HP LeftHand SAN Solutions Support Document Application Notes Backup Exec 11D VSS Snapshots and Transportable Offhost Backup
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Best Practice: Symantec Backup Exec for Windows 11D and the LeftHand San Backup Exec 11d on SANs Powered by SAN/iQ The LeftHand SAN Network Storage Modules (NSMs) are the building blocks that are clustered together creating a highly available, virtualized storage pool using LeftHand s SAN/iQ engine. Advanced features supporting snapshot capabilities provide robust disaster recovery options. In a Microsoft Windows 2003 Server environment coupled with Microsoft s VSS Technologies, the LeftHand VSS Hardware Provider coupled with backup applications supporting these VSS technologies enable extremely powerful applications in off-host transportable backups. Symantec s Backup Exec 11d for Windows Servers is demonstrated providing backup of a local iscsi volume; first with local data; then with local backup server snapshot; and finally with a remote backup agent transporting a snapshot to a backup server for completely off-host backup. This document will cover: Installation of Symantec Backup Exec 11d on Windows 2003 R2 Installation of the LeftHand VSS Hardware Provider Offhost Back up with the VSS Hardware Provider Offhost Backup with Transportable snapshots and a separate Backup Server 3
Installation of Symantec Backup Exec 11d on Windows 2003 R2 Windows 2003 R2 is installed on a server called w2k3r2ent-vm. All Windows Updates are applied. From the LeftHand SAN/iQ Solution Pack for Windows Version 6.6, the LeftHand Networks VSS Hardware Provider version 1.3.0.44 is installed. From a cmd prompt, vssadmin list providers will verify that installation is successful. 4
Note the warning provided during the installation. The LeftHand Authentication console (separate from the LeftHand Networks Centralized Management Console) is used for configuring access by the VSS Provider to Storage in a LeftHand Management Group. Configuration of the Authentication console will be demonstrated later. 5
When installing the Microsoft iscsi Initiator 2.03, ensure that Microsoft MPIO Multi-pathing Support for iscsi is not checked. This configuration demonstrates single path to target, however, LeftHand provides a separate MPIO driver for multipath support and will not be covered in this document. Please refer to the LeftHand document Application Note Best Practices for Enabling Microsoft Windows with SANiQ. Symantec s Backup Exec for Windows Servers Version 11d requires machines to be logged into a domain. In this configuration, 6
server w2k3r2ent-vm will act as a domain controller in addition to being the Backup server. The server Server2 will be a member in this domain. Configuration of the LeftHand VSS Hardware Provider in the Authentication Console. LeftHand VSS Hardware Provider requires both a user name and password providing access to the management group to which access will be required for both local and remote snapshots. The default credentials are supplied. In this example, the Username is admin and the Password is admin. Management Groups are defined in the LeftHand Networks Centralized Management Console (CMC). Default credentials may be used or a Specific Management Group may be configured. (in cases with multiple management groups are being backed up). 7
Installation of Symantec s Backup Exec may now begin. English is selected as the language in this example. Select Installation and Start the Backup Exec Installation. Since this is the backup server, Install a Symantec Backup Exec media server and options on this computer is selected (a local installation). The evaluation version is installed. Note that in a licensed applications for local VSS Hardware snapshots, the Advanced Open File option would also need to be installed. For off-host backups, the backup server must also have the Advanced Disk-based Backup option installed. The remote computer must have the Backup Exec Remote Agent installed along with the Advanced Open File option. 8
Installation will require the user name and password of an account that has local administrative privileges for the Backup Exec services to use. Most implementations will utilize a separate account other than the Administrator. A first installation Backup Server will be primary. This server holds the shared ADAMM and catalog databases for the Shared Storage Network. For this configuration, a local Backup Exec SQL Express instance to store the database on will be selected. Since this configuration does not have a tape target, Do not use Symantec device drivers is selected. For this configuration, the latest Symantec Backup Exec Hotfix 11 is installed. A Backup to Disk Folder will be created on a separate iscsi volume (Vol2) which is mapped to F:\. Create a Backup to Disk Folder on the Devices tab. This example uses F:\BEWS Disk Folder as the Backup to Disk Folder Destination. 9
10 The first backup job will attempt to create a backup of the E:\ iscsi Volume through a snapshot WITHOUT the LeftHand VSS Hardware Provider added to the Symantec Registry tree. Backup Exec will attempt to perform the backup through the VSS hardware provider, not be able to utilize it and proceed through the direct volume. This is the same as selecting backup without the Advanced Open File Option. Select the Job Setup tab and create a new backup job. Note that the local Volume E:\ is selected.
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Test the Resource Credentials to the data that you have selected. Test All should be selected and the results should be Successful. Under Priority and Availability, this configuration tested the Highest Job priority. Under Device and Media, the drop down Device Backup-to-Disk Folder 1 is selected. This is the destination created earlier which happens to be stored on a different iscsi volume Vol2 (F:\). Note that this approach could demonstrate near line storage backup policy approaches before staging to tape. On the General selection, Verify after backup completes is selected to ensure that the data is consistent across the backup. On this first 12
example, it is expected that the Advanced Open File Option, Microsoft Volume Shadow copy Service Hardware provider will fail. This is due to a Symantec Registry filter that only allows specific VSS Hardware providers to be utilized by the software. As this method is attempted first and fails, Backup Exec attempt to simply backup the mounted volume instead of by a snapshot. The second example will correct the registry entry on the local backup server and demonstrate how VSS Hardware snapshots differ from this method. Note that the job completed successfully in the Job Monitor with a warning that the VSS Hardware Provider could not be found for the Advanced Open File option to work correctly. This is indicated by the Yellow! in the triangle. Complete warning message can found by double clicking the completed job. The second example shows how to ensure that the LeftHand VSS Hardware Provider is enumerated in the registry properly. Please refer to the document Application Note How to Enable Symantec Backup Exec to use the SAN/iQ VSS Provider. 13
Repeat the same backup job. This time, note the Advanced Open File options. Select Use Advanced Open File Option and select the Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service. In this configuration, the Hardware provider is manually specified. In some configurations, the default of Automatic may be best if relying upon Software VSS providers in addition to Hardware VSS providers. Note that in this case, the Job Monitor will show a status of using the Snapshot Processing. 14
It is interesting to note that the Microsoft iscsi Initiator Properties Targets tab will show the automatic logging into the local snapshot during the process of backing up and then log off and delete the snapshot. Note that the LeftHand Networks CMC will also show the creation of the snapshot and then the automatic removal of the snapshot. The VSS Hardware provider instructs the LeftHand storage cluster to perform a hardware snapshot. This snapshot inherits the parent volume s permissions. The snapshot is then mounted on the local server where the backup proceeds from this mounted point in time copy volume. The snapshot is then deleted. Note this second job completes Successful without any warnings. Note the Green and white check mark. 15
Note that the Job History will note that the Advanced Open File Option used the Microsoft Volume Shadow copy Service (VSS). The Transportable Snapshot requires an additional instance of Windows 2003. This server will have the same requirements as the backup server. This server will also require the Symantec Backup Exec Remote Agent and Advanced Open File option installed. A new iscsi volume is created for this server Vol-Server2. Note the proper configuration of all volumes, authentication groups and volume lists in the configuration graphic on page 2. 16
This server will also require the LeftHand VSS Hardware Provider installed. Remember that the Authentication console on this server must also be properly configured allowing access to volumes in a management group. The Symantec Backup Exec Remote Agent for Windows is installed on this server along with the Advanced Open File Option.. 17
18 Note that the media server must be specified either by name or IP. This configuration shows the ADAMM Backup Exec Server at techmarketing.lefthandnetwo rks.com. Note the Symantec Backup Exec Remote Agent Utility confirms that the Remote Agent is enabled for publishing information to the media server in the list.
Note that the remote agent fails to enumerate the supported VSS Hardware Providers. This should be enumerated on the failed attempt. One may export the tree in the enumeration from the server and import it here or follow the instructions in the document Please refer to the document Application Note How to Enable Symantec Backup Exec to use the SAN/iQ VSS Provider. 19
Note the correct enumeration for the LeftHand Networks VSS Provider Version 1.3.0.44. For this Transportable Snapshot Backup Job, go to the Backup Server. Under Selections, open up the Domains, Active Directory Domains, the domain of the member server, the member server, and the iscsi target volume for which a transportable snapshot will be performed. In this configuration, the iscsi volume Vol-server2 (M:\ ) will be selected. 20
Note the Resource order of the remote server and iscsi volume. 21
On the Resource Credentials, ensure that this server has proper access. Under Priority and Availability, the Highest Priority is selected. 22
Under Device and Media, The Backup-to-Disk Folder 1 previously created is selected as the Destination Target. Under Advanced Settings, the Normal Priority is the highest Remote Agent priority option available. Select the Advanced Open File Option with the same considerations previously mentioned for the Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service Hardware Provider. Since this configuration uses a Transportable Snapshot, select the Advanced Disk-based Backup to use offhost backup to move backup processing from the remote computer to the media server. Again, the considerations previously mentioned for the Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service Hardware Provider are also considered. 23
Note the Snapshot Processing Job Status on the Job Monitor. Again note that the Microsoft iscsi Initiator Properties will show the Backup Server connecting to the remote agent s snapshot and mounting the volume while the backup is performed. It can also be noted in the LeftHand Networks CMC. After the volume is backed up, it will be automatically disconnected and the snapshot volume deleted. Note that the job completes successfully. 24
At this time, Symantec Backup Exec s Job History for a Transportable snapshot may provide misleading information from the perspective of what occurs. Note that the Advanced Open File Option is not used. This clearly is not the case as one may watch the snapshot be mounted from the local machine as well as in the LeftHand Networks CMC. 25