info bpbkar32 (pid=1288) bpbkar waited 0
times for empty buffer, delayed 0 times.
01/27/2015 21:16:51 - Info winmaster.example.com (pid=6404)
StorageServer=PureDisk:winmaster.example.com; Report=PDDO Stats
for (winmaster.example.com): scanned: 825518 KB, CR sent: 1311
KB, CR sent over FC: 0 KB, dedup: 97.6%, cache hits: 17140
(100.0%)
01/27/2015 21:16:51 - Info winmaster.example.com (pid=6404) Using
the media server to write NetBackup data for backup
winmedia.example.com_1422411359 to winmaster.example.com
01/27/2015 21:16:52 - Info bptm (pid=6404) EXITING with status 0
<----------
01/27/2015 21:16:52 - Info winmaster.example.com (pid=6404)
StorageServer=PureDisk:winmaster.example.com; Report=PDDO Stats
for (winmaster.example.com): scanned: 1 KB, CR sent: 0 KB, CR
sent over FC: 0 KB, dedup: 100.0%, cache disabled
01/27/2015 21:16:52 - Info bpbrm (pid=564) validating image for
client winmedia.example.com
01/27/2015 21:16:53 - Info bpbkar32 (pid=1288) done. status: 0:
the requested operation was successfully completed
01/27/2015 21:16:53 - end writing; write time: 0:00:34
the requested operation was successfully completed (0)

Notice that there is a line in the job details showing that client-side deduplication is in
use: Using OpenStorage client direct to backup from client.
Shortly after this the backup runs, and the deduplication rate is correctly listed as
dedup: 97.6%. Later in the job details, however, the output a second entry listing
dedup: 100.0%. This entry can be ignored.
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7-41 Not for Distribution.

 Capacity results in the NetBackup Administration Console

nbdevquery –listdp

Note: Manage storage paths so

that they do not become full. nbdevquery –liststs

42

Within the NetBackup Administration Console, under Media and Device Management,
there are two easy ways to report on deduplication disk pool capacity. The first method
involves looking at the disk pool properties. The command line method uses the
nbdevquery -listdp options. Reporting on the deduplication disk pool in this
manner provides a view of the disk pool capacity because it is cached by the EMM
server.
The second method involves looking at the storage server properties. The command line
method uses the nbdevquery -liststs options. With a deduplication disk pool,
this method lists real-time data, pulled from the storage server when the command is
run. It is important to understand that reporting and managing space in a deduplication
disk pool may not be as simple as on a non-deduplicating disk. After a single backup
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

image in a non-deduplicating disk pool expires, the space taken by the backup image is
freed. In a deduplicating disk pool, however, that space may not be so easily reclaimed.

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 There are a number of issues to consider:
• The backup image may contain much data that is not unique and that is shared by
other backup images and cannot be freed.
• A NetBackup deduplication disk pool has regularly scheduled jobs, such as queue
processing and garbage collection, which need to run to free space. Some of these
tasks can be run manually. Refer to the NetBackup Deduplication Guide.
• These pools use a storage model based on files called containers. When a data
segment is deleted, it leaves an unused space in these containers, which is either re-
used for new segments or reclaimed during automatically-running container
compaction jobs. Container size depends on the specific MSDP implementation.
Because of these issues, when you use simple disk space reporting tools, such as those
provided by the operating system, you may not be able to accurately determine the
actual available space and capacity of a deduplication disk pool. Instead of using
operating system utilities such as df/du (UNIX) or the Windows explorer utility
(explorer.exe), use the NetBackup-provided commands that more accurately report on
deduplicated disk, as shown on the slide. To prevent failed jobs or other issues, prevent
deduplication disk pools from reaching their capacity.
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 Capacity results in the Disk Pool Status report

44

Within the Administration Console, under NetBackup Management, capacity results are
also displayed in the Disk Pool Status report.
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 Deduplication reports in OpsCenter

45

As well as viewing disk pool capacity in OpsCenter, you can also view a variety of
deduplication reports. In Veritas NetBackup OpsCenter 8.1.2 and later, the following
deduplication reports come with the product:
• Deduplication Rates by Master Server
• Deduplication Rates by Policy Type
• Deduplication Size Savings
• Deduplication Size Factor
• Pre vs. Post Deduplication Size
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Refer to the NetBackup OpsCenter Administrator’s Guide for details on these reports.

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 Deduplication recommendations

Compression
• Use these features in the deduplication client, not in the NetBackup policy
and • By default: Compression is enabled; Encryption is disabled
encryption

Virtual
machine Use the Enable file recovery from VM backup option for best deduplication rates
backups

Deduplication • Reduces the deduplication client-server communication

cache • May be useful in some environments (a slow WAN)

46

On each NetBackup host that deduplicates data, a pd.conf file contains the various
configuration settings that control the operation of deduplication. The pd.conf file
resides in the following directories:
• UNIX: /usr/openv/lib/ost-plugins/
• Windows: install_path\NetBackup\bin\ost-plugins
Compression and Encryption
NetBackup provides compression and encryption as part of the deduplication process.
The options on the NetBackup policy for these features should not be used because
they can cause performance issues with deduplication backups. By default, files are
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

compressed as part of deduplication stream. To turn off compression, add the value
COMPRESSION = 0 to the pd.conf file. By default, deduplication encryption is
disabled. To turn on data encryption, add ENCRYPTION = 0 to the pd.conf file.
The following is the behavior for the encryption that occurs during the deduplication
process:
• If you enable encryption on a client that deduplicates its own data, the client
encrypts the data before it sends it to the storage server. The data remains
encrypted on the storage.
• Data also is transferred from the client over a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to the
server regardless of whether or not the data is encrypted, so that the data is
protected, even if data encryption is not used.

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 • If you enable encryption on a load balancing server, the load balancing server
encrypts the data. It remains encrypted on storage.
• If you enable encryption on the storage server, the storage server encrypts the data.
It remains encrypted on storage. If the data is already encrypted, the storage server
does not encrypt it.
Prior to NetBackup 8.0, deduplication used the Blowfish 128 bit algorithm for
encryption. Starting in NetBackup 8.0, the AES-256-CTR algorithm is used. Although
NetBackup 8.0 uses AES-256-CTR for encryption, encrypted MSDP backups prior to
upgrading to NetBackup 8.0 would still be stored using Blowfish. After upgrading to
NetBackup 8.1, NetBackup automatically performs a rolling upgrade of these Blowfish-
encrypted backups, and converts them to AES-256-CTR-encrypted backups. This may
have an impact on performance. For more information on this process, refer to the
About the rolling data conversion mechanism for MSDP section of the NetBackup
Deduplication Guide.
Virtual machine backups
For VMware backups, select the Enable file recovery from VM backup option when you
configure a VMware backup policy. The Enable file recovery from VM backup option
provides the best deduplication rates.
Deduplication caching
Use of client-side deduplication means the client compares deduplication fingerprints
that it calculates, to the fingerprints in the storage server’s database. Instead of
constantly querying this information back and forth, over a potentially slow wide area
network (WAN), the client can use a deduplication cache of fingerprints for data that
already exists on the storage server. When subsequent backups are run, fingerprints are
checked against this cache first, before querying the storage server. A high cache hit rate
indicates significantly reduced network communication between the client and storage
server, which is important when using client direct to back up remote clients over high
latency networks. Pre-populating this cache can significantly reduce the data and
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

fingerprint checking that needs to be performed over the network. Several solutions
exist, depending on the NetBackup release level. For details and configuration options
for other NetBackup releases, see Article 100003816: NetBackup deduplication client
WAN backup: how to seed the fingerprint cache to speed up the initial backup at:
http://www.veritas.com/docs/100003816.

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 Lesson summary

• Key points
– In this lesson, you learned what NetBackup deduplication is and how it works.
– You are also learned how to configure a media server for deduplication, including creating a media
server deduplication disk pool, and configuring client-side deduplication.
– Finally, you learned how to monitor the results of deduplication.
• Reference materials
– NetBackup Deduplication Guide
– NetBackup compatibility at http://www.netbackup.com/compatibility
– Article 100003816: Seeding fingerprint cache to speed up the initial backup
– http://www.veritas.com/support

48

For more information about the topics discussed in this lesson, refer to the resources
listed on the slide and remember to check the Veritas Support web site frequently.
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7-48 Not for Distribution.

 Lab 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
Lab objectives
• Exercise A: Configuring NetBackup Media Server Deduplication (MSDP)
• Exercise B: Configuring a policy to use MSDP storage
• Exercise C: Performing backups to MSDP storage
• Exercise D: Configuring and using client-side deduplication
• Exercise E: Monitoring and managing NetBackup MSDP storage
• Exercise F: (Optional) Running Deduplication reports in OpsCenter

The slide shows the objectives for the lab associated with this lesson. Refer to the
corresponding lab guide for specific instructions and lab steps.
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7-49 Not for Distribution.

 What did you learn?
You are about to be asked a series
of questions related to the current
lesson.

50

The next section is a quiz. In this quiz, you are asked a series of questions related to the
current lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

7-50 Not for Distribution.

 Question 1: About NetBackup deduplication
Which statement is false about NetBackup deduplication?

A. Fingerprinting of data can be performed on the server side as well as the client side.
B. Deduplication can be performed at the disk block level.
C. Deduplication uses a capacity-based license.
D. Media server deduplication has only been available since NetBackup 7.5.

51
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

7-51 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 1: About NetBackup deduplication
Which statement is false about NetBackup deduplication?

A. Fingerprinting of data can be performed on the server side as well as the client side.
B. Deduplication can be performed at the disk block level.
C. Deduplication uses a capacity-based license.
D. Media server deduplication has only been available since NetBackup 7.5.

The correct answer is B. Deduplication can be performed at the file and sub-file (segment) level.

52
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

7-52 Not for Distribution.

 Question 2: About client-side deduplication
Which statement is true about client-side deduplication?

A. It requires an additional license for each client.

B. It forces the media server to perform the fingerprinting, thereby reducing the
processing work for the client.
C. It may significantly reduce the bandwidth used by backups between the client and
media server.
D. It is not a recommended deduplication option for backing up clients over a wide area
network (WAN).

53
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

7-53 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 2: About client-side deduplication
Which statement is true about client-side deduplication?

A. It requires an additional license for each client.

B. It forces the media server to perform the fingerprinting, thereby reducing the
processing work for the client.
C. It may significantly reduce the bandwidth used by backups between the client and
media server.
D. It is not a recommended deduplication option for backing up clients over a wide area
network (WAN).
The correct answer is C. Client-side deduplication forces the client to perform the fingerprinting, and enables only
unique data to be transferred to the deduplication media server.

54
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

7-54 Not for Distribution.

 Question 3: Load balancing media server
True or False. To create a load balancing media server, you must first configure it as a
storage server.

A. True
B. False

55
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

7-55 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 3: Load balancing media server
True or False. To create a load balancing media server, you must first configure it as a
storage server.

A. True
B. False

The correct answer is B. Because NetBackup media servers already contain the deduplication plug-in required to assist in
fingerprinting, any NetBackup media server can be a load balancing server.

56
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Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

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Not for Distribution.
 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Lesson 8: Configuring and Managing Tape Storage

© 2018 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Configuring and managing Tape Storage lesson in the Veritas NetBackup 8.2:
Administration course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-1 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson introduction
• Lesson 0: Course Introduction • Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores
• Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup • Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V Environment
• Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage • Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage
• Lesson 3: Configuring Policies Lifecycle Policies
• Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups • Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the
NetBackup Catalog
• Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores
• Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups
• Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools
• Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic
• Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
Information
• Lesson 8: Configuring and Managing Tape
Storage
• Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

This lesson is the eighth lesson in this course.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-2 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson objectives (1/2)
Topic Objective
Understanding Media Manager
Define media manager storage unit concepts.
storage units

Configuring tape devices Use the Device Configuration Wizard to configure new tape devices.

Verifying tape storage Monitor devices using the NetBackup Administration Console.

NetBackup media concepts Describe volumes, volume pools, and volume groups.

Configuring media Use the Robot Inventory to configure new media.

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-3 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson objectives (2/2)
Topic Objective
View and change robot and tape drive settings, including drive
Managing robots and tape drives status, and perform drive cleaning and running robot and drive
diagnostics.
Identify and monitor NetBackup media states, and understand
Monitoring media and media states
NetBackup media selection and lifecycle.
Perform media management, including moving, ejecting, changing,
Managing tapes
sharing, erasing, and deleting volumes.

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-4 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Understanding Media Manager storage units

After completing this topic, you will be able to define media manager
storage unit concepts.

This is the Understanding Media Manager storage units topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-5 Not for Distribution.

 Media Manager device considerations
Robotic or stand alone
• Robotic devices automatically load and unload media.
• Stand alone devices require human assistance to load and unload
media.

Device and media compatibility

• The I/O device (tape drive) is separate from the recording media.
• Not all tape media (DLT, SDLT, LTO) is compatible with all tape
drives.

NetBackup refers to tape devices as Media Manager devices, because they are managed
by a component of NetBackup known as Media Manager.
Robotic or standalone: NetBackup interacts differently with robotically controlled
devices and stand alone devices. Stand alone devices require an operator or human
assistance when the tape media is loaded to and unloaded from the device. Robotic
controlled devices are generally automated, and load and unload tape media without
the aid of an operator, normally from tape slots in the library. In both scenarios,
NetBackup needs to know the device path, which describes how the media server sees
the device. These device paths are operating system-specific. In the case of a
robotically-controlled tape library, NetBackup also requires the device path to the
library’s robot, to be able to control that robot.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Device and media compatibility: Besides being robotically controlled or stand alone,
media manager devices have another characteristic. The read/write or I/O device (the
tape drive) is actually separated from the recording media (the tapes). Not all tapes are
compatible with all tape drives. If an incompatible tape gets loaded into a tape drive,
then I/O errors can occur. NetBackup needs to be able to match appropriate media type
for the media (tapes) and devices (tape drives).

8-6 Not for Distribution.

 To facilitate this, each media manager device must also be given a logical device type that also
corresponds to the type of media that device will use. NetBackup will never load media of
one type into a device of another type.
Simple device and media compatibility example
Normally a tape library will contain media that corresponds to the media type of its drives. For
example, if the tape library has LTO5 drives, then the library is normally filled with LTO5 tapes.
In this case the NetBackup logical drive type of HCART3 can be assigned to the tape drives,
and the NetBackup logical media type of HCART3 would be assigned to the tapes. If someone
inserted, into this library, a tape that NetBackup had previously identified as HCART2,
NetBackup would not allow the tape to be mounted in the HCART3 drives.
Device and media compatibility example with multiple drive types in a library
In some cases a tape library can have multiple tape drive types. For example, a library may
have two types of drives, both LTO4 and LTO5. The LTO4 drives may be assigned a NetBackup
drive type HCART2, and the LTO5 drives the NetBackup drive type HCART3. When making
media known to NetBackup, a corresponding NetBackup media type should be assigned to
the media that matches the drive type for the intended drive. Media intended for the LTO4
drives should be given a NetBackup media type of HCART2, while media intended for the LTO5
drives should be given a NetBackup media type of HCART3.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-7 Not for Distribution.

 Media manager storage devices and storage destinations in
NetBackup
Media manager storage devices

• Physical tape drives to which data is written and restored

• Interacts with tapes (which must also be configured in NetBackup)

Media manager storage units

• A logical entity that NetBackup associates with tape storage

• Each media manager storage unit must be:
‒ Controlled by the same robot
‒ Same type and density of devices
‒ Same write properties

Storage unit groups

• Can be a mix of media manager and other storage unit types

NetBackup needs to be told about the tape drives that can be used by media servers for
backup and restore operations. In earlier modules we have seen that NetBackup’s
primary backup destination is the storage unit and that a storage unit refers to one or
more physical devices with common attributes. For backups going to tape, we need to
have media manager storage units, which refer to the tape drives connected to a media
server that NetBackup is aware of. We have also been introduced to the Storage Unit
Group which is a named list of storage units. NetBackup can target either a storage unit
or a storage unit group as a backup destination. When a storage unit group is the target,
only one of the storage units defined in the group will be chosen as the target.
Not only does this slide review the differences between devices, storage units and
storage unit groups, it also introduces some of the media manager specific attributes
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

that media manager devices must have in order to be referenced by the same media
manager storage unit. If two media manager storage devices have differences in these
attributes, then multiple storage units will be required. But, those storage units could be
members of the same storage unit group. And, media manager storage units can exist
with non-media manager storage units within the same storage unit group.

8-8 Not for Distribution.

 Robot control with dedicated libraries

LAN • Servers have dedicated tape library with

exclusive access to tape drives.
• Each server is a robot control host.
Robot control host talks directly to the library’s
robotic control interface to move tapes between
slots and drives.
• Each library is registered only once in the
NetBackup configuration.
Robot Robot
control control
host host

With robotically controlled tape drives, each tape drive and the robot control device
appear as separate devices to a NetBackup server. A tape library with four tape drives
properly connected to NetBackup server should show five devices in the NetBackup
server: four tape drives and a robotic device. A robot is also sometimes referred to as a
medium changer on Windows hosts.
A NetBackup server uses the tape drive interface to perform operation such as
positioning the tape to a tape file, reading data from the tape, or writing data to the
tape. The robot control interface/device is used to perform operations such as moving
tapes from library slots into drives or moving tapes from drives back into their slots. For
libraries that are dedicated to a single NetBackup media server, that NetBackup media
server will be considered the robot control host, and completely control the robot
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

through the appropriate interfaces. The robot control host is designated in the
NetBackup configuration and is the NetBackup server that is responsible for directly
interfacing with the robot control interface, and moves the tapes from library slots to
drives, and back again.

8-9 Not for Distribution.

 Robot control with shared libraries
LAN • Multiple servers are physically connected
to a single library.
Tape drives may be dedicated to specific servers,
or may also be shared.
• One server that sees the robot control
interface is chosen as the robot control
host.
Veritas recommends using the master server, if
SAN connected to the library.
Robot
control • All other servers request tape moves by
host communicating with the robot control
host over TCP/IP.
• Each library is registered in the NetBackup
configuration multiple times (once for
each server connection).

10

A robotic tape library and it’s drives do not have to be dedicated to a single NetBackup
server, especially in a storage area network (SAN). A tape library that is configured to be
accessed by multiple servers is sometimes called a shared library. In these cases all the
tape drives may be seen by all servers, or there may be some tape drives that are
dedicated to specific servers.
Robot control interfaces, due to a limitation of the hardware, do not respond properly
when multiple servers attempt to access them simultaneously. A single NetBackup
server must be defined as the robot control host: the server responsible for directly
interfacing with the robot control interface. Any other server that wishes to move tapes
between slots and drives within the library does so by making a request, over TCP/IP, to
the robot control host., which then issues commands to control the tape robot. Data
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

movement operations, such as tape positioning, reading data from a tape in a drive, or
writing data to a tape in a drive, is performed directly by each NetBackup server that is
directly accessing the tape device. It should be noted that in some cases the robot
control host is not a NetBackup server. An example would be Automated Cartridge
System (ACS) libraries, where the library is controlled by ASCLS software that runs on
another host. For ACS libraries, NetBackup servers interact with the ACSLS host to
perform robotic control. Do not confuse a shared library with the NetBackup-licensed
Shared Storage Option (SSO), which allows multiple NetBackup servers to access the
same tape drives.

8-10 Not for Distribution.

 Media Manager storage unit types
NetBackup NDMP
server host

Media Manager NDMP

storage units storage unit

Tape
library

Tape Stand-alone
library tape drives

11

This slide discusses two of the storage unit types in NetBackup:

• Media Manager: A Media Manager storage unit uses either robotically controlled or
stand-alone tape or optical drives.
• NDMP: NDMP storage units are controlled by NetBackup but attach to NDMP hosts
and require that you have the NetBackup for NDMP option installed. See the
NetBackup for NDMP Administrator’s Guide for more information.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-11 Not for Distribution.

 Tape devices and media manager storage units
SAN Fibre Switch
NetBackup
master server

ms1_tape_stu ms2_tape_stu
Drives 1-3 Drives 4-6
Media Media
server 1 server 2

Tape library with

6 drives

LAN

NetBackup
clients

12

A media manager storage unit is an object in NetBackup that refers to a collection of

devices that use removable media such as tape drives that have a common set of
characteristics:
1. All the devices use the same type of media. Two tape drives that used different
media, such as LTO4 and SDLT2, could not be referred to by the same storage unit.
2. All the devices referred to by the storage unit are either all stand-alone devices or
are controlled by the same robotic library.
Media manager storage units can also control what media server is used. If the device
configuration wizard is used, after devices are discovered, associated storage units are
created. One storage unit per robot per drive type per media server is created. In the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

example on this slide, the tape library has 6 tape drives, all of type LTO4. Three of the
tape drives are visible to media server 1 and the other three are visible to media server
2. The device configuration wizard creates two storage units. The first, STU-A, refers to
the three LTO4 drives in the robot known to Media Server 1, while the other storage
unit, STU-B, refers to the other LTO4 tape drives known to Media Server 2.
On Drive Selection from a media manager storage unit: At the time that a backup job
needs a drive, if the storage unit refers to multiple available, idle tape drives, NetBackup
uses a LRU/round robin mechanism to determine which drive it should assign to that
job.

8-12 Not for Distribution.

 Tape drives and Shared Storage Option (SSO)
All drives are
assigned to all
SAN Fibre Switch media servers
NetBackup
master server

ms1_tape_stu ms2_tape_stu
Drives 1-6 Drives 1-6
Media Media
server 1 server 2

Tape library with

6 drives

LAN

NetBackup
clients

13

The shared storage option, a license extension, allows NetBackup to share tape drives
between two or more media servers instead of having the drives dedicated to a specific
media server. Each shared tape drive can be registered with more than one media
server that can physically see the drive. When such a drive is being used by one media
server, for example to run a backup or restore job, that tape drive is not available to the
other media servers. But once the job on that media server is finished, the tape drive
can be used by other media servers for other jobs.
This diagram shows a NetBackup configuration where all 6 drives are known to both
media servers. We are also showing two storage units. Use of STU-A would cause a job
to use Media Server 1 and any of the 6 tape drives while use of STU-B would case a job
to use Media Server 2 and any of the same 6 tapes drives. Regardless of the storage
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

units used, the drives would be one of the same 6 available to both media servers. If
one of the media servers was shut down, the other media servers would still be able to
use any of the shared tape drives. Like with non-shared storage, we can also created a
storage unit that allows NetBackup to use any available media server.

8-13 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Configuring tape devices

After completing this topic, you will be able to use the Device Configuration
Wizard to configure new tape devices.

14

This is the Configuring tape devices topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-14 Not for Distribution.

 Preparing for device configuration
1
Attach hardware

2 Install drivers /
device files
3 Confirm devices
available in O/S
4 Verify with
NetBackup utilities

Refer to the NetBackup 5 Collect device

Device Configuration Guide identification data

15

Complete the following tasks before you configure devices with NetBackup:
1. Ensure that devices are correctly, physically attached to the system.
2. Ensure that the appropriate drivers are installed within the server operating system.
On UNIX, use a SCSI pass-through driver. This is a SCSI driver that passes through
non-drive-specific SCSI commands instead of blocking them. This pass-through is
required in order to handle the robot control commands. Some operating systems
don’t have a SCSI pass through driver, and require NetBackup to install these drivers.
3. If the operating system does not see the devices, neither will NetBackup. Confirm
that the devices are available through operating system tools, such as:
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• HP-UX: ioscan
• AIX: lsdev
• Linux: cat /proc/scsi/scsi, lsscsi
• Windows: Device Manager (devmgmt.msc)
4. After NetBackup is installed, use the scan, tpautoconf –t, and tpautoconf –r
NetBackup utilities to verify the operating system devices. NetBackup on Solaris will
additionally have the sgscan utility.
5. At this point, if you do not see the devices, troubleshoot the problem using standard
operating system tools or vendor specific utilities until you can see the devices. For
example, check your SAN zoning or persistent binding configuration.
Device configuration in the operating system and NetBackup are discussed in great
detail in the NetBackup Device Configuration Guide for your version of NetBackup.

8-15 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring storage devices using the Device Configuration Wizard

• Performs auto-discovery of devices

• Preferred method of device configuration
• Automatically discovers drive positions in the library
for robot types supporting device serialization:

• Can be used to configure drive naming rules, robot

properties, drive properties, and storage units

16

Veritas recommends that you use the Device Configuration Wizard to configure robots
and tape drives. The wizard configures a robot, its drives, and a storage unit. This wizard
discovers the robots and tape drives that are available, and is the preferred method of
device configuration. For the robot types that support device serialization, the wizard
discovers the positions of the drives within the library.
The wizard also provides the ability to customize drive naming rules, robot and drive
properties, SAN clients, and storage units. The wizard works by querying available
device paths on each media server for devices and for each discovered device (drives
and robots), collects information about those devices, such as serial numbers, type of
device, and so on. Device serial numbers are used to find out which tape drives are
controlled by which robots (tape libraries) and are visible to which media server and if a
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

drive is shared between two or more media servers. The use of the device serial
numbers to correlate drives, robotic libraries and media servers is called device
serialization. The wizard then updates the NetBackup database with the collected
information and assigns device names, robot control hosts and NetBackup device types
for the discovered devices.
Using the device configuration wizard is the preferred method for device configuration.
Devices can be manually configured as well, however the user would be required to
collect the same information and manually update the NetBackup database with the
information. Refer to the Veritas NetBackup Device Configuration Guide for details.

8-16 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Verifying tape storage

After completing this topic, you will be able to monitor devices using the
NetBackup Administration Console.

17

This is the Verifying tape storage topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-17 Not for Distribution.

 Viewing drive properties

tpconfig -d

18

After the Device Configuration Wizard runs, you can view the properties of the drives
that were configured. To do this:
1. Expand Media and Device Management > Devices and select Drives.
2. In the details pane, select the drive you want to view, and press Enter. You can also
right-click and select Change.
You can also use the command, tpconfig –d on each NetBackup server to report on
what devices have been registered to that server in NetBackup’s enterprise media
manager.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-18 Not for Distribution.

 Viewing robot properties

tpconfig -d

19

There needs to a robotic entry for each media server that needs to communicate with a
library. These can be added manually but as we can see, the Device Configuration
wizard adds the required entries as part of its processing. After the Device
Configuration Wizard runs, you can view the properties of the robots that were
configured. To do this:
1. Expand Media and Device Management > Devices and select Robots.
2. In the details pane, select the robot you want to view, and press Enter. You can also
right-click and select Change.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-19 Not for Distribution.

 Comparing robot properties for Shared robots
lnxmaster lnxmedia

Robot
Robot control
host

20

This example shows entries for a robot that is ‘shared’ between two media servers.
Unlike tape drives which can be directly accessed by multiple NetBackup media servers,
the robotic control interface can not, a robot control host must exist. Every media server
that needs access to a robot including the robot control host, will have an entry in the
enterprise media manager for that robot but only one of those entries will be for the
robot control host. The other entries will indicate that that particular media server
must contact the robot through the control host.
In the example above, there are two entries for the robot known as TLD(0). The entry
for winmaster.example.com shows this it is the robot control host (chosen by the device
configuration wizard). The other entry is for winmedia.example.com and was created by
the wizard because winmedia.example.com sees a tape drive that is controlled by the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

robot, TLD(0) so needs to communicate with winmaster.example.com as the robots

robotic control host. In our environment, both winmaster and winmedia can be robot
control hosts but the wizard chose winmaster because it scanned winmaster first.
Again, the output from tpconfig –d can show robot entries based on the server it is
executed on. For a robot control host, it will show the path to the robotic control
interface. If executed from a NetBackup server that is registered with the robot in
NetBackup, but that is not the robot control host, the output identifies what host is the
robot control host.

8-20 Not for Distribution.

 Verifying devices using the Device Monitor

vmoprcmd

21

You can use the Device Monitor to determine a drive’s properties and characteristics,
such as its name, host (the media server to which it sends its backup data), and type
(such as DLT). You can also control drives using the Actions menu or by right-clicking a
drive and selecting an action from the drop-down menu. Such actions include activating
a downed drive, resetting a drive, manually invoking drive cleaning, and changing the
comments associated with a drive. To display details about a particular drive, from the
Device Monitor, right-click a drive and select Drive Details from the drop-down menu.
The control column shows the state of the drive:
• TLX/SCAN-TLX (where X depends on robot type) indicates the drive under robotic
control and available for use.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• DOWN-TLX indicates the drive is under robot control is not available for use.
• AVR/SCAN indicates the drive is not under robotic control or robot control daemon is
not running but the drive is available.
• DOWN indicates the drive is not under robotic control or the robot control daemon is
not running and the drive is not available.
The vmoprcmd command enables you to perform operator functions on drives. For
example, to bring a drive up from the command line, enter:
vmoprcmd -up drive_index [-h device_host]

8-21 Not for Distribution.

 Viewing Media Manager storage unit properties

bpstulist

22

To view the properties of the storage units that were configured:

1. Expand NetBackup Management > Storage and select Storage units.
2. In the details pane, select the storage unit you want to view, and press Enter. You
can also right-click and select Change.
A Storage unit type of Media Manager refers to all tape drives of a particular density
that are either stand alone or under control of a specific robot. In the example on the
slide, this storage unit will direct backup data to HCART drives within the TLD(0) library.
The value of Media Server shows that winmaster.example.com will be the media server
used. Clicking on the Media server dropdown field displays a list of all the media servers
configured to have access to HCART tape drives within the TLD(0) library.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

The media server value of Any Available configures the storage unit to use any of the
media servers that see this type of drive within the specified library. If, at a later time, a
new media server is configured for these drives in this library, it will automatically be
used with this storage unit. A similar result can be obtained by creating individual
storage units for each library, per drive type, and per media server, and then adding
those storage units to a storage unit group. However, if a new media server is given
access to the library, a new storage unit would need to be created and it would have to
be manually added to the storage unit group.

8-22 Not for Distribution.

 Summary of NetBackup device-related queries

Task Administration Console Command line OpsCenter

List configured tape Media and Device tpconfig –d Monitor > Devices
drives and robots Management > Manage > Devices >
Devices Robot | Drives
Monitor the state and Media and Device vmoprcmd Monitor > Devices
availability of tape drives Management > Device Manage > Devices >
Monitor Drives
List devices that would scan
be found and configured tpautoconf –t
by the device
configuration wizard if it tpautoconf –r
were to be run.

23

This slide shows some of the ways you can query NetBackup about your device
configuration. tpconfig –d queries the Enterprise media manager for devices that have
been registered with the media server the command is run from. You run this command
from a NetBackup server. It can also be used to manually register a device with a
NetBackup server.
vmoprcmd queries all of the ltid processes to report the status of drives on all
NetBackup servers in a domain. It can also be used to manage the state of drives
(up/down).
scan/tpautoconf –t/tpautoconf –r are commands that scan a hosts device endpoints
and report the devices that are present. Devices reported by these commands will be
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

picked up by the device configuration wizard and configured into the enterprise media
manager.

8-23 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: NetBackup media concepts

After completing this topic, you will be able to describe volumes, volume
pools, and volume groups.

24

This is the NetBackup media concepts topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-24 Not for Distribution.

 What are volumes?
Volume is NetBackup’s term for removable media.

• Each tape is a volume.

• Every volume is assigned a unique media ID in the NetBackup database.

25

Media Manager volumes are tapes that have been assigned media IDs and other
attributes, which are recorded in NetBackup database. You should know the following
about volumes:
• A piece of media becomes a volume when Media Manager assigns a media ID (also
known as the Recorded Volume Serial Number or RVSN).
• NetBackup requests volumes from Media Manager using the media ID.
• NetBackup writes a label to the media that contains the media ID.
• If a tape cartridge has a recognized external barcode, this is also recorded in the
NetBackup database, and used to generate the media ID for a new tape. The
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

barcode is sometimes referred to as the EVSN or External Volume Serial Number.

Note: The media ID is limited to six characters, and NetBackup only reads thirteen
characters on a bar code label.
To control how media IDs are generated from barcode values, define media ID
generation rules that specify which characters of a bar code on a cartridge are to be
used to generate a media ID. Multiple media ID generation entries can be specified,
allowing media ID generation to be specific for each robot and length of barcode, and
offering flexibility for multimedia.

8-25 Not for Distribution.

 Understanding Media IDs and barcodes

Default (rightmost six):

Media ID: N256S2
Bar code: JYN256S2
Customized:
Media ID: JYN256
Media ID: An unique NetBackup volume serial number
• The bar code and the Media ID are recorded in the NetBackup database.
• The media ID may be from one to six digits.
• The media ID is also recorded on the first block of the tape.
• This internal media ID is also called the tape’s label.
• You can customize media ID generation.

26

NetBackup assigns each volume a unique media ID. This media ID may be assigned
manually, or it may be automatically generated using bar codes and a process known as
robotic inventory. Considering the large number of tapes in an enterprise backup
environment, most environments use bar codes and robotic inventory. Manually
assigning media IDs is only performed in special circumstances.
The maximum length of a media ID is six characters and is typically based on the bar
code. If the bar code is longer than six characters, by default NetBackup uses the last six
characters as the media ID, as shown in the slide on this page. Customizing this behavior
is shown later in this topic.
The media ID of each volume is stored in the NBDB and is also written on the tape itself.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

The location where the media ID is written is called the tape header, or label. Use
caution when assigning media IDs. To avoid confusion, Veritas recommends having the
tape’s Media ID be identical, or very similar to, its bar code. Also, to avoid problems
when restoring data, ensure that any media id generation rules you configure in your
production environment are also configured in your disaster recovery environment.
If robotic inventory is used on tape cartridges that have no barcode labels then
NetBackup assigns those tapes unique media IDs based on a simple mechanism starting
with the initial media ID A00000 (the letter A followed by 5 zeros) and incrementing the
value until a unique media ID is found.

8-26 Not for Distribution.

 Understanding volume pools
A volume pool is a set of volumes defined for a specific purpose.
NetBackup CatalogBackup Scratch
Default pool Catalog backups Empty tapes

Datastore None ServerBackups OffsiteCopies

Integrated3rd- Cleaning tapes
party apps

Default volume pools Administrator-defined, as required

27

NetBackup organizes volumes in volume pool. The volume pool used by a backup job is
specified as part of the backup policy definition. The following volume pools exist, by
default:
• NetBackup: The default volume pool used by most policies initially and the pool new
tapes discovered by robotic inventory are assigned to by default.
• DataStore: The default volume pool for some integrated third-party applications.
• CatalogBackup: The default volume pool for storing NetBackup catalog backups.
• None: The volume pool used for tapes NetBackup should not write to, such as
cleaning tapes and non-NetBackup tapes.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

In addition to these predefined pools, you can create your own pools to segregate
backups to different tapes, such as for backup images staying onsite and images being
sent offsite, or for backups of different types of applications. The scratch pool is an
optional volume pool that you can configure to store unused, free tapes.

8-27 Not for Distribution.

 The scratch volume pool
• Contains unused media.
• Can use any name. Scratch
Only one per NetBackup domain.
Empty tapes
1• Provides tapes to volume pools that
need new media during a backup.
2• Free tapes move back from the 2
1
volume pools (if originally from
ServerBackups OffsiteCopies
scratch pool).

Tape with available space

Tape with no available space

28

The scratch pool is an optional volume pool that you can configure. You can have only
one scratch volume pool per NetBackup domain. Any media manager storage unit can
have volumes that are in the scratch pool. If the scratch pool is configured, NetBackup
moves volumes from that pool to other pools that do not have volumes available, when
required. The name of the scratch pool does not matter. However Veritas recommends
creating a pool with a defining name, such as Scratch or free_tapes.
NetBackup does not assign volumes while they are in a scratch pool, and the scratch
pool cannot be targeted by a backup policy. A volume moved from the scratch pool to
another volume pool due to backup needs, remains in the other pool until it is
unassigned (all image reach their retention). NetBackup moves volumes back to the
scratch volume pool after the volume is unassigned. To disable this feature, update the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

NetBackup database using the following command:

nbemmcmd -changesetting
-return_unassigned_media_to_scratch_pool no
-machinename master_server

8-28 Not for Distribution.

 Understanding volume groups

• Track the physical location of volumes

• Are robotic (volumes are in a tape library) or stand-alone (volumes are not in a tape
library)

TLD0

Eject Vault

Volume Group:
---
Volume Group:
Volume Group:
OFFSITE
000_00000_TLD

29

A volume group is a logical group of volumes that are located at the same physical
location. This allows NetBackup to track media by location. Each robotic library can have
one or more pre-defined volume groups with a name based upon the robot number,
robot type, and media type. For example, the first library defined might have the library
name “TLD0”, which would have the volume group 000_00000_TLD. If a volume is in a
the 000_00000_TLD volume group, it is considered to be resident in the TLD0 library. If
another tape is in the same library but of a different media type (in other words, in a
different media manager storage unit) then that tape will be assigned to another
volume group such as 001_00000_TLD.
These volumes are resident in the robot, so the robot can automatically load the
volume for backup and restore operations. When robotic inventory is run and
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

NetBackup identifies volumes moved into the library, by default, NetBackup will assign
each volume to an appropriate robotic volume group based on the robot the tape was
found in and the media type of the tape. The following are the rules for assigning
volume groups:
• A volume can be assigned to only one volume group.
• All volumes in a group must be the same media type. However, a media type and its
corresponding cleaning media type are allowed in the same volume group (such as
DLT and DLT_CLN).

8-29 Not for Distribution.

 • All volumes in a robotic library must belong to a volume group. You cannot add
volumes to a robotic library without specifying a group or having Media Manager
generate a name for the group.
• More than one volume group can share the same location. For example, a robotic
library can contain volumes from more than one volume group and you can have
more than one stand-alone volume group.
• Volume groups are not created like volume pools. Volume groups appear when they
have at least one volume assigned to them. If all the volumes in one volume group
get assigned to other volume groups then the first volume group would no longer
appear in the interface.
• All volumes in a group must be in the same robotic library or be stand-alone. That is,
you cannot assign a volume that exists in one library to a volume group that has
volumes already assigned to it that are in another library or that are stand alone.
If a backup or restore operation is queued due to a pending media mount request,
review the volume group for the piece of media to determine the location of the tape.
For example, if a volume is in a volume group called OFFSITE, it may be that the tape is
not in the robot but was vaulted/sent to offsite storage.
Backup Exec differences
NetBackup may use different terminology than other backup software for the concepts
of volume pools (the purpose of a tape) and volume group (the location of a tape). If
you are familiar with Backup Exec terminology, here is a quick translation:
General term Backup Exec NetBackup
Tapes Media Volumes
Tape sets Media sets Volume pools
Tape location Media location Volume group
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-30 Not for Distribution.

 Understanding volume groups and volume pools
server_tapes volume pool

Volume pools can be used to force

duplicate_tapes volume
NetBackup to place backups on
pool separate tape volumes for specific jobs
and backup types.

NetBackup volume
VirtualMachine poolpool
volume

A volume group is a set of volumes

that reside at the same physical
location, such as in a specific robot or
Robot 1 Stand-alone Offsite a specific offsite location
volume group volume group volume group
31

Volume groups allow you to group media by its location. Volume pools are used when
you want or need different backups to be placed onto different sets of tapes. The reason
for separating backups are dependent on your needs and problems you need to
overcome. For example, enabling parallel restore of two extremely critical systems by
making sure the backups of those two systems don’t go to the same tape. Another
example is having a local set of backups kept onsite but also having copies of those
same backups stored at an offsite location for long term retention.
However, one needs to be judicious here. The more volume pools you create, the more
management you have to perform. Additionally, NetBackup already segregates tapes
based on retention level, by default, so creating separate volume pools for separate
retention tapes is often unnecessary.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A volume group are labels for both robotic libraries and non-robotic locations. There can
be multiple non-robotic volume groups, just as there can be multiple robotic libraries.
Changing volume group designation for a volume provides the means for NetBackup to
track a volume’s physical location. Using the vmdelete command, you can delete
volumes from the NetBackup database by specifying the group name, rather than
individual media IDs. Multiple volume pools can exist in the same location. For
example, a robotic library may hold volumes assigned to your MSSQL_Pool (tapes for
MSSQL backups) and hold volumes assigned to your ORACLE_Pool (tapes for Oracle
backups).

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 Topic: Configuring media

After completing this topic, you will be able to use the Robot Inventory to
configure new media.

32

This is the Configuring media topic.

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8-32 Not for Distribution.

 Volume configuration methods
NetBackup Volume Configuration Wizard
• Runs the robot inventory
• Adds volumes found in library, into desired volume pools
• Supports barcode and media ID generation rules

NetBackup Administration Console

• Found under Media and Device Management.
• Supports the robot inventory
• Allows for manual creation of volumes

Command Line
• Provided by Media Manager commands.
• Use vmadd, vmupdate, and vmchange commands.

33

There are a number of ways to configure volumes in NetBackup:

• The Volume Configuration Wizard runs the NetBackup Robot Inventory, which
scans for tapes in available tape libraries, and can be configured to automatically
add them to the NetBackup configuration. After you run the robot inventory to
configure media, each piece of media has a unique media ID in the NetBackup
media databases. The wizard or utility creates media that have a media type
determined by the drive type. The default media type is used. Additionally, volumes
can be added manually.
• Similar to the wizard, the NetBackup Administration console also supports the robot
inventory under the Media and Device Management section of the NetBackup
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Administration Console. Additionally, methods for manually configuring volumes is

provided.
• The command-line has a number of commands that are available to perform
volume configuration tasks. There are some commands, which initiate a text-menu
interfaces, such as tpconfig. Refer to the NetBackup Commands Reference Guide, or
the command man pages on UNIX, for details and syntax of NetBackup commands.

8-33 Not for Distribution.

 Preparing to run Robotic Inventory
Volume Pools
• Create scratch pool
• Create other volume pools
• Perform before running inventory

Barcode Rules
• Assigns density, volume pool, and other properties
ABC* according to barcode
Media type: HCART3 • Create before or during inventory
Volume Pool: dups

Media ID
Generation Rules • Assigns Media ID according to barcode
ABC123L4 • Create before or during inventory
Media ID: ABC123

34

Using robot inventory enables accurate tracking of volumes within robotic libraries,
including determining which volumes are in a robot and their exact slot location. The
steps on this slide describes tasks that need to be performed either before or during the
robotic inventory. These tasks include creating all custom volume pools, bar code rules,
and media ID generation rules that may be needed. Newly configured rules are not
applied to media that already exists in NetBackup. For any media that was added before
the rules were created, either manually update the media or delete the media and re-
run the robot inventory. At that point, the rules will be applied.
A bar code rule specifies criteria for assigning attributes to new robotic volumes.
NetBackup assigns these attributes by using the bar code for the volumes cartridge that
the robotic library provides along with your bar code rules. After bar code rules are
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

established, NetBackup automatically assigns media, based on the bar code tag, to a
specific volume pool and media type.
Media ID generation rules enable you to override the default media ID naming method
that NetBackup uses for new tapes that have barcodes. The default method uses the
last (rightmost) six characters of the bar code provided by the robot to generate the
media ID. Use the rule to control how NetBackup creates media IDs by specifying which
characters of a bar code are used in the media ID. In addition, you can specify that
alphanumeric characters are to be inserted into the ID. Multiple rules can be used to
accommodate different robots and bar code lengths.

8-34 Not for Distribution.

 Creating volume pools

vmpool

35

To create a volume pool in the NetBackup Administration Console:

1. Select Media and Device Management > Media > Volume Pools.
2. Click on the star-burst icon, or selecting the appropriate option in the Actions menu
or by right-clicking on Volume Pools in the navigation tree.
Options in the New Volume Pool dialog box include:
• Media Manager host: Displays the name of the master server.
• Pool name: A unique volume pool name; Up to 20 alphanumeric characters long and
is case-sensitive.
•
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Description: A brief description of the volume pool.

• Maximum number of partially full media: The number of partially full media (for
each retention level) that NetBackup will allow backup to concurrently write to in
the pool. The default number (0) places no limit on partially full media in the pool.
• Scratch Pool: Allows the pool to be used as a scratch pool. After defining the scratch
pool, add empty volumes to the pool. Only one pool can have this attribute.
• Catalog backup pool: A dedicated pool used for backups of the NetBackup catalog,
to be used for NBU-Catalog policies. Multiple catalog backup pools are allowed.

8-35 Not for Distribution.

 Starting a robot inventory

vmupdate

36

To start a robot inventory, use the NetBackup Administration Console to invoke the
Inventory Robot function:
1. In the left pane, select Media and Device Management > Media > Robots.
2. Select the robotic library desired. If there are multiple entries for the same robot,
choose the entry for host that is the robotic control host.
3. Right-click the robot and select Inventory Robot, or select Actions > Inventory
Robot.
If you are planning on discovering and adding tapes in a library media or cartridge
access port (MAP or CAP), insert one or more volumes into the robotic library prior to
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

running the robot inventory, and ensure there are available slots in the library.

8-36 Not for Distribution.

 Robot Inventory: Show Contents

Robot
control
host

37

When the Robot Inventory dialog box is displayed, it allows for various inventory
operations to be performed. Each operation communicates with the robot control host.
You need to make sure that the Device Host field shows the name of the robot control
host for the robot you wish to inventory. If you selected the wrong entry from the
Robots list in the Object tree, this gives you a chance to change the value.
Selecting the Show contents radio button and clicking Start runs the Show Contents
inventory operation. This function initiates the most basic NetBackup inventory
operation requesting the robotic library for a list of its slot contents. This function
simply displays the response from the robotic Library. Most modern robotic libraries
cache this information so the operation is relatively fast. However, some older robotic
libraries will physically pole each slot at the time of the request so it could take longer.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

The Show Contents inventory operation is useful for determining the contents of a
robot as follows:
• If the robot has a bar code reader and contains media with bar codes, the report
displays whether each slot has media and lists the bar code for the media.
• If the robot does not have a bar code reader or does not contain media with bar
codes, the report displays whether each slot has media.
• If the robot is an API robot (like an ACS robot), the report displays a list of media
found in the robot.

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 Robot Inventory: Compare contents

38

The Compare Contents with volume configuration function is similar to the Show
Contents operation but takes the operation a step further. Instead of simply displaying
the response of the robotic library, it compares the response with the contents as is
stored in the NetBackup. The comparison is displayed in the Results field and shows
discrepancies between what the robot reported and what the NetBackup configuration
thinks should be in the library. Each discrepancy is indicated by a value of yes in the
Mismatch Detected column of the output. This output includes the Media ID value
since this operation accesses not only the library but also the information in the
NetBackup database.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-38 Not for Distribution.

 Robot Inventory: Preview volume configuration changes

39

The Preview volume configuration changes inventory function, like Show Contents,
requests a slot inventory from the robotic library, and like Compare contents with
volume configuration, compares the response from the robot with what is registered in
NetBackup. However, instead of displaying the results or the discrepancies, based on
the discrepancies found, this function derives a set of operations, that if applied to
NetBackup, would update the database to reflect what is currently in the robot and
displays the proposed changes. Note that no changes are actually performed. This
operation simply displays what would be done if the operations were executed.
Also take note that with this inventory operation selected, the Advanced Options
button is now available. This allows you to see some of the effect using advanced
options would have on the database like the effect media id generation rules would
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

have on the value of the generated Media ID for new media discovered without actually
making the changes to the database.

8-39 Not for Distribution.

 Advanced Robot Inventory Options

40

The Advanced Robot Inventory Options dialog has various tabs. The Media Settings tab
is separated into two sections: the Existing media frame and the New media frame.
The Existing media frame allows you to specify volume groups for media already known
to NetBackup for the purposes of tracking the location of the media. As stated
previously, a volume group identifies the physical location where media should be
found.
• The Media which have been removed from the robot should be assigned to the
volume group field is used to set the volume group when a tape is later found to be
missing during a robot inventory. By default the volume group for a tape will be set
to --- (3 dashes), which does little to inform the NetBackup administrator as to
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

where the tape is physically found. By setting a value, tapes from the library that are
not found (normally those that have been ejected) will be placed in that volume
group. Even though this field looks like a drop-down box, it is also an entry field; By
typing a new value, a volume group gets created when the first volume is placed
there. The volumes in any group mentioned in this field must all be of the same type
and, based on the inventory, not in any robot.
• The selection list always has the following choices:
• DEFAULT: Allow Media Manager to select the volume group – generally clears
the volume group label.

8-40 Not for Distribution.

 • AUTO-GENERATE: Automatically generate a new volume group.
• NO VOLUME GROUP: Do not assign a volume group.
• The Media which have been moved into or within the robot should be assigned to the
volume group field specifies the volume group that Media Manager assigns to existing
media that you have inserted into the robot, or moved to a new location within the robot.
The default behavior for known media added to the library is to have the volume group set
to the volume group that is compatible with the library and the media type of the volume,
usually one of the robotic volume groups found with a numbered name formatted as
XXX_YYYYY_RRR.
The New Media frame lets you set properties used for newly discovered media.
• Use the following Media ID prefix is used when the robot does not support bar codes, or
the volume inserted does not have readable bar codes, by assigning a prefix to the new
volume’s media id. The prefix becomes the leading part of the new media id and is made
unique by appending numerals to generate a unique 6 character id.
• Label optical media is enabled only if you selected an optical robot to inventory.
• Use barcode rules tells NetBackup to consult Barcode Rules to assign volume pool and
media type designations to newly discovered media.
• Media type and Volume pool fields are used to override NetBackup’s normal volume pool
and media type assignment policies. If either of these fields are set, then the specified
value will be used even if the barcode rules check box is checked. These fields act as one
time overrides., as they will be reset to DEFAULT the next time a robot inventory is run.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-41 Not for Distribution.

 Advanced Options: Barcode Rules tab

vmrule

42

A bar code rule specifies criteria for assigning attributes to new volumes discovered by
robotic inventory. The attributes are assigned based on what barcode tag matches the
barcode label of a given volume.
• The Barcode tag is a string used to match the left-most portion of the barcode label.
If the barcode label matches multiple tags then the rule whose tag matches the
largest portion of the barcode label is used. There are two special barcode tag
designations: NONE which matches any cartridge where a barcode label could not
be read and DEFAULT which is used if none of the other barcode tags match the
barcode label. The DEFAULT barcode tag is often used to change NetBackup default
behavior of placing new volumes into the NetBackup volume pool. Without this
barcode tag, any new volume not matching any barcode tags will be assigned to the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

NetBackup volume pool and be given a media type based on the drive types within
the robot. Note: The actual text of the BARCODE tag input are the letters DEFAULT
but that NetBackup displays this RULE’s tag as <DEFAULT>. The NONE barcode tag
works the same.
• Maximum Cleanings/Maximum Mounts is used by NetBackup as a usage limit so
tapes and cleaning cartridges do not get overused. A value of zero indicates that no
limit exists. This field allows an initial value to be specified for new tapes discovered
through robotic inventory. These limits can be changed after the tape is made
known to NetBackup at any time. Tapes whose labels do not match any of the tags
or tapes that were inventoried with barcode rules enabled get zero as the default.

8-42 Not for Distribution.

 • The Media type value specifies the NetBackup media type the newly discovered tape will
be assigned for the associated barcode tag. There are two categories of media types,
regular and cleaning. Using a cleaning media types forces the Volume Pool field to be set
to NONE. DEFAULT is a regular media type that tells NetBackup to assign the media type
of the tape based on the drive type within the robot.
• The Volume Pool value allows you to specify the volume pool that will be assigned to new
media if their barcode labels match the associated barcode tag. If the value is set to NONE
and cannot be changed, then the Media Type was already set to a cleaning media type.
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8-43 Not for Distribution.

 Advanced Options: Media ID Generation tab

Barcode Rule Media ID

ABC123L4 none C123L4
ABC123L4 1:2:3:4:5:6 ABC123
ABC123L4 1:4:5:6:7:8 A123L4
ABC123L4 #N:#Y:3:4:5:6 NYC123

44

Every volume used by NetBackup needs to have a unique, six character media id. For
robotic libraries with barcode reading abilities, the value of the barcode label read by
the robot’s barcode reader can be used to derive the media id for newly discovered
media. By default, NetBackup uses the right-most 6 characters of the barcode label as
the media id that is assigned to the new tape. This can cause problems for two or more
tapes with barcode labels longer than six characters, if the resulting media ids would
not be unique. If two tapes each had the barcode label values S00006L1 and D00006L1,
NetBackup would try to assign both tapes the same media id 0006L1, and the inventory
process would produce errors.
Media ID generation rules allow you to specify what characters of the barcode are used
to generate the media ID. To create a new media ID generation rule, click the Media ID
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Generation tab and click the New button, and then specify the properties as follows:
• Robot number: The number associated with a robot. TLD(0), for example is robot
number 0.
• Bar code length: The length of barcode this rule applies to. Barcodes of lengths
other than this value will not use this rule.

8-44 Not for Distribution.

 • Media ID generation rule: The actual rule to apply. This is a string comprised of at most six
colon separated fields. Each field position species the source value for the corresponding
media id character. The first field specifies what character from the barcode label to use as
the first character of the media id, the second field specifies what character from the
barcode label will be used as the second character of the media id, and so on. Instead of
specifying the character position from the barcode label, each field can also specify a
constant character value if the field value is prefixed with the ‘#’ (hash) character.
There is the potential for conflict when you have multiple tape libraries with multiple tapes.
You can use Media ID generation rules to uniquely identify tapes and associate them with
their owning libraries. For example, create media ID generation rule #A:2:3:4:5:6 for tapes
belonging to Library A, and create media ID generation rule #B:2:3:4:5:6 for tapes belonging
to Library B. This generates media IDs A00000, A00001, A00002, and so on for Library A, and
media IDs B00000, B00001, B00002, and so on for Library B. The problem with this scenario is
that the external bar code labels do not reflect the unique media IDs. If all of your tapes are
stored together, you cannot easily identify which tapes belong to which library. Two possible
solutions are:
• Order tapes that have unique bar code labels.
• Color-code your bar code labels.
If a particular barcode label has a length that does not correspond to any media id generation
rules that exist for that robot then NetBackup uses it’s default behavior.
Note: There is no command line interface to manage media id generation rules.
Some examples of media ID generation rules are given in the table on the slide.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-45 Not for Distribution.

 Robot Inventory: Update volume configuration

46

The Update volume Configuration operation is similar to the Preview volume

configuration changes operation in that it also queries the robot as to it’s contents,
compares the results returned by the robotic library with what is currently registered
within the Enterprise Media Manager, and from the discrepancies seen, generates a
series of changes to apply bringing the Enterprise Media Manager up to date with the
current contents of the library. However, instead of simply displaying the proposed
changes, the changes are actually executed and the Enterprise Media Manager is
updated. Like Preview volume changes, this operation allows access to the Advanced
Options properties.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-46 Not for Distribution.

 Viewing all media

vmquery –a -b
nbemmcmd –listmedia –allrecords -brief

47

Select Media and Device Management > Media to display all media in your
environment. Notice the Volume Pool and Volume Group columns.
To display volumes, including the volume pools and volume groups to which they
belong, use the following commands:
vmquery -a -b
nbemmcmd -listmedia -allrecords -brief
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8-47 Not for Distribution.

 Summary of Robot Inventory utilities

Inventory function Administration Console Command line OpsCenter

Show the contents of the Actions > Inventory robot vmcheckxxx –list
robot
Compare the contents of Robot inventory dialog vmcheckxxx –full
the robot with the defined box: Show contents
configuration
Preview the volume Robot inventory dialog vmupdate –recommend
configuration changes box: Preview volume
configuration changes
Update the volume Robot inventory dialog vmupdate
configuration box: Update volume
configuration
Create barcode rules and Robot inventory dialog box vmrule (barcode rules only)
media ID generation rules > Advanced options

48

If you are adding volumes to a robotic tape library, you can have NetBackup inventory
the robot and use the information to update the volume catalog.
The table on this slide presents an overview of the process of adding volumes using the
inventory update function. There is no command line interface for creating media id
generation rules.
Note: The first three rows in the table on this slide do not modify the volume database.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-48 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Managing robots and tape drives

After completing this topic, you will be able to view and change robot and
tape drive settings, including drive status, and perform drive cleaning.

49

This is the Managing robots and tape drives topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-49 Not for Distribution.

 Managing tape drive properties

Path properties

General drive
properties
tpconfig -d

50

To change the properties of a drive in the NetBackup Administration Console, expand

Media and Device Management > Devices, right-click the drive and select Change.
Caution: Manual configuration of tape drives is prone to human error, therefore Veritas
recommends configuring tape drives with the Device Configuration Wizard.
You can change the following properties:
• Drive name identifies the drive and must be unique. A descriptive name is
recommended; however, drive name is limited to 48 characters. When adding a new
drive manually or through the device discovery wizard, you can use drive name
rules.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Host and path information defines the hosts and that host’s specific device path to
this tape drive. If the drive is shared, there will be one entry for every media server
accessing this drive.
• Drive Information allows you to specify the following information:
• The Drive type specifies the type of drive you are adding.
• Use the Cleaning Frequency (In hours) property to set the desired number of
mount hours between drive cleanings, for drives that do not support TapeAlert.
• Drive is in a robotic library specifies whether the drive is in a robotic library.
• The Robotic library specifies a robot that controls the drive.

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 • The Robot drive number indicates the physical location of the drive in the robot.
In many libraries, drive numbering begins with 1. This can be confusing as the
operating system numbering begins with 0, so it is common for the OS drive
number and the Robot Drive number to be off by one. Note that different
libraries may behave differently; for example some libraries allow you to choose
whether to begin numbering with 0 or with 1.
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8-51 Not for Distribution.

 Stopping and restarting the Device Manager service

stopltid UNIX
ltid

net stop “NetBackup Device Manager” Windows

net start “NetBackup Device Manager”

52

After you configure a robot or drive, you are prompted to stop and restart the device
daemons or services. If you choose to do this later, you can stop and restart the
daemons or services using the Media and Device Management interface.
1. Select Actions > Stop/Restart Media Manager Device Daemon.
2. Complete the dialog box as follows:
a. Select a device host. The status of the selected daemon or service is shown
under Current Status.
b. In the Action pane, you can start, stop, or stop/restart the service. Select the
action you want to perform.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

c. The Options pane enables you to eject media from a stand-alone drive and
control the level of debug logging. Select the options you want to perform.
3. Click OK or Apply.
You can also use the stopltid and ltid commands to manage the Media Manager
daemons or services. The stopltid command stops ltid, avrd, and the robotic
services; ltid starts ltid, avrd, and the robotic services. On Windows you can also stop
and start the Media Manager services using Windows Computer Management, by
restarting the NetBackup Device Manager service.

8-52 Not for Distribution.

 Using the Device Monitor

vmoprcmd

53

You can use the Device Monitor to determine a drive’s properties and characteristics,
such as its name, host (the media server to which it sends its backup data), and type
(such as DLT). You can also control drives using the Actions menu or by right-clicking a
drive and selecting an action from the drop-down menu. Such actions include activating
a downed drive, resetting a drive, manually invoking drive cleaning, and changing the
comments associated with a drive. You can also use the Device Monitor to determine
robot types and numbers. To change a drive path operating mode:
1. In the NetBackup Administration Console, expand Media and Device Management
> Device Monitor.
2. Click the Drives tab.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

In the details pane, the Drive Paths pane displays path information for drives.
3. In the Drive Paths pane, select a path or select multiple paths.
4. On the Actions menu, select the path action as Up Path ( Up Path, Operator control
applies to stand alone drives), Down Path, or Reset Path.
Note: The Media Manager Device daemon (ltid) must be running on the host being
monitored, or the lists in the Device Monitor detail panes are blank.

8-53 Not for Distribution.

 Drive details

Windows

UNIX

54

The Drive Details screen lets you examine the all of the details of a specific drive in one
screen. This information is available in the Device Monitor but is not available in a single
screen. A user would need to use the scroll bar or rearrange columns in the details pain
to see all the available information. The Drive Details screen displays all this information
on a single screen.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-54 Not for Distribution.

 Performing drive and robot diagnostics
Drive Diagnostics: Performs I/O to an available
tape in the NetBackup volume pool

Robot Diagnostics: Tape is moved, but no I/O is

performed

55

Media Manager drive and robot diagnostic functions enable you to execute and manage
drive and robot diagnostic tests. The diagnostic test steps are executed in an ordered
sequence to verify the functionality of hardware devices configured for use with
NetBackup. These tests help you to troubleshoot robotic library or tape drive problems.
Before running drive diagnostics, use the available_media script to confirm that
there is an Available tape in the NetBackup volume pool. The script is located in <install
path>\VERITAS\NetBackup\bin\goodies on a windows master/media server and in
/usr/openv/netbackup/bin/goodies on a UNIX master/media server.
To execute diagnostic tests within the NetBackup Administration Console:
1. Select Media and Device Management > Devices > Drives or select Media and
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Device Management > Devices > Robots.

2. Select a device or a robot.
3. Select Actions > Drive Diagnostics or Actions > Robot Diagnostics.
In either the Drive Diagnostics or Robot Diagnostics dialog box, click Start to run the
drive or robot diagnostic tests. The results of the tests are displayed in the Results pane.
Note that drive diagnostics will perform I/O to an available tape (a tape without data
already on it) in the NetBackup volume pool. Robot diagnostics will not perform any
I/O, however will move tapes from slots to drives, and back.

8-55 Not for Distribution.

 Multiple overlapping media manager storage units
Use Any Available
SAN Fibre Switch media server
NetBackup
master server

tapelib1_stu

Drives 1-3 Drives 4-6

Media Media
server 1 server 2

Tape library with

6 drives

LAN

NetBackup
clients

56

Storage units can be manually created as well. A single storage unit could have been
created that refers to the three tape drives known to Media server 1 and to the other
three tape drives known to Media server 2, since all six tape drives use the same type of
media and are under the control of the same robotic library. This storage unit would not
have a specific media server configured in the storage unit, but instead be configured in
the storage unit to use Any Available media server. Note that that the storage unit is
still restricted to a single tape robot, drive density, and so forth, so only all media
servers related to those properties will be used.
Media manager storage units designating Any Available media server allow NetBackup
to choose which media server and drives would be used. However, in our example, each
specific tape drive is still assigned to only one media server. If one media server is shut
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

down, only half the tape drives would be available for use.

8-56 Not for Distribution.

 Monitoring device cleanings

Clean your tape • Do not overclean or underclean.

drives! • Follow the OEM’s recommendations.

Media Manager Media manager tracks the use of a cleaning

monitoring tape by the number of uses.

57

Routine maintenance of devices includes cleaning drives to ensure that they continue to
write to and read from the media properly. Although cleaning is important, be careful to
neither overclean nor underclean your drives. Undercleaning can result in excess
residue on the tape drive heads. Overcleaning can cause undue wear on the drive
heads. Either can result in data loss. Refer to the drive manufacturer’s recommended
cleaning schedule. You can establish a cleaning schedule through NetBackup
accordingly.
Using a cleaning tape
Drive cleaning is accomplished using cleaning tapes. Media Manager tracks the usage of
a cleaning tape by the number of times it has been used. For each cleaning tape, you
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

can specify the number of cleanings that remain. You can change the number of
cleanings at any time in Media Manager. Each time the tape is used, that number
decreases by one. When the number of cleanings reaches zero, Media Manager stops
using the cleaning tape. To configure a cleaning tape:
1. Specify the Media type setting for the cleaning tape’s designation (such as
DLT_cleaning_tape).
Note: The cleaning tape is automatically assigned to the None volume pool.
2. Set the number of cleanings. (The default setting is 25.)

8-57 Not for Distribution.

 Device cleaning methods
Robot controlled
• Also called hardware-based, library-based, or auto cleaning.
• Robot determines when drive is cleaned (for supported robots).

TapeAlert
TapeAlert notifies Media Manager that the drive needs to be cleaned.

Frequency-based
The drive is cleaned according to an administrator-defined frequency.

Manual (operator-initiated)
• Manually invoked in the Device Monitor or with tpclean.
• Use robotic device controls directly.

58

This slide shows the various methods you can use to perform drive cleaning.
• Robotic controlled cleaning: Some robotic tape libraries have automatic drive
cleaning functionality. This is also referred to as hardware-based cleaning, library-
based cleaning, or auto-cleaning. With robotic automatic cleaning, the tape drive
sends an alert to the robot, notifying the robot that the drive requires cleaning. After
a backup tape is unmounted, the robot mounts the cleaning tape and cleans the
drive. NetBackup is not involved in this process.
• TapeAlert: Another method of automatic cleaning uses the TapeAlert feature, which
allows reactive cleaning for some drive types that support the TapeAlert capability.
This method is also called reactive cleaning.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Note: Hardware-based cleaning is not coordinated with NetBackup without

TapeAlert. Because TapeAlert and robot-controlled cleaning provide the same type of
cleaning, Veritas recommends disabling library-based cleaning when using TapeAlert.
• Frequency-based cleaning: One NetBackup drive setting is the cleaning frequency:
the number of hours a drive is used between drive cleanings. Refer to the drive
manufacturer’s recommended cleaning frequency before setting this value.
NetBackup updates the total mount time for a drive each time a tape is unmounted
(only for time when the media is actually assigned to a process, and is in use). If the
drive is in a robot that supports cleaning, and a cleaning tape is configured in that
robot, cleaning occurs when the accumulated mount time exceeds the cleaning
frequency.

8-58 Not for Distribution.

 Media Manager cleans the drive immediately after the unmount. Drive cleaning
never causes an unmount in the middle of an active backup. The mount time is reset
after the drive is cleaned. The cleaning frequency value remains the same. A cleaning
can occur during a backup if the end of tape is reached before the backup completes
and a cleaning is due. After unmounting the first tape, Media Manager cleans the
drive before proceeding with the backup on a second tape.
Using TapeAlert with frequency-based cleaning ensures that a drive is cleaned at
least every x hours, depending on the setting for the cleaning frequency. In addition,
the drive can be cleaned sooner if either the CLEAN_NOW or the CLEAN_PERIODIC
TapeAlert flag is set by the drive.
• Manual drive cleaning: Manual cleaning is also known as operator-initiated cleaning.
You can manually clean a drive regardless of the cleaning frequency and accumulated
mount time. Stand-alone and robotic drives can be cleaned if a cleaning tape of the
correct media type and residence for the drive is configured in NetBackup.
Alternatively, you can manually clean a robotic drive according to the manufacturer’s
instructions. Manual cleaning can involve using the menu buttons on the front of the
device to instruct the robot to load a cleaning tape and perform drive cleaning. Check
the details for your specific robot.
To perform drive cleaning functions in the NetBackup Administration Console, select
Media and Device Management > Device Monitor. In the Drive status pane, select a
drive. Select Actions > Drive Cleaning. The Drive Cleaning submenu choices enable
you to perform the following functions:
• Clean Now: Start an operator-initiated cleaning of the selected drive, regardless
of the cleaning frequency or accumulated mount time. If the drive is a stand-
alone drive, it must contain a cleaning tape and a mount request is issued. Clean
Now resets the mount time to zero.
• Reset Mount Time: Reset the mount time for the selected drive to zero, even if
a cleaning was not performed.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Set Cleaning Frequency: Set the desired number of mount hours between each
drive cleaning.
Alternatively, to perform drive cleaning using the command line, the tpclean
command enables you to monitor Media Manager tape drive usage and optionally
configure tape drives to be automatically cleaned (except drives in ACS, ODL, or TLH
robots, or QIC drives).

8-59 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Monitoring media and media states

After completing this topic, you will be able to perform media

management, including moving, ejecting, changing, sharing, erasing, and
deleting volumes.

60

This is the Monitoring media and media states topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-60 Not for Distribution.

 Comparing volume expiration and image retention
Volume expiration
• How long you want to use the physical media.
• Optional setting that limits the lifespan of the physical media.
• Normally based on vendor recommendations or departmental
policies.

Image retention
• How long the image is available for restores.
• Required setting on backup policy schedules
• Typically based on the restore service level agreement (SLA) for
the data.

61

There are two distinct types of expiration in NetBackup: volume expiration and image
expiration. Likewise, the volume expiration date and the image expiration date have
distinct meanings.

Volume expiration: You can change the expiration date for volumes. The volume
expiration date refers to the age of the tape media and is the time at which the tape is
considered too old to be reliable. When the expiration date has passed, a volume can
still be read but is not mounted for a write. The volume expiration date is not the same
as the retention period for the backup data (images) on the volume. The volume
expiration date refers only to the physical expiration of the volume and is independent
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

of the backup data written on the volume.

Image retention: Image retention is the period for which NetBackup preserves a backup
image. The image expiration date is the time at which NetBackup no longer protects this
data from being overwritten and can purge metadata about the image from its
database.

8-61 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring volume expiration and image retention
Volume expiration Image retention
(on media) (in policy schedule)

62

This slide is a reminder that the volume expiration date is set in the Expiration date
section of the Change Volumes dialog box. It also shows that the retention period is
displayed in the Schedule section of the policy.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-62 Not for Distribution.

 Media life cycle (1 of 5): Available tape

ABC123
EOM
Image
NetBackup database
database
Valid Ret Volume Media Header
Media ID Assigned .f file
Images Level Pool State info
ABC123 N 0 --- scratch AVAILABLE

63

When a backup job is initiated, NetBackup selects the required piece of media based on
the parameters of that specific backup job. The policy and schedule dictate the
required storage unit, volume pool, and retention level. The actual media selected is
discussed elsewhere in this lesson. The example on this and the following slides shows
the life cycle of a tape—from unassigned, to assigned, and then unassigned again.
In this example, a backup job is requesting a tape from the servers pool with a two-
week retention. If a tape is not available in the servers pool that meets all the
necessary criteria, NetBackup will attempt to move a tape from the scratch pool to the
servers pool for use in the backup. Also, this example shows a tape that has already
been labelled with media ID ABC123. Following the label (sometimes known as the
media header), is a mark that shows the logical end of the tape. This is sometimes
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

known as an End of Data (EOD) or End of Media (EOM) mark, and indicates to any tape
drive reading the tape that no more pertinent data exists past this mark, even though it
is not the physical end of the tape. When the tape is first added to NetBackup, an entry
is made in the EMM database. The entry includes the media ID of the tape. Initially, the
tape is unassigned and the media state is AVAILABLE.

8-63 Not for Distribution.

 Media life cycle (2 of 5): Backups written to tape

ABC123
Image1 Image2 Image3

EOM
EOM

EOM
EOF

EOF
EOF

BH
BH
BH
2 week retention 2 week retention 2 week retention

BH = Backup Header (metadata)

Image
NetBackup database
database
Valid Ret Volume Media Header
Media ID Assigned .f file
Images Level Pool State Info
info
ABC123 N 0 --- scratch AVAILABLE
Y 1 2 wk servers ACTIVE Image1 Image1.f
Y 2 2 wk servers ACTIVE Image2 Image2.f
Y 3 2 wk servers ACTIVE Image3 Image3.f

64

After the first backup is written to the tape, the NetBackup database is updated so that:

• The tape is now assigned, and there is one valid image.

• The retention level of the backup is set, in this case to two weeks. The default is not
to mix retention periods on media.

• The volume pool is set to servers.

• The media state is ACTIVE.

The NBDB and Image database are also updated to contain the metadata about the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

backup job. These are represented by Image1 and Image1.f in the slide. Image1 and
Image1.f are sample names. The actual name of the image is stored in the format of
policyname_ctime_schedule, where ctime is the creation time of the image. Before a
backup is written, a NetBackup backup header (BH) is placed on the tape. At the end of
a backup, an End of File (EOF) marker is written. If NetBackup is not writing further data
in this session, an End of Media (EOM) marker is also written, to indicate the logical end
point of this tape. When the second image is written, the EOM marker is overwritten by
the backup header of the next image, and a new EOM marker will be written at the end
of the backup. The NetBackup database now indicates there are two images on the
tape. This same process occurs for the third image written to the tape.

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 Media life cycle (3 of 5): Tape becomes full

ABC123
Image1 9.46
Image2 Image3

EOT
EOF

EOF
EOF

BH
BH
BH
2 week retention 2 week retention 2 week retention

End of Tape Marker

Image
NetBackup database
database
Valid Ret Volume Media Header
Media ID Assigned .f file
Images Level Pool State info
ABC123 N
Y 0
3 2---
wk servers
scratch AVAILABLE
FULL
Y 1 2 wk servers FULL
ACTIVE Image1
Image1.f Image1.f
Image1
YY 2 2 wk servers FULL
ACTIVE Image2
Image2.f Image2.f
Image2
Y 3 2 wk servers ACTIVE
FULL Image3 Image3.f

65

An End of Tape (EOT) indicates that the physical end of a tape is reached. In this
example, the third backup is written to the end of tape (EOT). In most cases, the backup
image will not fit exactly on the tape, and the third backup may actually be continued
on further media. At this point, the media state is now set to FULL in NetBackup.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-65 Not for Distribution.

 Media life cycle (4 of 5): Images expire

ABC123
Image1 Image2 Image3

EOT
EOF

EOF
EOF
BH

BH
BH
2 week retention 2 week retention 2 week retention

Image
NetBackup database
database
Valid Ret Volume Media Header
Media ID Assigned .f file
Images Level Pool State info
ABC123 Y 3
2
1
0 2 wk servers FULL
Y 2 wk servers FULL Image1 Image1.f
Y 2 wk servers FULL Image2 Image2.f
Y 2 wk servers FULL Image3 Image3.f

2 weeks pass Images expire

66

The image cleanup job determines which images have met their retention period and
are expired. Expired images are removed from the Image database. In this example, two
weeks have passed from when the first image was written. At that point, Image1 has
met its retention level and is ready to be expired. Note that after Image1 expires,
NetBackup no longer records information about that backup in the Image database, so
restores of that backup are no longer possible without further actions (such as an
Import operation, discussed elsewhere in this lesson). Although Image1 is removed
from the database, the data for Image1 still physically resides on the tape. No action is
automatically performed to physically erase the data.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Depending on when Image2 and Image3 were written, they may also be expired and
removed during the initial image cleanup job or during a subsequent image cleanup job.
For example, if the backups were each written one day apart, Image2 will expire a day
after Image1’s backup expires, and Image3 will expire two days later. Each time images
expire, the Image database is updated to reflect the number of valid images that are still
being tracked on this tape. When Image1 expires, if Image2 and Image3 are still on the
tape, the free space made available by Image1 is not available for use. If that tape was
full, only when all images are expired is the tape made available. If the tape is not full,
new backups will only be written after the End of Media mark.

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 Media life cycle (5 of 5): Tape becomes available

ABC123
Image1 Image2 Image3

EOT
EOF

EOF
EOF

BH
BH
BH
2 week retention 2 week retention 2 week retention

Image
NetBackup database
database
Valid Ret Volume Media Header
Media ID Assigned .f file
Images Level Pool State info
ABC123 N
Y 0 2---
wk scratch
servers AVAILABLE
FULL

Housekeeping takes place during image cleanup

67

After all the images are expired and the Image database indicates there are no longer
any valid images associated with the media ID, the media is ready to become
unassigned, and have its media state set to AVAILABLE. This occurs during the
NetBackup image cleanup. Image cleanup occurs after each successful backup session
(during any short period of backup inactivity after backups have run). However, even if
there is no inactivity, due to a busy backup environment, a cleanup interval occurs every
12 hours, by default. This value is set in the NetBackup master server host properties >
Clean-up > Image cleanup interval. If the media originally came from the scratch pool,
then it will be returned to that pool. The media life cycle process begins again.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Even though the data on the tape is expired and is no longer being tracked in the
NetBackup catalogs, the actual data on the tape is not erased. The physical data
continues to exist on the tape. If the tape has not been reassigned, the data can be
imported using NetBackup, if necessary. If the media has been reassigned and rewritten,
manually re-labeled, or erased then the old data will be overwritten by new backup
images. At this point, with third-party software and tools it may be possible to extract
the old data from the tape, but this is outside the scope of what is possible with
NetBackup. The data is considered unrecoverable.

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 Media states
Visualization Media state Reason for the state

AVAILABLE Unassigned tape (NetBackup is unaware of any images).

ACTIVE Assigned tape (NetBackup is aware of at least one, unexpired image).

FULL Assigned tape, and End of Tape marker was reached.

S SUSPENDED Assigned tape, and no more images can be appended.

Cannot append images due to a invalid data format, NetBackup catalog

F FROZEN
format, or multiple tape errors.

Assigned tape containing imported images previously expired, or from

I IMPORTED
another NetBackup domain. Cannot append images.

68

All volumes have a media state, which changes based on a number of factors, such as
how much the volume is used or the type of backup written to it. The most common
media states are:

• AVAILABLE indicates that no active backup images are currently associated with this
tape. This can happen if:
• This is a new tape; NetBackup has never written data to it.
• NetBackup has used this tape, but all images on the tape have met their
retention and expired automatically.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• All of the images on the tape have been manually expired.

• ACTIVE media currently contains at least one unexpired image.
• FULL is set when end of tape (EOT) is encountered during a backup or archive. This
tape is not available for use until all backup images on the media have expired.
• SUSPENDED is set manually by an Administrator in the NetBackup Administration
Console, using the bpmedia command, or in NB Vault. The volume is temporarily
write-protected against additional NetBackup use. You cannot use a suspended
volume for backups until it is either manually unsuspended, or until retention
periods for all backups on it have expired.

8-68 Not for Distribution.

 (in which case the state changes from SUSPENDED to AVAILABLE). A suspended
volume is available for restores for valid, unexpired backup images.
• FROZEN media state can be caused by a number of conditions:
• A format issue (not a NetBackup tape, or a bad tape label)
• Too many errors (3 or more errors in a 12 hour period by default)
• Manually using the command bpmedia
Use the bpmedia command, the NetBackup Administration Console, or the
OpsCenter user interface to freeze a volume and prevent the volume from being
reassigned and overwritten. The volume is write-protected and the volume does not
expire, even if the retention periods for all backups on the volume have expired.
Like suspended volumes, a frozen volume is not mounted for backups or archives,
but you can restore from a frozen volume. However, frozen volumes are never made
available automatically. Either manually expire all images on the tape using
bpexpdate –m –d 0 or use bpmedia.
Normally, NetBackup does not overwrite formatted volumes with media headers not
recognized by NetBackup. However , if ALLOW_MEDIA_OVERWRITE is configured,
formats such as tar or cpio, can be overwritten and the media can be reused
immediately. These settings are found in the NetBackup server host properties
under the Media tab.
• IMPORTED media state is set if the images on this volume have been added through
the import process. The images on this volume are available for restore only. The
volume cannot be used for backup or archive until the last image expires. Imported
images are retained for one full retention period (as recorded in the image header)
from the date of import.
Other media-related information
The following lists additional media-related information that is available.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• MPX_MEDIA is a media state that indicates that this tape contains multiplexed
backups. MPX can be associated with tapes that are Active, Full, or Imported.
Backups that use the same storage unit, volume pool and retention can be
multiplexed to the same volume, only if allowed through policy and storage unit
multiplexing settings.
• WORM is a media state that indicates that this tape is a Write-Once-Read-Many
(WORM) volume. WORM media is used to protect key data from unwanted
modification or tampering, or to meet compliance regulations. For more information
on WORM media, see the NetBackup Administrator’s Guide.
• Multi-Retlev refers to multiple Retention Level, and is a media state that indicates
that the volume contains backups of more than one retention level.
• BE is a media state that indicates that the volume contains Backup Exec images.

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 Determining media and volume status

Available media Use the available_media script

NetBackup
• Use Media and Device Management > Media
Administration • Use NetBackup Management > Reports
Console

• Use Reports > Media Reports > Media State

OpsCenter • Use Monitor > Media

Use media commands: bpmedialist, bpimmedia, bperror, bpimagelist,

The command line nbemmcmd, and vmquery

70

NetBackup provides various reporting methods by which you can determine the status
of media. Use any of the following interfaces to determine the media status.
• Available media: The available_media script reports on all media in the
environment that is usable by NetBackup. This report also indicates the current
media states.
• The NetBackup Administration Console: When you use the NetBackup
Administration Console to determine status information, you use the Media and
Device Management > Media and the NetBackup Management > Reports
interfaces.
• OpsCenter: OpsCenter enables the administrator to view, manage and report on
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

NetBackup media.
• The command line: Commands used to display volume-related and image-related
information and to perform volume configuration tasks are listed on the slide.
• The text-menu interface (UNIX only): Use the bpadm command to access the
bpadm utility. Select the r option for reports, and then select the m option for
media. You can now choose from six different media-related reports.

8-70 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Managing tapes

After completing this topic, you will be able to perform media

management, including moving, ejecting, changing, sharing, erasing, and
deleting volumes.

71

This is the Managing tapes topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-71 Not for Distribution.

 Overriding media state using the Administration Console

72

All volumes have a media state. The media state can change based on a number of
factors, such as how much the volume is used or the type of backup written to it.
NetBackup automatically controls the media state of a volume, but in some cases, you
can override the NetBackup setting. You can override some media states using the
NetBackup Administration Console. To do so, expand Media and Device Management >
Media. In the details pane, select a piece of media and select Actions. From the Actions
drop-down menu, select Freeze, Unfreeze, Suspend, or Unsuspend. Media that is
available (no time assigned) cannot have it’s media state manually changed and
attempts to freeze or suspend unassigned media generates an error.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-72 Not for Distribution.

 Additional methods for overriding media state
Before After How to Override the State
Use bpexpdate –m media_id –d 0
Active Available

Use bpexpdate –m media_id –d 0

Full Available
I
Use bpexpdate –m media_id –d 0
Imported Available
S • Wait for images to reach retention date, or
Suspended Available use bpexpdate –m media_id –d 0
S • Use bpmedia –m media_id –unsuspend
Suspended Active
• Use bpexpdate –m media_id –d 0
F
Frozen Available • Use bpmedia –m media_id –unfreeze
F (To prevent tapes with non-NetBackup data being marked Frozen, erase
Frozen Active the tapes or Allow media overwrite in the media server host property)
Caution: The bpexpdate commands can destroy backup data

73

When a tape has at least one unexpired backup image, it is said to be Assigned. New
images are appended to these assigned (active) tapes. When all of the images on the
tape have expired, the tape automatically unassigned by NetBackup at midnight. You
can override some media states using the bpexpdate and bpmedia commands.
If you wish to reuse a tape with images before they naturally expire, you can use the
bpexpdate command with the –m media_id option to select the tape, and –d 0
option to set the date for all backup images on the tape to expire immediately. This
command additionally de-assigns the tape, so it becomes immediately available, even if
the tape was suspended or frozen.
Caution: Use this command with caution because it deletes the backup metadata from
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

the images catalog, and it changes the media state to AVAILABLE.

More information on specific media states is provided here:
• Active / Full: These tapes are assigned and have unexpired backup images. After
running bpexpdate –m media_id –d 0, the backup images are removed
from the NetBackup catalog. Although the physical data is still on the tape, you must
import those images to get access to them. Refer to the Managing and Protecting
the NetBackup Catalog lesson for information on importing media.

8-73 Not for Distribution.

 • Imported: Imported tapes are tapes that had previously had images expire, or have
come from another NetBackup domain. In either case, NetBackup was not aware of
the images on the media, and an Import operation was performed to add them to
the configuration. Running bpexpdate –m media_id –d 0 removes the
images from the NetBackup catalog, and once again makes the media available.
Refer to the Managing and Protecting the NetBackup Catalog lesson for information
on importing media.
• Suspended: The Suspended state only occurs when manually set by the
administrator with the bpmedia command, or with the NetBackup Vault product
(which uses these commands to suspend tapes). In either case, if you wait until the
backup images on the tape expire, then NetBackup will automatically de-assign the
tape, and remove the Suspended state from the tape. It is now available.
Running bpmedia –unsuspend –m media_id –h host will remove the
Suspended state from the tape, without affecting the data or backup images. In this
case, the tape will now be in an Active state. The host must be the media server the
tape has been assigned to. Use the bpmedialist command or Media > Media
Owner column to determine tape assignment.
Running bpexpdate –m media_id –d 0 will cause NetBackup to expire all
images and allow the tape to become available immediately.
• Frozen: The Frozen state occurs when manually set by the administrator, or when
NetBackup discovers a problem with the tape. This can happen after I/O read or
write errors, or when a tape previously thought to be empty has unrecognized
media formatting.
Running bpmedia –unfreeze –m media_id will remove the Frozen state
from the tape, without affecting the data or backup images. However, if the state
was caused by a problem such as I/O errors or formatting, and that problem isn’t
resolved, NetBackup may simply freeze the tape again when it is used.
To permanently resolve any issues, determine the cause of the problem by
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

examining the Tape Error Logs:

• If the problem was I/O errors on the tape, perform new backups.
• If the problem was I/O errors caused by other hardware, unfreeze the tape and
attempt to reuse it.
• If the problem was caused by a formatting issue, such as tapes from other
vendors unrecognized by NetBackup, either re-label the tape (for example with
the bplabel command), or set the ALLOW_MEDIA_OVERWRITE media server
host property, which allows NetBackup to simply overwrite specific media
formats encountered.

8-74 Not for Distribution.

 Setting volume locations and properties
Move Change
Sets volume group (location) Modifies properties

• Volume expiration date

? • Maximum mounts
= • Volume pool

Eject Delete
Physically ejects tape from library, and Removes tape from configuration
sets volume group
• Must not contain valid backup
? images
• Used for removed, missing, or
corrupt tapes

75

There are various operations that you may want to perform on tape media:
• Move: Moving a tape involves changing the media’s volume group, which defines
where it physically resides. Note that this does not physically move the tape. It
simply allows the administrator to set and track the tape’s location.
• Eject: Ejecting a tape physically causes it to leave the library. This function does
require a tape library that supports an eject function with a media access port. You
can simultaneously set the volume group for the media, as when using the Move
function.
• Change: Changing media includes changing properties such as setting the tape’s
physical expiration date (when it no longer deemed to be good hardware used for
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

writing new backups), the volume pool the tape is in, or the maximum mounts (the
number of times it can be used).
• Delete: Deleting a tape is performed when a tape should no longer be tracked by
NetBackup, such as when it has been lost, or the data is corrupt and cannot be
restored from. Note that a tape must be made available (by expiring all images on
the tape) prior to deleting it.

8-75 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup volume selection example
Storage Unit: NBU1_LTO6_Robot0 Volume Pool: Win_Servers

Win_Servers Scratch

Active Available Available

a) Pool: Win_Servers a) Pool: Win_Servers a) Pool: SCRATCH
b) ACTIVE b) AVAILABLE b) AVAILABLE
c) In Robot0 NO c) In Robot0 NO c) In Robot0
d) Density: HCART3 d) Density: HCART3 d) Density: HCART3
e) Not over maximum # of e) Not over maximum # of e) Not over maximum # of
mounts or past the mounts or past the mounts or past the
expiration date expiration date expiration date
f) Correct retention level YES
YES NO
g) Owned by media server YES Load the media and perform Backup fails, error 96
NBU1 the backup.

76

A NetBackup backup request specifies a specific storage unit and volume pool, as
defined by the backup policy. When media management receives the request,
NetBackup selects a volume based on a number of rules and priorities. In order:
1. Active volumes in the volume pool: NetBackup first searches the database for an
active volume in the specified volume pool. This volume must be in the library that
is in the storage unit being used. The volume must not have exceeded its maximum
number of mounts nor its volume expiration date (which are settable, volume
specific attributes used by NetBackup to determine when NetBackup can no longer
write to the volume). Additional criteria includes making sure that the retention
level matches that of the images that are already on the tape. Note that you can
override this with the media server host property > Media > Allow multiple
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

retentions per media, however Veritas does not recommend using this setting
without understanding the implications of mixed retention images on media. Next, a
volume will be selected that is owned by the media server. By default media servers
own any tapes they have previously written to, however you can override this with
the master server host property > Enable unrestricted media sharing for all media
servers, or with server media Server Groups.

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 2. Available volumes in the volume pool: If no active volumes are available, then
available (empty) volumes in the volume pool will be selected next. The same
requirements apply, including being in the correct library, of the correct density, and
having not exceeded the maximum mounts or expiration date.
Mixed retention and server ownership do not apply, since this is an available tape
that has no existing images, and has no media server owner.
3. Available volumes in the scratch pool: If no suitable available or active volumes
exist in the required pool, and a scratch pool has been configured, NetBackup
searches for a tape from the scratch pool in the storage unit that it can use (not
exceeding maximum mounts or expiration date) and if it finds one, reassigns the
tape to the required pool. Media management then issues a mount command to the
robotic daemon or service controlling the robot, and the volume is mounted. After
the media has been allocated and mounted, control is returned to NetBackup, and
the media write operation proceeds.
When choosing an active or available tape, if multiple candidates exist, the tape with
the least recent mount time is chosen. If no volumes are available, the backup job fails,
and NetBackup flags an error 96 for the backup status. The NetBackup administrator can
disable or manually configure media ownership.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

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 Lesson summary
• Key points
– In this lesson, you learned about the Device Configuration Wizard and how to define media manager storage
units, and to use the Volume Configuration Wizard and Robot Inventory to configure new media.
– You also learned how to monitor devices and media using the NetBackup Administration Console.
– Additionally, you learned how to view and change robot and tape drive settings, including drive status, and
perform drive cleaning.
– Finally, you learned to identify and monitor NetBackup media states, understand NetBackup media selection
and lifecycle, and how to perform media management.
• Reference materials
– NetBackup Device Configuration Guide
– NetBackup Administrator’s Guide
– NetBackup for NDMP Administrator’s Guide
– NetBackup Shared Storage Guide
– NetBackup Commands Reference Guide
– http://www.veritas.com/support

78

For more information about the topics discussed in this lesson, refer to the resources
listed on the slide and remember to check the Veritas Support web site frequently.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-78 Not for Distribution.

 Lab 8: Configuring and managing Tape Storage
Lab objectives
• Verify that tape devices are visible to the OS of media server systems
• Configure tape devices and storage units using the Device Configuration Wizard
• Configure volume pools
• Configure volumes using the Robot Inventory user interface provided by NetBackup and,
in the process, create barcode rules
• Viewing tape drive and robot configuration settings
• Using the Device Monitor to monitor and manage tape drives
• Managing media
• Running tape-based reports
• Running NetBackup reports from the command line (Optional)
• Managing media states using the command line (Optional)
79

The slide shows the objectives for the lab associated with this lesson. Refer to the
corresponding lab guide for specific instructions and lab steps.
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8-79 Not for Distribution.

 What did you learn?
You are about to be asked a series
of questions related to the current
lesson.

80

The next section is a quiz. In this quiz, you are asked a series of questions related to the
current lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

8-80 Not for Distribution.

 Question 1: What is device serialization?
What is device serialization?

A. The order in which devices are configured by the wizard

B. A firmware feature that enables device identification and configuration
C. A separate interface used to configure standalone tape drives
D. A method of reporting device errors to NetBackup

81
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8-81 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 1: What is device serialization?
What is device serialization?

A. The order in which devices are configured by the wizard

B. A firmware feature that enables device identification and configuration
C. A separate interface used to configure standalone tape drives
D. A method of reporting device errors to NetBackup

The correct answer is B. Device serialization is a feature that enables device identification and configuration.

82
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8-82 Not for Distribution.

 Question 2: Volume pool with cleaning media
Which volume pool holds cleaning media?

A. NetBackup
B. DataStore
C. None
D. Scratch

83
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8-83 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 2: Volume pool with cleaning media
Which volume pool holds cleaning media?

A. NetBackup
B. DataStore
C. None
D. Scratch

The correct answer is C. The None volume pool holds cleaning media(s).

84
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8-84 Not for Distribution.

 Question 3: Volumes and expiration dates
If a volume is past its expiration date or has reached its maximum number of mounts,
what is the expected behavior?

A. The tape is available for backups and restores.

B. The tape is available for backups, but not restores.
C. The tape is available for restores, but not backups.
D. The tape is not available for backups or restores.

85
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8-85 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 3: Volumes and expiration dates
If a volume is past its expiration date or has reached its maximum number of mounts,
what is the expected behavior?

A. The tape is available for backups and restores.

B. The tape is available for backups, but not restores.
C. The tape is available for restores, but not backups.
D. The tape is not available for backups or restores.

The correct answer is C. If the volume is past its expiration date or has reached its maximum number of mounts, the
tape is available for restores only.

86
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8-86 Not for Distribution.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

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Not for Distribution.
 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Performing VMware Backups lesson in the Veritas NetBackup 8.2:
Administration course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

9-1 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson introduction
• Lesson 0: Course Introduction • Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores
• Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup • Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V environment
• Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage • Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage
• Lesson 3: Configuring Policies Lifecycle Policies
• Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups • Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the
NetBackup Catalog
• Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores
• Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups
• Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools
• Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic
• Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
Information
• Lesson 8: Configuring and Managing Tape Storage
• Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

This lesson is the ninth lesson in this course.

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9-2 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson objectives
Topic Objective
Introduction to virtual machine Describe virtual machines and discuss support for virtual machines
backups in VMware.

Configuring VMware backups Configure VMware backups.

Protecting VMware Assets using the Understand protection plans and use them to protect VM’s and VM
web UI groups.
Performing and monitoring VMware
Monitor VMware backup.
backups

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

9-3 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Introduction to virtual machine backups

After completing this topic, you will be able to describe virtual machines
and discuss support for virtual machines in VMware.

This is the Introduction to virtual machine backups topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

9-4 Not for Distribution.

 Machine virtualization overview

• Using virtualization, a host server performs the job of multiple computers sharing the
physical host’s resources.
• Each virtual machine (VM):
– Runs its own operating system and applications
– Is encapsulated and isolated from other VMs
– Uses its own emulated resources (such as CPU,
disks, and network connection)
• The virtualization layer, or hypervisor, is software that enables virtual machines to use
the host’s physical resources.
• The hardware layer consists of the physical components of the host server, and is shared
across the running virtual machines.
• Review document NB_70_80_VE: Support for NetBackup in virtual environments

Virtual machines, sometimes referred to as VMs, enable the sharing of the underlying
physical machine resources between virtual machines, each running its own operating
system. The software layer providing the virtualization is called a virtual machine
monitor or hypervisor. A hypervisor can run on bare hardware (native VM) or on top of
an operating system (hosted VM). An example of a hypervisor running on bare hardware
is VMware ESX Server. An example of a hypervisor running on top of an operating
system is VMware Server and Workstation. In the case of Microsoft Hyper-V, the
hypervisor runs on a special version of the Windows operating system.
NetBackup support for virtual machines
VMs consist of a number of files, including the critical virtual hard disk file (VMDK in
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

VMware, and VHD or VHDX in Hyper-V), which contains the operating system and data
for that VM. Traditionally, backing up the virtual hard disk file enables you to easily
restore the VM but does not provide the ability to perform individual file restores.
Conversely, backing up files from the VM as a normal client prevents easily restoring the
full virtual hard drives in the case of disaster recovery. NetBackup provides the ability to
easily back up and restore the virtual hard disk, while alternatively allowing for granular,
individual file restore. Review support details in document NB_70_80_VE: Support for
NetBackup in virtual environments at:
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/NB_70_80_VE.

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 How Virtualization Works
Operating Operating Operating
system system system
Operating system Hypervisor
Hypervisor Control
Application
Instructions Instructions
Privileged instructions Privileged instructions
Processor memory management Processor memory management
Protected Protected Protected
Protected memory memory
memory memory
Virtual Virtual Virtual
Network NIC NIC NIC
Network
Virtual Virtual Virtual
Storage storage storage storage
Storage
Physical machine stack Virtual machine stack

Modern CPUs have features built-in for system protection. These protections keep
different programs from writing into each others’ memory regions. CPUs also have
privileged instructions: Instructions only executable by the operating system. The
structure of virtualization is to allow multiple operating systems to run on the same set
of CPUs. In order to allow multiple operating systems to run, the virtualization
mechanism has to properly handle privileged instruction execution.
There are different methods virtualization systems use to handle privileged instructions.
VMware and Hyper-V use virtualization features of the CPU: Intel VT and AMD-V. The
hypervisor signals the CPU that certain processes are virtual machines, and allows the
privileged instruction to execute. Prior to this CPU technology, the hypervisor
intercepted privileged calls and executed software to manage access to the privileged
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

instructions. This virtualization technology model is more efficient and reliable. Citrix
XenServer uses para-virtualization: the operating system is modified to accommodate
the privileged instruction execution. The hypervisor virtualizes networks, network
switching, interrupts, and disk storage. A hypervisor control application manages and
monitors the creation, operation, and lifecycle of virtual machines. Often, this control
application runs on a separate host, to remotely and centrally manage the virtualization
servers.

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 Supported NetBackup virtual machine backup solutions
VM backup; Single-pass Single-pass
Virtual machine File system NetBackup
Intelligent backup; file and integrated
technology backup Accelerator
policy full VM restore application backup*

VMware vSphere ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Microsoft Hyper-V ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
RedHat Enterprise
Virtualization ✓
Citrix XenServer ✓
Solaris zones ✓
Oracle Solaris
virtualization ✓

* Supported for Microsoft SQL, Exchange, and SharePoint 7

NetBackup supports a number of host virtualization solutions. VMware and Microsoft

Hyper-V are two of the most feature rich host virtualization platforms in the market, and
NetBackup is highly integrated with these solutions. As well as supporting backup and
recovery for both files and full virtual machines, NetBackup also supports single-pass
backups of virtual machines that support individual file restore as well. These platforms
are also supported with dedicated policy types (VMware and Hyper-V) that provide
virtualization specific features and options. Additionally, NetBackup Accelerator is
supported for both VMware and Hyper-V for faster backups using block change tracking
features.
Although NetBackup also supports other virtualization platforms, such as RedHat
Enterprise Virtualization (RHEV), Citrix XenServer, Solaris zones, and Oracle Solaris
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

virtualization, the feature sets are more similar to standard backup policies. Technical
articles and best practices exist for these virtualization solutions.

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 Understanding the virtual data center implementation

NetBackup infrastructure Virtualization infrastructure

Master Media servers VM server VM server
server

Hypervisor
control system

SAN

Control API
CLI
Web Interface
Storage
Cloud
orchestration
Virtualization
Web Client

The degree of virtualization, virtualization controls, and management varies widely

across enterprises. NetBackup includes features that are flexible in order to
accommodate most implementations. The solutions for VMware and Hyper-V leverage
features built into the hypervisor control layer. For VMware environments, NetBackup
uses the VMware API for data protection. For Hyper-V environments, NetBackup uses
Windows Management Instrumentation for Windows Server 2016, and a host of
provided features.
Veritas uses the capabilities provided by the hypervisor supplier to develop VM-specific
backup solutions. There are limitations and requirements, based on the software and
the environment. For example, in some cases the guest (VM) operating system may
need to have the NetBackup client installed to allow for advanced backup and recovery
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

features, such as one-pass VMware backups that simultaneously allow for granular
application recovery.
The specific architecture used in a virtual environment should be well understood.
Veritas solutions support a subset of many varieties of virtualization storage and guest
operating system architectures. Be sure to examine and evaluate the support and
limitations of both the virtualization vendor and the Veritas NetBackup solution in
designing your backup strategy for virtual environments.

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 Overview of NetBackup support for VMware vSphere and
Microsoft Hyper-V
Feature VMware vSphere Microsoft Hyper-V

Single-pass backups with full VM or file-level restore Yes Yes

Intelligent Policy with VM query builder VMware policy type Hyper-V policy type

Block-level incremental backups Using CBT Using WMI

NetBackup Accelerator backups Starting in NetBackup 7.7 Starting in NetBackup 8.0

Allows Instant Recovery Yes No

Uses snapshot for consistency and to keep VMs fully
Yes Yes
available
Back up VMs that are powered off Yes Yes

Web client integration support vSphere Web client SCVMM

Supported with prerequisite
Off-host backups of VMs Supported with VADP
steps

NetBackup support for VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V are summarized in the
table on the slide. Both products are supported with full VM recovery, or individual file
and folder level restores, from single-pass backups performed by NetBackup. Both
VMware and Hyper-V policy types exist, that include automatic VM selection using a
query builder, as well as simplification of VM-specific backup configuration. Settings
exist to limit and control backup impact on the environment, to ensure performance is
not adversely affected.
Full and incremental backups are supported, including block-level incremental backups
(BLIB) that avoid backing up unused space. BLIB is supported with VMware Change
Block Tracking (CBT) and Hyper-V Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI).
NetBackup for VMware also supported application-aware single-pass backups for
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

granular recovery of Microsoft Exchange, and SharePoint, and provide log truncation for
Microsoft SQL and Exchange. NetBackup for VMware also supports instant virtual
machine recovery, which is discussed in more detail in the Performing Virtual Machine
Restores lesson.
Off-host backups of VMs are supported in VMware using VMware vSphere Storage APIs
– Data Protection (VADP), reducing processing load on the VM server, and preventing
the need to install a NetBackup client on the VMs. Hyper-V also supports some off-
host/alternate client backups, but requires some additional configuration steps, as
provided in the documentation. Centralized management and web consoles are
supported, which include VMware vSphere web client, vCenter servers, and the Hyper-V
System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM).

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 RedHat Virtualization Support
• Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM):
– Allows a Linux machine to be a hypervisor.
• Adds support for protecting a RedHat virtual (RHV) environment.
• Requires the Web UI:
– Some underlying configuration options may need to be done on the JAVA UI.
• Basic support in 8.2:
– Can protect and recover a full VM.
– Supported options will continue to be added in future releases.

10

This slide displays the information about RedHat Virtualization support for NetBackup
8.2 and later releases.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

9-10 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Configuring VMware backups

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure VMware backups.

11

This is the Configuring VMware backups topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

9-11 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup for VMware components
Component Description
• Sometimes referred to as a VM.
Virtual machine • Configured as a NetBackup client in the NetBackup policy.
• Does not require the NetBackup client software to be installed.
ESXi server Presents a virtualized hardware environment to multiple VMs.
Datastore VMware storage containing the virtual machine data for the ESX servers.
vCenter server Coordinates many ESX servers and can migrate VMs between ESX servers.
• A NetBackup host that helps perform backups on behalf of VMs.
Backup host • Has operating system restrictions, with the NetBackup client installed.
• Requires access to the VMware datastore.
• Used for the automatic selection of VMs for backup.
Discovery host • Can be any host supported for NetBackup server software.
• Can be the same as the backup host.
• Reads and writes backup data.
Backup media server
• Can operate as the backup host.
NetBackup client Only required for direct file restore and integrated application backup.

12

The slide lists VMware components and components used by NetBackup when backing
up VMware. The first four components list VMware servers and components, and the
bottom four components list NetBackup components. The VMware vCenter server is
not required for NetBackup to perform VMware virtual machine backups; however,
certain features may not be available or alternate configurations may need to be used.
The VMware backup host has certain operating system restrictions. These are discussed
on the following slide.
Note: The VMware backup host was referred to as the VMware backup proxy server in
some prior releases.
To perform backups that enable full VM and file-level recovery, the NetBackup client
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

does not need to be installed in the VM. The NetBackup client needs to be installed in
the following circumstances:
• Performing individual file restores directly to the virtual machine
• Performing Application backups with a VMware backup policy

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 The VMware and NetBackup environment

Master Media NetBackup vCenter ESX

server* server* appliance* LAN server servers
LAN backup option
(encryption optional)

NetBackup
client

SAN backup option SAN

SAN
Backup
infrastructure

Datastore
(VMDK files)

* Possible VMware backup hosts 13

The VMware backup host has operating system restrictions:

• NetBackup servers or clients running a supported Windows operating system.
• Starting in NetBackup 7.5.0.2, NetBackup appliances with firmware 2.5 or later.
• Starting in NetBackup 7.5.0.3, certain versions of specific Linux platforms.
Review the latest NetBackup for VMware documentation, for the latest information.
Note: For more efficient backups, Veritas recommends using the NetBackup media
server to back up a VMware-based VM as the VMware backup host.
There are a number of mechanisms that a backup host can use to access the data of a
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

virtual machine that is being protected. Although the slide shows two, here is a
summary of the types of access mechanisms that are available:
• Local area network (LAN) access to datastore, where the backup host accesses the
VMware datastore using the ESX servers, and the datastore data travels over the
TCP/IP network. In VMware this is referred to as NBD (network block device) or
NBDSSL (encrypted).
• Storage area network (SAN) access to datastore, where the backup host accesses
the VMware datastore directly over the SAN, normally with improved performance
and less impact on the ESX servers.

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 • HotAdd transport creates a linked-clone virtual machine and uses the clone’s virtual
disks for backup. HotAdd is a VMware feature where devices, such as SCSI disks, can
be added “hot” while a virtual machine is running. An example of using HotAdd for
backups would be creating a Windows-based virtual NetBackup media server to act
as the backup host for the other VM’s in that datastore.
For more information about identifying VDDK/NBU mapping and understand backup
host limitations, refer to Article 000010289: How to Identify vStorage/vADP
Environment Support at: http://www.veritas.com/docs/100003956.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

9-14 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup for VMware backup process example
Step Action VMware ESX
VMware backup server
host and LAN
NetBackup initiates a NetBackup media
1 VMware snapshot. server
The NetBackup media
2 server writes data to
SAN/iSCSI
the storage unit. Datastore
2 (VMDK
Backup
When the backup storage files)
3 completes, the
snapshot is deleted. VMDK 1 Snapshot
Snapshot 3 VMDK.1
deleted

15

The process within NetBackup for VMware-based backups follows these general steps:
1. The NetBackup master server starts the backup and initiates a VMware snapshot by
communicating with the VMware server. Note that in VMware, the snapshot causes
the original VM image – represented on the slide as VMDK – to become static. A new
VM image file – represented on the slide as VMDK.1 – continues to record new
data.
2. The VMware backup host (in many cases the Windows media server) reads the
static VMDK files (represented on the slide as VMDK), maps their contents using the
vStorage APIs to index individual files and ensure only used space is being written,
and writes the backup directly to disk or tape.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

3. After the backup completes successfully, the VMware snapshot is deleted. On the
slide, the changes recorded in the VMDK.1 VM file are rolled into the static data
held by the VMDK VM file. Note that by default NetBackup will only remove previous
snapshots created by NetBackup, and will not modify any other VMware snapshots
in the environment.

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 NetBackup for VMware configuration overview

VMware 1. Install VMware Tools 2. Install vCenter server

configuration on VMs (optional)

2. Install 3. Add 4. Add

1. Add 5. Create
NetBackup NetBackup VMware VMware
Enterprise NetBackup
client on backup host credentials
configuration Client
VMware to to
policies for
license VMware
backup host NetBackup NetBackup

As described in the NetBackup for

VMware Administrator’s Guide

16

This slide shows an overview of the VMware and NetBackup configuration required to
create VMware backups managed by NetBackup. These steps are discussed in the
NetBackup for VMware Administrator’s Guide, and are shown in more detail in the
following slides.
VMware configuration: The VMware configuration is not based on the NetBackup
environment, and the VMware documentation should be used for all VMware specific
installation and configuration. The VMware Tools package is often installed on virtual
machines, and does enable NetBackup to perform backups of virtual machines without
the NetBackup client software installed on the VM. Although not technically required,
issues like crash-consistent backups may occur. Additionally, NetBackup integrates with
VMware components such as vCenter and vSphere, as is discussed elsewhere in this
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

course.
NetBackup configuration: The NetBackup configuration steps shown on the slide are
discussed in more details in the following slides in this lesson.

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 NetBackup for VMware best practices

• Review tips in Veritas NetBackup for VMware Administrator’s Guide: NetBackup for
VMware best practices
• Best practices may include:
– Upgrade to the latest version of VMware vSphere or Virtual Infrastructure.
– Use the same VM name for both host name and display name.
If the policy’s Primary VM identifier option is changed, the existing entries under the policy’s Clients tab are still
valid.
– Add additional VMware backup hosts for scalability.
– Use VMware resource limits:
For example, allow less than 4 concurrent backup jobs / snapshots per datastore.
– Attempt to use a single backup policy per datastore.

17

Before configuring NetBackup, Veritas recommends that you configure or modify the
VMware environment. Before configuring the NetBackup for your VMware
environment, Veritas recommends reviewing the Veritas NetBackup for VMware
Administrator’s Guide in the NetBackup for VMware best practices section. Some
VMware best practices are given on the slide. Note that NetBackup does not require any
modifications to existing vSphere environments.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

9-17 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup configuration: Initial steps
1• Add Enterprise Client license.
– NetBackup for VMware Administrator’s Guide: NetBackup for VMware license requirement section
– An Enterprise Client license for each ESX Server
– Application or database license for each ESX server hosting the application
2• Install NetBackup client on VMware backup host.
– Not required for NetBackup appliances, master and media servers
– Review tips in the NetBackup for VMware Administrator’s Guide: NetBackup for VMware best practices
section:
• For a more efficient backup, try to use the media server used by the backup job as the VMware backup host.
• Ensure that the VMware backup host has enough memory to handle the number of simultaneous backups that
occur.
• When a single backup host is saturated, add additional backup hosts to increase backup throughput.

18

NetBackup configuration: Initial steps:

1. Add Enterprise Client licenses. A NetBackup Enterprise Client license is required for
each ESX Server, and NetBackup application or database licenses are required for
each ESX server hosting the application or database. For details, refer to NetBackup
for VMware Administrator’s Guide: NetBackup for VMware license requirement and
contact your Veritas Sales representative to ensure all information is up-to-date.
2. Install the NetBackup client on the VMware backup host. The VMware backup host
requires the NetBackup client software. For details refer to both the NetBackup for
VMware Administrator’s Guide and the NetBackup for VMware best practices. Some
recommendations include:
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• For a more efficient backup, install the NetBackup media server and the VMware
backup host on the same host.
• Ensure that the VMware backup host has enough memory to handle the number
of simultaneous backups that occur. Monitor active memory usage on the
backup host during backups and add memory, if needed.
• Add additional backup hosts to increase backup throughput, when needed.

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 NetBackup configuration: Add VMware backup host

3
Add VMware backup
host to NetBackup

Note: This step is not required

for NetBackup media servers
and NetBackup appliances.

19

3. Add any VMware backup hosts to the Host Properties for the master server:
a. Click Host Properties > Master Servers, double-click the NetBackup master
server, and click VMware Access Hosts.
b. Click Add, enter the VMware backup host, and click Add.
c. When you are finished adding hosts, click Close.
In the policy’s VMware backup host drop-down list, select Backup Media Server to use
any available media server. If this option is used, make sure that all media servers in the
storage unit referenced by this policy are valid VMware backup hosts.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

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 NetBackup configuration: Set resource limits

• Helps avoid serious performance

issues.
• Refer to NetBackup VMware
Administrator’s Guide: Setting global
limits on the use of VMware
resources.

20

Optionally, set limits on the use of VMware resources by navigating to the Resource
Limit tab of the master server’s Host Properties. Click in the Resource Limit column to
set the maximum NetBackup usage for the resource type. The settings apply to all
VMware policies that use a VMware Intelligent Policy query to select clients. VMware
Intelligent Policy queries are discussed elsewhere in this lesson.
The default for all resource limits, indicated in the NetBackup Administration Console by
a blank value in the Resource Limit column, is unlimited. The screen shot shows a
maximum of four simultaneous backup jobs to any ESX server at a given time. For
details on resource limit types and behavior, see the NetBackup for VMware
Administrator’s Guide: Setting global limits on the use of VMware resources. Note that
you may want to adjust or tune the resource limits according to the transport mode you
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

select.

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 NetBackup configuration: Add VMware credentials

4
Add VMware credentials
to NetBackup

vCenter server or
ESX server

21

4. Add VMware credentials to NetBackup. To back up or restore virtual machines, the

NetBackup server requires logon credentials to the VMware ESX servers or the
VMware vCenter servers. In the NetBackup Administration Console, perform the
following:
a. Expand Media and Device Management > Credentials > Virtual Machine
Servers.
b. Select Actions > New > New Virtual Machine Server.
c. In the Add Virtual Machine Server dialog box, enter the name of a virtual
machine server (vCenter server or ESX server).
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

d. In the Credentials pane of the Virtual Machine Server dialog box, enter the
following, then click OK.
• Virtual machine server type: Select VMware Virtual Center server, VMware
ESX Server, or VMware Restore ESX Server. Note that VMware Restore ESX
Server designates an ESX server to which NetBackup can restore virtual
machines, however NetBackup will not back up virtual machines from that
restore server.
• Username and Password
• If the default port number has changed, mark the Connect using port
number check box, and enter the port number.

9-21 Not for Distribution.

 If your site has multiple standalone ESX servers, use the Virtual Machine Server dialog
box to enter credentials for each ESX server. Note that the account entered must have
the required permissions to perform VMWare VADP backups. For more information
about the minimum required permissions refer to Article 100001960: What are the
minimum permissions needed to properly backup and restore using vStorage API at:
http://www.veritas.com/docs/100001960.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

9-22 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup configuration: Create a VMware policy
Use the Policy Creation Wizard or create the policy manually.

5
Use the VMware
policy type

23

5. To create a backup policy, use either the Policy Configuration Wizard or the Policies
utility in the NetBackup Administration Console. The VMware policy type was
introduced in NetBackup 7.5. When it is selected, a new VMware tab is displayed in
the policy configuration dialog. This tab contains VMware-specific parameters.
Veritas recommends using the VMware policy type. This policy type is discussed in
this lesson.
Note: Prior to NetBackup 7.5, the FlashBackup-Windows policy type was used to
back up virtual machines. Veritas does not recommend using this policy type to back
up virtual machines unless it is required, because this policy type does not support
newer backup functionality and features. To migrate FlashBackup-Windows policies
that were created in prior versions to use the new VMware policy type, see the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

nbplupgrade utility in the NetBackup Commands Reference Guide.

9-23 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring VMware policy attributes and schedules

Attributes Schedules
• Many options don’t apply. • Supports full, differential, and cumulative
incremental.
• Supports full VM and file-level incrementals for all
schedules.
– Set Enable file recovery from VM backup on the
VMware tab.
• Optionally use block-level incremental backups
(BLIB):
– Requires ESX server 4.0 and later, and Virtual machine
at vmx-07 or later.
– Set Enable block-level incremental backup option.

• Use the VMware tab to set VMware-related

options.

24

For VMware type policies, many attributes found under the policy Attributes tab are
disabled. Most relevant VMware-specific options are found under the VMware tab,
discussed elsewhere in this lesson. VMware policies support NetBackup Accelerator,
which is discussed in the Optimizing File System Backups lesson.
VMware policies support full, differential incremental, and cumulative incremental
schedules. If you are simply backing up the virtual machine disk (VMDK) files, these
schedules normally all back up the entire file. By setting the Enable file recovery from
VM backup option under the VMware tab, NetBackup can recover the entire virtual
machine from these VMDK files, as well as perform individual file recovery. This ensures
that incremental backups only back up the changed files, while still providing the ability
to restore the entire virtual machine. Note that file-level recovery is only available on
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

supported guest operating systems and file systems. For more details, refer to
NetBackup Support in Virtual Environments at:
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/NB_70_80_VE.
Additionally, block-level incremental backups (BLIB) are enabled using the Enable block-
level incremental backup option. This improves performance further by backing up data
at a block-level, instead of at a file-level. This functionality requires ESX server 4.0 and
later, and virtual machines with hardware version vmx-07 or later.

9-24 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring VMware policy for manual client selection

25

When assigning clients for a VMware policy, you can select whether to select clients
manually or to have them automatically selected using a query that you construct. To
manually specify clients, navigate to the Clients tab, select Select Manually, and click
New. The Browse for Virtual Machines dialog box is displayed. Select Browse and
Select Virtual Machines to see a drop down hierarchy of virtual machines. Select the
virtual machine or machines you are interested in protecting.
Note: If your VMware environment contains many VMware servers and virtual
machines, it may take too long to search and list all of them. To limit the VMware
servers that are browsed, follow the directions provided in the NetBackup for VMware
Administrator’s Guide under the section titled: Limiting the VMware servers that
NetBackup searches when browsing for virtual machines.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Note that a policy where virtual machines are manually selected does not work with the
VMware virtual machine limits specified in the master server host properties.

9-25 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring VMware policy for automatic client selection

• Based on virtual machine attributes

• Can be combined to narrow results

Example queries:
• Back up all VMs in Power On state
• Back up all VMs where the OS type is Windows 2012
• Back up all VMs where the display name starts with “Vmprod”
• Back up all VMs in the Dev folder that belong to cluster Cluster03
• Back up all VMs in Power On state in datastore Storage 1 where
the OS type is RedHat Linux

26

Starting with NetBackup 7.1, VMware-based policies allow for automatic virtual
machine selection. Queries are built around virtual machine attributes to determine
which virtual machines to back up. These queries can be combined with filters to create
more complex queries and limit the results. If you want to use the new intelligent policy
functionality instead of performing a manual configuration, set the Virtual machine
selection to Select automatically through query. Next, set the VMware discovery host.
Although this does not need to be the same as the VMware backup host, in many
environments this may be the same server. The VMware discovery host has the same
requirements as a backup host: be a supported operating system and have NetBackup
software installed.
In this query builder, you build the virtual machine selection query. If you do not select
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

any query filters, the default behavior is to discover all virtual machines, and back them
all up. The slide shows some examples of possible virtual machine selection queries.
Some examples show queries that use multiple query filters that are combined to
narrow the resulting virtual machines.

9-26 Not for Distribution.

 Using query builder in basic mode
Browse
Add

Join: Clear
• Not
• And Value(s)
• And Not
Operator:
• Or Field: • AnyOf
• Or Not VMware-related fields, such as • Contains
Cluster, Datacenter, Datastore, • EndsWith
Displayname, ESXserver, Tag, • Equal
VMGuestOS, and many more. • Greater
• GreaterEqual
• IsSet
• Less
• LessEqual
• NotEqual
• StartsWith

27

Using query builder in basic mode

In the query builder’s Basic Mode, a simple query filter can be created that looks for
specific values of a VMware-related field. Additionally, the Join function can be used to
combine multiple query filters, as shown in the example in the slide:
ESXserver Equal “esx1.example.com”
AND VMGuestOS Equal “other26xLinuxGuest”
After choosing the query criteria for a specific query filter, the Browse function retrieves
all possible values from the VMware configuration. Depending on the size of the
environment, this can take some time. You can then select from the results and they are
added automatically to the Value(s) field. The slide shows examples for the variables
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

that make up the selection queries, including the Join, Field, and Operator fields. The
buttons on the right help select values and form complex queries:
• The Browse button is used to discover available values based on the fields and the
available VMware resources.
• The Add button is used to add this filter to the query.
• The Clear button clears these fields, enabling you to start again.

9-27 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup support for VMware Tags

• VMware tags supported for virtual machine selection.

• Only tags associated with VMs are used.
• Limitations include:
– Tags for other vCenter objects (such as Datastores) are ignored.
– Selection of VMs based on the tag category is unsupported.
– Using tags for VM selection is independent of the tag's category; Example:
• VM1 has a user-specified tag “HR” in the category Production
• VM2 has a user-specified tag “HR” in the category Test
• A policy selecting VMs with tag “HR” will back up both VM1 and VM2.

28

VMware Tag operations require vCenter Server 6.0 or later. The NetBackup master
server and all discovery hosts must be at NetBackup 7.7.1 or later. When using media
server load balancing, all media servers that are associated with the storage unit group
must be at 7.7.1 or later. Any Windows host with only the NetBackup client software
installed, that is also defined in the VMware policy's Client tab as the NetBackup host to
perform automatic virtual machine selection, must have NetBackup Java installed.
Install the NetBackup Remote Administration Console to install NetBackup Java. If the
tag field is not required to satisfy the query, tags will not be collected and backed up. In
such a case, the tags will not be restored in a successful restore.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

9-28 Not for Distribution.

 Using query builder in advanced mode

Note: Invalid queries or data that cannot be processed by basic mode (such as
parenthesis for precedence) may prevent being able to return to basic mode.

29

Instead of using the query builder’s Basic Mode, click the Advanced button to use the
Advanced Mode. In this mode, you can customize the query manually and use
functionality, such as parenthesis, to establish query order and precedence. When
converting from basic mode to advanced mode, the existing query is converted and can
be used as a starting point. Note that while in advanced mode, you can also click on the
Basic button to revert to basic mode. This function does not work if the query contains
invalid data, or data that is not supported by basic mode (such as parenthesis).
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

9-29 Not for Distribution.

 Running a test query

Refer to NetBackup for VMware

Administrator’s Guide in the Query
format and examples for searching
virtual machine backups section.

nbdiscover –noxmloutput –policy Lab10-vmware

+ “winvm1"
- “lnxvm2" "VM has been excluded by the discovery filter, display name = [lnxvm2], server = [10.10.2.65]."

30

When your query is formed, there is a Test Query button to execute and test the query.
After the test returns, the Test Query Results display every virtual machine found, and
identify whether the current filter value results in the virtual machine being included or
excluded. If the query is not working as desired in providing the correct virtual machines
for the policy, the query can be modified and retested.
In an environment with large numbers of virtual machines, a query can take many
minutes. During that duration, the console cannot be closed or used to monitor other
operations. A command line utility, nbdiscover (found in the NetBackup bin
directory) can be used to check the search terms of a query outside of using the
NetBackup console. This frees the console for monitoring and other work. This utility
uses the name of the policy as an argument.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

For more details, refer to the Veritas NetBackup for VMware Administrator’s Guide - the
Query format and examples for searching virtual machine backups section.

9-30 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring the Reuse VM selection query results

• Enables the administrator to control how often vCenter is queried.

• Determines the time period during which a discovery is used.
• Reset when a query or policy property that affects discovery is changed.
• Has no effect on job scheduling.

31

The Reuse VM selection query results parameter enables the administrator to control
the virtual center interaction by specifying how old the query results need to be, before
NetBackup queries the virtual center server for virtual machine discovery information
again. This parameter does not have any effect on backup scheduling. Similarly, backup
job scheduling does not affect when virtual machine discovery takes place. In the
example on the slide, discovery queries the virtual center every 8 hours, regardless of
when jobs are scheduled. When the policy is scheduled to run, the virtual machines that
were discovered last are used. When a query or policy property that affects discovery is
modified, the Reuse VM selection query results time value is ignored, and a new virtual
machine discovery takes place.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

9-31 Not for Distribution.

 Relationship between Clients and Backup Selections

32

When you use manual virtual machine selection, the Backup Selections list simply
shows ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES. When you use automatic virtual machine selection, the
virtual machine selection query that was created is listed under the Backup Selections
list, as shown on the slide:
vmware:/?filter=VMGuestOS Equal “rhel6_64Guest” AND
ESXserver Equal “esx1.example.com”
In either case, the policy backs up all local drives from each listed virtual machine. To
exclude certain drive types, such as swap, boot, or data drives, use the Virtual disk
selection setting under the VMware Advanced Attributes setting. This setting is
discussed elsewhere in this lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

9-32 Not for Distribution.

 Viewing the VMware policy tab

33

When VMware is selected as the policy type a VMware tab is displayed in the policy
configuration dialog box, which contains many VMware-specific settings. These settings
are discussed in the following slides.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

9-33 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring the VMware backup host

Example configuration
winmaster winmedia ESX server
LAN

SAN

Datastore
STU1 STU2

34

The VMware backup host is a NetBackup host that performs backups on behalf of the
virtual machines. Possible choices include:
• Backup Media Server: This option instructs NetBackup to use the media server of
the backup job as the VMware backup host as well.
Note: The storage unit that is specified in the policy must be unique to media
servers supported as backup hosts. In these cases, if the storage unit is also available
for a media server that is not supported as a backup host, the snapshot cannot
succeed.
When the Backup Media Server option is selected, NetBackup cannot determine a
host to perform policy validation. To validate the policy, temporarily select one of
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

the possible media servers as the backup host (do not select Backup Media Server).
When the policy validates successfully, reset the backup host to Backup Media
Server.
• A specific backup host, which selects a particular backup host to perform the
backup.
Note: The backup hosts (but not backup media servers) must be identified in the
master server’s host properties under VMware Access Hosts.

9-34 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring the Primary VM identifier

35

This Primary VM identifier specifies how NetBackup recognizes VM names, for backup:
• VM hostname: This is the network host name for the virtual machine. This option is
the default. This option requires running and functioning VMware Tools in the VM.
• VM display name: This is the name of the VM as displayed in the VMware interface.
Character restrictions apply; Refer to the NetBackup for VMware Administrator’s
Guide.
• VM BIOS UUID: This is the ID assigned to the VM when it is created. This ID may or
may not be unique, depending on whether the VM has been duplicated.
• VM DNS Name: This is the virtual machine’s VMware DNS name. In the vSphere
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Client, this appears under the virtual machine's Summary tab. This option requires
VMware Tools running in the VM as well as a properly configured DNS configuration.
• VM Instance UUID: This is the globally unique ID assigned to the VM when it is
created, even if the VM has been duplicated. The option requires backup hosts
running NetBackup 7.5 or later, and is not available in some legacy VMware releases.
Virtual machine names must be uniquely identified in a master server’s backup policies.
Additionally, the virtual machine may not be browseable under certain conditions, such
as when using the hostname as the identifier and the virtual machine is powered off, or
when the virtual machine does not have an IP address.

9-35 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring Optimizations

36

The following options set the type and scope of the VMware virtual machine backup:
• Enable file recovery from VM backup: This option enables restores of individual
files from the backup. Additionally, it provides the best deduplication rates with
NetBackup deduplication. With or without this option, you can restore the entire
VM.
• Enable block-level incremental backup: Block-level backups (BLIB) reduce the size
of full and incremental backups by tracking and only backing up the blocks that have
changed since the last backup. BLIB works with VMware’s Changed Block Tracking
(CBT) in vSphere to track the block-level changes, and requires ESX server 4.0 and
later, and VM hardware version vmx-07 or later. If this checkbox is enabled,
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

NetBackup will automatically enable CBT in the VM.

Note: When selecting Use Accelerator on the Attributes tab, the block-level
incremental backups selection will be selected and greyed out so that it cannot be
unselected.
• Exclude deleted blocks: This option uses proprietary mapping technology to reduce
the size of the backup image by excluding any unused or deleted blocks within the
file system on the VM. Windows NTFS, and Linux ext2, ext3, and ext4 are supported.

9-36 Not for Distribution.

 • Exclude swapping and paging files: This option reduces the size of the backup
image by excluding the data in the guest OS system paging file on Windows or the
swap file on Linux. This option does not exclude the swapping and paging files from
the backup; it only excludes the data in those files. If the files are restored, they are
restored as empty files.
To back up a VM that contains Veritas Storage Foundation volumes, disable the Enable
file recovery from VM and Exclude deleted blocks backup options.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

9-37 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring Application Protection

Required settings for

application protection

• Provides application consistent snapshot

• Provides automatic log truncation
• Requires NetBackup client installed on VM
• May require install of Veritas VSS Writer for some functionality

38

VMware VMs running Microsoft Windows with Microsoft Exchange, MS-SQL, or

SharePoint have additional benefits when the NetBackup client is installed on the VM.
This enables the ability to restore individual database files (such as individual e-mail
restores from Exchange) as well as automated log truncation. NetBackup uses Windows
Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) to quiesce the database before it creates a snapshot
of the virtual machine. A full backup of the database data is performed with each
backup job, even if the policy schedule is incremental. Additionally, application
protection is only available with query-based client selection on the Clients tab. To
enable file-level recovery of the database data that resides in the VM, use the
Application Protection frame. These options apply to full backups of the VM only; they
do not apply to incremental backups. Select from the following options:
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Enable Exchange Recovery: This option enables recovery of the Exchange databases
or mailbox messages from the virtual machine backups. If this option is disabled,
you can recover the entire virtual machine from the backup, but you cannot recover
the databases or mailbox messages individually. When using the Enable Exchange
Recovery option:
• Enable the Enable file recovery from VM backup option.
• Disable the Enable block-level incremental backup option.
• Use the Truncate logs option to truncate the transaction logs when the VM
snapshot is complete. Truncating the logs frees up disk space in the virtual
machine. To use this option, install the Veritas VSS provider on the VM.

9-38 Not for Distribution.

 For more information, including instructions on how to install the Veritas VSS
provider, refer to the NetBackup for Microsoft Exchange Server Administrator's
Guide.
• Enable SQL Server Recovery: This option enables recovery of individual MSSQL
databases from the virtual machine backup. If this option is disabled, you can
recover the entire virtual machine from the backup, but you cannot recover the SQL
files individually. When using the Enable SQL Server Recovery option:
• Enable the Enable file recovery from VM backup option.
• Disable the Enable block-level incremental backup option.
• Use the Truncate logs option to truncate the transaction logs when the backup
occurs. Truncating the logs frees up disk space in the virtual machine.
Additional information about VMware backups using the NetBackup for Microsoft
SQL Server agent is provided in the Managing Microsoft SQL Backups lesson. The
Veritas VSS provider must be installed to support this functionality.
• Enable SharePoint Recovery: This option enables recovery of SharePoint objects
from the virtual machine backup. If this option is disabled, you can recover the
entire virtual machine from the backup, but you cannot recover the SharePoint
objects individually. When using the Enable SharePoint Recovery option:
• Enable the Enable file recovery from VM backup option.
• Disable the Enable block-level incremental backup option.
For more information, see the NetBackup for Microsoft SharePoint Server
Administrator’s Guide.
When you enable one or more of these Application Protection options, the backup job
automatically initiates an Application State Capture (ASC) job for each virtual machine
listed in the policy. These ASC jobs help determine if the applications are running in
those virtual machines. Because these ASC jobs require additional overhead, it is not
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

recommended to simply enable these options for policies that back up all VMs. Instead,
create a new VMware policy specifically for those virtual machines that are running
these applications, and enable the Application Protection option for that policy.
This is covered in greater detail in the NetBackup Advanced Administration course.

9-39 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring Transport modes
SAN NBD/NBDSSL
LAN LAN
Backup ESX Backup ESX
host server host server
SAN

Datastore Datastore

HOTADD
LAN
Media ESX
server server
SAN
Backup
host
Datastore
Article 100030882: VMware Transport Modes: Best practices and troubleshooting

40

The transport modes determine how the snapshot data travels from the VMware
datastore to the VMware backup host. The appropriate mode depends on your
environment. By default, all modes are selected. NetBackup tries each transport mode
in order, from top to bottom. It uses the first mode that succeeds for all disks in the VM.
The following transport modes are available:
• san: For unencrypted transfer over Fibre Channel (SAN) or iSCSI. Note: This mode is
not supported for VMs that use VMware Virtual Volumes (VVols).
• hotadd: Lets you run the VMware backup host in a virtual machine. This feature
requires ESX 3.5 Update2 or later. Note: For virtual machines that use VVols, they
must reside on the same VVol datastore as the backup host (hotadd) VM.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• nbd: For unencrypted transfer over a local network that uses the Network Block
Device (NBD) driver protocol. This mode is usually slower than Fibre Channel (san).
• nbdssl: For encrypted transfer (SSL) over a local network that uses the Network
Block Device (NBD) driver protocol. This mode is usually slower than Fibre Channel
(san).
Use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to change the order in which NetBackup
tries each selected mode. For more best practices and suggestions on these modes,
refer to Article 100030882: VMware Transport Modes: Best practices and
troubleshooting at: http://www.veritas.com/docs/100030882.

9-40 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring VMware Advanced Attributes

Virtual machine
quiesce

Optionally set
Post events to
vCenter

Limit VMware
servers
communicated with
by this policy

41

This dialog box is displayed when you click Advanced under the VMware policy tab. You
can use the VMware Advanced Attributes dialog to set the following additional
parameters. In most situations, the best settings are the defaults.
• Virtual machine quiesce: This option is enabled by default. I/O on the virtual
machine is quiesced before NetBackup creates the snapshot. This helps guarantee
data consistency in the snapshot. Veritas does not recommend that you disable
quiesce.
• Virtual disk selection: This option determines the kind of disks on the VM that are
included in the backup. This option can reduce the size of the backup, but should be
used with care., and is only intended for VMs that have multiple virtual disks.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Ignore diskless VMs: This option directs NetBackup not to back up any VM that has
no VMDK file assigned to it; for example, a replicated virtual machine in passive
mode in a VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager (SRM) environment.
• Post events to vCenter: This option enables NetBackup to send backup-related
events to the vCenter server. More information is available on how to view the
events in the NetBackup for VMware Administrator’s Guide.
• VMware server list: Specifies a colon (:) delimited list of VMware servers that
NetBackup communicates with for this policy. VM queries will only go to these
servers, which helps improve performance in large virtual environments.

9-41 Not for Distribution.

 Excluding virtual disks with custom attributes from backups

• Enter the VMware custom attribute, or

use NB_DISK_EXCLUDE_LIST (default)
• You must register the vCenter’s
credentials with NetBackup

Example:
scsi0-0,ide0-0,sata0-0,nvme0-0

42

The Exclude Disks tab determines the kind of disks on the VM that are excluded from
the backup. These options can reduce the size of the backup, but should be used with
care. The available options include:
• No disks excluded backs up all VM disks configured for the virtual machine.
• Exclude boot disk excludes only the boot disk (for example the C drive).
• Exclude all data disks includes only the boot disk and excludes all data disks.
• Perform custom attribute based exclusion excludes disks based on VMware custom
attributes. If you select this option, you must also enter the name of the Custom
Attribute, which NetBackup then uses to determine which disks to exclude. The
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

default value for this attribute is NB_DISK_EXCLUDE_LIST or you can enter the name
of the VMware custom attribute. This VMware custom attribute is created using the
Exclude Disk Wizard through the NetBackup plug-in for vSphere Web Client.
NetBackup excludes the disks defined by the attributes listed in the policy. The
attribute must have a comma-separated list of device controllers of the disks to be
excluded, for example: scsi0-0,ide0-0,sata0-0,nvme0-0
If the custom attribute is not populated or does not exist on the VM, none of the
disks are excluded. If disks are removed from the custom value between the
differential backups then only those files that changed since the last backup are
available to restore individually. If disks are added to the custom attribute value
between the differential backups then those disks are excluded from the next
backup.

9-42 Not for Distribution.

 Note: You must register the vCenter server’s credentials with NetBackup. The ESXi
server credentials are not sufficient.
Note: When a virtual machine is restored from the backup, the virtual machine data
for the excluded disk may be missing or incomplete.
• Specific disk(s) to be excluded: Excludes the disks that you specify. Note that this
option gives the NetBackup administrator control over which disks are excluded from
backups.
• You must include comma-separated values of controller IDs.
• If the disks do not exist on the specified controller and device IDs, none of the
disks (except independent disks) is excluded.
• If you remove controllers from the exclusion list between the differential backups,
only those files that changed since the last backup are available to restore. All
files are available to restore after the next full backup.
• If you add controllers to the exclusion list between the differential backups, their
disks are excluded from the next backup.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

9-43 Not for Distribution.

 Creating custom attributes using the Virtual Disk Exclusion Wizard

44

The new NetBackup plug-in for vSphere Web Client now contains a Virtual Disk
Exclusion Wizard. This is an easy way to set custom attributes for VMware hosts and
their virtual disks. Once the wizard is launched enter a Custom Attribute name or leave
the default setting, NB_DISK_EXLUDE_LIST. Next, search for the desired virtual host
name and select the host name(s) from the resulting list.
Next, select the disks to which you want to apply the Custom Attribute. If a disk is
excluded already, a warning icon appears in the Exclude disk column.
From the Review Selections screen, select the virtual machine then select Set
Exclusions. The list box shows the results of the operation. These disks will be excluded
each time this Custom Attribute matches the Custom Attribute and virtual hostname in
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

a backup policy.

9-44 Not for Distribution.

 VMware VVols and VSAN
VMware Virtual Volumes (VVols)

• Permit virtualization-aware management of underlying storage

assets.
• Access disks beneath the level of LUNs.

NetBackup supports VSAN as datastores

• Supports datastores of types: NFS, NFS41, SAN, iSCSI, vsan, Local

• Refer to the NetBackup Hardware Compatibility List
• Refer to Veritas NetBackup for VMware Administrator’s Guide: Notes
on VMware Virtual Volumes (VVols)

45

For backup or restore of VMs on VVol datastores, NetBackup supports the following
transport modes: nbd, nbdssl, hotadd. Due to a VMware VDDK limitation, san transport
is not supported. To restore a virtual machine with the hotadd transport mode: VMware
requires that the virtual machine and the restore host virtual machine reside on the
same VVol datastore. Otherwise, the restore must use a different transport mode (not
hotadd).
For a restore to standard (non-VVol) datastores, the NetBackup job creates a vSphere
snapshot of the virtual machine while NetBackup restores the data.
Note: For a restore to a VVol datastore, NetBackup restores the data to the virtual
machine without creating a vSphere snapshot.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

When troubleshooting backups of virtual machines on VVols, note the following:

• Each NetBackup snapshot job creates a vSphere snapshot of the virtual machine.
• Licensing requirements for vSphere snapshots vary from one type of VVol storage to
another, depending on the array vendor. Ensure that you have the required snapshot
license from the array vendor; otherwise, snapshot creation may fail.
Refer to Veritas NetBackup for VMware Administrator’s Guide: Notes on VMware Virtual
Volumes (VVols).

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 Topic: Protecting VMware Assets using the web UI

After completing his topic, you will be understand protection plans and use
them to protect VM’s and VM groups.

46

This is the Protecting VMware Assets using the web UI topic.

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 Understanding protection plans

Schedule Retention Storage

Note: Protection Plan database is greatly simplified in 8.2 to avoid storing redundant data with existing policy DB.

47

A protection plan defines when backups are performed, how long the backups are
retained, and the type of storage to use. Once you have set up a protection plan, you
can subscribe assets to that protection plan. Before you create a protection plan, you
must configure all storage options in the NetBackup Administration Console.
For more information on protection plan, refer:
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/135031700-135031705-
0/v130722462-135031705
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 Adding VMware servers and their credentials

1 2

48

To add VMware servers and their credentials

Note: This procedure requires the backup administrator role.
1. On the left, click VMware, then click the VMware Servers tab. The tab shows the
vCenters and ESXi servers that you can access.
2. Click + Add to add a server.
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 Saving VMware server credentials

4
5

49

3. Select the server type and enter its host name, and its credentials.
4. Choose a Backup host for validation..
Note: Adding or updating VMware credentials also automatically starts the discovery of
the VMware server. When backup host information is provided in the request, it is used
to perform validation of credentials as well as for performing the discovery. For
discovery, NetBackup 8.1.2 is the minimum version that is supported for a NetBackup
media server or client that serves as a backup host. For older versions, backup host
credential validation succeeds, but the discovery of VMware servers fails.
5. Indicate a Port number for connection. If the default port number has not been
changed on the VMware server, no port specification is required. If the VMware server
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

has been configured to use a different port, specify that port number.
6. Click Save.
Note: The discovery of VMs and other objects in the vCenter or ESXi server begins when
server credentials are added or updated through the web UI or an API. However, the
server's VMs and other objects might not appear in the UI immediately. They appear
after the discovery process for the VMware server completes. Discovery also occurs at
set intervals. (The default interval is every 8 hours.)

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 Browsing VMware server credentials

1
3

50

To browse VMware servers credentials

1. On the left, click VMware.
2. Click VMware Servers to begin searching. The list includes the names and types of
vCenters and standalone ESXi servers that you have access to. You can also review
the Discovery Status and Last discovery attempt to determine whether the server's VMs
and other objects have been successfully discovered.
To locate a server, you can enter a string in the search field.
3. Click on a server to begin drilling into it. You can navigate back to a higher level by
clicking the up-arrow.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4. Click on a VM to view its protection status, recovery points, and restore activity.
Note: From here, you can click Add protection to subscribe the VM to a plan.

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 Updating VMware server credentials

51

To update VMware server credentials

1. On the left, click VMware, then click the VMware Servers tab. The tab lists the names
and types of vCenters and standalone ESXi servers that you have access to. You can also
review the Discovery Status and Last discovery attempt to determine when the server's
VMs and other objects were last discovered.
2. Locate and select the VMware server.
3. From the action menu on the right of the row, select Manage Credentials.
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 Removing VMware server credentials

52

To remove a VMware server credentials

1. On the left, click VMware, then click the VMware Servers tab. The tab lists the names
and types of vCenters and standalone ESXi servers that you have access to. You can also
review the Discovery Status and Last discovery attempt to determine when the server's
VMs and other objects were last discovered.
2. Locate and select the VMware server.
3. From the action menu on the right of the row, select Delete.
Note: If you delete a server, all virtual machines that are associated with the deleted
VMware server are no longer protected. You can still recover existing backup images,
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

but backups of VMs on this server will fail.

4. If you are sure that you want to delete the VMware server, click Delete.

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 Viewing protection status of VMs and VM groups

Protection status

53

You can view the current protection plans that VMs or VM groups are subscribed to. To
view the protection status of VMs or VM groups:
1. On the left pane, click VMware.
2. On the Virtual machines tab or Intelligent VM groups tab, click the VM or VM
group. The Protection tab shows the details of the plans that the asset is subscribed
to.
3. For more details on the protected asset, click more....
If the asset is not currently protected, the screen displays that, and you can click
Configure protection to subscribe it to a plan.
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 Creating an intelligent VM group

54

You can create an intelligent VM group based on a set of filters called queries.
NetBackup automatically selects virtual machines based on the queries and adds them
to the group. You can then apply protection to the group. Note that an intelligent group
automatically reflects changes in the VM environment and eliminates the need to
manually revise the list of VMs in the group. To create an intelligent VM group:
1. On the left pane, click VMware.
2. Click the Intelligent VM groups tab.
3. Click Add.
4. Enter a name and description for the group.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

5. Click Add vCenter or standalone ESXi server. Note: The web UI lists the servers that
you can access based on your role and permissions (RBAC).
6. Select the appropriate server and click Save.
7. Under Create query for virtual machines, you can do one of the following:
• Select the default query: Include all VMs in this server. When the protection plan
runs, all VMs that currently reside in the vCenter or ESXi are selected for backup.
• Create your own query: Click Add condition.

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 7. To add a condition, use the drop-downs to select a keyword and operator and then
enter a value.
8. To test the query, click Preview. Note that the query-based selection process is
dynamic. Changes in the virtual environment can affect which VMs the query selects
when the protection plan runs. As a result, the VMs that the query selects later
when the protection plan runs may not be identical to those currently listed in the
preview.
9. To save the group without adding it to a protection plan, click Save. To save and add
it to a protection plan, click Save and protect, select the plan, and click Protect.
Note: When you click Preview or save the group, the query options are treated as case-
sensitive when the VMs are selected for the group. Under Virtual machines, if you click
on a VM that was not selected for the group, the Member of virtual machine groups
field reads none. However, when you add the group to a protection plan, some of the
query options are treated as case-insensitive when the protection plan’s backup runs.
As a result, the same VM may now be included in the group and is backed up.
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 Query options for creating intelligent VM groups

Keyword Operator Value

cluster
datacenter
datastore
displayName Ends with Value for the
host Contains selected condition
tag = (Plain text only)
dnsName !=
hostname
instanceUuid

56

Table 2-1 – Query keywords.

Keyword Description

cluster The name of the cluster where the VMs

reside.
datacenter The name of the datacenter.

datastore The name of the datastore.

displayName The VM’s display name.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

host The name of the ESXi server.

tag The name of the VM’s tag.

dnsName The VM’s DNS name in vSphere Client.

hostName The VM name that is derived from a

reverse lookup of its IP address.
instanceUuid The VM’s instance UUID.

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 Table 2-2 – Query operators

Operator Description

Starts with Matches the value when it occurs at the

start of a string.
Ends with Matches the value when it occurs at the
end of a string.
Contains Matches the value you enter wherever
that value occurs in the string.
= Matches only the value that you enter.

!= Matches any value that is not equal to

the value that you enter.
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 Protecting VM’s or VM intelligent groups

1 3

• To perform an on-demand (manual)

backup of a VM, contact the NetBackup
administrator. To perform an on-demand
backup, access to the NetBackup 5
Administration Console is required.

58

When you subscribe an asset (VMs or intelligent VM groups) to a protection plan, you
assign predefined backup settings to the asset. The following are the requirements for
protecting VM’s or VM intelligent groups:
You must have access to the VMs by means of the appropriate role-based access
control (RBAC) that the NetBackup security administrator assigned to you.
• You must have access to the protection plans.
• The appropriate services on the master server must be running and the web UI must
be accessible.
To protect VMs or VM groups:
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1. On the left, click VMware.

2. On the Virtual machines tab or Intelligent VM groups tab, click the box for the VM
or VM group.
3. Click Configure protection.
4. Click a protection plan and review its details.
For VMware administrators, RBAC permissions determine which protection plans
are listed. For a description of the available protection plan options, see the
NetBackup Web UI Backup Administrator’s Guide at:
http://www.veritas.com/docs/000003214.
5. To subscribe the VM or VM group to the selected plan, click Protect. The results of
your choices are displayed under Virtual machines or Intelligent VM groups.

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 Topic: Performing and monitoring VMware backups

After completing his topic, you will be able to monitor VMware backup.

59

This is the Performing and monitoring VMware backups topic.

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 VMware backup example with client discovery

• The first parent job runs with the discovery host as Client and resolves virtual machines
with the query in the File list.
• Each VM has a parent snapshot and child backup job.

60

When using automatic VMware client selection, client discovery is required when the
backup runs. An initial parent job runs the client discovery, displaying the job’s client as
the discovery host, and the job’s file list as the query that is being used. After this initial
parent job, each virtual machine is displayed as a standard virtual machine backup,
which normally has an initial parent snapshot job and a child backup job.
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 Viewing NetBackup activity in vSphere Client

61

NetBackup can record backup activity for virtual machines in VMware vCenter. You can
view the events in vSphere Client at the level of any parent object (such as folder,
datacenter, cluster, or host). You can also view the events for the entire virtual machine.
Ensure that the policy’s Post events to vCenter option is enabled under the VMware
tab’s advanced options. To view backup events and the last backup time in vSphere
Client:
1. Open the vSphere Client and connect to the VMware server.
2. Navigate to Home > Inventory > Hosts and Clusters.
3. Select the object (such as datacenter, host, or virtual machine) and select the Tasks
& Events tab.
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4. Select the Events view.

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 VMware backups with Linux virtual machines

• Using Linux VM quiescence

– Allows for consistent backups
– Provided with guest OS-specific tools, such as Open VM Tools
Refer to VMware support for Open VM Tools: https://kb.vmware.com/kb/2073803
• Not using Linux VM quiescence results in crash-consistent backups

62

Traditionally, virtual machine snapshots do not quiesce Linux virtual machines and the
backup uses snapshots that are crash consistent. The term Crash consistent denotes
that the backup of the system will be roughly equivalent to how the system would
appear after a system crash. Because of file system consistency tools, such as journaling,
the system should be usable, however this is not an optimum way of backing up your
servers.
Previous versions of NetBackup provided a tool, SYMCQuiesce, that would quiesce
some Linux VMs. In NetBackup 8.1and later releases, SYMCQuiesce is discontinued
since this same functionality is now present in Open VM Tools for various Operating
systems. More information about Open VM Tools can be found at:
https://kb.vmware.com/kb/2073803.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

For any Linux VMs that were backed up while they were running. Use a file system
check (fsck) after restoring data to ensure data consistency after a restore,

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 Lesson summary
• Key points
– In this lesson, you learned about virtual machines and support for virtual machines in VMware.
– You also learned to configure and run VMware backups.
• Reference materials
– NetBackup for VMware Administrator’s Guide
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/21902280-136588229-0/v21902300-136588229
– NetBackup™ Web UI Backup Administrator's Guide
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/135031700-135031705-0/
v131634845-135031705
– NetBackup for Hyper-V Administrator’s Guide
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/21357025-130334382-0/v21357050-130334382
– Article on Support for NetBackup 7.7.x and 8.x in virtual environments:
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/NB_70_80_VE
– Veritas Support​
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US.html

63

For more information about the topics discussed in this lesson, refer to the resources
listed on the slide and remember to check the Veritas Support web site frequently.
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 Lab 9: Performing VMware Backups
• Exercise A: Verifying the VMware environment
• Exercise B: Configuring NetBackup servers to access the VMware vCenter server
• Exercise C: Installing the NetBackup Plug-in for VMware vSphere Web Client
• Exercise D: Configuring a VMware policy in NetBackup
• Exercise E: Performing and monitoring NetBackup VMware virtual machine backups
• Exercise F: Excluding disks from a VMware virtual machine backup
• Exercise G: Managing VMware credentials using the web UI
• Exercise H: Managing VMware Assets using the web UI

64

The slide shows the objectives for the lab associated with this lesson. Refer to the
corresponding lab guide for specific instructions and lab steps.
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 What did you learn?
You are about to be asked a series
of questions related to the current
lesson.

65

The next section is a quiz. In this quiz, you are asked a series of questions related to the
current lesson.
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 Question 1: VMware backup host component
To which VMware component does the backup host require direct access for SAN
backups?

A. vCenter server
B. Datastore
C. vStorage API
D. VMware tools

66
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 Answer 1: VMware backup host component
To which VMware component does the backup host require direct access for SAN
backups?

A. vCenter server
B. Datastore
C. vStorage API
D. VMware tools

The correct answer is B. The datastore contains virtual machine data for the ESX servers.

67
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 Question 2: About VMware backup host platforms
Which platform is unsupported as a platform for the VMware backup host?

A. Windows 2008
B. SUSE Linux 11
C. Solaris 11
D. RedHat Linux 6

68
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 Answer 2: About VMware backup host platforms
Which platform is unsupported as a platform for the VMware backup host?

A. Windows 2008
B. SUSE Linux 11
C. Solaris 11
D. RedHat Linux 6

The correct answer is C. Solaris is not supported as a platform for the backup host, regardless of the
NetBackup version. For the latest information, refer to Article TECH127089: Support for NetBackup 7.x in
virtual environments, or the latest NetBackup for VMware documentation.

69
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 Question 3: About application awareness
Which database/application technology is not supported by the application awareness
feature, which enables individual component restore?

A. Oracle
B. Microsoft Exchange
C. Microsoft SharePoint
D. Microsoft SQL

70
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 Answer 3: About application awareness
Which database/application technology is not supported by the application awareness
feature, which enables individual component restore?

A. Oracle
B. Microsoft Exchange
C. Microsoft SharePoint
D. Microsoft SQL

The correct answer is A. You can select Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft SharePoint, and Microsoft SQL for Application
Protection under the VMware policy tab.

71
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Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

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 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores

© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Performing VMware Restores lesson in the Veritas NetBackup 8.2:
Administration course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-1 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson introduction
• Lesson 0: Course Introduction • Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores
• Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup • Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V environment
• Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage • Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage
• Lesson 3: Configuring Policies Lifecycle Policies
• Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups • Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the
NetBackup Catalog
• Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores
• Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups
• Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools
• Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic
• Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
Information
• Lesson 8: Configuring and managing Tape Storage
• Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

This lesson is the tenth lesson in this course.

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 Lesson objectives
Topic Objective
Managing virtual machine restores Describe virtual machine restore concepts.
Run VMware restores using the Backup, Archive, and Restore
Managing VMware restores
console.
Using VMware Instant Recovery Run VMware restores using Instant Recovery.
VMware Agentless Restore Explain and perform VMware agentless restores to the original
directory and an alternate directory.

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

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 Topic: Managing virtual machine restores

After completing this topic, you will be able to describe virtual machine
restore concepts.

This is the Managing virtual machine restores topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

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 Supported NetBackup virtual machine recovery options
Virtual machine File-based Full VM Single-pass backup; Instant
technology restores restores file and full VM restore recovery

VMware ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Microsoft Hyper-V ✓ ✓ ✓

RedHat Enterprise
✓
Virtualization (RHEV)

Citrix XenServer ✓

Solaris zones ✓

Oracle Solaris virtualization ✓

NetBackup supports a number of virtual machine options, such as file-based restores

and full virtual machine restores. This includes support for both methods from a single-
pass backup of the VM. This functionality is supported on both VMware and Microsoft
Hyper-V. Additionally, VMware supports a feature known as instant recovery, discussed
later in this lesson. For other virtual machine types, file-based restores are supported by
treating the VM as a NetBackup client, with the NetBackup client software installed on
the VM.
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 Performing traditional virtual machine restores
• Perform recovery using supported network methods
– LAN: Unencrypted or encrypted transfer over a local area network
– SAN: Unencrypted transfer over fibre channel or iSCSI
• VM server starts the virtual machine

LAN

SAN VM VM
Master Media
server server server storage

In a traditional virtual machine restore, a virtual machine image is transferred from

backup storage to the VM server’s storage. There is generally a large data transfer time
from the media server to the VM storage, due to the size of the VMs. Full VM backup
and recovery for some virtual machine platforms, such as VMware and Microsoft Hyper-
V, does not require the NetBackup client software to be installed on the virtual machine
itself. This is due to integrated features, which take advantage of a NetBackup host that
serves as a backup host for the virtual servers. Refer to the Performing Virtual Machines
Backups lesson for more details. After the restore, the VM server can optionally be
directed to start the virtual machine.
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 Performing file restores from single-pass virtual machine backups
• Ensure backup include Enable file recovery from VM backup
• Recovery must be performed to host running NetBackup client.
• NetBackup 8.2 introduces the Agentless recovery feature, where the NetBackup client does not have to be installed
on the client machine.
• The NetBackup client can be a physical or virtual host.

LAN

NetBackup
client VM VM
Master Media
server server server storage

NetBackup has the capability of performing one-pass backups for virtual machines that
also records metadata which enables individual file restores. This feature is both time
efficient in allowing for a single-pass backup, and space efficient in requiring only one
copy of the backup for both full VM recovery and individual file recovery. Recovery of
individual files must be performed to a host running the NetBackup client software.
NetBackup 8.2 introduces the Agentless recovery feature, where the NetBackup client
does not have to be installed on the client machine. Recovering individual files must be
performed over a local area network (LAN).
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 Topic: Managing VMware restores

After completing this topic, you will be able to run VMware restores using
the Backup, Archive, and Restore console.

This is the Managing VMware restores topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-8 Not for Distribution.

 Initiating a virtual machine restore

Ignored for full

Identify virtual machine VM restores
using same identifier as
when backed up

To restore a virtual machine, launch the Backup, Archive, and Restore console. This can
be launched on the master server or on the virtual machine backup host that is
configured to communicate with, and take the data stream from, the ESX server.
1. Set the source and destination clients. From the Actions menu, select Specify
NetBackup Machines and Policy Type.
2. Set the Source client for restores (or virtual client for backups) as the virtual
machine you wish to restore. Type in the client’s name, or use the Search VM
Clients button.
3. Select the Destination client for restores and the Policy type for restores. Ensure
that you select the correct policy type:
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• VMware displays all VMware backups.

• Hyper-V displays all Hyper-V backups.
• FlashBackup-Windows displays all Hyper-V and VMware backups. This policy
type was used for VM backups prior to NetBackup 7.5. Veritas recommends
using VMware and Hyper-V policy types.
• MS-Windows and Standard do not display backups from virtual machines that
were backed up with VMware or FlashBackup-Windows policies.

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 Choosing a view and browsing virtual machines

10

Clicking the Search VM Clients button in the Specify NetBackup Machines and Policy
Type dialog box, displays the Browse and Search Virtual Machines for Restore dialog
box. The example on the slide shows a sample view when Browse Virtual Machines:
vSphere view is selected. Select the type of view for browsing:
• vCloud view: Shows the virtual objects as they appear in vCloud Director.
• vSphere view: Shows the virtual objects as they appear in vSphere Client.
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 Restoring data from a VMware Backup

File or folder recovery

Full virtual machine recovery

Virtual disk recovery

11

Select the appropriate restore type under the Restore Type dropdown:
• Normal Backups: This option is used to view and restore individual files.
• Virtual Machine Backup: This option is used to restore the entire virtual machine.
• Virtual Disk Restore: This option is used to restore one or more virtual disk.
These options explained in greater detail in the following slides.
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 File and folder recovery of VMware virtual machine

• Restore to a system with the NetBackup

client installed
• Restore to a file share that can be
accessed by the VM
• Use Instant Recovery for VMware

12

The Restore type Normal Backups is used to view and restore individual files. Specify
the destination as the virtual machine’s host name (not the display name or UUID).
Note that restoring individual files to a virtual machine requires the NetBackup client to
be installed on that VM. Alternatively, you can restore to a shared folder that can be
accessed by the virtual machine client.
To restore directly to a virtual machine, the ESX server name that is specified for the
restore must match the ESX server’s official hostname. The name must be in the same
format in which it is registered in the DNS and in the VMware server. The restore fails if
ESX servers are configured with short host names and if the backup and restore are
through a vCenter server. Note that you can restore Windows files to a Windows guest
operating systems, but not to Linux. Similarly you can restore Linux files to supported
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Linux guest operating systems but not to Windows. If a Linux file system was not
quiesced before the snapshot, some files may be inconsistent. This issue is discussed
further on in this lesson.

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 Full VM Recovery of VMware virtual machine

• Source client must be the VM identifier

(host name, display name, or UUID) used
during backup.
• Destination client is ignored, and
selected later in the Virtual Machine
Recovery wizard.
• Individual VMDK restore is supported.

Starts the Virtual Machine

Recovery Wizard

13

The Restore type - Virtual Machine Backup is used to restore the entire virtual
machine. To recover the complete virtual machine, select the VMDK files you wish to
restore. If you are restoring from physical tape, click the Preview button to see which
tapes are needed for the restore. When ready, click the Restore button. After selecting a
Restore type - Virtual Machine Backup, clicking the Restore button starts the Virtual
Machine Recovery Wizard. The following slides explore this wizard.
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 Virtual Machine Recovery wizard (1/4)
Recovery Destination

14

The Virtual Machine Recovery wizard guides you through the process of recovering a
complete virtual machine. The first screen displays the original settings of the virtual
machine at the time it was backed up. Review the settings and decide whether you
want to recover the virtual machine to its original location or to an alternate location.
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 Virtual Machine Recovery wizard (2/4)
Recovery Options

15

On the Recovery Options screen:

• Select the NetBackup Recovery Host, which is the NetBackup client used to send
the data to the ESX server’s datastore. Typically, this is a NetBackup media server
(often the same media server that performed the backup).
• Select the Transport modes, and then use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to
decide which transfer types are prioritized:
• san: For unencrypted transfer over fibre channel (SAN) or iSCSI.
• nbd: For unencrypted transfer over a local network that uses the Network Block
Device (NBD) driver protocol (i.e. the LAN).
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• nbdssl: For encrypted transfer over a local network that uses the Network Block
Device (NBD) driver protocol (i.e. the LAN).
• hotadd: Requires that the VMware recovery host is itself a virtual machine. This
feature requires ESX 3.5 Update2 or later.

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 Virtual Machine Recovery wizard (3/4)
Virtual Machine Options

16

On the Virtual Machine Options screen, select any of the applicable virtual machine
restore options:
• Restore UUID
• Overwrite the existing virtual machine
• Remove backing information for devices
• Remove network interfaces
• Power on virtual machine after recovery
•
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Override default job priority

• Retain original hardware version
Also, select any virtual disk format options. Note that thin provisioning can impact
performance as new blocks are constantly being allocated. For more information about
disk provisioning, see the article: About Virtual Disk Provisioning Policies at:
https://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-
50/topic/com.vmware.vsphere.storage.doc_50/GUID-4C0F4D73-82F2-4B81-8AA7-
1DD752A8A5AC.html

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 Virtual Machine Recovery wizard (4/4)
Perform Recovery

1
2

17

On the Perform Recovery screen:

1. Before starting the restore, click Run Pre-Recovery Check to perform the pre-
recovery check. This improves your restore success rate and prevents wasted time
by identifying problems that may cause the restore to fail, such as low disk space or
incorrect permissions. Note that the pre-recovery check on the slide shows a
datastore space failure, which may cause a problem if a full VM recovery is
performed.
2. After the pre-recovery check is successful, click Start Recovery to initiate the
restore.
To monitor the restore, click View Status from the Backup, Archive, and Restore
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

interface or use the Activity Monitor in the NetBackup Administration Console.

10-17 Not for Distribution.

 Virtual Disk Restore of VMware virtual machine
Disks can be restored to:
• Original VMs
• Alternate VMs
• New VMs

Starts the Virtual

Machine Disk
Recovery Wizard

18

The Restore type - Virtual Disk Restore option is used to restore individual VMWare
virtual machine disks to the following destinations:
• Original virtual machine: Either overwrite the original disks or attach virtual disks
without overwriting them. NetBackup creates a temporary VM to which the virtual
disks are restored to, attaches the virtual disks to the existing target VM, and finally
deletes the temporary VM after the disks are attached successfully.
• Alternate virtual machine: NetBackup creates a temporary VM to which it restores
the virtual disks, then attaches the virtual disks to the existing target VM, and finally
deletes the temporary VM after the disks are attached successfully.
• New virtual machine: NetBackup creates a new virtual machine and restores the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

specified disks to the new VM. After the restore, the restored disks should be
attached to a VM that can support them and then delete the restore VM.
Note: If the recovery host is running a version prior to NetBackup 8.1, the original and
different VM restore destinations are not supported.
To recover a virtual machine disk, select the virtual machine. If you are restoring from
physical tape, click the Preview button to see which tapes are needed for the restore.
When ready, click the Restore button. After selecting the Restore type - Virtual Disk
Restore, clicking the Restore button starts the Restore Virtual Machine Disks Wizard.
The following slides explore this wizard.

10-18 Not for Distribution.

 Restore Virtual Machine Disks wizard

19

The new Restore Virtual Machine Disks wizard is launched from the Backup, Archive
and Restore interface when you select Restore. The Select Virtual Disks screen shows
all of the virtual disks that were in the VM at the time of backup, even those disks that
were excluded from the backup. By default, the wizard displays the virtual disks. Select
File System to show the file system disks. Select the disks you wish to restore, then click
Next.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-19 Not for Distribution.

 Recovery Destination

20

Select where you want to recover the virtual disks to: Original, Alternate, or a New
(temporary) virtual machine. From the Advanced Restore Options you can Delete
Restored staging VM on error and adjust the Wait time for VM shutdown.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-20 Not for Distribution.

 Virtual Disk Destination – Original Virtual Machine

21

Virtual Disk Destination details are displayed. All the options are grayed-out since the
Original Virtual Machine was selected as the recovery destination. If Alternate was
selected, you would have the option to select a different virtual machine. You also have
the option to Power on the virtual machine after restore.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-21 Not for Distribution.

 Virtual Disk Destination – New (temporary) VM

22

When you opt to recover the virtual disks to a New (temporary) virtual machine you
can set the parameters displayed on this screen.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-22 Not for Distribution.

 Storage Destination

23

The Storage Destination screen shows the settings for all the virtual disks. Notice that
the value for Restored virtual disk provisioning is set to Original (which is the default)
and the Provisioning column displays Thick Lazy Zeroed. This is because the virtual disk
being restored was thick lazy zero provisioned. If you choose the checkbox for
Overwrite the drop-down menu for Overwrite all virtual disks automatically changes to
Yes. Refer to VMware documentation for more information on disk provisioning types.
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10-23 Not for Distribution.

 Recovery Summary

24

The Recovery Summary screen displays the parameters of the recovery. Verify the
setting for the recovery.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-24 Not for Distribution.

 VMware recovery with Linux virtual machines

• Cross-platform restore of individual files is not supported. You can restore Linux files to supported Linux guest
operating systems but not to Windows.
• Make sure that snapshot quiesce is enabled in the Linux guest OS. Contact your operating system vendor and
VMware for additional information. Use fsck to check and fix file systems.
• There are numerous caveats and procedures recovering ext2 and ext3 filesystem to ext4. Refer to the Veritas
NetBackup™ for VMware Administrator's Guide.
• When you restore Linux files individually to an NFS-shared device on a Linux virtual machine, NetBackup can only
restore the file data and attributes. The extended attributes cannot be restored to NFS-shared devices.
• When you restore a Linux virtual machine, the ESX server may assign the virtual machine a new (virtual) MAC
address. After you restart the virtual machine, you may have to configure its MAC address.

25

VMware Virtual machines running the Linux operating system are also supported for full
and block-level incremental backups. The most popular Linux distributions are also
supported for NetBackup Single File Recovery (SFR), as long as the following
prerequisites are met:
• vSphere APIs are in use
• The operating system is RHEL 4 or later, or SUSE 10 or later
• ext2, ext3, and ext4 file systems are used
• NetBackup client is installed inside the virtual machine
Additional caveats and notes are listed on the slide. Refer to the Veritas NetBackup™ for
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

VMware Administrator's Guide for additional details.

10-25 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Using VMware Instant Recovery

After completing this topic, you will be able to run VMware restores with
Instant Recovery.

26

This is the Using VMware Instant Recovery topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-26 Not for Distribution.

 Working with Instant Recovery for VMware (IRV)

Using IRV for temporary recovery

• Files and other objects can be recovered from the machine.

• The original backup disk image is not modified.
• Instead a temporary disk on a VMware controlled datastore is used for writes.
• The recovered virtual machine can operate as normal, however with performance impact.

Using IRV for long-term and production use

• NetBackup disk storage performance and availability impacts should be considered.

• VMware Storage vMotion can migrate the recovered VM while it is running.

27

Instant recovery for VMware (IRV) is a capability that allows VMware infrastructure to
use the NetBackup backup location as a data store. No data transfer from NetBackup to
ESX or vCenter is done. The virtual machine can start up and begin processing data
almost immediately. In normal mode, the virtual machine will be migrated to a
production data store. Using VMware storage vMotion migration can be accomplished
while the virtual machine is running. Possible uses for IRV include:
• Access and restore files and folders, and then delete the virtual machine.
• Test a patch on a restored VM before applying the patch to production systems.
• Start a VM from its backup and use it until the production ESX server is back online.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Permanently recover the virtual machine by means of Storage vMotion.

• Verify a backup image, or verify an application.
It is not recommended to use instant recovery for VMware for long term production use
or as a disaster recovery method. Additionally, in the case where hundreds of virtual
machines may need to be started, the I/O load and network traffic would be too much
for the media server to handle efficiently.

10-27 Not for Distribution.

 VMware Virtual Machine Restore: Traditional
1. VM image (vmdk) restored to VMware Datastore
2. VMware server starts the virtual machine
3. Data transfer time from media server to Datastore takes time

LAN

vCenter
SAN ESX server
Master Media Datastore
server server servers (VMDK files)

28

In a traditional restore, a vmdk image is transferred from backup storage to a VMware

datastore. VMware server starts the VM, and then either file recovery operations or full
virtual machine operations commence. There is always a data transfer time from the
media server to the data store. That data transfer time can be significant, as VM sizes
range from gigabytes to multiple terabytes.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-28 Not for Distribution.

 VMware Virtual Machine Restore: IRV
1. Instant Recovery for VMware uses a Network File System on the media server as a Datastore
2. VMware starts the recovery VM
3. VMware Storage vMotion may be used to migrate to a production Datastore

LAN

vCenter
SAN ESX server
Master Media NFS Datastore
server server (Datastore) servers (VMDK files)

29

Instant Recovery for VMware uses a Network File System mount served by the
NetBackup media server as a VMware datastore. The ESX server uses the vmdk on this
NetBackup storage to start the recovery virtual machine. Once the recovery virtual
machine is running, VMware vMotion can be used to migrate the virtual machine to a
production datastore. Instant recovery should not be used as a disaster recovery
solution. The load placed on the media server for a full scale disaster recovery will
negatively impact backup and recovery operation.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-29 Not for Distribution.

 IRV recommendations
• SAN connection from the NetBackup media server and its disk storage unit.
– For fibre channel, a minimum speed of 4 Gb/second is recommended
– For iSCSI, a minimum speed of 1 Gb/second is recommended.
• For disaster recovery testing, Veritas recommends that you restore no more than 3 or 4 virtual machines per media
server.
• Migrate one VM with Storage vMotion at a time per media server.

30

A SAN connection between the media server and the backup storage is recommended.
The minimum recommended speed for both fibre channel and iSCSI SAN, in gigabits per
second, is given on the slide. Note that NetBackup appliances do not support iSCSI. For
disaster recovery, Veritas recommends no more than four virtual machines for each
media server due to the I/O traffic required for operation. The migration may be slow if
you simultaneously migrate multiple virtual machines per media server. In any disaster
recovery, the backup system is a key component and its effective operation is essential
for success. Overloading the backup system with IRV operations may prove counter-
productive. The number to restore depends on the I/O load on the media server.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-30 Not for Distribution.

 Instant Recovery details: VM startup

NFS vmdk is
read-only

LAN

SAN
Write
Media NFS ESX Datastore Access
server Datastore servers (VMDK files) DS

1 2
NetBackup File System Service (NBFSD)
mounts the disk storage unit as NFS VM is created with write access
Read-Only Datastore. to a existing datastore (DS)

31

In a normal operation for Instant Recovery for VMware, the media server exports the
datastore, making the backup image available as an NFS mount. ESX server will import
that NFS mount, establishing it as a datastore. A snapshot of the VM is made. ESX sets
up temporary write access to local data store for any changes needed by the VM. ESX
infrastructure will then start virtual machine. The NFS VMDK remains read-only.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-31 Not for Distribution.

 Instant Recovery details: Recovery completion

IRV can be used for file Storage vMotion can be used to

recovery migrate the VM to production

LAN

SAN
Write
Media NFS ESX Datastore Access
server Datastore servers (VMDK files)temp DS

The NFS Datastore is

unmounted when no longer
needed.

32

After the machine is up-and-running it can be used for normal file recovery. It is a fully
functioning virtual machine so it can actually be used to process data. In many cases,
the virtual machine will be migrated to production storage. Production storage is
generally highly available and has higher performance than an NFS datastore exported
from a NetBackup media server. The NFS datastore is unmounted when it is no longer
needed.
Note that the slide illustrates the process assuming that the NetBackup media server is
also the VMware restore host. In the case where the media server and restore host do
not reside on the same server, each is responsible for different behaviors during this
process:
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

1. NBFSD on the media server handles the export phase of NFS in Instant Recovery for
VMware (IRV). The VM will reside on the file system on the media server.
2. NBFSD on the restore host handles the mount phase of NFS for IRV.
3. bpVMutil on the restore host handles the VM activation.

10-32 Not for Distribution.

 Instant Recovery for VMware setup requirements and caveats
IRV setup requirements IRV caveats

• Services for Network File System (NFS) must be enabled • Storage unit must be BasicDisk, AdvancedDisk, PureDisk
on media servers and restore hosts. or qualified OST devices.
• Client for NFS service may have to be restarted on the • Supports full backups and incremental backup schedules
restore host. with NetBackup Accelerator.
• IPv4 is required on the media server. • Does not support:
If using IPV6 add entry to the /etc/hosts file on the – VM where disks are excluded from backup.
ESX server, such as: – VM with disk in raw device mapping mode (RDM) or
10.65.33.245 esx2.example.com in Persistent mode.
• NetBackup requires login credentials for the vCenter – VM templates.
server and the restore host. • ESXi supports only NFS version 3 over TCP/IP
• Restore host can be a Windows host, Linux host, or Using UDP will fail.
NetBackup appliance
• Use esxcfg VMware command line utility to
troubleshoot NFS problems in VMware ESXi.

33

Instant Recovery for VMware requires network file system operations on the media
server and any restore host.
• The target ESX server for the restore must be vSphere 5.0 or later.
• The client for NFS service must be operational on the NetBackup restore host.
• The media server must use IPv4.
• There must be access between NetBackup and the vCenter server in order to access
the VADP API that underlies the service.
Refer to the slide for information on caveats, supported, and unsupported
configurations for Instant Recovery for VMware. Refer to the NetBackup for VMware
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Administrator's Guide for additional caveats.

10-33 Not for Distribution.

 Instant Recovery Options

• vCenter Server 5.5 and later

NetBackup plug-in for • vSphere Web Client 5.5 and later
VMware vSphere Web
Client • ESX server 6.0 and later
• Supported NetBackup master server platform

• ESX server 5.0 or later

The nbrestorevm • Example command:
command nbrestorevm –vmw –ir_activate
–C winvm1.example.com –temp_location VM-DS1

34

Instant Recovery can be performed using the NetBackup plug-in for the vSphere Web
Client or from the command line using the nbrestorevm command. The plug-in
supports standard recovery, instant recovery and monitoring of backups of virtual
machines that vCenter servers manage. The NetBackup plug-in for vSphere recovery
wizard has the following requirements:
• vCenter Server 5.5 or later.
• vSphere Web Client 5.5 or later
• ESX Server 6.0 or later
• The plug-in supports any web browser that the vSphere Web Client supports.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• The NetBackup master server's operating system must be set to the UTC time zone.
• These NetBackup master server platforms are supported: Windows, Red Hat, SUSE,
Solaris SPARC and Solaris x86.
• The NetBackup Web Services must be enabled on the NetBackup master server.
These services are enabled by default on NetBackup 8.0 and later.

10-34 Not for Distribution.

 Viewing VMware state prior to instant recovery

Custom Resource Map from VMware vSphere Client

35

The VMware vSphere Client (not the vSphere Web Client) resource map shows the
resources and the connections. It displays the ESX Server (esx2.example.com), the
datastores (INT_ESX2_DS1 and INT_ESX2_DS2), the network, and virtual machines
(winvm1 and lnxvm2) prior to activating an instant recovery. Currently, the two virtual
machines are located on the INT_ESX2_DS1 datastore.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-35 Not for Distribution.

 Viewing VMware state after instant recovery

NFS datastore and recovery VM

appear in VMware vSphere
client map

Custom Resource Map from VMware vSphere Client

36

The Instant Recovery was successful. In this example, a new temporary NFS datastore,
NBU_IR_winmaster, is recognized and used by ESX for the new virtual machine,
clonelnxvm2, that was added to the environment.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-36 Not for Distribution.

 Accessing NetBackup Plug-In Recovery Wizards
Classic Instant
Recovery Recovery

Recovery
Workflow

37

In the NetBackup section, there are five available selections:

• Recovery Wizard is used to perform a standard recovery (restore) of virtual
machines.
• Instant Recovery Wizard is used to perform an instant recovery of virtual machines.
• Instant Recovery Cleanup is used to power off and delete virtual machines created
by Instant Recovery which are no longer needed.
• Virtual Disk Exclusion Wizard is used to configure and apply a Custom Attribute to a
virtual machine or multiple virtual machines for excluding disks from NetBackup
backups.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Register Master Servers is used to register NetBackup master servers with the
vSphere plug-in. This is a pre-requisite for using either of the recovery wizards.
• Settings is used to configure recovery wizard settings.

10-37 Not for Distribution.

 Registering A Master Server in the vSphere Web Client

38

Adding a backup server to the vSphere Web Client requires you to generate an
authorization token on the NetBackup master server. The authorization token is
generated using the manageclientsCerts command. Execute the
manageclientsCerts command from a Command prompt, and not a Windows
Explorer window.
Use the -create option and the name of the host as the argument. Once that
authorization token has been generated you will need to transport it over to the vCenter
machine using a shared drive. You then upload it into the vSphere Web Client to permit
the vSphere NetBackup Web Client to communicate securely with the NetBackup
Master.
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10-38 Not for Distribution.

 Changing NetBackup settings in the vSphere Web Client

39

The settings window allows you modify the settings that the recovery wizards uses.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-39 Not for Distribution.

 Starting the Instant Recovery Wizard

40

The Instant Recovery Wizard provides a graphical interface that allows you to instantly
recover VM’s from the VMware vSphere Web Client. The Instant Recovery Wizard
provides five steps to determine important aspects of how a recovery is going to be
carried out. You can see the similarity between these steps and the steps used in Instant
Recovery from the command line using nbrestorevm on the NetBackup master
server.

You can select which vCenter Server and which NetBackup master server to query and
then search for a machine using its display name, UUID, DNS name, or hostname. There
are some wildcard searches available in the selection box. From the Search Results,
select the virtual machines on which you wish to perform Instant Recovery and click
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Add Virtual Machines.

10-40 Not for Distribution.

 Adding a Virtual Machine for Instant Recovery

41

After clicking Add Virtual Machines, the number of VMs selected is shown at the top of
the screen. Click Next to continue.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-41 Not for Distribution.

 Image Selection

42

Use the Change link to select the specific image you wish to use as the source for the
Instant Recovery. The slide shows only three images but in a production environment
you would likely have many images to choose from. Details about each image can be
viewed in the Backup Details pane.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-42 Not for Distribution.

 Destination Selection

43

Select the destination for Instant Recovery. Destination selection permits alternate
directory and alternate client choices. Once the VM is recovered, applications can
immediately be started or the local administrator can recover files and objects. In some
cases, only a subset of the recovery is required.
Alternate Data Center selection and resource pool provides greater flexibility in recovery
operations. The recovery could be part of a non-production exercise and it would be
contrary to the enterprise data center policy to have non-production virtual machines
running in a particular VMware Data Center.
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10-43 Not for Distribution.

 Virtual Machine Options

44

The following are the virtual machine options on recovery:

• To power on the virtual machine after recovery
• To retain networks after recovery
• To change the Display Name
The display name of the virtual machine can be changed during recovery specification.
In many cases, there will need to be a distinction between a Virtual Machine started for
recovery versus the same machine running in production.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-44 Not for Distribution.

 Review Selections and Pre-Recovery Check Results

45

The recovery settings are displayed on the slide. Review the selections you have made
and run the pre-recovery check for a report on access and resources available for the
recovery. A number of resource allocations are checked and potential problems of the
recovery are uncovered. As virtual machines in real world production can span multiple
terabytes, discovery of problems early in the process is highly desirable.
At this point, all resource checks have returned successful and the restore is ready to
start. Click the Finish button to exit the wizard and recover the VM. The virtual machine
will be powered on from the backup storage and is available for use when the Activate
Instant Recovery job in the NetBackup Activity Monitor completes. Note that the VM
Instant Recovery job will remain in the Active state until it is deactivated by running the
Instant Recovery Cleanup wizard.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-45 Not for Distribution.

 Viewing IRV jobs in the Activity Monitor

Activity Monitor displays the job

and it’s status.

Job Details includes IR identifier

used with nbrestorevm
commands

46

The progress and status of the instant recovery job is reported in the Activity Monitor.
The Detailed Status pane includes the key details about the restore job, including the
VMware identifier. This VMware identifier is used in other commands and is reported in
the nbrestorevm –ir_listvm command to list details about activated virtual
machines, as is shown in the following slides. The VMware identifier is used as a
parameter for some nbrestorevm commands. It is distinct from the NetBackup Job
ID.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-46 Not for Distribution.

 Datastores associated with the recovered VM

INT_ESX2_DS2: temporary datastore (writes)

NBU_IR_winmaster_esx2: temporary NFS datastore (read-only)

47

The new VM, clonelnxvm2, is now associated with 2 datastores, INT_ESX2_DS2 and
NBU_IR_winmaster_esx2. The NBU_IR_winmaster_esx2 is the temporary NFS
datastore where the backup image of the virtual host is located. The INT_ESX2_DS2 is
the temporary datastore for all write requests for the recovered virtual machine. If the
VM is to remain operational for any length of time, it should be migrated (vMotion) off
the temporary datastores (INT_ESX2_DS2 and NBU_IR_winmaster_esx2) and then
Instant Recovery Cleanup can be run to complete the Instant Recovery job. It is not
recommended to leave recovered VM on the temporary datastores.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-47 Not for Distribution.

 Migrate the recovered VM (optional)

48

Once the Activate Instant Recovery job in the NetBackup Activity Monitor has
completed successfully, the VM can be used for any purpose. Applications can be
started and/or files can be copied off the recovered VM. Since the VM is running off of
the backup storage, performance will likely be degraded. If the VM is to remain
operational for any length of time, it is best to use vMotion to migrate the VM to a
production datastore.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-48 Not for Distribution.

 Instant Recovery Cleanup

49

The Instant Recovery Cleanup screen has three options that can be selected for a
recovered VM:
• Instant Recovery Done: Use this option to complete the instant recovery operation
after you have performed the Storage vMotion of the virtual machines to a different
datastore. This utility completes the virtual machine instant recovery operation after
the vMotion migration of the virtual machine is completed. When the datastore is
removed, its resources are released on the NetBackup media server.
• Deactivate: Use this option when you are done with the restore and do not intend
to retain the restored virtual machine. This action removes the virtual machine from
the ESX host. If no other virtual machine is using the NetBackup datastore, this
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

option removes that datastore and releases its resources on the NetBackup media
server.
• Reactivate: Use this option when connection to the virtual machine was
interrupted. The interruption may occur due to a network disconnect between the
NetBackup media and the ESX server. This utility reactivates a restored virtual
machine by remounting the NetBackup datastore. It also registers the restored
virtual machines on the ESX host.

10-49 Not for Distribution.

 Instant Recovery Cleanup Example

50

At this point, vMotion can be used to migrate the recovered virtual machine to a
production datastore. From the Instant Recovery Cleanup screen you can initiate a
Instant Recovery Done, which completes the virtual machine instant recovery operation
and the resources are released on the NetBackup media server. The NetBackup Activity
Monitor now shows that all Instant Recovery operations are complete. Other options on
the screen are the Deactive, which deletes the restored virtual machine and the
Reactivate which reactivates a restored virtual machine by remounting the NetBackup
datastore. It also registers the restored virtual machine on the ESX host.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-50 Not for Distribution.

 Running nbrestorevm
• To list details about the activated VM use:
nbrestorevm -ir_listvm
C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin> nbrestorevm -ir_listvm
VM Instant Recovery ID: 5
VM Type: VMware
VM Display Name: clonelnxvm2
vCenter Server Name: 10.10.2.65
ESX Host Name: esx2.example.com
Temporary location for writes: INT_ESX2_DS2
NetBackup datastore name: NBU_IR_winmaster_esx2
Media Server Name: winmaster.example.com
Backup ID: lnxvm2_1513013050
• To deactivate or delete the VM use:
nbrestorevm -ir_deactivate instant_recovery_ID

C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin> nbrestorevm -ir_deactivate 5

Are you sure you want to deactivate or delete the virtual machine with identifier 5
y/n (n)?y
VM Instant recovery deactivate request returned with status = 0

C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin> nbrestorevm -ir_listvm

No activated VM record found

51

The nbrestorevm –ir_listvm command displays a list of details of active

nbrestorevm jobs. The instant recovery ID is listed. The Backup ID is listed as well. Note
that they are different. The nbrestorevm command with –ir_deactivate stops
the virtual machine, deletes the virtual machine from the VMware inventory, and may
unmount the NFS file system, if no other virtual machines use the vmdk files served by
the file system.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

10-51 Not for Distribution.

 Running nbrestorevm with additional options
Command option Description

-ir_done ir_ID Complete the VM instant recovery job after the data is migrated

-ir_reactivate ir_ID
Reactivate a VM that was interrupted during recovery
[-force]
-vmpo Power on the VM

• Remove the VM network interface

-vmsn
• Avoids duplicate IP address if VM recovered on original subnet

• Restore VM to a different location

• Example file contents:
-R rename_file_path change esxhost to new_ESX_host
change resourcepool to new_res_pool
change vmname to new_VM_name
change network to new_network

52

The command set options of –ir_done will end an instant recovery job. The VM will
be stopped, then deleted. The imported NFS mount from the media server will be
unmounted by the ESX host. The function of ir_done and ir_deactivate are
identical, if the datastore does not support other active IRV virtual machines.
If the VM recovery ID is gone due to a ir_deactivate option in a command, the
ir_reactivate will fail. There is a –force option that suppresses command
prompts “yes or no” in the command lines. The other options of the nbrestorevm
command allow you to power on the virtual machine, remove the virtual network
interface from the virtual machine, or invoke a rename file. In the rename file the virtual
machine host, resource pools, and networks can be changed. An example syntax of this
file is shown on the slide. There is a specific syntax that must be followed in the rename
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

file.

10-52 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: VMware Agentless Restore

After completing this topic, you will be able to explain and perform VMware
agentless restores to the original directory and an alternate directory.

53

This is the VMware Agentless Restore topic.

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 What is Agentless restore and how does it work?
Recovery
package NEW
in
Recovery 8.2
host

Selection No NetBackup
list and VM client needs to be
credentials
VM VM
VM VM
VM VM installed on the
target machine
VMware Target virtual machine

NBU
master

NBU media
54

The VMware agentless restore is a feature introduced in NetBackup 8.2. Restoring

individual files and folders to the target virtual machine does not need the NetBackup
client installed on the target machine. The target virtual machine should be running
RedHat/Suse/Windows.
The NetBackup master server receives a list of files and folders that need to be restored
along with the credentials of the target VM. These credentials need to be administrator
(windows) or root (Linux) credentials.
The NetBackup master server sends the requested data to the restore host. The restore
host confirms whether the required VxUpdate recovery packages are available or not. If
the package is not available, the recovery host downloads it from the master server. All
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

communication through the ESX server happens through the VMware APIs. The restore
host pushes the recovery tool to the VM using vSphere APIs. The data stream containing
the user selected files and folders is staged in a vmdk that is associated with a
temporary VM. This vmdk gets attached to the target VM and recovery tool gets invoked
via restore host on target VM and files and folders gets restored. Once the restore is
successful, NetBackup performs necessary cleanup of the staging location.

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 Prerequisites (1/2)
1. The target VM must be powered on and should have the latest VMware tools installed and running.
2. An account with administrator or root permissions on the target virtual machine is required.
3. The staging location on the target VM is either %TEMP% or %TMP% (Windows) or the root directory / (Linux). This
staging location should exist and have sufficient space.
4. The datastore on the ESX server must have sufficient space.
5. The target VM should have at least one Paravirtual Controller with available LUNs or available space for Paravirtual
SCSI Controller.
6. On the NetBackup master server, configure VxUpdate packages and provision the platforms for the VMs whose
agentless recovery needs to be performed. The VxUpdate packages required for the various OS are:
• Windows vxupdate_nb_8.2_windows_x64.sja
• RHEL vxupdate_nb_8.2_redhat_x64.sja
• SUSE vxupdate_nb_8.2_suse_x64.sja

Adding VxUpdate NBRT packages

Example: /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/admincmd/nbrepo –
/usr/openv/vxupdate_nb_8.2_redhat_x64.sja
Verify that NBRT package was added to the deployment repository on the NBU master
Unix: /usr/openv/var/global/repo/nbrt_8.2_redhat_x64.sja
Windows: <Install_Path>\NetBackup\var\global\repo\nbrt_8.2_redhat_x64.sja

55

The slide lists the prerequisites that need to be met for an agentless restore.
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 Prerequisites (2/2)
7. For a non-root on the NetBackup master server, the minimum permissions needed are:
• Restore files
• Recover/Restore
• Manage Application Services and Asset Groups
8. The Overwrite existing files option in the Agentless VMware recovery needs the Overwrite Assets RBAC permission.
If the user does not have this permission, the Overwrite existing files option is disabled in the webUI.

56

The slide lists some more prerequisites that need to be met for an agentless restore.
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 Restoring to the original location
Select the virtual machine

57

Login to the NetBackup web GUI. In the navigation pane on the left, click VMware. From
the Virtual machines tab, select the virtual machine that needs to be restored to the
original directory.
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 Restoring to the original location
Select the Recovery point

58

Select the last successful backup from a recovery point and then click Recover. Choose
original location.
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 Restoring to the original location
Select the files and folders to be restored

59

Select the files and folders that need to be restored to the original location, and then
click Next.
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 Restoring to the original location
File restore options

60

In the file restore options, select Restore everything to original directory. Enter the
target VM credentials, and then click Next.
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 Restoring to the original location
Recovery options

61

You can choose to append a string to the file names, and then enter the other details
under Advanced Settings.
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 Restoring to the original location
Pre-recovery check

62

One the pre-recovery check is successful, click Start recovery.

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 Restoring to the original location
Successful restore to the original location

63

The slide displays the job details of a successful restore to the original location.
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 Restoring to an alternate location
Select the virtual machine and the recovery point

64

Select the virtual machine from which the files and folders need to be restored to an
alternate location. Select the last successful backup from the recovery point, and then
click Recover. Select Alternate location, and then click Next.
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 Restoring to an alternate location
Select the files and the target VM

65

Select the files that need to be restored and the target VM.
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 Restoring to an alternate location
Select the recovery options

66

Select the file restore options on the target VM, and then click Next. Once the pre-
recovery check succeeds, the restore can be initiated.
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 Lesson summary

• Key points
– In this lesson, you learned about restoring VMware virtual machines and NetBackup support for Instant
Recovery .
– You also learned about Instant Recovery for VMWare
• Reference materials
– NetBackup for VMware Administrator’s Guide
– NetBackup™ Web UI VMware Administrator's Guide
– NetBackup Plug-in for VMware vSphere Web Client Guide
– Support for NetBackup 7.7.x and 8.x in virtual environments
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/NB_70_80_VE

67

For more information about the topics discussed in this lesson, refer to the resources
listed on the slide and remember to check the Veritas Support Web site frequently.
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 Lab 10: Performing Virtual Machines Restores

• Exercise A: Recovering virtual machine files

• Exercise B: Recovering a VMware virtual machine disk
• Exercise C: Recovering an entire VMware virtual machine
• Exercise D: Performing non-NetBackup pre-requisite tasks for IRV (Required, but pre-
done)
• Exercise E: Performing NetBackup pre-requisite tasks for IRV
• Exercise F: Performing Instant Recovery for VMware (IRV) using the vSphere Web Client
• Exercise G: Using NetBackup Web UI to recover a virtual machine to alternate location.

68
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 What did you learn?
You are about to be asked a series
of questions related to the current
lesson.

69

The next section is a quiz. In this quiz, you are asked a series of questions related to the
current lesson.
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 Question 1: VMware backups
Which statement about VMware backups is true in NetBackup?

A. Users must log off virtual machines to ensure consistent backups.

B. You can restore selected files from full backups of virtual machines.
C. Virtual machines must be powered on to be backed up.
D. You can restore VMware virtual machine full backups to Hyper-V virtual machines.

70
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 Answer 1: VMware backups
Which statement about VMware backups is true in NetBackup?

A. Users must log off virtual machines to ensure consistent backups.

B. You can restore selected files from full backups of virtual machines.
C. Virtual machines must be powered on to be backed up.
D. You can restore VMware virtual machine full backups to Hyper-V virtual machines.

The correct answer is B. Both VMware and Hyper-V virtual machine backups support restoring selected files or
directories from full backups, as long as the virtual machine backup was performed with the Enable file recovery from
VM backup policy option.

71
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 Question 2: BAR console selection
What should be selected as the source in the BAR console for a restore of individual files
backed up using a VMWare policy?

A. The hostname of the VM.

B. The identifier for the VM used in the VMWare policy
C. The Media server that backed the client up
D. The VMWare backup host that performed the backup

72
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 Answer 2: BAR console selection
What should be selected as the source in the BAR console for a restore of individual files
backed up using a VMWare policy?

A. The hostname of the VM.

B. The identifier for the VM used in the VMWare policy
C. The Media server that backed the client up
D. The VMWare backup host that performed the backup

The correct answer is B. Whatever identifier was used in the backup policy should be used. This is sometimes the
hostname but it might also be a different identifier such as the Display Name or UUID.

73
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 Question 3: Cleanup Wizard for IR
From where is the Cleanup Wizard for Instant Recovery launched?

A. From the NetBackup Administration Console

B. From the vSphere Client for Windows
C. From the NetBackup Plug-in for VMware vSphere Web Client
D. From the command line on the NetBackup Master Server

74
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 Answer 3: Cleanup Wizard for IR
From where is the Cleanup Wizard for Instant Recovery launched?

A. From the NetBackup Administration Console

B. From the vSphere Client for Windows
C. From the NetBackup Plug-in for VMware vSphere Web Client
D. From the command line on the NetBackup Master Server

The correct answer is C. The graphical Instant Recovery and Instant Recovery Cleanup wizards are found in the
NetBackup Plug-in for VMware vSphere Web Client.

75
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 Question 4: VMware Agentless restore
For which operating systems on the target virtual machine can an agentless restore be
performed?

A. Windows
B. HP-UX
C. SUSE
D. CentOS
E. RedHat Linux

76
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 Answer 4: VMware Agentless restore
For which operating systems on the target virtual machine can an agentless restore be
performed?

A. Windows
B. HP-UX
C. SUSE
D. CentOS
E. RedHat Linux

The correct answer are Windows, RedHat Linux and Suse.

77
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Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

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Not for Distribution.
 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V Environment

© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Protecting Hyper-V Environment lesson in the Veritas NetBackup 8.2:
Administration course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

11-1 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson introduction
• Lesson 0: Course Introduction • Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores
• Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup • Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V environment
• Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage • Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage
• Lesson 3: Configuring Policies Lifecycle Policies
• Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups • Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the
NetBackup Catalog
• Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores
• Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups
• Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools
• Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic
• Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
Information
• Lesson 8: Configuring and managing Tape Storage
• Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

This lesson is the eleventh lesson in this course.

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11-2 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson objectives
Topic Objective
Introduction to NetBackup for Explain how NetBackup works with Hyper-V for backups and
Hyper-V restores.
Configuring Hyper-V backups Differentiate between the VSS and WMI Hyper-V backups methods
and configure NetBackup for Hyper-V backups.
Performing and Monitoring Hyper-V Configure Hyper-V backup policies for a manual and automatic
backups virtual machine selection, and explain the various backup options.
Performing Hyper-V restores Configure a restore job for a standalone Hyper-V server.
Performing Hyper-V restores with Configure a restore job in an SCVMM environment.
the NetBackup Add-in for SCVMM

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
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11-3 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Introduction to NetBackup for Hyper-V

After completing this topic, you will be able to explain how NetBackup
works with Hyper-V for backups and restores.

This is the Introduction to NetBackup for Hyper-V topic.

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11-4 Not for Distribution.

 VM VM VM VM

What is NetBackup for Hyper-V? Hyper-V

VSS
Full and File
level incremental

VM VM VM VM
VM
WMI
Block level Hyper-V
incremental and
Accelerator

Restore Full VMs from Restore individual files from

• Full backups
• Full backups
• File level incremental backups
• Block-level incremental backups
• Block-level incremental backups
• Accelerator backups
• Accelerator backups

NetBackup for Hyper-V provides snapshot-based backup of the virtual machines that
run on Hyper-V servers. NetBackup for Hyper-V creates quiesced Windows snapshots
using Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) and Windows Management Instrumentation
(WMI). Full and file-level incremental backups are performed using the VSS method.
With the WMI method, block-level incremental and Accelerator backups can be
performed.
You can restore the full virtual machine from the following:
• Full backups of the VM.
• Block-level incremental backups of the VM.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Accelerator backups of the VM.

You can restore individual files of the virtual machine from the following:
• Full backups of the VM.
• File-level incremental backups of the VM.
• Block-level incremental backups of the VM.
• Accelerator backups of the VM.
You can restore to the original virtual machine, to other locations on the Hyper-V server,
or to a different Hyper-V server.

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 Hyper-V terminology related to backups(1/2)
Term Description

avhd, avhdx file A snapshot file that Windows Hyper-V creates, for point-in-time recovery of the virtual machine.

Common vhd, vhdx Refers to a virtual disk (vhd or vhdx file) that contains the files that multiple virtual machines
files require. Instead of copies of the same file existing at multiple places, the virtual machines share
a single vhd or vhdx file (the parent).
CSV A cluster-shared volume in a failover cluster.

Differencing disk A differencing disk is in a child relationship to the parent disk (see common vhd, vhdx files). The
parent and child virtual disks may be on the same physical drive or on different physical drives.
This mechanism enables common files to be shared across virtual machines.
WSFC A Windows Server Failover Cluster

HA (high Describes a virtual machine that is configured in a cluster. If the virtual machine's Hyper-V host
availability) goes down, the virtual machine automatically moves to another Hyper-V host in the cluster.
Users perceive little or no downtime on the virtual machine.

The slide explains several Hyper-V terms related to backups.

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 Hyper-V terminology related to backups(2/2)
Term Description

Pass-through disk Any disk that the Hyper-V server can access. It can be locally attached to the Hyper-V server, or
on a SAN. The pass-through disk is attached to a virtual machine, but the disk is not in vhd or
vhdx format.
vhd, vhdx file A file in a Windows Hyper-V installation that contains the virtualized contents of a hard disk. The
vhd or vhdx files can contain an entire virtual operating system and its programs. Hyper-V
supports several kinds of these files, such as fixed, dynamic, and differencing.
Virtual machine NetBackup backs up these files as part of a full virtual machine backup.The bin and the vsv files
configuration files: are visible only when the virtual machine is running.The vmcx files and vmrs files are for VM
xml, bin, vsv, vmcx, configuration versions later than 5 (Hyper-V 2016).
vmrs

Virtual machine A globally unique identifier of the virtual machine.

GUID

The slide explains some more Hyper-V terms related to backups.

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 Pre-requisites for Hyper-V backups

For a list of supported Hyper-V servers, see the Virtual Systems Compatibility section in the NetBackup Software
1
Compatibility list

Hyper-V servers on Windows 2008 need several hotfixes. Hyper-V servers on Windows 2008 R2 contain all the
2
required hotfixes.

3 Ensure that the NetBackup master and media servers can communicate with the Hyper-V server. Add the
NetBackup master server name to the server list on the NetBackup client.

4 The Windows shadow storage for a volume needn't be on the same volume. If the Hyper-V server is Windows
2008 R2, then hotfix KB959962 must be installed for an online backup. If the hotfix is not installed, an offline
backup can be performed.

The following prerequisites must be met for backups and restores using the NetBackup
for Hyper-V option:
1. For a list of supported Hyper-V servers, see the Virtual Systems Compatibility section
in the NetBackup Software Compatibility list
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/article.100040093.html
2. Hyper-V servers on Windows 2008 need several hotfixes to be installed. For the
complete list, see the NetBackup for Hyper-V prerequisites at
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/21357025-127305010-
0/v21237888-127305010. Hyper-V servers on Windows 2008 R2 contain all the
required hotfixes.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

3. Ensure that the NetBackup master and media servers can communicate with the
Hyper-V server. Add the NetBackup master server name to the server list on the
NetBackup client.
4. The Windows shadow storage for a volume needn't be on the same volume. If the
Hyper-V server is Windows 2008 R2, then hotfix KB959962 must be installed for an
online backup. If the hotfix is not installed, an offline backup can be performed.

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 NetBackup for Hyper-V components

NetBackup master server

Runs backups and starts
backups and restores

LAN/WAN

Hyper-V integration services VM VM VM VM

Provides integration between the
Hyper-V server and virtual Hyper-V Hyper-V server
machines Windows hypervisor
virtualization system for
NetBackup media server with creating virtual machines.
external storage Hyper-V server with VMs.
(tape and disk) Each Hyper-V server needs
Reads and writes backup data the NetBackup client
and manages NetBackup
media. This can be a separate Processes backup and restore
host or on the Hyper-V host. requests. NetBackup client must be
installed on the HyperV host.

The table below describes the NetBackup for Hyper-V components:

Component Description

NetBackup master Runs the backup policies and starts backups and restores.
server
NetBackup media Reads and writes backup data and manages NetBackup
server storage media. The NetBackup media server can be
installed on the Hyper-V host or on a different host. For a
more efficient backup, install the NetBackup media server
on the Hyper-V host.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

NetBackup client (and Processes backup and restore requests. The NetBackup
optional alternate client must be installed on the Hyper-V host(s).If the
client) Server Type on the policy Clients tab is System Center
Virtual Machine Manager, a NetBackup client must also
be installed on the SCVMM server.

Hyper-V server A Windows hypervisor virtualization system, for creating

the virtual machine guests that run in a Windows Server
host computer.
Hyper-V integration Provides the integration between the Hyper-V server and
services (integration the virtual machines.
components)

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 Topic: Configuring Hyper-V backups

After completing this topic, you will be able to differentiate between the
VSS and WMI Hyper-V backups methods, and configure NetBackup for
Hyper-V backups.

10

This is the Configuring Hyper-V backups topic.

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 Comparing VSS and WMI

• Default framework for VM backup and restore prior to Hyper-V 2016.

• Impacts scalability and availability due to these limitations:
‒ Creates a snapshot of entire storage volume where the VM resides.
Volume Shadow Copy ‒ Must be serialized.
Service (VSS) ‒ Consists of many components (VSS framework, Hyper-V VSS writer, 3rd party VSS
providers).
‒ Requires Linux VMs or VMs without integration services to be in the Saved State
(offline backup).

• Addresses the limitations of VSS for VMs.

Windows Management • Introduced for Hyper-V 2016 and later.
Instrumentation (WMI)
• Supported by NetBackup 8.0 and later.

11

The slide compares the VSS and WMI backup methods.

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 VSS and WMI Method Comparison
Feature VSS WMI
OS Support Win 2008 R2 -> Win 2016 Win 2016 only

Parallel VM Backups Difficult Yes

B/U individual VM Must snapshot entire volume Snapshot at VM level

True BLIB backup N/A (file inside VM incremental) Yes (Resilient Change Tracking)

Optimized Backup No – backup entire VHD(X) Yes

Accelerator Backups No Yes

Hyper-V VSS Array Integration Yes No

12

The slide compares the VSS and WMI backup methods on the basis of supported
features.
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 Configure NetBackup communication with Hyper-V

Provide the user name and password for the Failover Cluster Manager.

Verify privileges required to discover failover cluster

Change logon account from

Local system to domain user

NetBackup Legacy Network Service

13

To verify the privileges that are needed to discover the failover cluster, run the Hyper-V
Manager as the Hyper-V Manager user:
1. On the Hyper-V Manager host, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then right-
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Click Run as different user, and provide the user name and password for the Hyper-
V Cluster Manager.
To allow the Hyper-V intelligent policy to discover all cluster nodes, you must set the
NetBackup Legacy Network Service (vnetd.exe) logon to the domain user account. The
logon must not be left at its default (the local system account). If the logon is not
changed, the policy does not search the VMs on other nodes of the cluster.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

To change the NetBackup Legacy Network Service (vnetd.exe) logon to the domain user
account:
1. Ensure that the logon account is in the domain administrator group or in the
Administrator group on the Hyper-V nodes.
2. On the Hyper-V node where the policy needs to search for virtual machines, open
services.msc
3. Right click NetBackup Legacy Service and select Properties.
4. In the Log On tab, select This Account and enter the credentials for the domain
administrator account. Click OK and restart services.

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 Setting global limits on the use of Hyper-V resources

14

You can use the NetBackup Resource Limit dialog to control the number of
simultaneous backups that can be performed on a Hyper-V resource type. The settings
apply to all NetBackup policies for the master server. This is done to avoid overloading
the Hyper-V server. You can place a limit on the number of concurrent snapshots per
server.
NOTE: The Resource Limit screen applies only to policies that use automatic selection
of virtual machines (Query Builder). If virtual machines are selected manually on the
Browse for Virtual Machines screen, the Resource Limit settings have no effect.
NOTE: To limit the number of simultaneous jobs per policy, use the Limit jobs per policy
setting on the policy Attributes tab. The effect of this option depends on how the policy
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

selects virtual machines.

To set limits on the use of Hyper-V resources:
1. In the NetBackup Administration Console, click Host Properties > Master Servers
and double-click the NetBackup master server.
2. Under Properties, click Resource Limit. Select Hyper-V.
3. Click in the Resource Limit column to change the limit for a resource.
These settings apply to all policies for the master server.
The next slide discusses each of these resource limits in greater detail

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 Resource limits
RESOURCE LIMIT BACKUP RESOURCE LIMIT
TYPE
Active Snapshots VSS Controls the maximum number of active backup jobs per Hyper-V server. Applies to a
Per Server standalone Hyper-V server as well as to every Hyper-V server in a cluster.
Active Snapshots VSS Controls the maximum number of active backup jobs per Hyper-V cluster.
Per Cluster
Snapshot VSS Controls the maximum number of simultaneous VSS operations such as create snapshot
Operations Per and delete snapshot on a Hyper-V server or a Hyper-V server in a cluster. Applies only
Server during the snapshot creation and snapshot deletion phase of a backup. Does not
control the number of simultaneous backup jobs.
Snapshot VSS Controls the maximum number of simultaneous VSS operations such as create snapshot
Operations Per and delete snapshot within a cluster. Applies only during the snapshot creation and
Cluster snapshot deletion phase of a backup. Does not control the number of simultaneous
backup jobs.
Active Backups Per WMI Controls the maximum number of active backup jobs per Hyper-V server. Applies to a
Hyper-V Server standalone Hyper-V server as well as to every Hyper-V server in a cluster.
Active Backups Per WMI Controls the maximum number of active backup jobs per Hyper-V cluster.
Hyper-V Cluster
15

The slide explains the various resource limits that can be imposed on Hyper-V backups.
For more details, see the Setting global limits on the use of Hyper-V resources section
in the Veritas NetBackup for Hyper-V Administrator’s guide.
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 Topic: Configuring NetBackup policies for Hyper-V

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure Hyper-V backup
policies for a manual and automatic virtual machine selection, and explain
the various backup options.

16

This is the Configuring NetBackup policies for Hyper-V topic.

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11-16 Not for Distribution.

 Creating a Hyper-V policy from the NetBackup Policies utility
Attributes and Schedules

17

To create a Hyper-V policy through manual selection of virtual machines:

1. In the NetBackup Administration console, expand NetBackup Management, and
then click Policies.
2. Either click Actions > New > Policy, or right click in the empty space in the middle
pane, and select New Policy.
3. Specify a policy name, deselect Use Policy Configuration Wizard, and then click OK.
4. In the Attributes tab, in the Policy type, select Hyper-V.
5. Select the Policy Storage.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6. Leave the Disable client-side deduplication option deselected.

7. Use the Schedules tab to define a schedule. In the Schedules tab, you can
select Full backup, Differential Incremental Backup, or Cumulative Incremental
Backup.

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 Creating a Hyper-V policy from the NetBackup Policies utility
Clients manual selection

18

8. In the Clients tab, enter the name of server on which the NetBackup client software
is installed.
9. In the Virtual Machines for backup section, select Select Manually.
10. In the Browse for Virtual Machines dialog box, either select Browse for Virtual
Machines, or select Enter the VM display name. Select the virtual machine that
needs to be backed up.
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 Creating a Hyper-V policy from the NetBackup Policies utility
Selecting the client automatically

19

11. In the Clients tab, enter the name of the Hyper-V server. The NetBackup client
software must be installed on the host.
12. In the Virtual Machines for backup section, select Select automatically through
Hyper-V Intelligent Policy query.
13. To create a rule, make selections from the Query Builder pull-down menus.
• For the first rule, you can start with the Field pull-down, depending on the type of rule.
For the first rule, the only selections available for the Join field are blank (none), or
NOT.
• Select an Operator.
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• For the Value(s) field, you can enter the value manually (enclose the value in single
quotes or double quotes). As an alternative, you can click the folder icon to browse for
values. Depending on the Field keyword, you can use the Value(s) drop-down to select
the value. Note that browsing with the folder icon may take some time in large
environments.
• Click the plus sign to add the rule to the Query pane.
• Create more rules as needed.
• To see which virtual machines NetBackup currently selects based on your query,
click Test Query. On the Test Query screen, the virtual machines in your current
environment that match the rules for selection in the policy are labeled INCLUDED.
14. To create queries manually (Advanced Mode) instead of using the pull-down menus,
click Advanced. The list of virtual machines is saved but the virtual machines are not
displayed in the policy's Clients tab.

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 Creating a Hyper-V policy from the NetBackup Policies utility
Optimization options (VSS)

20

Optimization options for (Hyper-V):

Option Backup Description

method
Enable file VSS,WMI This option allows the restore of individual guest OS
recovery from files from the backup, such as text files and other
VM backup documents.
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 Creating a Hyper-V policy from the NetBackup Policies utility
Optimization options (WMI)

Restore individual files

Block level incremental
Hyper-V Accelerator

Exclude deleted blocks

Exclude swap and paging files

21

Optimization options for (Hyper-V):

Option Backup Description

method
Enable file VSS,WMI This option allows the restore of individual guest OS
recovery from files from the backup, such as text files and other
VM backup documents.
Enable block- WMI For block-level backups of the virtual machine. Uses
level Microsoft's resilient change tracking (RCT) to
incremental perform faster backup of virtual machines. This
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backup option also reduces the size of the backup image.

Use WMI NetBackup Accelerator uses Microsoft's resilient
Accelerator change tracking (RCT) to perform faster backups (full
and incremental backups).
Exclude WMI Reduces the size of the backup image by excluding
deleted any unused or deleted blocks within the file system
blocks on the virtual machine. This option supports the
following file systems: Windows NTFS, and Linux
ext2, ext3, and ext4. It also supports the Windows
Logical Disk Manager (LDM) and the Linux Logical
Volume Manager (LVM2).
Exclude swap WMI Reduces the size of the backup image by excluding
and paging the data in the guest OS system paging file
files (Windows) or the swap file (Linux).

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 Creating a Hyper-V policy from the NetBackup Policies utility
Primary VM identifier

Network host name of the virtual machine

Name of the virtual machine as it appears in Hyper-V
Manager console
Type of name by which NetBackup
recognizes virtual machines when it The unique ID assigned to the VM when it was created
selects them for backup

22

The Primary VM identifier specifies the name by which NetBackup recognizes virtual
machines when it selects them for backup.
VM hostname: Specifies the network host name for the virtual machine.
• Note: For VMs in a Hyper-V server or cluster, the host name is available only when the
virtual machine is running. If you select VM hostname but the virtual machine is not running
at the time of the backup, the backup may fail.
• Note: On the policy Clients tab, if the Server Type is System Center Virtual Machine
Manager, NetBackup can back up VMs by their host name even if they are powered off.
VM display name: Specifies the name of the virtual machine as it appears in the Hyper-
V Manager console.
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• Note: NetBackup for Hyper-V does not currently support the virtual machine display names
that contain non-US-ASCII characters. If the display name contains such characters,
select VM hostname or VM GUID.
• Note: When virtual machines are included in a NetBackup policy, restrictions apply to the
characters that are allowed in the virtual machine display name.
VM GUID: Specifies the unique ID assigned to the virtual machine when the virtual
machine was created. In an SCVMM environment, the VM GUID is referred to as the VM
ID.
Note: If you create a policy and then change the Primary VM identifier, you may have to
delete the virtual machine selections on the Clients tab. Otherwise, NetBackup may no
longer be able to identify the virtual machines to back up.

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 Creating a Hyper-V policy from the NetBackup Policies utility
Enable offline backup of non-VSS VMs (Hyper-V with VSS)

23

For the VSS backup method, the Enable offline backup of non-VSS VMs option
determines whether or not NetBackup is allowed to perform an offline backup of a
virtual machine. This option is intended for the guest operating systems that do not
support VSS (such as Linux).
Note: Online vs. offline backup are Microsoft backup types and are not configured in
NetBackup.
If this option is enabled, NetBackup can perform an offline backup of a virtual machine.
In certain situations, if the virtual machine cannot be quiesced for an online backup, the
virtual machine must be placed in the Saved state. The backup is thus performed offline.
User access to the virtual machine may be interrupted during the backup. After the
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backup is completed, the virtual machine is returned to its original state. If this option is
disabled, NetBackup is not allowed to perform an offline backup of a virtual machine.
Only an online backup can be done (user access to the virtual machine is not
interrupted). If an online backup cannot be done, the backup job fails with status 156.

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 Creating a Hyper-V policy from the NetBackup Policies utility
Cluster shared volumes timeout

24

For the VSS backup method, for clusters on Windows server 2008 R2: This option
applies to backups of the virtual machines that are configured in a Windows Server
Failover Cluster that uses cluster shared volumes (CSV). The timeout determines how
long the backup job waits, in case another cluster node backs up the same shared
volume at the same time.
The default is 180 (wait for 3 hours). A wait of 3 hours is recommended if you have
multiple virtual machines on one CSV. The Windows 2008 R2 cluster node owns the CSV
for the entire duration of the backup. If you do not want NetBackup to wait for another
backup to release the shared volume, set the value to 0. If at the same time another
cluster node backs up a shared volume that this backup requires, the backup fails with
status 156.
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The appropriate value for this timeout parameter depends on the following factors:
• The average backup job duration for the virtual machines that reside on the same
CSV. The job duration depends on the size of the virtual machines and the I/O speed.
• The number of virtual machines on the same CSV.
Note: On Windows server 2012 or later, cluster nodes can back up the same cluster-
shared volume simultaneously. As a result, NetBackup does not use the Cluster shared
volumes timeout option if the cluster is on Windows 2012 or later.

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 Creating a Hyper-V policy from the NetBackup Policies utility (1/2)
Hyper-V - Advanced Attributes - VSS

Unspecified: uses the default snapshot type of VSS provider

Differential: uses a copy on write snapshot
Plex: uses a clone or mirror snapshot

System: Uses
MS provider
Auto: Selects provider in the order Hardware: Uses
hardware, software, system hardware provider

25

The Hyper-V Advanced Attributes dialog box is displayed when Advanced is clicked in
the Hyper-V policy tab.
Policy type VSS:
1. Provider Type: The Provider Type configuration parameter determines the type of
VSS snapshot provider that creates the snapshot.
• Auto: Attempts to select the available provider in this order: hardware,
software, system.
• System: Uses the Microsoft system provider, for a block-level copy on write
snapshot. It does not need any specific hardware.
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• Software: Not certified in the 8.1 release

• Hardware: Uses the hardware provider for a disk array. A hardware provider
manages the VSS snapshot at the hardware level by working with a hardware
storage adapter or controller.
2. Snapshot Attribute: The Snapshot Attribute configuration parameter determines the
type of VSS snapshot that is created.
• Unspecified: Uses the default snapshot type of the VSS provider.
• Differential: Uses a copy-on-write type of snapshot.
• Plex: Uses a clone snapshot or mirror snapshot.

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 Creating a Hyper-V policy from the NetBackup Policies utility (2/2)
Hyper-V - Advanced Attributes - WMI

26

3. Virtual disk selection: Determines the kind of disks on the virtual machine that
are included in the backup. This parameter can reduce the size of the backup,
but should be used with care. The following options are intended only for the
virtual machines that have multiple virtual disks.
• Include all disks: This is the default option. It backs up all virtual disks
configured for the virtual machine.
• Exclude boot disk: The virtual machine's boot disk (for example the C drive)
is not included in the backup. Any other disks (such as D) are backed up.
Consider this option if you have other means of recreating the boot disk,
such as a virtual machine template for boot drives. A VM restored from this
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backup cannot start. Data files are available in the restored data disks.
• Exclude data disks: The virtual machine's data disks (for example the D
drive) are not included in the backup. Only the boot disk is backed up.
Consider this option only if you have a different policy that backs up the data
disks. When the virtual machine is restored from the backup, the virtual
machine data for the data disk may be missing or incomplete.
4. Existing snapshot handling: Determine the action that NetBackup should take if
it discovers a NetBackup snapshot before it has created a new snapshot for the
VM backup. Once the backup completes, NetBackup usually deletes this
snapshot.
• Abort if NetBackup snapshot(s) exist: If NetBackup previous created a
snapshot (checkpoint) for a WMI backup, NBU aborts the job for that VM
only.

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 5. Consistency level: This option determines whether or not the I/O on the virtual
machine is quiesced before NetBackup creates a snapshot.
• Application Consistent Then Crash Consistent: NetBackup makes two
attempts to quiesce I/O on the virtual machine for an application-consistent
snapshot. If both attempts fail to create an application-consistent snapshot,
NetBackup creates a crash-consistent snapshot and proceeds with the
backup.
• Application Consistent: This is the default option. I/O on the virtual machine
is quiesced before NetBackup creates the snapshot. Without quiescing file
activity, data consistency in the snapshot cannot be guaranteed.
Note: If the virtual machine is in saved or paused state, it cannot be quiesced
and the backup job fails. You must use one of the other consistency level
options.
• Crash Consistent: The snapshot is created without quiescing I/O on the virtual
machine. In this case, you must perform your own analysis for data
consistency in the backed-up data. This option is not recommended. The data
captured in the snapshot may be incomplete.
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 Topic: Performing and Monitoring Hyper-V backups

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure Hyper-V backup
policies for a manual and automatic virtual machine selection, and explain
the various backup options.

28

This is the Performing and Monitoring Hyper-V backups topic.

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11-28 Not for Distribution.

 Backing up Hyper-V virtual machines

29

Virtual machine backups can be initiated from a NetBackup policy. You can start the
backup manually from a policy, or have it run automatically according to a schedule that
is defined in the policy. To back up a virtual machine manually from an existing policy:
1. In the NetBackup Administration Console, click Policies under NetBackup
Management, select the policy name, and either click Actions > Manual Backup or
right click the policy and select Manual backup. The Manual Backup dialog box is
displayed.
2. Select the schedule that is to be used for the backup.
3. Select the client (virtual machines) that need to be backed up, and then click OK to
initiate the backup.
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4. To view the progress of the backup job, click Activity Monitor in the NetBackup
Administration Console.

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 Limitations with Hyper-V backups

NetBackup for Hyper-V does not support the NetBackup Instant Recovery feature.
NetBackup for Hyper-V does not support VSS or WMI backup or restore of the vhdx files that are shared among
multiple VMs.
If the VM's virtual disk files reside in a volume or folder that is compressed, NetBackup cannot use the WMI
backup method to create a snapshot of the VM.
NetBackup for Hyper-V supports Windows NTFS file encryption and compression, for backup and restore. However,
it does not support NetBackup's compression or encryption options (in the NetBackup policy attributes).
NetBackup for Hyper-V does not support any type of compression or encryption for Linux or Unix guest OS,
whether they are set in NetBackup or in the guest OS

NetBackup for Hyper-V does not support any type of compression or encryption for Linux or Unix guest OS,
whether they are set in NetBackup or in the guest OS
If a policy is changed from manual selection to Intelligent policy (or vice versa), the next backup of the VM is a
regular full backup, even if a backup already exists for that VM.

30

The slide lists some limitations with Hyper-V backups. For more details visit, NetBackup
for Hyper-V notes and restrictions
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/21357025-127305010-
0/v16705445-127305010
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

11-30 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Performing Hyper-V restores

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure a restore job for a
standalone Hyper-V server.

31

This is the Performing Hyper-V restores topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

11-31 Not for Distribution.

 Initiating a Hyper-V restore

Start > Programs > Veritas NetBackup > Backup, Archive, and Restore.

32

Restores are initiated from the Backup, Archive and Restore interface. Backup, Archive,
and Restore is the interface to the NetBackup client software on a computer. NetBackup
lets you back up, archive, and restore files, folders or directories, and volumes or
partitions that reside on your computer. The computer that needs the backup or restore
is the client. The computer that manages the backup and retrieval of the data is the
server. The Backup, Archive, and Restore interface must be configured to work with your
system. A restore retrieves the selected items from the backup images on the server
and restores the selected items to your computer. When you start a restore operation,
the client software on your computer requests the data from the NetBackup server. The
server then sends the data to the client so it can be restored. The backup images remain
on the server. To start the Backup, Archive and Restore interface on Windows, click Start
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

> Programs > Veritas NetBackup > Backup, Archive, and Restore. In a Linux/UNIX
environment, start the interface using the command
/usr/openv/netbackup/bin/jbpSA &. In the Login dialog box, enter the name
of the client where you want to perform the backup, archive, or restore. Enter the
username and password, and then login. If the Administration Console is installed on a
Microsoft Windows system, you can run the Backup, Archive, and Restore interface
directly from the console. This interface lets you log into a NetBackup Windows or UNIX
client to perform user-directed operations on that client.

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 Selecting the Restore type

33

If the NetBackup Administration Console is used to access the Backup, Archive and
Restore interface, click Actions > Specify NetBackup Machines and Policy Type. In the
Server to use for backups and restores, select the master server that performed the
backups. Select the source and destination client for restores, and in the Policy type,
select Hyper-V.
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11-33 Not for Distribution.

 File and folder recovery of Hyper-V virtual machine

34

To recover individual files and folders from the backed up virtual machines, in the
Restore Type dropdown, select Normal Backups. This is possible if Enable File Recovery
from VM backup was enabled during the backup.
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 Full VM Recovery of Hyper-V virtual machine

35

For a Full VM recovery, in the Restore type dropdown, select Virtual Machine backups.
The Entire VM needs to be selected for the restore.
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 Full Hyper-V VM Recovery Options
Original location on
original Hyper-V server
Different location on original Hyper-V
server or different Hyper-V server
Restores the VM files to
staging location

Overwrite the VM if you

selected “Restore to
original Hyper-V server”
or “Restore to different
location on the
original/different Hyper-
V server”

36

The Restore Marked Files dialog box displays options on the basis of the backup
method: VSS or WMI.
Restore to original Hyper-V server: Restores the virtual machine to its original location
on the original Hyper-V server.
Restore to different location on the original or different Hyper-V server: Restores the
virtual machine to a different location on the original Hyper-V server, or restores it to a
different Hyper-V server.
Restore to staging location: Restores the virtual machine files to the staging location on
the server that you specify under Hyper-V server and Restore everything to different
directory. Use this option if:
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• You do not want to restore an entire virtual machine

• You do not want NetBackup to start the virtual machine after the restore
For instance, you can use this option to add restored files as a vhd volume or vhdx
volume to a virtual machine. The virtual machine must not be the one from which they
were backed up.
Overwrite virtual machine: (If you selected Restore to staging location, this option
is Overwrite existing files). If you selected Restore to Hyper-V server or Restore to
different locations on same / different Hyper-V server, note the following:

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 • If a virtual machine with the same GUID exists at the destination server, that virtual
machine is removed with its configuration files and snapshot files. Any existing vhd or
vhdx files for the virtual machine on the destination server are overwritten. The
virtual machine that you selected to restore is restored from the backup.
• If the Overwrite virtual machine option is not selected and a virtual machine with the
same GUID exists on the destination server, the restore fails.
• If the Overwrite virtual machine option is not selected and vhd or vhdx file(s) for the
virtual machine still exist on the destination: The vhd file(s) or vhdx file(s) from the
backup are not restored.
Hyper-V virtual machine GUID: Shows the Hyper-V GUID (globally unique identifier) of
the virtual machine that was backed up. Use this value to verify that this backup
represents the virtual machine that you want to restore. The GUID is a unique string for
a virtual machine in addition to the host name.In an SCVMM environment, the VM GUID
is referred to as the VM ID.
Retain original GUID: Keeps the original GUID for the restored virtual machine. To
generate a new GUID for the restored virtual machine, clear this option. This option
applies only to the virtual machines on Hyper-V Server 2016 (and later) that were
backed up with the WMI method. For restore to the original location (Restore to original
Hyper-V server), the Retain Original GUID option is selected and cannot be deselected.
NetBackup does not generate a new GUID if you select Restore to staging location.
Restore Destinations:
• HyperV server: If you chose to restore to the original location, the destination cannot
be changed. For other restore options, select the destination Hyper-V server for
restore.
• List of backed up files: Lists the Hyper-V virtual machine files as they existed when
the virtual machine was backed up. By default, all listed files are selected for restore.
If you do not want the restore to replace certain files on the current virtual machine
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on the destination server, deselect those files.

• Restore to the following staging directory: This field is disabled if you
selected Restore to original Hyper-V server. For restore to a different location or to a
staging location: Enter the path on the server or other computer that you specified
under Hyper-V server or Staging machine name. NetBackup creates the appropriate
subdirectories.
• Override default job priority: Determines the restore job's priority for restore
resources.
• Media Server: You can use this option to select a media server that has access to the
storage unit that contains the backup image.

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 Topic: Performing Hyper-V restores with the NetBackup
Add-in for SCVMM

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure a restore job in an
SCVMM environment.

38

This is the Performing Hyper-V restores with the NetBackup Add-in for SCVMM topic.
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11-38 Not for Distribution.

 Using the NetBackup Add-in for System Center Virtual Machine
Manager (SCVMM)

Use the plugin to:

• Recover the full VM to its original or alternate location.
• Monitor the progress of recovery jobs initiated by the add-in

39

You can use the NetBackup Add-in for Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine
Manager (SCVMM) to recover virtual machines from NetBackup backup images. You can
use the add-in to do the following in the SCVMM console:
• Recover the full virtual machine to its original location or to an alternate location.
• Monitor the progress of recovery jobs that the add-in initiated.
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11-39 Not for Distribution.

 Running the recovery wizard
VM selection

Select the VM identifier for the VM that needs to be restored

40

Select the VM identifier for the virtual machine that needs to be restored.
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11-40 Not for Distribution.

 Running the recovery wizard
Backup image selection

Select the backup image to restore the virtual machine from

41

Select the backup image to restore the virtual machine from. You can Select Another
Image to browse to other images of the selected virtual machine. The screen lists that
Virtual Machine Files in the selected image that will be restored.
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11-41 Not for Distribution.

 Running the recovery wizard
Restore options
Change the Hyper-V server and the restore location on the
selected Hyper-V server

42

You can change the Hyper-V server and change the Restore location on the selected
Hyper-V server. You can also choose to Overwrite existing virtual machine.
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11-42 Not for Distribution.

 Running the recovery wizard
Review Settings

Review settings

43

Review the restore settings and then click Recover.

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11-43 Not for Distribution.

 Checking the status of a recovery job

Currently running jobs show up under Running jobs

44

You can check the status of the recovery job by clicking on the Jobs workspace in the
left pane of the Virtual Machine Manager. Currently running jobs are displayed in the
Running screen, and the past jobs are displayed in the History screen.
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11-44 Not for Distribution.

 Listing recent recovery jobs

Past jobs show up under History

45

The History of all jobs that have run recently is displayed in the History screen.
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11-45 Not for Distribution.

 Lab 11: Protecting and Recovering Hyper-V Virtual Machines

• Exercise A: Configuring NetBackup communication with Hyper-V.

• Exercise B: Configuring a Hyper-V Intelligent Policy and backing up Hyper-V virtual
machines.
• Exercise C: Restoring individual files.
• Exercise D: Restoring the full Hyper-V machine.
• Exercise E: Performing Hyper-V backups and restores in an SCVMM environment.

46
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

11-46 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson summary

• Key points
– In this lesson, you learned how NetBackup works with Hyper-V for backups and restores.
– In addition, you learned how to configure backups and restores for a standalone Hyper-V server.
– Finally, you learned how to configure Hyper-V backups and restores in an SCVMM environment.
• Reference materials
– Veritas NetBackup™ for Hyper-V Administrator's Guide
– https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/21357025-127305010-0/v21357050-127305010
– Veritas NetBackup™ Add-in for Microsoft SCVMM Console Guide
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/95632425-127283718-0/v101157876-
127283718
– Veritas NetBackup™ Administrator's Guide, Volume I
– https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/doc/18716246-129889741-0/index

47

For more information about the topics discussed in this lesson, refer to the resources
listed on the slide and remember to check the Veritas Support Web site frequently.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

11-47 Not for Distribution.

 What did you learn?
You are about to be asked a series
of questions related to the current
lesson.

48

The next section is a quiz. In this quiz, you are asked a series of questions related to the
current lesson.
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11-48 Not for Distribution.

 Question 1: Introduction to NetBackup for Hyper-V
If you need to run block-level incremental and accelerator backups in Hyper-V, which
backup method should you use?

A. VSS
B. WMI

49
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11-49 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 1: Introduction to NetBackup for Hyper-V
If you need to run block-level incremental and accelerator backups in Hyper-V, which
backup method should you use?

A. VSS
B. WMI

The correct answer is B. With the WMI method, block-level incremental and Accelerator backups can be performed.

50
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11-50 Not for Distribution.

 Question 2: Configuring NetBackup policies for Hyper-V
How are virtual machines selected for backup in Hyper-V?

A. Manual selection.
B. Automatic selection through Hyper-V Intelligent Policy Query.
C. Enter VM names manually.
D. All machines on the Hyper-V server are backed up.
E. All machines that are powered on, on the Hyper-V server are backed up.

51
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11-51 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 2: Configuring NetBackup policies for Hyper-V
How are virtual machines selected for backup in Hyper-V?

A. Manual selection.
B. Automatic selection through Hyper-V Intelligent Policy Query.
C. Enter VM names manually.
D. All machines on the Hyper-V server are backed up.
E. All machines that are powered on, on the Hyper-V server are backed up.

The correct answer A and B. Machines can be either be selected manually or selected automatically on the basis of an
Intelligent query.

52
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11-52 Not for Distribution.

 Question 3: Configuring NetBackup policies for Hyper-V
What needs to be done to restore individual files and folders to a virtual machine in
Hyper-V? (Select two options that apply)

A. Enable file recovery for VM backup

B. Enable granular recovery technology
C. Enable application granular recovery technology.
D. Install the NetBackup client on the VM
E. Enable offline backups of non-VSS VMs.

53
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11-53 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 3: Configuring NetBackup policies for Hyper-V
What needs to be done to restore individual files and folders to a virtual machine in
Hyper-V? (Select two options that apply)

A. Enable file recovery for VM backup

B. Enable granular recovery technology
C. Enable application granular recovery technology.
D. Install the NetBackup client on the VM
E. Enable offline backups of non-VSS VMs.

The correct answer is A and D.

54
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11-54 Not for Distribution.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

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Not for Distribution.
 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage Lifecycle

Policies

© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Duplicating Backups Using Storage Lifecycle Policies lesson in the Veritas
NetBackup 8.2: Administration course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

12-1 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson introduction
• Lesson 0: Course Introduction • Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores
• Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup • Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V environment
• Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage • Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage
• Lesson 3: Configuring Policies Lifecycle Policies
• Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups • Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the
NetBackup Catalog
• Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores
• Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups
• Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools
• Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic
• Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
Information
• Lesson 8: Configuring and Managing Tape Storage
• Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

This lesson is the twelfth lesson in this course.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

12-2 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson objectives
Topic Objective
Backup duplication concepts Identify backup duplication concepts such as inline backups, manual
duplication, basic disk staging, and storage lifecycles.
Storage lifecycle policy concepts Describe configuration options for storage lifecycle policies.

Using storage lifecycle policies Create and initiate a storage lifecycle policy.

Additional Storage Lifecycle Policy Explain additional benefits and features of SLP, such as optimized
features and benefits duplication, Auto Image Replication, and Data Classification.

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

12-3 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Backup duplication concepts

After completing this topic, you will be able to identify backup duplication
concepts such as inline backups, manual duplication, basic disk staging, and
storage lifecycles.

This is the Backup duplication concepts topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

12-4 Not for Distribution.

 Duplication strategy: Duplicate after backup

• Provides additional copies of backup data.

• May enable organizations to meet their backup windows.
• Can be performed manually, or automated using various NetBackup features.

Client data
Onsite

Backup Duplicate

The default behavior of most backup applications is to configure a client backup to a

backup storage destination, which results in a backup image. Although this provides the
ability to perform a restore, what happens when that backup image is unavailable, or
destroyed, or corrupt?
Duplicating backup images allows for redundancy and for other restore requirements to
be met. There are a number of duplication strategies available.
One of the simplest and oldest strategies is to duplicate images that have already been
created. This is the traditional solution when you are faced with a tight backup window.
Backup images are created during the backup window, and the duplication is performed
at a later time. Because there is no impact to the clients for duplication, the duplication
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

was traditionally performed during business hours when the tape drives were idle. This
may be a solution if your environment has strict windows during which backups need to
complete.

12-5 Not for Distribution.

 Duplication strategy: Multiple inline copies

• May enable organizations to meet their backup windows.

• Up to four copies can be created in parallel, using multiple tapes or disks.
• Tape copies can be immediately vaulted offsite.
• The speed of the backup is driven by the slowest media.

Client data
Onsite

Backup

Multiple inline copies refers to creating simultaneous backup images at the time of the
backup. This strategy is very efficient because data from the client to the media server
only travels across the backup infrastructure once. This strategy also provides excellent
data protection because copies may be sent offsite immediately after the backup has
completed. The disadvantages of this strategy is that it requires additional resources
during backup time, and the overall backup speed is equal to that of the slowest media
to which data is being written. Also, features are restricted based on the lowest level of
the backup destination. For example, you cannot run a Granular Restore Technology
(GRT) based backup, which normally requires a disk destination, to both disk and tape.
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12-6 Not for Distribution.

 Duplication strategy: Vaulting tapes

• Ensures data is available in case of site failure.

• Can be managed manually, or with automated features.
• May require physically moving the media.

Client data
Onsite Offsite

Backup Duplicate Vault

Vaulting generally refers to the movement of long term storage, normally tapes, to an
off-site location, or vault. The vault provides a level of site-redundancy, so that even if
there is a primary site failure, all the backup data can be restored from the secondary
site. In some cases, the backup software may assist with this process. In other cases,
ejecting tapes and managing tape rotation must be performed manually by the
administrator.
Traditionally, the term “vaulting” referred to the process of moving tapes offsite,
implying that the target location was similar to a protected, physical vault. In modern
parlance, “vaulting” refers to the process of getting backup images to an offsite location
that provides redundancy from primary site failure. In cases where this data is disk-
based, it normally involves sending the data through the network, and may not involve
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

physically moving tapes.

12-7 Not for Distribution.

 Duplication strategy: Optimized duplication and replication

• Duplication refers to copying an image within a NetBackup domain.

• Replication refers to copying an image across NetBackup domains.
• Optimized duplication:
– Performed between supported vendor storage.
– Copies an image directly between storage servers.
– Uses the underlying storage features to minimize bandwidth use.
– Used during duplication and replication jobs.
Can use
Uses
Client data optimized
optimized
Onsite duplication
duplication Offsite

Backup Duplicate Replicate

In NetBackup, replication is copying data from one storage location to another, between
different NetBackup domains. Note that different backup and storage vendors may use
the term replication in different ways, which may or may not match the NetBackup
definition. Optimized duplication is NetBackup’s ability to take advantage of features
within the disk appliance to:
• Copy an image between appliances without sending data through a separate media
server.
• Reduce workload on the NetBackup media servers, which allows more backups to
be performed.
• Perform duplication faster, in the background, simultaneously with ongoing backup
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

jobs.
• Used during duplication and replication jobs.
Optimized duplication takes advantage of NetBackup Open Storage Technology (OST) to
use the features available in the disk appliance to optimize the duplication or
replication. One of the main restrictions of optimized duplication is that the source and
target disk appliances need to support each other. In most cases, this means that the
technologies must be identical.

12-8 Not for Distribution.

 Duplication strategy: Combined approach

• Combine multiple features to meet service level agreement (SLA) and redundancy
requirements:
– Inline copies, duplications, and staging for onsite redundancy.
– Replication to remote sites for offsite redundancy.
– Duplication at remote site to provide vaulting without shipping tapes.
• NetBackup Storage Lifecycle Policies (SLP) are built to easily support a consolidated
approach.
Client data
Onsite Offsite
Vault
Backup

Replicate Duplicate

For many environments, choosing a combination of strategies is the best way to meet
service level agreements and redundancy requirements. NetBackup storage lifecycle
policies help to automate and provide flexibility in designing a disaster recovery strategy
for backup data that facilitates a combined approach. SLPs also support additional
NetBackup functionality, such as Replication Director and Auto Image Replication, and
can automate tape duplication on remote sites to avoid manually vaulting tapes. These
features are discussed elsewhere in this lesson.
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12-9 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup duplication features
Manual • Performed in Administration Console or bpduplicate command.
duplications • Requires manual or scripted execution.

Traditional • Configured in policy’s Schedule window.

inline copies • Only provides copy at time of backup.

Basic disk • Configured in BasicDisk storage units only.

staging (DSSU) • Has limited configurability and scheduling.

NetBackup • Able to schedule duplications.

Vault • No support for replication, third-party snapshots, Data Classification.

Storage • Performs inline copies and immediate or scheduled duplication.

Lifecycle • Supports replication, some third-party snapshots, and Data Classification.
Policies • Supports all storage destinations except BasicDisk.

10

NetBackup has a number of features that support duplicating backups, many which
were introduced in different versions of the product. Some general strategies include:
• Manual duplications are performed in the NetBackup Administration Console or
with the bpduplicate command. Although this normally requires manual work, in
some cases a third-party scheduler can be used to automate these functions.
• Traditional inline copies are configured in the backup policy’s Schedule window.
This allows up to four simultaneous copies of a backup to be performed.
• Basic disk staging storage units (DSSU) provides a method to initially send backup
images to a disk and then later (as specified in the disk staging schedule) copy the
images to another media type. It provides little configurability, and the same backup
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

destination folder, schedule, and retention are used for all duplication jobs.
• NetBackup Vault provides functionality for automated duplication of backups, and
ejecting of tapes, but does not support more sophisticated features such as inter-
domain replication, third-party snapshots, or NetBackup Data Classification.
• Storage Lifecycle Policies combine duplication features in one consolidated view
that provides inline copies, immediate or scheduled duplications, intra- or inter-
domain replication, support of some third-party snapshot technologies, and support
for NetBackup’s Data Classification feature. The only limitation with SLPs is that they
do not support BasicDisk storage units. SLPs are the focus of this lesson.

12-10 Not for Distribution.

 Promoting a copy to a primary copy

2
1

bpchangeprimary
bpduplicate –npc primary_copy –backupid backup_id

11

One backup in the NetBackup catalog is assigned as the primary copy. NetBackup uses
the primary copy to satisfy restore requests from the GUI. When using the command
line, it is possible to specify the copy to use. Normally, the first backup image created
successfully for a specific backup job is the primary copy. If the primary copy expires
first, the second copy is automatically promoted to become the primary copy. If the
primary copy is unavailable and you have created a duplicate copy of that backup, select
a copy of the backup and set it to be the primary copy. Setting a backup to be the
primary copy is a function of the image catalog only; it is not a function of the media. To
promote a backup copy to a primary copy:
1. In the object tree pane of the NetBackup Administration Console, select NetBackup
Management > Catalog.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

2. Set up the search criteria for the image that you want to promote to be a primary
copy. Note: When specifying your search criteria, ensure that you indicate a copy in
the Copies field and not Primary Copy.
3. Click Search Now.
4. Right-click the image that you want to promote and select Set Primary Copy from
the shortcut menu.

12-11 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Storage lifecycle policy concepts

After completing this topic, you will be able to describe configuration

options for storage lifecycle policies.

12

This is the Storage lifecycle policy concepts topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

12-12 Not for Distribution.

 What is a storage lifecycle policy?
AA
policy
storage
canlifecycle
be sent to
policy
a storage
is an automated,
unit backupreusable
destination,
backup
but storage
is limited
planinbased
how backup
on the business
copies are
value
duplicated.
of the data.

Who? What?
When? How?
Where? = Backups + Duplicates

Backup Storage
Storage unit Back up to tape, Duplicate to tape, retain 6
policy 1 1 1
lifecycle retain 1 month months

Backup
policy 2 Back up to disk, Duplicate to:
Storage
Storage unit
retain until • Disk, retain 2 months
2 2
lifecycle
Backup duplicated • Tape, retain 1 year
policy 3

Also called SLP, storage lifecycles, or lifecycles

13

A storage lifecycle policy is an automated, reusable backup storage plan. Combined with
features inherent in storage units, and additional features such as Data Classification
with AdvancedDisk storage, SLPs allow for greater control in basing your backup strategy
on the business value of the data. Storage lifecycle policies can also be called SLPs,
storage lifecycles, or lifecycles.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

12-13 Not for Distribution.

 Storage lifecycle benefits and characteristics
Reduced administration
• Automated inline copies, duplications, and replications.
• Managed disk capacity and supports the Data Classification feature.

Reduced risk
• Automated duplication job restarts after failures.
• Less opportunity for administrative errors.
• Data does not expire until copy is successfully created.

More configurability
• Additional staging locations: All except for basic disk.
• Additional retentions: Fixed, capacity managed, staged, and expire after copy.

14

Storage lifecycles policies (SLPs) enable you to create a storage plan for similar types of
data. After an SLP is created and configured, it can be used as often as it is needed. This
reduces administration errors. SLPs also provide a single place to view the storage plan.
Prior to SLPs, administrators needed to look in several places to view similar
information. Using an SLP guarantees that all destinations in the lifecycle are written.
The destinations are retried as necessary until the SLP is satisfied or until the backup or
duplication is cancelled by the administrator. SLP images that have not been successfully
written do not expire, even if they have passed their retention, until all destinations
have been satisfied.
Using SLPs, you can now write the primary copy of the (temporary) staged image to all
supported disk types (except basic disk), including tapes and virtual tape libraries (VTL).
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Additionally, each lifecycle destination can have its own retention. SLPs have the
following characteristics:
• Destinations: The location where the backup or duplication copy is sent.
• Destination type: This can be a backup, duplication, replication, snapshot, and
import, depending on the function that is desired.
• Retention type: Each destination in the lifecycle can be configured for a unique
retention and retention type (Fixed retention, Staged capacity managed, or Expire
after copy). Retention types are described in more detail elsewhere in this lesson.

12-14 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Using storage lifecycle policies

After completing this topic, you will be able to create and initiate a storage
lifecycle policy.

15

This is the Using storage lifecycle policies topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

12-15 Not for Distribution.

 Prerequisites to creating a storage lifecycle
1
Design a data • Do not overlap backup images between SLPs and other NetBackup duplication
protection features.
strategy • Avoid mixing capacity-managed and fixed retention images on disk volumes.
2
Configure
physical Such as tape libraries, tape drives, tapes, and disks.
resources
3
Configure logical Such as volume pools, disk pools, storage servers,
resources storage units and storage unit groups.

4
Configure any
relevant host Such as data classifications.
properties

16

The slide displays tasks that must be performed before you create storage lifecycles.
1. Design a data protection strategy. Consider these best practices:
• Do not write capacity-managed images and fixed-retention images to the same
volume in a disk storage unit. The volume may fill with fixed-retention images
and not allow the space management logic to operate as expected.

• Do not write images to a volume in a disk storage unit within a lifecycle and to
the same volume (by the storage unit) directly from a policy.

• Mark all disk storage units that are used with lifecycles as On demand only.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Check any storage unit groups to ensure that fixed and capacity-managed
images cannot be written to the same volume in a disk storage unit.
2. Ensure that all physical resources have been recognized by the OS and configured in
NetBackup, including robots, tape drives, tapes, and disks.
3. Create and configure all of the logical resources, including volume pools, disk pools,
storage servers, storage units, storage unit groups, and server groups.
4. Configure the Maximum backup copies (only required in versions prior to
NetBackup 7.6.1) and Data Classification master server host properties before
creating storage lifecycles.

12-16 Not for Distribution.

 Creating a new storage lifecycle policy

17

To create a storage lifecycle policy, in the NetBackup Administration console, expand

NetBackup Management > Storage. Right-click Storage Lifecycle Policies and select
New Storage Lifecycle Policy. The New Storage Lifecycle Policy dialog box is displayed.
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12-17 Not for Distribution.

 The New Storage Lifecycle Policy dialog box

18

Complete the New Storage Lifecycle Policy by specifying the following and then click
Add:
Storage lifecycle policy name: Type the lifecycle name.
• Duplication job priority: Select the priority that the duplication jobs in the lifecycle
has in relationship to all other jobs. The range is: 0 (default) to 99999 (highest
priority).
• Data classification: Select the data classification for the storage lifecycle. The default
is No data classification.
Note: The data classification of the backup policy and the storage lifecycle must
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

match. Storage lifecycles of different classifications are not available as backup

destinations in the policy.
The New Operation dialog box is displayed. The options available in the dialog box
depend upon the type of operation (backup, snapshot, import, duplication, and so on)
and the type of storage unit (tape or disk). Many of these operation types are
introduced in this lesson.

12-18 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring backup storage operations (1/2)
Tape

• Fixed: Guarantees image retention

• Expire after copy retention: Expires
image after duplication completes

Disk

Volume pool and

Media owner are only
available for tape.

Capacity managed: Expires image based

on space availability (AdvancedDisk only)

19

The following are the options for backup storage operations:

• Volume pool: Select the volume pool for the backup (tape only).
• Media Owner: If you have server groups configured for media sharing, you can
select a server group as the media owner (tape only).
• Retention Type: Select one retention type.
• Fixed: A fixed retention is the only guaranteed retention. At least one backup or
duplication in the lifecycle must have a fixed retention period.
• Expire after copy: Select this retention type to have this backup expire after the
duplication has finished.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Capacity managed (AdvancedDisk only): Select this retention type to enable

NetBackup to manage the space on the disk. This retention type is used in
conjunction with data classifications. The Desired cache period is the desired
time for the backup image to remain on the disk.

12-19 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring backup storage operations (2/2)

20

Note: To add a Duplication operation, a Backup operation in the Storage Lifecycle Policy
dialog box needs to be selected prior to clicking the Add button.
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12-20 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring duplication storage operations

• Scheduled automatically after

backup jobs complete successfully
• Window tab allows customized
duplication start windows

Snapshot and Replication operation

types are discussed in the NetBackup:
Advanced Administration course.

21

The following are the options specific to duplication operations:

• Source storage: Shows the storage device where the backup was sent, from which
this duplication makes its copy.
• Alternate read server: This field specifies the name of the server that is enabled to
read a backup image that was originally written by a different media server. This
option is available for Duplication operations only.
• Preserve Multiplexing: The original backup storage destination may have used
multiplexing to interleave multiple backup streams for improved backup
performance. If this is the case, by default a duplication does not preserve that
multiplexing, and instead copies the backup image pieces one after another to
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

create a complete backup image for the new backup image copy. Select this
checkbox to preserve the multiplexed image.
Note: To add a Duplication operation, a Backup operation in the Storage Lifecycle Policy
dialog box needs to be selected prior to clicking the Add button.

12-21 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring duplication windows
Default_24x7_Window allows
duplications to run as soon as
backups complete

Customized windows
allow for start windows
and exclude dates

22

Secondary operation windows allows the administrator to restrict when duplication

jobs, and other secondary operations, are allowed to start. Secondary operation
windows were introduced in NetBackup 7.6. Prior versions of NetBackup started
duplications only after the initial backups completed. This behavior is still the default
behavior when using the Default_24x7_Window. The following are the options for
duplication, snapshot, and replication storage operations:
• Select from saved windows: Allows you to use an existing, defined SLP window. The
default window shown is Default_24x7_Window, which allows duplications to occur
anytime. This has the effect of duplicating a backup soon after the original backup
completes.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Create new: Allows a new SLP window to be created within the New Operation
dialog box.
• Start Window: Similar to policy schedule windows, this defines the time during
which duplication jobs are allowed to start.
• Exclude Dates: Provides the capability to exclude specific days during which
duplications do not run.

12-22 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring duplication hierarchy

• Backups run first, as inline copies.

• Duplications are scheduled using the backup copy to
which they are assigned in the hierarchy.
• Multiple levels of duplication hierarchy can be configured.

Buttons enable the administrator to

customize the hierarchy.

23

A hierarchical duplication destination is a duplication destination that uses a specific

source for duplication. It is always indented under a backup destination or another
duplication destination. A hierarchical duplication destination can have siblings that
duplicate based off of the same Backup operation. The source (or parent) for a
hierarchical destination is the destination that appears above the destination in the
hierarchy. The source can be a backup or a duplication destination.
If a hierarchical duplication destination has children, it serves as the source for the
children. Non-hierarchical duplication destinations no longer exist in current versions of
NetBackup, however earlier releases allowed you to specify a Duplication which did not
have a strictly defined parent. In these cases, a parent backup was chosen for you, as
any backup that is marked as the primary copy can provide the source for a non-
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

hierarchical duplication destination.

12-23 Not for Distribution.

 SLP restrictions
• SLP inline copies:
– Limited to four Backup operations.
– All Backup operations must go to the same media server.
– Multiple copies (traditional inline copies) setting on a policy schedule cannot be selected when using
SLPs:

• SLP versions:
– Allow SLPs to be modified safely any time.
– Tagged within a running job (and viewed using nbstl command).
Already running jobs continue to use the corresponding SLP version.
– Cleaned up per SLP Parameters host properties, when no longer used.

24

This slide discusses some SLP restrictions and additional information. Inline copies is the
process of writing a backup to multiple locations simultaneously. There is a limit of four
Backup storage destinations per storage lifecycle. NetBackup will not allow you to save
the SLP if it has more than four backup storage destinations. Similarly, all backup copies
must be directed to storage units on the same media server. The storage units may be
different, as long as they are on the same media server. If a storage lifecycle has more
than one backup destination configured, the multiple copies option is no longer needed,
and is therefore disabled in the policy schedule.
The ability to create SLP versions lets administrators safely modify a definition without
waiting until all of the copies that are associated with the SLP have been processed.
Each copy that an SLP manages is tagged with the SLP name and the SLP version
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

number. These two attributes are written into the image header, in the NetBackup
image catalog. Whenever an administrator creates or changes an SLP, NetBackup
creates a new version (between 0 and n). New jobs use the most recent SLP version.
When a new job is submitted, it is tagged with the most recent SLP version number. The
processing of a copy that is associated with a version remains fixed according to that
version of the SLP definition. It is fixed at job time and does not change, unless the
administrator uses the nbstl command to modify an existing version. Old, unused SLP
versions are cleanup up according to master server host properties > SLP Parameters.

12-24 Not for Distribution.

 Example SLP scenario

(1 month)
master_msdp_stu
NetBackup master
Client data / media server
Backup

Backup Duplicate

master_advdisk_stu master_tape_stu
(Expire after copy) (3 months)

25

This slide illustrates a scenario in which a storage lifecycle policy is used. The following
steps describe the scenario:
1. Perform a backup of a client. In this scenario the backup image is written to an
AdvancedDisk storage unit, master_advdisk_stu. The backup image created on
master_advdisk_stu has an expire after copy retention.
2. Simultaneously, another copy of the backup image is written to the deduplication
storage master_msdp_stu. The retention of the backup image created there is 1
month.
3. After the backup job completes, the SLP causes a duplication of the backup image
that resides on master_advdisk_stu. This duplicate copy is written to a Media
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Manager storage unit, master_tape_stu, and has an assigned retention of 3 months.

Note: After the duplication job has run and the copy is created on tape, the source copy
for the backup, which resides on master_advdisk_stu is deleted.

12-25 Not for Distribution.

 SLP scenario description
• Backup policy which uses Policy storage: Lab12_SLP1_test.
• SLP contains:
– Backup: master_msdp_stu, fixed retention of 1 month
– Backup: master_advdisk_stu, expire after copy
– Duplication: master_tape_stu, fixed retention of 3 months,
performed during Business_Hours SLP window.

26

To configure the scenario, the LAB12-console-test-slp1 backup policy uses the LAB12-
SLP1_test lifecycle policy storage. The LAB12-SLP1_test policy storage contains the
following destinations:
• A backup goes to the master_msdp_stu storage unit, with a fixed retention of 1
month.
• A backup goes to the master_advdisk_stu storage unit, with retention set to expire
after copy.
• A duplicate goes to the master_tape_stu storage unit, with a fixed retention of 3
months.
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12-26 Not for Distribution.

 SLP scenario: Monitoring jobs in the Activity Monitor

177. Parent for both backup jobs: Requests all Backup operation resources
178. Primary backup job: Writes to primary Backup operation
179. Inline copy backup job: Writes to second Backup operation
180. Duplication job scheduled by SLP:
– Requests primary Backup and Duplication operation resources
– Even though the lifecycle policy name is Lab12_SLP1_test, the prefix “SLP_” always precedes it in the Job
Policy shown in the Activity Monitor.
– Job Schedule is the SLP window: Business_Hours.
181. Image cleanup: Removes any backups with retention Expire after copy

27

When LAB12-console-test-slp1 runs, the jobs shown in the slide are initiated.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

12-27 Not for Distribution.

 Viewing SLP details using nbstl -L
nbstl -L

28

This slide shows a storage lifecycle policy in the NetBackup Administration Console, with
the corresponding output from the nbstl –L command. You can see from the output of
nbstl on this slide that the Backup operations have a Source listed of the client
directly. The Duplication operation’s source shows the operation from which it is to be
duplicated, based on the SLP hierarchy (in this case, Operation 1, the backup to
AdvancedDisk).
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12-28 Not for Distribution.

 Customizing SLP Parameters

• Use SLP Parameters host properties to customize how the NetBackup

Storage Lifecycle Manager (nbstserv) manages SLP-related jobs.
• The values shown are the default values in NetBackup 8.2.

29

NetBackup allows customization of SLP behavior by modifying SLP Parameters, found

under the master server’s host properties in the NetBackup Administration Console.
Prior to NetBackup 7.7, a file called LIFECYCLE_PARAMETERS was used to store
these values. Some popular duplication parameters, which are highlighted on the slide,
include:
• Image processing interval indicates how frequently NetBackup looks for completed
backups and decides whether to start a duplication session. Default: 5 minutes.
Minimum: 1 minute.
• Extended image retry interval indicates, after the initial three retries, how long
NetBackup waits before an image copy is added to the next duplication job. Default:
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

2 hours. Minimum: 1 hour.

• Minimum size per duplication job indicates the size that the batch of images should
reach before one duplication job is run for the entire batch. The SLP only requests a
duplication job when this size is met, or until the Force interval for small job time
has passed. Default: 8 GB.
• Maximum size per duplication job determines how large the batch of images is
allowed to grow before no more images are added to the batch. Default: 100 GB.
• Force interval for small job - If the minimum batch size is not reached by the time
indicated, the SLP requests a duplication job regardless. Default: 30 minutes.

12-29 Not for Distribution.

 Managing SLPs with nbstlutil
If you want to … Then type ….
nbstlutil cancel
Cancel storage lifecycle –lifecycle name –destination name
operations* or
-backupid image_id_value
nbstlutil inactive
Deactivate lifecycle operations –lifecycle name –destination name
(suspend) or
-backupid image_id_value
nbstlutil active
Activate lifecycle operations –lifecycle name –destination name
(resume) or
-backupid image_id_value
nbstlutil list –U
–lifecycle name –destination name
List lifecycle operations –client name –mediaid value
-mediaserver name –storageserver name

* Caution: Will prevent dependent lifecycles, which may result in loss of backup copies.

30

Use the nbstlutil command to view and manage the duplication automation in
storage lifecycles. The slide shows some of the options that can be used with this
command:
• cancel: Cancels pending lifecycle operations on selected image copies. When you
cancel a specific destination, you also cancel the pending operations at destinations
that depend on the source copy from that destination. These images will not later
be considered for duplication by the lifecycle.
• inactive: Deactivates future lifecycle operations on the image copies, but retains
the image information so that processing can resume (similar to a suspend
function).
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• active: Activates the lifecycle operations on selected image copies (similar to a

resume function).
• list: Displays the contents of an image list from the NetBackup database
(primarily used as a debugging tool to assist in troubleshooting problems).
• stlilist: Displays the status for incomplete copies of lifecycle managed images.
• diskspaceinfo: Reports the space that is used by all disk volumes, or only the
disk volumes that are used by the specified type.
For more information on the nbstlutil command functions and options, see the
NetBackup Commands Reference Guide.

12-30 Not for Distribution.

 Reporting on SLPs in OpsCenter

31

OpsCenter has two very useful storage lifecycle policy reports:

• SLP Status: This report provides an overall summary of the SLP status and allows you
to monitor the SLP progress by master server.
• SLP Backlog: This report illustrates what the SLP backlog looks like against the image
creation volume, including in a tabular form.
An example SLP Backlog report is shown on the slide. Backlogs occur frequently and can
be normal, however they may need to be managed to keep the SLP environment from
getting too far behind. In this example, the SLPs have not been processing the images;
therefore, the backlog has built up to the point where the Created Images equal the
Unfinished Images, showing that a large backlog exists.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Data for the SLP Backlog report is not real time, and is collected from the OpsCenter
database on a periodic basis. Because SLP processing generally takes hours, this typically
does not impact the report’s effectiveness. Most backlogs in a properly sized
environment are resolved eventually, so minute-by-minute monitoring is not a good
indication of general backlog issues. Consistent or growing backlog over the span of
days and weeks indicates that either too much data is in the SLP process, or that there is
not enough infrastructure to handle the amount of information.

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 Additional Storage Lifecycle Policy features and benefits

After completing this topic, you will be able to explain additional benefits
and features of SLP, such as optimized duplication, Auto Image Replication,
and Data Classification.

32

This is the Additional Storage Lifecycle Policy features and benefits topic.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

12-32 Not for Distribution.

 Additional Storage Lifecycle Policy features and benefits

• Copies a backup image efficiently between supported storage.

Optimized
• Uses the underlying storage features to minimize bandwidth.
duplication
• Used during duplication and replication jobs.

• Replicates backups from one NetBackup domain to another

Auto Image
• Uses minimal bandwidth with optimized duplication
Replication
• Supports many-to-one and one-to-many configurations

• Manages capacity on AdvancedDisk storage units with SLPs

Data
• Used when the business value of different backup data varies
Classification
• Configured in both the backup policy and the SLP

33

The use of storage lifecycle policies (SLPs) also provide a number of other features and
benefits:
• Optimized duplication is NetBackup’s ability to take advantage of features within the
underlying storage or software to efficiently copy a backup image without having to
send all the image data, reducing the workload on the NetBackup media servers.
Optimized duplication relies on the source and target storage supporting each other,
which in most cases means the technologies must be identical. Although it can be
used in SLPs, it is also supported with other duplication features, such as the
NetBackup bpduplicate command.
• Auto Image Replication is a function of NetBackup SLPs which allow the replication
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

of backup images from one NetBackup domain to another. This feature takes
advantage of optimized duplication to use minimal bandwidth. Note that different
backup and storage vendors may use the term replication in different ways, which
may or may not match the NetBackup definition.
• Data Classification is an optional ranking that can be assigned to backup data
according to its business value or importance, relative to other backup data. Data
classification is defined in the master server host properties, as well as optionally
used in a backup policy. For more details, refer to the NetBackup Administrator’s
Guide.

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 Understanding optimized duplication: Ensure prerequisites are
met
• Both the source and the destination disk pools must be the same OpenStorage vendor
type.
– Refer to the OpenStorage section of the NetBackup Hardware Compatibility List.
– Refer to the OST-supported disk vendor for other restrictions.
• Requires a media server that is credentialed to both the source storage server and the
destination storage server.
– The media server initiates, monitors, and verifies the duplication operation.
– All data movement is done by the source or destination storage server.
– A NetBackup appliance can function as both media server and storage server.

Ensure prerequisites Use a supported Modify optimized

are met duplication method duplication behavior

34

To understand optimized duplication and how to configure it, you need to understand
the prerequisites, how to perform optimized duplication, and how to control its
behavior. These issues are discussed on the following slides. Ensure that the following
prerequisites are met:
• For most disk appliance types, the source and destination must be identical.
• For OpenStorage vendors that support optimized duplication, refer to the OST
supported vendor for their hardware and version restrictions.
• To configure optimized duplication, one or more media servers must have credentials
to both the source and destination storage. This could be either the source or target
MSDP storage server, or a media server that is separate from both disk storage
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

appliances. The role of this media server is to initiate, monitor, and then finally verify
the copy operation.

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 Understanding optimized duplication: Use a supported duplication
method
• For single duplication copy, use a supported duplication method:
– Storage lifecycle policy (SLP)
– NetBackup Vault policy
– The bpduplicate command
• For multiple duplication copies:
– SLP creates:
• Separate optimized duplication jobs for each supported destination.
• Separate normal duplication jobs for unsupported destinations.
– Other duplication methods use normal duplication for all destinations.

Ensure prerequisites Use a supported Modify optimized

are met duplication method duplication behavior

35

To use optimized duplication, simply duplicate using a supported source and target
destination, using any of these duplication methods:
• A storage lifecycle policy (SLP)
• A NetBackup Vault policy
• The bpduplicate command
Because optimized duplication is used by default when the prerequisites are met, no
other specific configuration needs to be performed. When deciding to duplicate to
multiple destinations, the behavior depends on the duplication method:
• Storage lifecycle policies: In the case of SLPs, multiple optimized duplication jobs are
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

supported, as long as the multiple target storage locations support optimized

duplication from the source storage. A separate job is created for each of these jobs.
• Other duplication methods: With other duplication types, multiple, simultaneous
optimized duplications are not supported, and normal duplication are used for all
destinations.

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 Understanding optimized duplication: Modify optimized
duplication behavior
• Optimized duplication failover
– NetBackup does not re-run failed optimized duplication jobs as normal duplication jobs, by default.
– Duplicate to non-deduplication storage unit when optimized duplication fails.
• Number of optimized duplication attempts
– Unlimited when optimized duplication triggered by SLP.
– Default retries when triggered by Vault or bpduplicate: 3 attempts.
• Storage lifecycle policy retry wait period
– NetBackup waits in between SLP job attempts.
– Default wait period: 2 hours

Ensure prerequisites Use a supported Modify optimized

are met duplication method duplication behavior

36

Settings exist to customize optimized duplication behavior. By default, NetBackup does

not try to rerun failed optimized duplication jobs as standard duplication jobs. You can
configure NetBackup to run standard duplication when optimized duplication fails by
setting the following value either in the NetBackup bp.conf file on UNIX, or with the
bpsetconfig command on UNIX and Windows:
RESUME_ORIG_DUP_ON_OPT_DUP_FAIL = TRUE
To configure the number of duplication attempts, create a file named
OPT_DUP_BUSY_RETRY_LIMIT that contains an integer that contains an integer
that specifies the number of times to retry the job before NetBackup fails the job (the
default is 3). Place the file on the master server in the following directory:
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• UNIX: /usr/openv/netbackup/db/config
• Windows: install_path\NetBackup\db\config
To configure the storage lifecycle policy wait period (the default wait period between
retries is 2 hours), modify the IMAGE_EXTENDED_RETRY_PERIOD_IN_HOURS SLP
parameter in the master server host properties.

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 Understanding Auto Image Replication

• Replicates backups from one NetBackup domain to another, between supported

hardware vendors and between MSDP disk pools.
• Managed using Storage Lifecycle Policies (SLPs).
• Uses minimal bandwidth with optimized duplication.
• Supports simple one-to-one, many-to-one and one-to-many replication configurations.
• Provides ability to vault backups without shipping physical tapes.
• Refer to the NetBackup Administrator’s Guide and the NetBackup: Advanced
Administration course.

37

Introduced in NetBackup 7.1, Auto Image Replication enables the replication of backup
images from one NetBackup domain to another. This feature is enabled by using Storage
Lifecycle Policies, or SLPs, with OpenStorage Technology (OST) based storage. Supported
storage includes NetBackup deduplication, such as Media Server Deduplication Pools
(MSDP) and NetBackup appliances, as well as storage vendors that support and are
qualified for OST.
Auto Image Replication uses Optimized Duplication, which allows NetBackup to
minimize the use of wide area network (WAN) bandwidth that is normally at a premium
between sites. Only new, unique data is transferred between sites. After an image is
duplicated to the target domain, standard duplication copies that backup image to tape.
In this way, a vaulted copy of the backup is created without having to ship tapes. Auto
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Image Replication supports various disaster recovery models, including simple one-to-
one, many-to-one and one-to-many replication. Targeted Auto Image Replication allows
selective replication of images. Refer to the NetBackup Administrator’s Guide, or the
NetBackup: Advanced Administration course.

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 How Auto Image Replication works

1. A backup image is created on the source domain.

2. The image is replicated to the target domain.
3. The image is quickly imported into the target domain.
4. There can be additional, optional duplications and replications.

Source domain * Replication Target domain *

Duplication
Image Image Image

Client Master/ OST-based OST-based Master/

media storage storage media

* The use of the term “domain” in this topic refers to NetBackup domains.

38

Auto Image Replication involves the following:

1. Run and create a backup image in the source domain.
2. Replicate the backup image to the target domain, generally using a method called
optimized duplication, which is supported with NetBackup deduplication and with
OpenStorage vendors, and takes advantage of the replication features in these
products. This process involves storing the backup image with the backup metadata
so that the import process on the target domain is performed quickly.
3. After the backup image, which includes the backup metadata, has been duplicated
to the target domain, the target master server imports the metadata. Because the
metadata can be easily and quickly imported, this is referred to as a fast import. This
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

is much preferred to the traditional, much slower method of having to re-catalog the
entire backup image.
4. Optionally, additional duplication jobs can be configured. These can be duplications
to local storage, or additional replication jobs.
5. Also, this image replication works in reverse manner (as well). Using Auto Image
Replication you can replicate this image from target domain to the source domain.

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 Storage lifecycle reporting tools

Type of Information Administration Console Command Line OpsCenter

Data classifications Host Properties > Master nbdc -L
Servers

Storage lifecycles Storage > Storage Lifecycle nbstl -L Manage > Storage >
Policies Storage Lifecycle Policy

List storage lifecycle nbstlutil list

operations

39

The table on this slide summarizes how storage lifecycle information can be displayed
using the NetBackup Administration Console, NetBackup commands, and OpsCenter.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

12-39 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson summary
• Key points
– You learned to identify the duplication backup types, including inline, manual duplication, basic disk staging,
and storage lifecycle policies.
– You also learned how to configuration options for storage lifecycle policies and create a storage lifecycle
policy.
• Reference materials
– NetBackup Administrator’s Guide, Volume I and Volume II
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/18716246-136359033-0/index
– NetBackup Commands Reference Guide
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/15263389-133604923-0/index
– NetBackup Troubleshooting Guide
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/15179611-136359166-0/v15093591-136359166
– NetBackup Vault Administrator’s Guide
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/15883112-127663909-0/v15883298-127663909
– Article 100006475: Storage Lifecycle Policy (SLP) Cheat Sheet
– Veritas Support​
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US.html

40

For more information about the topics discussed in this lesson, refer to the resources
listed on the slide and remember to check the Veritas Support web site frequently.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

12-40 Not for Distribution.

 Lab 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage Lifecycle Policies
• Exercise A: Configuring a Storage Lifecycle Policy
• Exercise B: Configuring a NetBackup policy to use a Storage Lifecycle Policy
• Exercise C: Modifying SLP Host Properties
• Exercise D: Viewing and monitoring SLP operations

41

The slide shows the objectives for the lab associated with this lesson. Refer to the
corresponding lab guide for specific instructions and lab steps.
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12-41 Not for Distribution.

 What did you learn?
You are about to be asked a series
of questions related to the current
lesson.

42

The next section is a quiz. In this quiz, you are asked a series of questions related to the
current lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

12-42 Not for Distribution.

 Question 1: Simultaneous image copies
When NetBackup makes more than one image copy simultaneously during the backup, it
is called ____________.

A. Simultaneous copy
B. Inline copy
C. Storage life backup
D. Duplication backup

43
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12-43 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 1: Simultaneous image copies
When NetBackup makes more than one image copy simultaneously during the backup, it
is called ____________.

A. Simultaneous copy
B. Inline copy
C. Storage life backup
D. Duplication backup

The correct answer is B. An inline copy is when backup data is sent to multiple storage destination simultaneously during
a backup. In NetBackup, a duplication is when a backup image is copied to a new destination after the original backup
had already been completed.

44
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

12-44 Not for Distribution.

 Question 2: SLP operations
A storage lifecycle policy can be configured for which operations?

A. Backup, Deduplication, Export

B. Backup, Export, Import
C. Backup, Duplication, Replication
D. Fixed, Data classification, Automatic

45
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

12-45 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 2: SLP operations
A storage lifecycle policy can be configured for which operations?

A. Backup, Deduplication, Export

B. Backup, Export, Import
C. Backup, Duplication, Replication
D. Fixed, Data classification, Automatic

The correct answer is C.

46
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12-46 Not for Distribution.

 Question 3: Duplication session
By default, how often does NetBackup check for completed backups when determining
if a duplication session should be started?

A. 30 seconds
B. 1 minute
C. 5 minutes
D. Immediately

47
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12-47 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 3: Duplication session
By default, how often does NetBackup check for completed backups when determining
if a duplication session should be started?

A. 30 seconds
B. 1 minute
C. 5 minutes
D. Immediately

The correct answer is C.

48
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

12-48 Not for Distribution.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

12-49
Not for Distribution.
 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the NetBackup

Catalog

© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Managing and Protecting the NetBackup Catalog lesson in the Veritas
NetBackup 8.2: Administration course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

13-1 Not for Distribution.

 Lessons introduction
• Lesson 0: Course Introduction • Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores
• Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup • Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V environment
• Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage • Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage
• Lesson 3: Configuring Policies Lifecycle Policies
• Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups • Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the
NetBackup Catalog
• Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores
• Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups
• Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools
• Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic
• Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
Information
• Lesson 8: Configuring and Managing Tape Storage
• Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

This lesson is the thirteenth lesson in this course.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

13-2 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson objectives
Topic Objective
Describe the location, and explain the importance of NetBackup
Introduction to NetBackup catalogs
catalog backups.
Describe the difference between image retention and image
Managing images
expiration, and how to import, verify, and expire images.

Configuring a catalog backup policy Configuring a catalog backup policy.

List the steps that are required to recover from a disaster situation,
Disaster recovery strategies and recover the NetBackup catalog using the NetBackup Catalog
Recovery Wizard.

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

13-3 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Introduction to NetBackup catalogs

After completing this topic, you will be able to describe the location, and
explain the importance of NetBackup catalog backups.

This is the Introduction to NetBackup catalogs topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

13-4 Not for Distribution.

 The NetBackup catalog

NetBackup Master
server
NetBackup
catalog

• Stores data in a relational database (NBDB)

• Includes:
The NetBackup – Media and device data
database (NBDB) – Backup image header data

• Stores data in flat files

NetBackup • Includes:
configuration files
– Policies, schedules, and more
– Backup image file metadata

NetBackup catalogs are information stores that contain information about the
NetBackup configuration and backups, including records of the files that have been
backed up and the media on which the files are stored. The NetBackup catalogs reside
on the NetBackup master server and consist of the following components:
• The NetBackup database (NBDB) is a relational database that uses SAP SQL
Anywhere. The NBDB stores data for several NetBackup services, including media
and device data, backup image headers, authentication and authorization. Bare
Metal Restore (BMR) data is also stored in a Sybase database if the BMR option is
used. Because the first service to use the relational database was the Enterprise
Media Manager in earlier releases of NetBackup, the database is sometimes
referred to as the EMM database.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• The NetBackup configuration files include policies, schedules, and other files used
by NetBackup. These are sometimes referred to as flat files because they are not
stored in a relational database, and are stored in simple files on the file system of
the NetBackup master server.
A critical NetBackup component is the image database, which stores backup image
metadata. This metadata is stored in two locations: the image header data is stored in
the relational database (NBDB), and the image file list is still stored as flat files in the
NetBackup configuration files. Because the image file lists contain the path to every file
backed up, this is usually the largest component of the NetBackup catalogs.

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 Protecting the NetBackup catalogs

• Protecting the NetBackup catalogs is important, as they contain:

– The NetBackup configuration.
– Information about backups that have been performed.
• To protect your catalogs:
– Make multiple copies of a catalog backup.
– Store a copy of the catalog backup offsite.

Although you can recover your data without the catalogs, doing so involves more work
than if the catalogs were available. Therefore, backing up the catalogs efficiently and
regularly is of paramount importance. To protect your catalogs:
• Make at least two copies of the catalog backup images.
• Store one copy of the catalog backup offsite.
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13-6 Not for Distribution.

 The NetBackup database (NBDB)
Database files
• DARS_DATA.db UNIX: /usr/openv/db/data
• DARS_INDEX.db Windows: install_path\NetBackupDB\data
• DBM_DATA.db
• DBM_INDEX.db
• EMM_DATA.db Configuration files
• EMM_INDEX.db
• server.conf
• JOBD_DATA.db
• databases.conf
• NBAZDB.db
• NBAZDB.log
• NBDB.db
UNIX: /usr/openv/var/global
• NBDB.log Windows: install_path\NetBackupDB\conf
• SLP_DATA.db
• SLP_INDEX.db
• vxdbms.conf

The NetBackup database (NBDB) is created during the installation of the master server.
The NBDB stores information used by the master server, and runs on SAP SQL
Anywhere. The NBDB consists of database files, configuration files, and a transaction
log.
NetBackup database bp.conf or Registry entry
During installation, a VXDBMS_NB_DATA entry is created in the bp.conf file (UNIX) or
the Registry (Windows). This entry identifies the directory where NBDB.db and
vxdbms.conf are located as follows:
• bp.conf
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

VXDBMS_NB_DATA = /usr/openv/db/data
• Registry
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VERITAS\NetBackup\CurrentVersion\Config\
VXDBMS_NB_DATA
For more information about the NetBackup catalogs, attend the NetBackup: Maintain
and Troubleshoot course.

13-7 Not for Distribution.

 Configuration files
install_path
UNIX /usr/openv/
NetBackup Windows C:\Program Files\Veritas
db

• altnames: Contains clients information • IDIRSTRUCT: Identifies structure of images

• class directories: Policy information database
• client: Master server client attributes • images: Contains information about backup
• cloud: cloud configuration files images
• cltmp: Policy temporary information • jobs: Job information
• config: Host properties, data classification • media: Temporary area for media activity
properties • sched: Staging schedules
• DBVERSION: NetBackup version • snapshot: Snapshot information
• error: Activity logs • ss: Storage lifecycle policy information
• failure_history: List of failed backups • vault: Vault properties

The configuration files consist of directories that also contain flat files located on the
master server disk. The directories that comprise the configuration files include the
following:
• altnames: Directory to determine which clients are allowed to perform restores
of data from other servers.
• class: Directory that contains the policy database.
• client: Directory that contains the client database.
• cloud: Cloud configuration files.
• cltmp: Contain temporary policy information.
• config: Contain information about host properties and data classification.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• DBVERSION: Contains NetBackup version information.

• error: Directory that contains the error database.
• failure_history: Contains a list of failed backups.
• IDIRSTRUCT: Identifies where to place the backup image files (default value is
“2”).
• images: Contains information about backup images.
• jobs: Contains information about jobs that have run.
• media: Is a temporary area for media activity.
• sched: Contains the schedule for basic disk temporary disk staging.
• snapshot: Contains snapshot information.

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 • ss: Contains storage lifecycle policy information, in some prior NetBackup
releases.
• vault: Contains Vault properties.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

13-8 Not for Distribution.

 The image database

• Contains information about backups that have been performed.

• Has data stored in multiple locations:
– Image header data stored in the relational database (NBDB).
– Image file list stored in flat files:
Platform Image database location
UNIX /usr/openv/netbackup/db/images/client/ctime
Windows install_path\NetBackup\db\images\client\ctime

images
winclient.example.com Client name Each backup has a filelist (.f) file
named using policy name,
1483000000 Creation timestamp timestamp, and schedule type
clients_to_master_bdisk_1483603201_FULL.f
clients_to_master_tape_1483548217_FULL.f

A critical NetBackup component is the image database, which stores backup image
metadata. The image metadata is stored in two locations:
1. The image header data is stored in the relational database (NBDB).
2. The image file list is still stored as flat files in the NetBackup configuration files area.
Because the image file lists contain the path to every file in every active backup
image, this is usually the largest component of the NetBackup catalogs.
The image files are located in the NetBackup DB in the images directory. Under the
images folder, there are subdirectories for each client that is backed up by NetBackup,
including the master server and any media servers, and additional subfolders named
after timestamps, as shown in the example on the slide. These folder contain the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

following files:
• Image .f files are files that are used to store the detailed information about each
file backup.
• The .lck files are files used to prevent simultaneous updates on images.
• The db_marker.txt file is used to ensure that access to the db directory is valid
when the NetBackup Database Manager starts. Do not delete this file.

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 Topic: Managing images

After completing this topic, you will be able to describe the difference
between image retention and image expiration, and how to import, verify,
and expire images.

10

This is the Managing images topic.

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13-10 Not for Distribution.

 The Images on Media report

bpimmedia –U [-disk|-tape]

11

When a backup job is initiated, NetBackup selects the required piece of media based on
the parameters of that specific backup job. The policy and schedule dictate the required
storage unit, volume pool, and retention level. The Images on Media report lists all
backup images for a specific NetBackup client, or all clients. The corresponding Images
on Tape and Images on Disk reports can be used to narrow the search to a particular
tape or disk storage unit. These reports can be run using the bpimmedia command, as
shown on the slide.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

13-11 Not for Distribution.

 Searching for backup images

Filters results to show images

relevant for the operation

Provides visibility
into the backup
image database

12

Select NetBackup Management > Catalog to search for backup images. You may want
to search for a backup image to:
• Verify the backup contents with what is recorded in the NetBackup catalog.
• Duplicate the backup image to create up to ten copies.
• Promote a copy of a backup to be the primary backup copy.
• Expire backup images.
• Import expired backup images or images from another NetBackup server.
You learn how to perform many of these operations in this lesson. Specify the exact
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

search criteria that NetBackup is to use to build a list of backups from which you can
make your selections.

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 The NetBackup verification process
Media

ABC123

EOT
EOF

EOF
EOF
Image1 Image2 Image3

BH
BH
BH
• Read each block of the media
• Compare written image headers with NetBackup Catalog

NetBackup Catalog
NBDB NBDB Image database
(media ID) (header info) (.f file)
Image1 Image1.f
ABC123 Image2 Image2.f

Master server Image3 Image3.f

13

NetBackup can verify the contents of a backup by reading the volume and comparing its
contents to what is recorded in the images catalog. This operation does not compare
the data on the volume with the contents of the client disk. However, it does read each
block in the image, thereby verifying that the volume is readable. NetBackup verifies
only one backup at a time and tries to minimize media mounts and positioning time.
Most modern tape drives have built-in read-after-write (RAW) verification.
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13-13 Not for Distribution.

 Verifying backup images using the Administration Console

bpverify

14

To verify a backup image from the NetBackup Administration Console:

1. In the object tree pane, select NetBackup Management > Catalog.
2. In the details pane, specify criteria that NetBackup uses to build a list of backup
images from which you make your selections.
a. Select Action > Verify.
b. After you have specified your search criteria, click Search Now.
3. From the list of backup images you have created, right-click the image that you want
to verify and select Verify from the shortcut menu. You will see a Confirm Verify
message window, which gives you the option to log all files found in verified images.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4. Click OK to continue.

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 Confirming the verify results

18:56:24 INF - Verifying policy LAB13-catalog-

to-master-tape, schedule DAILY_DIFF
(winmaster.example.com_1517353167), media id
E01005, created 01/30/2018 17:59:27.
18:56:28 INF - If Media id E01005 is not in a
robotic library administrative interaction
may be required to satisfy this mount
request.
18:56:28 INF - Waiting for mount of media id
E01005 on server winmaster.example.com for
reading.
18:56:35 INF - Waiting for positioning of
media id E01005 on server
winmaster.example.com for reading.
18:56:35 INF - Beginning verify on server
winmaster.example.com of client
winmaster.example.com.
18:56:36 INF - Verifying True Image Recovery
information from media id E01005.
18:56:36 INF - Verify of policy LAB13-catalog-
to-master-tape, schedule DAILY_DIFF
(winmaster.example.com_1517353167) was
successful.

15

5. To verify the results, click the Results tab.

• The top portion of the Results pane displays a list of all existing log files.
• The bottom portion of the Results pane displays the contents of a selected log
file.
6. To view a log file, select the name of the log from the list and review the details in
the bottom portion of the window.
Note: If an operation is in progress, the log file display is refreshed as the operation
proceeds.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

13-15 Not for Distribution.

 Expiring a backup image

bpexpdate -backupid

16

To expire a backup image in the NetBackup Administration Console:

1. In the object tree pane, select NetBackup Management > Catalog.
2. In the details pane of the dialog box, set up the search criteria for the image that
you want to expire and click Search Now.
3. Right-click the image you want expired and select Expire. A message informs you
that after the backups have been expired, they can no longer be used for restores.
4. Click Yes to proceed with expiring the image.
Expiring the image using this procedure only expires that specific copy of the backup.
Additional copies would need to be found and manually expired individually. Expiring a
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

disk image removes both the entry for the image in the NetBackup image catalog, and
the backup image itself, from the disk storage unit.
Alternatively, you can use the bpexpdate command to expire a backup image (or to
change the expiration date) of a single backup:
bpexpdate -backupid backup_id –d date | 0 | infinity
[-client client_name] [-copy number] [-force]
[-M master_server[,...,]]

13-16 Not for Distribution.

 Importing backup images

What can be imported?

• Backups that have reached their retention.

• Backups written in a different NetBackup domain.

Preparing to import

• Ensure media is available to the media server performing the import.

• For tape: Ensure the correct media ID is used; Use physical inventory (vmphyinv) if necessary.
• For disk: Mount the file system with the data.

Performing an import

• Phase I: Initiate Import: Generate a list of images.

• Phase II: Import: Import selected images.

17

A NetBackup master server may not have any record of the data on a piece of backup
media. This may happen if the backup has reached its retention or if it was written by a
different NetBackup server in another NetBackup domain. To access data in these
situations requires the use of the import feature. Importing a backup refers to the
process of examining the backup on a media and importing the metadata into the
NetBackup catalog on the master server. This allows NetBackup to access and restore
from this data. Before performing an import operation, it is important to:
• Ensure that the media is available on the media server performing the import.
• Ensure the correct media ID is being used, if this is a tape. Doing a physical inventory
using the NetBackup vmphyinv command, which is described in the NetBackup
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Commands Guide, determines the media ID by mounting the tape and reading the
tape header, as opposed to reading a barcode (which may be incorrect).
• Ensure that the file systems and volumes are mounted, for disk-based backups.
• Ensure that all tapes are present if a backup image spans multiple tapes. NetBackup
will not import a partial image.
In prior versions of NetBackup that are no longer supported, there was compatibility for
reading Veritas Backup Exec tapes. This functionality is no longer supported. For more
detail, refer to Article 100000926: Statement of support for the importing of Backup
Exec images in NetBackup 7.x using the Backup Exec Tape Reader at:
http://www.veritas.com/docs/100000926.

13-17 Not for Distribution.

 Phase I: Initiating the import
Tape

Disk

bpimport -create_db_info

18

During an import operation, NetBackup re-creates NetBackup catalog entries for the
backups on the imported volume. Use the following procedure to initiate the import:
1. In the Administration Console, expand NetBackup Management > Catalog.
2. Select Actions > Initiate Import. The Initialize Import dialog box is displayed.
3. Complete the Initialize Import dialog box by entering the following information:
a. In the Media Server field, specify the media server where the import will occur,
and that currently has access to the media with the images that are going to be
imported.
b. In the Image Type field, specify if it is Tape or Disk.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• For Tape, then specify the Media ID.

• For Disk, then specify the Disk Type field (Basic Disk, Advanced Disk, or
PureDisk). Depending on the disk type selected, you either need to specify
the Path (for BasicDisk), or the Disk Pool and Volume for a disk pool.
c. Click OK. The Confirm Initiate Import dialog box is displayed. Click OK to
proceed.
4. The process of reading the catalog information from the source volume begins.

13-18 Not for Distribution.

 Generating a list of images

18:27:39 INF - Recreating image information

for client winmedia.example.com, policy PRE-
clients-to-master-tape, and schedule full,
done on 01/16/2018 11:13:14.
18:27:39 INF - Recreating copy 1, fragment 1
information for image.

bpimport

19

5. Click the Results tab to watch as NetBackup scans each image on the tape or disk to
determine if the image already exists or needs to be imported. The job is also
displayed in the Activity Monitor as an Import type. Select the import job log that
was just created to view the job results.
Note: Because it is necessary to mount and read the tape at this phase, reading the
catalog and building the list can take some time to complete.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

13-19 Not for Distribution.

 Phase II: Searching for and selecting images to import

Set search information to

find imported images

bpimport

20

During Phase II, you select and import images from the list of images that were
completed in Phase I.
1. In the NetBackup Administration Console, expand NetBackup Management >
Catalog.
2. Set up the search criteria to find imported images by setting the search action to
Import. Select a date range that includes the images you want to import and click
Search Now.
Note: The date range specified must encompass the date the original backup was
written, even if the image to be imported is a copy.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

13-20 Not for Distribution.

 Importing the selected image

bpimport

21

3. Select the images you want to import and select Actions > Import. The Confirm
Import dialog box is displayed.
4. Click OK.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

13-21 Not for Distribution.

 Confirming the import results

18:37:52 INF - Importing policy PRE-clients-to-master-

tape, schedule full (winmaster.example.com_1516375342),
media id E01001, created on 01/19/2018 10:22:22.
18:37:57 INF - If Media id E01001 is not in a robotic
library administrative interaction may be required to
satisfy this mount request.
18:37:57 INF - Waiting for positioning of media id E01001
on server winmaster.example.com for reading.
18:37:58 INF - Beginning import on server
winmaster.example.com of client winmaster.example.com.
18:38:14 INF - Import of policy PRE-clients-to-master-
tape, schedule full (winmaster.example.com_1516375342)
was successfully completed.

22

5. To view the log, click the Results tab, and then select the import job log that was
just created.
When importing backups that have fragments on multiple tapes, do not start the Import
(Phase II) until you have run the Initiate Import (Phase I) to read the catalog for all the
tapes containing fragments. If this is not performed, the import fails with a message
such as:
Unexpected EOF or Import of backup_ID failed, fragments
are not consecutive.
All copies of an image must be expired before the image can be imported. The import
reports that an image is bypassed if a copy already exists. When an image is imported,
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

the new expiration date and time of the imported image is determined by adding the
retention period associated with the image to the current date and time. For example, if
an image with a two-week retention is imported on January 09, 2017 at 6:39 A.M, the
expiration date of the imported image is January 23, 2017 at 6:39 A.M.

13-22 Not for Distribution.

 Summary of image-related tasks
Task Description
Search Search for backup images.

Verify the contents of a backup by reading the volume, and

Verify
comparing its contents with what is recorded in the NetBackup catalog.

Duplicate Make a duplicate copy of a backup image.

Force the retention period to expire. When the retention period expires, NetBackup
Expire
deletes information about the backup.
Import expired backup images or images from another NetBackup server. NetBackup re-
Import
creates NetBackup catalog entries for the backups on the imported volume.
Set primary Promote a backup image from a copy to the primary backup copy. If the primary copy is
copy unavailable and a duplicate copy exists, set the copy to be the primary copy.

23

The table on this slide summarizes the image-related tasks that you can perform. See
the NetBackup Administrator’s Guide for more information about these tasks.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

13-23 Not for Distribution.

 Moving the image database (UNIX)
Step Action

1 Back up the NetBackup catalogs.

2 Ensure that no backups are running.

3 Stop NetBackup daemons.

4 Create the new file system.

5 Move the image database to the new location.

Mount the new file system on the images

6 Create a symbolic link to the new location. or directory.

7 Restart NetBackup daemons.

24

If the image database grows too large on a static UNIX partition, you can move the
image database to another partition as follows:
1. Back up the NetBackup catalogs, to ensure that you can recover image information
in case something is accidentally lost during the move.

2. Ensure that no backups are in progress using the Activity Monitor or enter:

/usr/openv/netbackup/bin/bpdbjobs

3. Stop NetBackup daemons, for instance by running the netbackup stop

command, to prevent jobs from starting and the database from being modified
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

while you are moving the image database.

4. Create the new file system, and optionally create a directory for the image files. For
example:

mkdir /newvol/netbackup/db/images

5. Move the image database to the new location in the other file system.

6. Create a symbolic link from /usr/openv/netbackup/db/images to the new

location in the other file system, or alternatively mount the new file system on the
NetBackup images directory.

7. Restart NetBackup daemons.

13-24 Not for Distribution.

 Moving the image database (Windows)
Step Action

1 Back up the NetBackup catalogs.

2 Ensure that no backups are running.

3 Stop NetBackup services.

4 Create the new file system.

5 Move the image database to the new location.

Create an ALTPATH file in the image

Mount the new file system to the empty
6 database directories, and specify the new or images folder.
path location.

7 Restart NetBackup services.

25

If the image database grows too large on a static Windows partition, you can move the
image database to another partition as follows:
1. Back up the NetBackup catalogs to ensure that you can recover image information in
case something is accidentally lost during the move.
2. Ensure that no backups or restores are in progress by using the Jobs tab in the
Activity Monitor. If backup or other jobs are running, either wait for them to end or
stop them by using the Jobs tab in the Activity Monitor.
3. Stop the NetBackup services, for instance by running the bpdown command, to
prevent jobs from starting and the database from being modified while you are
moving the image database.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4. Create the new file system and optionally any directories to which you intend to
move the image information. For example:
E:\NetBackup\alternate_db\images\client_name
5. Move all files and directories to the new location. Note that if you are planning to
use the ALTPATH method of setting an alternate location, you need to move the
image files for specific NetBackup clients into a folder for that client.

13-25 Not for Distribution.

 For example, if the images are currently in C:\Program
Files\VERITAS\NetBackup\db\images\mars and the ALTPATH file
specifies E:\NetBackup\alternate_db\images\mars, move all files and
directories to E:\NetBackup\alternate_db\images\mars.
6. If you are planning to use the NetBackup ALTPATH method to move image files,
create a file named ALTPATH in the original image database directory for each
client. For example, if NetBackup is installed in its default location and the client
name is mars, the path to the image database is:
C:\Program
Files\VERITAS\NetBackup\db\images\mars\ALTPATH. On the first
line of the ALTPATH file, specify the path to the directory where you intend to
move the client’s image information. For example:
E:\NetBackup\alternate_db\images\client_name
This is the only entry in the ALTPATH file. Alternatively, use a Windows junction
point to mount the new file system (which contains all the old image files and
directories) on top of the images directory.
7. Restart the NetBackup services, for instance by running the bpup command, to
allow clients to resume backup and restore capabilities.
For additional information, refer to:
• Veritas NetBackup Administrator's Guide Volume 1: Moving the Image catalog.
• Veritas NetBackup Administrator's Guide Volume 1: Moving NBDB databse files after
installation.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

13-26 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Configuring a catalog backup policy

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure a catalog backup
policy.

27

This is the Configuring a catalog backup policy topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

13-27 Not for Distribution.

 Protecting your backups
Protect backup data

• Configure multiple backup copies.

• Store backup copies offsite.
• Protect the NetBackup catalog with catalog backups.

Catalog backups

• Scheduled like regular backup policies.

• Configured by creating a backup policy of type NBU-Catalog.
• Run as full or incremental catalog backups.
• Use the dedicated CatalogBackup volume pool, by default.
• Creates a disaster recovery file and package.
• Can automatically e-mail and save a disaster recovery reports.
• Can be used to identify critical policies: Policies whose media is also listed in the disaster
recovery report.

28

Backup data is vulnerable to loss during hardware and site failures, which can
compromise an organizations recovery objectives. To protect backup data, you can
configure multiple copies of your backups, and store some of these backups offsite. This
provides a level of redundancy that allows an organization to survive many types of
software, hardware, and site failures.
Additionally, the NetBackup infrastructure should also be protected, as it is critical in
being able to quickly restore the organizations data. This is best done by configuring
catalog backups, which are used to back up and recover the NetBackup catalog in the
event of NetBackup master server failure or corruption. Catalog backups can be run just
like normal backups, and can be run online, while NetBackup is performing other tasks
such as backups and restores. Catalog backups can run full and incremental backups,
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

thereby minimizing catalog backup time and space.

Catalog backup policies are slightly different from normal backups. Because NetBackup
already knows the data and clients to back up, you do not need to specify the clients or
backup selections for a catalog backup. In addition, catalog backups create a disaster
recovery file and a disaster recovery package (DR package). The disaster recovery file,
which can be automatically e-mailed to the NetBackup administrators, outlines
instructions for performing a catalog restore and identifies the required tapes. The DR
package is available in NetBackup 8.1 and is used to recover a master server’s identity in
the event a DR needs to be performed.

13-28 Not for Distribution.

 The catalog backup process

• UNIX: /usr/openv/db/staging
• Windows:
install_path\NetBackupDB\staging
3. Back up
configuration
files
2 3
2. Back up
the NBDB
Staging
area NetBackup
configuration
1
1. Stage the NBDB, overwriting the
prior contents of the staging area
NBDB

29

The Veritas recommended best practice is to schedule catalog backups to run regularly,
in case of failures with the master server or its catalogs and databases. Additionally, run
manual catalog backups prior to and immediately after any upgrade, including patch
upgrades. This slide describes what happens during a catalog backup. After a parent job
starts to manage the entire process, the following additional jobs run:
1. A child job copies the NBDB files to the staging location, as shown on the slide.
During each catalog backup, the files in the staging area are overwritten. Until they
are overwritten, they can be used for disaster recovery.
2. A child job starts, which backs up the files from the staging directory to the storage
unit specified in the catalog backup policy. This job backs up the files in a single
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

stream.
3. Another child job starts, which backs up the flat file NetBackup Database (DB). This
includes the Image database, policies, configuration, and other catalogs on the
master server.
In previous versions of NetBackup, the files in the staging directory were deleted at the
end of the successful catalog backup. The NetBackup database truncates the NBDB
transaction log automatically during database checkpoints, separate from the catalog
backup schedule.

13-29 Not for Distribution.

 Disaster Recovery files generated during catalog backups

• Lists location containing the corresponding catalog backup.

• Lists location of most recent Critical Policy backups.
DR file • Simplifies disaster recovery process.
• Available in all NetBackup versions.
• Example filename: NBU_catalog_1501149670_FULL

• Contains the Certificate Authority Certificate, Host ID and Hostname Certificate, encryption
keys, and database table unload data.
• Used to recover master server identity during disaster recovery.
DR package • Encrypted with DR passphrase.
• Available in NetBackup 8.1 and later.
• Example filename: NBU_catalog_1501149670_FULL.drpkg

30

Starting in NetBackup 8.1 when a NetBackup Catalog backup is performed two Disaster
Recover (DR) files are created: the DR file and the DR package.
• The DR file is the same file created in prior releases of NetBackup, and lists the
location containing the corresponding catalog backup, including locations for the
most recent Critical Policy backups.
• The DR package is included in NetBackup 8.1 and later, contains identity information
about the master server, and is used to recover a master server’s identity in the event
disaster recovery needs to be performed. Without the DR package,
A NetBackup catalog policy can be configured to email these files as an attachment. If
the master server is re-installed as part of disaster recovery, the DR package is required
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

to bring back the identity certificate of the master server that was in place at the time
the catalog backup was performed. This restores the trust relationship between the
master server and all other hosts in the NetBackup domain. Due to the secure nature of
this process, a DR passphrase must be configured in NetBackup, and must be supplied
during the disaster recovery process. For new NetBackup installations that passphrase
must be set before creating a NetBackup catalog policy or when upgrading NetBackup
the passphrase must be set prior to initiating a NetBackup catalog policy or it will fail.

13-30 Not for Distribution.

 Creating a DR passphrase

• No default value exists

• Must be 8 to 20 supported characters
• Not validated in the console
• Use nbhostidenity –testpassphrase
to validate the DR passphrase

31

A DR passphrase is configured in the NetBackup Administration Console under Global

Security Settings > Disaster Recovery. For new NetBackup installations the passphrase
must be set before creating a NetBackup catalog policy. When upgrading to NetBackup
8.2 from an earlier release, a DR passphrase must be configured for any existing
NetBackup catalog policies to run successfully.
During each NetBackup catalog backup, a DR package is created and encrypted with the
passphrase that is set by the Administrator. The passphrase must be between 8 and 20
characters in length. No default value exists nor will the passphrase ever expire or have
any frequency for resetting. Valid and invalid characters are shown on the configuration
page in the NetBackup Administration Console.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

NetBackup does not validate the passphrase at the time of creation so it is strongly
recommended to use the nbhostidentity -testpasspharse command to test the validity
of the DR package and DR passphrase after the first catalog backup and any time after
changing the passphrase. The output of the command will either display “valid” or
“invalid”. For more details, refer to Article 100040029: About NetBackup catalog
passphrases at: http://www.veritas.com/docs/100040029.

13-31 Not for Distribution.

 Security considerations for the DR package

• Passphrase can be changed at any time.

• Mapping of passphrase to DR package must be maintained.
DR package can only be decrypted with the corresponding DR passphrase that created it.
• NetBackup catalog backups do not back up the DR package or any identity information
(certificates and keys).
• During a DR install DR passphrase is required to recover security certificates.
– Without the DR passphrase, CA certificates must be regenerated manually for all hosts in the NetBackup
domain.
– Refer to Article 100033743: Getting your environment up and running after a disaster when the disaster
recovery package passphrase is lost.

32

The passphrase can be changed at any time. However, when changing a DR passphrase
Veritas recommends that you keep track of which passphrase belongs to which DR
package as NetBackup does NOT keep record of this. The correct passphrase is required
to restore the DR package at the time the DR package was created.
During a disaster recovery of the master server, if the passphrase is lost then the
identity certificates need to be regenerated for all hosts in the NetBackup domain to re-
establish the trust connection. This is accomplished through command line. For details
on this process, refer to Article 100033743: Getting your environment up and running
after a disaster when the disaster recovery package passphrase is lost at:
http://www.veritas.com/docs/100033743.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Note: For security reasons NetBackup catalog backups do not backup the DR package,
DR passphrase or any identity information.

13-32 Not for Distribution.

 Selecting the Policy type and storage

33

To create a NetBackup catalog backup, create a standard backup policy, selecting NBU-
Catalog from the Policy Type drop-down list. Select the desired storage unit from the
Policy storage drop-down list. Note that if a disk target is used, it should not be a
deduplication disk target and should not reside on the master server. This way, if
NetBackup or the master server is inaccessible, you are not prevented from getting to
your catalog backup.
Notice that selecting a policy type of NBU-Catalog results in a policy with three tabs:
Attributes, Schedules, and Disaster Recovery. The Clients tab is not needed because we
are backing up the catalog from the master server. Additionally, the Backup Selection
tab is not required because we know what is being backed up - the NetBackup catalogs.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

13-33 Not for Distribution.

 Creating a new schedule
Full
Incr

34

Create schedules under the Schedules tab. Full backup schedules are created as normal.
Incremental backup schedules have most of the normal options, however have an new
schedule type in addition to the Calendar and Frequency based schedules: After each
backup session. A backup session is a period of continuous backup activity, and ends
when all backup activity ceases for some period of time. This allows a catalog backup to
occur every time a set of backup jobs have completed.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

13-34 Not for Distribution.

 Specifying disaster recovery information

Path to save DR file and package

Credentials for network file systems

E-mail recipients for DR file and package

Policies whose media is

also listed in the DR report

• Additional steps required to setup

e-mail notification
• Refer to Article 100016001: How
to configure email notifications
for Windows clients using BLAT
and nbmail.cmd in NetBackup

35

The Disaster Recovery tab provides the ability to set catalog backup settings. Creating a
catalog backup involves creating disaster recovery (DR) files that provide information
about how to perform recovery, and what media is involved in that recovery. Enter the
Path where each disaster recovery image file and package can be saved on disk, and
additionally enter the logon and password information if the disk location is on a
network file system.
Note: Veritas recommends saving the DR files to a network share or a removable device,
as opposed to a location on the local machine.
Optionally enter any email addresses to send recovery information to, using a comma-
separated email list if there is more than one email address. Additional steps are
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

required to configure email notification in NetBackup. See the NetBackup

Administrator’s Guide for information about the nbmail.cmd and
mail_dr_info.cmd scripts. Additionally, refer to Article 100016001: How to
configure email notifications for Windows clients using BLAT and nbmail.cmd in
NetBackup at: http://www.veritas.com/docs/100016001. Finally, add any critical policies
desired. These are additional policies, whose media for their most recent backups is
also listed.
Note: The DR email is not sent to the address specified in the Global Attributes
property. The Administrator’s email address in the Global Attributes properties specifies
where NetBackup sends notifications of scheduled or manual backups.

13-35 Not for Distribution.

 The catalog backup jobs

Image Cleanup job status:

• Catalog backup configured
• Catalog backup not configured

36

The screen shot on this slide shows NetBackup Activity Monitor with the catalog backup
jobs that have just completed. Also notice that in regards to the Image Cleanup job
status, if a catalog backup is not configured, the image cleanup returns a status code of
1 (partially successful). When a catalog backup job is configured, the image cleanup
returns a status code of 0 (successful). This was put in place to give customers adequate
warning when catalog backups had not been configured.
The image cleanup job that runs periodically and returns a partial success status code of
1 should have the following text in the job details to provide this warning:
Warning bpdbm (pid=process_ID) Hot catalog backup is not
configured for ‘master_server_name', catalog cleanup
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

returns partial success until hot catalog backup is

configured.
After a catalog backup policy is configured, this warning is no longer displayed.

13-36 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Disaster recovery strategies

After completing this topic, you will be able to list the steps that are
required to recover from a disaster situation, and recover the NetBackup
catalog using the NetBackup Catalog Recovery Wizard.

37

This is the Disaster recovery strategies topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

13-37 Not for Distribution.

 Disaster recovery options

• Standard method for recovery available with NetBackup.

Catalog recovery • No special options or licenses required.

• Enables the duplication of NetBackup catalog backup images to a

Auto Image remote NetBackup domain.
Replication • Requires the use of OST-compliant appliances or MSDP with the
appropriate license.

Catalog replication • Require additional products and configuration.

and master server • Refer to the NetBackup in Highly Available Environments Administrator's
clustering Guide.

38

This slide introduces the available catalog recovery options.

• The general recovery method is the standard method for recovery that is available
with NetBackup. No special options or licenses are required for this option. This
method is discussed in this lesson.
• Auto Image Replication enables the duplication of any backups, including NetBackup
catalog backup images, to a remote NetBackup disaster recovery domain. Auto
Image Replication requires the use of OST-compliant appliances or MSDP, and at a
minimum, two NetBackup domains.
• There are additionally other disaster recovery strategies, including catalog
replication with products such as Veritas Volume Replicator (VVR), NetBackup
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

master server clustering with products such as Veritas Cluster Server, or virtual
machine high availability. For additional information, refer to the NetBackup in
Highly Available Environments Administrator's Guide.

13-38 Not for Distribution.

 General recovery procedure after a disaster
Recovery task Master server Media server Client
Reload a minimal operating system. ✓ ✓ ✓
DR Install.
Note: It prompts for the DR package installation, and need to select ✓  
the package for the installation process.

Reinstall NetBackup software.  ✓ ✓

Configure devices and media. ✓  
Recover NetBackup catalogs. ✓  
Restart NetBackup. ✓  
Restore other data. ✓ ✓ ✓
• Ensure the same version of NetBackup is installed during recovery.
• Refer to the NetBackup Troubleshooting Guide .
• Attend the Veritas NetBackup: Maintain and Troubleshoot course.

39

The table on this slide shows the high-level procedure to follow to recover your
environment after a disaster, such as a full site failure. This procedure makes the
assumption that the backup data has been restored to the site, either from tapes that
have been vaulted and brought back to the primary site, or similar disk backup storage
has been made available. This includes the following steps:
1. Reload a minimal operating system to the new systems, including the master and
media servers that are to be used to restore application and server backup data.
2. Install the DR software package on the master server. It prompts for the DR package
installation, and need to select the package for the installation process.
3. Reinstall NetBackup software to the new media and client servers and ensure that
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

the exact same catalog paths are used on the master server including recreating the
directory structure if the paths were altered (symbolic links) or if the catalog was
moved (nbdb_move).
4. Configure devices and media on the new NetBackup servers, so that they can now
access the backup storage where first, the NetBackup catalogs are stored and can be
recovered, and later, the rest of the environment data can be restored.
5. Recover NetBackup catalogs, so that the new master server has all the prior
knowledge of the previous master server, and can now restore all the available
backup data. Media server overrides may need to be configured unless media server
failover was previously configured. Additionally, Veritas recommends deactivating
any policies that should be inactive during this recovery period (to prevent
scheduled backups from starting).

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 6. Restart NetBackup on the NetBackup servers after the catalog recovery.
7. Restore other data in your environment to recover your applications and other
servers.
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 Catalog recovery methods
NetBackup Administration Console Wizard
Recover either the entire NetBackup catalog set or the NetBackup images and
configuration.

Command line
Use the bprecover -nbdb command to recover only NBDB.

Command line utility

• Use the bprecover –wizard command.
• Recover either the entire NetBackup catalog set or the NetBackup images and configuration.

Disaster Recovery Master Server

40

This slide shows two functionally equivalent methods for performing catalog recovery.
This topic covers performing a catalog recovery using the Netbackup Catalog Recovery
Wizard. Here are some important points regarding disaster recovery:
• Catalog recovery relies on disaster recovery information generated during the online
catalog backup. Save the disaster recovery files created by the online catalog backup
to a network share or removable device.
• Configure the online, hot catalog backup policy to send an email copy of the disaster
recovery information as part of every catalog backup.
• Specify the most recent disaster recovery file available, unless some form of
corruption occurred and you want to restore to an earlier state of the catalog.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• If the most recent catalog backup was an incremental backup, use the disaster
recovery file from the incremental backup. There is no need to restore the full
backup followed by the incremental backup.
• To read the media that contains the catalog backup, first configure a robot and drive
and perform a robot inventory.
• If the catalog backup media is on a remote media server, restart NetBackup on the
remote media server after the master server has been reinstalled (after the
recovery).

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 Recovering the catalog using the NetBackup Catalog Recovery
Wizard

41

Recover the entire catalog by using the NetBackup Catalog Recovery Wizard as follows:
1. To start the NetBackup Catalog Recovery Wizard from the NetBackup
Administration Console, click Recover the Catalog. The Welcome panel is displayed.
2. Click Next on the Welcome panel to display the Catalog Disaster Recovery File
panel.
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 Locate the catalog disaster recovery file

• Saved to Path during a

catalog backup
• Attached to e-mail recipients
of NBU-Catalog policy

42

3. Specify where the disaster recovery file is stored by entering the fully qualified path
to the disaster recovery file.
Obtain the disaster recovery file path information from the disaster recovery email.
In most cases, you specify the most recent disaster recovery information file
available. If the most recent catalog backup is an incremental backup, use the
disaster recovery file from the incremental backup. There is no need to first restore
the full backup and then follow with the incremental backup. If some form of
corruption has occurred, you may want to restore to an earlier state of the catalog.
If the DR file is not available, refer to Article 100037884: How To: Recover the
catalog without a DR file at: http://www.veritas.com/docs/100037884.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Click Next. The wizard waits while NetBackup searches for the necessary media
sources. The wizard then informs you if the necessary backup ID of the disaster
recovery image is located. If the media is not located, the wizard lists which media is
needed to update the database. If necessary, follow the wizard instructions to insert
the media that is indicated and run an inventory to update the NetBackup database.
The information that is displayed on this panel depends on whether the recovery is
from a full backup or an incremental backup.

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 Retrieve the disaster recovery file

43

4. When the required media sources are all found, click Next to display the Disaster
Recovery Method panel.
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 Select the disaster recovery method

44

5. Select the catalog recovery method as follows:

• Recover entire NetBackup catalog. (Recommended): This is the recommended
method for recovering the entire catalog. This method recovers the image
database, configuration files, and the NetBackup database.
• Recover only NetBackup catalog image and configuration files. (Does not
recover the NetBackup relational database): This method recovers only the
NetBackup catalog image and the configuration files. Use this method if the
NetBackup database is valid but NetBackup policy, backup image, or
configuration files are lost. You can also recover the NetBackup relational
database separately by using the bprecover -nbdb command.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

6. If desired, select a Job Priority and click Next to initiate the recovery of the entire
NetBackup catalog.

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 Wait until the recovery job finishes

45

NetBackup restores the entire NetBackup relational databases. The wizard displays the
recovery progress and lets you know when the catalog has been recovered. When the
recovery job is finished, each image file is restored to the proper image directory and
the NetBackup relational databases have been restored and recovered.
7. Click Next to continue to the final panel.
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 Recovery completion message

46

8. Click Finish in the final panel.

9. Stop and restart NetBackup on all the servers.
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 Unfreezing frozen catalog backup media

bpmedia -unfreeze

47

After the catalogs have been recovered, NetBackup freezes the media containing the
catalog backup. This is to prevent accidental overwriting of the final catalog backup
image. After a successful catalog recovery, you can unfreeze media using the
Administration Console as follows:
1. Under Device and Media Management, select Media.
2. In the details pane, right-click the frozen media.
3. Select Unfreeze.
You can also use the command line to unfreeze media. Display frozen media in the
CatalogBackup volume pool by using the available_media script. The status of the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

volume in the CatalogBackup volume pool is FROZEN. Enter the following command to
unfreeze the media:
bpmedia -unfreeze -m media_id -h nbu_server

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 Additional NetBackup server post-recovery steps

• Reconfigure devices, if the device configuration differs from the restored configuration
• Configure media server override or media server failover, if necessary
– Configure master server host properties > Restore Failover
– Configure master server host properties > General Server > Media Host Override
• Deactivate any policies with automatic schedules that you do not want to have run
during recovery operations
Select all policies under NetBackup Management > Policies > Summary of All Policies, and select Action >
Deactivate

48

The slide lists some additional steps that may be useful after recovery of the NetBackup
master and media servers, and prior to the recovery of application and server backup
data.
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 Auto Image Replication and disaster recovery

• Automated replication of backup images from one NetBackup domain to another using
storage lifecycle policies (SLP)
• Assists in designing a disaster recovery (DR) solution:
– Provides the ability to automatically vault backups offsite
– Uses optimized duplication to minimize network use
– Allows the elimination of shipping physical tapes
– Supports hub and spoke model data centers where remote offices send data to a central data center
– Combined with catalog backups, allows for easily maintained off-site copies of the catalog, to help
facilitate disaster recovery

49

Auto Image Replication is a NetBackup feature that enables the replication of backup
images from one NetBackup domain to another. This feature is enabled by using storage
lifecycle policies (SLPs) with OpenStorage Technology (OST)-based storage. Supported
storage includes:
• NetBackup deduplication: Media Server Deduplication Pools (MSDP) and NetBackup
appliances
• Storage vendors that support and are qualified for OST
After an image has been replicated to the target domain, standard duplication can be
used to copy that backup image to tape. In this way, a vaulted copy of the backup is
created without having to ship tapes. Auto Image Replication supports the ability to
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

create “hub and spoke” data centers, where remote offices send data to a central
location, as well as other DR models.

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 NetBackup deduplication and disaster recovery

• Not protected with a catalog backup.

MSDP catalog • Maintains a shadow copy for recovery (NetBackup 7.6.1 and later).
• Provides self-healing with the shadow copy.

• Used with SLP or Auto Image Replication.

Optimized • Duplicates backup images from one MSDP to another MSDP.
duplication • Minimizes the data that needs to be sent.
• Provides redundancy, but not recoverability of the MSDP.

• Creating a MSDP catalog backup policy to back up the MSDP catalog.

NetBackup
• Restoring the MSDP catalog from a shadow copy.
Deduplication • Recovering from an MSDP storage server or storage disk failure.
Guide procedures • Recovering the MSDP storage server after catalog recovery.

50

It is important to understand that the NetBackup deduplication infrastructure is not

protected with the catalog backup. To provide for redundancy of the MSDP data, use
the optimized duplication feature, which duplicates backup images using minimum
bandwidth. This feature is enabled automatically when you use storage lifecycle policies
(SLPs), and with some other backup duplication features. This feature is also supported
when using an SLP with Auto Image Replication to duplicate backups from one
NetBackup domain to another domain. The NetBackup Deduplication Guide describes
how to perform the following tasks:
• Creating a MSDP catalog backup policy to back up the MSDP catalog.
• Restoring the MSDP catalog from a shadow copy.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Recovering from an MSDP storage server disk failure.

• Recovering from an MSDP storage server failure.
• Recovering the MSDP storage server after NetBackup catalog recovery.
See the NetBackup Deduplication Guide for these specific procedures. Note that many
of these procedures may be version specific, so check for the guide specific to your
version of NetBackup. There is more detailed coverage of this topic in the NetBackup
Advanced Administration course.

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 Catalog reporting tools

Type of Information Administration Console Command Line OpsCenter

Catalog backup status Activity Monitor bpdbjobs Monitor > Jobs
Reports > All Reports >
Standard Reports
Frozen media Reports > Tape Reports > available_media Monitor > Media, select
Tape Summary the media ID.

Media used for catalog Reports > Tape Reports > bpimagelist
backups Tape Summary –media
Search on the –policy
CatalogBackup volume catalog_policy_name
pool. -L

51

The table on this slide summarizes catalog-related information using the NetBackup
Administration Console, NetBackup commands, and OpsCenter.
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 Lesson summary

• Key points
– In this lesson you learned where the catalog backups reside and why catalog backups are important.
– You also learned the difference between image retention and image expiration, and how to import
expired images.
– Additionally, you learned how to back up your NetBackup catalogs, and how to recover them, using the
NetBackup Catalog Recovery Wizard.
– Finally, you learned know how to diagnose common catalog-related issues.
• Reference materials
– NetBackup Administrator’s Guide, Volume I and Volume II
– NetBackup in Highly Available Environments Administrator's Guide
– NetBackup Commands Reference Guide
– NetBackup Troubleshooting Guide
– http://www.veritas.com/support

52

For more information about the topics discussed in this lesson, refer to the resources
listed on the slide and remember to check the Veritas Support web site frequently.
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 Lab 13: Managing and Protecting the NetBackup Catalog
Lab objectives
Exercise A: Running NetBackup catalog-related reports
Exercise B: Verifying, expiring, and importing backup images
Exercise C: Configuring and running NetBackup catalog backups
Exercise D: Recovering the catalogs using the NetBackup Catalog Recovery wizard

53

The slide shows the objectives for the lab associated with this lesson. Refer to the
corresponding lab guide for specific instructions and lab steps.
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 What did you learn?
You are about to be asked a series
of questions related to the current
lesson.

54

The next section is a quiz. In this quiz, you are asked a series of questions related to the
current lesson.
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 Question 1: Scheduling catalog backups
Which statement describes how Catalog backups can be scheduled?

A. According to frequency
B. According to calendar
C. After each backup session
D. All of the above

55
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 Answer 1: Scheduling catalog backups
Which statement describes how Catalog backups can be scheduled?

A. According to frequency
B. According to calendar
C. After each backup session
D. All of the above

The correct answer is D. NetBackup catalog backups can be schedule as a frequency- or calendar-based, as well as after
each backup session. Session end means that no backups are running (excluding catalog backup jobs).

56
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 Question 2: Catalog backup and storage unit
During a catalog backup, the NBDB and configuration files are backed up directly to the
storage unit.

A. True
B. False

57
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 Answer 2: Catalog backup and storage unit
During a catalog backup, the NBDB and configuration files are backed up directly to the
storage unit.

A. True
B. False

The correct answer is B. During a catalog backup, the configuration files are backed up directly to the storage unit,
however a copy of the NBDB is first placed in a staging location on the master server prior to being backed up.

58
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 Question 3: Catalog backup characteristics
Which characteristic applies to a catalog backup?

A. A catalog backup shuts down the NetBackup database.

B. A catalog backup must fit on a single tape.
C. A catalog backup can be configured to send disaster recovery information to an e-
mail address.
D. Catalog staging files deleted after a successful catalog backup.

59
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 Answer 3: Catalog backup characteristics
Which characteristic applies to a catalog backup?

A. A catalog backup shuts down the NetBackup database.

B. A catalog backup must fit on a single tape.
C. A catalog backup can be configured to send disaster recovery information to an e-
mail address.
D. Catalog staging files deleted after a successful catalog backup.

The correct answer is C. NetBackup performs online catalog backups, which can be sent to disk or tape, and the backup
can span multiple tapes if necessary. The catalog files that are sent to the staging location are no longer deleted after a
successful catalog backup (although prior versions of NetBackup did delete the staging files after a successful catalog
backup).

60
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Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

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 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups

© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Optimizing File System Backups lesson in the Veritas NetBackup 8.2:
Administration course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

14-1 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson introduction
• Lesson 0: Course Introduction • Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores
• Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup • Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V environment
• Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage • Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage
• Lesson 3: Configuring Policies Lifecycle Policies
• Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups • Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the
NetBackup Catalog
• Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores
• Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups
• Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools
• Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic
• Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
Information
• Lesson 8: Configuring and Managing Tape Storage
• Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

This lesson is the fourteenth lesson in this course.

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 Lesson objectives
Topic Objective
File system backup challenges Discuss solutions for today’s backup challenges.

Optimizing file system backups Enable NTFS and VxFS change logs, and synthetic full backups to
optimize file system backups.
Optimizing file system backups with Configure and manage NetBackup Accelerator.
NetBackup Accelerator
Using multiple data streams Configure a policy to take advantage of multiple data streams.

Optimizing tape drive performance Configure backups for optimum tape drive performance using
using multiplexing multiplexing.
Handling busy files on UNIX and Configure the way that NetBackup handles busy files on UNIX and
Windows file systems Windows.

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
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 Topic: File system backup challenges

After completing this topic, you will be able to discuss solutions for today’s
backup challenges.

This is the File system backup challenges topic.

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 NetBackup solutions for common backup and restore challenges
Short backup windows Redundant data
• Multi Data Streaming • Deduplication
• Multiplexing • NetBackup Accelerator
• Incremental / Synthetic backups
• NetBackup Accelerator

Low network throughput Dense file systems

• Synthetic backups • FlashBackup
• NetBackup Accelerator • NetBackup Accelerator

Open or busy files

• VSS integration
• Off-host backups

This slide lists some of the common backup and restore challenges that administrators
face and the solutions that NetBackup has to offer. Some of these solutions are
discussed in the topics of this lesson. Some topics may be covered in more detail
elsewhere, such as the appropriate NetBackup documentation for that respective
feature and the NetBackup Advanced Administration course.
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 Understanding True Image Restore

• Restores the files that existed in the folders, during a TIR restore
– TIR does not restore deleted files.
– Normal restores will restore files that were deleted but had existed in the prior full or prior incremental
backups.
• Makes a list of the files that are in each directory at the time of backup.
• Places list in a separate TIR file, which is backed up with the backup image.
• Supported policy types: MS-Windows, Standard, NBU-Catalog.
• Can be enabled with move detection.

The purpose of True Image Restore (TIR) is to ensure that when a full restore is
performed (which includes the last full backup plus all incrementals up to the recovery
point), NetBackup restores only those files that were present in the file system at the
time of the last backup. In other words, files that were deleted prior to the last backup
in the selected backup set, will not be restored. A normal restore would restore those
files.
TIR guarantees that the restore will not overflow the file system during the restore. A
normal restore may try to restore more files that ever existed in the file system at one
time, since it includes deleted files. Additionally, users will not find files that they had
previously deleted. NetBackup achieves this by making a list of the files that are present
in the file system during the backup. This list is stored on disk for 24 hours (which is
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

configurable) as well as stored with the backup image itself on the backup destination. If
the disk copy of the list does not exist during restore time, this list of files is read first
from the backup image to assist in the true image restore of the backup.
The TIR attribute can only be selected for MS-Windows and Standard policy types. It is
automatically selected and cannot be disabled, for the NBU-Catalog policy type. TIR can
be enabled with and without move detection, which is described in a following slide.

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 Restore example for True image restore (TIR):
Most recent backup
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Recovery point Recovery point
FULL INCR INCR INCR INCR INCR without TIR with TIR
File1 File1 File1 File2 File2 File2 File1 File7
File2 File2 File2 File6 File6 File6 File2 File8
File3 File3 File3 File7 File7 File7 File3
File4 File4 File5 File8 File8 File8 File4
File5 File5 File6 File5
File6 File6 File7 File6
File7
TIR information (files in file system) File8
File1 File1 File2 File2 File2 File7
File2 File2 File6 File6 File6 File8 Legend
File Modified; backed up
File3 File3 File7 File7 File7
File Unchanged; not backed up
File4 File5 File8 File8 File Deleted file
File5 File6 File New file
File6

The example on the slide shows a series of backups starting with a full backup on
Sunday followed by daily incremental backups. The files listed in each daily column
show the files in the file system and the actions performed on the file: modified,
deleted, created or left unchanged. In the TIR information table, each column contains a
list of the files that are present in the file system at the time of each backup. These are
the files that will be included in the TIR file for that backup.
On Saturday you are asked to perform a full restore of the file system with Friday as the
recovery point. To do this you will need the Sunday full backup and each of the
incremental backups through Friday. If you select the Normal Backups restore type, the
files shown in the first column (Recovery point without TIR) are the files that would be
restored without using TIR. The files that are restored include files that were deleted
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

prior to the backup on Friday. If you select the True Image Backups restore type, the
files shown in the second column (Recovery point with TIR) are the files that would be
restored using TIR. The files that are restored are those that were listed in the TIR file
for the Friday backup. Any files that were not present in the file system on Friday will
not be restored.

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 Topic: Optimizing file system backups

After completing this topic, you will be able to enable NTFS and VxFS
change logs, and synthetic full backups to optimize file system backups.

This is the Optimizing file system backups topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

14-8 Not for Distribution.

 Features that optimize incremental backups

• Reduces scan times for NTFS and ReFS file systems.

Windows • Enabled manually with fsutil command.
Change • Enabled automatically by NetBackup with a host property.
Journal • Reverts to normal scan if too many changes occur (circular log with default size = 512
MB), or Collect true image restore information enabled in the policy.

• Reduces scan times for VxFS file systems.

Veritas File • Works best for large file systems with few changes.
System • Enabled automatically by NetBackup with a host property.
Change Log • Reverts to normal scan if errors encountered while processing log, or Collect true
image restore information enabled in the policy.

Even though an incremental backup backs up only those files that have changed,
NetBackup still has to examine every file in the file system to determine which files have
changed. This may involve examining millions of files to determine that only one file
needs to be backed up, which is unnecessarily time consuming.
One way to optimize incremental backups is to take advantage of change tracking logs,
which are offered as a feature by some file systems. These logs record which files have
been modified or added since the last backup. With the log in place, NetBackup no
longer has to examine each file, instead it looks at the log file and backs up only those
files listed in the log.
The Windows NTFS change journal, also known as the Update Sequence Number (USN)
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

change journal, is a disk file that records information about the changes made to a file
or directory within a specific volume. By reading this file, backup programs can quickly
determine which files need to be backed up during an incremental backup, thereby
eliminating the need to scan each file on the volume and speeding up the backup
process. The change journal is created on a volume by using the Windows fsutil
command:
fsutil usn createjournal [m=max_value] [a=alloc_delta]
volume_pathname
Here is a sample command:
fsutil usn createjournal m=1000 a=100 C:

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 NetBackup will automatically enable the change journal for you when you enable the
functionality in the client host properties, in the NetBackup Administration Console.
This is discussed elsewhere in this lesson. The change journal supports both NTFS and
the Resilient file system (ReFS), introduced in Windows Server 2012. ReFS may
eventually replace NTFS. The change journal is a circular file with a limited amount of
allocated space. Once the file has reached this limit, older entries will be overwritten. If
there are many changes to files in the volume in between backups, you may want to
allocate additional space to the change journal, to prevent losing older entries. When
older entries are overwritten, the change journal will not be used during the subsequent
incremental backup, and instead cause a full rescan of the file system. If the Collect true
image restore information setting is enabled in the policy (on the Attribute tab), then a
full rescan of the file system will also occur.
The Veritas File System (VxFS), is a file system which is supported on a number of Unix
and Linux platforms. VxFS is used to increase the performance and availability of
production data. VxFS is part of Veritas InfoScale, which replaced Veritas Storage
Foundation, the software suite which previously contained VxFS. For more information
about Veritas InfoScale Storage, visit https://www.veritas.com/availability/infoscale.
VxFS has a feature called the change log, which when turned on, tracks changes to files
and directories. This log can be used to greatly speed up incremental backups, as it
prevents the scan that is normally required to find changed files. This works best on
large file systems with many files, and few changes. The VxFS change log will not be
used if the backup encounters any errors while processing log, or if the Collect true
image restore information setting is enabled in the policy (on the Attribute tab). Both
of these log types require some configuration within NetBackup and at the file system
level.
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 Enabling the Windows Change Journal with NetBackup

11

NetBackup can be configured to monitor the Windows Change Journal and use the
information discovered within the Change Journal during backups. To do this,
NetBackup will create and maintain its own databases with data mined from the Change
Journal. NetBackup will then use its databases to assist in the discovery of files and
directories that have been changed between backups.
To configure NetBackup to monitor the Change Journal, from the Client Properties for a
client, expand Windows Client and select Client Settings. Select the Use Change
Journal check box. This needs to be done individually for each NetBackup Windows
client. After enabling Use Change Journal, there will be a period of time before the
Windows Change Journal data can actually be used during backup. NetBackup requires a
brief period of time to establish its own change journal databases. If a backup is
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

executed during this time, error messages will be logged to the ‘Job Details’ indicating
the reason why the change journal data could not be used. This option works together
with the Use accelerator policy attribute and the Accelerator forced rescan schedule
attribute, discussed elsewhere in this lesson.

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 Understanding synthetic full backups

Week 1 S M T W Th F Sa

Week 2 S M
Synthetic full generation takes place on the media server, any
time before the next incremental on Monday night.

Client + =
Backup 1. Baseline 2. Incremental 3. Synthetic full
schedule: full backup backups backup
Mon 21:00 Fri 21:00
Time of Mon 07:30
Tue 21:00 Sat 21:00
backup: Sun 21:00 Wed 21:00 Sun 21:00 (Recorded time:
Thu 21:00 Sun 21:00:01)

12

The synthetic full backup feature eliminates the need to perform full backups of a client
machine for supported resource types.
1. During week one, perform a full backup, also known as a baseline backup. This is a
normal full backup operation.
2. Between this first full backup and the schedule for the next full backup, perform
incremental backups on the changes that occur. This is a normal backup procedure
and is usually performed daily.
3. During the next schedule for a full backup, instead of running a normal full backup,
run an incremental backup. In the example on the slide, instead of running a full
backup on the second Sunday at 9 P.M., an incremental backup was run.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

4. Some time between this last incremental backup (on Sunday night, in the example)
and the next incremental backup (on Monday night), a synthetic full backup is run.
The synthetic full backup operation occurs on the media server, leaving the client free.
Because the synthetic full backup is executed on the media server without accessing the
client machine, it can be performed outside of the time-critical backup window,
reducing the overall backup window and associated network bandwidth requirements.
The newly created synthetic full backup replaces the baseline full backup and becomes
the baseline full backup for subsequent synthetic full backup operations.

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 Configuring synthetic backups

• Only file system backups are supported.

1. Create policy • Select Standard or MS-Windows policy type.

Set Collect true image restore information with move detection on the
policy:
2. Configure TIR

• Minimum one traditional full backup.

• One or more incremental backups.
3. Create schedules
• One full or cumulative backup with Synthetic backup
checkbox marked.

13

To use the synthetic backup feature of NetBackup:

1. Create a policy with either the Standard or the MS-Windows policy type.
2. Mark the Collect true image restore information with move detection check boxes.
3. Create the policy with at least the following three types of schedules:
• One traditional full backup: The full backup must successfully run to completion.
• At least one incremental backup: The incremental backups capture the changes
since the last full or incremental backup.
• One full or cumulative backup with the Synthetic backup check box marked: The
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

synthetic backup is the combination and synthesis of the original full backup
with the incremental backups.
Optimized synthetics
Note that because synthetic backups involve taking the prior full backup and applying
all the incremental changes, using a deduplication storage destination may have
additional benefits in that the new synthetic full will require very little data copy
operations when creating the new full data. This is known as an Optimized Synthetic
backup in NetBackup, and is described in Article 100022690: Configuring Optimized
Synthetic Backups to NetBackup Deduplication Pools at:
http://www.veritas.com/docs/100022690.

14-13 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Optimizing file system backups with NetBackup
Accelerator

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure and manage
NetBackup Accelerator.

14

This is the Optimizing file system backups with NetBackup Accelerator topic.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

14-14 Not for Distribution.

 Understanding NetBackup Accelerator
• NetBackup option that increases the speed of full
backups.
1. Track log ensures only changed files are scanned
Client Backup server during backup.
2. Minimum processing required.
Application
2 3. Only changed data is sent to the storage server.
Backup Backup 4. Requires less storage.
agent
3 server
• Synthesizes new full backups using old fulls, and
new incrementals.
1
• Complementary technology to deduplication.
File System
• Does not require any additional software or
4
Change tracking installation.
Backup
Data storage

15

NetBackup Accelerator is a licensed NetBackup feature that increases the speed of full
backups by using platform-agnostic file system change tracking track logs on the client
to identify changes that have occurred since the last backup. During an accelerator
enabled backup only the changed data are transferred to the deduplication storage.
On the storage, a new optimized synthetic full backup is created by combining the
changed data with pointers to the unchanged data from previous backups. This process
removes the need to transfer all the client data across the network. This methodology
uses less network bandwidth and reduces the overhead on client resources such as
CPU, memory, I/O and file system cache. Note that although not required, NetBackup
client-side deduplication can add benefits related to better bandwidth usage, and is
often used together with NetBackup Accelerator. NetBackup Accelerator should be
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

regarded as a complimentary technology of client deduplication, and not as a

replacement for it. No further installation is required for NetBackup Accelerator. The
necessary binaries are included with the NetBackup client files.

14-15 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup Accelerator requirements
System • All supported NetBackup client operating systems.
requirements • Optional: Windows Change Journal (improves performance)

Versions NetBackup 7.5 or later for master servers, media server, and clients

License NetBackup Data Protection Optimization Option.

Policies • Standard and MS-Windows.

supported • VMware, Hyper-V, and NDMP (NetBackup-version dependent).

• NetBackup Media Server Deduplication Pools (MSDP).

Storage units • Cloud storage plug-ins.
supported • Qualified OpenStorage (OST) vendors, where the Hardware Compatibility List shows
Accelerator, Accel_VMware, Accel_Hyper-V, Accel-NDMP, and so on.

16

This slide lists the requirements for NetBackup Accelerator. The feature is supported
starting in NetBackup 7.5 and later, and requires that all servers in the backup path
(master servers, media servers, and clients) are running a minimum of NetBackup 7.5.
Although the Windows Change Journal is not required, it can configured to work with
NetBackup Accelerator and additionally improve performance.
Note that OST vendors qualified for NetBackup Accelerator support are listed in the
Hardware Compatibility List. Refer to the NetBackup Master Compatibility List at:
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/article.100040093.html. Those that
support Accelerator for file and folder backups will show ”Accelerator”, and those that
support Accelerator for VMware will show “Accel_VMware”. Recent versions of
NetBackup also support Accelerator for additional data types, so you may also see
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

“Accel_NDMP”, “Accel_Hyper-V”, and possibly others in your NetBackup release.

14-16 Not for Distribution.

 How NetBackup Accelerator works

• During the first backup:

1. A full backup is performed.
2. A client track log is created.
• During successive backups:
1. Changes since the previous backup are identified.
• Client’s file system is compared to the track log from the previous backup.
• If enabled, the Windows NTFS change journal is used.
2. Client sends the media server a data stream consisting of:
• Data for changed file segments
• Metadata for unchanged segments (previous backup ID and data extents)
3. Storage server creates an optimized synthetic full backup.
• Changed segments are read and unchanged data is located in existing backups.
• Storage server combines changed segments with pointers to unchanged segments to create a new backup image.

17

During the first backup - After setting the Use Accelerator option in the policy
attributes, the next backup of that policy will be a full backup. At that time, a client track
log will be created on the client, which will identify the master server, the storage
server, the client, the policy and the files that were backed up as well as the segments
which make up each file. During successive backups the following steps are performed:
1. File and directory meta data are compared with the track log to identify files that
have changed. The following criteria are used:
• NFS (Network File System): Normally used on Unix clients, Accelerator uses
mtime, ctime, and inode number, file size.
• CIFS (Common Internet File System): Normally used by Windows client,
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Accelerator uses mtime, ctime, change_time, file size.

• NTFS (New Technology File System): Normally used by Windows client as a local
file system, Accelerator uses NTFS change journal, plus mtime, ctime,
change_time, file size.
If a file has not changed, the scan continues. If file metadata has changed, the file is
open, read, and the data fingerprints for each 128K file segment are compared to
the previous track log.

14-17 Not for Distribution.

 2. The client then sends a data stream to the media server consisting of the data for
the changed segments of each file and the metadata for the unchanged file
segments. This metadata will describe the backup ID and the data extents, which
contain the unchanged segments.
3. The media server then creates a new optimized synthetic full backup by combining
each file’s changed segments with pointers to the file’s unchanged segments from
previous backups. Upon completion, there is a new backup image on the storage.
To summarize, only changed files are open and read, and only changed data segments
are sent to create the new backup image. In addition, only changed file catalog
information is sent, and the NetBackup catalog backup image is also synthetically
created reducing the meta data sent with each backup.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

14-18 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup Accelerator operation modes
Operation
Windows UNIX Description
mode
• Uses the client track log to identify changes to the file system between
backups.
Standard ✓ ✓ • Is enabled with the Use accelerator option under the backup policy
Attributes tab.

• Uses the Windows NTFS / ReFS change journal to speed up

Use Change incremental backups.
Journal ✓  • Enabled with the Use Change Journal option under the master server
Host Properties > Clients > Windows Client > Client Settings.

• Uses checksums of the file contents during the backup for change
detection to establish a new baseline for the next Accelerator backup.
Accelerator
forced rescan ✓ ✓ • Results in a slower backup.
• Enabled with the Accelerator forced rescan option under the policy
Schedules tab.

19

The standard operation mode uses the client track log to identify which files have
changed and exactly which segments of those files have changed. This functionality is
enabled by selecting the Use Accelerator option under the backup policy attributes tab.
NetBackup 7.5 introduced a new client property called Use Change Journal to be used
in conjunction with the Accelerator feature. When this option is enabled, bpinetd.exe
generates a custom Change Journal Database which depends on the Windows NTFS or
ReFS change journal. The NetBackup generated database files are located on the root of
each lettered volume. These files are used to quickly identify which files have changed
since the previous backup. The use of the change journal is enabled by going to the Host
Properties on the master server and selecting Clients > Windows Client > Client
Settings and selecting the Use Change Journal option.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

When selected, Accelerator forced rescan causes NetBackup Accelerator to use

checksums of the file contents during the backup for change detection to establish a
new baseline for the next Accelerator backup. This will cause the backup to run slower.
This feature is enabled with the Accelerator forced rescan option under the policy
Schedule tab.

14-19 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring NetBackup Accelerator

1. Configure NetBackup 2. Optional: Configure

Accelerator in the policy. Windows change journal.

A warning message results if Use

accelerator is enabled with an
unsupported OST storage unit.

20

The accelerator feature is enabled for a policy by selecting the Use Accelerator option in
the policy attributes. During the first backup after the feature has been enabled, a track
log will be created on each of the clients configured in the policy. The track log will be
specific for the policy, client, and backup selections.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

14-20 Not for Distribution.

 Optionally use the Windows Change Journal

1. Configure NetBackup 2. Optional: Configure

Accelerator in the policy. Windows change journal.

21

When the Use Change Journal option and the Use Accelerator are enabled together,
bpinetd will create the NetBackup change log databases to monitor the Windows NTFS
or ReFS change journal for changes in the file system metadata and to determine which
files are to be included in the backup. The bpbkar32 process will use this information to
create the list of files that need to be backed up, eliminating the need to examine each
file in the volume and this speeds up the backup. This behavior is discussed in more
detail in a prior topic. This option works together with the Use accelerator policy
attribute and the Accelerator forced rescan schedule attribute.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

14-21 Not for Distribution.

 Job detail messages related to NetBackup Accelerator and NTFS
change journal
Without NetBackup Accelerator or Use change journal enabled
...
archive bit processing:<disabled>
not using change journal data for <E:\data>: not configured for use

With only NetBackup Accelerator enabled

...
accelerator enabled
...
accelerator enabled backup, archive bit processing:<disabled>
will attempt to use change journal data for <E:\data>
...
not using change journal data for <E:\data>: not configured for use
not using change journal data for enumeration for <E:\data> but will use it for change detection
accelerator sent 308224 bytes out of 3063808 bytes to server, optimization 89.9%

With NetBackup Accelerator and Use change journal enabled

...
accelerator enabled
...
accelerator enabled backup, archive bit processing:<disabled>
will attempt to use change journal data for <E:\data>
...
using change journal data for <E:\data>
accelerator sent 308224 bytes out of 3063808 bytes to server, optimization 89.9%

22

During a backup, the Detailed Status report in the Job Details will display various
messages depending on what feature is or is not enabled for that backup. The slide
shows the messages displayed when:
1. Neither the Use Accelerator nor the Use Change Journal features are enabled.
2. Only the Use Accelerator feature is enabled.
3. Both the Use Accelerator and Use Change Journal features are enabled.
Additional messages will be displayed if errors are encountered during the backup. An
example of a the full Job Details from an incremental backup job with both NetBackup
Accelerator and the Use change journal setting, is provided here, and continues on the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

next page:
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:22 PM - Info nbjm (pid=2981) starting backup job (jobid=145)
for client console.example.com, policy LAB14-test-accelerator, schedule diff
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:22 PM - Info nbjm (pid=2981) requesting STANDARD_RESOURCE
resources from RB for backup job (jobid=145, request id:{0C9B33A2-C22D-11E6-
A149-9851E32BCF38})
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:22 PM - requesting resource master_msdp_stu
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:22 PM – requesting resource
lnxmaster.example.com.NBU_CLIENT.MAXJOBS.console.example.com
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:22 PM - requesting resource
lnxmaster.example.com.NBU_POLICY.MAXJOBS.LAB14-test-accelerator
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:22 PM - granted resource
lnxmaster.example.com.NBU_CLIENT.MAXJOBS.console.example.com
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:22 PM - granted resource
lnxmaster.example.com.NBU_POLICY.MAXJOBS.LAB14-test-accelerator

14-22 Not for Distribution.

 Dec 14, 2016 1:42:22 PM - granted resource
MediaID=@aaaai;DiskVolume=PureDiskVolume;DiskPool=master_msdp_dpool;Path=Pur
eDiskVolume;StorageServer=lnxmaster.example.com;MediaServer=lnxmaster.exampl
e.com
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:22 PM - granted resource master_msdp_stu
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:22 PM - estimated 0 kbytes needed
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:22 PM - Info nbjm (pid=2981) started backup
(backupid=console.example.com_1481740942) job for client
console.example.com, policy LAB14-test-accelerator, schedule diff on storage
unit master_msdp_stu
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:22 PM - started process bpbrm (pid=9508)
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:24 PM - Info bpbrm (pid=9508) console.example.com is the host
to backup data from
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:24 PM - Info bpbrm (pid=9508) reading file list for client
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:24 PM - Info bpbrm (pid=9508) accelerator enabled
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:25 PM - connecting
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:26 PM - Info bpbrm (pid=9508) starting bpbkar on client
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:26 PM - connected; connect time: 0:00:00
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:29 PM - Info bpbkar (pid=5176) Backup started
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:29 PM - Info bpbrm (pid=9508) bptm pid: 9569
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:29 PM - Info bpbkar (pid=5176) change time
comparison:<enabled>
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:29 PM - Info bpbkar (pid=5176) accelerator enabled backup,
archive bit processing:<disabled>
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:29 PM - Info bpbkar (pid=5176) will attempt to use change
journal data for <E:\data>
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:30 PM - Info bptm (pid=9569) start
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:30 PM - Info bptm (pid=9569) using 262144 data buffer size
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:30 PM - Info bptm (pid=9569) using 30 data buffers
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:30 PM - Info bptm (pid=9569) start backup
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:30 PM - Info bptm (pid=9569) backup child process is pid 9573
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:30 PM - begin writing
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:49 PM - Info bpbkar (pid=5176) using change journal data for
<E:\data>
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:49 PM - Info bpbkar (pid=5176) accelerator sent 3066880 bytes
out of 3063808 bytes to server, optimization 0.0%
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:49 PM - Info bptm (pid=9569) waited for full buffer 2 times,
delayed 1221 times
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:49 PM - Info bptm (pid=9569) EXITING with status 0 <---------
-
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:49 PM - Info lnxmaster.example.com (pid=9569)
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

StorageServer=PureDisk:lnxmaster.example.com; Report=PDDO Stats for

(lnxmaster.example.com): scanned: 2995 KB, CR sent: 1638 KB, CR sent over
FC: 0 KB, dedup: 45.3%, cache disabled
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:49 PM - Info bpbrm (pid=9508) validating image for client
console.example.com
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:50 PM - Info bpbkar (pid=5176) done. status: 0: the requested
operation was successfully completed
Dec 14, 2016 1:42:50 PM - end writing; write time: 0:00:20
the requested operation was successfully completed (0)

14-23 Not for Distribution.

 Client track log files details
• Location on client:
– UNIX: /usr/openv/netbackup/track/master_server/
storage_server/client/policy_name/backup_selection
– Windows: install_path\NetBackup\track\master_server\
storage_server\client\policy_name\backup_selection

• Sizing depends on number of files and total amount of used space.

– Approximated using formula: (# of files * 220) + ((Used disk space/128K) * 20)
– Example: 1 TB file system with one million files = ~ 360 MB track logs
• If necessary, refer to Article 100038114: How to redirect the NetBackup Accelerator track log to a
different location.

24

After the Use Accelerator feature is enabled in the NetBackup policy it is necessary to
run a full backup. This full backup will be a standard full backup. During the backup a
client track log will be created and information about all of the files in the full backup
will be logged in the track log. Subsequent backups will use the track log to determine
what file segments have changed and need to be backed up. Also, the track log will be
used to determine what file segments have not changed, and this information will also
be transferred to the storage. The information about what has changed and what has
not changed will be used to create the optimized synthetic backup.
The track log is located on the client in the netbackup directory and is unique for each
client, policy and backup selection for that policy. Because of this, if a client is in more
than one policy, a track log will be created for each instance of that client in the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

different policies. The file path for the track log ensures that the track logs are unique.
The slide shows the full track log path for UNIX and Windows clients. The size of the
track log will vary depending on the number of files and the total amount of used disk
space. The slide shows a formula for estimating the size of a client track log. To change
the track log location, refer to Article 100038114: How to redirect the NetBackup
Accelerator track log to a different location at:
http://www.veritas.com/docs/100038114.

14-24 Not for Distribution.

 Using NetBackup Accelerator with additional policies

Storage unit must support optimized

synthetics (such as MSDP and some
3rd-party OST devices)

If Use Accelerator is greyed out,

verify the NetBackup Data
Supported policy types: Protection Optimization Option
• VMware license is installed.
• Hyper-V
• NDMP

25

NetBackup Accelerator, in addition to supporting file system backups, is increasingly

being supported by other policy types. NetBackup 8.0 supports NetBackup Accelerator
for VMware, Hyper-V, and NDMP. The example on the slide shows NetBackup
Accelerator support for VMware. Accelerator dramatically improves performance for full
backups of virtual machines. It does this by using VMware Change Block Tracking (CBT)
to determine which blocks have changed in a VMware virtual machine. NetBackup
VMware policies are also configured, by default, with the Block Level Incremental
Backup (BLIB) feature. VMware BLIB also uses CBT to track changed blocks for
incremental backups.
Note that although BLIB improves incremental performance, it comes with some
restrictions around not being able to use NetBackup’s Granular Restore Technology
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

(GRT) for coordinated application protection in a VM backup. GRT requires a full backup
of the VM with application protection enabled in the NetBackup policy. NetBackup
Accelerator does provide the same excellent performance enabled by CBT tracking, and
because it is performing a full backup, additionally provides application protection with
GRT. The requirement for Accelerator is that the destination storage in the policy
supports optimized synthetics. Essentially the storage must support deduplication. A
check is made by NetBackup when the Policy Storage is selected. If the storage does not
support optimized synthetics, you will not be able to select the Use Accelerator
checkbox.

14-25 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup FlashBackup

• Enables backups of raw partitions with the ability to restore individual files.
– Reads the entire disk, block by block, whether they contain data or are empty disk blocks.
– Works best when the file system contains a large number of files, and is predominately full.
• Configured with FlashBackup and FlashBackup-Windows policy types.

Snapshot Backup Restore

Backup raw Restore

device data individual files

26

FlashBackup is a policy type that combines the speed of raw-partition backups with the
ability to restore individual files. The features that distinguish FlashBackup from other
raw-partition backups and standard file system backups are:
• Increases backup performance as compared to standard file-ordered backup
methods. For example, a FlashBackup of a file system completes faster than other
types of backups when the file system contains a large number of files, and if most
of the file system blocks are allocated.
• Enables restore of individual files from raw-partition backups.
• Backs up the following file systems: VxFS (Solaris, HP, Linux, AIX), ufs (Solaris), Online
JFS (HP), and NTFS (Windows).
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Supports multiple data streams, to further increase the performance of raw-

partition backups when multiple devices are in the Backup Selections list.
For a complete list of supported platforms, snapshot methods, and data types, see the
NetBackup Snapshot Client Compatibility at:
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/article.100040093.html.
Restoring from a FlashBackup policy is the same as for any other backup. In the Backup,
Archive, and Restore interface, set the policy type to FlashBackup for UNIX clients and
FlashBackup-Windows for Windows clients. A FlashBackup (or FlashBackup-Windows)
backup supports both individual file restore and raw partition restore. You can do either
type of restore from the same backup. To restore individual files, select Normal Backups
on the Restore Files tab; to restore an entire raw partition, select Raw Partition
Backups.

14-26 Not for Distribution.

 Comparing NetBackup Accelerator and FlashBackup
NetBackup NetBackup
Issue
Accelerator FlashBackup
Backs up empty space:
Backup capacity Does not back up empty space • Efficient for relatively full file systems
• Not efficient for empty file systems

Compatibility Broad file system support More restrictive file system support

• Excellent for normal change rates

Change rate • Less effective if the change rate is Works similarly with any change rates
very high
Full recovery impacted by number of
Full recovery Full recovery is fast
files

27

Both NetBackup Accelerator and NetBackup FlashBackup may significantly improve the
performance of large file system with many files. The question of which feature to use
may arise. The answer to that question will depend on the characteristics of your client
and file system. The slide covers some general guidelines based on file system
properties:
• Backup capacity: NetBackup Accelerator simply tracks and backs up changed files.
FlashBackup, however, backs up the entire raw device, which means even empty
blocks in the file system are backed up. File systems that are not relatively full may
require long backup times due to these empty blocks.
• Compatibility: NetBackup Accelerator has broad file system support. FlashBackup
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

has more restrictive support, and does not support encrypted file systems such as
deduplicated NTFS, and ReFS.
• Change rate: Although NetBackup Accelerator works well for normal file change
rates of file systems, for file systems with very high change rates FlashBackup may
work more efficiently.
• Full recovery: NetBackup Accelerator does not provide any advantage to full
recovery, as it is impacted by restoring the metadata for individual files, and
therefore time consuming when restoring all files. FlashBackup does have an
advantage in that raw data recovery is extremely fast, when restoring the entire data
set.

14-27 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Using multiple data streams

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure a policy to take
advantage of multiple data streams.

28

This is the Using multiple data streams topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

14-28 Not for Distribution.

 Allowing multiple data streams

• Configured as a policy attribute.

• Causes multiple backup jobs to be created from a single client.
– One data stream failure does not affect the other data streams.
– Multiple backup selections can run simultaneously to:
• Different backup destinations.
• Same disk backup destination.
• Same tape drive (with multiplexing).

Client
File system 1 Job #1

File system 2 Job #2

File system 3 Job #3

29

Multiple data streams is a policy setting which allows NetBackup to create separate
backup jobs for entries in the backup selection list. This functionality is enabled by
selecting the Allow multiple data streams check box on the policy’s Attribute tab. The
jobs are in separate data streams and can run concurrently.
Whether multiple backup jobs start for each client and how the backup selections are
divided into separate jobs is determined by the directives that you specify in the backup
selections list. The total number of streams and how many can run concurrently are
determined by the number of available storage units, multiplex settings, and the
maximum jobs parameters.
There are two main advantages to multiple data streams: independent data streams and
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

increased backup speed. Because each stream is treated as a separate job, the data
streams are independent. If one of the streams or jobs fails, the other job is unaffected
and can still complete successfully. Only the failed jobs need to be restarted. The other
advantage of multiple data streams is increased backup speed, which occurs when the
multiple jobs can run concurrently. This means that, in theory, twice the amount of data
can be backed up in half the time. However, a reduction in backup speed is also
possible, for example, when the jobs are both running concurrently and accessing the
same source disks.

14-29 Not for Distribution.

 Configuring the jobs per client settings

• For all clients:

Modify value from

the default of 1

• For an individual client:

Enable and set for a specific client,

to override the global attribute

30

By default, NetBackup allows only one job to run at a time for an individual client. In the
case, where two backup policies run simultaneously for the same client, this may
protect you from disk thrashing that would cause bad performance. However, if you
want to take advantage of performance benefits by having multiple data streams, you
will need to override this default behavior.
The Maximum jobs per client setting (found in the master server host properties under
the Global Attributes tab) has a default value of 1. Change this value to be the
maximum number of concurrent jobs you want to allow for any client in your
environment. To change the number of jobs for an individual client, modify the
Maximum data streams setting, which is found under the master server host properties
under Client Attributes. Add the client to the Clients list, and then modify the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Maximum data streams parameter by checking the box, and then setting the desired
value.

14-30 Not for Distribution.

 Job behavior with and without multiple data streams (MDS)
• One job is created for each client in the • For each client, one job is created for
policy. each backup selection.
• All files in the backup selections are • Backup selections can be grouped into
backed up in a single stream. jobs using a special directive.
• Parent jobs are used to manage the
overall backup for a client.
Without multiple data streams With multiple data streams
Windows client:
Job 1 (Parent job)
Job 2
Job 1 Job 3
Job 4

UNIX client:
Job 5 (Parent job)
Job 6
Job 2 Job 7
Job 8

31

Parallel backup streams from a single client can significantly improve backup
performance. Parallelism is enabled by selecting Allow multiple data streams in the
policy attributes. Parallel data streams are managed within the backup selections list
definition. The number of data streams that can be created and queued depends on
the:
• Directives included in the Backup selections list of the policy.
• Limit jobs per policy parameter for the policy.
• Maximum jobs per client global attribute. Note: You can override this attribute on a
per-client basis by using the bpclient -max_jobs number command
option.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

The number of jobs that are displayed in the Activity Monitor is one for each stream for
a specific client, as well as a parent job that manages the streams for that client.

14-31 Not for Distribution.

 When to use multiple data streams

Use multiple data streams to:

• Reduce backup time by splitting up large backups and running jobs

concurrently.
• Make backup streams independent.
‒ Failure in one has no effect on another.
‒ Failed backup stream can be restarted without restarting the entire backup.

Do not use multiple data streams:

• When different backup selections share the same physical disk, as multiple
data streams may decrease performance.
• If network or drive performance is affected adversely.

32

Multiple data streams can reduce the time for large backups. The reduction is achieved
by splitting the data to be backed up into multiple streams, and then processing those
streams concurrently by the same, or different, backup storage destinations. Additional
benefits are reduced retry times in the case of failures, as each backup selection can be
sent as a separate stream, and an individual backup stream failure does not impact the
other backup streams.
As you fine-tune multiple data streams, it is very easy to reduce performance instead of
improving it by inadvertently enabling multiple data streams for multiple data sets that
reside on a single disk. This results in the disk “thrashing” as the backups are performed.
Overall performance in this case is often worse than if the systems on the disk were
backed up sequentially. Enabling multiple data streams produces more concurrent
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

backup jobs, which in turn use additional network bandwidth and require more tape
drives (or a higher level of multiplexing). Use caution you do not overwhelm your
network environment.
Note that if you want to take advantage of independent data streams for individual
backup job restarts, but do not want parallel backup jobs, simply limit the number of
concurrent jobs using the maximum jobs per policy, or the storage unit settings.

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 Configuring multiple data streams: Example 1
The number of streams determined by the Backup Selections list.

3 disk drives
Windows
client

C:\ E:\
4 jobs
L:\ 225 – Parent
226 – Child with C:\Data
227 – Child with E:\Data
228 – Child with F:\Data (waiting for drive)

33

The number of data streams can be established using a list of file paths, optionally with
wild cards. Each path defined or expanded by a wild card is placed in its own data
stream. In the example on this slide, the Allow multiple data streams check box is
selected under the Attributes tab. The Backup Selections list contains three disk drives:
C:\, E:\ and L:\. The Allow multiple data streams option together with the list of three
disk drives will generate four jobs in the Activity Monitor: one parent job and one job
for each drive or mount point.
Auto-discovery streaming mode is invoked if the Backup selections list contains either
the ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES directive or wildcards (without the NEW_STREAM directive). In
this mode, the Backup selections list is sent to the client, which preprocesses the list
and splits the backup into streams as follows:
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• For ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES directive, NetBackup backs up the entire client, with each
drive volume (Windows) or mount point (UNIX) into its own backup stream.
• If wildcards are used, the expansion of the wildcards results in one stream per
wildcard expansion.
If the Backup selections list contains neither ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES nor wildcards, auto-
discovery mode is not used. In this case, the server performs the preprocessing (rather
than the client) and each Backup selections list entry becomes a separate stream.

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 Configuring multiple data streams: Example 2
The number of streams determined by the Backup Selections list.

NEW_STREAM directive
Windows
client

C:\ E:\
3 jobs
L:\ 229 – Parent
230 – Child with C:\Data and E:\Data
231 – Child with L:\Data

34

In the previous example we backed up three drives in three separate streams. If C:\ and
E:\ were logical partitions on the same physical disk you would not want to back them
up in separate streams. Doing so could cause excessive head movement on the drive as
it attempts to satisfy simultaneous read requests from different drive locations and
possibly result in poorer backup performance. The better method would be to put
drives C:\ and E:\ into one stream and the L:\ drive in a separate stream. This is referred
to as administrator-defined streaming mode, and can be accomplished by using the
NEW_STREAM directive. Use of the NEW_STREAM directive follows these rules:
• The first use of this directive must be on the first line of the Backup selections list.
• A backup is split into a separate data stream at each point in the backup selections
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

list where the NEW_STREAM directive occurs. All file paths defined between
NEW_STREAM directives appear in the same data stream. The end of each stream is
defined by the start of a new stream (the NEW_STREAM directive).
• The last stream in the list is terminated by the end of the Backup selections list. A
NEW_STREAM directive is not required.

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 Configuring multiple data streams: Example 3
The number of streams determined by the Backup Selections list.

ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES
Windows directive
client

10 jobs
232 – Parent
C:\ H:\
233 – Shadow Copy Components
E:\ I:\ 234 – C:\ 238 – I:\
F:\ J:\ 235 – E:\ 239 – J:\
236 – F:\ 240 – K:\
G:\ K:\ 237 – G:\ 241 – H:\
(All drives on client)
35

The example on the slide shows a backup using the Allow multiple data streams option
combined with the ALL_LOCAL DRIVES directive in the Backup Selections list. The client
has nine local drives, each of which is backed up in a separate stream. The
ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES directive backs up all local and SAN attached disk drives (Windows)
and mounted file systems (UNIX). Drives using removable media are automatically
excluded as are NFS mounted file systems. Using the ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES directive
ensures that all of a client’s disks and file systems are backed up even if new disks are
added between backups.
Using ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES and Allow multiple data streams follows these rules:
• Can only be used for Standard and MS-Windows policy types.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• A new stream (backup job) is created for each disk drive or file system present on
the client.
• On Windows: An additional, separate stream is created to back up the System State
or Shadow Copy Components (depending on the client’s Windows version).
• File systems that are in a client’s exclude list may cause a backup job to appear in
the Activity Monitor but no files will be backed up. Refer to Article 100000779 for
details at: http://www.veritas.com/docs/100000779.

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 Topic: Optimizing tape drive performance using
multiplexing

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure backups for
optimum tape drive performance using multiplexing.

36

This is the Optimizing tape drive performance using multiplexing topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

14-36 Not for Distribution.

 Writing backups using multiplexing

Multiplexing (MPX) is used to:

– Send concurrent backups from one or more clients to a single storage device.
– Reduce the amount of time required to complete backups.
Client A

Disk
Media server
Client B Removable media

Disk

Client C
MH BH BH BH
Disk
Tape contains media header (MH), backup headers (BH),
and multiplexed (interleaved) images from each client.
37

NetBackup multiplexing sends concurrent backups from one or several clients to a single
storage device. NetBackup multiplexes the backups onto the media. Multiplexed and
unmultiplexed backups can reside on the same volume. No special action is required to
restore a multiplexed backup. NetBackup locates the media and restores the requested
backup.
• Slow networks and slow clients. The parallel data streams take advantage of
whatever network capacity is available.
• Many short backups (for example, incremental backups). In addition to providing
parallel data streams, multiplexing reduces the time each job spends waiting for a
device to become available, and, therefore, better uses the transfer rate of storage
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

devices.
It is important to note that multiplexing can have an effect on restore times. This effect
can be positive or negative depending on the number of interleaved images, the type
and number of restores, and whether those restores are being performed concurrently.
Ensure that you use testing to determine the maximum effective multiplexing level that
still supports your backup and restore requirements.

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 Configuring multiplexing
• Set multiplexing on both the storage unit and the schedule:
Setting Defaults Why set MPX here?

Storage Unit > • Fast device that handles many jobs concurrently
Maximum streams per
• Prevent “shoe-shining” on the tape drive
drive
• Many slow clients; many short backups
Schedule >
• Prevent multiplexing for this backup or schedule,
Media multiplexing
if not desired

• Use multiplexing value between 2 to 32.

• Determine maximum potential concurrent jobs =
(maximum streams per drive) x (# of drives)
• Set storage units with appropriate fragment sizes

38

Multiplexing must be set in two places in the NetBackup configuration: the storage unit
and the policy schedule. Note that if you change these values, the changes do not take
effect until the next time a schedule runs.
• The Maximum multiplexing per drive setting for a storage unit specifies how many
backups NetBackup can multiplex onto any single drive in the storage unit. You set
this value for each storage unit. The number can range from 1 through 32, where 1
is the default and specifies no multiplexing. The maximum number of concurrent-
backup jobs that NetBackup is allowed to attempt equals the sum of the concurrent-
backup jobs that can run on the storage units. Choose a value based on the ability of
your media server to handle parallel jobs. Testing may be required to find an
optimum value.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• The Media multiplexing setting on a policy’s schedule also limits how many streams
can be interleaved for a multiplexed job, where the default is set to 1 (no
multiplexing). This allows you to set the multiplexing ability at the storage unit, but
restrict it for specific backup policies and schedules.
To reduce the impact on restoring individual files from multiplexing backup, set a
fragment size on the storage unit. This is set in kilobytes (KB). A rule of thumb can be
the amount of data a drive can write in 10 minutes.

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 Topic: Handling busy files on UNIX and Windows file
systems

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure the way that
NetBackup handles busy files on UNIX and Windows.

39

This is the Handling busy files on UNIX and Windows file systems topic.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

14-39 Not for Distribution.

 Handling busy files on UNIX clients

bp.conf options:
BUSY_FILE_PROCESSING
BUSY_FILE_ACTION

Busy file action Action meaning

MAIL Mail a busy file notification message to the BUSY_FILE_NOTIFY_USER.
REPEAT Retry the backup on the busy file. A retry count can be added.
IGNORE The file is backed up as is, and a log entry indicates the file was busy.
BUSY_FILE_NOTIFY_USER Specify the user to be notified (default mail recipient is root).

40

During backups, NetBackup may encounter what is referring to as busy files. On some
operating systems, a busy file – a file that is currently in use by an application or process
– may prevent copying and backing up the data. On UNIX and Linux, busy files do not
normally cause issues, however there are features in NetBackup to customize the
behavior when encountering files that cannot be backed up. Configure busy-file settings
for UNIX clients using the NetBackup Administration Console under client host
properties > UNIX Client > Busy File Settings. Set the appropriate actions. Alternatively,
you can configure busy-file processing as follows:
1. Add the BUSY_FILE_PROCESSING option to the client’s
/usr/openv/netbackup/bp.conf file on the master server. This enables
busy-file processing.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

2. Add other busy-file options to control the processing of busy files. These other
options can exist in both the client’s bp.conf file and the user’s
$HOME/bp.conf file. The user’s bp.conf file takes precedence when the
options are in both places. Different users on the same client can have different
configurations for that client. In this case, these configurations are saved in the
$HOME/bp.conf file.

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 Handling busy files on Windows clients

Enabled by default for

Windows clients

Add clients to
customized settings

41

On Windows, busy files can often cause NetBackup to not have access to a file, and
result in status code 1 errors for backups. Open file backup options, which allow for
busy file processing, are set for each client in the Client Attributes section of the master
server host properties. List the clients for which you want to control the open file
backup options in the Clients section of this dialog box. After the client is added to the
Clients list, you can manipulate the settings. Note that by default no clients appear in
this list, and it is the responsibility of the administrator to add clients here manually.
In current versions of NetBackup, the default snapshot provider used for Microsoft
Windows clients is Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS), which is provided by Microsoft.
Snapshot usage and error control settings are set here. Individual drive snapshot usage
takes a snapshot of each item in your files list individually. Global drive snapshot usage
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

takes a single snapshot of all items in your files list together. When using VSS, consider
how snapshots of drives are taken for each client when making this setting. Snapshot
error control can be set to either abort a backup when a snapshot fails, or disable the
snapshot for that backup and continue when a snapshot operation fails.
NetBackup versions prior to version 7.x used the Veritas Snapshot Provider (VSP) as the
default method of backing up open and active files on Microsoft Windows clients. Refer
to the appropriate NetBackup documentation for information on VSP or using it with
older Windows versions that do not support VSS.

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 VSS configuration tips

• Recommendations depend on the VSS provider.

In most cases default settings are appropriate.
• In some cases, place the shadow copy on a separate
volume, for example:
VSSAdmin Add ShadowStorage /For=C: /On=D:
/MaxSize=3GB
• In a virtual machine, place the shadow copy on the same
volume (itself).
• Refer to :
– NetBackup Administrator’s Guide
– Microsoft TechNet article: Best Practices for Shadow Copies of
Shared Folders:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc753975(v=ws.11).aspx

42

Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) is supported on systems running Windows
Server 2003 and later. VSS runs on various Windows client operating systems, but
cannot be configured or customized on all Windows versions. Third-party software
vendors provide additional components that work in conjunction with VSS.
Specifications for configuration and use of VSS differ according to the nature of the
hardware on which it is running, the purpose of the machine, and many other
configuration factors.
VSS shadow copies for different volumes are set through the Disk Management utilities
of the Windows server on which they are installed. An example of the Shadow Copies
settings are shown on this slide. Shadow Copy settings can also be made from the
command line using the vssadmin utility. The vshadow utility is also included in
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Software Deployment Kits for Windows Vista and later versions, such as Windows 2008.
Either of these utilities can be used from the command line to configure VSS. It is not
possible to make general recommendations for the configuration and use of VSS, but
the following are useful general tips:
• Create the shadow copy for a particular volume on a separate volume. This is so that
a shadow copy does not fill up its own volume.
• Do not set a Maximum size limit for the shadow copy volume. After a volume fills
up, VSS automatically deletes expired shadow copy images.

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 Lesson summary

• Key points
– In this lesson, you learned how NetBackup provides solutions to some of today’s backup challenges.
– You also learned the benefits of the NTFS and VxFS change logs, and how to enable NetBackup
Accelerator.
– Finally, you learned how to configure a policy to use multiple data streams and the benefits of handling
busy files and using VSS.
• Reference materials
– NetBackup Administrator’s Guide
– NetBackup Commands Reference Guide
– NetBackup Snapshot Client Administrator’s Guide
– http://www.veritas.com/support

43

For more information about the topics discussed in this lesson, refer to the resources
listed on the slide and remember to check the Veritas Support web site frequently.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

14-43 Not for Distribution.

 Lab 14: Optimizing File System Backups
Lab objectives
Exercise A: Optimizing backups using the NetBackup Accelerator
Exercise B: Configuring for and using multiple data streams
Exercise C: (Optional) Configuring and performing multiplexed backups

44

The slide shows the objectives for the lab associated with this lesson. Refer to the
corresponding lab guide for specific instructions and lab steps.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

14-44 Not for Distribution.

 What did you learn?
You are about to be asked a series
of questions related to the current
lesson.

45

The next section is a quiz. In this quiz, you are asked a series of questions related to the
current lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

14-45 Not for Distribution.

 Question 1: NetBackup Accelerator requirement
What must be enabled for NetBackup Accelerator?

A. True Image Restore (TIR) with move detection

B. NTFS change journal
C. VxFS change log
D. None of the above

46
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

14-46 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 1: NetBackup Accelerator requirement
What must be enabled for NetBackup Accelerator?

A. True Image Restore (TIR) with move detection

B. NTFS change journal
C. VxFS change log
D. None of the above

The correct answer is D. The NTFS change journal is an optional feature that can enhance the speed of a NetBackup
Accelerator backup; but it is not required. Veritas File System (VxFS) is not yet supported as a change log type with
NetBackup Accelerator. TIR is not a required feature with NetBackup Accelerator.

47
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

14-47 Not for Distribution.

 Question 2: When should you not use MDS
When should you not to use multiple data streams?

A. When different backup selections are on the same disk

B. When backing up ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES to multiple tape drives
C. When performing backups over a network that is very busy
D. When you have very small backup jobs

48
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

14-48 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 2: When should you not use MDS
When should you not to use multiple data streams?

A. When different backup selections are on the same disk

B. When backing up ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES to multiple tape drives
C. When performing backups over a network that is very busy
D. When you have very small backup jobs

The correct answer is A. Because when different backup selections are on the same disk.

49
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14-49 Not for Distribution.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

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Not for Distribution.
 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic Information

© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Collecting Logs and Diagnostic Information lesson in the Veritas NetBackup
8.2: Administration course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

15-1 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson introduction
• Lesson 0: Course Introduction • Lesson 10: Performing VMware Restores
• Lesson 1: Introducing NetBackup • Lesson 11: Protecting Hyper-V environment
• Lesson 2: Configuring NetBackup Storage • Lesson 12: Duplicating Backups Using Storage
• Lesson 3: Configuring Policies Lifecycle Policies
• Lesson 4: Performing File System Backups • Lesson 13: Managing and Protecting the
NetBackup Catalog
• Lesson 5: Performing File System Restores
• Lesson 14: Optimizing File System Backups
• Lesson 6: Configuring Disk Pools
• Lesson 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic
• Lesson 7: Configuring Media Server Deduplication
Information
• Lesson 8: Configuring and managing Tape Storage
• Lesson 9: Performing VMware Backups

This lesson is the fifteenth lesson in this course.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

15-2 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson objectives
Topic Objective
Performing basic NetBackup Perform very basic troubleshooting for NetBackup environments.
troubleshooting
Identifying NetBackup processes, Identify and manage the NetBackup processes and services that run
services, and daemons on NetBackup master servers, media servers, and clients.
NetBackup logging overview Describe legacy and unified NetBackup logs.

Using the support utilities Use the NBSU and NBCPLOGS utilities, and describe the Logging
Assistant.
Using NetBackup support resources Identify available resources for NetBackup troubleshooting.

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

15-3 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Performing basic NetBackup troubleshooting

After completing this topic, you will be able to perform very basic
troubleshooting for NetBackup environments.

This is the Performing basic NetBackup troubleshooting topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

15-4 Not for Distribution.

 A NetBackup troubleshooting checklist
Before contacting support
1. Define the problem
For example, for failed backup jobs: Note the status code, examine the Detailed Status report,
and determine what hosts are involved.
2. Examine the NetBackup reports
3. Verify services/daemons running on NetBackup hosts
4. Answer: “Has this backup ever worked?”
• If no: Check the initial configuration (policy, storage units, and so on)
• If yes: Check what has changed (upgrades, network, devices)
5. Depending on type of failure, contact internal groups, such as database
administrators (DBAs), network or storage groups
6. Note any patterns to the failure: Time of day? Network segment? Operating
system type? Storage units?

If the Activity Monitor shows a failed job, use this checklist to investigate the cause of
the failure.
1. Define the problem: Note the status code, examine the Detailed Status report in the
Job Details, and identify the servers involved in the backup.
2. Examine the NetBackup reports.
3. Confirm that all services or daemons are running.
4. Answer the question “Is this the first attempt?” What appears to have caused the
error.
• If yes, check the configuration for errors that may have caused this issue.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• If no, review and note any changes made to the NetBackup configuration or
system environment.
5. Discuss problem with relevant internal groups (DBA,s network or storage group).
6. Note any patterns to the failure: time of day? Network segment? operating system
type? Storage unit?
These steps should be undertaken before calling support. If the problem persists, open a
case with Veritas Technical Support. Gather all known details about the problem and be
prepared to collect debug logging information.

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 Detailed Status report

• Job failed with status code 58: Can’t

connect to client.
• The bpbrm process on the media
server failed to connect to the client

A place to start your investigation of a failed job is in the Detailed Status report in the
Job Details. This report will show the processes (and PIDs) involved in the backup as
well as other useful details. In this example the job failed with status code 58: Can’t
connect to client. The bpbrm (backup and restore manager) process on the media server
was unable to connect to the bpcd (client service) process on the client. These
processes will be discussed later in this lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

15-6 Not for Distribution.

 Using the NetBackup Reports utility

• Shows information from various NetBackup database

and log sources
– Error logs created on a 24-hour cycle
– Logs management in master server host properties > Clean-up
– Error logs located in:
UNIX /usr/openv/netbackup/db/error
Windows install_path\NetBackup\db\error
• Can be run on the command line
Refer to the NetBackup Commands References Guide

Use the Reports utility in the NetBackup Administration Console to generate reports to
verify, manage, and troubleshoot NetBackup operations. NetBackup reports display
information according to job status, client backups, and media contents. The reports
draw upon a variety of sources including various NetBackup databases and logs. This
lesson focuses on the Status of Backups report, the Problems report, the Media Logs
report and the All Log Entries report. These reports come from the error catalog located
in install_path\netbackup\db\error on Windows and under
/usr/openv/netbackup/db on UNIX. The first three reports are subsets of the
entire catalog and are created by using filters to select only certain parts of the entire
catalog.
The All Log Entries report will display the entire catalog contents. The catalog is a log,
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

which is automatically setup and enabled at installation. Error logs are created on a 24-
hour cycle. At midnight each day, the daily log is closed and a new one is opened for the
next days events. By default the logs are kept for 28 days. This can be configured in the
master server host properties under the Clean-up tab. See the NetBackup Commands
Reference Guide for more information about running commands.

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 The All Log Entries report

Displays the contents of the

entire error catalog
bperror -all -U

The All Log Entries report displays logging information captured by NetBackup. The
information in this report is derived from the error catalog on the master server. Unlike
the detailed debug logs, the logging recorded to the error catalog is always active;
therefore, information is always available in this report. This report displays all the
information in the error catalog, including routine messages, events, and problems.
When possible, NetBackup displays a severity for each message. To access the
information in this report from the command line, type: bperror -all -U
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15-8 Not for Distribution.

 The Status of Backups report

Displays history of completed job

information and status codes
bperror -backstat -U

The Status of Backups report shows status and error information about the jobs that
completed within the specified time period. If an error occurred, a short explanation of
the error is included in the report. The format is similar to that presented in the Activity
Monitor, however, the two are independent. Deleting a job from the Activity Monitor
will have no affect on the output of this report. Additionally, the Status of Backups
report does not have any job details for each job attached, as the Activity Monitor does.
The report can be filtered by specifying a time and date range, the media server, the
client or the job ID. To access the information in this report from the command line,
type: bperror -backstat -U
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 The Problems report

Lists problems the server has

logged
bperror -problems -U

10

The Problems report displays logging information from the error catalog on the master
server. The Problems report is basically a filter for the All Log Entries report. The
Problems report only displays messages that appear to be errors or problems; routine
messages are not displayed. This report can be very helpful in troubleshooting failed
jobs because there is less output to sort through, and the output is more likely to be
relevant. The report can be filtered by specifying a time and date range, the media
server, the client or the job ID.
To access the information in this report from the command line, type: bperror -
problems -U
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 The Media Logs report

Displays media errors and

messages
bperror -media -U

11

The Media Logs report displays errors that are specifically related to backup media. For
example, physical errors related to tape or disk media. The Media Logs report is another
filter of the All Log Entries report, and derives its information from the error catalog on
the master server. Note that there are also separate reports for Tape Logs and Disk
Logs, which filter the results to display only errors related to tape or disk media,
respectively. Having separate reports for tape and disk enables you to identify problems
quickly without sorting through a large amount of information. It is also convenient if
the responsibility for disk backups and tape backups are assigned to different operators.
The report can be filtered by specifying a time and date range or the media server. To
access the information on this report from the command line, type:
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

bperror -media -U

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 Exporting reports

Windows

Unix

Example: bperror -media -U > file.txt

12

There may be times when you would like to have a copy of a report outside of the
NetBackup administration console. The Export option allows you to export a copy of the
report to a text file on disk. From there the report can be printed, imported to a
different application or distributed to other interested stakeholders. The slide shows the
process on both UNIX and Windows master servers.
From the File menu, select Export. Name the export file and specify where the file is to
be saved. You can achieve a similar result from the command line by redirecting the
output to a file: bperror -media -U > file.txt
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 Topic: Identifying NetBackup services, daemons and
processes

After completing this topic, you will be able to identify and manage the
NetBackup services, daemons and processes that run on NetBackup master
servers, media servers, and clients.

13

This is the Identifying NetBackup services, daemons and processes topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

15-13 Not for Distribution.

 Introduction to NetBackup processes

• Typically start automatically when the system starts up.

Daemons / • Typically remain active in the background until manually
Services stopped, or the system is shut down.
• Run on the master server, media servers and clients.

• Inactive until summoned by a daemon or service, or by

another process.
Processes
• Typically active during specific tasks, such as backups or
restores.

14

In multitasking computer operating systems, there are some computer programs that
run in the background and are always active. On UNIX, these are often referred to as
daemons. On Microsoft Windows systems, these types of programs are called services.
In NetBackup, daemons/services can be found on the master server, media servers and
clients. Because of the many administrations tasks and backup operations performed on
the master server you will find a large number of daemons/services running there. The
media servers and clients will have far fewer daemons/services running.
The term process refers to a program that is inactive until summoned by a
daemon/service. Unless a specific distinction is required, the term process is frequently
used in the general sense to denote both daemons/services and processes.
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15-14 Not for Distribution.

 Monitoring services/daemons in the Activity Monitor

15

You can use the NetBackup Activity Monitor to monitor the services/daemons which are
currently running:
1. Start the NetBackup Administration Console.
2. Verify that you are monitoring the master server.
3. Click Activity Monitor in the object tree area.
4. In the details pane, click the Daemons tab.
From here, you can view the details of the active services and daemons.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

15-15 Not for Distribution.

 Monitoring processes in the Activity Monitor

16

To monitor which processes are currently running:

1. Start the NetBackup Administration Console.
2. Verify that you are monitoring the master server.
3. Click Activity Monitor in the object tree pane.
4. In the details pane, click the Processes tab.
From here, you can view the details of processes.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

15-16 Not for Distribution.

 Viewing NetBackup services in Windows Services

Article 100002166: How to verify the required NetBackup

daemons / services are up running on a master server

17

On Windows servers, the Windows Services tool (also started with services.msc) shows
persistent NetBackup services configured for the NetBackup host. The master server
services, with the associated executable name, most closely associated with backup
operations include:
Service name Executable name
NetBackup Request Manager bprd
NetBackup Jobs Manager bpjobd
NetBackup Data Base manager bpdbm
NetBackup Proxy Service nbproxy
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

NetBackup Job Manager nbjm

NetBackup Resource Broker nbrb
NetBackup Enterprise Media Manager nbemm
This slide shows a screenshot for a master server. On media servers or clients the list of
NetBackup services will be much smaller and not include many of these services. For
more details, refer to Article 100002166: How to verify the required NetBackup
daemons/services are up running on a master server at:
http://www.veritas.com/docs/100002166.

15-17 Not for Distribution.

 Viewing processes using the bpps utility

If you want to … On Windows, enter… On UNIX, enter…

Display active NetBackup and Media Manager

bpps bpps -a
processes

Display detailed NetBackup processes list (Windows

bpps –l n/a
only)

Display active NetBackup processes by server role bpps –i NB_CLIENT_ALL

n/a
(Windows only) bpps –i NB_SERVER_ALL
Display NetBackup, Media Manager and shared
n/a bpps -x
processes (UNIX only)

Display Media Manager processes only bpps –i MM_ALL vmps

Article 100002166: How to verify the required NetBackup

daemons / services are up running on a master server

18

NetBackup provides a command line utility called bpps that displays active NetBackup
processes. The ps part of bpps indicates that it runs similarly to the UNIX ps
command.The bpps utility is located in the following directory:
• Windows: install_path\NetBackup\bin\bpps
• UNIX: /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/bpps
The command options for bpps depend on the operating system platform. Examples of
some command options are listed on the slide. There is also a similar command for
Media Manager processes on UNIX, vmps.
The Windows version of bpps is quite powerful, similar to a resource kit utility for the
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

amount of information it can reveal about processes. For more help on bpps for
Windows, type: bpps -?
Run bpps on the system when it is idle and then again when a backup is running to
determine which processes become active for the backup. For more details, refer to
Article 100002166: How to verify the required NetBackup daemons/services are up
running on a master server at: http://www.veritas.com/docs/100002166.

15-18 Not for Distribution.

 Verifying daemons before device configuration

Master server Media server Client

bprd bpcd bpcd
bpjobd vnetd vnetd
bpdbm vmd bpinetd
nbproxy nbrmms (Windows only)
nbpem
nbjm
nbrb
nbemm
…
bpcd
vmd

19

The master server has many NetBackup daemons which run persistently. The slide
shows a subset of these, including important processes such as bprd, bpdbm, nbpem,
and so on. The number of NetBackup daemons that run on a media server is highly
dependent on what devices have been configured for that media server. When first
installed, a media server has far fewer active services than a master server. These initial
services include:
Service name Executable name
NetBackup Client Service bpcd
NetBackup Volume Manager vmd
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

NetBackup Remote Manager and Monitor Service nbrmms

A client has even fewer NetBackup daemons, which includes only those services that
you will also find on any NetBackup host (including the master and media servers):
Service name Executable name
NetBackup Client Service bpcd
NetBackup Veritas Networking Daemon vnetd
NetBackup Legacy Client Service (Windows only) bpinetd
The slide shows the daemons that you’d expect to see running after installing
NetBackup, but prior to configuring any backup devices on the media servers.

15-19 Not for Distribution.

 Verifying daemons after tape device configuration

Master server Media server Client

bprd bpcd bpcd
bpjobd vmd vnetd
bpdbm nbrmms bpinetd
nbproxy (Windows only)
nbpem ltid
nbjm tldcd
nbrb tldd
nbemm avrd
…
bpcd
vmd

20

This slide displays a number of additional daemons on the media server. These daemons
start running after tape devices are configured, and include:
Service name Executable name
Logical Tape Interface Daemon ltid
Tape Library DLT (Robot) Control Daemon tldcd
Tape Library DLT (Drive) Daemon tldd
Automatic Volume Recognition Daemon avrd
Note that the name for the tldcd and tldd process depends on the type of library and
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

drives configured, and you may see more than just the one process if you have multiple
different devices configured. For example, some LTO drives are configured with the
NetBackup “Half-inch” designation, and would result in the tlhcd and tlhd processes.

15-20 Not for Distribution.

 Verifying daemons after MSDP configuration

Master server Media server Client

bprd bpcd bpcd
bpjobd vmd vnetd
bpdbm nbrmms bpinetd
nbproxy (Windows only)
nbpem ltid
nbjm tldcd
nbrb tldd
nbemm avrd
…
bpcd spad
vmd spoold

21

This slide displays a number of additional daemons on the media server. These daemons
start running after a Media Server Deduplication pool is configured, and include:
Service name Executable name
NetBackup Deduplication Manager spad
NetBackup Deduplication Engine spoold
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

15-21 Not for Distribution.

 Verifying daemons during a backup

Master server Media server Client

bprd bpcd bpcd
bpjobd vmd vnetd
bpdbm nbrmms bpinetd
nbproxy (Windows only)
nbpem ltid
nbjm tldcd bpbkar
nbrb
nbemm
Metadata tldd
avrd
Data
…
bpcd spad
vmd spoold

bpbrm
bptm

22

During some operations you will see additional processes. For example, during a simple
backup you may see the following processes on the media server:
Service name Executable name
NetBackup Backup and Restore Manager bpbrm
NetBackup Tape Manager bptm
Note that although the process has the name “Tape Manager”, it is used for backups
that go to disk storage units as well.
During a backup, you will also see this process on the client:
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Service name Executable name

NetBackup Backup and Archive Process bpbkar
For other operations, such as duplication and restore jobs, you may see different
processes. This is discussed further in the NetBackup Administration Guides as well as
the NetBackup Maintenance and Troubleshooting course.

15-22 Not for Distribution.

 Managing processes using commands and scripts

If you want to … Then enter …

netbackup stop (UNIX)
Stop all processes gracefully
bpdown –f -v (Windows)
netbackup [start] (UNIX)
Start all processes
bpup –f -v (Windows)

Stop the Device Manager stopltid

Stop all processes, daemons, and console processes bp.kill_all (UNIX only)

Start all processes, daemons, and console processes bp.start_all (UNIX only)

The shutdown command may be specific to your version of

NetBackup. Refer to the documentation for details.

23

As mentioned previously, daemons/services are active as long as NetBackup is running.

The only way to stop daemons/services is to shut down NetBackup altogether.
You can stop daemons or services individually without shutting down NetBackup in the
NetBackup Administration Console. The table on this slide lists some command-line
equivalents of these actions.
The first few commands show how to stop and start NetBackup processes gracefully for
both UNIX and Windows NetBackup servers. Individual daemons or services have
different commands by which you can terminate and restart them. For example, to
terminate ltid (the Device Manager), type the stopltid command. See the
NetBackup Commands Reference Guide for detailed information about how to stop and
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

restart specific daemons/services.

Consider that stopping certain daemons or services may impact other daemons or
services. For example, stopping the NetBackup Request Daemon (bprd) stops all future
backup and restore activity. Jobs already running are able to complete because they no
longer depend on bprd. NetBackup provides the bp.kill_all and bp.start_all
scripts that are intended to stop and start all daemons when no backup or restore
operation is in progress.

15-23 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: NetBackup logging overview

After completing this topic, you will be able to describe legacy and unified
NetBackup logs.

24

This is the NetBackup logging overview topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

15-24 Not for Distribution.

 NetBackup debug logs and support

• NetBackup support may request:

– Debug logs related to the investigated problem.
– Output from NetBackup utilities such as nbsu.
– Evidence such as operating system files and logs.
• Knowledge of how to enable, configure and collect logs is useful.
• Customers are not expected to read and interpret debug logs.
• Number of logs requested will depend on how well defined and understood the problem
is.
• In a production environment, logs should be enabled with the guidance of support.

25

The following slides are designed to help you understand how NetBackup logging works
so that you can better assist Veritas Technical Support in the resolution of your
NetBackup problem. In order to investigate the problem support may request debug
logs of the processes associated with the problem. In addition, support may request the
output of certain NetBackup utilities such as nbsu. Other evidence such as operating
system files and logs may also be requested.
The process of log collection can be facilitated if you understand how NetBackup logging
works. In the following slides you will learn how to enable, configure and collect
NetBackup logs. NetBackup customers are not expected to read and interpret logs. That
is the job of the support engineer who is working your case. They have the knowledge,
skills, tools, and experience to examine and process the logs. The number of logs
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

requested will depend on the nature of the problem. If the problem is ill-defined or the
source of the problem is not readily obvious, more logs may be requested. If the
problem is well defined and specific, fewer logs will be required.

15-25 Not for Distribution.

 Understanding NetBackup debug log types

• Every NetBackup process has an available debug log.

• These logs are commonly requested by Support.
• There are two types of logs in NetBackup:

Legacy logs Unified logs

• Example process: bprd • Example process: nbpem

• Limited control of logs • Greater control of logs
• Must be manually enabled • Enabled automatically
• Debug messages only • Application, diagnostic, and debug messages
• Can be read with any editor • Require separate utilities to read, manage and
• Logging level set in Host Properties configure logs

26

Every NetBackup process (including daemons and services) has a detailed debug log
associated with it. This is in addition to the default information that NetBackup logs to
the error catalog on the master server. Each log is a text-based file containing detailed
output from its associated process. In NetBackup, there are two kinds of processes,
each using a different logging method:
• Most NetBackup processes and components that have been added to NetBackup
since the NetBackup 6.0 release use unified logs. In general, these include processes
that begin with nb, and components that use the Private Branch Exchange (PBX) to
communicate. These logs are turned on all the time and are configurable.
• Processes that existed prior to the NetBackup 6.0 release and continue to be used
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

today are referred to as legacy processes. These processes often start with bp (for
example bprd or bptm). The debug logs for these processes are referred to as legacy
logs and are not active by default. Legacy logs are less configurable than the newer,
unified logs, but are still very useful for troubleshooting. As a best practice only
activate these logs when needed for troubleshooting purposes. They can grow very
large and can also affect performance.
There is one process, nbproxy, which uses legacy logs even though it is not a legacy
process.

15-26 Not for Distribution.

 Enabling and managing NetBackup logs
Legacy logs Unified logs

1. Create directories, under: 1. Logs automatically created in:

– UNIX: /usr/openv/netbackup/logs – UNIX: /usr/openv/logs
– Windows: install_path\NetBackup\logs – Windows: install_path\NetBackup\logs
2. Set or verify log levels: 2. Set or verify log levels:
– In host properties – In host properties (for nbpem, nbjm and nbrb only)
– Using the nbsetconfig command – Using vxlogcfg utility (all unified log processes)
3. Wait for processes to start logging – In the nblog.conf file in the NetBackup
automatically within 60 seconds install_path (verify only)

4. For intermittent processes, restart the task

(such as the backup) which starts those
processes

27

Enabling NetBackup logs depends on the type of logs you are managing. The slide
discusses both methods.
Legacy logs: Legacy debug logs provide a record of NetBackup activity related to specific
services and processes. The table on this slide shows the general process for enabling
legacy logs.
1. Legacy debug logs are created by a process only if a subdirectory for that process
has been created. In general, these directories have the format:
• UNIX: /usr/openv/netbackup/logs/process_name
• Windows: install_path\NetBackup\logs\process_name
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Legacy logging processes creates one or more debug log file per day, with the
format:
• UNIX: username.mmddyy_seqnum.log
• Windows: domainname@username.mmddyy_seqnum.log or
ALL_ADMINS.mmddyy_seqnum.log
The mklogdir script, found in the logs folder, can be used to create some, or all
the legacy logging directories. Because this script can creates log directories for all
possible daemons and processes and increase disk I/O, it is instead recommended
to run the command with the named directory as an argument.
Note: Earlier versions of NetBackup used a different naming convention, which did
not include the username.

15-27 Not for Distribution.

 Note: Refer to Robust Logging settings for details on number of log files created
each day.
2. Various logging parameters are configured in the NetBackup host properties for the
host. For example, NetBackup retains debug logs for the number of days specified by
the Duration to Keep Logs global attribute (default:28 days). Log files can grow very
large. Enable these files only if unexplained problems exist. Delete logs and the
directory when they are no longer needed. Veritas recommends only to increase
bprd and bpdbm logging levels under guidance of support.
3. Starting in NetBackup 7.6 many services/daemons dynamically update within 60
seconds of the time they are changed. There is no need to restart NetBackup
services/daemons, as logging starts automatically. Prior to NetBackup 7.6, to
activate the logs, restart the process in question. For example, a persistent daemon
or service, such as bprd or bpdbm, must be stopped and restarted to activate
logging. On UNIX systems, use netbackup stop and netbackup start to
start all of the daemons. On Windows systems, use the bpdown and bpup
commands to start the entire NetBackup system.
4. A transient process, such as bpcd or bptm, logs to its directory the next time the
process runs. This means that logging some processes requires you to restart the
task associated with the process or issue, such as re-running the backup or restore
job. Media manager processes do require a restart, and do not perform logging
dynamically. Logging for these media manager processes is configured in the
volmgr directory:
• UNIX: /usr/openv/volmgr/logs/logging_dir_name
• Windows: install_path\VolMgr\logs\logging_dir_name
Unified logs: Unified logging creates log file names and messages in a format that is
standardized across Veritas products. Many NetBackup processes use unified logging.
1. Unified logs are enabled automatically and the logs are written into user definable
directories. The default directory on UNIX systems is /usr/openv/logs. On
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Windows systems the logs are written in install_path\NetBackup\logs.

2. Various properties of the logs are defined in the nblog.conf configuration file
located in the /usr/openv/netbackup and install_path\NetBackup
directories. The nblog.conf file is configured using the vxlogcfg command.
Features such as log location, log size, number of logs to keep, roll over mode and
logging levels can be configured using vxlogcfg. In addition, the debug logging
level for nbpem, nbjm and nbrb can be configured through the master server Host
Properties. Doing this will update nblog.conf.
Making changes to the logging properties does not require a restart of
daemons/services.

15-28 Not for Distribution.

 Setting logging host properties

nbsetconfig

29

The Logging host properties apply to currently selected master servers, media servers,
and clients. The available properties differ between a server and a client. Access the
host properties from within the NetBackup Administration Console for the host, and
select the Logging tab. The Global logging level setting is used for setting the debug
level for all legacy debug logs. Alternatively, Process specific overrides can be used to
specifically set levels for some individual processes, different from the global level.
It is possible to change logging level in the host properties, or by modifying the
bp.conf configuration file in UNIX. Check your specific version of NetBackup for
supported logging levels in the host properties and the bp.conf file. Eight logging
levels are supported in NetBackup 7.7: no logging (-2), minimum logging (-1), same as
global level (0), or low to maximum debugging (1-5).
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Logging for critical processes creates logs for critical NetBackup processes automatically
by creating the appropriate log directories. Check your version of NetBackup for a
specific list of processes. NetBackup 8.0 lists processes for the master server (bprd,
bpdbm), media server (bpbrm, bptm, bpdm) and the client (bpfis), as long as they are
running NetBackup 7.7 or later.

15-29 Not for Distribution.

 Using commands for unified logs
Configure unified logging with vxlogcfg
• Configure debug logging level for nbpem:
vxlogcfg –a –p nb –o nbpem –s DebugLevel=3
• Configure the default maximum number of log files :
vxlogcfg –a –p nb –o Default –s NumberOfLogFiles=6

Manage unified logs with vxlogmgr

• Show all nbpem log files from the last 24 hours:
vxlogmgr –s –p nb –o nbpem –t 24
• Delete logs from last 12 hours:
vxlogmgr –d –p nb –t 12

View unified logs with vxlogview

• View unified log entries associated with Job ID 1150:
vxlogview –d all -X "jobid=1150" > job1150.txt

30

The vxlogcfg command is used to change the logging settings. Settings can be
changed for individual processes which are identified in the command by their
originator ID (OID). The OID can be in the form of a name (nbpem, nbjm, etc) or a
number (116, 117, etc.). A list of OID name and numbers can be found in the NetBackup
Troubleshooting Guide.
Similarly, the nblog.conf configuration file, which is located in the
/usr/openv/netbackup (UNIX) and install_path\NetBackup (Windows)
directories, can be used to identify originator IDs and the short names for processes.
Note that this file should only be changed using the vxlogcfg command. Do not edit
it manually. Some sample lines from nblog.conf showing the OID and settings for
nbjm are as follows:
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

# 117. Job Manager

117.L10nResource=nbjm
117.NtEventLogSourceName=nbjm
117.OIDNames=nbjm
117.LogDirectory=nbjm
Settings can also be changed for ALL processes. Finally, the Default value for a given
setting can be changed.

15-30 Not for Distribution.

 Disabling debug logs

Disabling legacy logging

• Delete the relevant debug log folder in the NetBackup log folder.
• Do not delete the AltPath or the user_ops folders, if present.
• Do not delete the mklogdir script

Disabling unified logging

• Application-level messages cannot be disabled.
• Use vxlogcfg to modify diagnostic and debug-level messages.
• Use vxlogmgr to purge existing logs to reclaim disk space.

Note: Generally, when you are actively troubleshooting, it is safe to have vxlogs. Otherwise,
minimize the logging levels to have some information if the troubleshooting is required.

31

Unless you are actively trying to capture a failure scenario, it is recommended to keep
logging at a minimum. Logs can have a tremendous impact on NetBackup performance
and disk space on the volume where logs exist. Disable and purge legacy NetBackup logs
by deleting the folder for the corresponding logs in the NetBackup logs directory. The
AltPath and user_ops folders, if present, are part of normal NetBackup operations,
and they must not be deleted. Also, do not delete the mklogdir script.
Unified logs cannot be completely disabled, but the amount of detail logged and the
corresponding performance overhead varies based on the verbose settings.
The following commands revert debug and diagnostic unified log messages to
their default verbosity levels:
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

vxlogcfg –a –p 51216 –o Default –s DiagnosticLevel=6

vxlogcfg –a –p 51216 –o Default –s DebugLevel=1
Veritas recommends setting logging levels to their default settings versus
disabling them. Setting DebugLevel=0 and DiagnosticLevel=0 should
not be performed.

15-31 Not for Distribution.

 Making the most of NetBackup logging

• An understanding of NetBackup processes and process flow is essential in knowing

where and when to apply logging.
• Support can assist in debug log gathering and troubleshooting.
• Reset logging to minimum levels when not troubleshooting.
• For additional troubleshooting information:
– Refer to the NetBackup Troubleshooting Guide, NetBackup Status Code Reference Guide, NetBackup
Commands Reference Guide, and NetBackup Logging Reference Guide
– Attend the NetBackup: Advanced Administration course.
– Attend the NetBackup: Maintenance and Troubleshooting course.

32

The most efficient way to enable logging in NetBackup and to quickly gather the
required information from debug logs is to understand how NetBackup inter-process
communication works, and the direction of communication and data within the
NetBackup architecture. This information is best garnered over time and with
experience, but can be assisted by attending the Veritas NetBackup Advanced
Administration and Veritas NetBackup: Maintenance and Troubleshooting courses, by
reviewing the NetBackup Troubleshooting Guide, and by contacting Veritas Technical
Support.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

15-32 Not for Distribution.

 High-level NetBackup process flow of a simple backup
Master Request Daemon Scheduler Job Manager Resource Broker
server (bprd) (nbpem) (nbjm) (nbrb)

Database Manager Communications

Image
catalog (bpdbm) (bpcompatd)
NetBackup Database
Metadata (NBDB)

Media Communications
Device Manager Backup/Restore (bpcd) Client
server Communications
(ltid) Manager
(bpcd)
(bpbrm)
Metadata
Backup and Archive
Tape Manager Client (bpbkar)
or
(bptm) Data

Client’s data

33

This slide shows the connections among the major processes of the master server, the
media server, and the client, during a standard backup job. By understanding this
architecture, you can get a better idea of where to apply logging. For example, if you
believe that NetBackup is having a communication or authentication problem during
backups, applying logging to the bpcd, bpbrm, bpbkar, and bptm processes may make
sense. If you think that NetBackup is having problems allocating media or devices during
a backup, logging of nbrb, nbemm (which is part of NBDB), and nbjm would be
appropriate.
In the diagram on the slide, some processes have been colored slightly differently to
show that they are persistently running while NetBackup is running. In NetBackup these
are also known as daemons or services: bprd, bpdbm, nbpem, nbjm, nbrb, nbemm,
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

bpcd, and ltid. Other more transient processes, represented by boxes with a dashed
outline, only start running when a backup job occurs: bpbrm, bptm, and bpbkar. In
addition, the dashed lines represent the flow of data, the dotted lines represent the
flow of metadata, and the solid lines represent the flow of communication to complete
a backup job.
For additional information, see the NetBackup Troubleshooting Guide and attend the
Veritas NetBackup: Maintain and Troubleshoot course.

15-33 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Using the support utilities

After completing this topic, you will be able to use the NBSU and NBCPLOGS
utilities, and describe the Logging Assistant.

34

This is the Using the support utilities topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

15-34 Not for Distribution.

 Describing the NetBackup Support Utility (NBSU)

• Collects information about the operating system, network, and NetBackup environment
• Runs various operating system and NetBackup commands, based on switches and
NetBackup host role
• Frequently requested by Support
• Located in:
UNIX /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/support
Windows install_path\NetBackup\bin\support

• Writes results to the following directories:

UNIX ./output/nbsu/hostname_host-role_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS
Windows C:\users\username\output\nbsu\hostname_host-
role_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS

35

The NetBackup Support Utility (NBSU) is a Veritas utility used to gather diagnostic
information. By default, NBSU gathers appropriate diagnostic information based on the
operating system and NetBackup environment. The amount of information gathered by
NBSU can be qualified using command-line switches. The path to the NBSU command is
shown on the slide. NetBackup support may request for the output of NBSU to be
emailed or submitted to them.
NBSU results are written to the following directories:
• UNIX: ./output/nbsu/hostname-role-YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS
• Windows: C:\Users\username\output\nbsu\hostname-
role_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

The output can be redirected to a different output directory by using the command:
nbsu –odir destination_directory

15-35 Not for Distribution.

 Running NBSU

If you want to … Then enter …

Run nbsu using default options nbsu

Lists the available diagnostics in an unzipped output file. No

nbsu –l -nozip
diagnostics are run.
Select an individual diagnostic command to run. The output
nbsu -d NBU_bpmedialist
file is zipped by default.
Select the network group of diagnostics to run, but skip the
nbsu -g NET -s NET_dd
NET_dd diagnostic.
Select the diagnostics associated with the NetBackup exit
nbsu -nbu_e 41
status code 41.

36

NBSU switches enable the collection of selective information. The following table
describes the switches used in the examples in the table on the slide:

Switch Description
-l List the diagnostic commands that are selected to run.
-d name Run the specified diagnostic commands or procedures. Use nbsu -l
to obtain a list of commands and procedures.
Note: Multiple -d options can be listed, for example:
-d OS_general -d OS_env

-nozip Do not compress the output files.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

-g group_name Run the diagnostic commands or procedures related to the group

name. Diagnostic groups are OS, DEV, NET, NBU, and MM.
Note: Multiple -g options can be listed, for example: -g OS -g
DEV
-s name Skip the diagnostic command, procedure, or group listed.
-nbu_e number Run only the diagnostic commands or procedures related to the
specified NetBackup exit status.

See the online help provided by nbsu –H for details on usage and nbsu –L for the
complete list of diagnostics and commands.

15-36 Not for Distribution.

 Example NBSU output on Windows
• Stored in a CAB file
• Includes many separate files containing
collected information

Sample of registry
information collected

37

This screenshot shows the text files which are packed into the CAB file. The names of
the individual files suggest the type of information collected. This screenshot shows the
contents of one of these files. The example displayed shows the values collected for the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion registry key.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

15-37 Not for Distribution.

 Example NBSU output on UNIX
• Stored in a gzipped tar file
• Includes many separate files
containing collected information

Sample of general environment

information collected

38

This screenshot shows the text files which are packed into the compressed (.tar.gz)
file. The names of the individual files suggest the type of information collected. This
screenshot shows the contents of one of these files. The example displayed shows some
operating system environment information.
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 Describing nbcplogs
• Log collection utility, which includes logs such as:
NetBackup legacy logs NBDB logs Windows Event logs
NetBackup Unified logs Web server logs Private Branch Exchange logs
NetBackup Activity logs Job try logs Virtual machine mapping logs
NetBackup Vault logs VxFI logs True Image Restore (TIR) information
• Copies logs from various locations to a common area
• Runs the nbsu utility, by default
• Allows specification of start and end times for log data
• Allows for compression and bundling of logs
• Does not upload the data to NetBackup Support
To learn more about the methods to upload logs, refer to
Article 100038665: Methods to provide data for Technical Support cases

39

When you open a case with Veritas Technical Support, support may ask you to collect
various logs to help debug the issue. The requested logs, such as legacy logs, Unified
logs, and so on, may be in many places. Examples include the NetBackup relational DB
logs (NBDB logs), Activity logs (used to generate NetBackup reports), Legacy logs, PBX
logs, True Image Restore (TIR) information, Jobs try logs, NetBackup Vault logs, Media
Manager logs, VM mapping logs (file mapping for virtual machine backups), Unified
logs, Webserver logs, Windows Event logs, and VxFI logs (logs for snapshot providers).
nbcplogs is a NetBackup utility which makes the collection of these logs much easier.
nbcplogs gathers NetBackup and system logs into a tar format file and then compresses
them to facilitate the uploading of the tar bundle to the Veritas Evidence Server. By
default, nbcplogs searches for all logs generated during the last 24 hours. There are
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

switches you can use to override the defaults.

Prior to NetBackup 8.0, this utility was also used to upload files to support. Because of
security changes to the Veritas FTP server, this feature is removed from the nbcplogs
utility and the Logging Assistant. Logs must be manually uploaded. To learn more about
the methods to upload logs, refer to the Article 100038665: Methods to provide data for
Technical Support cases at: http://www.veritas.com/docs/100038665.

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 Understanding nbcplogs command line syntax

To run nbcplogs… Run…

With all default options nbcplogs path

To bundle and compress nbcplogs path –B -c

With start and end date nbcplogs --start MM/DD --end MM/DD path

For recent timeframe

nbcplogs –d 5m path
(example: last 5 minutes)

To select only NetBackup and unified

nbcplogs –l nbu,vxul path
(VxUL) logs

To display short help nbcplogs --help

40

This slide shows a sample of the nbcplogs command line syntax. The variable path
signifies the folder or directory used. For more details refer to the NetBackup
Commands Reference Guide. All NetBackup documentation can be downloaded from
the SORT website at: https://sort.veritas.com/netbackup.
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 Collecting nbcplogs on Windows and UNIX
Windows UNIX
accelerator.vmware-logs\ accelerator.vmware-logs/
allwebapps-logs\ Logs allwebapps-logs/
dberror-logs\ collected dberror-logs/ nbsu
db-logs\ db-logs/ output
eventlog-logs\ extra-logs/
nb-logs\ lnxmaster_master_20190128_124517.tar.gz
pbx-logs\ nb-logs/
purdisk.Agent_extra_paths_log-logs\ pbx-logs/
purdisk.Agent-logs\ purdisk.Agent_extra_paths_log-logs/
telemetry.dataset-logs\ purdisk.Agent-logs/
telemetry.domaininfo-logs\ puredisk.mtstrm-logs/
telemetry.runtime-logs\ telemetry.dataset-logs/
trylogs-logs\ telemetry.runtime-logs/
vault-logs\ trylogs-logs/
vxfi-logs\ vault-logs/
vxul-logs\ vxul-logs/
webconsole-logs\ webconsole-logs/
winmaster_master_20190128_114122.tar
nbsu Logs
output collected

41

This slide shows the output generated by running the nbcplogs command on both
UNIX and Windows. This command collects all logs and also runs the nbsu utility. The
output is written to the destination directory, as defined in the command.
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 Introduction to the Logging Assistant

• Shortens time required to set up, collect, and upload

debug logs
• Provides Wizards to quickly troubleshoot a problem
• Collects 3 categories of data:
– Debug logs
– NBSU diagnostic information
– Additional evidence
• Provides ability to set logging on inaccessible clients
• Refer to Article 100028985: Logging Assistant FAQ

42

The Logging Assistant is a helpful tool that can shorten the time required to set up and
collect debug logs and other information. Because Logging Assistant automatically
performs a number of functions, you can avoid the problems that are associated with
manually logging into NetBackup hosts, creating log directories, and changing logging
levels. The Logging Assistant uses a series of wizards to help quickly troubleshoot a
problem. Depending on the category of NetBackup problem, the tool suggests the
possible hosts that may be involved in the problem and the logs that should be enabled
on those hosts. The tool also collects NetBackup debug logs, nbsu diagnostic
information, as well as additional evidence such as operating system files related to
troubleshooting.
To use the Logging Assistant, make sure that NetBackup (7.6 or later) is installed on all
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

NetBackup hosts involved in the process. No special licensing is required. However, you
must have root permissions for UNIX, and administrator privileges for Windows, to use
the Logging Assistant. For more details, refer to the NetBackup Administration Guide.
Note: With NetBackup 8.0, the feature for uploading logs to the FTP server has been
removed from the nbsu and nbcplogs utilities and the Logging Assistant. Logs that have
been collected by the Logging assistant and the other support utilities can be manually
uploaded to the Veritas Evidence Server. For more information, refer to Article
100028985: Logging Assistant FAQ at: http://www.veritas.com/docs/100028985.

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 Topic: Using NetBackup support resources

After completing this topic, you will be able to identify available resources
for NetBackup troubleshooting.

43

This is the Using NetBackup support resources topic.

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 Useful guides for troubleshooting

Can be downloaded from the NetBackup SORT

website at https://sort.veritas.com/netbackup

44

NetBackup has a rather extensive set of documentation. The entire documentation set
can be downloaded through the NetBackup SORT website at:
https://sort.veritas.com/netbackup.
Three guide books are particularly useful for troubleshooting. These are the NetBackup
Status Code Reference Guide, the NetBackup Logging Reference Guide and the
NetBackup Troubleshooting Guide. The NetBackup Troubleshooting Guide is very useful
in learning how NetBackup works under the covers. Understanding how NetBackup
inter-process communication works, and the direction of communication and data
within the NetBackup architecture is key to troubleshooting problems within
NetBackup. This information is best garnered over time and with experience, but can be
assisted by reading the available documentation and by attending the Veritas NetBackup
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Advanced Administration and Veritas NetBackup: Maintain and Troubleshoot courses.

In addition, the NetBackup SORT website provides links to online NetBackup
communities and forums. Also consider joining your local NetBackup user group and
attending Vision, Veritas’s annual user and technical conference. For more information
on Vision, visit the Veritas Open Exchange website at https://vox.veritas.com/.

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 Escalating problem to NetBackup support

Contacting support
1. If problem persists, open a support case:
• Go to https://support.veritas.com
• Sign in or register
• Create a new case or manage an existing case
2. Be prepared to collect debug logging information
3. Upload requested logs and data to support

For information about support policies and options refer to Support Fundamentals:
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/terms/support-fundamentals.html

45

The slide lists some simple steps when contacting NetBackup support.
1. If you cannot resolve the problem on your own, open a support case. First go the
Veritas Support web site at https://support.veritas.com. Sign-in or register for a new
account, and then create a new case or manage an existing case.
2. Be prepared to collect debug logging information.
3. Upload the debug logging information for support.
Information about support policies and options can be found online at:
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/terms/support-fundamentals.html.
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 Lesson summary
• Key points
– In this lesson, you learned to perform very basic troubleshooting for NetBackup environments, including how to
identify and manage the NetBackup processes and services that run on NetBackup master servers, media servers,
and clients.
– You also learned to describe legacy and unified NetBackup logs, and how to use the NBSU and nbcplogs utilities,
and describe the Logging Assistant.
– Finally, you learned how identify available resources for NetBackup troubleshooting.
• Reference materials
– NetBackup Administrator’s Guide
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/18716246-136359033-0/index
– NetBackup Commands Reference Guide
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/15263389-133604923-0/index
– NetBackup Troubleshooting Guide
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/15179611-136359166-0/v15093591-136359166
– NetBackup Logging Reference Guide
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/86063237-131070602-0/v40600724-131070602
– Veritas Support​
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US.html

46

For more information about the topics discussed in this lesson, refer to the resources
listed on the slide and remember to check the Veritas Support web site frequently.
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 Lab 15: Collecting Logs and Diagnostic Information
• Exercise A: Viewing, stopping, and starting NetBackup services
• Exercise B: Running NetBackup reports for troubleshooting
• Exercise C: Using the nbsu and nbcplogs commands
• Exercise D: (Optional) Viewing and setting debug logging properties
• Exercise E: (Optional) Enabling NetBackup legacy debug logging
• Exercise F: (Optional) Viewing debug logging levels for unified logs

47

The slide shows the objectives for the lab associated with this lesson. Refer to the
corresponding lab guide for specific instructions and lab steps.
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 What did you learn?
You are about to be asked a series
of questions related to the current
lesson.

48

The next section is a quiz. In this quiz, you are asked a series of questions related to the
current lesson.
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 Question 1: Starting NetBackup services on Windows
Which command starts the NetBackup services on Windows?

A. The bpup command

B. The netbackup start command
C. The start services command
D. The bpup all command
E. The bp.start_all command

49
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 Answer 1: Starting NetBackup services on Windows
Which command starts the NetBackup services on Windows?

A. The bpup command

B. The netbackup start command
C. The start services command
D. The bpup all command
E. The bp.start_all command

The correct answer is A. None of the other commands are valid on a Windows NetBackup host, although some are valid
on a UNIX NetBackup host.

50
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 Question 2: Reading NetBackup logs
Which statement is correct?

A. You can read NetBackup logs in the NetBackup Administration Console.

B. You can read NetBackup logs in OpsCenter.
C. You can read NetBackup legacy logs using vxlogview.
D. You can read NetBackup unified logs using vxlogview.

51
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 Answer 2: Reading NetBackup logs
Which statement is correct?

A. You can read NetBackup logs in the NetBackup Administration Console.

B. You can read NetBackup logs in OpsCenter.
C. You can read NetBackup legacy logs using vxlogview.
D. You can read NetBackup unified logs using vxlogview.

The correct answer is D. The unified logs are not stored in plain text. Legacy logs are created in plain text and can be
viewed in any text editor, like Notepad. You can set the logging levels in NetBackup Administration Console. OpsCenter is
used to generate reports and monitor NetBackup.

52
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 Question 3: About the nbcplogs utility
Which statement best describes the nbcplogs utility?

A. It copies NetBackup logs to the OpsCenter server.

B. It collects a variety of log files.
C. It makes backup copies of NetBackup logs.
D. It compresses NetBackup log files.

53
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 Answer 3: About the nbcplogs utility
Which statement best describes the nbcplogs utility?

A. It copies NetBackup logs to the OpsCenter server.

B. It collects a variety of log files.
C. It makes backup copies of NetBackup logs.
D. It compresses NetBackup log files.

The correct answer is B. The nbcplogs utility collects a variety of log files. For example, nbcplogs collects unified logs,
legacy logs, NBDB logs, TIR info, PBX logs, web service logs and more.

54
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Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

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 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Appendix A: Introduction to Application and Database

Backups

© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Introduction to Application and Database Backups appendix in the Veritas
NetBackup 8.2: Administration course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A-1 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson objectives
Topic Objective
Application protection concepts Discuss application backup types, and the features of Granular
Restore Technology (GRT) and Block Level Incremental Backups
(BLIB).
Introduction to database backups Discuss database backup and restore concepts.

Introduction to enterprise Discuss options for backing up and restoring Exchange, Active
application backups Directory, SharePoint, and Enterprise Vault.

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A-2 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Application protection concepts

After completing this topic, you will be able to discuss application backup
types, and the features of Granular Restore Technology (GRT) and Block
Level Incremental Backups (BLIB).

This is the Application protection concepts topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

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 Application backup concerns
Data consistency
0110 1101 • Is the data consistent for recovery?
• Does the backup require application state changes?

Scheduling
• Who is initiating the backup: NetBackup or the application?
• Are there restrictions on when the backup runs?

Automation
• How is the application put into and out of a backup state?
• What additional automation or notification is required?

This slide describes the high level concerns you need to consider when preparing for
application backups. At a minimum, you should ask and answer the questions shown on
the slide. For many of the popular databases, such as Oracle, Microsoft Exchange, and
Microsoft SQL, there are NetBackup agents that answer these questions and simplify
the configuration and running of backups and restores of these databases.
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 How backups are initiated in NetBackup
Automatically
• Scheduled in NetBackup with frequency, calendar, or automatic schedule types
• Started by the NetBackup scheduler

Manually
• Sometimes referred to as immediate backup
• Run manually from the NetBackup Administration Console, OpsCenter, or command line
• May be automated with a script, cron (UNIX), Task Scheduler (Windows), or a third-party job
scheduler

On an application or user schedule

• Timing originates from the client
• Runs and is managed by NetBackup

Backups can be initiated in a number of ways in NetBackup:

• Most backups start automatically based on the schedules defined by the NetBackup
administrator. These include full schedules, incremental schedules (both differential
and cumulative), and automatic schedules, used by some NetBackup agents to
control when the application schedule runs. These schedules tend to be based on
frequency or on a calendar.
• Manual backups enable you to perform the backup immediately, on demand. For
this reason, they are sometimes known as immediate backups. Manual backups can
be initiated from any of the NetBackup administrative interfaces, including the
Administration Console, the command line, and OpsCenter. Manual backups can
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

also be run by schedulers outside of NetBackup, such as scripts, the cron utility, or
the Windows Task Scheduler.
• Application or user schedules, including user backups and archives, are client-
requested backups that enable the end-user or application on the NetBackup client
to control when a backup runs and which information is contained in the backup. By
default, users and applications on the client do not have permission to request
backups: the NetBackup administrator must create specific schedules to allow this,
and may choose to limit client requested backups to specific hosts or at specific
times of the day. Client requested backups do not use the policy’s Backup Selections
list; the user or application always chooses what is to be protected at the time the
backup runs. Some application backups may be initiated by special automatic
schedules by the NetBackup scheduler.

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 NetBackup policy types
Data type Policy type examples Description
• Standard
File system Perform UNIX and Windows file system backups
• MS-Windows
NetBackup NBU Catalog Protect the NetBackup master server catalogs
• VMware
Virtualization Performs backups of virtual machines
• Hyper-V
• MS-SQL-Server
• Oracle
Databases Perform online backups of databases
• Sybase
• DB2
• MS-Exchange-Server
• MS-SharePoint
Applications Perform online backups of enterprise applications
• Lotus-Notes
• Enterprise-Vault

As shown on the slide, there are many policy types in NetBackup, which correspond to
different ways of handling different types of data:
• File system data
File system backups tend to use either Standard or MS-Windows policy types to
back up UNIX or Windows file systems, respectively.
• NetBackup data
The NBU-Catalog policy type is special, and used specifically to back up the
NetBackup master server configuration, databases, and catalogs.
• Offsite data copies
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

The Vault policy type is used with the NetBackup Vault feature, for making and
tracking offsite copies of data for disaster recovery purposes.
• Databases, applications, and virtual machines
Many of the other policy types are used to back up specific applications, file
systems, or virtual machines. The policy type helps NetBackup determine how to
communicate and collect data. It performs this in coordination with the application,
sometimes with the goal of higher availability or automation of tasks, such as
controlling the starting and stopping of services, log truncation, or enabling online
backup methods.

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 Choosing a policy type (Oracle example)
Database and Database and
associated files associated files

Backups Restore

• Option 1: NetBackup file level

1. Shut down the Oracle database.
2. Use a Standard/MS-Windows policy to back up the Oracle database files.
3. Restart the Oracle database.
• Option 2: RMAN controlled
1. Create a backup in RMAN that backs up the Oracle database to backup files.
2. Use a Standard/MS-Windows policy to back up the backup files.
• Option 3: NetBackup for Oracle agent
Use an Oracle policy type with the NetBackup agent for Oracle, which enables RMAN to perform backups
directly to NetBackup and restore directly from NetBackup.

When configuring your environment to back up an application, it is important to note

that there may be multiple ways of achieving the same goal: being able to back up and
restore data. When choosing the appropriate type of policy, consider the following:
• What kind of clients are going to be backed up by this policy?
• What type of files are going to be backed up?
• How much intervention can you tolerate when restoring the data?
This slide shows three ways you can choose to back up an Oracle database:
1. The database is shut down completely, and the database files are backed up as
standard files in a file system. When the backup is complete, the database can be
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

restarted. Database shutdown must be automated through scheduling or scripting.

2. The Oracle Recovery Manager (RMAN) is used to automate the process of dumping
the database to files in the file system. NetBackup is scheduled to systematically
archive these files with a normal file system backup policy.
3. The NetBackup Agent for Oracle contains everything that is needed to successfully
back up and restore an Oracle database by using APIs to control RMAN and back up
the database on NetBackup’s schedule, without affecting database downtime. This
method requires additional NetBackup licensing.

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 Database backup types
bpbkar-based Stream-based Intelligent

• Exchange • Oracle • Oracle

• SharePoint • Sybase • SQL Server
• Lotus Domino • Informix
• Enterprise Vault • DB2
• SQL Server

Database backups are divided into three types: bpbkar-based and script-based. Some
examples of bpbkar-based database backups are Exchange, SharePoint, Lotus Domino,
and Enterprise Vault. The backup process flow for bpbkar-based database backups is
similar to other standard file system backups.
Script-based backups can be split into two different types, stream based and Intelligent
Policy. Both types use a script. Stream based use a script that is written using the
database backup and restore utilities. Examples of script-based database backups are
Oracle, Sybase, Informix, DB2, and SQL Server.
Intelligent policies still use a script but the script is generated at run time using the data
that is entered in the NetBackup policy. Examples of intelligent policies are Oracle and
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

SQL Server. The process flow for stream based and intelligent policy backups are
significantly different from the standard backup process flow.

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 How databases are backed up in NetBackup
bpbkar- Stream-
Schedule type Intelligent
based based
Frequency- or calendar-based *
• Backup initiated by NetBackup scheduler
• Most common types
User
• Backup initiated by user or application
• NetBackup restricts backup windows
• Application determines backup data
Application
• Variant of the User schedule
• Backup initiated by NetBackup as directed by Application
• Schedule determines backup retention
Automatic
• Backup initiated by database script on client, run by
NetBackup.
• This can be optional.
• Contains no backup data.
* Available schedules are Full, Incremental, and Logs 9

This slide compares and contrasts the schedules for bpbkar-based backups, script-based
backups and intelligent policies. In general, bpbkar-based backups are scheduled as
normal file system backups. They can be controlled automatically with a frequency- or
calendar-based schedule that NetBackup initiates, or with a User Backup schedule that
enables the client to initiate the backup.
With script-based backups, an Application Backup schedule is created that enables the
application to initiate the backup. The backup is usually initiated when the application
runs a script that defines attributes of the backup. Additionally, if you wish to configure
NetBackup to control the schedule of these script-based backups, use an Automatic
Backup schedule that directs the application to run the script, which then initiates the
backup. With intelligent policies, the schedule type can be Full, Incremental or be a
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

special Logs type for backing up Oracle Archive logs or SQL Server T-Logs. The schedule
initiates the backup and uses the same NetBackup schedule to store the data removing
the need for separate Application Schedules

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 Application backup-related features

Granular Recovery Technology (GRT)

•Enables individual object restores from one-pass full backups
•Supported with Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint, and Active Directory

Block-level incremental backups (BLIB)

•Used mainly for VMWare backups.
•Enables NetBackup to back up only changed data blocks.
•Extremely efficient for large files that have few changes.
•For Oracle backups, uses VxFS Storage Checkpoint technology to significantly
reduce time, CPU, and network overhead, but does not use RMAN.

10

Granular Recovery Technology (GRT)

Granular Recovery Technology (GRT) enables the ability to restore individual objects,
such as mailbox and public folder items in Exchange, from full database backups.
Block-level incremental backups (BLIB)
The block-level incremental backup interface extends the capabilities of NetBackup to
back up only changed data blocks. Block level incremental backups are used mainly for
VMWare backups. This allows incremental backups to use the VMware Change Block
Tracking , via the vStorage API, to make the incremental backup fast as only changed
blocks are backed up. Used in conjunction with NetBackup Accelerator, this can create
full backups from the block level incremental backup.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Oracle has integration with VxFS Storage Checkpoint to enable changed block
identification in real time. BLI backup does not need to search the entire database for
the modified blocks, which saves time, decreases the amount of backup media that is
required, and significantly reduces CPU and network overhead during backups. BLIB
backups for Oracle are not widely used nowadays as there is no integration into RMAN.

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 Topic: Introduction to database backups

After completing this topic, you will be able to discuss database backup and
restore concepts.

11

This is the Introduction to database backups topic.

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A-11 Not for Distribution.

 Database overview

• A database is an organized collection of data.

• A database system implies that the data is managed to some level of quality, measured
in terms of accuracy, availability, usability, and resilience.
• A database management system (DBMS) is software that controls the creation,
maintenance, and use of a database
• Well known DBMSs include:
– Oracle
– Microsoft SQL Server
– Sybase
– IBM DB2
– Others such as Microsoft Access, PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQLite

12

Definitions for a database, database system, and database management system (DBMS)
are provided on the slide. Some well-known DBMSs are also listed. Some basic database
backup and restore concepts are discussed on the following slides.
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 Database failures and resiliency

Failures can be caused by: Resiliency is provided with:

• A process accessing the database incorrectly • Database transaction or redo logs
• A network disconnection • Storage redundancy and mirroring
• A system crash • Snapshot technologies
• Syntax errors in a complex database SQL • Data backups
statement • Replication to offsite storage
• A logical error caused either by a user entering
invalid data
or by an application error
• A disk failure or other external error that causes NetBackup can manage
data loss backups to, and restores
from, many of these data
resiliency methods.

13

Database failures can be caused by a number of physical and logical problems. A

sampling of these is listed in the left side of the slide. Recovering from these failures is
achieved using a number of different strategies, such as:
• Database transaction logs
• Database redo logs
• Storage redundancy and mirroring
• Snapshot technologies
• Data backups
•
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Replication
Each of these strategies can protect against some of the failure types. Each of them also
provides advantages and disadvantages, such as backup performance, restore
performance, and the minimization of database downtime. None of these methods
protects against all types of failures, and it is only with a comprehensive strategy that
takes into account all of these methods, that you are best equipped to handle a disaster.
NetBackup provides the advantage of not only managing data backups, but also being
able to initiate restores within the application to take advantage of transaction and redo
logs, snapshots, and some replication features.

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 Determining your backup strategy

• Physical or logical data backups?

• Hot (online) or cold (offline) backups?
• Back up the database, tablespace, or individual datafile?
• Full backups only, or full and incremental backups?
• Storage destination
– Tape
– Disk
– Deduplication
• Physical destination
– Duplication
– Offsite media storage
– Replication

14

You have numerous options and choices when backing up a database:

• Physical or logical data backups: One of the first choices you must make is how to
execute the backup process. How you choose to back up your database influences
other choices later in the process. The most common backup method is a physical
backup of a database. This method creates a mirror image of the database that is
complete in detail down to the physical location of the data blocks. You can
occasionally perform a logical backup, which exports a snapshot of the data from
the database but does not record the physical structure of the database.
• Cold (offline) backups: A consistent backup is commonly referred to as a cold backup
because the database must be shut down (offline) while the backup is performed.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

With a cold backup, recovery actions are not needed to restart the database after a
restore.
• Hot (online) backups: An inconsistent backup is commonly referred to as a hot
backup because the database is open and operational (online) while the backup is
performed. The database must maintain an updated record of transactions that
occur while the backup is performed. With a hot backup, recovery actions are
necessary before you can restart the database after a restore, which usually involve
using the previously recorded set of transactions to assist in recovering the data to a
consistent state.

A-14 Not for Distribution.

 • Databases and partial backups: Other factors to consider when performing physical
backups are database size and tablespace traffic. Complete database backups take
longer and require large amounts of storage space. If you structure your database so
that only certain data files or tablespaces are modified regularly, you can save time
and storage space by backing up only the elements that change. When you perform
a database backup, all constituent files of the database are backed up as a coherent
whole. An individual tablespace can be backed up independent of the remainder of
the database. Because tablespaces can consist of multiple data files, backing up
tablespaces is more common than backing up individual data files. Backing up a
tablespace is generally an online backup. As with a tablespace backup, individual
data files can be backed up independent of the remainder of the database. If a
tablespace consists of only one file, this is identical to a tablespace backup.
Otherwise, the effect is to back up only a portion of a tablespace. Backing up a data
file is generally an online backup.
• Full and incremental backups: Running full backups can be prohibitive when the data
set is very large. Use incremental backups that take advantage of database
transaction logs to shorten the backup window and automate database log
maintenance. Additionally, Oracle supports block level incremental (BLI) backups to
provide increased performance and reduced resource usage.
• Backup storage destination: One of the key advantages of having NetBackup manage
the database backups is that they can be sent to any of the storage methods
supported by NetBackup, including tape-based, disk-based, or deduplication-based
storage.
• Physical destination: Another advantage of using NetBackup is the range of physical
destinations and strategies that are supported, including automated duplication to
any supported storage destination, automation and management of offsite media
storage, and various replication features and technologies.
NetBackup agents optimize the performance of critical databases and applications by
providing the ability to use all of these backup strategies and technologies.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A-15 Not for Distribution.

 Database backup using an Application schedule

• Policy for database Database 3

NetBackup
– Application schedule

1
2

1 The database attempts to initiate a backup using a backup script.

2 NetBackup uses the Application schedule to ensure there is an open window

and then build the backup job.

3 The database backup job runs when resources are available.

16

The graphic on this slide describes the process for backing up a database using an (BLIB)
schedule. In this procedure:
1. The database attempts to initiate a backup with the master server by using a backup
script.
2. NetBackup uses the Application schedule to ensure there is an open window in
which to run the database backup, and then build the backup job.
3. The database backup job runs when the resources become available.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A-16 Not for Distribution.

 Database backup using an Automatic schedule

• Policy for database Database 4

NetBackup
– Application schedule
1
– Automatic schedule
2
3

1 NetBackup runs an Automatic schedule to initiate the backup script.

2 The database attempts to initiate a backup using the backup script.

3 NetBackup uses the Application schedule to ensure there is an open window

and then build the backup job.

4 The database backup job runs when resources are available.

17

The graphic on this slide describes the process for backing up a database using an
Automatic schedule. In this procedure:
1. NetBackup runs an Automatic schedule to initiate the backup script.
2. The database attempts to initiate a backup with the master server using a backup
script.
3. NetBackup uses the Application schedule to ensure there is an open window in
which to run the database backup, and then build the backup job.
4. The database backup job runs when the resources become available.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A-17 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Introduction to enterprise application backups

After completing this topic, you will be able to discuss options for backing
up and restoring Exchange, Active Directory, SharePoint, and Enterprise
Vault.

18

This is the Introduction to enterprise application backups topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A-18 Not for Distribution.

 Database backups for Microsoft Exchange Server

• NetBackup for Microsoft Exchange:

– Enables non-disruptive mechanisms to protect
Exchange data
– Provides the performance and flexibility required
for effective backup and recovery operations
within large Exchange-based environments
• Features and benefits:
– Online backups: Complete, non-disruptive protection of the Exchange database and mailbox
components, including mailbox-level backup
– Flexible restore options: Rapid, granular recovery of databases and mailboxes, including support for
performing individual message restores
– Eliminate MAPI backups: Enable granular recovery of the full application and a single email with only
one backup pass and one copy stored
– One-pass GRT-enabled backups of Exchange running in VMware

19

NetBackup for Microsoft Exchange Server extends the capabilities of NetBackup to

include online backups and restores of Exchange databases when Exchange Server is
installed. Some key advantages to using the NetBackup agent for Microsoft Exchange
include:
• Exchange Server data and transaction logs can be backed up without taking the
Exchange Server offline. Exchange services and data remain available.
• Exchange Server backups can be saved directly to a wide variety of storage devices
that the NetBackup master server supports.
• NetBackup supports all Exchange Server backup methods, including full, cumulative
incremental, and differential incremental backups.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• From one-pass backups of Exchange, Granular Restore Technology (GRT) can be used
to create consistent full backups, as well as restore Exchange storage groups or
databases and individual database objects. This backup takes much less time than
prior MAPI-based (brick-level) backups.
• From a one-pass backup of a virtual machine running Exchange, a GRT-enabled
backup can be created for full restore or granular restore ability.
• NetBackup for Exchange supports backups of Exchange 2010 stand-alone servers
and Exchange 2010 Database Availability Groups (DAGs).

A-19 Not for Distribution.

 • NetBackup can back up and restore storage groups and databases within the storage
group.
• For snapshot backups, NetBackup uses the Microsoft consistency check API to check
the consistency of databases and transaction logs and to provide additional details.
This speeds up a snapshot backup because it allows the backup to proceed in
parallel with the consistency check.
• NetBackup for Exchange can perform backups and restores of Exchange objects with
snapshot methodology. With a separate Snapshot Client license, you can perform
off-host backups, Instant Recovery backups, and backups with a hardware provider.
• Exchange 2007 and later backups can be restored to another database or another
storage group on the local server or on a different server. Exchange 2003 snapshot
backups can be restored to an identical storage group on a different server.
• Exchange 2007 and later backups can be redirected to the recovery database or
recovery storage group (RSG). Streaming backups of Exchange 2003 can be
redirected to the RSG.
• The NetBackup for Exchange Server agent supports Microsoft Cluster Server (MSCS)
environment and Veritas Cluster Server (VCS).
For additional details, see the NetBackup for Microsoft Exchange Server Administrator’s
Guide.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A-20 Not for Distribution.

 Enterprise agent example: Microsoft Exchange

21

This is an example of an enterprise agent for NetBackup. Enterprise agents use special
directives in the Backup Selections list to define what is protected. In this example,
Microsoft Exchange is being protected. The NetBackup administrator added a user
backup schedule in addition to an automatic full backup. Note that having a user backup
schedule is not mandatory to protect Microsoft Exchange, but it does provide increased
flexibility.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A-21 Not for Distribution.

 Database backups for Microsoft SharePoint Server

• NetBackup for Microsoft SharePoint:

– Extends the capabilities of NetBackup to include
online backups and restores SharePoint Server
– Provides the ability to back up SharePoint
Server online, without disruption of services.

• Features and benefits:

– Easy to use: One console can be used to protect SharePoint
and Windows services; includes server farm configuration
and single sign-on for databases
– Granular recovery: Save time and storage by recovering SharePoint files, including different versions of a
file, sites, sub-sites, and lists such as calendars and links
– One-pass GRT-enabled backups of SharePoint running in VMware

22

NetBackup for SharePoint extends the capabilities of NetBackup to include online

backups and restores of a SharePoint server. The NetBackup agent for Microsoft
SharePoint Server is an optional, add-on component to the NetBackup for Windows
client software. Some key advantages include:
• SharePoint Server objects can be backed up without taking the SharePoint Server
offline. SharePoint services and data are available during the backup.
• NetBackup supports full and differential-incremental backups of SharePoint.
• NetBackup for SharePoint supports the backup and recovery of multiple SharePoint
Server installations from a central location.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Auto discovery is used where the topology is read from the SharePoint front-end
Web server and the backup selections list is automatically built.
• A user can perform backups of SharePoint Server resources through the Backup,
Archive, and Restore client interface on the front-end Web server.
• VMware backups that protect SharePoint Server provide granular recovery,
complete protection of the farm, and protection of the components in the files
system.
For additional details, see the NetBackup for Microsoft SharePoint Server
Administrator’s Guide.

A-22 Not for Distribution.

 Database backups for Microsoft Active Directory

• NetBackup provides comprehensive protection

of Microsoft Active Directory, which is integral
in managing network services.

• Features and benefits:

– Recover any Active Directory item: Granular recovery including the ability to recover all items with full
attributes, such as users, servers, and printers, to satisfy both daily and disaster recovery (DR)
requirements with one backup image
– Eliminate Active Directory server reboot: Minimize downtime and keep the application up and running
– Ease of use and control: Leverage Microsoft VSS system state backup for ease of use and control

23

Active Directory (AD) is a directory service created by Microsoft for Windows domain
networks. Active Directory serves as a central location for network administration and
security. It is responsible for authenticating and authorizing all users and computers
within a network of Windows domain type. Administrators can use Active Directory for
assigning and enforcing security policies for all computers in a network, and for
installing or updating software on network computers. Server computers with Active
Directory running are called domain controllers. NetBackup can be used to restore
individual objects and attributes in the Active Directory, instead of restoring the entire
Active Directory. Administrators can also restore deleted objects, known as tombstone
objects, from the Active Directory. Active Directory granular NetBackup restores are
supported on Windows 2003 R2 SP2, Windows 2008, Windows 2008 R2, and more.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Check the NetBackup documentation to find out which version of Windows support
Active Directory granular restores.

A-23 Not for Distribution.

 Granular Recovery Technology (GRT)

• Enables individual object restores from one-pass full backups

• Supports Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint, and Active Directory.
• Provides both the entire storage group / database restore, or individual object restores
such as mailbox folders or items in Exchange

24

Granular Recovery Technology (GRT) enables the ability to restore individual objects,
such as mailbox and public folder items in Exchange, from full database backups. This
type of backup can serve both kinds of recovery situations. From the same backup
image, you can restore entire storage groups or databases, or you can select individual
objects within that backup. This backup replaces the existing MAPI mailbox backup,
sometimes referred to as a brick-level backup, which took a significant amount of time
with Microsoft Exchange. You can restore individual items using GRT from the following
types of backups:
• Full or user-directed backups (Incremental backups are not yet supported.)
• Local snapshot backups
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Off-host snapshot backups

• Instant recovery backups, when the schedule copies the snapshot to a storage unit
• Replica snapshot backups
• Streaming backups (Exchange 2007 and earlier)

A-24 Not for Distribution.

 Database backups for Veritas Enterprise Vault

• NetBackup automates the protection and

recovery of Enterprise Vault environments.

• Features and benefits

– Simplified protection: Automatically discover Enterprise Vault servers and components that need
protection, including partitions and their associated databases
– Leverage snapshot technology: The backup of the snapshot is done quickly and efficiently, eliminating
the need for manual scripts or the manipulation of registry settings
– Effective disaster recovery: Centrally manage the disaster recovery process of the Enterprise Vault
partitions and databases

25

Veritas Enterprise Vault enables an organization to store messaging and file system data
automatically in centrally-held archives. Clients and users can retrieve selected items
easily and quickly when required. Enterprise Vault can archive any of the following types
of data:
• Items in Microsoft Exchange user and journal mailboxes
• Items in Domino mail files and journal databases
• Files held on network file servers
• Documents held on Microsoft SharePoint servers
• Instant Messages, Bloomberg messages, and SMTP messages
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

The NetBackup Enterprise Vault agent consists of the components that enable you to
protect the Enterprise Vault configuration and archived data.
The Enterprise Vault agent enables you to back up and restore the Enterprise Vault file
system data and the Enterprise Vault SQL data. These types of data can reside on
different systems or devices, such as NTFS or NAS devices. The Enterprise Vault agent
also serves as a disaster recovery solution for data that is archived using Enterprise
Vault. Recovery of the archived data is not dependent on the archive source, such as
Exchange Server or a specific file system.

A-25 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson summary
• Key points
– You learned how to discuss the types of application backups and you can describe the features of GRT and
BLIB.
– You also learned to discuss general options for backing up and restoring databases.
– Finally, you learned the advantages for backing up and restoring Exchange, Active Directory, SharePoint, and
Enterprise Vault using NetBackup agents.
• Reference materials
– NetBackup Administrator’s Guide
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/18716246-136359033-0/index
– NetBackup for Microsoft Exchange Server Administrator’s Guide
– NetBackup for Microsoft SharePoint Server Administrator’s Guide
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/123933398-123933406-0/v14709075-123933406
– Veritas Support​
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US.html

26

For more information about the topics discussed in this lesson, refer to the resources
listed on the slide and remember to check the Veritas Support web site frequently.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A-26 Not for Distribution.

 What did you learn?
You are about to be asked a series
of questions related to the current
lesson.

27

The next section is a quiz. In this quiz, you are asked a series of questions related to the
current lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A-27 Not for Distribution.

 Question 1: About block level incremental backups (BLIB)
Which of the following statements about block level incremental backups (BLIB) is
correct?

A. They can speed up backups of Exchange servers.

B. They can speed up backups of Oracle databases.
C. They enable restore of individual objects for Exchange.
D. They enable restore of individual objects for Oracle.

28
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A-28 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 1: About block level incremental backups (BLIB)
Which of the following statements about block level incremental backups (BLIB) is
correct?

A. They can speed up backups of Exchange servers.

B. They can speed up backups of Oracle databases.
C. They enable restore of individual objects for Exchange.
D. They enable restore of individual objects for Oracle.

The correct answer is B. Block level incremental backups (BLIB) backs up changed data for Oracle. This method does not
apply to Exchange

29
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A-29 Not for Distribution.

 Question 2: Backup Selections list for an Oracle backup policy
What is in the Backup Selections list for an Oracle backup policy?

A. The device names or drive letters of the disks

B. The file names of the transaction logs
C. The file names of all files used by Oracle
D. A script to be interpreted by Oracle

30
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A-30 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 2: Backup Selections list for an Oracle backup policy
What is in the Backup Selections list for an Oracle backup policy?

A. The device names or drive letters of the disks

B. The file names of the transaction logs
C. The file names of all files used by Oracle
D. A script to be interpreted by Oracle

The correct answer is D. This technique is also common to other databases, such as Microsoft SQL Server.

31
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A-31 Not for Distribution.

 Question 3: Microsoft Exchange backups
Which statement about Microsoft Exchange backups is true in NetBackup?

A. Exchange must be shut down to be backed up consistently.

B. The entire Exchange database must be restored as a whole.
C. Individual Exchange mailboxes can be restored, but not individual messages.
D. Individual mail messages can be restored.

32
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A-32 Not for Distribution.

 Answer 3: Microsoft Exchange backups
Which statement about Microsoft Exchange backups is true in NetBackup?

A. Exchange must be shut down to be backed up consistently.

B. The entire Exchange database must be restored as a whole.
C. Individual Exchange mailboxes can be restored, but not individual messages.
D. Individual mail messages can be restored.

The correct answer is D. Granular Recovery Technology provides this functionality for Exchange.

33
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

A-33 Not for Distribution.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

A-34
Not for Distribution.
 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Appendix B: Instant Access Feature for VMware

© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the Instant Access Feature for VMware appendix in the Veritas NetBackup 8.2:
Administration course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

B-1 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Introduction and considerations

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure disk staging with
BasicDisk storage units.

This is the Introduction and considerations topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

B-2 Not for Distribution.

 Instant Access Feature for VMware: Introduction
It is now possible to create an instant access VM from a NetBackup backup image using the Instant Access Feature for
VMware. The VM is available almost instantaneously, achieving a near-zero recovery time objective.

NetBackup mounts the VM's snapshot directly on the backup storage device to allow your ESXi host or cluster to treat
the snapshot as a normal VM. The mounted VM snapshot can be used for a variety of purposes.

Recovering files from the Running tests on the VM,

VM, or copying a vmdk file. such as testing a patch.

Troubleshooting or disaster Verifying an application.

recovery.

Note: The instant access feature is supported only for NetBackup appliances and requires that the NetBackup backup image is stored on a Media Server Deduplication Pool (MSDP) storage device.

It is now possible to create an instant access VM from a NetBackup backup image using
the Instant Access Feature for VMware. The VM is available almost instantaneously,
achieving a near-zero recovery time objective. NetBackup mounts the VM's snapshot
directly on the backup storage device to allow your ESXi host or cluster to treat the
snapshot as a normal VM.

The mounted VM snapshot can be used for a variety of purposes. For example:
• Recovering files from the VM, or copying a vmdk file.
• Running tests on the VM, such as testing a patch.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Troubleshooting or disaster recovery.

• Verifying an application.

Note: The instant access feature is supported only for NetBackup appliances and
requires that the NetBackup backup image is stored on a Media Server Deduplication
Pool (MSDP) storage device.

B-3 Not for Distribution.

 Instant Access Feature for VMware: Known limitations (1/2)

Supported with backup Classic policies are supported

copies that are created from only when the policy uses Supports only the VMware
protection plans using the the VM instance UUID as the policy type in NetBackup.
web UI. Primary VM identifier.

By default, vSphere allows a

Limited to 50 concurrent maximum of eight NFS
This feature does not
mount points on a Media mounts per ESXi server. Note
support backups of VMs that
Server Deduplication Pool that NetBackup requires an
have independent disks.
(MSDP) media server. NFS mount for each instant
access VM you create.

Note the following about the Instant access virtual machines feature:
• This feature is supported with backup copies that are created from protection plans
using the web UI.
• Classic policies that are created with the NetBackup Administration Console also
support instant access when the policy uses the VM instance UUID as the Primary
VM identifier.
• This feature supports only the VMware policy type in NetBackup. For the policy types
that the web UI protection plans use, contact the backup administrator.
• This feature is supported only for NetBackup appliances.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• This feature is limited to 50 concurrent mount points on a Media Server

Deduplication Pool (MSDP) media server.
• By default, vSphere allows a maximum of eight NFS mounts per ESXi server. Note that
NetBackup requires an NFS mount for each instant access VM you create. To remove
the NFS mount, remove the instant access VM when you are done with it. If the NFS
limit for an ESXi host has been reached and you try to create another instant access
VM, the attempt fails. To increase the maximum NFS mounts per ESXi server, see the
following VMware article: https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2239
• This feature does not support backups of VMs that have independent disks. VMware
does not support snapshots of independent disks in a VM, either persistent disks or
non-persistent disks. As a result, independent disks are not backed up. For more
information on independent disks and NetBackup, see
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.000081966

B-4 Not for Distribution.

 Instant Access Feature for VMware: Known limitations (2/2)

This feature does not support For Windows single file restore,
This feature does not support VMs that have a disk in raw LDM volumes and the ReFS file
VMs that have disks that were device mapping mode (RDM) or system are not supported, and
excluded from the backup. that have a disk in Persistent the Access Control Lists (ACLs) are
mode. not preserved.

The version of the ESXi server that

This feature supports single file If the media server appliance uses
is used to create a VM using
restore of file sizes up to 1 GB. For a third-party certificate, you need
Instant access virtual machines
larger files, you can use the to create certain configurations
must be equal to or newer than
Download option, or start the VM on the NetBackup master server
the version of the ESXi server that
and copy the required file. before you use this feature.
contains the VM backup images.

• This feature does not support VMs that have disks that were excluded from the
backup. On the NetBackup policy's Exclude Disks tab, the No disks excluded option
must be selected.
• This feature does not support VMs that have a disk in raw device mapping mode
(RDM) or that have a disk in Persistent mode.
• For Windows single file restore, LDM volumes and the ReFS file system are not
supported, and the Access Control Lists (ACLs) are not preserved.
• The version of the ESXi server that is used to create a VM using Instant access virtual
machines must be equal to or newer than the version of the ESXi server that contains
the VM backup images.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• This feature supports single file restore of file sizes up to 1 GB. For larger files, you
can use the Download option, or start the VM and copy the required file. For single-
file download with the Download option, the NetBackup web UI must be able to
access the media server with the same name or IP address that the master server
uses to connect to that media server.
• If the media server appliance uses a third-party certificate, you need to create certain
configurations on the NetBackup master server before you use this feature. For more
information, refer to the "Third-party certificates" and "Implementing third-party SSL
certificates" sections in the NetBackup Appliance Security Guide, available here:
http://www.veritas.com/docs/000003214

B-5 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Creating and recovering files from an instant
access VM

After completing this topic, you will be able to configure disk staging with
BasicDisk storage units.

This is the Creating and recovering files from an instant access VM topic.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

B-6 Not for Distribution.

 Creating an instance access VM (1/2)

To create an instant access VM:

1. On the left, click VMware.
2. Locate the VM and click on it.
3. Click the Recovery points tab, then click the date on which the backup occurred.
The available images appear in rows with the backup timestamp for each image.
4. On the image you want to recover, click Recover > Create instant access virtual
machine.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

B-7 Not for Distribution.

 Creating an instance access VM (2/2)

5
Review the recovery settings and
make changes if needed

5. Review the recovery settings and make changes if needed.

6. Click Create.
NetBackup makes a snapshot of the VM backup image and creates an instant access
mount point. The snapshot of the image appears on the Instant access virtual machines
tab. You can now use the VM like any other VM on the ESXi server.
7. For details on the restored VM, click on the VM under the Instant access virtual
machines tab and click View details.
8. When you are finished with the VM, you can click Delete to remove the mounted VM
snapshot. The VM is removed from the ESXi server.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

B-8 Not for Distribution.

 Recovering individual files from an instant access VM (1/2)

To recover an individual file from an instant access VM:

1. On the left, click VMware.
2. Locate and click on the VM.
3. Click the Recovery points tab. In the calendar view, click the date on which the
backup occurred. The available images are listed in rows with the backup timestamp for
each image.
4. On the image you want to recover from, click Recover > Browse files for single file
recovery. NetBackup creates an instant access mount point in the background.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

B-9 Not for Distribution.

 Recovering individual files from an instant access VM (2/2)

10

5. Select a single file (not a folder or multiple files). Click on a folder to drill into it. Use
the home icon to navigate back to higher levels in the hierarchy.
6. Select the recovery method:
• Click Download to download the file to your local host.
At the prompt, accept the SSL certificate that the NetBackup Appliance web server uses.
If your company uses third-party SSL certificates, you can deploy the corresponding root
CA SSL certificate to your environment. If you do so, acceptance of the certificate is no
longer required.
Note: The web UI must be able to access the NetBackup media server with the same
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

name or IP address that the NetBackup master server uses to connect to that media
server.
• Click Restore to restore the file to its original VM.
Enter the user name and password for the VM and the destination path in the VM (the
default is the original file path).
Note: The web UI does not currently support restoring the file to a different VM or to a
different VMware server.
7. Click Restore.

B-10 Not for Distribution.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

B-11
Not for Distribution.
 Veritas NetBackup 8.2: Administration

Appendix C: LTR using Veritas Access

© 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC
or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This is the LTR using Veritas Access appendix in the Veritas NetBackup 8.2:
Administration course.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

C-1 Not for Distribution.

 Lesson objectives
Topic Objective
Access Appliance with NetBackup- Explain Access Appliance with NetBackup-Solution architecture.
Solution architecture
Cloud Support Describe integration of Access Appliance as a cloud provider for
NetBackup

The table on this slide lists the topics and objectives for this lesson.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

C-2 Not for Distribution.

 Topic: Access Appliance with NetBackup-Solution
architecture

After completing this topic, you will be able to describe Access Appliance
with NetBackup-Solution architecture.

This is the Access Appliance with NetBackup-Solution architecture topic.

Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

C-3 Not for Distribution.

 Components of Access Appliance with NetBackup

Two components:

• Deduplication Plug-in (located in backup clients, media servers or load balancing servers)
➢ Segmentation and Fingerprinting
• Deduplication Storage Server (Engine and Manager, added to Access)
➢ Stores and manages deduplicated blocks
➢ TCP based communication with the Plug-in

Media Server Deduplication Storage Pool, used by the most of Veritas NBU Customers
already.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

C-4 Not for Distribution.

 Solution Data Flow
Configuration of Veritas Access with NetBackup

LAN
SAN
NBU Client

NBU Master
NBU Media
Veritas Access Cluster

Veritas Access is integrated with Veritas NetBackup so that a NetBackup administrator

can back up your Veritas Access file systems to NetBackup master or media servers and
retain the data as per your company policy. Once data is backed up, a storage
administrator can delete unwanted data from Veritas Access. The NetBackup master
and media servers that run on separate computers from Veritas Access are licensed
separately from Veritas Access.
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 Use case 1: Backing up deduplicated data (OpenDedup and
NetBackup) using the S3 protocol to Veritas Access

NBU Master NBU Media

Veritas
Access

Media Server
OpenDedup
NBU client Deduplication Pool
Dedup data Deduplicated Amazon
data Amazon S3 Glacier
over S3

Amazon Web Services

SLP

Use Case 1: OpenStorage Technology (OST) and OpenDedup hosted on a NetBackup

master and/or media server that sends deduplicated backup data to Veritas Access over
the S3 protocol. Veritas Access can move this deduplicated data to Amazon Web
Services (AWS) S3 or Glacier
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 Use case 2: Backing up data (NetBackup) and deduplicating the
data (OpenDedup) on Veritas Access

NBU Master Veritas

Access

Backup data
Media Server over http OpenDedup
NBU client Deduplication Pool Deduplicated Amazon
data Amazon S3 Glacier

Amazon Web Services

SLP

Use Case 2: OST hosted on a NetBackup master and/or media server sends backup data
to OpenDedup hosted on Veritas Access, which deduplicates the data and sends this
data over the S3 protocol to Veritas Access. Veritas Access moves this deduplicated data
to AWS S3 or Glacier.
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 Deduplication Engine

Runs on Access

Active/Passive process (dependent on IP/filesystem resources)

Supported on CFS (VxFS)

Support for Ipv4 and IPv6

Configurable using GUI/CLISH

Deduplication engine solution Data Flow.

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 Introducing Veritas Data Deduplication
How it works
• Deduplication Plugin
– Separates the data into segments or chunks
– Uses a hash algorithm to calculate fingerprints to identify each unique segment.
– Compares incoming data fingerprints with the fingerprints of existing data.
• Deduplication Engine (spoold)
– Manages and stores the fingerprint database and metadata
– Stores unique segments or uses a reference or pointer to the data already stored
– Conducts integrity checks.
• Deduplication Manager (spad)
– Maintains the configuration
– Controls and dispatches the internal processes
– Security and events handling

NetBackup MSDP deduplication is composed of the following main components:

• Deduplication Plugin - Separates the data into segments or chunks. Uses a hash
algorithm to calculate fingerprints to identify each unique segment. Compares
incoming data fingerprints with the fingerprints of existing data.
• Deduplication Engine (spoold) - Manages and stores the fingerprint database and
metadata, stores unique segments or uses a reference or pointer to the data already
stored, and conducts integrity checks.
• Deduplication Manager (spad) – Maintains the configuration, controls and
dispatches the internal processes, security and events handling.
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 Access Data Deduplication overview

• MSDP Technology Components ported

– Deduplication Engine (spoold)
– Deduplication Manager (spad)
• NetBackup Media Server or Client is still needed to conduct the actual deduplication
• NetBackup Media Server required during configuration of Access Appliance as a storage
• Runs in active/passive mode
– Only one node is actively processing and managing the storage for the deduplication
– In case of failure, Access cluster management automatically starts the services and failovers to passive node

10

To support NetBackup MSDP in Access, the NetBackup MSDP technology components

ported to Access Appliance include the deduplication engine (spoold) and deduplication
manager (spad). This feature was introduced in the Access Appliance with software
version 7.4.2. The primary functions of these components are to manage and store
unique data, fingerprints, metadata, and the associated logs and journals. Both nodes
share the storage used as a deduplication pool, but only one runs the management
processes at a time, in an active/passive configuration. If the active node fails or is
unreachable, the Access cluster management will automatically start the necessary
components on the passive node and resume the processing and storing of
deduplicated data.
Note: A NetBackup media server or client with the deduplication plug-in is still required
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

to do the actual deduplication of data, which involves segmentation of data, calculating

fingerprints and comparison with existing fingerprints. During configuration of the
Access Appliance as a storage server in NetBackup, a media server is required and
needed during restores.

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 Long Term Retention with Access and MSDP
Use-case 1: Access used a secondarXy backup data storage

Access Appliance
Data Deduplication
Pool - Copy 2
Clients Media Server
Deduplication only

Backup Short-Mid
Optimized backup
Retention
Restore from Copy 1

Restore from Copy 2 Deduplication

Data lifecycle fully automated and optimized using NetBackup policies.

11

NetBackup policies and SLP define how backup images are stored and tiered to other
storage platforms. Hence, the data path is dependent on the defined policies and SLP.
When utilizing Access data deduplication, a media server is required to do the
deduplication of the data. Access’ main role in the path is to store the unique data,
fingerprints database, metadata in addition to supporting files such as journals and logs.
In this example, the data from clients is initially backed up to MSDP on the media server
where it is deduplicated and stored for short to mid-term retention and is the primary
copy. An SLP is defined to duplicate the unique data blocks to the Access Appliance for
the second copy. Restores can be done from copy 1 residing on MSDP in the media
server or from copy 2 residing in Access. When restoring from copy 2, a media server is
required to retrieve the data from Access, rehydrate, and send to the client.
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 Long Term Retention with Access and MSDP
Use-case 2:Access used a primary backup data storage

Access Appliance
Data Depuplication
Media Server Pool- Copy 1
Clients MSDP – Copy 1

Backup Direct Optimized Backup

Restore from Copy 1

Deduplication

Data lifecycle fully automated and optimized using NetBackup policies.

12

In this scenario, no MSDP is defined on the media server. The client will stream the
backup image to the media server where the deduplication is performed and the
optimized backup is sent to Access. For restores, the media server is required to retrieve
the data from Access, rehydrate, and forward to the client.
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 Long Term Retention with Access and MSDP
Use-case 3:Client backup direct to Access for Long-term Retention

Access Appliance
Data Depuplication
Pool- Copy 1
Clients Media Server
MSDP – Copy 1
Client Backup Direct to Long-Term Retention – Optimized Backup

Restore
Deduplication

Deduplication

Data lifecycle fully automated and optimized using NetBackup policies.

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In this case, the clients create the backup image, deduplicate the backup data, and send
the optimized backup to Access. Access holds the primary copy. This is referred to as
client direct deduplication. During restores, a media server is responsible for retrieving
the deduplicated data from Access, rehydrating, and sending data to the client.
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 Long Term Retention with Access and MSDP
Global Deduplication across NBU-Domains

Clients Clients

Segments and creates Media Server Media Server 1 Segments and

1
fingerprints. creates fingerprints.
Media Server
Fingerprint Cache
FP Media Server FP
Fingerprint Cache

2 2
3 3
Access
Fingerprint
Cache

FP

Domain A Domain B

14

One advantage of Access data deduplication is the ability to do global deduplication in a

multi-domain environment or multiple media servers in one domain environment. The
figure illustrates the process of how global deduplication is achieved with NetBackup
and Access data deduplication in a multi-domain environment and description of flow is
as follows in either domain:
1. The local media server or client (with direct deduplication) is responsible for
segmentation and fingerprinting of the backup data into data blocks.
2. The local media server or client (with direct deduplication) first checks in its local
fingerprint database/cache if data block exists and if it does not, it checks on the
fingerprint database on the Access Appliance.
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

3. If data block does not exist on either cache or database, the unique data block is sent to
the Access Appliance. If it does exist, a reference to the data block will be made in the
database indicating location of where the data block resides on the Access Appliance.
4. Similarly, on the other domain, a comparison is made on the local and Access fingerprint
cache and only unique data is sent.
It is assumed that the Access Appliance is reachable from both domains. This process is
the same when there are multiple media servers in one domain.
Conditions in which global deduplication is not achievable include:
• Fingerprint is not in the local or Access cache during comparison.
• Fragmentation where the blocks are in different containers that are far apart such that it
affects performance of restores.

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 NetBackup AIR with Access Data Deduplication
Trust Relationship Domain B
Domain A Clients 1 Clients (Target)
Established
(Source)
Back
up
2 Replication 3 Import

6
Deduplication
Creates catalog
entries for the
Master Server Media Server Media Server Master Server data imported
in Master
Optimized
Backup

4
Access 5 Fingerprint is
Optimized Replication Fingerprint FP compared to check
Cache for duplicates.
Unique
Data

Access Appliance Access Appliance

Data Deduplication Pool – Copy 1 Data Deduplication Pool – Copy 1

15

When using Access data deduplication, the process is simplified since MSDP on the
media server is not required. After the replication and import processes are initiated by
the media servers, the actual I/O is between the Access Appliances on the source and
target. A sample flow of NetBackup AIR with Access data deduplication is illustrated on
the slide.
1. A trust relationship is established between the NetBackup servers in the domains where
credentials and certificates are required for authentication.
2. A sample SLP on the source is defined as follows:
• Backup to an Access data deduplication Pool (Copy 1 on source)
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

• Replicate to target Access data deduplication pool in Domain B. The media

server will initiate the backup and replication processes on source. There is
no rehydration of optimized data.
3. A sample SLP on the target is defined as : Import to an Access data deduplication
pool (Copy 1 on target). The media server will initiate the import process on target.
4. The Access Appliance at source (Domain A) will send optimized data directly to target
Access Appliance in Domain B.
5. The Access Appliance at target (Domain B) receives optimized data sent, compares the
fingerprints in its cache, and stores only unique data on disk. The fingerprint and
metadata (catalogs) on the target side is updated as data is being written.
6. The master server at the target domain automatically creates the entries in the
NetBackup catalog as the data is being imported.

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 Advantages of AIR Integration

Effective Disaster Recovery protection

• Fast restore from backup images replicated (optimized duplication) to a Disaster Recovery site

MSDP Encryption supported and maintained between the Data Centers

• Increased protection of sensitive data.

No Rehydration required on the DR site

• Global Deduplication is maintained through the entire replication process

16

The advantages of AIR integration are:

1. Effective Disaster Recovery protection. Having a disaster protection plan is
imperative for business continuity. The NetBackup catalogs and data are key
components to protect. NetBackup Auto Image Replication (AIR) is a mechanism in
which NetBackup replicates the necessary components from NetBackup domain to
another NetBackup domain in one or numerous geographical sites for disaster
recovery.
2. MSDP Encryption supported and maintained between the data centers. The use of
encryption provides increased protection of sensitive data.
3. No rehydration is required on the DR site. Global Deduplication is maintained
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

through the entire replication process.

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 Viewing appliance disk pools (1/2)

• Disk pools are visible from the NetBackup

Administration Console.
• Ensure appliances do not exceed 85%
capacity within the disk pool to ensure
maximum performance.

17

The disk pools configured on appliances are visible from the NetBackup Administration
Console. Ensure that appliances do not exceed 85% capacity within the disk pool to
ensure maximum performance and take appropriate action when they reach 70+%
capacity. Also, limit the number of jobs and I/O at the disk pool level for better
performance. On the NetBackup Administration Console follow the path Media and
Device Management > Devices > Disk Pools. At the bottom of the Change Disk Pool
window, adjust the Maximum I/O Streams value by clicking on the check box, and
specifying the desired value.
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 Viewing appliance disk pools (2/2)

S3 bucket
or volume

18

Note that the details shown in the NetBackup Administration Console display the disk
pool as NetBackup sees it. For example, NetBackup sees the disk pool on this appliance
as containing one volume. The underlying disks in the appliance, which support this
volume are not visible to NetBackup and therefore not visible from the NetBackup
interfaces and reports.
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 Viewing S3 buckets in the Access web console

19

The corresponding S3 buckets can be viewed from within the Access Web Console,
under Files Systems > S3 Buckets.
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 Long term retention (LTR) on-premises policy for NetBackup
• Veritas Access policy
Storage template plus
capabilities
• LTR policies
– On-premises only
– Sets defaults ideal for NetBackup
LTR use case
• largefs type
• Simple layout
• 8 KB block size

20

The wizard uses a long-term retention policy to simplify the configuration of an S3

bucket for NetBackup. The policy defines the default block size of 8 KB, scale-out file
system, and simple data layout.
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 Activating an LTR policy

21

Activate an LTR policy for NetBackup.

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 Topic: Cloud Support

After completing this topic, you will be able to explain integration of Access
Appliance as a cloud provider for NetBackup.

22

This is the Cloud Support topic.

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 Initiating the Configure Cloud Storage Server wizard

Cloud Storage Server wizard

23

The Access Appliance is integrated as a cloud provider in NetBackup 8.1 (with updates).
During the configuration of a cloud storage server on the master server administration
console, Access is listed as one of the cloud storage providers that can be selected. Also,
an Access S3 buckets can be created in NetBackup during this configuration when
adding a volume to the disk pool. Support for storage efficiency is one of the main
factors in decision-making during the purchase of a long-term retention storage
platform solution; the ability to maximize storage space assists in reducing overall cost.
Backup images stored in the Access Appliance can be deduplicated either using
NetBackup MSDP with CloudCatalyst or OpenDedup. The NetBackup Cloud Storage
Server Configuration Wizard communicates with the cloud storage vendor's network
and selects the appropriate host for the storage server. To configure a cloud storage
Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

server using the wizard:

1. In the NetBackup Administration Console connected to the NetBackup master
server. In the left pane, select either the master server name, NetBackup
Management or Media and Device Management.
2. In the right pane, click Configure Cloud Storage Servers.

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 Add a Storage Server: Select cloud provider

Optionally search for your

cloud storage provider

Select Veritas
Access (S3).

24

The first screen of the Cloud Storage Server Configuration wizard lists the supported
cloud vendors. In the Cloud storage provider option, either select the cloud provider or
in the search box type the cloud provider name that you want to select. If the cloud
provider that you have entered exists in the list, the wizard selects it.
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 Add a Storage Server: Cloud storage service credentials and media
server
Select Add
Cloud Storage.

Example configuration screen

for Veritas Access storage
server configuration.

25

This slide shows an example configuration screen when adding a Veritas Access (S3)
storage server configuration.
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 Add a Storage Server: Advanced Server Configuration

Settings and HTTP

Headers are vendor
dependent

Add the Access

Key ID and Secret
access key.

26

Click Advanced Settings to display the Advanced Server Configuration dialog box. Note
that the settings are vendor specific.
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 Add a Storage Server: Specify encryption settings

Select encryption, if
required.

Compression is not an option

here as MSDP compression is
used when deduplication is
enabled.

27

Some cloud vendors provide the ability to set compression and encryption within the
wizard. NetBackup also supports compression prior to sending data to the Access
Appliance. So, Access stores the compressed format of the data. Compression improves
storage utilization by reducing the number of bits required to represent data. The type
of data defines the degree a file can be compressed. Data types that compresses well
includes text files or unstripped binaries. Data that is already compressed and stripped
binaries are not good candidates for compression.
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 Cloud Storage Server Configuration Summary and Creation Status

28

On the Cloud Storage Server Configuration Summary panel, verify the selections. If
changes need to be made, click Back until you reach the panel on which you need to
make corrections. Otherwise, click Next. The wizard creates the storage server, and the
Storage Server Creation Confirmation panel is displayed.
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 Disk Pool Configuration Wizard: Volume Selection

29

In the Disk Pool Configuration Wizard, the Volume Selection panel is displayed. Note
that the Storage server type is set to PureDisk_vtas-access_rawd. Observe the bucket
created during the initial configuration of the Veritas Access Appliance. Place a
checkmark next to the volume name listed. You can also use the Add New Volume
button to create more buckets to add to the disk pool. Click Next.
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 Disk Pool Configuration Wizard: Additional Disk Pool Information
and Configuration Summary

30

The Additional Disk Pool Information panel is displayed, in which you enter or select
the properties for this disk pool. Click Next for the Disk Pool Configuration Summary
panel. If the summary shows your selections accurately, click Next to complete the Disk
Pool Configuration Wizard, and then create your storage unit.
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 Disk Pool Configuration Wizard: Configuration status and initiating
storage unit creation

By default, completing the disk pool wizard

continues to the storage unit creation dialog.

31

When the disk pool is created successfully, ensure that you select the Create a storage
unit using the disk pool that you have just created check box, and then click Next.
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 Disk Pool Configuration Wizard: Storage Unit Creation

32

In the Storage Unit Creation wizard panel, enter the appropriate information for the
storage unit. After NetBackup configures the storage unit, the Finished panel is
displayed. Click Finish to exit from the wizard.
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 Verifying cloud storage server information

33

After a storage server is successfully configured, it can be viewed in the NetBackup

Administration Console by expanding Media and Device Management > Credentials >
Storage Servers.
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 Lesson summary
• Key points
– In this lesson, you learned about Access Appliance with NetBackup-Solution architecture.
– You also learned how to integrate Access Appliance as a cloud provider for NetBackup

• Reference materials
– Veritas Access NetBackup Solutions Guide
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/127449868-127449872-0/va-73_v126461832-
127449872
– Appliance Getting Started Guide
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/123437325-132386218-0/v121728272-132386218
– Veritas Access Appliance Product Description
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/125460431-133007257-0/v125460080-133007257
– Veritas Access Appliance Release Notes
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/doc/116066907-133637396-0/v130731152-133637396
– Veritas Support​
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US.html

34

For more information about the topics discussed in this lesson, refer to the resources
listed on the slide and remember to check the Veritas support Web site frequently.
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Copyright @ 2019 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

End of presentation

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