NetBackup upgrade and installation quick reference (with links to resources)

Description

This article is being created to provide a high level overview of planning and performing a NetBackup installation or upgrade project.

Before beginning the upgrade process: 

1. Choose a version that is as far away from it's EOSS (End of Standard Support) date as possible.

• When the EOSS date is reached, an additional support contract must be purchased in order to continue receiving support for that version. 
• The EOSS date is reflected under the ES (Extended Support) Starts date column on the EOSL page at https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/eosl
• Note that it is advisable to choose the last point release (i.e. 10.4.0.1) rather than any base version (i.e. 10.4) of the product, because each point release is an accumulation of up to hundreds of product fixes.
• As observed on the EOSL page, extended support is unavailable for the base versions of the product (Not Applicable).

2. Verify that the OS, hardware, and application database platforms are supported for the version of NetBackup that has been chosen.

Links to compatibility lists for all versions are found here: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100040093

3. Every version of NetBackup requires a version specific license, and licenses for the new version of NetBackup can be generated in the VEMS portal.

• Veritas Entitlement Management System (VEMS) User's Guide https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100048764
• Downloading License File for Veritas NetBackup https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100058779
• Frequently asked questions about NetBackup licensing and NetBackup license keys https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100059056
• How to view and add NetBackup License keys using the command line https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100059061

Note that Customer Care should be contacted if there are any issues generating the licenses (Technical Support has no access to VEMS or specific entitlements).

4. Download the software from the Veritas download portal (other versions can be selected from the drop-down menu at the top of the page):

• 10.5: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/downloads/detail.REL200321
• 10.4.0.1: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/downloads/detail.REL809596
• 10.3.0.1: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/downloads/detail.REL199519

Also see: How to locate and download NetBackup client packages: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100065226

5. Installations and upgrades should be performed in the following order, but it is not necessary to perform them all at once:

• Primary servers
• Media servers
• Clients

Here are shortcuts to NetBackup Installation and Upgrade Guides for the last several releases:

Installations:

• 10.5/10.5.0.1: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/doc/27801100-165221819-0/v26438094-165221819
• 10.4/10.4.0.1: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/doc/27801100-163367289-0/v112189469-163367289
• 10.3/10.3.0.1: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/doc/27801100-161340679-0/v13833159-161340679

Upgrades:

• 10.5/10.5.0.1: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/doc/125240132-165221826-0/index
• 10.4/10.4.0.1: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/doc/125240132-163367290-0/v152011131-163367290
• 10.3/10.3.0.1: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/doc/125240132-161340681-0/index

6. Once all of the files, licenses, and documentation resources have been gathered, a hot catalog backup should be performed before the upgrade process on the primary server begins. Having VM snapshots available for rollback purposes may also be helpful. For the primary server upgrades, ensure that all of the following are available:

• Hot catalog backup.
• The DR (disaster recovery) file and the DR package needed to recover the catalog backup.
• The disaster recovery passphrase. 
• Also review: NetBackup Primary Server upgrade planning and tasks

Resolutions and workarounds to common issues surrounding NetBackup upgrades and installations:

1. Disk Space

• Increase the size of the volume
• Remove unnecessary files from the volume
• Be aware that VxUpdate may only temporarily require additional space. See: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100042979
• Client installations may also require additional space for logging purposes. See: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100072760

2. Push installations

• Consider performing a local installation as an alternative.
• See VxUpdate Operational Notes https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100043823
• Ensure the answer file is populated for silent installations: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/doc/27801100-163367289-0/v127596509-163367289

3. Naming resolution

• The etc/hosts file can be used to work around many naming resolution issues. 
• See: localhost_check fails during nbcheck run at the start of a NetBackup upgrade https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100045507
• See: How to verify name resolution for NetBackup systems, using the "bpclntcmd" command https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100016075

4. Ports/Firewalls

• The necessary ports must be open between the systems in both directions in order for the application to operate successfully: 
  • 1556, 13724, 13782
• See: NetBackup 7.x/8.x/9.x/10.x firewall port requirements https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100002391

5. Anti-virus software

• Temporarily disable anti-virus programs for installations or upgrades.
• Configure exclusions per: General recommendations for virus scanner exclusions working with NetBackup https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100004864

6. Certificates

• See: nbcheck reports tomcat_certificates failure during NetBackup upgrade https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100045515
• See: How to perform automatic mini reset of NetBackup certificates using configureCerts script https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100055926

7. Client Upgrades

• If a client fails to upgrade, consider uninstalling the software and performing a clean installation.
  • Instructions for Windows clients: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/doc/27801100-163367289-0/v121370706-163367289
  • Instructions for Linux clients: https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/doc/27801100-163367289-0/v121344818-163367289

EEB installation assistance:

• Using the NetBackup Emergency Engineering Binary (EEB) installer https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100019405
• How to install a NetBackup Emergency Engineering Binary (EEB) using VxUpdate https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100044788
• Resolving NetBackup EEB installation warnings when there is a Payload Overlap with an EEB that is already on the system https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100067327
• Attempting to add a VxUpdate package downloaded through the case portal fails with "Error: Package operating system is not supported." https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100049885