Veritas NetBackup™ Flex Scale Administrator's Guide

Last Published:
Product(s): Appliances (3.1)
Platform: NetBackup Flex Scale OS
  1. Product overview
    1.  
      About Veritas NetBackup™ Flex Scale
  2. Viewing information about the NetBackup Flex Scale cluster environment
    1.  
      Accessing NetBackup Flex Scale and NetBackup
    2.  
      Accessing the NetBackup web user interface on the appliance
    3.  
      About the NetBackup Flex Scale web UI
    4.  
      About the NetBackup Flex Scale infrastructure management UI
    5. About the Dashboard view
      1.  
        Viewing all the activities
    6.  
      Working with NetBackup Flex Scale APIs
  3. NetBackup Flex Scale infrastructure management
    1. User management
      1.  
        Considerations for managing NetBackup Flex Scale users
      2.  
        Adding users
      3.  
        Changing user password
      4.  
        Removing users
      5.  
        Modifying user roles
      6.  
        Considerations for configuring AD/LDAP
      7.  
        Configuring AD server for Universal shares and Instant Access
      8.  
        Configuring AD/LDAP servers for NetBackup services
      9.  
        Configuring additional AD/LDAP servers for managing NetBackup services/Universal Shares/Instant Access
      10.  
        Configuring AD/LDAP servers on clusters deployed with only media servers
      11.  
        Directory services and certificate management
    2.  
      Region settings management
    3.  
      About NetBackup Flex Scale storage
    4. About Universal Shares
      1.  
        Creating a Protection Point for a Universal Share
    5.  
      Cloud bucket support for NetBackup Flex Scale
    6. Node and disk management
      1.  
        NetBackup Flex Scale network cabling
      2. Adding a node to the cluster using the NetBackup Flex Scale web interface
        1.  
          Considerations for adding a node when disaster recovery is configured
      3.  
        Adding a node using the REST APIs
      4.  
        Replacing a node in a cluster
      5.  
        Starting and stopping nodes
      6.  
        Rebooting a node
      7.  
        Adding an excluded node to the cluster
      8.  
        Replacing a disk
      9.  
        Adding an excluded disk to the cluster
      10.  
        Viewing the disk sync status
      11.  
        Viewing disk details
      12.  
        Viewing node details
      13.  
        Switching management console to another cluster node
    7. License management
      1.  
        Adding or removing storage licenses
      2.  
        Adding NetBackup licenses
    8.  
      Stopping NetBackup service containers
    9.  
      Starting NetBackup service containers
    10. Managing hardware vendor packages
      1.  
        Upgrading vendor packages
      2.  
        Uninstalling vendor packages
  4. NetBackup Flex Scale network management
    1.  
      About network management
    2.  
      Modifying DNS settings
    3.  
      About bonding Ethernet interfaces
    4. Bonding operations
      1. Bonding operations on data network
        1.  
          Creating a bond
        2.  
          Modifying a bond
        3.  
          Removing a bond
    5.  
      Configuring NetBackup Flex Scale in a non-DNS environment
    6. Data network configurations
      1.  
        Choosing the correct input method for data network configuration
      2. Network configuration on plain device (eth5)
        1.  
          Adding a data network
        2.  
          Modifying a data network
        3.  
          Deleting a data network
      3.  
        Network configuration on VLAN (eth5)
      4. Network configuration on bonded interfaces (bond0 on eth5 and eth7)
        1.  
          Adding a data network
      5.  
        VLAN on bond of eth5 and eth7 (bond0)
      6.  
        Network configuration on management interface (eth1)
      7.  
        Network configurations for adding a partial data network
      8.  
        Support for multiple VLAN when disaster recovery is configured
    7.  
      Configuring static routes on a NetBackup Flex Scale cluster
  5. NetBackup Flex Scale infrastructure monitoring
    1. About alert management
      1.  
        Viewing information about alerts
      2.  
        Managing alerts
    2. About event notification
      1.  
        Purging events
    3. About AutoSupport and Call Home
      1.  
        Setting up email alerts
      2.  
        Setting up SNMP alerts
      3.  
        Configuring Call Home settings
    4. Monitoring hardware components
      1.  
        Monitoring deviations in firmware, driver, and utilities
    5.  
      Performing health check for the cluster
    6.  
      Locating the disks
    7.  
      Monitoring usage and licensed capacity using Veritas NetInsights Console
  6. Resiliency in NetBackup Flex Scale
    1.  
      Erasure coding in NetBackup Flex Scale
    2.  
      Handling split-brain scenario in NetBackup Flex Scale
    3.  
      High availability of the NetBackup primary service
    4.  
      High availability of NetBackup services
    5.  
      NetBackup catalog protection
    6. NetBackup primary service catalog protection using checkpoints
      1.  
        Performing a recovery of the catalog file system using GUI
      2.  
        Performing a recovery of the catalog file system using REST APIs
  7. EMS server configuration
    1.  
      Configuring an external BYOS media server
    2.  
      Configuring an external NBA media server
  8. Site-based disaster recovery in NetBackup Flex Scale
    1.  
      About site-based disaster recovery in NetBackup Flex Scale
    2.  
      Configuring disaster recovery using GUI
    3.  
      Clearing the host cache
    4.  
      Automated NetBackup SLP management
    5.  
      DNS key management
    6.  
      Managing disaster recovery using GUI
    7. Performing disaster recovery using RESTful APIs
      1.  
        Establishing trust and setting up authentication
      2.  
        Configuring disaster recovery
      3.  
        Managing disaster recovery
    8.  
      Active-Active disaster recovery configuration
    9.  
      NetBackup optimized duplication using Storage Lifecycle Policies
  9. NetBackup Flex Scale security
    1. STIG overview for NetBackup Flex Scale
      1.  
        STIG-compliant password policy rules
      2.  
        Enabling STIG for NetBackup Flex Scale
      3.  
        Viewing the NetBackup Flex Scale STIG status
    2. FIPS overview for NetBackup Flex Scale
      1.  
        Viewing the NetBackup Flex Scale FIPS status
    3.  
      Managing the login banner
    4.  
      Changing the password policy
    5. Support for immutability in NetBackup Flex Scale
      1.  
        About lockdown modes
      2.  
        Selecting or changing the lockdown mode
      3.  
        Restricted access to Remote Management Platform (HPe iLO)
      4.  
        Configuring immutability using GUI
    6.  
      Authenticating users using digital certificates or smart cards
    7.  
      About system certificates on NetBackup Flex Scale
    8. Deploying external certificates on NetBackup Flex Scale
      1.  
        Deploying ECA using the GUI
      2.  
        Log locations
      3.  
        Considerations for performing other operations when ECA is deployed
  10. Troubleshooting
    1.  
      Services management
    2.  
      Audit logs
    3. Collecting logs for cluster nodes
      1.  
        Uploading logs to Veritas Support
      2.  
        Downloading logs
    4. Troubleshooting NetBackup Flex Scale issues
      1.  
        If cluster configuration fails (for example because an IP address that was already in use is specified) and you try to reconfigure the cluster, the UI displays an error but the configuration process continues to run
      2.  
        Validation error while adding VMware credentials to NetBackup
      3.  
        NetBackup Web UI incorrectly displays some NetBackup Flex Scale processes as failed
      4.  
        Unable to create BMR Shared Resource Tree (SRT) on NetBackup Flex Scale Appliance
      5.  
        NetBackup configuration files are not persistent across operations that require restarting the system
  11. Appendix A. Maintenance procedures for HPE servers
    1.  
      Replacement procedure for a chassis fan
    2.  
      Replacement procedure for power supply
    3.  
      Replacement procedure for a single OS disk
    4.  
      Replacement procedure for both OS disks on the management console node
    5.  
      Replacement procedure for both OS disks on a non- management console node
    6.  
      Replacement procedure for NVMe disks (SSDs)
    7.  
      Replacement procedure for RAID controller
    8.  
      Replacement procedure for an Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) port
    9.  
      Replacement procedure for quad-port NIC
    10.  
      Procedure for memory expansion (DIMMs)
    11.  
      Replacement procedure for memory (DIMMs)
    12.  
      Replacement procedure for Mellanox port
  12. Appendix B. Configuring NetBackup optimized duplication
    1. Configuring a Storage Lifecycle Policy for optimized duplication
      1.  
        Creating a Storage Lifecycle Policy for optimized duplication
      2.  
        Configuring a policy to use an SLP
      3.  
        Updating the policy to reverse the replication direction
  13. Appendix C. Disaster recovery terminologies
    1.  
      VVR technology in disaster recovery
    2.  
      About response fields in the GET disaster recovery API
  14. Appendix D. Configuring Auto Image Replication
    1.  
      Auto Image Replication configuration

Replacement procedure for both OS disks on a non- management console node

This topic describes the process of replacing both the OS disks that failed or are unreachable on a non- management console node. Each node includes two OS disks.

Identifying the management console node

To identify the management console node, in the NetBackup Flex Scale infrastructure management UI, navigate to Monitor > Infrastructure. On the Infrastructure page, Console node shows the management console node and the remaining nodes are the non-management console nodes.

Identifying OS disk failures on a non- management console node of the cluster (performed by the CHS team)

If both OS disks go bad or are unreachable on a non-management console node of the cluster, you receive email alerts if SMTP is configured for AutoSupport. In the NetBackup Flex Scale infrastructure management console UI, the node status is shown unhealthy for the node where the failure occurs. Navigate to Monitor > Infrastructure > Nodes to view the node status.

Note:

For NetBackup Flex Scale version 3.0, stale information is displayed for the node state. The node is shown healthy.

The HPE Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) remote console shows a failure. The health of the OS disks and the logical drive of RAID 1 is shown as Critical in the iLO remote console.

Replacing the faulty OS disks (performed by the HPE vendor)

An HPE representative identifies the faulty disk, its physical location in the appliance, and replaces the OS disks. The representative can use the AHS logs to find the required details, and then replaces both the disks simultaneously so that the logical drive (RAID 1) can be created.

Note:

With NetBackup Flex Scale version 3.1, you can beacon the disk from the UI

When replacing the disks, ensure that the new disks have the same model number as the old disks. Check the model number in the iLO remote console. To create the logical drive (RAID 1 configuration), ensure that both the OS disks are replaced at the same time.

Completing the post-replacement tasks (performed by Veritas TSE)

After the hardware vendor notifies you that the hardware component is replaced, verify that the issue is resolved.

After physical disk replacement, check OS disks and the logical drive status in the iLO remote console. The logical drive status is shown as Critical.

To fix the failed logical drive, identify the logical drive, delete the existing failed logical drive, and create it again. After you recreate the logical drive, replace the node where both the OS disks have failed.

Identifying the OS logical drive

To identify the OS logical drive:

  • In the NetBackup Flex Scale UI, you get an alert with slot and physical drive ID for faulted disk. Use this information to identify the volume that has that physical drive.

  • The OS disks are of 2TB each. Check the volume that has those disks in the iLO remote console.

Once you identify the failed logical drive, delete the existing failed logical drive, and recreate it.

Deleting the logical drive

To delete the logical drive:

  1. Log in to the iLO remote console and launch the console for the node:

    • Click the Menu icon, and then click Power > Cold Boot.

    • Press Fn + F10 to select Intelligent Provisioning.

    • Click Smart Storage Administrator and press Enter.

      This will take you on the HPE smart array (controller) page.

  2. In the left pane, click HPE Smart Array P816i-a SR Gen10.

    • Click Configure to expand the list of Controller Devices and Tools along with available Actions as Storage Administrator.

    • Click Logical Drives in the left pane.

      The Array details are displayed.

  3. Delete the logical drive:

    • Select the logical drive and click Delete Logical Drive.

    • Click Yes to confirm.

    • Click Finish.

  4. The deleted logical drive is no longer listed once you delete it. Ensure that under Unassigned Drives, 2 unassigned drives is displayed.

Recreating the logical drive

To create the logical drive again:

  1. Log in to the iLO remote console and launch the console for the node:

    • Click the Menu icon, and then click Power > Cold Boot.

    • Press Fn + F10 to select Intelligent Provisioning.

    • Click Smart Storage Administrator and press Enter.

      The HPE smart array (controller) page is displayed.

  2. In the left pane, click HPE Smart Array P816i-a SR Gen10.

    This will expand the list of Controller Devices and Tools along with available Actions as Storage Administrator.

  3. To create logical drive, click Unassigned Drives in the left pane, and then click Create Array.
  4. Select OS disks from Unassigned Drives and click Create Array.
  5. Click Yes to confirm.
  6. Click RAID 1, and then click Create Logical Drive.
  7. Click Yes to confirm.
  8. Click Finish.

    The logical drive is created.

    Replacing the node

To replace the node:

  1. Check the node status in the NetBackup Flex Scale infrastructure management UI. The node is shown unhealthy and the node status is offline.
  2. Prepare the node for replacement:

    • Deploy ISO on the failed node where the OS disks were replaced.

    • Perform factory reset on that node from the node CLI by using the system factory-reset command.

    • Install vendor packages on the node:

      • Assign the node's old management IP address from node-level CLI:

        set network interface ip=x.x.x.x netmask=x.x.x.x.x gateway=x.x.x.x.x

      • Create NFS share from node-level CLI to create the /system/inst/patch/incoming directory:

        system software share open

      • From a remote Linux host, complete the following steps:

        • Mount NFS share on driver node # mount -t nfs [management IP]:/system/inst/patch/incoming/ /mnt

        • Run the cd /mnt command.

        • Download vendor packages that are complaint with your hardware platform from the Download Center on the Veritas Support website.

      • Install the vendor package by running the following command from the node-level CLI:

        system install hw-vendor-packages

  3. From the NetBackup Flex Scale infrastructure management UI perform the replace node operation.

    • Scan for nodes. Click Scan for nodes to discover the nodes.

    • Select a node from the displayed list and replace the node. For the unhealthy node, click the Actions menu (vertical ellipsis) from the right side of the row in the UI, and click Replace node.

    • In the Replace node dialog box, select the node that you want to use to replace the unhealthy node and click Replace node.

  4. After the replace node operation completes successfully check the node status in the NetBackup Flex Scale infrastructure management UI. Navigate to Monitor > Infrastructure > Nodes. The node is online and shown healthy.

    Click Dashboard and verify that all the NetBackup services are running.