NetWorker: How to use the nsradmin command-line utility to manage NetWorker resources

Overview

NetWorker resources are contained in two primary folders:
    • /nsr/res/nsrdb/ - Only found on NetWorker servers. This is the NetWorker Server Resource Database.
    • /nsr/res/nsrladb/ - Found on all NetWorker systems. This contains security configurations (peer certificate, and so on).

nsradmin allows you to change, create, or delete resources from the nsrdb and nsrladb database. In order to ensure security and prevent unwanted tampering, a root or Administrator command prompt must be used. If the system user is restricted from using root or Admin command prompt, the nsrlogin command can be used. nsrlogin authenticates using accounts that are configured (either local or external) in the NetWorker authentication service. nsrlogin issues a time-based token which allows the user (if permitted) to make changes through nsradmin and use other elevated NetWorker commands:

• Local user account: nsrlogin -u username
• External authentication (AD/LDAP): nsrlogin -t tenant_name -d domain_name -u user_name
• Log out: nsrlogout

Accessing nsradmin

To list all the attributes for a specific NetWorker resource, such as a client.

You can use the tool online or offline, but if you change the nsrdb or nsrladb offline, you must restart the NetWorker service to apply them.

nsradmin

nsradmin -p nsrexecd

nsradmin -d /path_to/nsrdb

nsradmin -s remote_networker_system [-p nsrexecd]

nsradmin -i file

Logging

Changes to the nsrdb that are performed through nsradmin are logged in the NetWorker server's /nsr/logs/rap.log (default: C:\Program Files\EMC NetWorker\nsr\logs\rap.log on Windows operating systems)
 

Using nsradmin

nsradmin modes

nsradmin can be used in two modes:

• Command-mode (default) and visual-mode; Command-mode is the common method used to view and operate nsradmin. No additional options are required to use this mode.
• Visual-mode provides a fullscreen command-line interface which can be used to view and manage the NetWorker resources. This method may be useful when specific resources or attributes: values are unknow; however, it is limited in batch processing operations. To enter visual-mode, enter visual at the nsradmin prompt:

[root@nsr ~]# nsradmin
NetWorker administration program.
Use the "help" command for help, "visual" for full-screen mode.
nsradmin> visual

NetWorker resource types

To get a list of known resource types. Enter type at the nsradmin prompt. Example from a NetWorker server:

nsradmin> type
                 Known types: NSR, NSR auditlog, NSR client, NSR client fix,
                              NSR cloneconfig, NSR Data Domain, NSR device,
                              NSR directive, NSR hypervisor, NSR label,
                              NSR license, NSR lockbox,
                              NSR NAS discovery task, NSR notification,
                              NSR policy, NSR pool, NSR Protection Group,
                              NSR Protection Policy, NSR recover, NSR Rule,
                              NSR savesets count, NSR SCG, NSR schedule,
                              NSR service, NSR stage, NSR Storage Node,
                              NSR task, NSR usergroup, NSR VMware proxy,
                              NSR vproxy log aggregate;

Operations within nsradmin are as follows:

         bind [query]
         create attrlist
         delete [query]
           edit [query]
           help [command]
          print [query] (set current query)
         server [name]
           show [attrlist]
          types
         update attrlist
         append attrlist
           quit
         visual [query]
         option [list]
          unset [list]
              . [query]
              ? [command]
           exit

Where:
        query ::= attrlist
        attrlist ::= attribute [; attribute]*
        attribute ::= name [: [value [, value]* ]

Querying NetWorker resources

nsradmin> print type:NetWorker_resource; attribute:value 

nsradmin> print type: NSR client; name: win-srvr01.amer.lan

Listing and filtering nsradmin results

nsradmin> . type: NSR client; name: client_name 
nsradmin> show 
nsradmin> print

To list all clients in a particular protection group, enter the following command at the nsradmin prompt:

nsradmin> . type: nsr client; protection group list:Protection_Group_Name
nsradmin> show name 
nsradmin> print

To print a listing of all registered clients and their operating systems, enter the following command at the nsradmin prompt:

nsradmin> . type: NSR client 
nsradmin> show name; OS 
nsradmin> print

To list all devices that are in service mode, enter the following command at the nsradmin prompt:

nsradmin> show name
nsradmin> print type: NSR device; enabled: Service

Hidden options can be displayed by entering the following before querying any resource type:

nsradmin> option hidden

To reset the query specifications set by entering show attribute, enter show:

nsradmin> show

Updating resources

nsradmin>. type:NetWorker_resource; attribute:value 
nsradmin> update action; attribute1:value; attribute2:value

nsradmin> . type: nsr client; name: win-srvr01.amer.local 
nsradmin> update save set:"MSSQL:DELL"; backup command:nsrsqlsv

Deleting Resources

To delete any resource, enter delete after setting the resource type; for example:

nsradmin> . type: NetWorker_Resource; attribute:value
nsradmin> delete

nsradmin> delete type: nsr pool; name: DD_Bootstrap 
name: DD_Bootstrap; 
Delete? yes 
delete failed: Pool `DD_Bootstrap' cannot be deleted because it has active volumes in the media database.

Creating Resources

nsradmin> create type: Networker_resource; name:resource_name; attribute1:value; attribute2:value 
create? yes

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