cross platform migration of the networker server

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EMC® NetWorker

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Cross-Platform Migration

of the NetWorker Server P/N 300-009-650

REV 07

July 14, 2014

This technical note explains how to perform a cross-platform migration of the NetWorker server. This procedure covers all Windows, UNIX, and Linux platforms, including migrations between 32-bit to 64-bit systems. However, this procedure does not cover other families of operating systems such as VMS or Novell NetWare.

Warning: This process is supported if performed by EMC Professional Services. Cross-platform migrations performed by end-customers and partners are not supported. This document should not be distributed to end-customers.

The following topics are covered:

Terminology ..................................................................................................... 2 Scoping .............................................................................................................. 3 Requirements .................................................................................................... 3 Task 1: Preparing the source system ............................................................. 4 Task 2: Preparing the target system .............................................................. 5 Task 3: Optional, use nsrck-L7 to recover the NetWorker index

database if the index is too large .................................................................... 7 Task 4: Perform migration steps on the source host ................................... 8 Task 5: Copy the files ....................................................................................... 9 Task 6: Perform migration steps on the target host ................................... 10 Task 7: Verify the migration ......................................................................... 13

Task 8: Perform deep checks to verify the success of the migration ....... 14

EMC Confidential – Internal use only by EMC Professional Services

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Cross-Platform Migration of the NetWorker Server

EMC Confidential – Internal use only

Terminology

Source — The original NetWorker server host that is being moved.

Target — The host to which the NetWorker server is being moved.

Cross-platform migration — Any migration of a NetWorker server from one platform to another platform:

Any change of Operating System (OS) is considered a cross-platform migration. For example, a migration from Windows to UNIX or Linux is considered to be a cross-platform migration.

A change of the OS version is not considered cross-platform migration. For example, Windows 2003 to Windows 2008 is a direct upgrade and is not considered to be a cross-platform migration.

If a migration is required, and the OS version needs to be changed, change the OS version first before performing the migration operation. Ensure that the OS version is supported by the NetWorker software. Refer to the NetWorker Online Compatibility Guide for details.

Any change in CPU or OS architecture that requires a different data layout is also considered to be a cross-platform migration. If in doubt, always assume that it is a cross-platform process and not a simple upgrade.

The following scenarios are examples of a direct upgrade and do not require a cross-platform migration process:

Change from Windows 32-bit (x86) to Windows 64-bit (x86-64).

Change from HP PA-RISC architecture to HP IA64 on HP-UX.

Change from Linux 32-bit to Linux 64-bit.

Change from Sun Sparc/UltraSparc to Sun UltraSparc T1/T2.

The following scenarios are examples that do require a cross-platform migration process:

Change from Intel x86 architecture to IA64 architecture.

Change from Sun Solaris Sparc to Sun Solaris x86.

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Scoping

Because the migration of NetWorker databases is done in-place without the need to scan the used volumes, the migration is a quick process that requires minimal downtime of the production backup environment.

The duration of the downtime varies and depends on the transfer of the NetWorker index database The NetWorker index database is the largest component on the NetWorker server.

Allocate an additional day for both, the preparation tasks and the validation tasks. Run the actual migration separately at a pre-planned time to minimize the downtime impact.

Requirements

Before completing the outlined tasks, consider the following requirements:

Complete all of the required tasks outlined in this document. If any task or steps in the procedures are skipped or fail, the migration is considered invalid.

Log each step of the migration. A migration that does not have corresponding log files is considered unsupported.

If all of the verification steps are performed, the migration is considered successful and the solution is supported. There is no support offering for the migration process itself.

Because the host ID of the NetWorker server changes, some existing NetWorker authentication codes will be invalidated after the server migration. This is documented in the NetWorker Administration Guide under the section “Changing the NetWorker server address”.

If the migration is from Windows to UNIX or Linux or vice versa, the existing NetWorker base enabler will be invalidated. You must enter a new base enabler and authentication code immediately after the migration because the NetWorker server will be disabled.

Cross-platform restore operations are not supported. After the migration, data from the system that was used as the backup server prior to migration should not be restored to the new system.

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This procedure is valid for any currently supported version of NetWorker. However, the versions on the source and target hosts must match:

The version of NetWorker must be the identical major version as on the source host. For example, in NetWorker version 7.6, the major version is denoted by the .6.

The NetWorker version on the target host including the service pack version and not OS specific hotfixes must be the same as the source host.

You can use the nsrget command to view the current binaries on the NetWorker server.

Task 1: Preparing the source system

Complete the following steps within 48 hours before migrating the NetWorker server. These steps might take a long time to complete.

To prepare the source system:

1. Run a deep check of the media database:

2. Run a deep check of the index database:

3. If the source system uses AFTD storage on a local file system, stage all data to tapes or to nonlocal disk devices such as DDBOOST.

Note: Migration of the existing data that resides on an AFTD that is hosted on a local storage on a backup server is not covered in this scenario.

4. If AFTD storage was configured on a CIFS or a NFS device, no actions are required.

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Task 2: Preparing the target system

To prepare the target system:

1. Ensure that the target host has the same hostname (long name and short name) as the source host.

This step is required because it prevents the NetWorker server from creating a new server resource when the target server is first started.

The source IP address and the target IP address do not have to be same.

If required, the system administrator can change the hostname after completing all tasks outlined in this procedure, including verifying the migration.

For example, both the source and target system must have the same hostname defined on the OS, which is the source name. If the source and target system are present on the same network, the DNS configuration can use names that are different than the locally configured names.

Before migration, DNS resolves “source” to source system. After migration, the DNS resolves “source” to target system. In this case, the name “source” must be defined in the /etc/hosts file on both systems to point to the local system.

The hosts file must be given a higher priority for the name resolution than the DNS.

For the exact location of configuration files, such as /etc/resolv.conf, refer to your OS documentation.

2. Ensure that the target has identical name resolving options as the source host.

For example, if the original host is configured to resolve the short name first and then the fully qualified domain name (FQDN), then the target host must do the same.

Failure to perform this step will result in either backup failures or new save sets being incorrectly stored in the media database.

3. Ensure that the target host filesystem destination is at least as large as the source host filesystem.

4. Ensure that the target host clock is set within 1 hour of the source host clock.

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5. Install the NetWorker software on the target host.

Consider the following:

The version of the NetWorker software must be the identical major version as on the source host. For example, in NetWorker version 8.1, the major version is denoted by the .1. If the same major version cannot be found for the target system platform, a separate validation is required before beginning the migration.

The version of NetWorker must be of the same or later minor version as on the source host. For example, in NetWorker version 8.1 SP2, the minor version is denoted by SP2.

You do not have to install the same hotfixes, if any were installed. However, to prevent regressions not related to the migration, it is advised that any hotfixes that were installed on the source host, also be installed on the target host.

Because the NetWorker software uses relative paths for its databases, the installation path does not have to be the same.

If required, the major version of the NetWorker software can be upgraded on the target system after completing all tasks included in this document, including verifying the migration.

6. Start the NetWorker software to prepare the directory structure.

7. Shut down the NetWorker software.

8. Delete all entries which include files and folders in the directories:

/nsr/res

/nsr/index

/nsr/mm

9. Rename the following binaries in the NetWorker bin folder to avoid automatically running the binaries upon starting the NetWorker server:

nsrck

nsrim

savegrp

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Task 3: Optional, use nsrck-L7 to recover the NetWorker index

database if the index is too large

The nsrck -L7 option will be used to recover /nsr/index to the target host.

Complete these steps, if the following points apply:

The NetWorker index database is too large to be copied over to the target system.

The source server backed up the bootstrap and index files to a local disk, not a tape or DD device on the target system.

To perform a backup of the source system’s bootstrap and index files to a tape or DD device:

1. Ensure that the source system’s bootstrap and index save sets are available to the target system.

2. If the source system’s server bootstrap and index were backed up to a local disk, perform a full bootstrap backup where the save sets will be backed up to a tape or DD device.

3. Create a tape or DD device. Use AFTD only if the AFTD is not local to the NetWorker sever or the NAS device.

4. Associate the media pool to the group which backs up the source server. For example:

a. From the Administration Console, select media.

b. Select media pools on the left.

c. Select the media pool that is associated with the remote tape or the DD device.

d. Open the resource, and check the group under the data source. For example, Default backs up the source server’s client.

5. Once the group is associated with the device’s media pool, run the following command to back up the bootstrap and indexes to the device:

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Task 4: Perform migration steps on the source host

To perform the migration on the source host:

1. Unmount all volumes including the tape and the AFTD.

2. Disable all drives. Disabling will fail for any devices that still have mounted volumes.

3. Run an index and media database cross-check:

a. Type the following command. The nsrck command reports messages to the daemon.log:

nsrck –m

b. If any warnings appear, run the nsrck-L6 command until no messages appear. On a production system there will always be some records that should be purged.

c. Ensure that no ClientID issues are reported.

4. Export the media database.

On Linux and UNIX:

a. Type the following command:

b. Specify the path to the media database by using the absolute path. Using a relative path creates an empty export file.

c. Check the size of mmdb.dump file. The file is likely smaller than the nsr/mm folder, but should be at least half of the nsr/mm folder size. If the size is smaller, an error generates the during export operation.

On Windows:

a. Type the following command:

b. Specify the path to the media database by using the absolute path.

c. Check the size of mmdb.dump file. The file is likely smaller than the nsr/mm folder, but should be at least half of the nsr/mm folder size. If the size is smaller, an error generates the during export operation.

Note: If the nsrmmdbasm command fails, an error message is not generated. Data loss might occur after the media database is rebuilt and this can significantly reduce the bootstrap size. For detailed information, see NW156728.

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5. Export the NetWorker server RAP resource to a text file, for reference:

On Linux and UNIX, type the following command:

On Windows, create a zip file of the entire .\nsr\res folder.

6. Save the current disk usage data for each client index database to a log file, for reference:

7. Save the current licensing summary to a log file, for reference:

–

8. Shut down the NetWorker software.

9. Create an archive of the nsr/res folder:

On Linux and UNIX, use tar.

On Windows, use zip.

10. If the NetWorker database can be copied over to the target system, create an archive of the nsr/index folder:

On Linux and UNIX, use tar.

On Windows, use zip.

Note: Cross platform recovery of local files from the source system to the target is not supported. Do not include the source system's server client index directory in the tar or zip.

Task 5: Copy the files

Warning: Do not move files from the source system. Instead, copy these files so that they are available if you need to fall-back to the original host.

Copy the following files from the source system:

Archive of nsr/res folder.

Export of media database, mmdb.dump.

All entries under the nsr/index folder. Due to the size of the NetWorker index database in large environments, copying the nsr/index folder is a time consuming task.

You can use the nsrck -L7 command to recover the client index files to the target system if you cannot copy over the database.

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To copy over the database:

1. Use any transport method that guarantees a fully binary consistent copy. For example:

ftp in binary mode (if source or target systems have ftp server configured)

scp (if ssh is configured)

rcp (if rsh can be temporarily enabled)

rsync

2. Specify the IP address in the copy command. The source and target hosts must have the same hostname.

One method available on both UNIX and Linux that copies data from the source host to the target host is to temporarily allow rsh access to the target host. For example:

Task 6: Perform migration steps on the target host

To perform the migration on the target host:

1. Unpack the archive of the /nsr/res folder. Ensure that the folder structure is preserved.

If the /nsr/index folder was copied over from the source system, unpack the contents of /nsr/index onto the target system.

2. Check the permissions and ownership of the following files and folders that are transferred from the source host and reset them if required.

/nsr/res

/nsr/index

3. Ensure that the permissions and ownership are identical to those on the source host.

The typical ownership of NetWorker files differs for Linux, UNIX, and Windows:

On Linux and UNIX: root

On Windows: Administrator

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For Windows 2012, use psexec from Microsoft’s SysInternals toolkit to start the command prompt as LocalSystem.

See http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897553 for more information.

4. After all of the required files have been transferred, perform either of the following tasks:

Shutdown the source host.

Unplug the source host from the network.

5. Start the NetWorker server.

6. Import the media database from the export dump. For example:

Since the command is path-sensitive, run the command from the nsr root folder. Upon completion, check the size of the nsr/mm folder to ensure that it reflects the size of the imported data.

The nsr audit log directory path might be different. If a warning displays concerning the path, correct the audit log path to match the nsr logs directory on the current platform. For example:

Linux and UNIX: /nsr/logs

Windows: c:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\logs

8. If you used the nsrck -L7 option to recover the /nsr/index folder, perform these steps:

Note: The NetWorker client index can be recovered all at once or one client at a time. You must remove the server's client file index only after the recovery operation because cross-platform recovery of the server’s client and file index is not supported.

a. Mount all of the drives including tape and DD devices. Do not re-label the devices.

b. Verify that the media database is the same as the source system. This can be verified through the following:

NMC Administration > Media

mminfo command

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897553

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c. Reconstruct the /nsr/index/<client> folders:

Run the nsrck -L7 command.

Delete the recovered server's client index directory. For example:

/nsr/index/<server name>

Note: If the number of clients is limited, the client index can be recovered one client at a time by using the following command:

d. Do not recover the server's client file index.

Note: The nsrck-L7 command might fail for large indexes. See NW161045 for details.

7. If the Server OS type in the NSR resource does not match the current new platform or OS, use nsradmin to modify the Server OS type field in the NSR resource. This action indicates the platform type that matches the current platform or OS.

For example:

8. Run mminfo –avot. The output should contain the media database entries from the backups that were performed prior to the NetWorker server migration.

9. Shut down the NetWorker server by running the nsr_shutdown command.

10. Rename the following binaries back to their original names:

nsrck

nsrim

savegrp

11. Restart the NetWorker server.

12. Delete the base enabler that was used for the previous platform or OS.

13. Add a new base enabler for the current platform or OS.

14. Delete and reconfigure all of the tape libraries that were controlled by the backup server.

Note: If a tape library was controlled by a storage node, it does not have to be reconfigured.

15. Delete and reconfigure all of the tape drives that were configured on the backup server.

Note: If a tape drive was configured on a storage node, the tape drive does not have to be reconfigured.

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16. If applicable, create and configure any required AFTD storage on the NetWorker server.

17. If the migration is from Windows to UNIX or Linux or vice versa, delete the existing NetWorker notifications that use platform specific commands.

If you cannot delete the notifications, open each notification and modify the action field to specify the proper path and executable for the current platform or OS.

Task 7: Verify the migration

To verify the migration:

1. Restart the NetWorker server. Upon startup, there should be no warning messages in the daemon.log.

2. Compare the NetWorker server RAP resource with the RAP resources that was exported on the source host. For example:

Consider the following:

The field name must be identical on both the target host and source host.

If one field name shows the short hostname and the other field name shows the FQDN, ensure that the operating system on the target system is setup so that it resolves names in the same order as the source host.

Having a different default order causes NetWorker database corruption for both the index and the media database. The migration operation will fail.

3. Run an index and media database cross-check. For example:

If any warnings are reported in the daemon.log, the migration will fail.

4. Test that all indexes can be properly accessed.

5. Compare the records per client with the output from the source host. For example:

Errors might indicate the following:

A hostname resolution issue which is the difference between source and target.

A files permissions error on one of the files inside the /nsr folder.

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6. Check if all of the entered licenses are valid by reviewing the content in the daemon.lof file.

License Summary > /nsr/logs/daemon.log

Note: You can also check the NMC GUI tab for all valid licenses.

7. Run a test restore of any file for an external client that is represented by the NetWorker server.

If there are problems when browsing for files or when restoring files, the migration will be unsuccessful. For example, if the recovery operation reports an “unknown volume needed” error message.

8. Run a test backup and recovery of any file for a client that is represented by the backup server:

Ensure that the file is browseable after the backup.

Ensure that the volume information can be located in the media database.

At this time, the system is operational and can be used for critical backups. For example, if the database archive log destinations are getting full.

Task 8: Perform deep checks to verify the success of the migration

Perform the following deep checks before considering the migration successful:

1. Run a deep check of the media database:

source# nsrim -X

2. Verify that the size of the media database corresponds to the size of the media database after the import operation.

Note: The import operation is performed after the migration.

3. Ensure that no ClientID issues are found in the daemon.raw file.

4. Run a deep check of the index database:

source# nsrck -L3

5. Check that the size of each client index database is not dramatically smaller than it was on the source host:

Incorrect hostname mappings will cause silent deletions of the index entries.

If either the nsrim or nsrck operations report errors or start removing records, perform a fall-back to the original system.

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