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Networker and data recovery at DR location
Networker 8.2.1.4 on Windows 2012r2
Hello all.
My current setup includes daily cloning of data to our remote data center through scheduled cloning.
My Networker NMC and my Networker server are both VM servers, located at our primary datacenter.
I have at least 1 physical storage node at each site, and 1 VBA at each site.
I can RDP into the storage node at our DR site, open up Networker User on that server, and perform a restore. However, the Networker server itself must be selected before I can browse for restores, because (i'm assuming) the primary index only resides on the Networker server.
So, assuming we had a smoking crater event, in which our primary data center was completely inaccessible, im wondering what my best option would be to have the remote data be accessible and restorable if our Networker Server cannot be reached. We do have SRM that we use to replicate virtual servers to our DR site. Our Networker total index size is nearing 500gb, so our VM engineer is hesitant to do that. For those of you that clone data to another site for disaster recovery purposes....can you recommend a good way to have that remote data get access to the index for remote restore purposes in the event of a total loss of primary site?
Thanks all.
Todd
bingo.1
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August 24th, 2016 13:00
A NW server DR is recovering nothing else but the NW bootstrap ... and this is for sure not 500GB in size.
All client file indexes (CFI) may reach this number but they are not absolutely necessary for recoveries - especially not in a DR case.
So all you need to clone is the bootstrap and you can rebuild your NW server to proceed with new backups. For restores you can run save set recoveris in the meantime.
bingo.1
2.4K Posts
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August 25th, 2016 09:00
In case of a DR you want to deal with a scenario which is as simple as possible.
So you want to deal with the DR server only - consequently the bootstrap should be available without any extra storage node.
Toddman214
146 Posts
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August 25th, 2016 09:00
Yes! I definitely want it to be as simple as possible.
But, this may be the problem.....I dont have a Networker server at the DR site....only a storage node, a VBA for the VM environment there, and that DR datadomain. At our main site, I run automated backups of our Networker server, and clone that backup to our DR site. So, that backup containing the bootstrap is only located on the datadomain in that DR site, but nowhere else at the DR site. I guess what i dont understand, are the actual steps in the event of disaster, in order to access the bootstrap, and then what to do with it. I may need to call support and have them take a look at our environment. Not sure if I should replicate the Networker server (a VM) to the site, build another one onsite, powered off until I need it, etc. I have many questions.
Toddman214
146 Posts
1
August 25th, 2016 09:00
Thanks Bingo. I see that the bootstrap backup runs fine, and tends to be right around 900mb in our environment. I back that up every 4 hours. I clone the backup that contains the bootstrap over to the datadomain at our DR site. Is that a bad idea, or should a copy of it be sent to our storage node or some other easily accessibly location at the DR site?
bingo.1
2.4K Posts
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August 25th, 2016 10:00
There are plenty of methods how you can proceed.
- I would copy the VM but not powering it up until disaster strikes.
If case of a DR, start the VM, configure the device to access the bootstrap clone and run nsrdr.
- You can also promote the DR system to a NW server before you run nsrdr.
However, you must use the same hostname & IP. To achieve that you must first all necessary steps before you
install/upgrade NW.
Let me recommend that you test the scenario in a special virtual environment. This avoids problems when you need the procedure and takes care about you specific environment.