PowerProtect Data Manager 19.17 Storage Array User Guide

Notes

• You can only protect an asset with one policy at a time. If the asset type supports protection rules, assets can move between protection policies depending on the protection rule priorities. Protection rules do not automatically move assets that were manually added to a policy to a different policy.
• When creating a PowerStore protection policy, limit the number of block volumes within the policy to 200 and stagger the start time of replication policies. These actions prevent potential replication failures.
• Before scheduling weekly, monthly, or yearly backups, set the PowerProtect Data Manager time zone to the local time zone. Otherwise, the backup still runs but is triggered based on the PowerProtect Data Manager time zone.
• Review the compatibility information to verify that PowerProtect Data Manager supports the PowerStore or PowerMax system version. For PowerMax, also determine the HotFix that is required. The E-Lab Navigator provides software compatibility information for the PowerProtect Data Manager software.
  CAUTION:Failure to apply the HotFix for PowerMax can have a critical impact on the PowerMax system during backup operations.

Initial configuration

• Open the required ports between all components, and verify the SAN and LAN prerequisites for component connectivity. The PowerProtect Data Manager Security Configuration Guide provides more information and instructions for port requirements, and the PowerProtect Data Manager Storage Array User Guide provides network communication diagrams for both PowerStore and PowerMax arrays.
• Enable the Storage Arrays asset source.
• Configure virtual networks (VLANs), if required. Ensure that the storage array has a connection to both the Management network and the Data network. If VLAN separation is required, add the data VLAN into PowerProtect Data Manager to separate management and data traffic between PowerProtect Data Manager, Block Volume protection engines, DD, and the PowerStore or Unisphere.
• Ensure that all clocks on the physical server BIOS, storage array, PowerProtect DD, Hypervisors, and PowerProtect Data Manager are time-synchronized to the local NTP server to ensure discovery of the backups. Configure an NTP server.
• Register the storage array with PowerProtect Data Manager. For PowerStore, this is PowerStore cluster. For PowerMax, this is the Unisphere for PowerMax. For PowerMax, must additionally be enabled for management first to discover assets.
• Perform a discovery of storage arrays.
• For PowerMax, configure SAN zoning and the PowerMax backup storage group:
  • Create SAN zoning between PowerMax and the ESXi hosts where the Block Volume protection engines are going to be deployed.
  • Create the PowerMax proxy storage group PPDM_BV_PROXY_SG, which is used by PowerProtect Data Manager to map volumes to protection engines. You can change the name of this storage group in the sdmng service configuration file. This storage group should have the Storage Resource Pool set to None.
  • Add one empty volume (can be gatekeeper) to the backup storage group, which is required for masking this storage group to the ESXi hosts.
  • Create the masking view between the proxy storage group and the ESXi host HBA initiators where the Block Volume protection engines are going to be deployed.
• For PowerMax, use the Infrastructure > Protection Engines window to deploy a Block Volume protection engine.
• For PowerMax, use the Infrastructure > Assets window to set the protection level for parent and child storage groups based on your protection requirements.

  For example, if the protection level of a storage group is set to Parent, only parent storage groups can be added to the protection policy and asset group, and all of its child storage groups are automatically protected. Individual protection of child storage group is not possible. However, if protection level of a storage group is set to Child, only child storage groups can be added to the protection policy and asset group, and parent storage groups cannot be protected.

• If application-consistent backups are required:
  • Install the File System agent on the host. The PowerProtect Data Manager File System User Guide provides instructions.
  • Use the Protection > Scripts window to add pre/post scripts into PowerProtect Data Manager with parameters that are specific to the protected application. Note that MEDITECH is not supported for PowerMax.
  • In the Infrastructure > Assets window, create one or more asset groups, and add all dependent application volumes and/or volume groups.
  • Associate the application host to run the scripts, as well as the operating system user, pre/post scripts, timeouts, and values for parameters that are specific to the particular application instance.

Objectives

To move a backup or replica to Cloud Tier, the corresponding objectives must have a retention time of 14 days or more.

Storage

• Add protection storage.

  NOTE:Smart Scale system pools are not supported with storage arrays or block volume assets.

  The PowerProtect Data Manager Administrator Guide provides more information about working with storage units, such as the relationships between storage units and policies, security considerations, and applicable limitations.

• Before you add a replication objective, add remote protection storage for the replication target.
• Before you add a Cloud Tier objective, PowerProtect Data Manager requires:
  • Protection storage set up for Cloud Tier, with the system passphrase set.
  • The discovery of protection storage with a configured Cloud unit.
  • A configured and running data movement schedule on the cloud storage unit.
  The DDOS Administration Guide provides more information.

Networking

If applicable, complete all of the virtual network configuration tasks before you assign any virtual networks to the protection policy. The PowerProtect Data Manager Administrator Guide provides more information.