How to import Cloud deduplication storage in Backup Exec

Problem
 

How to import Cloud deduplication storage in Backup Exec
 

Solution


Steps to import Cloud Deduplication Storage in Backup Exec

Step 1) The cloud bucket should contain a sub folder since it was configured earlier. The name of that sub-folder must be used as the device name while importing the cloud deduplication .

Step 2) After importing the cloud deduplication storage, the metadata download starts. The time taken to download the metadata depends on the size of the metadata stored. The progress of the metadata download can be tracked from the Backup Exec alerts section. 

The following message is shown in the alert section while the metadata download is in progress:

The following message is shown in the alert section while the metadata download is completed:

Step 3) Restart all Backup Exec and Deduplication services



 

Step 4) If the original cloud deduplication storage had encryption enabled, all encryption keys ever used by the storage should be created on the Backup Exec server before the device can be imported.
 

Step 5) The device discovery will not be completed if all the encryption keys are not recreated correctly. Consider importing a Backup Exec Database from the original server if this is a new server being recovered. If the backup of Backup Exec database is not available, the keys will need to be created manually. Ensure using the original passphrase and SALT information to recreate the original key.
 

Step 6) If encryption was enabled on the original cloud deduplication storage, ensure that encryption is enabled at the time of import. The import may fail with a timeout error if this is not done.
 

Troubleshooting errors encountered during importing of cloud deduplication Storage
 

Error 1 - Cloud Deduplication Storage device operation failed.
               For more information refer to the following Technote.

To solve the issue mentioned in Error 1, do the following -

Step 1: Disable the Disk storage Lockdown setting from the Configuration and Settings -> Backup Exec setting -> Network and Security -> Disk storage Lockdown setting. 
Note: Disabling the Disk Storage Lockdown setting is a temporary step done during troubleshooting and must not be left permanently disabled. Enable the setting as soon as possible once troubleshooting is done.

Step 2: On the command prompt, enter the following command: <Backup Exec install path>pddecfg -a listcloudlsu

A list of cloud deduplication storage devices is displayed with their Cache Folder path <BackupexecDeduplicationFolder>\data\ds_<int>. Note down the all the folder path.

Step 3: Go to <BackupexecDeduplicationFolder>\data and remove the ds_<int> CacheFolder which is not present in the above list of CacheFolder.
Note: Refer 100050612 for steps on how to properly delete a Bucket/Sub-Bucketa ( Skip step 2, 3)

Step 4: Enable the Disk storage lockdown setting from the  
Configuration and Settings -> Backup Exec setting -> Network and Security -> Disk storage lockdown setting.

Error 2 - Failed to import Cloud Deduplication Storage.
              The storage with the same name does not exist in the selected bucket or storage container.

To solve the issue mentioned in Error 2, do the following -

Step 1 -  Note the sub-folder name inside the cloud bucket.

Step 2 - Use that as the device name while importing the cloud deduplication storage.
 

Error 3 - After importing the cloud deduplication storage on Backup Exec server, the restart service prompt still appears even though the BE services have been restarted already.

To solve the issue mentioned in Error 3, do the following -

Step 1) Pause the Dedupe storage device.

Step 2) Restart all the BE services.

Step 3) Wait for all storage devices to come online.

Step 4) Un-Pause the Dedupe storage device.

Error 4 - After importing the encryption enabled cloud deduplication storage, the metadata download process takes more time and the following message is shown in the alert section.

“For the imported Cloud deduplication storage, metadata download is in progress. Restart the Backup Exec services only after the metadata download is completed.”

Metadata downloads might get stuck due to wrong encryption key or the required encryption keys being missing.

To solve the issue mentioned in Error 4, do the following -

Step 1) To solve this, add the correct keys by following the steps.
(Configuration and Settings -> Backup Exec setting -> Network and Security -> Manage Keys)
Refer to the following article for more information on how to export and manage encryption keys:
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/article.100050759

Step 2) Check if the metadata download is now complete in the alert section and then restart both the Backup Exec and Deduplication services.