SCP VCSA backup to Unity

Question

Hello,

We are trying to back up our vCenter to unity, Unfortunately, we are using VCSA 6.7 which does not give us the option to back up via SFPT as it only supports FTPS. Seems Unity only supports FTP or SFTP.

VCSA does support SCP backups but we have been unable to get this to work.

FTP works fine we :

Created filesystem "FTP_Backups" for home directory (500 GB)/Created "ftpuser" account via managing NAS server in compmgt snap in Windows/Created "ftpuser" account via managing NAS server in compmgt snap in Windows/In Compmgt give full rights on share and NTFS to "ftpuser"/Enable FTP and SFTP on NAS server in Unity/Set home directory FTP_Backups using Unity CIFS MMC tool (8.1.9.157_Unity_VNXFileCifsMgmt.exe). Domain is the local server name.

But how would we get SCP VCSA backups to work at that same location as we can not use FTP backups due to security concerns?

Using Win SCP I can connect to the device but I can not get the user to authenticate.

Thank you for any help in advance

Chad T

cstedz · Answer

Even if we could get SMB VCSA backups to Unity would be better than the FTP. I am not quite sure if the NAS server we have set up on the unity will do SCP but I know it will do SMB.

DELL-Sam L · Answer

Hello cstedz, Which Unity system do you have and what is your current OE that is running on your system?

cstedz · Answer

Hello Sam The unit is a UNITY 480F running software version 5.0.7.0.5.008

DELL-Sam L · Answer

Hello cstedz, The nas server will not do SCP.

cstedz · Answer

Thanks Sam,

How about SMB, when I try using SMB I get mount error from VCSA.

Error in method of invocation Couldn’t mount the cifs share at //XXX.XX.XX.XX at /storage/remote/backups/cifs/XXX.XX.XX.XX/1OfWAiPH/j9byiy9k

Is there a certain way to set up the share on the NAS to accept an SMB connection from VCSA to perform backups using this method?

Chad

DELL-Sam L · Answer

Hello Chad, Here are a couple of guides that maybe of assistance. https://dell.to/3owlIy2 https://dell.to/3y4Do71 https://dell.to/3dvP2yw

cstedz · Answer

Hello Sam,

might you have any insight as to problem noted below:

If SMB share is a Windows based SMB share, it worked. So an SMB share from Dell UNITY NAS storage was provisioned. Then I started getting the error "SMB location is unsupported" when try to go to the Dell Unity NAS SMB share.

Thanks

Chad

DELL-Josh Cr · Answer

Hi, It might be this issue. https://dell.to/3IBYMWg

cstedz · Answer

Sam,

Thanks for the info, yes working with VMware we did make a change to the format being used from SMB 1 to 3.0

On vCenter appliance:

modify /lib/applmgmt/backup_restore/py/vmware/appliance/backup_restore/plugins/backupRestoreDispatchSMB.py line 26

Change: options = "username={},password={}".format(locUser, locPass)

TO

options = "username={},password={},vers=3.0".format(locUser, locPass)

To use SMB 3.0

VCSA still showing Error in method of invocation Couldn’t mount the cifs share at //XXX.XX.XX.XX at /storage/remote/backups/cifs/XXX.XX.XX.XX/5MXW4Uck/9Xa6R3lK when trying to setup scheduled backups and if try to do manual it still shows location type ’SMB’ is not supported.

Thanks again for your help not sure what check next

DELL-Josh Cr · Answer

I think the article is saying to use SMB 1 and not 3.

Unity

SCP VCSA backup to Unity

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