How to verify name resolution for NetBackup (tm) systems, using the "bpclntcmd" command

The bpclntcmd utility resolves internet protocol (IP) addresses into host names and host names into IP addresses by using the same system calls as the NetBackup application software. The command that starts the utility is located in the install_path\NetBackup\bin directory. Run it in an MS-DOS command window so that the results can be seen.

Bpclntcmd options that are useful for testing the functionality of the host name and IP address resolution are -hn, -ip, and -pn. The following sections explain each of these options:


1. bpclntcmd -hn Hostname

The -hn option allows a host name to be specified. Bpclntcmd uses gethostbyname() on the NetBackup node to obtain the IP address associated with the host name defined in the node's Domain Name Service (DNS), Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS), or local hosts file entries.

The -ip and -hn options can be used to verify the ability of a NetBackup node to resolve the IP addresses and host names of other NetBackup nodes. For example, it is possible to verify whether or not a NetBackup server can connect to a client. In this case, the steps to be followed are:

On the NetBackup server, use bpclntcmd -hn to verify that the operating system can resolve the host name of the NetBackup client (as configured in the client list for the class) to an IP address. The IP address is then used in the node's routing tables to route a network message from the NetBackup server.


   Example of successful response: Master server  = master    Client server = client      
   The command is run on master.
   C:\Program Files\VERITAS\NetBackup\bin>bpclntcmd -hn client
   host client: client.domain.com at 10.82.108.42 (0x846c520a)
   checkhname: aliases:



2. bpclntcmd -ip IP_Address

The -ip option allows an IP address to be specified.

Bpclntcmd uses gethostbyaddr() on the NetBackup node and gethostbyaddr() returns the host name with the IP address as defined in the node's DNS, WINS or local hosts file entries.

On the NetBackup master server, use bpclntcmd -ip to verify that the operating system can resolve the IP address of the NetBackup client.


   Example of successful response: Master server = master     Client server = client
   The command is run on master.
   C:\Program Files\VERITAS\NetBackup\bin>bpclntcmd -ip 10.82.108.42
   checkhaddr: host   : client: client.domain.com at 10.82.108.42 (0x846c520a)
   checkhaddr: aliases:


3. bpclntcmd -pn

When run on a NetBackup client, the -pn option initiates an inquiry to the NetBackup master server, and then the server returns information to the requesting client. First, bpclntcmd identifies the server to which it is making the request (current server in the server list), and then it displays the information that the server returns.

   Example of successful response: Master server = master     Client server = client
   The Command is run on client.
   C:\Program Files\VERITAS\NetBackup\bin>bpclntcmd -pn
   expecting response from server master
   client.domain.com client 10.82.108.42 1117

   where:
   "expecting response from server master" returns the master server entry from the server list on the client.
   "client.domain.com client 10.82.108.42 1117" is the connection name (peername) returned by the master server. The master server obtained this name through   "gethostbyaddr()"
   Client is client name configured in the NetBackup class client list.
   In this example, 10.82.108.42 is the IP address of the client connection and 1117 is the port number of the connection on the client.