NetWorker 19.7 Snapshot Management Integration Guide

Configuring snapshot backups with the client wizard

The NMC Client Configuration Wizard helps you to configure a client resource for snapshot, clone, and backup operations.

1. Run NMC, and in the Enterprise view, select the NetWorker server that manages the snapshots, and select Enterprise > Launch Application.
2. In the NetWorker server’s Protection view, in the navigation tree, right-click Clients, and then select New Client Wizard.
3. The wizard displays the Specify Client Information page. Complete the following fields:
   1. In the Client Name field, type the hostname of the application host on which NetWorker captures in the snapshots.
   2. (Optional) In the Comment box, add notes for the Client.
   3. (Optional) In the Tag box, type one or more tags to identify this Client resource for the creation of dynamic client groups for data protection policies. The tags are user defined.
      Type each tag on a separate line.
   4. To add the current client to an existing group of clients that use the same workflow for snapshot, clone, or backup actions, from the Group list select the group.
      Alternatively, you can add the client to one or more groups later, after you complete the wizard.
   5. In the Type area, select Traditional.
   6. Click Next.
4. The Specify Backup Configuration Type page displays. Complete the following fields:
   1. In the Available Applications table, you can select Filesystem, SmartSnap or another supported NetWorker application type that is installed on the client.
      The SmartSnap option allows you to specify array LUNs World Wide Names (WWNs).

      NOTE If you select SmartSnap the Enable NetWorker Snapshot Management on the selected application is automatically selected. Also, the SmartSnap LUN does not need to be mounted or visible to the host.
   2. Select Enable NetWorker Snapshot Management on the selected application.
   3. Click Next.
5. The Select the Snapshot Management Options page displays. Complete the following fields:
   1. Select the type of storage array or storage appliance that the client uses for primary storage and where the snapshots are created. Only storage arrays that are compatible with NetWorker and the client operating system appear. The options are:
      • VMAX/Symmetrix
      • ProtectPoint for VMAX3
      • ProtectPoint for RecoverPoint
      • VNX/CLARiiON
      • RecoverPoint
      • XtremIO

      NOTE SmartSnap is only supported for VMAX/Symmetrix and ProtectPoint for VMAX3.
   2. To use the application host as the snapshot mount host, select Use the current client as the mount host.
      If the selected array supports the use of the current client as the mount host for the backup type, NetWorker mounts the array’s mirror volume on the current host for snapshot restore operations and for clone actions. Otherwise, the wizard uses the storage node that you select on this page as the mount host. The mount host must use the same operating system as the current client host.

      NOTE Alternatively, you can manually create a NetWorker Client resource on a different host and specify this host as the value of NSR_DATA_MOVER=hostname. NetWorker uses this host as the mount host, eliminating the need to have a storage node or the application host as the mount host. Common Application Information variables provides details.
   3. From the drop-down list, select the hostname of the NetWorker storage node.
   4. Click Next.
      NOTE The storage array that you selected on this page determines the next wizard page.
6. If you selected the VMAX/Symmetrix storage array option, complete the Select the VMAX Mirror Policy page that appears:
   1. Select the VMAX Mirror Policy:
      • If both the source device and the target mirror devices reside on the same VMAX array, select Local Operation.
      • If the source device and the target mirror devices reside on different VMAX arrays that are connected by a Symmetrix Remote Data Facility (SRDF), select Remote (SRDF) Operation.
   2. Select a snapshot Mirror Type:
      • To create snapshots using TimeFinder SnapVX functionality, select SNAPVX. This option is available only on VMAX version 3 and later storage arrays.
      • To create snapshots by using the TimeFinder clone functionality, select CLONE.
      • To create snapshots by using the TimeFinder/Snap (COW) functionality, select VDEV.
        NOTE VMAX version 3 and later does not support VDEV functionality.
      • To create snapshots by using the TimeFinder VP Snap functionality, select VPSNAP.
      • To create snapshots by using the TimeFinder split-mirror functionality, select BCV.
      • If you selected Remote (SRDF) Operation, select R2 to create a non-snapshot backup to media directly from the remote R2 device.

      Snapshot operations with TimeFinder software provides details on mirror operations.

   3. Click Next.
   The Select the NetWorker Client Properties page appears. Go to step 12.
7. If you selected the ProtectPoint for VMAX3 storage array option, complete the Select ProtectPoint Destination page that appears:
   1. In the ProtectPoint Remote Operation area:
      • If both the source device and the target mirror devices reside on the same ProtectPoint array, select Local Operation.
      • If the source device and the target mirror devices reside on different ProtectPoint arrays that are connected by a Symmetrix Remote Data Facility (SRDF), select Remote (SRDF) Operation.
   2. Click Next. The Select the NetWorker Client Properties page appears. Go to step 12.
8. If you selected the ProtectPoint for RecoverPoint storage array option, complete the Specify the RecoverPoint Storage Array Options page that appears:
   1. From the drop-down list, select or type the RecoverPoint Appliance Hostname / IP that the client uses for snapshot communications.
   2. If required, provide Username and Password credentials for the array that the client uses for snapshot operations.
   3. Click Next. The Select the NetWorker Client Properties page appears. Go to step 12.
9. If you selected the VNX/CLARiiON storage array option, then complete the Specify the VNX Mirror Policy and Storage Array Options page that appears:
   1. Select the snapshot Mirror Type:
      • To create the snapshots by using the SnapView copy-on-write functionality, select Copy on Write (COW/Snapshot).
      • To create the snapshots by using the SnapView clone functionality, select Mirror (SnapView Clone).
      • To create the snapshots by using the Redirect on Write (ROW) functionality, select VNX-SNAP (VNX Snapshot) or VNXe-SNAP (VNXe/VNXe2 Snapshot).

        Snapshot operations with SnapView software provides details on mirror operations.

   2. Specify the VNX Storage Processor Options:
      • If required, provide Username and Password credentials for the array that the client uses for snapshot operations.
      • Specify the VNX storage array hostname or IP address that the client uses for snapshot communications.
   3. Click Next. The Select the NetWorker Client Properties page appears. Go to step 12.
10. If you selected the RecoverPoint storage array option, complete the Specify the RecoverPoint replication type and Storage Array Options page that appears:
    1. Select the Replication Type:
       • CDP (Continuous Data Protection)
       • CRR (Continuous Remote Replication)

       Snapshot operations with RecoverPoint software provides details on mirror operations.

    2. Specify the RecoverPoint Appliance Credentials:
       • Specify the RecoverPoint Appliance Hostname/IP that the client uses for snapshot operations.
       • If the Username and Password credentials do not exist for the RecoverPoint appliance that the client uses for the snapshot operations, provide them.

       NOTE NetWorker requires a username and password after an upgrade from the RecoverPoint PowerSnap module to NetWorker Snapshot Management. The NetWorker server stores these credentials in a lockbox.
    3. Click Next. The Select the NetWorker Client Properties page appears. Go to step 12.
11. If you selected the XtremIO storage array option, complete the Specify the XtremIO storage process's credentials page that appears:
    1. Specify the XtremIO Hostname/IP that the client uses for snapshot operations.
    2. If the Username and Password credentials do not exist for the XtremIO appliance that the client uses for the snapshot operations, provide them.
    3. Click Next.
12. If you plan to clone the snapshots to conventional storage media, complete the Select the NetWorker Client Properties page that appears:
    1. (Optional) Change the Client Direct setting based on the workflow preferences and the data processing bandwidth on the hosts involved.
       Client direct enables the NetWorker client on the mount host to bypass the storage node and directly clone the snapshot data to supported AFTD or DD Boost devices or Cloud devices. If this process is not available on the client, then the storage node performs the clone operation.
    2. (Optional) In the Advanced Options area, enter Debug or Extra Options for the client that is separated by commas. For example, NSR_PS_DO_PIT_VALIDATION=FASLE, NSRATTER_DD_VDISK_POOLNAME=Pool ABC, NSR_VERBOSE=Yes.
    3. Click Next.
13. If you selected Filesystem in Step 4a, the Select Snapable Filesystem Objects page displays.
    NOTE If you are using NMDA/NMSAP, the application-specific wizard pages appear. Complete the pages accordingly.

    For applications supported, go through application specific pages in the wizard and select the application objects to be restored and recovered:
    1. In the browse tree, select the file systems or files that you want to include in the snapshot.

       The tree lists all the file systems that are mounted on the application host that are compatible with the previous selections in this wizard. If no compatible file systems are available, then an error appears.

       On UNIX systems, the browse tree displays only the file systems that are added to the list of mountable file systems on the local application host.

       NOTE For VMAX arrays on systems with third-party volume managers, avoid selecting file systems or application objects from different volume groups for a single backup. If more than one snapshot is required to complete the backup and mirrors are unavailable, the backup from multiple volume groups can fail. However, you can greatly reduce this risk by using intelligent pairing and allocating sufficient devices to the storage group (NSRSnapSG).
    2. If you need to update the view of mounted file systems, click Refresh. This process can take some time.
    3. Click Next.
14. If you selected SmartSnap in Step 4a, the Add Snapable Lun WWN's page appears. Perform the following steps:
    1. Type the WWN you want to include, and then click Add. You can add multiple WWN's.
       The system validates the entry. If the validation is successful, the WWN appears in the list. If the WWN entered is invalid, then an error message is displayed indicating an invalid WWN.
    2. If you want to remove a WWN select it, and then click Delete.
    3. Click Next.
15. The Client Configuration Summary page, perform the following steps:
    1. Review the attributes and values that are listed in the summary.
       To modify a setting, click Back or click the link in the step panel, and then make changes.
    2. (Optional) Click Snapshot Validation. This choice causes NetWorker to verify the likely, but not guaranteed, success of a backup that uses this configuration, provided the backup runs unimpeded by other backups on this client and mount host.
       NOTE If you selected SmartSnap in Step 4a, the Snapshot Validation do not display.
       The validation can take some time. If the validation encounters any errors an NMC pop-up message appears, which displays each problem but does not prevent the wizard from creating the Client resource.

       NOTE To validate the snapshot configuration of a Client resource, on the Protection screen in the Clients area, right-click the Client resource and select Check Snapshot Configuration.
    3. To accept and create the configuration, click Create.
16. In the Check Results page, perform the following steps:
    1. Ensure that the client configuration is successfully completed.
    2. Click Finish.