Symantec NetBackup - Planning the Data Collector Deployment
  
Version 9.2.00
For details, refer to the APTARE StorageConsole Certified Configurations Guide and the APTARE StorageConsole Data Collector Installation Guide for Backup Manager.
Symantec NetBackup - Planning the Data Collector Deployment
1. Identify a server where the Data Collector software will be installed. Server requirements include:
64-bit OS. See the APTARE StorageConsole Certified Configurations Guide for supported operating systems.
Support Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.7.
Reside in the same time zone as the subsystem from which data will be collected.
If the backup servers belong to a cluster, StorageConsole communicates with the cluster for data collection.
For performance reasons, APTARE recommends that you do not install Data Collectors on the same server as the StorageConsole Portal. However, if you must have both on the same server, verify that the Portal and Data Collector software do not reside in the same directory.
Install only one Data Collector on a server (or OS instance).
TCP Ports: 1556, 13724
2. Determine your deployment type. Prior to APTARE StorageConsole 9, collection of NetBackup data was accomplished by installing agent software on the NetBackup Master Server. Starting with APTARE StorageConsole 9, two upgrade/installation options are available: centralized (recommended) or distributed. Refer to the APTARE StorageConsole Data Collector Installation Guide for Backup Manager for details about a distributed environment.
3. For Centralized Data Collection, verify the requirements:
Minimum Requirements: 64-bit OS, 2 CPUs and 16 GB RAM.
If there is a firewall between the NetBackup Master Servers and the Data Collector Server, ensure that bi-directional port communication is open on ports 1556 and 13724.
Windows data collector servers:
Install the NetBackup Remote Administration Console for Windows.
Update the Windows registry to configure the NetBackup master server. The registry is located at:
\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VERITAS\NetBackup\CurrentVersion\Config\
NAME - EMMSERVER
TYPE - REG_SZ
DATA - <name of the NetBackup master server>
Linux data collector servers:
Install the entire NetBackup Master Server software because the Linux NetBackup installer does not have a NetBackup Remote Administration Console installer.
Centralized Data Collectors installed on Linux servers need to have the NetBackup master or media server software licensed.
The NetBackup software version on the Data Collector must match the major and minor version of the NetBackup software that is installed on the master server that is being probed. When the Data Collector starts, it checks versions and halts collection for the master server where the mismatch is found. Refer to the Symantec documentation for more information about major and minor version requirements.
If you are currently running StorageConsole 9.0 with centralized NetBackup data collection, and if the NetBackup software versions don’t match, data collection will cease for the master servers with the incompatible versions, when you upgrade to StorageConsole 9.2.
Centralized Data Collectors installed on Linux servers need to have the NetBackup master or media server software installed and licensed.
Update the Windows registry to configure the NetBackup master server. The registry is located at: \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VERITAS\NetBackup\CurrentVersion\Config\
NAME - EMMSERVER
TYPE - REG_SZ
DATA - <name of the NetBackup master server>
The Data Collector server needs to be added as a trusted server to all NetBackup Master Servers from which you want to collect data. Refer to the APTARE StorageConsole Data Collector Installation Guide for Backup Manager for details about creating a trusted server.
4. On the Data Collector server, add entries to the local hosts file, both resolving to the Portal server IP address.
 
Example:
172.16.2.2 aptareportal.<yourdomain>.com
172.16.2.3 aptareagent.<yourdomain>.com
5. In the Portal, add a server: Admin > Hosts and Domains > Hosts and Host Groups
External Name - Displayed in the Portal
Internal Name - Internal reference for the NetBackup Master Server
IP Address
Make & Model
OS
Type = Symantec Master Server
 
6. In the Portal, add or select a Data Collector: Admin > Data Collection > Collectors. The User ID and Passcode configured in this step will be used later when you install the Data Collector software on the Data Collector server. This configuration enables communication between the Portal and the Data Collector server.
7. Select the Data Collector and add a NetBackup policy: Add > Symantec NetBackup.
Field
Description
Collector Domain
The domain of the collector to which the collector backup policy is being added. This is a read-only field. By default, the domain for a new policy will be the same as the domain for the collector. This field is set when you add a collector.
Policy Domain
The Policy Domain is the domain of the policy that is being configured for the Data Collector. The Policy Domain must be set to the same value as the Collector Domain. The domain identifies the top level of your host group hierarchy. All newly discovered hosts are added to the root host group associated with the Policy Domain.
Typically, only one Policy Domain will be available in the drop-down list. If you are a Managed Services Provider, each of your customers will have a unique domain with its own host group hierarchy. To find your Domain name select Admin > Hosts and Domains > Domains.
NetBackup Master Servers
Select the NetBackup Master Server(s) from which data will be collected. Multi-select is supported.
Backup Software Location (on Data Collector Server)
Backup Software Location should be either the root folder or directory where the NetBackup Remote Administration Console for Windows software is installed, or the root folder to the netbackup/volmgr folder(s) where the NetBackup software is installed.
Default Backup Software Home location for NetBackup:
For Windows: C:\Program Files\Veritas.
For Linux: /usr/openv.
Login Details for Remote Probes
These details are only used if this collector is a centralized NetBackup Data Collector and the SLP Job Details probe is selected.
Master Server Domain
This is only required for Windows, and only if using a Domain user to log in.
Required only for SLP Job Details collection and only when the Data Collector is not installed on the NetBackup Master Server.
Specify the domain associated with the NetBackup Master Server User ID. Only used for remote lifecycle policies utility (nbstlutil) execution by the SLP Job Details probe; unused for remote Linux master servers.
Master Server User ID
Required only for SLP Job Details collection and only when the Data Collector is not installed on the NetBackup Master Server.
Specify the user name with login rights on the selected NetBackup Master Server. Only used for remote lifecycle policies utility (nbstlutil) execution by the SLP Job Details probe. On Windows, this must be a user with Administrator privileges on the NBU master server. On other platforms it can be any user with permission to execute the NBU administration commands.
Master Server Password
Required only for SLP Job Details collection and only when the Data Collector is not installed on the NetBackup Master Server.
The password associated with the NetBackup Master Server User ID. Only used for remote lifecycle policies utility (nbstlutil) execution by the SLP Job Details probe.
WMI Proxy Address
Required only for SLP Job Details collection and only when the Data Collector is not installed on the NetBackup Master Server.
If the Master Server being collected from is a Windows server: Specify the IP address or hostname of the WMI Proxy. If this field is blank, 127.0.0.1 will be used. Only used for remote nbstlutil execution during SLP Job Details probe.
Active Probes
Tape Library & Drive Inventory
Select the check box to activate Tape Library data collection from your NetBackup environment. The default polling frequency is every 12 hours. This probe is selected by default. Click the clock icon to create a schedule frequency for collecting data. You can schedule the collection frequency by minute, hour, day, week and month. Relative schedules are relative to when the Data Collector is restarted. Advanced use of native CRON strings is also available. Optimize performance by scheduling less frequent collection.
Tape Inventory
Select the check box to activate Tape data collection from your NetBackup environment. The default polling frequency is every 18 hours. This probe is selected by default. Click the clock icon to create a schedule frequency for collecting data. You can schedule the collection frequency by minute, hour, day, week and month. Relative schedules are relative to when the Data Collector is restarted. Advanced use of native CRON strings is also available. Optimize performance by scheduling less frequent collection.
Drive Status
Select the check box to activate Tape Drive status collection from your NetBackup environment. The default polling frequency is every 20 minutes. This probe is selected by default.Click the clock icon to create a schedule frequency for collecting data. You can schedule the collection frequency by minute, hour, day, week and month. Relative schedules are relative to when the Data Collector is restarted. Advanced use of native CRON strings is also available.
Storage Unit Details
Select the check box to activate Storage Unit data collection from your NetBackup environment. The default polling frequency is every 4 hours. This probe is selected by default. Click the clock icon to create a schedule frequency for collecting data. You can schedule the collection frequency by minute, hour, day, week and month. Relative schedules are relative to when the Data Collector is restarted. Advanced use of native CRON strings is also available.
Storage Lifecycle Policies
When selecting this option, you must also configure settings in the Login Details for Remote Probes section of this Data Collector policy. Select the check box to activate Storage Lifecycle Policy (SLP) collection from your NetBackup environment. The default polling frequency is every 8 hours. This probe is selected by default. Click the clock icon to create a schedule frequency for collecting data. You can schedule the collection frequency by minute, hour, day, week and month. Relative schedules are relative to when the Data Collector is restarted. Advanced use of native CRON strings is also available.
Backup Policies
Select the check box to activate Backup Policy data collection from your NetBackup environment. The default polling frequency is every 8 hours. This probe is selected by default. Click the clock icon to create a schedule frequency for collecting data. You can schedule the collection frequency by minute, hour, day, week and month. Relative schedules are relative to when the Data Collector is restarted. Advanced use of native CRON strings is also available.
Job Details
Select the check box to activate Job data collection from your NetBackup environment. The default polling frequency is every 35 minutes. This probe is selected by default. Click the clock icon to create a schedule frequency for collecting data. You can schedule the collection frequency by minute, hour, day, week and month. Relative schedules are relative to when the Data Collector is restarted. Advanced use of native CRON strings is also available.
Duplication Jobs
Select the check box to activate Duplication Job data collection from your NetBackup environment. The default polling frequency is every 60 minutes. This probe is selected by default. Click the clock icon to create a schedule frequency for collecting data. You can schedule the collection frequency by minute, hour, day, week and month. Relative schedules are relative to when the Data Collector is restarted. Advanced use of native CRON strings is also available.
Backup Message Logs
Select the check box to activate Message Log (bperror) data collection from your NetBackup environment. The default polling frequency is every 60 minutes. This probe is selected by default. Click the clock icon to create a schedule frequency for collecting data. You can schedule the collection frequency by minute, hour, day, week and month. Relative schedules are relative to when the Data Collector is restarted. Advanced use of native CRON strings is also available.
SLP Job Details
Select the check box to activate SLP Job Details collection from your NetBackup environment. The default polling frequency is every 6 hours.
IMPORTANT: When selecting this SLP Job Details option, if you are using centralized NetBackup data collection, you must also configure the settings in the Login Details for Remote Probes section of this Data Collector policy.
Client Details
Select the check box to activate Client Details data collection from your NetBackup environment. The default polling frequency is once a week. This probe is selected by default. Click the clock icon to modify the schedule frequency for collecting data. You can schedule the collection frequency by minute, hour, day, week and month. Relative schedules are relative to when the Data Collector is restarted. Advanced use of native CRON strings is also available. The default collection is scheduled to start on Tuesday at 9:00 a.m.
Media Server Disk Discovery
This discovery process probes all the media servers associated with the management server to gather disk-based information such as capacity and free space on the media server file systems. This information is then displayed in the “Disk Usage and Performance” report. If the Media Server Disk Discovery process is not enabled, the disk information will show as Unknown in the report.
The default polling frequency is every 20 minutes. This probe is selected by default. Click the clock icon to create a schedule frequency for collecting data. You can schedule the collection frequency by minute, hour, day, week and month. Relative schedules are relative to when the Data Collector is restarted. Advanced use of native CRON strings is also available.
8. On the Data Collector server, install/update the Data Collector software, using the instructions in the APTARE StorageConsole Data Collector Installation Guide for Capacity Manager.
Planning Worksheets
Server Administration Information
External Name
 
Internal Name
 
IP Address
 
Make
 
Model
 
Location
 
OS Platform
 
OS Version
 
Type
 
Description
 
Attributes
 
Data Collector Policy Information
Domain
 
NetBackup Master Servers
 
Backup Software Location (on Data Collector Server)
 
Login Details for Remote Probes
Master Server Domain
 
Master Server User ID
 
Master Server Password
 
WMI Proxy Address