Veritas NetBackup - Step by Step Whitepaper for Configuring VMware Backup Policy

Today i'm going to explain how to configure your VMware integration or backup policy in Veritas Netbackup in a simple and straight way.

This Article provides the step by step process of Netbackup VADP configuration, credentials adding for different Virtual machine servers for Netbackup to enable the Vmware(VADP) backups.

Prerequisites

1.1) Make sure Netbackup Enterprises client license is installed on Master server and media server( in case of traditional based license)

1.2) Define backup host (backup host can be the master or media server also other server)

1.3)  Define the Virtual Machine server that needs to add have the info about the VCenter/Esxihost (name and IP address)

1.4) Verify the bi-directional communication between the Netbackup backup host & Master server to VCenter over the port 443 and ESXi over the port 902

Port 443 Vcenter⇔ Master Server & backup host

Port 902 ESXi ⇔Master Server & backup host

1.5) Get Credential on VCenter for Netbackup to use at the time of backup( if you would like to use the Esxi also for backups get the Credential on ESxi also)

Five things backup administrators should know about VMware Consolidated Backup

How VMware Consolidated Backup Works

Consolidated Backup consists of a set of utilities and scripts that work in conjunction with a third-party backup software. To ensure that Consolidated Backup works with the specific backup software, either VMware or your backup software vendor provide integration modules containing any required pre-backup and post-backup scripts.
The third-party software, integration module, and Consolidated Backup run on the VCB proxy, a physical or virtual machine that has Microsoft Windows operating system installed.
For specific versions of Microsoft Windows, see Configuring Windows on the VCB Proxy.
VMware Consolidated Backup Usage Models
To store and manage virtual disk files, ESX Server uses a variety of physical storage devices, including local disks, NAS storage, Fibre Channel SANs, or iSCSI SANs.
For more information on different types of storage, see ESX Server 3 Configuration Guide or ESX Server 3i Configuration Guide.
The type of storage device your ESX Server system has access to determines how you set up the VCB proxy and the transportation method Consolidated Backup uses to access virtual disk data.
Consolidated Backup provides the following methods of accessing virtual machine disk data:
• SAN Mode – Use with Fibre Channel and iSCSI storage to completely off-load backups to a physical VCB proxy.
• Hot-Add Mode – Use with any type of storage to perform backups by a VCB proxy set up in a virtual machine.
• LAN Mode (NBD Mode) – Use when your environment does not permit the use of the SAN or Hot-Add modes.

VMware Consolidated Backup Workflow | Types of Backups | Performing Image-Level Virtual Machine Backups

VMware Consolidated Backup Workflow

Before using Consolidated Backup, you need to configure and schedule a backup job for each virtual machine or a group of virtual machines.

At the scheduled time, the backup software starts the backup job on the VCB proxy. When the backup job is launched, the following steps take place:

1	The backup software calls the pre-backup script, which performs these tasks:

a	(Optional) Runs your custom pre-freeze script in the virtual machine.

The pre-freeze script prepares the critical software components in the virtual machine for a backup. See below Running Custom Quiescing Scripts.

b	Quiesces the virtual machine.

c	Puts the virtual machine into snapshot mode.

Changes to virtual disks are stored for later writing. The virtual machine can continue to operate during this process.

d	Unquiesces the virtual machine that was quiesced in Step b.

e	(Optional) Runs your custom post-thaw script in the virtual machine.

The post-thaw script reverses any changes made by the pre-freeze script in Step a.

f	Makes the virtual machine snapshot available to the third-party software:

•	For image-level virtual machine backups, see below Performing Image-Level Virtual Machine Backups.

•	For file-level backups of Microsoft Windows virtual machines, see below Performing File-Level Virtual Machine Backups.

2	The backup software performs an ordinary backup of the virtual machine snapshot moving the data to a backup medium. The virtual machine can continue to operate during this process.

3	The backup software calls the post-backup script, which performs the following tasks:

a	Unmounts the virtual machine snapshot from the backup proxy.

b	Takes the virtual machine out of snapshot mode, committing to disk any changes made while the machine was in snapshot mode.

Update: 7 More Free Virtualization Tools

Recently updated in Webinar about what's new in the free virtualization tools landscape. Over time, older free tools disappear and new free tools are launched. In many cases the newer tools are better and more innovative but, on the other hand, there are always free tools that are the de facto standard for that task.

There are well over 50 free tools available for vSphere, but I'm not covering all of them here. Instead, here are some of the more interesting new ones recently released for vSphere and Fusion.

Nick Weaver's Uber Network Fuser -- This is the virtual network editor that's missing from VMware Fusion on the Mac. I tried it in my lab and showed how it

Enable TSM and SSH on ESXi 4.1

I’ve installed the VMware ESXi 4.1 on my home lab for learning purpose.
Today I decided to enable SSH on ESXi 4.1 for further use and also check the TSM (Tech Support Mode) on ESXi 4.1 in order to checking the different area on the ESXi itself.
So as usual I pressed the ALT+F1 and …. there is new message from VMware on this page!?
“Tech Support Mode has been disabled by administrator.”


So I went back to the main page for checking any new changes in the “System Customization” page.

There is new item in menu as “Troubleshooting Options” which contain four useful option which I think would make the administrator work more easier and safer.
By entering in this menu administrators would be able to enable/disable TSM and SSH, Setting a customized time for disabling the TSM as well as restarting the management agents.

Enabling TSM

Disabling TSM

The result of enabling the TSM

Enabling SSH

Disabling SSH

Modifying Tech Support timeout
Configuring this option would let administrators to let the other technician or support group to gain access to this host for the specific period of time and prevent some mistake like forgetting to disable the TSM.

Using Tech Support Mode in ESXi 4.1

Using Tech Support Mode in ESXi 4.1

Purpose

This article provides guidance on the recommended use of Tech Support Mode for VMware ESXi 4.1.

For instructions on how to enter Tech Support Mode for VMware ESXi 4.0 and 3.5, see: Tech Support Mode for Emergency Support (1003677).

Resolution

 

Tech Support Mode

Tech Support Mode (TSM) provides a command-line interface that can be used by the administrator to troubleshoot and correct abnormal conditions on VMware ESXi hosts. TSM can be accessed in two ways:

• Logging in directly on the console of the ESXi server
• Logging in remotely via SSH

Both of these methods can be disabled, and an optional timeout value can be configured to disallow local and remote TSM access after the specified timeout period.

 

Note: Any existing open sessions are not automatically terminated at the end of the timeout period.

Using Tech Support Mode

Tech Support Mode is provided for the purposes of troubleshooting and remediation. VMware support may provide directions to use TSM in many forms including but not limited to telephone, E-mail, knowledge base articles, documentation, and remote desktop.

VMware recommends using the vSphere Client or any other VMware Administration Automation Product to perform routine ESXi host configuration tasks that do not involve a troubleshooting scenario. For scripting and automation, VMware recommends using the vCLI, PowerCLI, or the vSphere SDK instead of TSM.

TSM may be required to test and debug pre, post, or first boot scripts that are used in conjunction with the new ESXi 4.1 scripted installation feature. VMware recommends limiting testing and debugging these scripts to non-production environments prior to roll-out into production.

Enabling and Accessing Tech Support Mode

To enable local or remote TSM from the Direct Console User Interface (DCUI):

1. At the DCUI of the ESXi host, press F2 and provide credentials when prompted.
2. Scroll to Troubleshooting Options, and press Enter.
3. If you want to enable local TSM, select Local Tech Support and press Enter once. This allows users to login on the virtual console of the ESXi host.
   
   If you want to enable remote TSM, select Remote Tech Support (SSH) and press Enter once. This allows users to login via SSH on the virtual console of the ESXi host.
   
4. Optionally, if you want to configure the timeout for TSM:
5. 1. Select Modify Tech Support timeout and press Enter.
   2. Enter the desired timeout value in minutes and press Enter.
      
6. Press Esc three times to return to the main DCUI screen.

To enable local or remote TSM from the vSphere Client:

1. Select the host and click the Configuration tab.
2. Click Security profile > Properties.
3. Click Local Tech Support or Remote Tech Support (SSH) and click Options.
4. Choose the desired startup policy and click Start, then click OK.
5. Verify that the daemon selected in step 3 shows as running in the Services Properties window.

To configure the TSM timeout value using the vSphere Client:

1. Select the host and click the Configuration tab.
2. Click Advanced Settings.
3. Change the UserVars.TSMTimeOut field to the desired value in minutes.
4. Click OK.

To access the local TSM:

1. At the main DCUI screen, press ALT+F1 simultaneously. This opens a virtual console window to the host.
2. Provide credentials when prompted.
   
   Note: When typing the password, characters are not displayed on the console.

To access the remote TSM:

1. Open an SSH client.
2. Specify the IP address or domain name of the ESX host.
   
   Notes:
3. • Directions may vary depending on what SSH client you are using. For more information, consult vendor documentation and support.
   • By default, SSH works on TCP port 22.
     
4. Provide credentials when prompted.