Avamar support for Ubuntu Linux

For sure push your request for this to your local EMC contact if you have one.  I'll see if I can rustle up one of the Avamar guys to comment.

With NetWorker, we struggle with Linux variant support (Ubuntu, CentOS, Fedora, etc.).  We're often stuck in this mode of - we're 99% sure it will work, but it's not been tested (due to resource constraints, limited demand, etc.). The basic binaries should work, but there is the possibility of package problems or missing library dependencies.  So at the end of the day we can't commit official support meaning a support person will not take a call, open a ticket and work the issue.

Did you try a RPM to targz convertor?  Did it work?  I am curious because I am in the same boat.  Debian is what we use, but would work on both ubuntu and debian I believe since Ubuntu is built on Debian.

Unfortunately no. Since Avamar only supports RHEL and SUSE Enterprise flavors of Linux, we are attempting to migrate from Ubuntu to RHEL5, but only if the Avamar works as advertised on RHEL5. This is the least desirable avenue, but our corporate IT group insists that they will not allow Avamar use unless the host OS is supported by EMC. I'm not looking forward to the migration or paying for Linux. Hopefully EMC will step up and support more flavors of Linux.

I found how to do it in the support forums and it is working.  I am also going to request it be added:

How to convert rpm to deb:

http://www.howtoforge.com/converting_rpm_to_deb_with_alien  (I added the -k and --script options to the conversion)

Get Avamar Agent running:

https://community.emc.com/message/441073

Make sure to run as root

OK. So, what if you are in the middle of a complicated important backup and you encounter an error or issue with Avamar running on your Debian Linux -- who are you going to call for support? Or worse yet, let's say you run your backups for a year or so without issue, then your site experiences a disaster and you must recover, only to discover that your backups are not quite what you expected. Will EMC support you?

I'd like to pursue the same support as you. If indeed EMC will support Debian (and possibly by extension Ubuntu), then I too would rather wait until May 2010 rather than waste time and money on RHEL5.

If anyone from EMC (the Avamar team) is monitoring this thread, please feel free to pipe in....

Does EMC have a new position on this support since I originally asked?

Thanks.

Actually after submitting the RFE I got this response:

EMC Avamar support for Debian 4 and 5 will be available in May 2010. 

So I will be able to backup using the posted method until I can get the full supported version come May!

Eric,

maybe a better, or more flexible approach, should be that you support all variants of Linux (or a bigger subset) and you fix issues as they arise on other distributions. e.g., Centos is Open Source Red Hat, so you are fairly certain that will work.

This, then, get's you and your customers out of a problem of not supportinga  platform even though it should work.

Regards

Hi Tim,

Sorry, I should have been more clear. This thread did start out about Linux support for Avamar, then NetWorker was mentioned.

All of my comments were in relation to NetWorker only.

Sorry for the confusion.

-Mike

Talk about mixed messages.  The title of this thread refers to Avamar which Michael Jones of EMC stated this in an email to me:

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (removed for his privacy)
Sent: Monday, April 05, 2010 3:15 PM
To: Tim Lillis
Cc: PowerlinkSWEnhancements@emc.com
Subject: RE: EMC Powerlink: - Software product enhancement Request( 5239335 )

EMC Avamar support for Debian 4 and 5 will be available in May 2010.

So is your response just for NetWorker Online?