6. NetBackup RealTime. Symantec NetBackup 7.5

Chapter

6

NetBackup RealTime

This chapter includes the following topics:

■

About NetBackup RealTime

■

Advantages of NetBackup RealTime

■

Types of RealTime backup

■

RealTime terminology in relation to NetBackup

■

About snapshots, annotations, and TimeImage™ views

■

About TimeImage™ view creation

■

Network diagram of NetBackup RealTime

■

About NetBackup backup process with RealTime

■

About NetBackup restore process with RealTime

■

NetBackup RealTime license requirements

■

NetBackup RealTime supported operating systems

■

Snapshot Client support matrix URL

■

About RealTime annotations and the timeline

■

About RealTime space allocation and timeline movement

■

About obsolete annotations after timeline movement

■

Configuring NetBackup RealTime

■

Important notes and restrictions related to NetBackup RealTime

■

About determining if persistent bindings are needed in HBA file (Solaris only)

128 NetBackup RealTime

About NetBackup RealTime

■

Determining if disk devices are using world-wide names

■

Determining your HBA driver

■

sd.conf update for import of TimeImage™ views (Solaris only)

■

Configuring a NetBackup policy to back up RealTime application assets

■

Notes on Backup Selections tab options when configuring a NetBackup policy

■

About performing a backup of RealTime assets

■

About restoring data

■

NetBackup RealTime logging

■

About troubleshooting NetBackup RealTime issues

■

Troubleshooting a backup failure with status code 156

■

Troubleshooting when you cannot browse backups to restore

■

Troubleshooting live browse of snapshot for instant recovery

About NetBackup RealTime

This chapter describes how to back up and restore NetBackup client data that is already configured and protected in a RealTime application. Note that NetBackup

RealTime requires the Snapshot Client features of NetBackup.

For a detailed introduction to RealTime, with installation and configuration instructions, see the following guides:

■ NetBackup RealTime Installation Guide

■ NetBackup RealTime Administrator's Guide

Note: RealTime 7.1 can support Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 clients. With this capability of RealTime, NetBackup 7.1 can back up and restore RHEL 5 clients that RealTime protects.

Advantages of NetBackup RealTime

NetBackup RealTime includes the following backup and restore capabilities:

■ By means of Snapshot Client and database agents, NetBackup can quiesce client activity and create transactionally consistent snapshots.

NetBackup RealTime

Types of RealTime backup

129

■ NetBackup provides an interface for data restore. NetBackup lets you browse backup images for particular files and folders, and automates the task of copying the data to the designated restore host.

■ NetBackup’s implementation of snapshot-only backups with RealTime is highly efficient, consuming no RealTime server resources until you select items to restore.

Types of RealTime backup

NetBackup RealTime provides the following types of backup:

■ Snapshot-only backup (no backup to a storage unit). The snapshot relies on

NetBackup’s Instant Recovery feature.

■ Snapshot-based backup to a storage unit. The data from the snapshot is copied to the storage device that is attached to the NetBackup media server. The snapshot is deleted when the backup operation is complete.

■ Snapshot-based backup to a storage unit. The snapshot is retained for Instant

Recovery.

RealTime terminology in relation to NetBackup

The following table explains RealTime terminology from a NetBackup perspective.

annotation application application host assets

RealTime server

A special timestamp that allows access to the data that was captured at that point in time in RealTime storage.

The NetBackup client and its data that RealTime protects. You define an application using Recovery Manager.

See the NetBackup RealTime Installation Guide.

A NetBackup client that contains RealTime components, such as the Recovery Manager and the host splitter.

See the NetBackup RealTime Installation Guide.

The client data that is defined by a RealTime application. The assets comprise a set of volumes or devices that RealTime protects.

A server that maintains a continual history of all write operations for a limited time, taking place on the application assets on the client. With this history, the RealTime server can reassemble the client data as it existed at any point in time, thus providing continuous data protection. See TimeImage™ view.

130 NetBackup RealTime

About snapshots, annotations, and TimeImage™ views

RealTime storage

Recovery Manager

TimeImage™ view timeline

A pool of disk storage that the RealTime server uses for creating a full copy of client data when CDP is applied. It is also used for tracking time-ordered writes on the protected data.

Web-based management console for RealTime.

An exact reproduction of the protected client data (assets) at a particular time. In NetBackup, a TimeImage™ view is created in one of the following circumstances:

■

■

When you select items to restore

When a backup job creates a snapshot from which to copy data to a storage unit.

The window of time within which the Real Time server maintains protection for client data (assets). The timeline is maintained by the RealTime server as a result of the RealTime data capture process. The timeline may slide forward in time, depending on how much space is allocated in the RealTime storage and how many changes occur in the application assets.

About snapshots, annotations, and TimeImage™ views

Snapshot as used in NetBackup’s Snapshot Client feature, and an annotation and

TimeImage™ view as used in NetBackup RealTime, are similar in purpose

(point-in-time data capture) but are not identical.

In NetBackup (without RealTime), a snapshot is a point-in-time, disk-based copy of a client volume. When you create a snapshot-based backup to a storage unit,

NetBackup reads the point-in-time data from the snapshot and writes it to the designated storage device. The snapshot can be automatically deleted when the backup to storage is complete, or it can be retained on disk for later restore (the

Instant Recovery feature). The snapshot can also constitute the backup image by itself, in a "snapshot-only" backup (no backup to a storage unit). Whether used as a source for a storage unit backup or as a standalone image, the snapshot contains all the data necessary for a complete restore.

A RealTime annotation, on the other hand, is a timestamp that the RealTime server creates whenever a NetBackup backup job starts. The annotation is not a snapshot, in that it does not contain the point-in-time data. Rather, the annotation allows the RealTime server to identify the point-in-time data when TimeImage™ view of the data is required.

An annotation is thus a marker, and a TimeImage™ view is an on-demand copy of the point-in-time data that the annotation points to.

NetBackup RealTime

About TimeImage™ view creation

131

Note: A NetBackup snapshot can consist of either an annotation alone (for a snapshot-only backup), or an annotation plus a TimeImage™ view.

Table 6-1

shows the relationships among the three NetBackup backup types and the RealTime annotation and TimeImage™ views that result from each type of backup.

Table 6-1 Snapshot-based backups and resulting annotations and TimeImage™ views

Type of NetBackup backup Resulting RealTime action

Snapshot-only backup; snapshot is retained for Instant Recovery

The RealTime server creates an annotation only. The RealTime server creates no

TimeImage™ view until a restore is requested.

Snapshot-based backup to a storage unit

Snapshot-based backup to a storage unit, and the snapshot is retained for Instant

Recovery

The RealTime server creates an annotation and a TimeImage™ view. The TimeImage™ view data is written to the storage unit. The annotation and TimeImage™ view are automatically deleted at the end of the backup.

The RealTime server creates an annotation and a TimeImage™view. The TimeImage™ view data is written to the storage unit. The annotation and TimeImage™ views are retained.

About TimeImage™ view creation

In NetBackup, a RealTime TimeImage™ view is created when either of the following occurs:

■ A NetBackup policy directs a backup job to write the point-in-time data to a storage unit. To do so, NetBackup directs the RealTime server to create an annotation and to create a TimeImage™ view based on the annotation.

NetBackup copies the data from the TimeImage™ view to the designated storage unit.

■ A restore is requested. When you browse files and folders to restore, the

RealTime server finds the appropriate annotation. If a TimeImage™ view does not already exist for the annotation, the RealTime server creates one. The data is restored from the TimeImage™ view.

132 NetBackup RealTime

Network diagram of NetBackup RealTime

Network diagram of NetBackup RealTime

Figure 6-1

shows NetBackup servers and a NetBackup client as part of a RealTime environment.

Figure 6-1 Hardware environment for NetBackup RealTime

LAN / WAN

NetBackup master server

NetBackup client

(application host)

NetBackup media server and/or alternate client

NetBackup storage unit

(tape or disk)

Fibre channel SAN

Real Time

Server

Real Time

Storage

Real Time application assets on disk array (Net Backup client data)

About NetBackup backup process with RealTime

If the backup is to a snapshot, the following events occur:

■ Based on a user request or a backup schedule, the NetBackup master server starts the backup job.

■ The NetBackup client that is named in the policy creates a snapshot of the data:

■ For a snapshot-only backup (no image copied to a storage unit), the client directs the RealTime server to place an annotation in the RealTime timeline.

No TimeImage™ view is created unless you select items to restore.

■

■

For a snapshot-based backup to a storage unit, the client directs the

RealTime server to place an annotation in the RealTime timeline and to create a TimeImage™ view in RealTime storage.

For a snapshot-based backup with a retained snapshot, the client directs the RealTime server to place an annotation in the RealTime timeline and to create a TimeImage™ view in RealTime storage. The TimeImage™ view is retained as called for in the NetBackup policy.

■ For a snapshot-based backup to a storage unit (with or without a retained snapshot), the following occurs:

■ The NetBackup client sends the TimeImage™ view data to the NetBackup media server.

NetBackup RealTime

About NetBackup restore process with RealTime

133

■ The media server writes the data to the storage unit that is designated in the policy.

■ For a snapshot-based backup to a storage unit without a retained snapshot, the client directs the RealTime server to delete the TimeImage™ view when the backup to storage is complete.

■ For all types of backup (including snapshot only), the master server updates the NetBackup catalog.

■ When the backup image expires, all relevant annotations in the RealTime timeline are deleted as well as any existing TimeImage™ views.

About NetBackup restore process with RealTime

If the restore is from a snapshot, the following events occur:

■ The master server directs the client to prepare the snapshot backup from which to restore, as follows.

■

■

If a TimeImage™ view of the requested data does not already exist, the client directs the RealTime server to create a TimeImage™ view in RealTime storage.

If the asset is a file system, the client directs the RealTime server to mount the TimeImage™ view on a path that the client can access.

■ The client copies the data from the TimeImage™ view to the requested location, as follows:

■

■

For a file system, the client copies the data directly from the mounted file system.

For a raw device, the client does a block-by-block copy from the raw device.

■ If it is mounted, the TimeImage™ view is unmounted.

If the restore is from a storage unit, the media server restores the data from the storage unit.

NetBackup RealTime license requirements

NetBackup RealTime requires NetBackup licensing, including an Enterprise Client license key.

134 NetBackup RealTime

NetBackup RealTime supported operating systems

NetBackup RealTime supported operating systems

Table 6-2

shows the operating systems and storage components that NetBackup

RealTime supports.

Table 6-2 Operating systems support list

Client operating systems File systems

Solaris ufs, VxFS

Windows 2003 (32 bit) NTFS

Red Hat Enterprise Linux

(RHEL) 5.3 and later versions ext3

Logical volumes

VxVM

None

LVM2

Snapshot Client support matrix URL

For a list of all supported combinations of snapshot methods for RealTime, platforms, file systems, logical volumes, and other components, see the NetBackup

7.x Snapshot Client Compatibility document: http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/337052.htm

About RealTime annotations and the timeline

The RealTime timeline is a record of all user-generated changes to the RealTime application assets that are defined on the NetBackup client. The timeline is started when RealTime is applied to the application. When the timeline is started, the

RealTime server copies the client’s defined assets to RealTime storage. From that moment, RealTime storage captures or mirrors every change that occurs in the client’s assets. This mirroring of changes enables RealTime’s continuous data protection.

In addition, NetBackup directs the RealTime server to create an annotation whenever a backup occurs. Each annotation is a special timestamp that allows later access to the data that is captured in RealTime storage. For instance, when

NetBackup needs to start a restore, it directs the RealTime server to use the appropriate annotation to create a TimeImage™ view of the protected assets.

Thus, the timeline represents two things:

■ A period of time during which the RealTime server protects the application assets by capturing all changes.

NetBackup RealTime

About RealTime space allocation and timeline movement

135

■ A repository from which the RealTime server can recreate a point-in-time image of the application assets.

About RealTime space allocation and timeline movement

Before starting RealTime, the administrator should allocate sufficient space in

RealTime storage to hold the initial data copy as well as to hold future changes to that data. The greater the rate of change in the application, the more space is required to capture the changes in RealTime storage. It is therefore important to allocate enough space in storage to keep RealTime active for the desired period of time.

If the space allocated in RealTime storage runs low, the timeline may have to move forward in time, to continue to capture and record current write activity on the application. Moving the timeline forward allows RealTime storage to discard older changes, to save space. Unless your RealTime storage is infinite, there may come a time when the older data in storage must give way to the new.

RealTime is first applied at 8:00.

As of 12:00, protection has been running for 4 hours, capturing in RealTime storage all changes occurring in the application.

Figure 6-2 Example of RealTime timeline original state

Indicates RealTime protection is active.

8:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00

Shortly after 12:00, the change rate on the application increases rapidly. At 12:30, to preserve space in RealTime storage, the timeline’s start point moves forward

30 minutes.

The application changes that were captured between 8:00 and 8:30 are discarded, to save space in RealTime storage.

Figure 6-3

8:00

Example of RealTime timeline after motion

9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00

136 NetBackup RealTime

About obsolete annotations after timeline movement

About obsolete annotations after timeline movement

When the timeline moves forward to save space in RealTime storage, any backup annotations that NetBackup placed in the timeline before the new start time become obsolete. That is, the captured data to which the annotations refer is removed. Removing older data is a normal part of RealTime operation.

If the backup data was written to a storage unit, the data can be recovered from the storage unit. But a TimeImage™ view cannot be recovered and the annotation is of no further use.

When NetBackup runs the next backup for the policy, the obsolete annotations and any associated TimeImage™ views are removed.

RealTime is first applied at 8:00. NetBackup snapshot-only backups occur each hour, each backup placing an annotation in the timeline.

Figure 6-4 Example of RealTime timeline in motion, at 8:00

Indicates an annotation.

8:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00

Shortly after 12:00pm, the change rate on the application increases rapidly. At

12:30, to preserve space in RealTime storage, the timeline's start point moves forward 30 minutes.

The application changes that were captured between 8:00 and 8:30 are discarded, to save space in RealTime storage.

Figure 6-5

8:00

Example of RealTime timeline in motion, shortly after 12:00

9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00

The first annotation created at 8:00 is now obsolete. The data to which it refers is removed.

The annotation is removed when the next backup for the policy is run.

It is important to allocate a lot of space in RealTime storage if you are protecting assets with a high data change rate.

To determine whether any annotations are obsolete, refer to the following:

See

“Troubleshooting when you cannot browse backups to restore”

on page 150.

NetBackup RealTime

Configuring NetBackup RealTime

137

Configuring NetBackup RealTime

Table 6-3

lists the basic setup and administrative tasks for using NetBackup

RealTime. Most of these tasks are described in other documents, as indicated.

Configuring NetBackup RealTime Protection: task overview Table 6-3

Step

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Task Where described

Install the RealTime appliance.

See the NetBackup RealTime

Installation Guide.

Install the RealTime application host packages on all NetBackup clients and any alternate clients.

See the NetBackup RealTime

Installation Guide.

Define the RealTime application and apply protection.

See the NetBackup RealTime

Administrator’s Guide.

Install NetBackup client software and the Snapshot Client license.

See the NetBackup Installation

Guide and the NetBackup Snapshot

Client Administrator’s Guide.

Configure a NetBackup policy

Start a backup and do a restore

See

“Configuring a NetBackup policy to back up RealTime application assets”

on page 142.

See

“About performing a backup of RealTime assets”

on page 147.

See

“About restoring data”

on page 147.

Important notes and restrictions related to NetBackup

RealTime

Note the following:

■ NetBackup RealTime does not support Instant Recovery rollback restore or block level incremental backup.

■ NetBackup RealTime supports FlashBackup policies, but not

FlashBackup-Windows policies.

See

“Configuring a NetBackup policy to back up RealTime application assets”

on page 142.

■ For database agents, NetBackup RealTime currently supports Oracle (Solaris only).

138 NetBackup RealTime

Important notes and restrictions related to NetBackup RealTime

■ When a RealTime application is updated by either adding or removing assets

(such as by adding or removing a mount point), reapplying RealTime protection to the application restarts any existing timeline.

Note that any NetBackup snapshots that are created before the timeline was restarted become obsolete.

See

“About obsolete annotations after timeline movement”

on page 136.

NetBackup automatically removes these snapshots the next time a backup is run for the NetBackup policy. Note that backups to a storage unit are not removed. Only the snapshot is removed.

■ To configure a RealTime application to be used with off-host alternate client backup, see the following tech note.

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH60405

■ NetBackup does not support backing up a federated application, even though the RealTime server supports federated applications. A federated application is one with protected assets that span multiple clients.

■ Snapshot-only backups should not be set for long retention periods.

See

“About obsolete annotations after timeline movement”

on page 136.

■ HBA persistent target bindings may be required for the application host’s

HBAs. On application hosts that require persistent target bindings, the binding ensures that the TimeImage™ views appear at the same device location when the application host restarts. Refer to your HBA vendor documentation for help configuring persistent bindings.

Note: On Solaris, persistent target bindings are not needed if you use Sun’s

Leadville stack (StorageTek SAN Foundation) or the Sun branded QLogic driver or Sun branded Emulex HBA driver.

See

“About determining if persistent bindings are needed in HBA file (Solaris only)”

on page 139.

■ If HBA persistent target bindings are required, Symantec recommends that you configure 1024 LUNs in the Solaris sd.conf

file.

See

“sd.conf update for import of TimeImage™ views (Solaris only)”

on page 141.

■ On RHEL platform, Snapshot Only backups are not supported on raw device.

■ To back up or restore the RHEL clients that are protected by RealTime when

LVM2 (Linux Volume Manager) is used along with multipathing on RHEL, you need to meet the following prerequisite:

/etc/lvm/lvm.conf

file on the RHEL clients should have the following entries as preferred names mentioned exactly in the same order.

preferred_names = ["^/dev/mapper/", "^/dev/mpath/", "^/dev/[hs]d"]

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About determining if persistent bindings are needed in HBA file (Solaris only)

139

Note: Try to avoid using undescriptive /dev/dm-N names, if present.

About determining if persistent bindings are needed in HBA file (Solaris only)

Use these procedures to determine whether persistent bindings are needed:

■ Use the first procedure below to determine whether your SAN attached disks already have world-wide names as the target component of the device name.

If the disk paths are using world-wide names as the target, no persistent bindings are needed in the HBA configuration file.

See

“Determining if disk devices are using world-wide names”

on page 139.

■ If the devices are not visible to the application host, use the second procedure to determine what HBA driver the application host is using. If the host uses

Sun’s Leadville stack (StorageTek SAN Foundation) or the Sun branded QLogic driver or Sun branded Emulex HBA driver, no persistent bindings are needed in the HBA configuration file.

See

“Determining your HBA driver”

on page 140.

Determining if disk devices are using world-wide names

If SAN-attached array devices are visible on the application host, use the following procedure.

140 NetBackup RealTime

Determining your HBA driver

To determine if disk devices are using world-wide names

◆ Enter the following:

/usr/openv/netbackup/bin/nbfirescan

Example output:

DevicePath

[Ctl,Bus,Tgt,Lun]

Vendor Product ID EnclosureId DeviceId

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

/dev/rdsk/c3t50001FE150070028d2s6 HP HSV200

6005-08B4-0010-5F49-0000-5000-7ED1-0000 [00,00,00,00]

/dev/rdsk/c3t5006048ACCD21C80d0s6 EMC

[00,00,00,00]

5000-1FE1-5007-0020

SYMMETRIX 000187910258 0000

The example lists device paths for an HP disk and an EMC disk. In both cases, the target component of the device name is a world-wide name, rather than a SCSI target number. The target designation of the HP disk is t50001FE150070028 and for the EMC disk it is t5006048ACCD21C80. Since these target numbers are world-wide names, no configuration for persistent binding is needed for these disks in the HBA configuration file.

Determining your HBA driver

If no SAN-attached array devices are visible on the application host, use the following procedure.

If the following procedure indicates that the HBA driver is Sun branded, persistent bindings are not needed in the HBA configuration file.

If the HBA driver is not Sun branded, configure the HBA file with persistent bindings. Refer to your HBA vendor documentation.

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141

To determine your HBA driver

1 To find the QLogic HBA driver, enter the following: modinfo | grep -i ql

Example output:

38 12c6e47 50212 153 1 qlc (SunFC Qlogic FCA v20040825-1.40)

29 12058c1 83803 272 1 qla2300 (QLogic FC Driver v4.18)

The QLogic HBA driver that is listed in the first line is Sun branded, as indicated by SunFC in SunFC Qlogic FCA v20040825-1.40

. The QLogic driver that is listed in the second line is not Sun branded.

2 To find the Emulex HBA driver, enter the following: modinfo | grep -i lp

Example output:

43 132b560 512e0 263 1 lpfc (Emulex LightPulse FC SCSI/IP)

The Emulex driver that is listed is not Sun branded.

sd.conf update for import of TimeImage™ views

(Solaris only)

Use the information in this section to update sd.conf

.

Note: The sd.conf

file does not have to be modified if you use Sun’s Leadville stack (StorageTek SAN Foundation) or the Sun branded QLogic HBA driver or Sun branded Emulex HBA driver.

See

“About determining if persistent bindings are needed in HBA file (Solaris only)”

on page 139.

The Solaris

/kernel/drv/sd.conf

file must have sufficient entries to allow for the dynamic import of RealTime TimeImage™ views. TimeImage™ views must be made visible on the NetBackup client without restarting the operating system.

Entries should be added to the sd.conf

file for the persistent target numbers (if any) that were configured for the HBA. For the target numbers that were persistently bound to the RealTime server’s target ports, Symantec recommends that you configure 1024 LUNs.

142 NetBackup RealTime

Configuring a NetBackup policy to back up RealTime application assets

For example: if one of the RealTime server’s target ports was persistently bound at target 5, the following entries should be added to sd.conf

. Only the beginning and ending entries are included in this example.

name="sd" class="scsi" target=5 lun=0; name="sd" class="scsi" target=5 lun=1; name="sd" class="scsi" target=5 lun=2;

.

.

.

name="sd" class="scsi" target=5 lun=1021; name="sd" class="scsi" target=5 lun=1022; name="sd" class="scsi" target=5 lun=1023;

You must restart after modifying sd.conf

.

Note: For Solaris only. When setting up persistent bindings, update the sd.conf

file on the host that must access the TimeImage™ views. For a local host policy

(no off-host backup), update the sd.conf

file on the primary client. For an off-host backup policy, update sd.conf

on the alternate client.

Configuring a NetBackup policy to back up RealTime application assets

This topic describes how to create a NetBackup policy to back up one or more

RealTime application assets. The procedure focuses on NetBackup snapshot-related details.

See

“Configuring NetBackup RealTime”

on page 137.

To configure a NetBackup policy to back up RealTime application assets

1 Start the NetBackup Administration Console by entering or doing the following:

On Solaris:

/usr/openv/netbackup/bin/jnbSA &

On Windows, click Start > Programs > Symantec NetBackup > NetBackup

Administration Console.

2 Click Policies and select Actions > New > Policy.

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Configuring a NetBackup policy to back up RealTime application assets

143

3 Select the policy Attributes.

For a complete description of policy attributes, see the online Help.

Policy type For Solaris: Standard, FlashBackup, or Oracle.

For Windows: MS-Windows.

Perform snapshot backups Select this option.

You can either select Perform snapshot backups or

Bare Metal Restore. To perform snapshot backups, make sure that the Bare Metal Restore check box is disabled.

Retain snapshots for Instant

Recovery

Select this option for a snapshot-only backup, or to keep the snapshot after the backup completes.

Perform off-host backup

Use alternate client

You can use an alternate client to reduce backup I/O processing on the primary client. The alternate client performs the backup on behalf of the primary client.

144 NetBackup RealTime

Configuring a NetBackup policy to back up RealTime application assets

4 Click the Snapshot Client Options option to display the Snapshot Options dialog box. Specify the following:

Snapshot method for this policy

Select CDP on Solaris, VSS on Windows, RealTime on

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).

Note: In NetBackup 7.1, a new snapshot method that is called RealTime is available. If you want to back up or restore RHEL clients that are being protected by

RealTime, you need to select RealTime as the snapshot method in NetBackup.

The following figure shows the screen where you can select the RealTime snapshot method in NetBackup

7.1.

Maximum Snapshots

(Instant Recovery only)

Provider Type

Snapshot Attribute cdpr_server

Enter the maximum number of snapshots to be retained at one time. This option applies only to backups with the Instant Recovery feature.

This parameter applies to Windows only.

Select 3-hardware.

This parameter applies to Windows only.

Accept the default (0-unspecified), which lets

NetBackup select the correct attribute.

This parameter applies to Solaris only.

Enter the fully qualified host name of the RealTime server.

The following figure shows the Snapshot Client Options panel where you can select the RealTime snapshot method.

Note: To select RealTime snapshot method, you need to select policy type as

Standard.

NetBackup RealTime

Configuring a NetBackup policy to back up RealTime application assets

145

5 In the Schedule tab, define a schedule.

Note the following options:

Type of backup All types are supported.

Snapshots and copy snapshots to a storage unit

NetBackup creates a snapshot and copies it to the storage unit that is specified on the Attributes tab.

Snapshots only NetBackup creates an annotation in the timeline. The snapshot is created when you select items to restore.

This option is highly space efficient but not recommended for long-term storage.

Override policy storage selection

To use a storage lifecycle policy to manage backups, enter the name of the lifecycle policy.

Important: if you select Snapshots only, a lifecycle policy cannot be used.

See

“About storage lifecycle policies for snapshots”

on page 119.

146 NetBackup RealTime

Notes on Backup Selections tab options when configuring a NetBackup policy

6 In the Clients tab, enter the fully qualified name of one or more NetBackup clients that are defined as RealTime application hosts.

7 In the Backup Selections tab, specify the RealTime assets to be backed up.

For more information about Backup Selections tab options, see the following topic:

See

“Notes on Backup Selections tab options when configuring a NetBackup policy”

on page 146.

8 Click OK.

Notes on Backup Selections tab options when configuring a NetBackup policy

The following types of entries are allowed in the Backup Selections tab:

■ Directory or file system

■ VxVM volume

■ Raw device

For example:

/mnt1

/dev/vx/rdsk/volgrp1/vol3

/dev/rdsk/c0t0d0s1

Important:

■ The items in this list must represent all the assets in the RealTime application(s) you are backing up with this policy. If a RealTime application’s assets, for example, have been defined as three file systems, all three file systems must be entered here. If you enter only one or two of the file systems for the application, the policy fails to validate when you click OK.

■ The items in this list can span multiple applications, but cannot list partial assets in any application (as noted in the previous bullet).

■ When backing up a VxVM volume, all of the protected LUNs for a given application must exist in the same VxVM disk group. That is, an application’s protected LUNs cannot span multiple VxVM disk groups.

■ NetBackup does not support backing up a federated application. A federated application is one with RealTime protected LUNs that span multiple clients.

NetBackup RealTime

About performing a backup of RealTime assets

147

See

“Configuring a NetBackup policy to back up RealTime application assets”

on page 142.

About performing a backup of RealTime assets

The procedure for backing up RealTime assets is the same as for backing up data on any NetBackup client.

See the NetBackup Backup, Archive, and Restore Getting Started Guide.

About restoring data

You can use NetBackup to restore data to the original client, to an alternate location on the original client, or to a different client.

Note the following:

■ Each time you restore from a snapshot-only backup, if the snapshot does not already exist, NetBackup creates it. Creating the snapshot consumes some disk space in RealTime storage.

Note that before selecting items to restore, a snapshot-only backup consists of annotations only, which require virtually no disk space.

■ RealTime is VxVM disk-group centric, not volume centric. If you restore a volume that shares a disk group with other volumes, all volumes in that disk group are restored. This group restoration can have unexpected results.

■ Point-in-time rollback restore is not supported.

NetBackup RealTime logging

For log messages about backup or restore, see the following NetBackup log folders.

Table 6-4 The NetBackup logs

Log folder

Solaris and RHEL:

/usr/openv/netbackup/logs/bpfis

Windows:

install_path\NetBackup\logs\bpfis

Contains Resides on

Messages about policy validation, snapshot creation, and backup.

NetBackup client

148 NetBackup RealTime

About troubleshooting NetBackup RealTime issues

Table 6-4 The NetBackup logs (continued)

Log folder

Solaris and RHEL:

/usr/openv/netbackup/logs/bppfi

Windows:

install_path\NetBackup\logs\bppfi

Contains

Messages about restore.

Resides on

NetBackup client

Note: These log folders must already exist in order for logging to occur. If the folders do not exist, create them.

For more detail on snapshot logs, logging levels, and the required folders, see the

Troubleshooting chapter of this guide. A broader discussion of NetBackup logging is available in the NetBackup Troubleshooting Guide.

About troubleshooting NetBackup RealTime issues

The following information may be helpful.

Troubleshooting a backup failure with status code

156

A potential cause of a 156 error concerns an alternate client off-host backup of a

NetBackup RealTime application. This error occurs if the RealTime server's host tables are not correctly updated for the alternate client. As a result, NetBackup cannot make a RealTime TimeImage™ view accessible to the alternate client, and the backup fails. This failure happens if the backup is to a storage unit (with or without a retained snapshot).

A message similar to the following may appear in the NetBackup

/usr/openv/netbackup/logs/bpfis log on the alternate client:

14:38:59.002 [16772] <2> onlfi_vfms_logf: - create_timeimage: host [s1.snappy.com] not found on appliance

14:38:59.003 [16772] <32> onlfi_fim_split: FTL - VfMS error 11; see following messages:

14:38:59.003 [16772] <32> onlfi_fim_split:

FTL - Fatal method error was reported

14:38:59.003 [16772] <32> onlfi_fim_split:FTL - vfm_freeze_commit: method: CDP,type: FIM, function: CDP_freeze_commit

14:38:59.003 [16772] <32> onlfi_fim_split:

NetBackup RealTime

Troubleshooting a backup failure with status code 156

149

FTL - VfMS method error 6; see following message:

14:38:59.003 [16772] <32> onlfi_fim_split:FTL - CDP_freeze_commit: create timeimage failed with status 48

Additional examples for status 156

10:43:58.436 [28336] <32> onlfi_fim_dev_info: FTL - VfMS error 11; see following messages:

10:43:58.437 [28336] <32> onlfi_fim_dev_info:

FTL - Fatal method error was reported

10:43:58.437 [28336] <32> onlfi_fim_dev_info:

FTL - vfm_freeze: method: vxvm, type: FIM, function: vxvm_freeze

10:43:58.437 [28336] <32> onlfi_fim_dev_info:

FTL - VfMS method error 10; see following message:

10:43:58.437 [28336] <32> onlfi_fim_dev_info:

FTL - vxvm__get_dgversion: Cannot get version for disk group: dgdb001

10:43:58.437 [28336] <4> onlfi_thaw:

INF - Thawing /ora/db001/data001 using snapshot method vxvm.

10:43:58.448 [28336] <4> onlfi_thaw:

INF - do_thaw return value: 0

10:43:58.454 [28336] <16> bpfis:

FTL - snapshot preparation failed, status 156

00:26:19.025 [2826] <2> onlfi_vfms_logf:

INF - lock pid(2902) != pid(2826):

/usr/openv/netbackup/online_util/db_cntl/__LOCKFILE_EMC:SYMMETRIX:970960001000

00:26:19.025 [2826] <2> onlfi_vfms_logf:

INF - TimeFinder_rebuild:

Cannot get lock on device: /dev/rdsk/c3t5006048C4A85A400d1s2

......

00:26:19.025 [2826] <32> rebuild_fim_list:

FTL - TimeFinder_rebuild: Cannot get lock on device:

/dev/rdsk/c3t5006048C4A85A400d1s2

00:26:19.025 [2826] <32> splthost_rebuild:

FTL - rebuild_fim_list() failed

00:26:19.037 [2826] <4> bpfis Exit:

INF - EXIT STATUS 156: snapshot error encountered

For more details on this problem, see the following NetBackup tech note: http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH60405

150 NetBackup RealTime

Troubleshooting when you cannot browse backups to restore

Troubleshooting when you cannot browse backups to restore

A few simple reasons can account for the inability to browse files and folders to restore. You may have specified the wrong date range for NetBackup’s search for available backups. Or perhaps no backups were created within the specified dates.

Note the following additional possibilities:

■ In the case of NetBackup RealTime, the annotation for the backup you want to browse may have become obsolete. Rendering older annotations obsolete is a normal function of RealTime protection, to save space in RealTime storage.

Note that you can always restore your NetBackup data as long as the policy created a storage unit backup that has not expired. If the backup created a retained snapshot, the snapshot depends upon a valid annotation in the

RealTime timeline. The attempt to browse fails if the annotation is no longer in the current RealTime protection timeline.

A message similar to the following may appear in the

/usr/openv/netbackup/logs/bppfi log. The location of the log depends on the type of backup. For an off-host alternate client backup, the bppfi log is on the alternate client. For a local host backup (not alternate client), the bppfi log is on the primary client.

15:13:15.802 [17768] <4> with retcode 6 (RC_ERROR)

Error: createTimeImage failed

15:13:15.802 [17768] <4> [USER][ERROR][minneapolis:312]

Cannot create timeImage: Imagetime before timeline start

See

“About RealTime annotations and the timeline”

on page 134.

■ If the backup was a snapshot only backup, the backup succeeds but the attempt to restore fails. The contents of the folder that you are trying to browse do not appear.

A message similar to the following may appear in the NetBackup bppfi log on the client or alternate client.

14:32:40.089 [18728] <4> create_timeimage: host [s1.snappy.com] not found on appliance

14:32:40.089 [18728] <4> mount_frag: create timeimage failed with status 48

For more details on this problem, see the following NetBackup tech note: http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH60405

NetBackup RealTime

Troubleshooting live browse of snapshot for instant recovery

151

■ When the OST_FIM type snapshot is taken and the indexing and backup from snapshot operations are yet to be done, any attempt to browse for individual files fails. You need to wait for atleast one of these operations to complete before you browse for files in the snapshot.

Troubleshooting live browse of snapshot for instant recovery

Live browse of snapshot for instant recovery of Windows volumes (with NTFS junction points) gets directed to a primary volume device that is pointed to by the junction points instead of the snapshot volume device. This occurs for the RealTime

Frozen Image Method (FIM) for Windows clients and would also apply to other

Windows FIMs that support delayed snapshot mount capability.

When you use Backup, Archive, and Restore - NetBackup interface to live browse instant recovery snapshots of the Windows volumes (E:\ or D:\) containing NTFS junction points, you are directed to the primary volume that is device pointed to by the junction points. Ideally live browse should point to the snapshot volume device.

This happens as the junction point metadata (reparse information) in the snapshot file system, points to the primary file system that is represented by the junction point, rather than the file system corresponding to the junction point in the snapshot. Due to this NetBackup live-browse logic cannot correctly traverse the junction points in the snapshots. As a result, the file listing results that are displayed by live browse contain the contents of the primary volume represented by the junction point rather than the one in the snapshot.

Access the data that is pointed to by the junction point in the snapshot by manually assigning drive letters to imported TILs. For example, if E:\JP1 is a junction point that points to F: primary volume, assign a letter, say H: to the corresponding LUN in the TimeImage. You can thus access the data in the snapshot corresponding to E:JP1 using the live browse functionality through Windows explorer and other media.

The data should be manually accessed when at least one live browse request is complete.

152 NetBackup RealTime

Troubleshooting live browse of snapshot for instant recovery