NetBackup Support Utility tool (NBSU) usage for Version 8.1 and later

Description

DOCUMENTATION AND DOWNLOAD: NetBackup Support Utility tool (NBSU).

Usage and Examples of NBSU

From versions of NetBackup 8.1 and later, the tool known as NetBackup Support utility has been redesigned and refactored.

With the newer design of the NBSU, it is easier to make changes (especially, adding/removing/modifying new commands/diagnostics) to the NBSU tool, thus helping with its maintenance, without impacting the customer's user experience.

NBSU is a Veritas utility used to gather diagnostic information about the system on which the utility is run. By default, NBSU gathers appropriate diagnostic information based on the Operating System and NetBackup environment.

Pre-requisites:

The refactored NBSU has been tested to maintain parity with the most recently released NBU 8.1.

The nbsu that was available in previous versions is still available in current versions and is known as 

• Windows: old_nbsu.exe
• Unix: old_nbsu

This can still be run and collect information, so it can be considered a workaround if NBSU encounters any issue.

The same as previous versions, NBSU should be run as a super-user (root or Administrator).

It can be run on previous releases of NBU (eg. NBU 7.7.3). However, the parity with the old NBSU for that version is not guaranteed as some commands have been removed from NBU version to version.

Note to Windows users: NBSU assumes that PowerShell is natively installed.

The nbsu utility is located in the following location:

• UNIX: <install_dir>/netbackup/bin/support
  • For example: /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/support
• Windows: <install_dir>\NetBackup\bin\support
  • For example: C:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\support

This is the same regardless of the role of the machine, either Primary server, Media server or Client.

Program Usage

To gather the maximum useful information, nbsu should be run without any switches.

NBSU will determine the role of the machine in NetBackup and automatically gather the information appropriate for that role.

If there are no command line options specified, NBSU selects and runs all appropriate diagnostics and gathers all available information.

The flags mentioned below are all optional.

You can run: nbsu -help to view the usage.

Flags:

-l : List the various collectors.  Running with this flag does not invoke the data collection process, only lists the collectors.

For example:
Command: nbsu -l
Output:
     NBU_adv_disk
     NBU_all_log_entries
     NBU_altnames
     .
     .
     .
     OS_config
     OS_process_list

-d <collector> : Run only a particular collector(s) and/or group(s). Specify as a comma-separated list.

For example:
To collect OS, NET and NBU_install_logs diagnostics,
Command: nbsu -d DEV,OS,NET,NBU_install_log

Note: The above example shows the equivalent of the current nbsu run with the -no_nbu flag plus gathering any installation logs that may exist, which is useful for new client installation issues.

-g <collector group> : Run only a particular group. Groups include OS, NET, NBU, MM and DEV.

For example:
To collect only the MM group diagnostics,
Command: nbsu -g MM

Note: You can also use the -d flag for the same purpose above. However, if using with the -s flag, the -g flag is preferred.

-s <collector> : Skip a particular collector(s). Specify as a comma-separated list. Avoid using it with the -d flag.

Note: It is suggested not to use the -d and the -s flags together. Let's say you wanted to collect all OS group diagnostics, except for the 'OS_set' diagnostic, then run the following command:

     UNIX: nbsu -g OS -s OS_net
     Windows: nbsu.exe -g OS -s OS_net

-nozip : Do not compress the NBSU output.

-r <NetBackup role> : The NetBackup role can be anyone of the following:

• ma - For Master Server
• me - For Media Server
• cl - for Client

For example, if you want to specify the role NBU Client, run the following:
Command: nbsu -r cl

NBSU engine always runs with a role. By default, when the user does not specify the role, NBSU determines the role and runs with that role. If the role determination procedure is to be skipped, you can specify the role with the -r flag mentioned above.

Standard output

NBSU is run, the standard output looks something like the following:

NBU Install path: C:\Program Files\Veritas\
mywindowsvm is a master server
Collecting NBU_adv_disk info
Collecting NBU_all_log_entries info
Collecting NBU_altnames info
Collecting NBU_auth_methods_names info
Collecting NBU_available_media info
Collecting NBU_backup_status info
Collecting NBU_bpclient info
.
.
.
Collecting OS_filesystem info
Collecting OS_process_list info
Collecting OS_set info
CAB file created successfully.

Final NBSU output located at NBSU_mywindowsvm_master_01172018_085005.cab
The execution time : 662.53431

Output:

By default, the NBSU creates the output as a compressed file in the same directory where the NBSU executable is located.

Format: NBSU_<hostname>_<NBU_role>_<mmddyyyy>_<timestamp>.extension
Example:
     UNIX: NBSU_mylinuxvm_master_11072017_152100.tar
     Windows: NBSU_mywindowsvm_master_11072017_152100.cab

The main information collected is:

1. Command run
2. Standard output of executing the command
3. The exit status
4. The Standard error (redirected to the Standard output)

The nbsu_info.txt file has the summary of all the commands that were run and captures the flow of the program.