Change default location for new client's catalog 1

[fraxx]

I'm implementing NetBackup at the moment, but it's quite new to me.
I have a seperate disk I'd like to store the catalog on, and I've read how to relocate individual clients' catalog to a new directory using the ALTPATH method as described in the manual. This seems to work ok, but I haven't been able to find any way to change the default location to the new path. NetBackup is installed in D:\VERITAS\NetBackup, so any client catalog is stored in D:\VERITAS\NetBackup\db\images\<client>

I'd like for all new clients to have their catalog stored in E:\Catalog\<client> without having an ALTPATH file in D:\VERITAS\NetBackup\db\images\<client>

Is this possible? It's quite a chore to redirect each client and move the files around, although I supose I could write a script to do it.

 

[Stumpr]

Well, I don't know if this is what you want to do either but it is an alternative. It involves moving all of netbackup. (the catalog is by far the greatest percentage of size for the product)

Here is a technote.
How to relocate or change the location of the VERITAS NetBackup (tm) catalog

http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/254377.htm

Details:
There are only two supported methods of relocating or changing the location of the NetBackup catalog files. The first method involves the use of ALTPATH files. It is the preferred method and is described in detail in the NetBackup DataCenter System Administrator's Guide on pages 180-182 (link in the Related Documents section below).

If for some reason, the NetBackup catalog needs to be relocated, but the method in the Administrator's Guide is not desirable, there is one other supported method.


Manually back up the NetBackup catalogs. This is to ensure that the catalogs can be restored via a bprecover command in event of a problem.
Ensure that there are no active backups or restores in progress. If there are, wait for them to finish or cancel them manually.
Shut down all NetBackup services either through the activity monitor or from the command line
Copy the directory %install_path%\Veritas\NetBackup\db to a temporary location
Copy the directory %install_path%\Veritas\NetBackup\var to a temporary location
Copy the directory %install_path%\Veritas\Volmgr\database to a temporary location
Uninstall NetBackup
Reboot
Install NetBackup in the new location where you wish the catalog to be located i.e. D:\Veritas\NetBackup
After the install finishes, do not start the services
Copy the old catalog information from the temporary location to the appropriate new install path, i.e. D:\Veritas\NetBackup\db

Once all catalog directories have been copied, start the services and all job, images, and media information should be intact. The catalogs will now write to the desired location. Do not forget to patch the NetBackup server to its previous patch level.


Related Documents:

246843: NetBackup DataCenter 4.5 System Administrator's Guide for Windows

http://support.veritas.com/docs/246843

Bob Stump
Incorrigible punster -- Do not incorrige

 

[fraxx]

I see. I think I'll just stick to the ALTPATH method then. I really don't want to mess around with moving the entire NetBackup installation. Still, I find it a bit strange not having the ability to seperate the binaries from the database in a more elegant fashion.

 

[Stumpr]

Perhaps you are already aware of this.
Be sure to alter the filelist for the catalog backups!

check out this technote
Possible data loss during a catalog backup, with the ALTPATH file in place

http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/269996.htm

Details:
If an ALTPATH file is in place, and correctly redirecting the image files to another location, you must specify that new location in the catalog backup paths. If you do not, the catalog backup just backs up the original path; i.e. the ALTPATH file itself, but not the redirected files.
The catalog backup will still complete with a status 0, since the path does exist, but you are not backing up anything redirected. This could lead to a data loss situation.

To check if you are using an ALTPATH file, open Windows Explorer and navigate to the following location: <install_path>\netbackup\db\images\<Client_name>

For example, if VERITAS NetBackup (tm) is installed in its default location and the client name is mars, the path to the image catalog is:
C:\Program Files\VERITAS\NetBackup\db\images\mars\ALTPATH

To check if your catalog backup has the correct path listed, open the NetBackup administration console and right-click on the word Catalog in the device tree on the left side. In the drop down box, select Configure NetBackup Catalog Backup. In the NetBackup Catalog Backup for Master Server window, select the Files tab. For the absolute pathname, make sure the new location that is in your ALTPATH file is listed. This will ensure that your images are being backed up with your catalog backup.

For more information regarding ALTPATH files and catalog backups, refer to the System Administrators Guide Volume 1, and look under the "Moving the NetBackup image Catalog" section. For convenience, here is an excerpt from the above mentioned guide, in regards to moving the NetBackup image catalog:


Moving the NetBackup Image Catalog:

If the NetBackup catalog is too large for its current disk partition you can move image information for individual clients to another partition.

- To move the NetBackup image catalog, perform the following steps:

1. Back up the NetBackup catalogs. (See "Backing Up the Catalogs Manually" on page 214.) This ensures that you can recover image information in case something is accidentally lost during the move.

2. Check the Jobs tab in the Activity Monitor and ensure that no backups or restores are running for the client. If jobs are running, either wait for them to end or stop them by using the Jobs tab in the Activity Monitor.

3. Use the Services tab in Activity Monitor to stop the Request Manager and Database Manager services. This prevents jobs from starting and the database from being modified while you are performing this procedure.

4. Create a file named ALTPATH in the image catalog directory. For example, if NetBackup is installed in its default location and the client name is mars, the path to the image catalog is: C:\Program Files\VERITAS\NetBackup\db\images\mars\ALTPATH.

5. Create the directory to which you intend to move the image information. For example: E:\NetBackup\alternate_db\images\client_name

6. On the first line of the ALTPATH file, specify the path to the directory where you intend to move the clients image information. For example: E:\NetBackup\alternate_db\images\client_name. This will be the only entry in the ALTPATH file.

7. Move all files and directories (except the ALTPATH file) that are in the current client directory to the new directory. For example, if the images are currently in C:\Program Files\VERITAS\NetBackup\db\images\mars and the ALTPATH file specifies E:\NetBackup\alternate_db\images\mars then move all files and directories (except the ALTPATH file) to E:\NetBackup\alternate_db\images\mars.

8. Add the new image directory to the NetBackup catalog backup configuration. (See "Catalog Files Tab" on page 211.) In the above example, you would add E:\NetBackup\alternate_db\images\mars.
Caution: Failure to add the alternate image directory to the catalog-backup configuration can result in loss of backup data if there is a disk failure.

9. Start the NetBackup Request Manager and NetBackup Database Manager services by using the Services tab in the Activity Monitor. Backups and restores can now resume for the client.




Bob Stump
Incorrigible punster -- Do not incorrige