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Copyright Information in this document, including URL and other website references, represents the current view of Commvault Systems, Inc. as of the date of publication and is subject to change without notice to you. Descriptions or references to third party products, services or websites are provided only as a convenience to you and should not be considered an endorsement by Commvault. Commvault makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, as to any third party products, services or websites. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Unless otherwise noted, the example companies, organizations, products, domain names, e-mail addresses, logos, people, places, and events depicted herein are fictitious. Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. This document is intended for distribution to and use only by Commvault customers. Use or distribution of this document by any other persons is prohibited without the express written permission of Commvault. Without limiting the rights under copyright, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or for any purpose, without the express written permission of Commvault Systems, Inc. Commvault may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly provided in any written license agreement from Commvault, this document does not give you any license to Commvault’s intellectual property. COMMVAULT MAKES NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT. ©2018 Commvault Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Commvault, Commvault and logo, the “C” hexagon logo, Commvault Systems, Solving Forward, SIM, Singular Information Management, Simpana, Commvault Galaxy, Unified Data Management, QiNetix, Quick Recovery, QR, CommNet, GridStor, Vault Tracker, InnerVault, QuickSnap, QSnap, Recovery Director, CommServe, CommCell, APSS, Commvault GO, Commvault HyperScale, IntelliSnap, ROMS, Commvault OnePass, CommVault Edge, Edge Drive, and CommValue, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Commvault Systems, Inc. All other third party brands, products, service names, trademarks, or registered service marks are the property of and used to identify the products or services of their respective owners. All specifications are subject to change without notice.
Confidentiality The descriptive materials and related information in the document contain information that is confidential and proprietary to Commvault. This information is submitted with the express understanding that it will be held in strict confidence and will not be disclosed, duplicated or used, in whole or in part, for any purpose other than evaluation purposes. All right, title and intellectual property rights in and to the document is owned by Commvault. No rights are granted to you other than a license to use the document for your personal use and information. You may not make a copy or derivative work of this document. You may not sell, resell, sublicense, rent, loan or lease the document to another party, transfer or assign your rights to use the document or otherwise exploit or use the Manual for any purpose other than for your personal use and reference. The document is provided "AS IS" without a warranty of any kind and the information provided herein is subject to change without notice.
©1999-2018 Commvault Systems, Inc. All rights reserved
Commvault® Education Services
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About this Document This document is intended for Internal and Partner audiences and is current as of the software version and service pack stated in the top left corner of the page. This document is updated every three to six months depending on feature changes to Commvault® software. The date of publish is within the document title, e.g. 170530 indicating a publish date of May 30, 2017, and the date appears in the top right-hand side of each page. New and updated sections are indicated in the revision history section with hyperlinks to each section and appear with a RED heading and darker text for easy identification. For updated versions of this document, contact us at: [email protected] Whether an employee, partner, or customer; we all want to work collectively to provide the best technical education material possible. If you have ideas to improve this document or corrections to existing content, please contact us as: [email protected]
Authors Frank Celauro, Irene Grimaldi, Carl Brault, Toby Anderson Edited by: Madelyn Moalam
Revision History Link
Date
Contributing Author
Notes
September, 2017
Initial document release
November, 2017
Revised content
July, 2018
Revised content
For comments, corrections, or recommendations for additional content, contact: [email protected]
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Contents About this Document ...............................................................................................................................................3 Authors ...................................................................................................................................................................3 Revision History .......................................................................................................................................................3 Introduction................................................................................................................................................................8 Preliminaries............................................................................................................................................................9 Commvault® University ...................................................................................................................................... 10 Class Resources ................................................................................................................................................. 11 On Demand Lab Environment ............................................................................................................................. 12 Commvault® Technical Education Career Path ...................................................................................................... 13 Commvault® On-Demand Learning ...................................................................................................................... 14 Certifications ...................................................................................................................................................... 15 Additional Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 16 Course Overview ................................................................................................................................................ 17 CommCell® Deployment Planning.............................................................................................................................. 18 CommCell® Component Requirements ................................................................................................................... 19 CommServe® Server Requirements .................................................................................................................... 20 MediaAgent Requirements .................................................................................................................................. 24 Agent Requirements ........................................................................................................................................... 29 Pre-Deployment Readiness ..................................................................................................................................... 30 Pre-Deployment Readiness Check ........................................................................................................................ 31 Download the Commvault® Software ................................................................................................................... 33 Key Notes .......................................................................................................................................................... 34 Documentation................................................................................................................................................... 35 CommCell Deployment and Configuration ................................................................................................................... 36 CommCell® Deployment ......................................................................................................................................... 37 CommCell® Deployment Overview ....................................................................................................................... 38 CommServe® Server Installation ......................................................................................................................... 39 CommCell® Console Overview ............................................................................................................................. 43 CommServe® Server Post Installation Tasks ......................................................................................................... 44 Key Notes .......................................................................................................................................................... 56 Documentation................................................................................................................................................... 57 MediaAgent Installation and Configuration ........................................................................................................... 58 Storage and Deduplication ..................................................................................................................................... 65 Storage Overview ............................................................................................................................................... 66 Disk Library Design............................................................................................................................................. 67 Key Notes .......................................................................................................................................................... 75 Documentation .................................................................................................................................................. 75 Page 4 of 289
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Tape Library Design ........................................................................................................................................... 77 Key Notes .......................................................................................................................................................... 81 Documentation................................................................................................................................................... 81 Deduplication ..................................................................................................................................................... 82 Deduplication Overview ...................................................................................................................................... 83 Components and Terminology ............................................................................................................................. 84 Global Deduplication ........................................................................................................................................... 86 Partitioned Deduplication Database ..................................................................................................................... 89 Storage Policies ..................................................................................................................................................... 91 Storage Policy Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 92 Storage Policy Structure ...................................................................................................................................... 94 Storage Policy Configuration ............................................................................................................................... 99 Global Secondary Copy ..................................................................................................................................... 106 Retention ............................................................................................................................................................ 107 Retention Overview .......................................................................................................................................... 108 Sample Retention Policy.................................................................................................................................... 110 Job Based Retention Rules ................................................................................................................................ 111 How Retention Works ....................................................................................................................................... 113 Encryption ........................................................................................................................................................... 119 Encryption Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 120 Managing Servers and Server Groups ....................................................................................................................... 121 Commvault® Agents ......................................................................................................................................... 122 Client Agent Deployment ...................................................................................................................................... 124 Standard Agent Installation ............................................................................................................................... 125 Servers ............................................................................................................................................................... 134 Server Navigation Structure (Clients) ................................................................................................................. 135 Administrative Tasks ......................................................................................................................................... 137 Server Groups (Client Computer Groups) ........................................................................................................... 145 Key Notes ........................................................................................................................................................ 147 Documentation................................................................................................................................................. 147 Filer Servers ........................................................................................................................................................ 148 File Server Solution Overview ............................................................................................................................ 149 Subclient Overview ........................................................................................................................................... 150 Subclient Configuration ..................................................................................................................................... 152 Key Notes ........................................................................................................................................................ 154 Documentation................................................................................................................................................. 154 Job and Data Management ...................................................................................................................................... 155 Data Protection Overview ................................................................................................................................. 156 Page 5 of 289
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Synthetic Full and DASH Full Jobs...................................................................................................................... 157 Auxiliary Copy and DASH Copy Jobs .................................................................................................................. 160 Job Initiation .................................................................................................................................................... 163 Using Schedules and Schedule Policies .............................................................................................................. 165 Managing Active Jobs ....................................................................................................................................... 169 Key Notes ........................................................................................................................................................ 173 Documentation................................................................................................................................................. 174 Data Recovery ..................................................................................................................................................... 175 Data Recovery Overview ................................................................................................................................... 176 Key Notes ........................................................................................................................................................ 179 Documentation ................................................................................................................................................ 179 Virtualization Solution .............................................................................................................................................. 180 Virtual Protection Overview ............................................................................................................................... 181 Transport Modes .............................................................................................................................................. 183 VSA Configuration ................................................................................................................................................ 187 VSA Recovery Options .......................................................................................................................................... 200 VSA Basic Recovery Options (CommCell® Console) ............................................................................................. 201 VSA Application Protection ................................................................................................................................... 213 VSA AppAware Backup ......................................................................................................................................... 214 Key Notes ........................................................................................................................................................ 219 Documentation ................................................................................................................................................ 219 Data Security .......................................................................................................................................................... 220 User and Group Security ...................................................................................................................................... 221 Role Based Security ............................................................................................................................................. 222 Key Notes ........................................................................................................................................................... 223 Documentation .................................................................................................................................................... 223 Network Security ................................................................................................................................................. 224 Network Route Overview .................................................................................................................................. 225 Configuring Network Topology .......................................................................................................................... 227 Firewall Administration ..................................................................................................................................... 231 Key Notes ........................................................................................................................................................ 231 Documentation ................................................................................................................................................ 231 Monitoring and Maintenance .................................................................................................................................... 232 Monitoring ........................................................................................................................................................... 233 CommCell® Monitoring Resources...................................................................................................................... 234 Alerts............................................................................................................................................................... 237 Reports............................................................................................................................................................ 243 Web Console .................................................................................................................................................... 245 Page 6 of 289
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Navigating the Admin Console ........................................................................................................................... 246 Key Notes ........................................................................................................................................................ 246 Documentation ................................................................................................................................................ 246 Maintenance ........................................................................................................................................................ 247 CommCell® Updates and Upgrade Process ......................................................................................................... 248 CommServe® Database Maintenance .................................................................................................................... 249 Maintenance Modes .......................................................................................................................................... 249 Commvault® Tools ............................................................................................................................................... 252 Working with Log Files ......................................................................................................................................... 261 Working with Support .......................................................................................................................................... 266 Maintenance Customers .................................................................................................................................... 266 Non-Maintenance Customers ............................................................................................................................. 266 Key Notes ....................................................................................................................................................... 267 Documentation................................................................................................................................................. 267 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................................. 268 Thank you ........................................................................................................................................................... 269 Additional Commvault Resources .......................................................................................................................... 270 Welcome to Commvault .................................................................................................................................... 271 Commvault® Mobile App ................................................................................................................................... 272 Commvault Education Services .......................................................................................................................... 273 Glossary .......................................................................................................................................................... 274
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INTRODUCTION
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Preliminaries The value of this course comes from three distinct areas – first, the content of the material which guides your exploration and understanding of the product. Second, the skill of the instructor to expand on those areas of interest and to add value from their experience with the product. And lastly, you, the student whose questions and experiences help not only yourself, but others in understanding how Commvault® software can help you with your data management requirements.
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Commvault® University The Commvault® University training portal contains a set of powerful tools to enable Commvault employees and partners to better educate themselves on the use of the Commvault software suite. The portal includes: • • • •
Training Self-Assessment Tools Curriculum Guidance based on your Role in your Commvault Enterprise Management of your Commvault Certifications Access to Practice Exams and Certification Preparation Tools
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Class Resources Course manuals and activity guides are available for download for Instructor-Led Training (ILT) and Virtual Instructor-Led Training (vILT) courses. It is recommended to download these documents the day prior to attending class to ensure the latest document versions are being used. Self-paced eLearning courses can be launched directly from the education portals. If an eLearning course is part of an ILT or vILT course, it is a required prerequisite and should be viewed prior to attending class. If this class will be using a Commvault® virtual lab environment, it will be made available on the first day of class. Commvault® certification exams can be launched directly from the education web page. If you are automatically registered for an exam as part of an ILT or vILT course, it will be available on the final day of class. There is no time limit on when the exams need to be taken, but it is recommended to take them as soon as you feel you are ready.
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On Demand Lab Environment The Commvault Virtual Labs allow you access to a vital learning tool that provides a flexible method for gaining hands-on experience with the Commvault® software platform. You will have anywhere/anytime access to a powerful lab environment to practice installations, test configurations, review current version capabilities or review any lab exercises. The virtual labs are available 24-hours a day during class, or for the connect time purchased in training units.
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Commvault® Technical Education Career Path The Commvault next generation platform leapfrogs legacy solutions in capabilities and functionality fully modernizing the performance, security, compliance, and economic benefits of a holistic data management strategy. The key concepts covered in this learning module highlight the core features of Commvault’s new platform. To realize the full value of these features, Commvault provides multiple levels of education and certification from core training, through specialized learning sessions, from introductory modules for those new to Commvault, to master level training for Commvault powerusers.
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Commvault® On-Demand Learning Commvault On-Demand Learning offers an array of digital learning assets, selected virtual instructor-led events and other learning development tools. With an annual subscription, you have continuous access to hundreds of hours of on-demand learning, over a thousand pages of content and more than a hundred technical training videos. Content is created by seasoned Commvault experts and updates are posted weekly so you can be sure you can take advantage of the full breadth of the Commvault data platform when you need it. Commvault On-Demand Learning is a convenient, flexible, and cost-effective training solution that gives you the tools to keep a step ahead of your company’s digital transformation initiatives. You and your company will benefit by: •
Learning just what you need, when you need it.
•
Accessing exclusive expert sessions and on-demand content.
•
Receiving knowledge updates from Commvault experts in near real-time.
•
Building skill sets that can be applied to Commvault certification.
•
Applying knowledge and seeing impact immediately.
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Certifications Certifications are valuable investments for both a company and the IT professional. Certified personnel can increase a company's productivity, reduce operating costs, and increase potential for personal career advancement. Commvault's certification programs help validate expertise and advanced knowledge. This educational career path distinguishes higherlevel certifications such as Master, from lower-level certification as a validation of expertise. Key Points •
Certification is integrated with and managed through Commvault's online education portals.
•
The cost of the certification exam is included with the associated training course.
•
Practice assessments may be given in class.
•
Students may take the online certification exam(s) any time after completing the course.
•
Although it is recommended to attend training prior to attempting an exam, it is not required.
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Additional Resources Student Guide Take a moment to examine this Student Guide. Throughout the guide you will find graphical representations of topics and key notes.
Lab Guide The lab activities for this course is provided in a separate document. Take a moment to review this topic with your instructor.
Exam Tips •
Take notes and study.
•
Review course material, including the supplemental learning.
•
Plan to take the exam within the next week or two.
•
Allow yourself plenty of time, without distractions.
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Course Overview The objective of this course is to provide the concepts necessary to prepare for and implement a new CommCell ® environment. The course places focus on the most common deployment types and technical features including CommServe, MediaAgents, storage, deduplication, file system agent, virtualization, and data protection and recovery with a “hands on” approach to learning.
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COMMCELL® DEPLOYMENT PLANNING
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CommCell® Component Requirements
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CommServe® Server Requirements CommServe® server performance is essential for a well performing data protection environment. Although data is moved from client to MediaAgent or MediaAgent to MediaAgent; communication and job checkpoints are constantly occurring between CommCell® components and the CommServe server. The CommServe server also serves other functions such as reporting and the user experience may be impacted during peak periods of data protection operations. Installing more than one Commvault package on a single computer is a common practice. For example, if the computer has an Exchange and an Oracle database, you will install the Exchange Database Agent and the Oracle Agent to protect the data from both databases. When you combine multiple functions on a single computer, the storage resources required to support the software for that computer are not essentially cumulative. This is because Commvault packages share some of the same software. As a result, combined installations require about 30 MB less disk space than installations where the software resides on separate computers. Note that the hardware and software guidelines do change over time. Therefore when you are preparing for a deployment, we recommend that you refer to the documentation website for the current specifications. The documentation site provides sizing recommendations as well as the various software components required for the installation. Take a moment to review the documentation site with the instructor. The following is for example purposes only.
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Hardware
Software Commvault software fully supports the latest version of an operating system until the Microsoft Extended Support End Date. Newer versions of Commvault software might not install on operating systems for which Microsoft support has ended. Review the documentation website for the most current support information. By default, the Web Server and Web Console packages are installed with the CommServe. To install this software, IIS must be enabled on the CommServe server and meet the requirements described in the documentation website. Miscellaneous: •
Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE)
•
.NET Framework (3.5 and 4.0 are required and are automatically installed)
•
Java Runtime Environment (JRE)
The following summarizes key points for a new CommServe server deployment: •
Commvault software must be downloaded prior to installation. To avoid any deployment delays, arrangements for the software download should be done in advance. Additionally, determine the ability to routinely download updates and upload log files from the CommServe host. If the CommServe will not have internet access, alternate methods should be discussed and documented.
•
Determine the location for a local and remote Software Cache. The Software Cache is a directory where Commvault updates and software packages are stored. These can be configured during the deployment and typically help position the software to be routinely accessible throughout the organization – or prepare for a disaster.
•
Verify the Hardware and System Requirements.
•
Ensure the size of the environment has been assessed and there are adequate resources available for the CommServe server: o
Based on the sizing assessment, determine if the CommServe server will be physical or virtual.
o
Determine if the CommServe server needs to be deployed in a clustered configuration for high availability. Page 21 of 289
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o
Ensure the operating system meets the Commvault specifications and patched with updates prior to the installation.
o
Determine if the method of deployment requires additional considerations for Disaster Recovery. For example, configuring a ‘Floating Host Name’ for the CommServe® server.
o
Determine if additional components such as Metrics Reporting or the Workflow engine will be installed on the CommServe server.
o
Determine the methods for accessing the CommCell® console and/or Admin Console. ▪
The consoles are installed by default along with the CommServe components.
▪
IIS is required for the Web Server and Web Console and are automatically installed when IIS is enabled on the CommServe server.
Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) must be installed on the system drive of the Web Server. Do not install IIS on a non-system drive.
•
Although not always required, reboots (powering off and on) may be required to complete an installation or update. It is recommended to anticipate downtime and that the organization’s change request or maintenance window process is accommodated in advance. In some cases, the organization may require the changes be implemented after hours.
•
Outline the firewall and network considerations prior to any installation. Unless performing a decoupled install, all software components must communicate with the CommServe server during installation. Determine the requirements for working with the organizations firewall configuration in advance.
•
Identify any monitoring, security, or anti-virus software that will be installed on the same systems as Commvault software. The installation and in many cases Commvault operations may be blocked or performance severely degraded by such software. This can be avoided by applying the appropriate exceptions or filters for the Commvault software in advance.
•
Ensure any Service and Administrative accounts are preconfigured and known during the installation. The account type and permissions required are determined by the components being deployed. A thorough review of the deployment should help determine the needs.
•
o
For the CommServe server, an account with local Administrator privileges is required for the software installation.
o
A password for the CommCell ‘admin’ account is configured during the installation. This password should be a complex password and the primary administrator should always use this account when managing the environment.
A permanent license file must be applied after the CommServe software is installed. Ensure that any pending purchase agreements are completed prior to the deployment of the Commvault software.
Key Notes •
The CommServe name cannot be "CommCell". If you change the CommServe name during installation, do not change it to "CommCell".
•
The CommServe server database should NOT be installed on a system drive. Follow sizing and IOPS recommendations.
•
The installation requires 10 GB of temporary space on the system drive for temporary files.
•
The Microsoft SQL Server application CANNOT be shared with other applications. Page 22 of 289
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The CommServe's SQL database is not supported on a CIFS share.
•
Determine if the method of deployment requires additional considerations for Disaster Recovery. For example, configuring a Floating Host Name for the CommServe server.
The Disaster Recovery backup (Export Settings) configuration may be influenced by this choice.
•
The Workflow Engine is installed with the CommServe server by default. In large environments, ensure the combined system requirements are followed.
•
If you would like to allow Single Sign On (SSO) for users from multiple domains which are not trusted, install the Web Console in those domains. This applies when one or more domains in the environment are not trusted.
•
Additional items are required, such as .NET, Java, and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Review the documentation site for the latest information.
•
For Service Accounts, use the same Local System account for each service and enable auto-start for SQL services. In clustered environments, use an account with administrator privileges (such as, a member of the Administrator local group of the computer or domain).
•
The CommServe server host name cannot include spaces or any of the following characters: \|`~!@#$%^&*()+=/?,[]{}:;'"
Documentation •
Hardware Specifications for CommServe server: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=system_requirements/commcell_sizing/commserve.h tm
•
System Requirements – CommServe server: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=system_requirements/commserve.htm
•
Microsoft Support website: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us
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MediaAgent Requirements MediaAgent performance is essential for a well performing data protection environment. Data is moved from client to MediaAgent or from MediaAgent to MediaAgent and from MediaAgent to client. While data is transferred from a client to a MediaAgent, the MediaAgent indexes the data and may perform inline compression, deduplication, and encryption for multiple clients. MediaAgents responsibilities include the following functions: •
Data Mover – moves data during data protection, data recovery, auxiliary copy, and content indexing jobs.
•
Deduplication Database (DDB) – hosts one or more deduplication databases on high speed solid state or PCI storage.
•
Metadata indexes – hosts both V1 and V2 indexes on high speed dedicated disks.
•
Analytics – runs various analytics engines including data analytics, log monitoring, web analytics, and the Exchange index for the new Exchange Mailbox agent.
Deploying multiple MediaAgents can provide scalability and address special use case situations. For example, if the computer has an Oracle database and you want the computer to function as a MediaAgent with write capabilities to the target storage. You will install the MediaAgent and the Oracle Agent. In these situations, careful consideration is required to both sustain the Oracle application and MediaAgent requirements. Note that the hardware and software guidelines do change over time. Therefore, when you are preparing for a deployment, we recommend that you refer to the documentation website for the current specifications. The documentation site provides sizing recommendations as well as the various software components required for the installation. Take a moment to review the documentation site with the instructor.
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In addition to the hardware and software specifications, ask the instructor to help you locate the Best Practices for Indexing and Deduplication. Use a bookmark in your web browser for future reference. The following is for example purposes only.
Hardware
Software Commvault® software fully supports the latest version of an operating system until the Microsoft Extended Support End Date. Newer versions of Commvault software might not install on operating systems for which Microsoft support has ended. Review the documentation website for the most current support information. Miscellaneous: •
Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package
•
.NET Framework (3.5 and 4.0 are required and are automatically installed)
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MediaAgent data movement overview
Deduplication Database The Deduplication Database (DDB) maintains all signature records for a deduplication engine. During data protection operations, signatures are generated on data blocks and sent to the DDB to determine if data blocks are duplicate or unique. During data aging operations, the DDB is used to decrement signature counters for blocks from aged jobs and subsequently prune signatures, and block records when the signature counter reaches zero. For these reasons, it is critical that the DDB is located on high performance, locally attached solid state or PCI storage technology.
Metadata Indexes Commvault® software uses a distributed indexing structure that provides for enterprise level scalability and automated index management. This works by using the CommServe® database to only retain job-based metadata such as chunk information, which keeps the database relatively small. Detailed index information, such as details of protected objects is kept on the MediaAgent. The index location can maintain both V1 and V2 indexes. Ensure the index location is on high speed dedicated disks.
Analytics One or more analytics engines can be installed on a MediaAgent. The following provides a high-level overview of the commonly used analytics engines: •
•
Data analytics – provides a view into unstructured data within an environment. Some capabilities include: o
identifying old files and emails
o
identifying multiple copies of large files
o
removing unauthorized file types
Log monitoring – identifies and monitors any logs on client systems. The monitoring process is used to identify specific log entries and set filters based on criteria defined within a monitoring policy.
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Exchange index engine – maintains V2 metadata indexing information for the new Exchange Mailbox Agent. It is recommended when using the Exchange index server that no other analytic engines are installed on the MediaAgent hosting the index.
Physical vs. Virtual MediaAgent Commvault recommends using physical MediaAgents to protect physical and virtual data. The advantages for using a physical MediaAgent are: better performance, more versatility as a multi-purposed data mover (protect VMs and physical data), and resiliency. If using a tape library, presenting it to a virtualized MediaAgent adds an additional layer of complexity for configuration and troubleshooting (should an issue arise). A MediaAgent can be virtualized if all performance requirements including CPU, RAM, index directory location and deduplication database location are being met.
Tip: Remote Site MediaAgents You need to protect a smaller remote site and want to keep a local copy of data for quick restore. However, you are concerned about hardware costs for a MediaAgent.
Solution: Virtualize the remote site MediaAgent and keep a shorter retention for the local copy, producing a smaller footprint. Then replicate the data using DASH Copy to the main data center physical MediaAgent where it can be kept for a longer retention.
Key Notes •
MediaAgents can be deployed in a variety of configurations to share workloads. Please visit the documentation website and work closely with your Commvault team to determine each site’s requirements.
•
Separate, dedicated disk volumes should be used for the MediaAgent operating system, Index, and Deduplication databases.
•
For large data sets that exceeds suggested capacity, grouping data by type may be a strategy for achieving sizing goals for an environment.
•
A Building Block is a combination of server and storage which provides a modular approach for data management. The Deduplication Building Block Guide provides additional information.
•
The suggested workloads are not software limitations, rather guidelines for sizing under specific conditions.
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Prior to configuring a Large or an Extra-large MediaAgent on a virtual machine, contact your Commvault team.
•
The software installation requires 20 GB of temporary disk space on the operating system drive.
•
Allow for at least 10 GB of disk space for the MediaAgent software and log file growth.
•
Optimal performance will be realized with solid-state drive (SSD) technology for your local Deduplication and Index databases.
•
A battery backup with write back cache enabled is required for the RAID controller managing disks that the Index and Deduplication Databases (DDB) reside on. A Software RAID is NOT supported.
•
The use of SATA or Near-Line SAS drives Index or Deduplication Database drives are NOT supported.
•
Use the Hardware Matrix for hardware and driver compatibility.
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Documentation •
System Requirements – MediaAgent: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=system_requirements/ma.htm
•
Index Planning: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=features/index_cache/prerequisites.htm
•
Indexing: Best Practices: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=features/index_cache/best_practices.htm
•
Hardware Specifications for MediaAgents in Standard Deduplication Mode: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=system_requirements/commcell_sizing/ma_standard _mode.htm
•
Hardware Specifications for MediaAgents in Non-Deduplication Mode: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=system_requirements/commcell_sizing/ma_nondedup_standard_mode.htm
•
Hardware Specifications for Deduplication Extended Mode: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=system_requirements/commcell_sizing/ma_dedup_e xt_mode.htm
•
Storage I/O Performance Baseline Measurements for MediaAgents: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=features/media_agent/c_input_output_performance_ baseline_ma.htm
•
IOPS Index Database Volumes: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=features/index/iops.htm
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IOPS for Deduplication Database Volumes: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=features/deduplication/c_iops_ddb_volumes.htm
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Agent Requirements It is important, when deploying agents, to validate requirements. Prerequisites differ from one agent type to another. Even for components that you frequently deploy, always confirm as it may change when a new service pack is released. Most frequent requirement categories: •
Operating system version
•
Application version (for application agents)
•
Service account with specific privileges
For more information on requirements, please refer to their respective section on Commvault’s online documentation.
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Pre-Deployment Readiness
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Pre-Deployment Readiness Check Each environment is different relative to the available infrastructure, technology, budget, culture and requirements of the organization. Therefore, each deployment will not be the same. Whether performing a new installation, an upgrade, or expanding an existing environment, a good amount of planning should take place prior to the actual deployment phase of an engagement. When more emphasis is put into planning, it is more likely the deployment will go smoothly. Prior to a deployment, schedule a meeting to review the details of the project. Include the customer, project manager, and deployment engineers to review each site’s readiness. It is helpful to use a Readiness Checklist, along with a project plan. Ensure all parties agree to the tasks, project scope, project phases, start intervals, and assignments. It is much easier to address a misunderstanding before the project begins than it is to suspend activity. For reference, a summary of items you may choose to review is provided in the Key Notes section.
Gathering Information Proper documentation of the CommCell components being installed is essential for a smooth deployment. The following chart provides a sample of the information that must be obtained for the CommServe deployment. Having this information in advance will not only help the deployment go quicker – it can help bring any shortcomings to the surface, such as a lacking resource. Furthermore, it can aid in verifying site readiness and serve as a template for post deployment documentation.
Critical information for the CommServe server installation Attribute
Value (Examples)
IP Address
10.200.200.100
Additional Packages
File system agent, MediaAgent, Workflow engine, Web Server
SQL Install Directory
Drive:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\ Page 31 of 289
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SQL Database Directory
Drive:\Commvault\Database\
Commvault Software Directory
Drive:\Program Files\Commvault\ContentStore
DR Share
\\DRCommserve\CSDR
Software Cache
Drive:\Program Files\Commvault\ContentStore\Software
Download Cache
Drive:\Program Files\Commvault\ContentStore\Updates
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Download the Commvault® Software The Commvault® software follows a quarterly service pack release schedule. Download the latest version from Commvault using the login information provided in the welcome email sent to the organization. The email is sent to the address that was provided to Commvault during the purchasing process, which may be someone outside of the IT department. If you are unable to locate the information, contact the Project Manager or Commvault Support for assistance. Commvault® offers several methods for obtaining the software installation media required for installing a CommCell ® environment. The Commvault software installation media is available for download from the Maintenance Advantage website or from the Commvault Software Cloud Services download center. The Commvault Maintenance Advantage website provides the latest version of the Commvault installation media. By clicking Downloads & Packages, you can access the most current software installations and service packs or select a previous version. There are two options to download the Commvault software: •
Resumable Download Manager – Based on the Bootstrapper download manager, this option is activated by selecting the required files from the list and then selecting ‘Launch Download Manager’ at the bottom of the screen.
•
Bootstrapper Direct Download – This option reduces deployment time by selecting only the required Commvault software components and download of installation media.
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Downloading software from Maintenance Advantage
The installer media can also be downloaded from the Download Center on the Commvault ® software Cloud Services website.
To learn more about the Commvault's Cloud Services, refer to the Commvault Online Documentation about software usage and data analytics.
Key Notes The following Key Notes summarize items which should be discussed prior the software deployment. It is recommended to develop a pre-deployment checklist for routine events. In addition, it is helpful to utilize a Project Management team to coordinate the related tasks and resources. •
Work closely with your Commvault Project Manager and Consulting Engineer whenever afterhours work is required.
•
Review the Scope of Work. When possible, ensure that each phase of the project is attached to measurable success criteria.
•
Review everyone’s role, the point of contact, and contact information.
•
Review how the deployment will occur. o
If performed with remote collaboration tools, ensure that internet and voice communications will be possible in each location.
o
If performed at an onsite location, ensure that the site address(s), hours of operation, building access, and parking requirements are reviewed.
•
Review the firewall and networking readiness.
•
Review the service account and readiness. Page 34 of 289
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•
Ensure the current software has been downloaded to an on-premise location.
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Ensure that the License and Support agreements are up to date.
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o
Due to the legal nature of license agreements, the customer must download the software and agree to the terms. To avoid any deployment delays, arrangements for the software download should be done in advance. Additionally, determine the ability to routinely download updates and upload log files from the CommServe server. If the CommServe server will not have internet access, alternate methods should be discussed and documented.
o
Ensure the organization has a current Support Agreement in place and that you understand the support resources. This will be necessary to resolve any technical difficulties which cannot be remedied through a reasonable amount of troubleshooting.
Documentation •
Maintenance Advantage: https://ma.commvault.com/
•
Commvault Store: https://cloud.commvault.com/webconsole/softwarestore/store.do#!/home
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COMMCELL DEPLOYMENT AND CONFIGURATION
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CommCell® Deployment When deploying Commvault® software, it is important to note that every environment is different relative to the available infrastructure, technology, budget, culture and requirements of the organization. Whether performing a new installation, an upgrade, or expanding an existing environment, a good amount of planning should take place prior to installing Commvault software. The installation process itself is a straight forward. When more emphasis put into planning, it is more likely the deployment will go smoothly.
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CommCell® Deployment Overview The first component to be installed in a new CommCell ® environment will be the CommServe® server. Once it is installed the next step would be to install MediaAgent software and detect and configure libraries. Policy configuration for storage policies, schedule policies, subclient policies and global filters should be done prior to installing any client agents. When installing client agents, options to associate the default subclient for the agent with the policies can be selected so preconfiguring policies makes the agent deployment process smoother. Process to deploy a CommCell® Environment 1. Ensure all hardware requirements are met based on your environment and backup and recovery windows required 2. Install the CommServe® server software (and apply updates, if needed) 3. Configure CommServe DR backup settings 4. Configure software updates 5. Install MediaAgent software 6. Configure disk, cloud and tape libraries 7. Configure Global Deduplication Policies 8. Configure Client Computer Groups 9. Configure Storage Policies 10. Add Global Filters 11. Create schedule policies 12. Install agents and configure clients
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CommServe® Server Installation The following steps are used to install the CommServe server: 1. Install the IIS server role on the server. 2. From the download location, launch Setup.exe. 3. Select Accept on the license agreement screen. 4. Choose Install Packages on this computer. 5. In the Select Platforms window, select CommServe and CommCell console. Additional components such as the MediaAgent component can also be selected. 6. The installation folder path is set by default to the operating system install drive, Program Files folder. The default location can be changed to a different location by clicking the Browse button and selecting the desired location. 7. After the destination folder is selected, the summary of install options selected is displayed for confirmation. 8. Review the install options and click Install to proceed with the installation. The CommServe® server installation now installs the Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0 and Microsoft Visual C++ redistributable packages for the selected platforms.
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Configure CommServe® Database Settings During the installation, the location for the CommServe database engine and database files must be selected. This location should follow the recommendations provided on Commvault’s documentation site. The database must be located on a dedicated volume. A new CommServe database is created for new installations. The software also sets the SA password for the CommServe database. The password can be changed after the installation. Although not needed for day to day administration, it may be needed during troubleshooting or Disaster Recovery procedures. The installation wizard also offers the opportunity to import an existing database. This function is useful when performing a hardware refresh, or when rebuilding a CommServe server in a disaster scenario. When selecting the ‘Use an Existing Database’ option, browse to the location of the database export, and select the correct database. If there is an SA password mismatch, you must supply the customer defined password. When configuring the CommServe Database, the following occurs during installation: 1. The Microsoft SQL Server administrator password is set. 2. The option for the database files folder path is shown during the SQL instance installation. 3. A new CommServe database can be created or an existing database can be used. An existing database in the form of a CommServe database dump or export is used when: a. Installing the CommServe® server in an existing CommCell® environment when performing a server upgrade. b. Rebuilding a CommServe® server in a disaster scenario. When selecting the ‘Use an Existing Database’ option, browse to the location of the database export, and select the correct database.
CommServe database settings
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Administrator Account During the installation, an administrator account must be created. This account is used to log into the CommCell® console which is the primary user interface for configuration and administration tasks. The account cannot be deleted. A strong password should be used and be safely stored in the organization’s secure password management system. After the installation, at least one other administrative account should be created for daily use. This is critical in disaster situations to rebuild and login to the environment to implement additional DR procedures. Other administrators and users can use Active Directory (AD) for logging in.
Even if Active Directory integration is used to authenticate users, it is strongly recommended to have at least two administrators with local administrative accounts for DR purposes.
Administrator account creation screen
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Software Cache Options During the installation, the software packages and updates are copied to local disk. This is called a Software Cache or CommServe Cache and can be leveraged to “push” Client Agent software and updates to other servers in the environment. These settings can later be changed.
Cluster Setup Options If the CommServe server is being installed in a cluster, log into the active node with an Administrative account and then run Setup.exe from the installation media. The Cluster Setup Install Option page is displayed during the installation. After completing the selections on the active node, it may be necessary to log into the remaining cluster nodes and repeat the installation process. The installation will apply the missing components to the cluster node.
Addressing Installation Issues To assist in troubleshooting installation errors, check the following log: %allusersprofile%\Commvault Systems\Galaxy\LogFiles\Install.log. If the error occurs after the summary page, check the installation logs in the Software_Installation_Directory\Log Files directory.
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CommCell® Console Overview The CommCell® console is the central management graphical user interface used to configure the CommCell environment, monitor and control active jobs and view events related to all activities. The console can be accessed using local CommCell accounts or by using Active Directory integrated account authentication. The CommCell® Console provides access to advanced settings, which is often used by Professional Services and Support. The CommCell Console is made up of the following windows: •
CommCell Toolbar provides an easy to navigate ‘ribbon’ to manage and configure the CommCell environment.
•
CommCell Browser is the main navigation window which contains a hierarchal structure of all categories and components within the CommCell environment.
•
Content / Summary window provides details based on what component is selected in the CommCell Browser.
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Job Controller provides viewing and control capabilities for all active jobs in the CommCell environment.
•
Event Viewer provides information for all logged events within the CommCell environment.
Accessing the CommCell® Console The CommCell® console Graphical User Interface (GUI) can be accessed via any of the following four methods/locations: •
Local install on the CommServe host
•
Web-Based with IIS installed on the CommServe host
•
Web-Based with IIS installed on a remote system
•
Remote install on a separate Host
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CommServe® Server Post Installation Tasks After the CommServe® server has been installed, several post installation tasks are necessary before moving onto the remainder of the deployment. •
Apply production license key
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Configure Software Cache and Updates
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Apply updates to the CommServe® server
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Review and test the CommServe DR backup configuration
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Configure private and cloud metrics reporting
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Configure and test email settings
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Configure user accounts and security
CommCell® License When deploying Commvault V11, specific information is required to acquire a full production license: •
The CommServe must be installed.
•
Collect CommCell ID, Serial No and the Registration Code.
•
For the license file, send email to [email protected] to obtain key.
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CommCell® Email Settings Commvault® software sends alert notification or reports by email. Prior to using these features, the email server must be configured.
Tip: Configuring Email Settings Using a Secured Mail Server If your corporate mail server is secured, it is important to understand the level of security. Commvault ® software uses a functionality called SMTP relay. This means that the email server relays emails generated and sent by the CommServe® server. Therefore, SMTP relay must be allowed on the mail server for the CommServe® server IP address. Refer to your software vendor documentation for more information about SMTP relay and the mail server.
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Email server settings
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Configure Private and Cloud Metrics Reporting Metrics reporting is a tool that monitors and reports on the health of the CommCell® environment and stores the information either in a private Metrics Reporting server, or on Commvault ® Cloud metrics services. Once the information is stored, a broad range of reports and dashboards are available through a portal to help an administrator monitor the CommCell® environment. To use the private server, the Metrics Reporting component must be selected when installing the CommServe ® server. Enabling the private or cloud Metrics Reporting is achieved from the Control Panel.
To enable private Metrics reporting
To enable cloud Metrics reporting
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Configure Software Cache and Updates Click Add/Remove Software | Software Cache Configuration Commvault follows a quarterly schedule for major service pack releases. Service packs are available initially for manual download from the Maintenance Advantage website. They are then moved to auto update via the Commvault software update cache process approximately two weeks after initial availability. Major Service packs should be deployed when available and Minor Service packs deployed as needed. By default, the system creates automatic schedules that download and install updates on Commvault ® servers, as well as on clients. These schedules can be modified as desired. Software and update cache locations are configured as follows: •
Primary cache location where all CommCell resources pull software and updates, unless configured to use a remote cache.
•
Remote caches are used as secondary cache locations, which is beneficial for remote locations. Secondary caches are set up on local clients at the location to pull software and updates locally avoiding additional WAN traffic.
Configure the Software Cache
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To configure remote software caches
To download package and updates
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Automatic update schedules are as follows: •
System Created Download Software – Download the updates automatically in the software cache once a week if new updates are available.
•
System Created Install Software – Automatically install updates on Commvault® servers and clients once a week if required. For instance, many companies have change control procedures in place. Installing updates automatically on servers might go against these procedures. In this case, the System Created Install Software schedule can be modified or simply disabled.
Viewing or editing automatic update schedules
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Apply Updates to the CommServe® Server From the Tools menu | Add/Remove Software | Install Service Pack and Hotfixes The next step is to ensure that the CommServe® server is up to date. This provides all the latest configuration options available. Updates can be deployed from the software cache using the CommCell console.
Applying update options
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CommServe® DR Backup By default, every day at 10:00 AM, the CommServe DR backup process is executed. This process first dumps the CommServe SQL database to a local folder path. An export process then copies the folder contents to a user defined drive letter or UNC path. A backup phase subsequently backs up the DR Metadata and any user defined log files to a location based on the storage policy associated with the backup phase of the DR process. All processes, schedules and export/backup location are customizable in the DR Backup Settings applet in the Control Panel. Additionally, a copy of the DR backup can be uploaded to Commvault ® Cloud Services, which guarantees that an offline copy exists and is accessible during recovery if a disaster was to occur.
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CommServe® DR backup process overview
Database Dump During the dump phase, the system stores the dump files in the following location: •
V11 upgraded environment: \CommVault\Simpana\CommServeDR folder.
•
V11 New Installation: \CommVault\Content Store\CommServeDR folder.
If available space is low, the location of the dump can be modified using the ‘ERStagingDirectory’ in the CommServe Additional Settings tab.
Export The Export process copies the contents of the \CommServeDR folder to the user defined export location. A drive letter or UNC path can be defined. The export location should NOT be on the local CommServe server. If a standby CommServe server is available, define the export location to a share on the standby server. By default, five metadata backups are retained in the export location. It is recommended to have enough disk space to maintain one weeks’ worth of DR exports and adjust the number of exports to the DR backup schedule frequency.
Backup The Backup process is used to back up the DR Metadata to protected storage. This is accomplished by associating the backup phase with a storage policy. A default DR storage policy is automatically created when the first library is configured in the CommCell environment. Although the backup phase can be associated with a regular storage policy, it is recommended to use a dedicated DR storage policy to protect the DR Metadata.
DR Storage Policy When the first library in a CommCell environment is configured, a CommServe Disaster Recovery storage policy is automatically created. The Backup phase of the DR backup process is automatically associated with this storage policy. If the first library configured is a disk library and a tape library is subsequently added, a storage policy secondary copy is created and associated with the tape library.
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CommServe DR Backup configuration
DR Backups to the Cloud Commvault® offers to all customers a free cloud service to which DR backup can be uploaded. The last seven metadata backups will be stored and can be downloaded if needed. This ensures that a recent copy of the database is offsite and can’t be accessed by a rogue process such as a ransomware attack. This service requires a Commvault Cloud Services account that can be created using the following URL: http://cloud.commvault.com
Backup Frequency By default, the DR backup runs once a day at 10:00 AM. The time the backup runs can be modified, and the DR backup can be scheduled to run multiple times a day or saved as a script to be executed on demand.
Locations Multiple copies of the DR backup can be maintained in its raw (export) form using scripts. Multiple copies of the backup phase are created within the DR storage policy by creating secondary copies, or by creating a data backup storage policy and including the metadata in the secondary copy’s Association tab. Follow these guidelines for locating the DR Metadata backups. •
On-site and off-site standby CommServe® servers should have an export copy of the metadata.
•
Wherever protected data is located, a copy of the DR Metadata should also be included.
•
Whenever protected data is sent off-site a copy of the DR Metadata should be included.
•
Since DR Metadata does not consume a lot of space, longer retention is recommended.
Retention By default, the export phase maintains five copies of the metadata. A general recommendation is to maintain a weeks’ worth of metadata exports if disk space is available. This means if the DR backup is scheduled to run two times per day, then 14 metadata backups should be maintained.
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For the metadata backup phase, the default storage policy retention is 60 days and 60 cycles. A general best practice is that the metadata should be saved based on the longest data being retained. If data is being sent off-site on tape for ten years, a copy of the DR database should be included with the data.
DR Backups default retention
Running a CommServe DR backup
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DB Backup default schedule options
Key Notes •
It is important to test and ensure the CommServe DR backup is running correctly. Once it completes successfully, it is safe to continue with the deployment.
•
If tapes are being sent off-site daily prior to 10:00 AM then the default DR backup time is not adequate. Alter the default schedule so the backup can complete, and DR tapes can be exported from the library prior to media being sent off-site. Page 56 of 289
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•
The DR Metadata is essential to recover protected data. If backups are conducted at night and auxiliary copies are run during the day, consider setting up a second schedule after auxiliary copies complete.
•
For mission critical jobs, consider saving a DR backup job as a script. The script can then be executed by using an alert to execute the script upon successful completion of the job.
•
Although the Backup phase can be associated with any storage policy in the CommCell ® environment, it is recommended to use a dedicated DR storage policy. Using a dedicated policy isolates DR Metadata on its own set of media making it potentially easier to locate and catalog in a disaster situation.
•
The most common reason the Backup phase is associated with regular data protection storage policies is to reduce the number of tapes being sent off-site. If the backup phase is associated with a regular storage policy, consider the following key points: o
Make sure the ‘Erase Data’ feature is disabled in the storage policy. If this is not done, the DR Metadata will not be recoverable using the Media Explorer utility.
o
When the storage policy secondary copy is created, ensure the DR Metadata is included in the Associations tab of the policy copy.
o
Make sure you are properly running and storing media reports. This is especially important when sending large numbers of tapes off-site. If you don’t know which tape the metadata is on, you will have to catalog every tape until you locate the correct media which is storing the DR Metadata.
Documentation •
CommServe Disaster Recovery Solutions: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp12/article?p=43510.htm
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MediaAgent Installation and Configuration Use the installation method of your choice to push the software to the MediaAgent. The MediaAgent component can be located on the same host as the CommServe component, the same host as an agent component, or on a separate host by itself. Non-clustered MediaAgent components can be installed interactively from the installation media or pushed from the CommCell® Console. The next component to install are the MediaAgents to which libraries will later be attached. MediaAgents move and retrieve protected data from disk, tape, and cloud storage. Data can move at a speed of 4 plus terabytes per hour per MediaAgent. The MediaAgent software is pushed to a server directly from the software cache using the CommCell ® Console. When installing the MediaAgents, refer to the Commvault Online Documentation to ensure that all hardware requirements are met. Steps for Installing the MediaAgent 1. Launch the installation in the console. 2. Select the platform and provide the servers hostnames. 3. Provide a domain account that has administrative privileges on the systems. 4. Select the MediaAgent code. 5. Check the Reboot (if required) box. 6. Provide the location for the Index directory and the installation directory if different than the default values. 7. Configure the firewall setting if there is a firewall between the CommServe ® server and the MediaAgents.
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Installation screen for MediaAgent server software install (CommCell® Console)
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MediaAgent Post Installation Tasks After the MediaAgent software has been installed, perform the following tasks: •
Validate the location of the Index directory
•
Apply updates to the MediaAgents
•
Prepare the volume for the Deduplication Database (DDB)
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About the Index Directory All object level data protection jobs use indexes for all operations. These indexes are maintained in the index directory. Improper configuration of the index directory can result in job failures and long delays in browse and recovery operations.
Validate the Location of the Index Directory Validate that the location of the Index directory is properly set for the MediaAgent. It should be located on a dedicated SSD or PCIe drive. The location of the Index directory of the MediaAgent
Changing the Index Directory Location Right-click the MediaAgent | Click Properties | Catalog tab The index directory location is modified by changing the ‘Index Directory’ in the Catalog tab of the MediaAgent properties. When the path is changed, the system prompts the user to automatically copy the contents from the old location to the new location.
Note that this is a copy operation, so the old index directory contents remain until deleted by the user.
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Apply Updates to the MediaAgents No matter which procedure was used to install MediaAgents, it is important to validate that the MediaAgents are up to date with the software cache. To do so, click Client Computers in the CommCell ® browser and press F5 to refresh the view. Once refreshed, ensure that the ‘Update Status’ column displays ‘Up-to-Date’ for all MediaAgents.
Update status for MediaAgents
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Index Directory location
Key Notes •
Host Name resolution - Proper Host Name resolution, both forward and reverse, are the single most common installation problems. Verify proper host name resolution of all components before starting an install. IP addresses can be used in place of a Host Name if DNS is slow or unreliable.
•
Client access path - If the client data will transit over a LAN, verify the expected access path is available and addressable. This data path may be different from the control/coordination path used for the install. Such paths can be set up using Data Interface Pairs.
•
Data path to Library - The MediaAgent host must have access to all libraries to which you expect to read/write data from that MediaAgent. Multiple libraries under a single MediaAgent control are supported.
Documentation •
Moving the Index Directory: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp12/article?p=features/index_cache/t_move_index_direct ory.htm
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Storage and Deduplication
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Storage Overview Commvault® software logically addresses storage systems to allow virtually any library type to be used. The three primary library types are disk, tape, and cloud. Disk libraries best practices: •
If using DAS or SAN, format mount paths using a 64KB block size.
•
If using DAS or SAN, try to create multiple mount path. For instance, if there are 10 mount paths, and there is a maintenance job, such as a defrag job running on one, the mount path can be set to read-only, leaving 90% of the disk library available for backup jobs.
•
Set mount path usage to Spill and Fill, even if using only one mount path. If additional mount paths are added later, the streams will spill as expected.
•
Share the disk library if required.
•
From the CommCell® console, validate the mount path speed and document for future reference.
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Disk Library Design A disk library is a logical container which is used to define one or more paths to storage called mount paths. These paths are defined explicitly to the location of the storage as a drive letter or a UNC path. Within each mount path, writers are allocated which defines the number of concurrent streams for the mount path. There are three primary types of disk libraries: •
Dedicated – disk libraries are created by first adding a disk library entity to the MediaAgent using either the right-click All Tasks menu or the Control Panel’s Library and Drive Configuration Tool. One or more mount paths can be created/added to the library. Mount Paths are configured as Shared Disk Devices. The Shared Disk Device in a dedicated disk library has only one Primary Sharing Folder.
•
Shared – disk libraries are libraries with more than one Primary Sharing Folder configured on a Shared Disk Device. This enables other MediaAgents access to the same shared volume resource. A shared disk library can then be created and the ‘Shared Disk Devices’ added to the library. One path to the shared folder can be direct while the others are Common Internet File System (CIFS) shared directory paths. CIFS protocol is used to manage multiple MediaAgent access to the same directory. For UNIX hosted MediaAgents, Network File Share (NFS) protocol can be used. NFS shared disks appear to the MediaAgent as local drives.
•
Replicated – disk libraries are configured like a shared disk library with the exception that the Shared Disk Device has a replicated data path defined to a volume accessible via another MediaAgent. Replicated folders are read-only and replication can be configured for use with third party replication hardware.
There are three methods that disk library data paths can be configured: •
Network Attached Storage or NAS
•
Storage Area Network or SAN
•
Direct Attached Storage or DAS
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Network-Attached Storage (NAS) Network-Attached Storage provides the best connection method from a resiliency standpoint since the storage is accessed directly through the NAS device. This means that by using a Common Interface File System (CIFS) or a Network Internet File System (NFS), Universal Naming Convention (UNC) paths can be configured to read and write directly to storage. In this case, the library can be configured as a shared library, where all MediaAgents can see stored data for data protection and recovery operations.
Disk library using Network Attached Storage (NAS)
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Storage Area Network (SAN) Storage Area Networks or SANs are very common in many data centers. SAN storage can be zoned and presented to MediaAgents using either Fibre Chanel or iSCSI. In this case, the zoned storage is presented directly to the MediaAgent providing Read / Write access to the disks. When using SAN storage, each building block should use a dedicated MediaAgent, DDB and disk library. Although the backend disk storage in the SAN can reside on the same disk array, it should be configured in the Commvault ® software as two separate libraries; where Logical unit numbers (LUNs) are presented as mount paths in dedicated libraries for specific MediaAgents. SAN storage provides fast and efficient movement of data but, if the building block MediaAgent fails, data cannot be restored. When using SAN storage, either the MediaAgent can be rebuilt or the disk library can be re-zoned to a different MediaAgent. If the disk library is rezoned, it must be reconfigured in the Commvault® software to the MediaAgent that has access to the LUN.
Disk library using Storage Area Network (SAN)
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Direct Attached Storage (DAS) Direct attached storage is when the disk library is physically attached to the MediaAgent. In this case, each building block is completely self-contained. This provides for high performance but does not provide resiliency. If the MediaAgent controlling the building block fails, data stored in the disk library cannot be recovered until the MediaAgent is repaired or replaced. Keep in mind that, in this case, all the data in the disk library is still completely indexed and recoverable, even if the index directory is lost. Once the MediaAgent is rebuilt, data from the disk library can be restored.
Disk library using Direct Attached Storage (DAS)
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Add a Disk Library (CommCell® Console) Before adding a disk library, the operating system must have access to the storage. For SAN or DAS storage, volumes must be created and formatted in the operating system. For NAS, try to access the storage CIFS shares using the credentials.
Add the Disk Library Once the operating system has access to the storage, the library can be created.
Add a disk library from the CommCell® console
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Add Mount Paths to the Library Creating the library also defines the first mount path. Any additional mount paths then need to be defined.
Add a mount path
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Share the Disk Library If the disk library is using NAS storage, it can be shared with other MediaAgents. Sharing a disk library is achieved by sharing its mount paths. Apply the sharing procedure on each mount path.
Sharing a disk library mount path
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Cloud Library Design Cloud storage is an emerging technology that is quickly being integrated into data centers for its availability and, in some cases, lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). As a DR solution, however, there are still significant questions on its effectiveness. The two biggest questions regarding cloud storage for DR are bandwidth availability and data security. Using advanced features such as Commvault deduplication can greatly reduce the bandwidth requirements of backing up to cloud storage. However, in a disaster situation where a significant amount of data must be restored, bandwidth can become a serious bottleneck. Data transfer are achieved using secured channels (HTTPS) and are optionally encrypted to further secure the data sent to the cloud.
The list of supported cloud providers for Commvault® software grew over the years — up to 20 providers as of Service Pack 7. For a complete list of supported providers, please refer to Commvault Online Documentation.
Add a Cloud Library If a cloud provider is used for the cloud library, access information is given by the provider. This includes the URL, username, password or keys, and the container or bucket in which to store the data. This information is required in Commvault® software when adding the cloud library. A MediaAgent must be defined to act as a gateway and to send the data to the cloud. If the library is used for secondary copies of data store in local library, it is recommended whenever possible to use the MediaAgent hosting the primary copy to avoid unnecessary traffic. If the MediaAgent requires a proxy to reach the cloud, it can be defined during the cloud library creation process by using the Advanced tab.
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Adding a cloud library
Key Notes •
Properly plan and analyze if the cloud library scenario meets the needs (i.e. restoring an entire datacenter).
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If the link is shared with users, consider throttling Commvault ® bandwidth usage during business hours.
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If the MediaAgent does not have direct access to the internet, define the proxy settings in the Advanced tab of the cloud library configuration page.
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If the cloud library is accessed through a high-speed internet link (1GB or higher), consider tuning the connection. For more information, refer to the Commvault Online Documentation, ‘Cloud Connection Performance Tuning’ section.
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If using deduplication, by default, jobs are not aged and pruned unless the DDB is sealed. If you want to age and prune jobs as soon as retention is met, configure micro pruning. For more information, refer to the Commvault Online Documentation, ‘Configuring Micro Pruning on Cloud Storage’ section.
Documentation •
Libraries: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp12/article?p=9154.htm
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Tape Library Design A tape library is a library where media can be added, removed, and moved between multiple libraries. The term removable media is used to specify various types of removable media supported by Commvault ® software, including tape and USB disk drives, which can be moved between MediaAgents for data protection and recovery operations. Tape libraries are divided into the following components: •
Library – is the logical representation of a library within a CommCell® environment. A library can be dedicated to a MediaAgent or shared between multiple MediaAgents. Sharing of removable media libraries can be static or dynamic depending on the library type and the network connection method between the MediaAgents and the library.
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Master drive pool – is a physical representation of drives of the same technology within a library. An example of master drive pools would be a tape library with different drive types like LTO4 and LTO5 drives within the same library.
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Drive pool – is used to logically divide drives within a library. The drives can then be assigned to protect different jobs.
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Scratch pool – is defined to manage scratch media, also referred to as spare media, which can then be assigned to different data protection jobs. o o
Custom scratch pools – can be defined and media can be assigned to each pool. Custom barcode patterns – can be defined to automatically assign specific media to different scratch pools or media can manually be moved between scratch pools in the library.
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Library Types Commvault software supports the drives for tape libraries: •
Standalone
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Blind
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Dedicated
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Static Shared
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Dynamic Shared
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Virtual Tape Library (VTL)
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USB Devices PnP (Plug and Play) Disk Libraries
Standalone A standalone tape drive has no robotic media changer and no internal storage slots. Multiple standalone drives controlled by the same MediaAgent can be pooled together to support multi-stream jobs or cascade of a single stream job without having to respond to media handling requests. Media used by a Standalone library can be pre-stamped or new, and will be prompted for, by backup or restore jobs as necessary.
Blind A ‘blind’ library has no barcode reader and is supported by the Commvault® software maintaining the map/inventory externally in the CommServe® server metadata.
Dedicated A static configuration where the drives and media changer are connected to only one MediaAgent.
Static Shared A static configuration where the drives and media changer are connected to only one of several MediaAgent hosts. Example: In a library with four tape drives, one MediaAgent may have control of the media changer and two drives within the library while another MediaAgent may have control over the other two tape drives. A drive connected to one MediaAgent host is not accessible from the other MediaAgent hosts. Should the MediaAgent component having media changer control fail, no further loading/unloading of media can occur until that MediaAgent is active again. Shared libraries in today’s world of Storage Area Networks (SAN) are not common.
Dynamic Shared In a Dynamic Shared Library, the library drives and media changer are on a SAN and can be accessed by multiple MediaAgent hosts. Drives not being used by one MediaAgent can be assigned to and used by another MediaAgent. If the MediaAgent with control of the media changer fails, the control can be automatically passed to another MediaAgent. The primary advantage of a Dynamic Drive library is the use of multiple MediaAgents for processing reads/writes. Dynamic Drive capability is referred to as GridStor® Technology. GridStor technology is an option that enables load balancing and failover of data protection jobs.
Virtual Tape Library (VTL) A Virtual Tape Library (VTL) is a disk-based library that emulates the traditional tape devices and formats, and can be installed onto any disk space. Refer to the manufacturer's documentation to see if a disk-based storage subsystem supports VTL emulation mode. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to create the virtual tape library and make sure that the MediaAgent can detect the virtual arm changer and the drives created.
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USB Devices - PnP (Plug and Play) Disk Libraries For some environments with remote office locations connected to a main data center with limited bandwidth such as ‘fractional T1’ or ‘satellite,’ USB backup devices may provide the best protection solution. PnP (Plug and Play) Disk Libraries (USB devices) are configured and recognized by Commvault® software as standalone tape devices. This allows data to be protected to USB devices using MediaAgents at remote locations, removed and sent to another location and connected to a different MediaAgent where the data can be accessed and restored. Since the USB device is detected as a tape device it is considered portable and any Windows MediaAgent within the CommCell® environment can recognize the device and access/restore the data. This method can also be used for seeding stores when using Commvault deduplication for remote office protection.
Add a Tape Library A tape library is added directly from the CommCell ® browser by right-clicking libraries or using the expert storage configuration applet in the storage ribbon menu. The expert storage configuration applet provides advanced configuration options that are not available when using the CommCell browser add method. Before you configure a tape library in Commvault® software, it first must be attached or zoned to be seen by the MediaAgent operating system. The device manager should detect one medium changer and one or many drives. It is recommended to install the vendor drivers specific to the library. Once completed, if the library is dedicated to a single MediaAgent, it is configured directly in the CommCell® browser. If it is shared, it must be configured using the Expert Storage Configuration wizard.
Adding a tape library from the CommCell® browser
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Add a shared tape library using expert storage configuration
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Key Notes •
Configure the tape library cleaning method to use. Software cleaning (Commvault) or hardware cleaning (library) can be used, but not both. A choice must be made.
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Share the tape library if required.
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Create a barcode pattern for cleaning tapes and assign it to the Cleaning Media group.
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If using multiple scratch media groups, create scratch groups and barcode patterns to use.
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Validate drive speed (from the CommCell® Console) and document for future reference.
Documentation •
Tape Libraries: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp12/article?l=00BOL_12/05Media+Management_02/04Li braries_02/02Tape+Libraries_02
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Deduplication
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Deduplication Overview In any modern data center, duplicate data exists on storage-based media, networks, and virtual servers. Some examples include identical DLL files existing on different servers, or multiple users working on the same document—each user modifies different blocks in the file while other blocks remain unchanged. Traditionally this redundant data is stored on disk or tape, which requires a significant amount of space to protect. With Commvault® deduplication storage techniques, a single copy of redundant data (and any subsequent references to the same data) is stored only once; reducing the amount of space needed to save data and protecting against data loss.
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Components and Terminology There are several components that comprise the Commvault® deduplication architecture: •
The Global Deduplication Policy – defines the rules for the Deduplication Engine. These rules include: o
Deduplication Store location and configuration settings
o
The Deduplication Database (DDB) location and configuration settings
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A Data Management Storage Policy – is configured as a traditional storage policy, where the former also manages subclient associations and retention. Storage policy copies defined within the Data Management policy are associated with Global Deduplication storage policies. This association of the Data Management Storage Policy copy to a Global Deduplication Policy determines in which Deduplication Store the protected data resides.
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Deduplication Database (DDB) – is the database that maintains records of all signatures for data blocks in the Deduplication Store.
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Deduplication Store – contains the protected storage using Commvault deduplication. The store is a disk library which contains non-duplicate blocks, along with block indexing information, job metadata, and job indexes.
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Client – is the production client where data is being protected. The client has a file system and/or an application agent installed. The agent contains the functionality to conduct deduplication operations, such as creating data blocks and generating signatures.
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MediaAgent – coordinates signature lookups in the DDB and writes data to a protected storage. The signature lookups operation is performed using the DDB on the MediaAgent.
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Deduplication Building Blocks
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Commvault recommends using building block guidelines for simplicity and scalability when designing a deduplication solution. Use the building block approach provides the best method to ensure a deduplication solution will meet current and future needs.
For additional guidelines and the latest recommendations for deduplication building blocks refer to Commvault online documentation
Deduplication Architecture high level overview:
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Global Deduplication A global deduplication policy is used to configure and manage the Deduplication Database (DDB) and the deduplication store. It functions as a deduplication engine such that it is not used to manage subclient data, retention settings, or secondary copies. A global deduplication policy works by linking storage policy copies to a single DDB and store to centrally manage deduplicated data. Linking storage policy copies allows data to be managed independently by a specific data storage policy, while maintaining a more efficient deduplication ratio. Each policy can manage specific subclient content and independently manage retention and additional copies. This provides for efficient deduplication ratios while providing scalability and flexibility for different data protection requirements.
Global Deduplication for Base Storage Policy Design Always use global deduplication policies as your base store and link storage policy copies to the global deduplication policy. This provides better deduplication ratios as your environment changes and grows. Even if one storage policy is initially required, the primary copy managing data should be associated with a global deduplication policy. Additionally, you can link subsequent policies (if required) to the global deduplication policy, which results in better ratios and provides more flexibility for defining retention policies or consolidating remote location data to a central policy. It is important to note that associating or not associating a storage policy copy with a global deduplication policy can only be done at the creation of the policy copy. Once the copy is created, it will either be part of a global policy or it won’t.
Global Deduplication for Consolidating Multiple Remote Sites Global deduplication storage policies can be used to consolidate remote site data to a central location. Remote backups can be performed locally at each location and then use DASH Copy operations to copy the data to a central data center location. Since duplicate blocks may exist at each of the sites, using a global deduplication storage policy associated with a secondary copy can use a single DDB and a single store to consolidate data blocks from all remote locations.
Global deduplication policies for remote office data consolidation
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Global Deduplication Policy Wizard Storage Resources | Right-click Deduplication Engines | New Global Deduplication Policy The global deduplication policy wizard is used to create new global deduplication policies. Options during the wizard include the name, library, MediaAgent, number of partitions and partition location, and the network interfaces used for MediaAgent configurations. Additional settings including the use of transactional DDB and compression usage must be set after completing the wizard.
Create a global deduplication policy
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Partitioned Deduplication Database Partitioned deduplication provides higher scalability and deduplication efficiency by allowing more than one Deduplication Database (DDB) partition to exist within a single deduplication engine. It works by logically dividing signatures between multiple databases. If two deduplication partitions are used, it effectively doubles the size of the deduplication store. Currently Commvault® software supports up to four database partitions.
How Partitioned Databases Work During data protection jobs, partitioned DDBs and the data protection operation work using the following logic: 1. Signature is generated at the source - For primary data protection jobs using client-side deduplication, the source location is the client. For auxiliary DASH copy jobs, the source MediaAgent generates signatures. 2. Based on the generated signature it is sent to its respective database. The database compares the signature to determine if the block is duplicate or unique. 3. The defined storage policy data path is used to protect data – regardless of which database the signature is compared in, the data path remains consistent throughout the job. If GridStor ® Round-Robin has been enabled for the storage policy primary copy, jobs will load balance across MediaAgents.
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Partition Deduplication showing data path and signature lookup paths
Partitioned Databases and Network-Attached Storage (NAS) If partitioned deduplication is going to be implemented using two MediaAgents, it is recommended to use a shared disk library with a Network-attached Storage (NAS) device. The NAS storage allows either MediaAgent to recover data even if the other MediaAgent is not available.
Partitioned Database for Scalability The primary purpose for partitioned DDBs is to provide higher scalability. By balancing signatures between database partitions, you can scale up the size of a single deduplication store. If you have two partitions, the size of the store doubles -- and having four partitions quadruples its size.
Partitioned Database for Resiliency Using partitioned databases ensures resiliency. For instance, if one MediaAgent hosting a Deduplication Database (DDB) goes offline, the other MediaAgent continues data protection jobs as the available DDB continues signature lookups. However, with the loss of one database, all signatures previously managed by the off-line database would now be looked up in the remaining online database. This causes existing signatures managed in the off-line database to be compared in the online database, which results in the signatures being treated as unique, and additional data being written to the library.
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Storage Policies
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Storage Policy Overview A storage policy defines the lifecycle management rules for all protected data. In its most basic form, a storage policy acts as a container with one or more sets of rules that define how data will be managed. These rules are called storage policy copies. Within the storage policy, multiple copies can be created, each with their own set of rules. There are three primary rules that every storage policy copy must have defined: •
What data? – is determined through subclients association.
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Where will data be stored? – is determined by the data path.
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How long will data be kept? – is determined by the retention.
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Storage policy high level overview
Subclient (What Data) One of the more difficult concepts for backup administrators transitioning from legacy backup products to Commvault® software is that a server is not directed to a storage policy—subclient data which is located on the server is. This is achieved by defining what data a subclient manages. For most file systems and applications, a default subclient is automatically generated. For these agents, the default subclient protects all data the agent is responsible for. Additional subclients can be created to meet performance, management and special protection requirements.
Data Path The storage policy the subclient data is associated with determines the data path. The path is used to move data from the source location to protected storage. All active subclients must be associated with a storage policy. A data path is made up of four components: •
MediaAgent
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Library
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Drive pool (tape library)
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Scratch pool (tape library)
Retention (How long will data be kept?) Retention is defined in the Retention tab of the storage policy copy. Each copy has its own retention configurations. This allows subclient data to be managed in multiple locations, each with their own retention settings.
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Storage Policy Structure The concept of storage policy copies is that the data from the production environment only is moved to protected storage once. When data is in protected storage, the storage policy logically manages and maintains independent copies of that data. This allows for greater flexibility when managing data based on the three key aspects of data protection: disaster recovery, data recovery, and data archiving. There are five types of storage policy copies •
Primary snap copy (used only with IntelliSnap® feature, block-level and VSA Application Aware backups)
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Primary backup copy (also known as primary classic)
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Secondary synchronous copy
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Secondary selective copy
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Secondary snap copy
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Storage policy and policy copies
Primary Copy A storage policy primary copy sets the primary rules for protected data. Each storage policy can have two primary copies: •
Primary snap copy – manages protected data using the Commvault IntelliSnap® feature, any agents configured to run block-level backups or the Virtual Server Agent (VSA) using Application Aware backups.
• Primary classic copy – manages traditional agent-based data protection jobs. Most rules defined during the policy creation process are modified after it has been created.
Secondary Copies There are three types of secondary copies: •
Secondary Synchronous
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Secondary Selective
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Secondary snap copy
Synchronous Copy A synchronous copy defines a secondary copy to synchronize protected data with a source copy. All valid data (jobs that completed successfully) written to the source copy are copied to the synchronous copy via an update process called an auxiliary copy operation. This means that all full, incremental, differential, transaction log, or archive jobs from a source copy are also managed by the synchronous copy. Synchronous copies are useful when you want a consistent point-intime copy at any point within the cycle of all protected data available for restore.
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Synchronous copies are used to meet the following requirements: •
Provides consistent point-in-time copies of data required to restore data to a specific point-in-time within a cycle.
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Provides copies that are required to be sent off-site daily.
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Provides the ability to restore multiple versions of an object from a secondary copy within a cycle.
Synchronous secondary copy concept
Selective Copy A selective copy allows automatic selection of specific full backups or manual selection of any backup for additional protection. Selective copy options allow the time-based automatic selection of ‘all,’ ‘weekly,’ ‘monthly,’ ‘quarterly,’ ‘halfyear,’ and/or ‘yearly full.’ Advanced options allow you to generate selective copies based on a frequency of ‘number of cycles,’ ‘days,’ ‘weeks,’ or ‘months.’ You can also choose the ‘Do Not Automatically Select Jobs’ option which allows you to use auxiliary copy schedules to determine when copies of full backups are made. Selective copies are used to meet the following requirements: •
Data being sent off-site weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly.
•
Archiving point-in-time copies of data for compliance and government regulations.
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Selective secondary copy concept
Selective Copy Tab A Selective Copy allows automatic selection of specific full backups or manual selection of any backup for additional protection. Selective copy options allow the time based automatic selection of ‘all,’ ‘weekly,’ ‘monthly,’ ‘quarterly,’ ‘halfyear,’ and/or ‘yearly full’ backups. Advanced options allow you to generate selective copies based on a frequency of number of ‘cycles,’ ‘days,’ ‘weeks,’ or ‘months.’ You can also choose the ‘Do Not Automatically Select Jobs’ option which allows you to use auxiliary copy schedules to determine when copies of full backups will be made.
Selective Copy configuration for a storage policy copy
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Storage Policy Configuration The Storage Policy Wizard is used to create storage policies for a CommCell ® environment. Once the policy is configured, most options are customized in the Properties settings. Storage Policy Type Storage policies are used for CommServe® Disaster Recovery Backups or standard data protection. CommServe disaster recovery storage policies are only used for protecting the CommServe ® server metadata database, the CommServe registry, configuration files, and specified log files. No standard data can be protected by a CommServe DR policy. Standard data protection policies are used for protecting all production data within an environment. Storage Policy Name The name of the storage policy is defined at the time of creation and later modified in the Storage Policy Properties. The name should be descriptive and reflect what is being protected.
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Creating a Storage Policy without deduplication
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Creating Secondary Copies Configuring a Secondary Copy to use a tape library
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Configuring a Secondary Copy to use a Global Deduplication Policy
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Multiplexing Primary Copy When writing multiple streams to a tape library, multiplexing is used to improve write performance by multiplexing multiple Job Streams into a Device Stream. Multiplexing improves backup performance but can have a negative effect on restore performance.
Consult with the Commvault Online Documentation for more information on the proper settings for multiplexing.
When writing the primary copy to a disk library, there are no advantages in enabling multiplexing. The disk library already receives multiple streams concurrently from subclients, and if available, leverages multiple mount paths. Unless using a tape library, multiplexing should not be used.
Multiplexing a primary tape copy
Secondary Copy If the source location is a disk library with multiple mount paths, this option can be used to improve read performance from the disks when using the ‘Combine to Streams’ option.
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Combine to Streams A storage policy is configured to allow the use of multiple streams for primary copy backup. Multi-streaming of backup data is done to improve backup performance. Normally, each stream used for the primary copy requires a corresponding stream on each secondary copy. In the case of tape media for a secondary copy, multi-stream storage policies consume multiple media. The ‘Combine to streams’ option is used to consolidate multiple streams from source data on to fewer media when secondary copies are run. This allows for better media management and the grouping of like data onto media for storage.
TIP: Using combine to stream for tape media You back up home folders subclient to a disk library using three streams to maximize performance. The total size of protected data is 600GB. You want to consolidate those three streams onto a single 800GB capacity tape for off-site storage. Solution: By creating a secondary copy and setting the ‘Combine to streams’ setting to 1 you will serially place each stream onto the media. In some cases, using the ‘Combine to streams’ option may not be the best method to manage data. Multi-streaming backup data is done to improve performance. When those streams are consolidated to the same media set, they can only be recovered in a single stream operation. Though combining to streams has a media consolidation benefit, it will have a negative effect on the restore performance. Another reason not to use the ‘Combine to streams’ option is for multi-streamed backups of SQL, DB2, and Sybase subclients. When these agents use a single subclient with multi-streaming enabled, the streams must be restored in the same sequence they were backed up in. If the streams are combined to the same tape, they must be pre-staged to disk before they can be recovered. In this case, not enabling ‘Combine to streams’ and placing each stream on separate media bypasses the pre-staging of the data and allows multiple streams to be restored concurrently, making the restore process considerably faster. Note that this only applies to subclients that have been multi-streamed. If multiple subclients have been single streamed and combined to media, they will NOT have to be pre-staged prior to recovery.
Combine to streams and multiplexing configuration for a secondary tape copy
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Global Secondary Copy Global Secondary copy policies allow multiple storage policy copies using a tape data path to be associated with a single global secondary copy. This is based on the same concept as global deduplication policies, but global secondary copies only apply to tape copies. If multiple secondary copies require the same retention and encryption settings, using a global secondary copy reduces the number of tapes required during auxiliary copy operations and improves performance.
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Retention
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Retention Overview A data retention strategy is important for managing storage in your CommCell® environment. With Commvault® software, you can define retention for multiple copies of data with each copy having different retention requirements. Additionally, retention may be required at the object-level and not just the data protection operation. Commvault software makes this strategy straight forward to implement by using storage policy copies, subclient object-level retention, and Exchange configuration retention policies. In Version 11, Commvault software has three primary retention methods: •
Job based retention – Configured at the storage policy copy level, job schedule level, or manually by selecting jobs or media to retain, and applying different retention.
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Subclient object based retention – Configured at the subclient level, it applies retention-based on the deletion point of an object. Object-based retention is based on the retention setting in the subclient properties plus the storage policy copy retention settings.
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Configuration policies – Currently used for Exchange mailbox protection. These policies include archive, retention, cleanup, and journaling. Configuration policies provide the ability to define complete retention and destruction policies, including the capability of deleting messages from the production Exchange environment.
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Retention Basics Commvault® software provides extensive retention control for protected data. For basic retention requirements, follow the general guidelines and best practices for retention configuration. Retention general guidelines: •
•
Disk storage: o
Leave the Cycles retention set at the default of two
o
Use the Days retention to govern retention policies for each copy
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Never use extended retention rules when using Commvault deduplication
Tape storage: o
Set the Cycles retention based on the number of complete sets of tape copies you want to retain. For example, if you want 30 days of data stored off-site, which includes at least four full backups and all dependent jobs (incremental or differential), for complete recovery from any tape set, set the Cycles retention to four.
o
Set the Days retention based on standard retention requirements.
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Sample Retention Policy
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Job Based Retention Rules Job-based retention places a standard retention for an entire job. Jobs are retained based on storage policy copy retention rules. Additionally, job-based retention is applied through the job schedule or modified after the job completes.
Storage Policy Copy Retention Rules Right-click the desired storage policy copy | Click Properties | Retention tab Policy-based retention settings are configured in the storage policy copy Retention tab. The settings for backup data are Days and Cycles. For archive data, the retention is configured in Days. Retention is also set through schedules or applied retroactively to a job in a storage policy copy.
Days A day is a 24-hour time period defined by the start time of the job. Each 24-hour time period is complete whether a backup runs or not. This way, a day is considered a constant.
Cycles A cycle is defined as all backup jobs required to restore a system to a specific point-in-time. Traditionally, cycles are defined as a complete full backup, all dependent incremental backups, differential backups, or log backups; up to, but not including the subsequent full backup. A cycle is referenced as Active or Complete, which means that as soon as a full backup completes successfully it starts a new cycle which is the active cycle. The previous active cycle is marked as a complete cycle. An active cycle is marked complete only if a new full backup finishes successfully. If a scheduled full backup does not complete successfully, the active cycle remains active until such time that a full backup does complete. On the other hand, a new active cycle begins and the previous active cycle is marked complete when a full backup completes successfully regardless of scheduling. In this way, a cycle can be thought of as a variable value based on the successful completion or failure of a full backup. This also helps to break away from the traditional thought of a cycle being a week long, or even a specified period of time. Page 111 of 289
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Storage policy copy days and cycles retention settings
Days and Cycles Relation Cycles and days should directly or indirectly equal each other: •
2 cycles and 14 days with weekly full backups
•
4 cycles and 30 days being approximately 1 month
•
12 cycles and 365 days for month end full backups being retained for a year
But what about 52 cycles and 365 days? In situations like this it is rather irrelevant how many cycles are set. The truth is, 2 cycles and 365 days is good enough. You will meet your retention requirements since you are keeping data for one year. If backups don’t run for over a year, you are still guaranteed to have at least 2 cycles of data in storage based on the aging entire cycles rule. When setting retention in the policy copy, base it on the primary reason data is being protected. If it is for disaster recovery, ensure the proper number of cycles are set to guarantee a minimum number of backup sets for full backup restore. If you are retaining data for data recovery, then set the days to the required length of time determined by retention policies. If the data recovery policy is for three months, 12 cycles and 90 days or 1 cycle and 90 days will still meet the retention requirements.
With the release of Commvault Version 11 software, the default retention for a storage policy primary copy is 15 days and 2 cycles. A secondary copy’s default retention is 30 days and 4 cycles.
Retention Rules for Storage Policy Copy Retention There are several retention rules that are applied to jobs: • • •
Both Days and Cycles criteria must be met for aging to occur Data is aged in complete cycles Days criteria is not dependent on jobs running on a given day Page 112 of 289
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How Retention Works Rule 1: Both CYCLES and DAYS criteria must be met Commvault® software uses AND logic to ensure that both retention parameters are satisfied. Another way of looking at this is the longer of the two values of cycles and days within a policy copy always determines the time data is retained for. Example: Retention for a storage policy copy is set to 3 days and 2 cycles. This is not a typical example, but it’s used to logically prove the statement that both days and cycles criteria must be met for data to age. By Monday 3 full backups have been performed. If Friday’s full backup is aged, there would be 2 full backups left meeting our criteria of 2 cycles. However, the days criteria calls for 3 days, and if the Friday full backup was aged, only 2 days would be counted. The Friday full backup would therefore age on Tuesday. Monday at 12 PM the data aging operation runs and determines no data can be marked aged
Tuesday at 12 PM the data aging operation runs and determines the Friday full backup can be marked aged
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Rule 2: Data is retained based on complete cycles Backup data is managed within a storage policy copy as a cycle or a set of backups. This includes the full backup which designates the beginning of a cycle and all incrementals or differentials backups. When data aging is performed and retention criteria allows for data to be aged, the entire cycle is marked as aged. This process ensures that jobs will not become orphaned resulting in dependent jobs (incremental or differential) existing without the associated full backup. Example: This is another retention example used to prove the rule. Retention is configured for 7 days and 2 cycles. Full backups are being performed on Fridays and Mondays, and incremental backups on all other days. On Saturday the cycles criteria of 2 has been met since there are 3 full backups. If a cycle is removed there would be 2 left, a complete cycle (Monday – Thursday) and the full backup on Friday night. However, since we prune entire cycles we would have to age the Friday full backup and the incremental backups from Saturday and Sunday. This results in only 5 days, which does not meet our day’s retention requirements of 7. So on Monday when the data aging operation runs (default 12PM daily) there will now be 7 days and 2 cycles which will allow the first cycle to be aged. Retention has been defined for 7 Days and 2 Cycles. When the data aging operation runs on Saturday, the cycles criteria has been met but not the days criteria
Retention has been defined for 7 Days and 2 Cycles. When the data aging operation runs on Monday both Cycles and Days criteria have been met and the first cycle will be marked as aged
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Rule 3: Day is based on a 24 hour time period A day is measured as a 24 hour time period from the start time of a data protection job. Days are considered constants, since regardless of a backup being performed or completed successfully, the time period will always be counted. If a backup fails, backups are not scheduled, or if power goes out, a day will still count towards retention. This is why it is so critical to measure retention in cycles and days. If retention was just managed by days and no backups were run for a few weeks, all backup data may age off leaving no backups. Example: Defining retention in both days and cycles is very important. For example, during a Friday night backup power is lost in the building. Power is restored on Sunday resulting in two days elapsing and counting towards retention. Note that since the Friday full backup failed, the cycle continues into the next scheduled full (following Friday). A failure of a full backup on Friday due to a power outage results in a cycle continuing until a valid full is completed
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Modifying Storage Policy Copy Retention Retention settings are stored in the CommServe database and are logically applied to jobs on media. This means if retention settings are modified in a storage policy copy, the changes are applied to all jobs managed by the copy when the next data aging operation is run. If you change retention from 14 days and 2 cycles to 30 days and 2 cycles, all existing jobs managed by the policy copy are retained for 30 days and 2 cycles. If you change retention from 30 days and 2 cycles to 14 days and 2 cycles, all jobs managed by the policy copy will now be retained for 14 days and the result will be two weeks of jobs in storage aging during the next data aging operation.
Zero Cycle Retention It is possible to configure a storage policy copy for a zero-cycle retention. However, this can cause undesired results where data is pruned, but not stored. This is a common mistake when administrators don’t fully understand how Commvault cycles and days retention works.
It is NOT recommended to set zero cycles for a policy copy unless another copy has been configured with at least one cycle defined.
Retention modification for a completed job
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Encryption
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Encryption Overview Commvault software offers three methods to encrypt data: •
Inline encryption will encrypt data during the backup job.
•
Offline encryption which encrypts backup data while being copied to secondary copies.
•
Hardware encryption using LTO4, 5, 6 and 7 drives.
Inline and Offline encryption is software based. Inline encryption can be performed on the Client or MediaAgent. Offline encryption will be performed on the MediaAgent. LTO 4, 5, 6 and 7 drives support hardware encryption which is performed on the drive itself. The following chart illustrates how encryption can be used with Commvault software and advantages / disadvantages of each method. Type
Where Encryption is Performed
How it is Enabled / Disabled
Advantages
Disadvantages
In-Line
Client or Media Agent
Turned on/off at subclient level
Allows encryption over network
Software based hits CPU & memory of client or Media Agent
Off-line
Media Agent
Turned on/off at storage policy secondary copy.
Does not affect primary backup windows
Software based hits CPU & memory of client or Media Agent
Hardware based faster encryption & no load on client or Media Agent
Requires dedicated hardware for backups and restores
Hardware LTO4, 5, 6 or 7 drive Turned on/off at storage with encryption support policy secondary copy.
With any of these encryption solutions, keys will always be stored in the CommServe ® database. Optionally keys can be stored on the media as well. This can be useful when using the Media Explorer tool to recover data from media. Page 120 of 289
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MANAGING SERVERS AND SERVER GROUPS
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Commvault® Agents Commvault® software provides agents for all major file system and applications. Agent support includes traditional streaming backups, built-in content-aware deduplication, Commvault OnePass® archiving, block-level protection, and hardware snapshot capabilities. It is important to note that these capabilities are inherent in the code and can be enabled within the agent. Commvault agents are categorized using the following general principles: •
Granular agents including file and mailbox agents
•
Database agents
•
Hypervisor agents
It is beyond the scope of this document to provide detailed information on all agent support.
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File System agents File system agents provide the fundamental data protection strategy in all data centers. File agents are supported for all major operating systems and include inherent file system capabilities based on the operating system being protected. An example is the ability to use Volume Shadow Services (VSS) to quiesce Windows operating systems.
Application agents Application agents use application consistent point-in-time protection for application databases. Granular application protection for Exchange, SharePoint, and Lotus Notes provides flexible data protection strategies and simplified recovery methods.
Hypervisor agents The Virtual Server Agent (VSA) provides complete virtual machine (VM) protection and granular recovery of virtual machine data without the need to install traditional agents within a VM. Based on APIs provided by the hypervisor, different protection and recovery capabilities are possible.
Commvault OnePass® Archiving Archiving removes infrequently accessed data from production storage. This reduces backup and recovery windows and provides a greater return on investment by reducing production storage footprints. File system data, Network Attached Storage (NAS) data, Exchange mailbox, virtual machines and some database applications support Commvault OnePass® archiving.
IntelliSnap® Snapshot Management IntelliSnap® technology integrates regular protection methods with hardware-based snapshot technologies to coordinate and manage disk snapshots. This integration allows for application-aware snapshots to be conducted for file systems, applications, and virtual environments.
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Client Agent Deployment
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Standard Agent Installation Deploying agents can be achieved in several ways: Available agent deployment methods: •
Push install
•
Interactive install
•
Custom package
Agent deployment best practices: •
If DNS names are used, ensure the DNS is properly resolving the name forward and reverse.
•
If deploying an agent on a remote site, consider using a remote software cache or transfer a custom package.
•
If the client is behind a firewall blocking ports, set network configurations to tunnel communication in a port.
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Push Install (CommCell® Console) From the Tools menu | Click Add/Remove Software | Install Software The CommCell® console is used to push the Commvault® software to clients. The following specific ports are used to achieve the install: •
Commvault base services – Ports 8400 and 8401 are used
•
Linux – port 22 is required
•
Windows — ports 135, 139, 445 are required
Push installation
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Interactive install It is possible to download the desired packages on a client machine by using the download bootstrapper. Once downloaded, start the installation by executing Setup.exe.
Interactive installation
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Custom Package A custom package is a lightweight agent package created by the Commvault administrator. A typical agent installation requires many questions to be answered. The custom package has all these questions pre-answered. It also is useful to run silent installations. If an enterprise level deployment solution is in place, such as Microsoft® SCCM, it can be leveraged to silently push the package to multiple machines.
Creation a custom package
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Servers
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Server Navigation Structure (Clients) Client Tree Hierarchy From the CommCell® browser | Click Client Computers | Expand a client The Client Tree Structure defines a hierarchy for arranging various components of a client. This hierarchy remains consistent throughout clients with different agents installed, which results in simplified administration of a CommCell® environment. Each component in the Client tree structure provides specific functionality to properly configure, manage and protect production data. Each of these components has specific features and properties that are configured to provide a comprehensive protection strategy. The Client tree structure consists of the following components: •
Client identifies the client system by CommCell ® Client name and Host name or IP address.
•
Agent is installed on the client, or a proxy client, to protect specific data such as files, databases, emails or virtual machines.
•
Instance is used with specific agent types such as database application or hypervisors to define specific configuration for an instance.
•
Backup Set is a complete representation of all content the agent is responsible to protect.
•
Subclient defines the actual data within the backup set that requires protection.
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Accessing Client Properties Right-click the client | Click Properties Many options and parameters are available for clients. These options are applied to the client, therefore applied globally to any agent types installed on the client. Options are grouped in three categories. •
Basic options
•
Advanced options
•
Network options
Accessing the client properties
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Administrative Tasks To help the Commvault® administrator manage clients, several tasks are available to perform on a client: •
Check Client Connectivity
•
View Client Schedules
•
View Client Job History
•
Release a License
•
Delete a Client
•
Client Activity Control
•
Client Update Status
•
Change the Client Name
Check client connectivity (check readiness) Right-click the client | Click All Tasks | Check Readiness Connectivity to a client and all storage policy data paths for configured subclients, are checked and reported on at the client level. The Check Readiness command ensures that the CommServe ® server can communicate with the client machine. It also checks data path connectivity to all MediaAgents and library paths for storage policies that are associated with subclients.
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Checking the client readiness
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View client schedules Right-click the Client, Agent, Data Set or Subclient | Click View | Schedules Client schedules are viewed and edited from the client, agent, backup set and subclient levels. When a specific level in the client tree structure is selected, all schedules at the selected level and all child object schedules are displayed. Client schedule key points: •
Schedules can be viewed at the client, agent, backup set and subclient levels.
•
If a schedule is associated with a schedule policy, the policy name is listed in the first column.
•
Schedules can be edited, deleted, disabled or executed by right-clicking on the job schedule.
•
For clients with a large amount of scheduled jobs, consider using the Job Schedule report for a more consolidated view.
•
Though client schedules can be viewed at the CommCell® level using the Schedule icon, viewing schedules in the client tree provides a simplified view easing administration, especially in large environments.
Viewing the client schedules
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Client job history Right-click the Client, Agent, Data Set or Subclient | Click View | Backup or Restore History Job history for data protection and restore operations are viewed from the client, agent, backup set and subclient level. Job history is used to perform the following: •
View status of backup and restore jobs
•
View media used for the job
•
View items that successfully backed up or failed to back up
•
Browse a completed job
Viewing the client job history
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Client Activity Control Right-click the client | Click Properties | Activity Control tab Data protection and data recovery jobs are enabled or disabled in the Activity Control tab in the Client Properties. If activity is disabled, an Enable after a Delay button is displayed. This is used to automatically enable the activity on a specific date and time. Client activity control is useful when a client is offline, since any scheduled operations are, by default, ignored if activity is disabled. Data aging can be disabled for a client as well. This prevents any jobs that belong to the client to be aged and purged from storage. This is useful in a situation where a server is decommissioned and data is required to be kept until further notice.
Configuring client activity control settings
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Client Update Status In the CommCell® browser | Click Client Computers Update status for clients are viewed by selecting the Client Computers entity in the CommCell browser or through the Client Properties page, in the Version tab. Summary Update Status View for all Clients In the CommCell® browser | Click Client Computers The current Commvault® software version, service pack level, update status, and operating system platform are viewed for all clients by selecting the Client Computers icon in the CommCell browser. All clients in the CommCell® environment are displayed, providing summary information on their status. Checking Detailed Update Status for a Client Right-click the client | Click Properties | Version tab The Version tab displays the current version of software, service pack level and status of each package installed on a client. Update status key points: •
•
Installed packages contains: o
The status of Up-to-Date
o
Needs Updating
o
Ahead of cache
The Ahead of cache may appear in situations where updates have been applied to the system prior to their general release
•
Commvault recommends keeping all software up-to-date
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View client update status for all clients
View detailed client update status for an individual client
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Change the Client Name Right-click the client | Click Properties | General tab The Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) or the client name as it appears in the CommCell® console is modified to reflect changes to a client configuration. IP addresses can be used in place of the FQDN in the Host Name field.
Modifying the name of the client
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Server Groups (Client Computer Groups) Client Computer Groups are used to group like clients to simplify CommCell administration. Clients can be added to one or more computer groups. There are several methods for adding clients to groups: •
During installation, the client group can be selected.
•
In the Client Group Properties, select the clients and include them in the group.
•
In the Group tab of the Client Properties, select the group or groups to add the client to.
Client Computer Groups provide the following benefits: •
Simplified navigation when locating clients within the CommCell® console.
•
Configuring user group security to manage entire computer groups.
•
Simplified activity control, such as enabling or disabling data protection or recovery for an entire group.
•
Applying updates, bandwidth throttling, firewall configurations, for instance, to entire groups at the same time.
•
Executing schedule policies at the group level.
•
Assigning computer groups when configuring reports and alerts automatically adds/removes clients when changes are made to the group.
Client Association Methods Right-click the client computer group | Properties | General tab There are two association methods for client computer groups. First, computers can be associated manually to a group. This method requires manual intervention to associate computers to the group. This is accomplished during the agent installation, by editing the computer group or by editing the client’s properties. Page 145 of 289
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In addition to the manual association method, automatic association rules can also be used. This efficient method automatically associates computers to a group based on a set of predefined rules. Many criteria can be used to define the rules. Once the rules are defined, a Preview button is available to view the resulting list of computers. This ensures that the rules are properly defined, and results are as expected.
Creating a client computer group
Using automatic association rules
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Activity Control Right-click the client computer group | Properties | Activity Control tab As with a client, activity can be controlled for an entire computer group. This is useful when maintenance requires activity to be disabled and later re-enabled on several computers at once.
Controlling computer group activity
Key Notes Documentation •
Clients: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp12/article?p=4805.htm
•
Client Computer Groups: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp12/article?p=4874.htm
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Filer Servers
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File Server Solution Overview The File System Agent provides unified protection and recovery for file system data residing on servers. It also provides more granular backup and recovery options that operate seamlessly with your data protection needs. The File System Agent provides a singular approach for easy management of all the Windows systems in your environment using the same unified console and infrastructure. In the event of a serious system failure, such as the breakdown of hardware, software, or operating systems, the File System Agent provides point-in-time recovery of files at any given time. As an example, the Windows File System Agent backs up the entire file system, which includes: •
System State
•
UNC paths
•
Mount points
For Microsoft Windows Server, the system state is backed up and restored as part of Windows File System Agent backup and restore as it contains many components and services that are critical to the recovery of the Windows operating system. A variety of reports are automatically provided for managing the File System data. Reports can be accessed from the Web Console, Cloud Services site, or the CommCell Console. Block-level backups integrate snapshot technology with efficient block storage mechanisms for faster backups. The backups are faster because only the blocks that contain data are backed up, rather than the entire files. For more information, Block-Level Backups. To protect an entire virtual machine or specific volumes on a VM, using the VSA is the preferred protection method. If the VM only requires specific files or folders to be protected, or if specific data on the VM requires special protection requirements such as scripting or filtering, a File System agent can be used. Page 149 of 289
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Subclient Overview Subclients are used to define data that will be protected in a containerized format. Each subclient container will manage specific content within a backup set. Each backup set will have one or more subclients. Key points for subclients: •
Subclient contents can be defined as drives, folders, files or UNC paths.
•
Storage policy used to manage the subclient can be defined.
•
Scripts can be inserted prior to scan and after backups.
•
Filter settings can be configured for global and local filters.
•
IntelliSnap® technology can be enabled and storage array managing subclient data can be defined.
•
Data transfer options including compression, deduplication and encryption can be configured.
Default Subclient By default, most Agents will have a Default Subclient. During the initial installation of the agent software an option to associate agent data with a storage policy is provided. This determines the storage policy that will manage the Default Subclient data. All subclients must be associated with a storage policy to protect the data. The default subclient acts as a catch all for all data managed within a backup set. This means the default subclient will automatically detect and protect all data the agent is responsible to protect. When custom subclients are defined, any data managed by the custom subclient will automatically be excluded from the default subclient. This is the concept of mutual exclusiveness of contents within a backup set. Data is mutually exclusive to the subclient in which it is defined and data cannot be defined in multiple subclients within the backup set. The concept of Commvault software is to Copy Once and Reuse Extensively (CORE). In other words, protect the data to the storage policy and use secondary copies to create additional copies of data. There are situations where protecting data from the source location multiple times may be required. To accomplish this you can create additional backup sets. Page 150 of 289
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Modifying Contents of the Default Subclient The content of the default subclient is represented by a slash (backslash for windows based agents and forward slash for Linux/Unix based clients). It is strongly NOT recommended to modify the contents of the default subclient. Modifying this content will disable the auto detect functionality of the default subclient. If this is done any future content required for protection must be explicitly added to the subclient contents.
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Subclient Configuration Defining Contents The Contents tab is used to define the content for the subclient. There are several important points that should be understood before configuring subclient content: •
The contents of a Default Subclient for most backup agents is a \ (windows based) or / (Linux/Unix based). This represents an auto detection functionality that will protect any newly added volumes. If the default subclient’s content is modified the \ or / will be removed and auto detection will be disabled. It is NOT recommended that the contents of the default subclient be modified. If only certain drives are to be protected, use the Filter tab to exclude the drives.
•
Content can be added by browsing (Browse button) or manually entered (Add Paths button).
•
Use the Add Paths button to enter UNC paths to protect data on systems that do not have Commvault agents installed. An impersonate user box will prompt you to enter a user account with proper permissions to read the data from the shared location. This feature is only recommended when protecting small amounts of data.
•
The option to Backup System State can be used to protect system state data for Windows servers. By default, the default subclient will automatically protect system state data. If required, a separate subclient can be defined to specifically protect system state. Only one subclient within a backup set can be designated to protect system state data.
Data Readers Data Readers determine the number of concurrent read operations that will be performed when protecting a subclient. For file system agents, by default, the number of readers permitted for concurrent read operations is based on the number of physical disks available. The limit is one reader per physical disk. If there is one physical disk with two logical partitions, setting the readers to 2 will have no effect. Having too many simultaneous read operations on a single disk could potentially cause the disk heads to thrash slowing down read operations and potentially decreasing the life of the disk. The Data Readers setting is configured in the General tab of the subclient and defaults to two readers. Page 152 of 289
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Allow multiple readers within a drive or mount point When a disk array containing several physical disks is addressed logically by the OS as a single drive letter, the Allow multiple readers within a drive or mount point can be used as an override. This will allow a backup job to take advantage of the fast read access of a RAID array.
Storage Policy Association Traditionally data protection has always been approached at the server level where an entire server is protected as one piece. Commvault software handles data protection at the subclient level where each subclient when protected will run as a separate job. If three subclients are defined within a backup set, if they all run at the same time, three jobs will appear in the job controller. Content defined at the subclient level is directed to storage through a Storage Policy. This means that data defined in different subclients on the same server can be directed to different storage and have different retention settings.
System State for Windows Subclients For Windows operating systems, ensuring proper protection of System State is critical when performing full system restores. VSS should be used for System State backups to ensure all components are properly being protected. System State and Domain Controllers For Domain Controllers, System State backups will backup the Active Directory database. This will be used when restoring Domain Controllers which can be restored in an Authoritative or Non-Authoritative restore mode. Although Microsoft recommends and many administrators will choose to rebuild Domain Controllers, the ability to use the Commvault software to restore a Domain Controller is critical, especially in a disaster situation.
Performance Requirements Each defined subclient will be an independent job and use independent streams when being protected. There are several reasons why this will improve performance: Multiple Stream Backups A subclient can be configured to use multiple streams for supported agents. This is useful when data is being stored on a RAID array. To take advantage of RAID’s fast read access; multiple streams can be used to improve the performance of data protection operations. Multiple Subclients running concurrently will result in multiple stream data protection operations. This is especially useful when the application does not inherently support multi-stream backups such as Exchange message level backups or archives. Stagger Schedule Backups By creating separate subclients, you can stagger schedule data protection operations. Instead of trying to get a full backup done in one night, different subclients can scheduled to run full backups throughout the week or month and incremental backups on other days. This can be especially useful for virtual machine backups or Network Attached Storage with large file counts.
Filters Filters can be applied through the Global Filter applet in Control Panel or locally at the subclient level. If specific folder locations require special filters, a dedicated subclient should be used. Define the subclient content to the location where the filters will be applied and configure local filters for that subclient. The option to use Global Filters can still be used allowing the global and local filters to be combined.
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If global filters are being used but specific subclient data should not have certain filters applied, define the content in a separate subclient. Global filters can still be enabled for the subclient but the exclusions list can be used to override the global filter settings for specific file/folder patterns.
Open File Handling Open file Handling using Microsoft VSS or Commvault QSnap can be used to ensure open files are protected. VSS is an available option for Windows 2003 or higher agents. Non-Windows agents can use Commvault QSnap to ensure open files are protected.
Pre/Post Scripts Pre/Post Process scripts can be used to quiesce applications prior to protection. This is very useful when protecting proprietary database systems or for quiescing databases within virtual machines prior to using the Commvault Virtual Server Agent for snapping and backing up the virtual machine.
Key Notes •
When new subclients are added, the content defined in the new subclient is automatically removed from the default subclient.
•
Content within a backup set cannot be defined in more than one subclient.
•
Deleting a subclient will NOT result in data already protected for the subclient being deleted.
•
When a subclient is deleted the content that was defined for the deleted subclient will automatically be included in the default subclient in future data protection jobs.
•
To browse previous backup job for the deleted subclient, simply browse at the backup set level.
Documentation •
For a list of recommended filters, go to: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=features/filters/content_filters_best_practice.htm
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JOB AND DATA MANAGEMENT
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Data Protection Overview Protecting data is paramount for safeguarding important information from corruption and/or loss. Considering a broad range of disaster scenarios is essential when designing a data protection strategy. These situations can range from a deleted file or corrupted virtual machine, to a crashed server or a complete data center disaster. The more situations you plan for, the better prepared you are if one occurs. Commvault® software has several methods to help you successfully achieve data protection. Each method impacts the Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO) parameters, which determine the best data backup plan. Understanding Commvault’s data protection methods, their strengths and benefits will result in an optimal architectural design that achieves your data protection needs.
Backup Types Commvault® software provides the following backup types for protecting data: •
Full
•
Incremental
•
Differential
•
Synthetic Full
•
DASH Full
For a full restore of data, the full and all incremental backups are required.
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Synthetic Full and DASH Full Jobs A synthetic full backup synthesizes full backup operations by copying previously backed up data into a new full backup job. It works by using the Image file from the most recent backup. The image file contains a list of all objects that existed at the time the backup operation was run. The synthetic full uses the image to determine which objects require protection and copies the objects from previous backup jobs into a new synthetic full backup. No data is backed up from the production client, which can reduce the time required to generate the synthetic full backup as opposed to a traditional full backup. For synthetic full backups to work properly, an initial full must be run which provides the foundation in which the synthetic full backups will be based on. Incremental backups must be run after the initial full and subsequent synthetic full to ensure all required objects are in protected storage. When the synthetic full runs, it copies all required objects into a new synthesized full backup, which will then become the foundation for the next synthetic full backup. Synthetic Full key points: •
Synthetic full backups are useful for large volumes or Exchange mailbox backups where many objects require protection or when the production client has very short operation windows.
•
Synthetic full backups work best on non-deduplicated disk storage. When using Commvault deduplication, use DASH Full backups instead of traditional synthetic full backups.
•
Using Synthetic full backups on appliance-based deduplication devices can have a negative impact on performance. In some cases, the performance can be slower than running regular full backups.
If using 3rd party deduplication solutions, test this option before implementing.
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Synthetic full backup process
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DASH Full A read optimized synthetic DASH Full uses the Commvault® deduplication feature to logically perform synthesized full backups without moving any data. This can be accomplished because Commvault deduplication tracks the location of all blocks on disk storage. After the initial base full is run and subsequent incremental jobs are run, all block data required for the synthetic full is already present in the deduplicated disk storage location. Since deduplication only stores a unique block once in storage, the DASH Full operation only makes references to the blocks in storage and not actually copies them. The DASH Full operation generates a new index file signifying that a full backup was run and updates the Deduplication Database (DDB) with block record data that is used for data aging purposes. DASH Full backups are the preferred method of running full backup jobs and can dramatically reduce backup windows.
When enabling Commvault deduplication for a primary copy, the ‘Enable DASH Full’ option is selected by default.
DASH full backup operation
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Auxiliary Copy and DASH Copy Jobs An auxiliary copy job is an auxiliary operation used for the following: •
Copy jobs to secondary copy locations
•
Generate content indexes
•
Full reconstruct for the Deduplication Database (DDB)
Auxiliary Copy Options Right-click the storage policy | All Tasks | Run Auxiliary Copy | General tab Auxiliary copy operation allows you to schedule, run on-demand, save a job as a script, or set an automatic copy. There are several options to choose from when configuring Auxiliary copy operations: •
Allocate number of readers or streams to use during auxiliary copy job
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Decide which secondary copies you want to include in the auxiliary copy job
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Start new media and mark media full, which can be used to isolate jobs on media
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Use VaultTracker™ options to export and track media using VaultTracker policies and reports
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Use Job priorities to assign different job priorities for auxiliary copies
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Auxiliary copy options
DASH Copy A DASH Copy is an optimized auxiliary copy operation which only transmits unique blocks from the source library to the destination library. It can be thought of as an intelligent replication which is ideal for consolidating data from remote sites to a central data center and backups to DR sites. DASH Copy has several advantages over traditional replication methods: •
DASH Copies are auxiliary copy operations, so they can be scheduled to run at optimal time periods when network bandwidth is readily available. Traditional replication would replicate data blocks as it arrives at the source.
•
Not all data on the source disk needs to be copied to the target disk. Using the subclient associations of the secondary copy, only the data required to be copied would be selected. Traditional replication would require all data on the source to be replicated to the destination.
•
Different retention values can be set to each copy. Traditional replication would use the same retention settings for both the source and target.
•
DASH Copy is more resilient in that if the source disk data becomes corrupt the target is still aware of all data blocks existing on the disk. This means after the source disk is repopulated with data blocks, duplicate blocks will not be sent to the target, only changed blocks. Traditional replication would require the entire replication process to start over if the source data became corrupt.
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Enabling DASH Copy Right-click the secondary deduplicated copy | Click Properties | Deduplication tab | Advanced subtab To schedule an auxiliary copy job as a DASH Copy, first go to the Secondary Copy Properties Deduplication tab and, from the Advanced sub tab, select the ‘Enable DASH Copy’ checkbox and ensure that 'Disk Optimized' is also checked. Running a DASH Copy: 1. Right-click the Storage Policy. 2. Select All Tasks and then Run Auxiliary Copy. The auxiliary copy can be run immediately, scheduled, or set to run at automatic time intervals.
Setting Disk or Network Optimized DASH copy
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Job Initiation A job can be initiated using any of the following methods: •
Manually – by launching the job from the console and selecting to execute it immediately
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Scheduled – either an independent schedule or a schedule policy
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Save as a script – to be later executed by a user or by an external automated scheduler
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Initiating a job
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Using Schedules and Schedule Policies Most data protection jobs use traditional backups or snapshots are scheduled. The frequency of scheduled jobs should be based on the RPO times. For a 24 hour RPO, jobs are scheduled to run daily. If a four hour RPO is required, then jobs should be scheduled to run every four hours. Different types of jobs can be scheduled to run on different days. The traditional weekly full and daily incremental is the most common schedule, but not always the best. Consider scheduling jobs based on RTO, RPO and how frequently data should be sent off-site. For example, if data is being backed up to disk and DASH copied to disk at a DR location, jobs can be scheduled to run more frequently throughout the day to shrink RPOs and send data off-site faster. If the disk data needs to be consolidated to tape on a monthly basis, a schedule of monthly full and daily incremental with the monthly full being Aux copied to tape may be an adequate solution. Another example is when performing a backup directly to tape. A schedule of nightly full backups or weekly full and nightly differential can be implemented. Both methods may shrink RTO times. Auxiliary copies are as important to properly schedule as data protection jobs. If the corporate requirement is a four hour RPO for critical databases, and the database backup running every four hours is DASH copied only once a day, it can lead to an SLA not being met in case of a disaster, where the primary disk library is lost. Commvault® software uses a standard scheduler for scheduling all operations within the CommCell ® environment. The following is a list of operations that can be scheduled: • • • • •
Data protection operations Data recovery operations CommServe DR backup Reports Data Aging
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Schedule Frequency Jobs can be configured to run once or repeat based on setting the following frequencies: •
Daily – jobs are set to start and end at a certain time each day. A repeat interval can be configured to have the job run multiple times per day with an hour and minute recurrence interval.
•
Weekly – jobs are configured to run on specific days of the week or set to repeat every fixed number of weeks. Exceptions can also be added, for example if a job is to be scheduled to run every Friday except for the last Friday of the month, set the weekly schedule to run on Friday, repeat every week, and set an exception for the last Friday of the month.
•
•
•
Monthly – jobs are configured to run based on the following criteria: •
On the first, second, third, fourth or last day of a month.
•
The day of the month specified can be a day of the week, specific day, weekday or weekend day.
Yearly – jobs are configured to run based on the following: •
Specific day of a specific month.
•
On the first, second, third, fourth or last day of a specific month.
•
The day of the month specified can be a day of the week, day, weekday or weekend day.
Automatic – schedules are used for protecting end user workstations or automatically scheduling specific database application log backups, such as SQL or Oracle.
•
Continuous – is a schedule in which an interval between job is defined. o
The first job is executed
o
Starting from that point on, as soon as it completes, it waits for the time interval to elapse and launches the job again.
Independent Schedules Right-click the subclient | Click Backup | Job Initiation section Jobs can be scheduled to run independently. An independent schedule is created at the client level, and is used only by that client. It is initiated from the Job Initiation section of a job. All backup or auxiliary copy options can be defined for the job. There are several schedule patterns that are used, but one frequently used for independent jobs is the One-Time pattern. It executes an on-demand job later, without having to manually launch it.
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Creating an independent schedule for a backup job
Creating an independent schedule for an auxiliary copy job
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Schedule Policies Expand Policies | Right-click Schedule Policies | Click New Schedule Policy Jobs can be scheduled to run by using schedule policies. A schedule policy is a set of rules containing one or many schedules. This set of schedules is deployed to multiple systems or storage policies requiring a similar schedule pattern for backups or auxiliary copies. This helps in managing and controlling the schedules in bulk. At any time, subclients or storage policies can be added or removed from a schedule policy. It is also possible to manually execute a schedule from the schedule policy, which simultaneously launches backups on all systems associated with it.
To effectively manage your jobs, use schedule policies whenever possible.
Creating a schedule policy
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Managing Active Jobs The Job Controller manages all active jobs within the CommCell® environment. Regardless of which method is used to initiate a job (schedule, on demand, or script), the job appears in the Job Controller in the CommCell® console. The Job Controller is the most effective tool within the CommCell console for managing and troubleshooting active jobs. Common actions that are conducted from the Job Controller: •
Suspend / Resume / Kill
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Change job priority
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View events
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View logs
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Add a job alert
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View job details
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Apply Job Controller filters
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Change the status of a job in the Job Controller
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Control multiples jobs simultaneously
Control all jobs for a specific client or MediaAgent
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Create and apply filters to the Job Controller window
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Controlling Job Activity Commvault® software offers a great deal of flexibility for controlling job activity. Data protection, recovery, and administrative jobs can be temporarily disabled and then re-enabled at a specific data and time. Activity control can be set for the entire CommCell® environment, client computer group, and client levels. Job activity key points: •
If activity is disabled in a parent object of the CommCell tree, activity is automatically disabled for any child objects.
•
Activity can be disabled until manually enabled or set to automatically re-enable at a specific date and time.
•
If activity is enabled for a parent object in the CommCell tree, activity can be enabled or disabled for any child objects.
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When activity is disabled or enabled, the icon where the activity was set changes to reflect the current activity state.
Which Activity can be Controlled? •
All activity for the entire CommCell® environment can be enabled / disabled.
•
Disabling activity at the CommCell level will disable all activity in the CommCell environment.
•
Enabling (default) allows activity to be controlled at child levels.
Key Notes Recommendations for Scheduling Synthetic Full Backups You can schedule a synthetic full backup as often as you need to, but we strongly recommend against performing frequent synthetic full backup jobs, especially when using deduplicated data. For deduplicated data, each block of data retained in protected storage has a record in the Deduplication Database (DDB). Full backup jobs and synthetic full Page 173 of 289
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backup jobs create new DDB records for each data block. Since a DDB has a max limit on the number of records, performing frequent full backup jobs or synthetic full backup jobs will fill up the DDB quicker. Several factors need to be considered when determining frequency of synthetic full backup jobs: •
Space management: A synthetic full backup affects data retention. If you have a large number/volume of deleted or archived objects being retained you may want to run a synthetic full backup to free up protected disk space. You don’t want to run out of free disk space in protected storage because backups will stop.
•
Resource management: Consider whether sufficient source or network resources are available to run a full backup job.
•
Compliance: Legal compliance requirements of data retention may affect your decision. You may want to run a synthetic full backup so that you don’t retain objects longer than legally required.
•
Scalability: Consider the number of objects in a synthetic full backup job. Frequent synthetic full backup jobs for a large number of objects may fill up the DDB too quickly.
•
Restore performance (this pertains to tape media only): Full backup or synthetic full backup jobs consolidate data and can reduce load/seek time.
Our recommendation is to schedule synthetic full backup jobs using the Automatic Schedule option, with the day's frequency set the same or higher than the retention days of that data. For example; if your retention is set for 30 days, you should set the automatic scheduling day frequency value to 30 days or more. For data retention greater than 180 days, we recommend using 180 days for automatic scheduling. Synthetic full backup jobs that are run within less than 15 days should only be done for compliance reasons or in cases in which strict data retention requirements make it relevant. Synthetic full backup jobs that are run more frequently than the recommendations made here are consider excessive. Excessive synthetic full jobs can be seen in the Health Report, which provides information on the overall wellness of the CommCell components.
Documentation Synthetic Full Best Practices: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp12/article?p=11713.htm
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Data Recovery
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Data Recovery Overview A sound data recovery strategy is essential for unplanned events like a system failure, accidental file deletion, system crashes, or larger scale disasters. Commvault software provides different recovery methods depending on the application or file system being protected. This flexibility allows the administrator to pick the optimal recovery method based on the situation to recover data in an efficient manner. Recovery methods are divided into two main categories: •
Indexed
•
Non-Indexed
Indexed-Based Recovery Methods Restore Method
Description
Find*
Provides the ability to enter search criteria for a file, such as myfile.txt or *.docx, file size, or access time. This option is useful if you know the specific file(s) that needs to be restored, but do not know the location, or when you have some information, such as a partial file name.
Browse
Provides the ability to browse for all protected data using the folder hierarchal structure (like Windows® Explorer). This method is useful when multiple files, folders or drives need to be restored.
Restore*
Provides the ability to enter a drive, folder path or file path such as ‘F:\users\jdoe’ that is required for restore. This option is useful when you know the specific location for data required for restore.
Full system restore
Provides the ability to restore an entire server in case of a full system crash. This method requires that all data on the server including ‘system state’ data has been protected. It also requires a base operating system and Commvault® file system agent to be installed prior to the Page 176 of 289
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restore. This method is useful when the operating system can be reinstalled or if base images are being deployed to servers. 1-Touch restore*
Provides the ability to restore an entire server in case of a full system crash. This method uses a boot image to boot the system with a temporary operating system. It then rebuilds the operating system through a full system restore. This method is useful when a system needs to be recovered with minimum administrator effort.
* Not available in the Admin Console Non-Indexed-Based Recovery Method Restore Method Restore by Job*
Description Provides the ability to perform a non-indexed restore using one or more streams for one or more jobs. This method is useful in disaster recovery scenarios when the index directory is not available. An indexed-based restore would have to restore index files from media before the restore can begin. A non-indexed restore immediately begins restoring data.
* Not available in the Admin Console
Using the Find operation
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Basic Recovery Options (CommCell® Console) Select data to restore | Click Recover All Selected | General Tab
Basic recovery options for the Windows® file system agent
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Key Notes Documentation •
Restore Backup Data: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp12/article?p=12867.htm
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VIRTUALIZATION SOLUTION
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Virtual Protection Overview Virtualization has become the standard of data center consolidation whether on premise or in the cloud. As the number of virtual machines and the physical hosts they run on grows, a comprehensive protection strategy is required to ensure proper protection. Commvault® software provides several protection methods for virtual environments on premise and in the cloud. These methods provide a comprehensive enterprise hybrid protection strategy. There are four primary methods Commvault® software can use to protect virtual environments: •
Virtual Server Agent (VSA)
•
Application Aware backup integrating the VSA and application plugins
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Agents installed within virtual machines
•
IntelliSnap® Technology
Which method is best to use depends on the virtual infrastructure, type of virtual machines being protected, and the data contained within the virtual machines. In most cases using the Virtual Server Agent (VSA) is the preferred protection method. For specific virtual machines, using ‘application aware’ backups or an agent directly installed within the VMs is the preferred method. For mission critical virtual machines, large virtual machines or virtual machines with high I/O processes, the IntelliSnap feature is used to coordinate hypervisor software snapshots with array hardware
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Virtual Server Agent (VSA) The Commvault Virtual Server Agent (VSA) interacts with the hosting hypervisor to provide protection at the virtual machine level. This means agents do not need to be installed directly on the virtual machines, although installing restoreonly agents provides a simplified method for restoring data back to the VM. Depending on the hypervisor application being used and the virtual machine’s operating system, different features and capabilities are available. The VSA interfaces with the hypervisor’s APIs and provides capabilities inherent to the application. As hypervisor capabilities improve, the Commvault VSA agent is enhanced to take advantage of new capabilities. Key Features for Virtualization: •
Protect virtual machines in supported virtualization infrastructure.
•
Quickly configure servers, storage, and collections of virtual machines to back up.
•
Back up collections of virtual machines immediately or by a schedule.
•
Restore full virtual machines, disks, and guest files with granular backup and recovery options.
•
Monitor jobs, events, and alerts.
Example of Supported Hypervisors and Solutions: •
Amazon
•
Google Cloud Platform
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Microsoft Azure
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Microsoft Azure Stack
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Microsoft Hyper-V
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Nutanix AHV
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VMWare (vCenter or ESX server)
•
OpenStack
•
Oracle Cloud
•
Oracle VM
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Transport Modes VMWare® The VMware® VADP framework provides three transport modes to protect virtual machines: •
SAN transport mode
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HotAdd mode
•
NBD and NBD SSL mode
Each of these modes has their advantages and disadvantages. Variables such as physical architecture, source data location, ESX resources, network resources and VSA proximity to MediaAgents and storage influence determining which mode is best to use. It is also recommended to consult with Commvault for design guidance when deploying Commvault ® software in a VMware environment.
SAN Transport Mode SAN Transport Mode is used on a VSA proxy with direct Fibre channel or iSCSI access to snapshot VMs in the source storage location. This mode provides the advantage of avoiding network movement of VM data and eliminates load on production ESX servers. Virtual machines are backed up through the VSA and to the MediaAgent. If the VSA is installed on a proxy server configured as a MediaAgent with direct access to storage, LAN-Free backups can be performed. For best performance, Commvault recommends that the VSA have a dedicated HBA to access the VMDK files. If an iSCSI SAN is used, we recommend a dedicated Network Interface Card on the VSA for access to the SAN.
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VSA backup process using SAN transport mode
HotAdd Mode HotAdd mode uses a virtual VSA in the VMware environment. This requires all data to be processed and moved through the VSA proxy on the ESX server. HotAdd mode has the advantage of not requiring a physical VSA proxy and does not require direct SAN access to storage. It works by ‘hot adding’ virtual disks to the VSA proxy and backing up the disks and configuration files to protected storage. A common method of using HotAdd mode is to use Commvault deduplication with client-side deduplication, DASH Full and incremental forever protection strategy. Using Change Block Tracking (CBT), only changed blocks within the virtual disk have signatures generated and only unique block data are protected. This mode is also useful when there is no physical connectivity between the physical VSA proxy and the Datastore storage preventing the use of SAN transport mode. Some examples of such scenarios are when using NFS Datastores or using ESX hosts local disk storage to host Datastores.
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VSA backup process using HotAdd transport mode
NBD Mode NBD mode uses a VSA proxy installed on a physical host. The VSA connects to VMware and snapshots will be moved from the ESX server over the network to the VSA proxy. This method requires adequate network resources. NBD mode is the simplest method to protect virtual machines.
VSA backup process using NBD transport mode
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Microsoft® Hyper-V Commvault® software uses VSA proxies to facilitate the movement of virtual machine data during Hyper-V backup operations. The VSA proxies are identified in the instance properties. For Microsoft Hyper-V, the VSA is installed on each hypervisor host. VMs can be protected from each host or a VSA proxy can be designated to protect VMs. The proxy must have access to all clustered shared volumes where VMs reside.
Hyper-V Transport Mode
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VSA Configuration Creating a VSA Pseudo Client VSA Instance Configuration Right-click Client Computers | Click New Client | Virtualization Once the VSA software has been installed on all the desired proxies, the VSA pseudo client, or instance, can be configured. When configuring the instance, a list of proxies must be defined. The first proxy in the list acts as the VSA proxy coordinator.
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VSA Instance configuration
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Default Subclient Content Right-click the default subclient | Click Properties | Content tab The default subclient content tab contains a backslash entry, similar to the Windows® File System agents to signify the subclient as a catch all. Any VMs not protected in other subclients are automatically protected by the default subclient. It is recommended that the default subclient contents is not changed, activity is not disabled and the default subclient is regularly scheduled to back up, even if there are no VMs in the subclient. To avoid protecting VMs that do not need to be backed up, use the backup set level filters and add all VMs that don’t require protection. Complying with these best practices ensures that if a VM is added in the virtualization environment, even if the Commvault system administrator is unaware of the VM, it gets protected by the default subclient.
Default Subclient Content tab
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VM Content Tab Right-click the desired subclient | Click Properties | Content tab VSA subclient contents are defined using the Browse or Add buttons. Browse provides a vCenter like tree structure where resources can be selected at different levels including Cluster or DataStore. For most environments, it is recommended to select subclient contents at the cluster level. For smaller environments, or for optimal performance, defining subclient contents at the DataStore level can be used to distribute the backup load across multiple DataStores. The Add option is used to define discovery rules for VM content definition. Multiple rules can be nested such as all Windows® VMs in a specific DataStore.
Content configuration for a custom subclient
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Discovery Rules Right-click the desired subclient | Click Properties | Content tab | Add You can refine the selection of virtual machines for subclient content by defining rules that identify specific virtual machines based on their properties. These rules are used in conjunction with other discovery rules that identify virtual machines based on operating system, server, and storage location. Custom virtual machine properties can include: VM Name/Pattern
Enter the display name of the virtual machine or a pattern using wildcards (for example, Test* to identify VMs for which the VM name begins with "Test"). You can also click ... to browse for a VM.
Host
Enter the host name as it appears in vCenter, the IP address of the host, or a host name pattern using wildcards. You can also click ... to open the Browse dialog box. When you add a host, all virtual machines on the host are included in the backup.
DataStore
Enter the DataStore name or a pattern. You can also click ... to open the Browse dialog box.
Guest OS
Enter the exact name of the operating system or a pattern to identify an operating system group (for example, Win* to identify any virtual machine that has a version of the Windows ® operating system).
Guest DNS Hostname
Enter a hostname or a pattern to identify a hostname or domain (for example, myhost.mycompany.com to identify a specific host or *mycompany.com to identify all hosts on that domain).
Power State
Select the power on status of virtual machines to be included in the subclient content. You can select one of the following options: Powered On - to identify VMs that are powered on Powered Off - to identify VMs that are powered off Other - to identify VMs with a different power on status, such as Suspended
Notes
Enter a pattern to identify virtual machines based on notes text contained in vCenter annotations for the VM summary (for example, Test* to identify VMs with a note that begins with "Test").
Custom Attribute
Enter a pattern to identify virtual machines based on custom attributes in vCenter annotations for the VM summary. You can enter search values for the names and values of custom attributes. For example: Name Contains *resize* to identify VMs where the name of a custom attribute contains the word "resize." Value Contains *128* to identify VMs where the value of a custom attribute contains the number "128."
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Discovery Rules configuration
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Transport Modes (VMware) Right-click the desired subclient | Click Properties | General tab The VMware transport mode is configured in the General tab of the subclient. The default setting is Auto which will attempt to use SAN or HotAdd mode and fall back to NBD mode if other modes are not available. To configure a specific transport mode with no fall back, select the desired mode from the drop-down box.
Transport Mode configuration
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Data Readers Right-click the desired subclient | Click Properties | Advanced Options tab The data readers setting in the advanced tab of the subclient properties is used to determine the number of streams used for the subclient backup. This value must be set to meet backup windows while avoiding overloading DataStore, network, and proxy resources.
Data Readers configuration
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Subclient Proxies Right-click the desired subclient | Click Properties | Advanced Options tab Proxies are defined in the VSA instance but can be overridden at the subclient level. This is useful when specific subclient VM contents are not accessible from all VSA proxies. Proxies can be added, removed, and moved up or down to set proxy priority.
VSA Proxy configuration for a subclient
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Subclient and Backup Set Filters Right-click the desired subclient | Click Properties | Filters tab Subclient or backup set filters can be used to filter virtual machines or virtual machine disks for both Hyper-V and VMware. If auto-discovery rules are used to define content, it is recommended to apply filters at the backup set level to ensure that no subclients protect the VM.
Subclient VM and disk filters configuration
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Backup set VM and disk filters configuration
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Backup Options Right-click the desired subclient | Click Properties | Backup Options tab There are several subclient options that are specific to the VMware® and Hyper-V® VSA subclient. •
Quiesce guest file system and applications – Configured in the Quiesce Options tab, this is used to enable (default) or disable the use of VSS to quiesce disks and VSS aware application for Windows ® virtual machines.
•
Application aware backup for item based recovery – Configured in the Quiesce Options tab, this is available only when using the IntelliSnap feature and is used to conduct application aware snapshots of virtualized Microsoft SQL and Exchange servers.
•
Perform DataStore free space check (VMWare only) – Configured in the Quiesce Options tab, this sets a minimum free space (default 10%) for the DataStore to ensure there is enough free space to conduct and manage software snapshots during the VM data protection process.
Backup options for a VSA subclient
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Proxy ESX Server Right-click the desired subclient | Click Properties | Advanced Options tab To use the Live File Recovery feature, you must identify an ESX server that can be used to mount an NFS DataStore, which enables browsing and restoring files and folders from backup data. The values entered here are also used on the IntelliSnap Operations tab. •
Virtual Center / ESX Server - Specify the name of the vCenter that contains the ESX server to use for mounting the NFS DataStore.
•
Select ESX server for snap mount - Click to access the Browse for ESX server dialog box and select an ESX server to use for mounting the NFS DataStore.
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Host - The name or IP address of the selected ESX server appears in this box.
Proxy ESX Server configuration
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VSA Recovery Options
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VSA Basic Recovery Options (CommCell® Console) Full Virtual Machine Right-click the desired subclient or backup set | Click All Tasks | Browse and Restore | Virtual Server tab When restoring a full virtual machine, you can restore data to the same destination host and place all disks back to their original Datastores; this is an in-place restore. Virtual machines can also be restored to a different location than where they existed at the time of backup; this is an out-of-place restore. For some hypervisors, such as VMware and Hyper-V, multiple VMs can be selected for restoration. The following options can be used for an out-of-place restore: •
•
• • • • •
Different vCenter – An entire virtual machine can be restored to a different vCenter. This feature provides the flexibility to distribute restored virtual machines to a location with greater space and resource availability. This is useful when the virtual machine's original location does not provide optimal space and resources. Different ESX server – By default, a virtual machine is restored to the ESX server where it was at the time of backup, but you can choose to restore to a different ESX server. Specifying a different location provides the flexibility to distribute restored virtual machines to a location with greater space and resource availability. Different Datastore – You can specify a different Datastore on the destination host. After the restore, the virtual machine is automatically associated to the new Datastore. Different Resource Pool or vApp – By default, a virtual machine is restored to its original resource pool, but you can select a specific resource pool or vApp on the host. vApp is a customized form of a resource pool. Different VM name – By default, a virtual machine is restored with the original name used at the time of backup, but you can change the name when the VM is restored. It can be seen as a VM clone operation. Restore to a VM folder – Select a destination folder on the datacenter. Restore with different network adapter – Select a network adapter that is available for the destination.
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Full virtual machine restoration
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Virtual Machine File Recovery Right-click the desired subclient or backup set | Click All Tasks | Browse and Restore | Virtual Server tab It is possible to restore the virtual machine files, such as vmdk, vmx, and any other VM configuration files, as flat files. A VM Files recovery operation does register the VM to any vCenter server. It is useful in cases where files can be restored in a location to be imported in another virtualization software such VMware Player. During the restoration, disks can also be converted to another supported hypervisor format, such as VMware vmdk to Hyper-V vhdx.
Virtual Machine File Recovery
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Attach Disk to Existing VM Right-click the desired subclient or backup set | Click All Tasks | Browse and Restore | Virtual Server tab A virtual machine disk is restored and attached to an existing virtual machine. The disk is restored, and the VSA communicates with the vCenter server to reconfigure an existing VM to which the disk is then attached. It is useful when a larger virtual machine with many disks crashes. If one of the disks is critical, it is quickly restored and attached to another VM.
Attach Disk to Existing VM recovery screens
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Guest Files and Folders Recovery Right-click the desired subclient or backup set | Click All Tasks | Browse and Restore | Virtual Server tab The Virtual Server Agent for some hypervisors, such as Microsoft Hyper-V and VMware, supports agentless restores of files and folders into a virtual machine, without requiring the installation of the File System Agent on the destination VM. Using this feature simplifies deployment and reduces the impact of backup and restore operations for virtual machines. Setup Requirements for Hyper-V: •
The Hyper-V host must be running on a Windows 2012 R2 server operating system
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For Windows, the destination VM must be running on Windows 2008 R2 with Service Pack 1 or later
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The destination VM must be powered on
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Ensure the latest integration services are running on the destination VM
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Enable Guest file services on the destination VM. If not enabled, the restore operation enables the services
Setup Requirements for VMware: •
For Windows, the virtual machine must have the NTFS file system
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Requires ESX 5.x, 6.0, 6.5
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The virtual machine must be powered on
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The latest release of VMware Tools must be installed and running
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You can use open-vm-tools on guest VMs running supported Linux releases; open-vm-tools must be installed and running
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The user account that is used to browse the destination VM must have write permissions for the VM
Whether the traditional file recovery or the Live File Recovery is used, the restore screens are the same. Only the mechanics under the hood differs to achieve the restore.
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Guest Files and Folders recovery screens
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VM Conversion Right-click the desired subclient or backup set | Click All Tasks | Browse and Restore | Virtual Server tab For some hypervisor, it is possible to convert the VM to another hypervisor format. During the restore, simply select the target supported hypervisor. This useful feature can be used as a migration tool, or to provide recovery capability between two datacenters using different hypervisors.
VM Conversion during recovery
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VSA Application Protection
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VSA AppAware Backup Application aware VSA backups inserts an ‘application plugin’ into the VM during a VSA backup and IntelliSnap® feature. When a VM backup runs, the plugin quiesces the application using a VSS snapshot. The VSA coordinator then communicates with the hypervisor to conduct a VM snapshot. If IntelliSnap is used, a hardware snapshot is taken on the Datastore and then the software snapshot and VSS snap is released. To enable application aware VSA backups, a user account with administrative privileges for the application must be used. This account can be entered at the instance or subclient level. When the VSA backup runs, the system detects if any supported agents are installed in the VM and automatically installs the application plugin. After the backup completes, the plugin remains in the VM for subsequent backup operations. Application data recovery is conducted using the agent in the CommCell® console, providing full agent level recovery options. Application Aware Backup additional prerequisites: •
MediaAgent software must be installed on the VSA proxy
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A snap copy must be created in the storage policy receiving the backup
When the first backup is initiated, a ‘VSAAppAwareBackupWorkflow’ is initiated. The workflow executes required tasks to properly protect the application. VSAAppAwareBackupWorkflow high level phases: 1. It validates that the MediaAgent software is installed on the VSA proxy server 2. It validates that the Snap Copy is created for the storage policy 3. It discovers if a supported application is installed in the VM 4. It pushes the application plugin 5. It protects the application
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Application Aware backup configuration
VSSAppAwareBackupWorkflow initial execution
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SQL Transaction Log Backup Support In Version 11 SP5, the VSA application aware backups for SQL server has been enhanced to include a new automatic schedule for transaction log backups. This provides the following advantages: •
Allows point-in-time restores of SQL databases, also known as log replays.
•
Since the automatic schedule uses a free space threshold, it ensures that the volume containing the SQL logs does not fill up between VSA backups.
The schedule default setting can be modified as desired.
Application Aware Recovery The application aware recovery of application data is initiated from the VSA since no application agents are installed in VMs.
Exchange Application Aware Recovery From VSA Application aware backups, Exchange databases can restore in-place or out-of-place.
VSA Application Aware Exchange database recovery
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SQL Application Aware Recovery From VSA Application aware backups, SQL databases can be restored in-place or out-of-place. It can also be recovered to a specific point-in-time, using log replays.
VSA Application Aware SQL database recovery
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Key Notes Documentation •
Virtual Server Agent: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp12/article?p=30795.htm
•
VSA Feature Comparison Matrix: http://documentation.commvault.com/virtualserver/
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DATA SECURITY
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User and Group Security Each CommCell® User should have their own login with full or a restricted set of capabilities to view entities and/or perform tasks. •
CommCell Users – can be defined internally within the CommCell software or enabled externally through Microsoft’s® Active Directory or IBM’s Domino Directory Server. The ability of a user to view entities and perform tasks within a CommCell group collective is managed exclusively via membership in a CommCell User Group.
•
CommCell User Group(s) – are associated with CommCell entities (e.g., Clients, Libraries, Storage Policies) enabling the member users to perform authorized tasks on those entities only.
•
A CommCell user can be a member of any number of CommCell User Groups. The user’s ability to perform tasks on a CommCell entity is determined by the combined capabilities of the CommCell User Groups that are associated with that entity. A list of tasks and required capabilities can be found in the Commvault Online Documentation.
•
External Users/Groups – from Microsoft’s® Active Directory or IBM’s Domino Directory Service can be associated with CommCell User Groups. Associated external group members can login to the CommCell Console using their external credentials. Single Sign on can be enabled to allow external users already logged into the domain to access the CommCell Console without re-entering their password.
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Role Based Security Role based security transcends limitations of traditional user and user group security by separating the user or group from permissions. A role is a consolidated set of permissions that is used when creating a security association. A role can be part of as many security associations as needed to make managing permissions much easier, but each security association can only have one role. A wide variety of associations are available to define user tasks, such as: ‘in-place recovery,’ ‘out-of-place recovery,’ ‘tape media operation,’ ‘scheduling,’ VM operations,’ and ‘Content Search.’
For a complete list of permissions, refer to Commvault® Online Documentation.
Role based security is based on three components: •
User or user group – can be a local CommCell user / user group or domain user / user group
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Role – defines a set of permissions not tied to any user or user group
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Entity – the component that joins the user / user group with the associated role
The separation of user / user group (who), role (permissions), and entity (what) allows a user or user group to have different permissions depending on what their role is for a specific entity. Example: A user requires backup and recovery permissions for a file server. The same user requires restore only permissions for a mail server. The user is associated with the file server entity and assigned the backup and recovery role. The same user is assigned to the mail server entity with the recovery role.
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Roles after Upgrading from Previous Version Prior to Commvault version 11, all permissions (formerly called capabilities) were associated with a CommCell user group. When upgrading Commvault software, a role will be created for each user group and permissions will be assigned to the role based on the capabilities of the old user group. For each user group, a role will automatically be created prefixed with _Role. These roles will automatically be assigned to entities along with the user groups.
Configure User Accounts and Security Commvault® software uses two types of accounts to login to the CommCell ® console: Commvault user account or Active Directory® integrated account. When the system is installed, a Commvault ® administrative account, named ‘Admin’ is created. This account has all privileges and permissions in the Commvault ® software. It cannot be disabled, nor its permissions modified. This account is used to login to the CommCell®, environment in case of a disaster of the domain controller — which prevents the use of Active Directory® integrated accounts. Additional accounts can be created and roles defined and applied to allow users to login and perform specific tasks in the system. For instance, a role allowing only backup and restore operations can be created and assigned to the SQL servers and DBA Active Directory account. The result is that a DBA can now connect to the console and only see SQL servers, on which he or she could only run backups and restores.
Key Notes •
Document the passwords of the local admin account and incorporate this into the DR plan.
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Create an Active Directory® connection to allow the use of Active Directory integrated accounts.
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When creating a role and security rule, use a test user first to validate if the rule is properly created and gives the expected result. If so, then use it in production.
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Each administrator should use their own account. The Admin account should not be used by everyone. This helps in keeping track of any changes in the system using the Audit Trail report.
Documentation •
User Administration and Security Overview: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp12/article?p=8051.htm
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Network Security
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Network Route Overview In most modern data centers, corporate networks use one or many firewalls. A firewall blocks TCP and UDP ports between two networks, to ensure restricted users cannot access sensitive resources and data. An example is computers that are required to have direct access to the internet, such as web servers. These servers are usually isolated in a dedicated network called a demilitarized zone, or DMZ. This ensures that if a hacker successfully breaks into and accesses a web server, he or she cannot reach the corporate network since the machine is isolated in the DMZ. There are two methods of implementing network routes: •
Physical network appliance that segregates networks through physical connections
•
Software-based firewall that restricts inbound and/or outbound traffic
Commvault® Software Default Ports Commvault® software uses predefined ports to handle communication and data transfer. Some are static, and some are dynamic. Commvault® Software Default Ports Service
Port Number
Protocol
Commvault® Communications Service, GxCVD service, found 8400 on all CommCell® computers.
TCP
8401
TCP
Commvault® Server Event Manager, GxEvMgrS service, available on CommServe® server.
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GxCVD service dynamically uses free ports for communication during data protection and data recovery jobs.
1024 to 65535
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TCP
Since multiple ports are used, especially dynamic ports, it makes it hard to protect a computer behind a firewall if no other mechanism is in place. If this is the case, you would have to ask your network team to open ports 1024 to 65535 between all clients in the DMZ and the internal servers. Because this scenario is not an effective solution, Commvault ® software has a set of network routes in place.
Take a moment to review the “Network” and “Firewall” topics in the documentation website.
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Configuring Network Topology Network topologies provide a simplified template to deploy network route configurations to CommCell ® components. There are three network topology groups to configure: One-Way, Two-Way, or Via Proxy. Once the simplified topology is configured, advanced network route settings remain available at the client group and client levels to further configure settings if desired. To use network topologies, client computers groups must be created first. Network topologies for client computer groups: For One-Way Network Topology • •
Infrastructure Client Group DMZ Client Group
For Two-Way Network Topology • •
Client Group 1 Client Group 2
For Proxy Network Topology • • •
Trusted Client Group 1 Trusted Client Group 2 Proxy/DMZ Group
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Blocked (One-Way) Network Topology Groups •
Infrastructure Client Group – The clients in the client groups can be the CommServe server, MediaAgents, or client components. By default, there is a system created computer group called Infrastructure that can be leveraged for network topologies. When creating a network topology, the Infrastructure Client Group has restricted communication on a specific port with the DMZ Client Group.
•
DMZ Client Group – These are the systems located in the untrusted networks, such as the DMZ. When implementing the network topology, the DMZ Client Group has blocked communication with the Infrastructure Client Group.
One-Way Network topology client computer groups
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Restricted (Two-Way) Network Topology Groups •
Client Group 1 – These are the systems on the first side of the firewall. When implementing the network topology, Client Group 1 has restricted communication on a specific port with Client Group 2.
•
Client Group 2 – These are the systems on the other side of the firewall. When implementing the network topology, Client Group 2 has restricted communication on a specific port with Client Group 1.
Two-Way Network topology client computer groups
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Proxy Network Topology Groups •
Trusted Client Group 1 – These are the clients that are using the proxy to reach the Trusted Client Group 2 on the internal network. It has restricted communication on a specific port with the Proxy/DMZ Group but has blocked communication with the Trusted Client Group 2.
•
Trusted Client Group 2 – These are your CommCell® components such as the CommServe® server and the MediaAgents. By default, there is a system created computer group called Infrastructure that can be leveraged for network topologies. When creating a network topology, the Trusted Client Group 2 has restricted communication on a specific port with the Proxy/DMZ Group but has blocked communication with the Trusted Client 1.
•
Proxy/DMZ Group – These are the systems that acts as proxies in the DMZ to relay any communication between Trusted Client Group 1 and Trusted Client Group 2. When creating a network topology, the Proxy/DMZ Group has blocked communication with both the Trusted Client Group 1 and Trusted Client Group 2. By default, there are system created Proxy Clients groups. Any system that are defined to act as proxies are automatically associated with this group.
Proxy Network topology client computer groups
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Firewall Administration Firewall settings are kept in the CommServe ® database and pushed to clients and MediaAgents. The firewall configuration file (FwConfig.txt) is located \install\commvault\ContentStore\base folder. Pushing Firewall Settings Once all firewall settings have been configured, the summary tab will show the firewall output information which will be pushed to the CommCell components. The configuration will need to be pushed using one of the three following methods: 1. Client services started – the client will communicate with the CommServe server which will push out firewall settings. 2. When Data Interface Pairs are configured, it will automatically push firewall configuration settings. 3. Firewall configurations can manually be pushed to client groups or clients by right-clicking on the component, selecting all tasks, and then push firewall configuration.
Key Notes •
If you have clients that will require the same firewall configuration settings, it is recommended that you create and configure a Client Group with the firewall settings instead of defining the configuration for each client computer. All existing and future clients that you include to the client group will inherit its firewall settings.
Documentation •
Firewall: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp12/article?p=7170.htm
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MONITORING AND MAINTENANCE
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Monitoring
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CommCell® Monitoring Resources The CommCell® console provides several different methods for monitoring the CommCell environment:
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Storage usage views
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Resource status views
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Job Controller
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Event Viewer
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Alerts
•
Reports
Job Controller The Job Controller in the CommCell® console is used to manage all active jobs within the CommCell environment. Regardless of which method is used to initiate a job (schedule, on demand or script), the job will appear in the job controller. The job controller is the most effective tool within the CommCell console for managing and troubleshooting active jobs. Job Details Right-click job | Details or double-click job Details for specific jobs can be used to provide information on job status, data path, media usage or job errors.
Event Viewer The Event Viewer window displays events reported based on conditions within the CommCell ® environment. By default, the event viewer will display the most recent 200 events or last 2 days, whichever comes first. This number can be increased up to 1,000 or 30 days. The event log will maintain up to 10,000 events or 7 days of events. These default settings can be modified. Page 234 of 289
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Filtering the Event Viewer Double-down arrow | Filter | Select field down arrow and select the appropriate filter The event viewer can be filtered based on the available fields. Although some filters such as Date don’t have a practical application, other fields such as Computer, Program or Event code can be effective in quickly locating specific events. Searching Event Log Right-click in event viewer | Search Events Although only 200 to 1,000 events are displayed in the event viewer, the entire event log can be searched from the event viewer. The default total number of events retained is 10,000. When right-clicking anywhere in the event viewer, select the option to search events. Events can be searched by time range, severity and job ID. If common searches are frequently conducted, the search criteria can be saved as a query and run at any time. Setting Event Log Retention Home tab | Control Panel | Configure | System By default, the event log will retain 10,000 events or 7 days of events. When the event logs reach their upper limit, the oldest events will be pruned from the event logs.
Storage Resource View Storage views determine how much disk capacity is being used by protected data. The Deduplication Engine view, under Storage Resources, determines how much capacity is used based on all Storage Policies associated with the engine. To view deduplication engine information: 1. Expand the Deduplication Engines entity in Storage Resources. 2. Select the deduplication engine to view. The Disk Library properties view displays how much capacity has been used on the disk library. To view disk library capacity usage: 1. Select the library. 2. View capacity charts from the Content / Summary window.
Device Status View The Resource status view displays view readiness status for storage components within the CommCell® environment. Resource status view can be used for the following:
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MediaAgent status – online or offline (pause)
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Library status – online or offline (pause)
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Tape Drive status for online, offline, and jobs currently running and tape barcode label
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Disk library information summary view
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Alerts Alerts are configured to provide real-time feedback about conditions in the CommCell® environment as they occur.
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Alerts can be accessed from the Home tab.
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The Alert window displays all alerts configured for the CommCell® environment.
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The Alert Summary displays settings for the selected alert and provides the capability to email or save them.
Alerts inform you about certain conditions within the CommCell® environment. They can be triggered based on failures, successes, or changes that may occur during different types of CommCell operations. Key points about alerts:
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Added when configuring a data protection or recovery job
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Configured based on an operation
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Configured to monitor clients or client groups
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Storage alerts are configured, and libraries are selected and monitored
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Built-In Alerts A wide range of alerts are preconfigured in the system on initial installation. Some are enable, others can be enabled if required. These alerts monitor several components and conditions. A summary view explains what the alert is for. For more information on the preconfigured alerts, refer to the Commvault Online Documentation.
Managing alerts
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The Alert Wizard From the Home tab | Click Alert | Configure Alert | Edit or Add an existing alert The Alert Wizard is used to configure the alert type, entities to be monitored, notification criteria and notification method. Configure alert options from the Alert Wizard: •
Type of alert
•
Entities to be monitored
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Notification criteria
•
Notification method
Alert wizard screens
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Console Alerts When configuring alerts, console alerts can be selected as a notification method. Once an alert is triggered, it appears in the Console Alerts window within the CommCell ® browser. Right-click on an alert to view details, delete, mark as read or unread, or to insert a note. Console alerts can be pinned or deleted using the icons at the bottom of the window.
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Common Alerts Category
Type
Options
Automatic Updates
Download, Install
Job Failed
Job Management
Data Protection, Data Recovery
Job Failed, Phase or network errors
Job Management
Dedupe DDB Reconstruct
All alert criteria
Job Management
Disaster Recovery Backup
Job Failed
Media Management
Device Status
Drive / Library offline
Media Management
Library Management
Insufficient storage, Maintenance alerts
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Reports CommCell® reports can be configured from the Reports tab in the CommCell toolbar. The most common report types are listed in the toolbar, such as:
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Job Summary
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Job Schedule
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CommCell Readiness reports
When the report type is selected it will be the default report in the report window. Note that any other report type can be accessed from the window.
Reports can be: • Scheduled •
Saved to a specific location
•
Saved as report templates
Depending on the report type selected, various report criteria can be configured from the tabs on the Report Selection window. Use the tabs to set which resources will be included in the report, such as clients, MediaAgents, libraries, or Storage Policies. You can also select the information to be included in the report, such as failed items, storage usage, job information, or resource configuration.
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Use the Time Range tab to set the scope of the report and use the Output tab to select the output format: •
HTML
•
PDF
•
Text file - which is saved as a CSV file for spreadsheet import.
You can also choose the Output method. Choices include scheduling, save as script, save as template or save to a disk location.
The following lists some common CommCell® reports: • The Job Summary report, which can be used to view data protection, data recovery and administrative jobs. •
The CommCell® Readiness report, which can be used as a status report for CommCell components such as clients, MediaAgents, library storage capacity and index caches.
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The CommCell® Configuration report, which provides CommCell configuration, license usage and update status of CommCell components.
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The Job Schedule report, which can be used to view schedules for client computer groups, clients and administrative jobs.
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Data Retention Forecast and Compliance report, which can be used to view jobs in storage, the media it is located on, and the estimated time the data will age.
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Web Console The Web Console is the primary launch pad for all things Commvault. A URL is provided at the end of the installation process to access the Web Console. From here, software and updates can be downloaded, environment reports can be accessed, and the Admin Console can be launched.
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Navigating the Admin Console The Admin Console has an easy-to-use sidebar navigation menu. Many sections are common to all solutions. These sections provide tools that allow you to configure CommCell® components, run day-to-day operations and monitor the environment. If the sidebar does not fit the window, it is possible to use the mouse scroll the sidebar up or down. If you are looking for a specific section of the sidebar, the Filter navigation box allows to type characters that are applied as a filter to the sidebar content.
Take a moment to review the Admin Console with your instructor.
Key Notes •
A set of predefined alerts that are recommended for monitoring your CommCell environment.
•
The ability to create custom alerts based on user-defined conditions using custom queries.
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The ability to create alerts from your current CommCell for one or more remote CommCells registered with your current CommCell.
Documentation •
Solutions and Use Cases: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp12/article?p=41163.htm
•
Admin Console Solutions: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp12/adminconsole/articleAlerts and Notifications: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=5196.htm
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Reports Overview: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=37684.htm
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Maintenance
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CommCell® Updates and Upgrade Process Prior to upgrading a CommCell® environment it is critical to perform a CommServe DR backup. In the event of problems during the upgrade process, the environment can be rolled back to ensure CommCell operations can continue. The first component to be upgraded must be the CommServe server. The upgrade process can be an in-place upgrade or a fresh installation of the CommServe server. It is recommended that you have the CommServe database inspected by Commvault prior to upgrading. This can be done by uploading the database dump to cloud.commvault.com. Check the Commvault Online Documentation for complete instructions for CommServe database inspection. MediaAgents should be upgraded next and libraries should be tested to ensure everything is functioning properly. Clients can then be upgraded on an as needed basis. Note that with Commvault® software, client agents up to two versions back can coexist with a CommServe server and MediaAgents at the latest version.
Take a moment to review upgrade and update processes with your instructor.
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CommServe® Database Maintenance The CommServe® server, being the orchestrator of all CommCell® operations, is the most important server. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that its performances are maintained to the highest level possible. To optimize the CommServe server database, a tool called DBMaintenance.exe, which is located in the installation directory of the Commvault ® software, is available. This tool can be executed manually from a command prompt, or can be executed from the CommCell ® Console, through a workflow and a schedule. This tool first validates the consistency of the database by executing a CheckDB command against it. Then, it optimizes the database by performing Reindex and/or ShrinkDB commands.
Maintenance Modes There are several modes that can be selected when executing a DB maintenance: •
Full - Performs a full maintenance on the database. It includes CheckDB, ReindexAll and ShrinkDB commands. It is recommended to run on a bi-yearly basis.
•
Recommended - Performs a recommended maintenance which includes ShrinkDB and ReindexRecommended commands. It is recommended to run this maintenance mode every couple of weeks. By default, a system created schedule will execute it on every other Sunday.
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CheckDB - Validates the consistency of the CommServe database by running an integrity check.
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ReindexRecommended - Re-indexes the largest and most frequently used tables of the database.
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ReindexAll - Re-indexes all tables of the database.
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ShrinkDB - If table re-indexing creates a significant amount of fragmentation, the ShrinkDB command will reclaim that space by shrinking the database.
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CommServe® DB Maintenance tool command line usage
DB Maintenance Workflow and DB Maintenance Schedule V11 Service Pack 5 introduced a workflow and a schedule that maintains the CommServe server database automatically. The schedule, which is called System Created DB Maintenance schedule, runs every other Sunday at 3 p.m. and executes a Recommended maintenance. The Full maintenance is not scheduled. It is therefore recommended to either run it manually, or schedule it twice a year. Page 250 of 289
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This schedule executes a workflow called DBMaintenance, which executes the maintenance based on the mode that is selected in the schedule. The workflow also contains email components that can be modified to send a result notification on failure or success. CommServe® DB Maintenance schedule
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Commvault® Tools Commvault Software provides several tools that are launched from the command line, or from the CommCell® console. These tools are available in the Base folder of the Commvault software: Process Manager CVPing CVIPInfo Network Test Tool TapeToolGUI
Process Manager Each operation in the CommCell® console may have processes associated with the operation. From the Process Manager, you can view processes and information about each one, such as the CPU usage and memory usage. The Process Manager has tabs that provide information about controlling services and log files, and has buttons to stop, start or recycle Commvault® services.
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The Process Manager General tab
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The Process Manager Processes tab
The Process Manager Services tab
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CVPing The CVPing tool validates network, as well as port connectivity. This tool is useful when troubleshooting issues when implementing firewall rules. CVPing command syntax: cvping -Port Where: •
Address: is the DNS name or the IP address
•
IP Family: is either -UseIPv4 or -UseIPv6
•
Port number: The port number to use
CVPing command example
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CVIPInfo CVIPInfo tool validates forward and reverse DNS resolution. It is important to remember that Commvault ® software frequently uses the reverse DNS zone. CVIPInfo command syntax: cvipinfo Where: IP Family: is either IPv4 or IPv6 or Any Address: is the DNS name
CVIPInfo command example
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Network Test Tool The Network Test Tool verifies network connectivity between CommCell ® components. It provides a single interface to all basic network tests for troubleshooting network connectivity and data transmission issues between any two CommCell components. Possible modes for the Network Test Tool: •
Executing a host name lookup
•
Verifying service status
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Verify connectivity (server and client mode)
Executing a Host Name Lookup This mode is available to execute a host name lookup, which is similar to a CVIPinfo or an nslookup command.
CVNetworkTestTool in host name lookup mode
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Verifying service status This mode validates if Commvault® software services installed on the target machine are up-and-running and reachable.
CVNetworkTestTool in service check mode:
Verifying Network Connectivity in Server Mode This mode validates network connectivity and bandwidth throughput between two servers. The servers could be clients, MediaAgents, or the CommServe® server. It is helpful to validate the throughput between a client and its target MediaAgent, or between two MediaAgents in preparation to implement DASH copies. This tool works in two modes: •
Server mode – This is started on the target server and acts as the listener.
•
Client mode – This is executed on the source machine and will connect to the target machine’s listener to run the test.
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CVNetworkTestTool in network check Server mode
CVNetworkTestTool in network check client mode
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TapeToolGUI The TapeToolGUI tool is used to troubleshoot media in the library and run performance testing on the mounted media. The TapeToolGui is also available as a command line interface, called TapeTool. Use the TapeToolGui to perform the following functions: Read and write data to the media Read the On Media Label (OML) Read the tape marks Format the media Set the tape tension Copy the media Unload the media
The TapeToolGUI interface
l
Tip: Risks of Using the TapeToolGUI tool with Media The TapeToolGUI tool does not connect with the Commvault ® software and does not know about the contents of tapes. Therefore, when using the tool to perform a destructive operation on a media, such as a write, format, or target for a copy media operation, ensure that the media that you type in the Tape Name box, is a scratch tape and contains no data. Otherwise, the backup data can potentially be destroyed.
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Working with Log Files Log files provide the processing details of operations that occur in a CommCell ® environment. By default, log files are automatically created in the /Log Files folder. Most processes each have a dedicated log file, apart from some exceptions. Each log file has a size limit of 5MB. Once it reaches its size limit, the log file is closed and a new log file is started. There is also a maximum number of log file versions that are kept. Once the maximum number of files is reached, the oldest is deleted.
Maximum number of log files per process: Process Name
Maximum Number of Files
archiveIndex.log
5
Auxcopy.log
5
AuxCopyMgr.log
5
CIReader.log
5
clBackup.log
5
CreateIndex.log
5
CVD.log
10
CVJobReplicator.log
5
CVMA.log
3
DataAging.log
3
DataVerf.log
5
DDBRecovery.log
5
FileScan.log
2
IndexCacheCleanup.log
5
IndexCacheServer.log
3
IndexingService.log
5
JobManager.log
3
LibraryServer.log
3
MediaManager.log
3
MediaManagerPrune.log 10 PSTMigrator.log
5
SnapManager.log
10
UpdateIndex.log
5
Vsbkp.log
5
Vsdiscovery.log
5
Vsvrst.log
5
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Log File Limits The maximum number and size of log files can be modified from the Process Manager. Use this tool to change the default values for any log file.
The Process Manager Logging tab
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Viewing Log Files in the CommCell® Console Right-click the job or the client | Click View | Log Files The CommCell® console provides a simple way to view logs for a client, a job in the Job Controller, or a job in the Job History.
Viewing a job’s log files
Viewing a client’s log files
To refresh the Log File content of the view, you must close and re-open the log file. Page 263 of 289
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GxTail Tool The GxTail tool is used to view log files in real time. Every time an entry is added in the log file, it is instantly visible in GxTail. The tool has many options, such as filtering and highlighting.
Opening log files with GxTail
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Applying filters to GxTail
Using markers with GxTail
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Working with Support Be prepared. Create an entry for Commvault Support in your contact management system. The following information is what is generally needed when contacting Support is necessary. Save this information inside the contact. Having this information ready will significantly speed up the process and enable Commvault to serve you better. Contacting Support •
US/CANADA Toll Free: (877) 780-3077 or 732-571-2160
•
Company Name
•
Your Name and Contact information
•
CommCell-ID (SN in license summary tab)
•
Product Version & Service Pack Level
•
A brief description of the problem, and which resources are involved
Maintenance Customers Commvault offers several support levels, from Standard weekday service to Proactive and Enterprise Support. Remote and onsite services are available. Customers can logon to the Maintenance Advantage website for more information, or to initiate a support incident. You can access our telephone support hotline 24 hours a day 7 days a week (including US holidays). A link for the telephone-based support numbers can be found in the documentation portion of this segment.
Non-Maintenance Customers Customers who do not have a maintenance agreement with Commvault will have limited access to technical resources. Commvault will respond on a Time & Material basis with "best effort" only upon receipt of a Purchase Order or Credit Card.
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Key Notes Documentation •
Commvault Support: https://www.commvault.com/support
•
Maintenance Advantage: https://ma.commvault.com/Support
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Telephone-Based Support Worldwide: https://ma.commvault.com/Support/TelephoneSupport
•
Commvault Mobile Advantage App: https://ma.commvault.com/MobileAdvantage
•
Log Files – Overview: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=features/log_files/log_files_overview.htm
•
Sending Log Files: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=features/log_files/log_files.htm
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Log Files and Matching Executable Files: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=features/services/r_pm_logging_matching_executabl es.htm
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Commvault Services Overview (and tools): http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=features/services/c_cc_services_overview.htm
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Network Test Tool and Network Performance Tool: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=features/network/network_tools.htm
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Tape Tool: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=features/library_operations/tools/rm_win_tape_tool. htm
•
TapeToolGUI: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=features/library_operations/tools/rm_win_tape_tool_ gui.htm
•
GXTail: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11/article?p=features/gxtail/c_gxtail_overview.htm
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CONCLUSION
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Thank you
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Additional Commvault Resources Partner Advantage: https://partners.commvault.com/PRM_PartnerHome
Education Advantage: https://ea.commvault.com/
Maintenance Advantage: http://ma.commvault.com/
Documentation: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11
Mastering Commvault Software book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Commvault-Software-FrankCelauro/dp/1545598797/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525356375&sr=8-1&keywords=mastering+commvault+software
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Welcome to Commvault
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Commvault® Mobile App The new, Commvault® Mobile Advantage app is designed to provide our customers with continuous access to powerful tools, services, and information that give them control of their Commvault experience. Mobile Advantage is an integrated Commvault services portal that is unique in our industry. With the app, customers can manage and review their Commvault technical support, training, and consulting services portfolio from a single, mobile platform. Commvault® Mobile Advantage App Features •
Maintain control of Commvault Support incidents from anywhere so that resolution occurs faster and is tightly aligned with business expectations
•
View registered training courses, transcripts, and certifications
•
Review current and upcoming Professional Services engagements
•
Stay up to date on the latest news from support
•
Lower management costs, reduce issue resolution times, and achieve better data management outcomes
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Commvault Education Services Commvault Education Services' mission is to ensure that Commvault ® software users are equipped with the knowledge essential to optimizing their investment in Commvault® software. You have the peace of mind that comes from knowing that Commvault provides the technical training and certification required to successfully deploy and maintain a secured and data protected environment.
Delivery Methods Commvault instructors will deliver comprehensive and effective training for your team, where you need it and when you need it. Our experienced registrars can help you determine the best learning solution for you. Whether you choose a standard or customized curriculum, we can bring a fully equipped classroom to you, we can utilize our network of classroom facilities, or we can provide virtual training utilizing the latest web conferencing technologies. •
Instructor-led Training (ILT): Attend training at a fully equipped classroom.
•
Virtual Instructor-Led Training (vILT): Full access to instructors, discussions, and labs. Real time.
•
eLearning: Stream self-paced or download individual courses. Anytime.
•
Onsite Education: Fully customized, onsite, at your own facility. Education without travel.
Download the Course Catalog https://ea.commvault.com/CourseGroup/CourseCatalog
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Glossary A Assigned (active) media
Tape media which has active jobs that have not been aged. Assigned media can only be written to by the same storage policy copy or the same global secondary copy.
Admin Console
A web based administration tool customized for specific applications. This console provides simplified management for the most common administrative tasks.
Agent
Commvault software which interfaces with the file system or application using native APIs or scripting languages to provide complete data protection and recovery capabilities.
Alternate data path
Combination of MediaAgent, library, drive pool and scratch pool which are added to a Storage Policy as an alternate data path, so that an alternate resource can be used for data protection operations, when a component in the default data path is not available.
Appendable media
Tapes which are currently retaining active jobs. Appendable media can have additional jobs copied to it as long as it belongs to the same storage policy copy or is part of the same global secondary copy.
Application size
The total size of data requiring protection. This number represents the actual size of data and the ‘size on media’ number represents the actual size of data written to media after compression and deduplication operations are performed.
Archive
An archive operation moves old or infrequently used files, mailbox items or database data from primary to secondary storage to optimize storage space.
Archive file
A portion of a job represented as an Archive File entry in the CommServe database. Archive files play a major role in tracking job data across multiple storage policy copy locations as well as the data aging and pruning process.
Auxiliary copy
An operation which copies data from a source location, which can be a primary or secondary copy, to another secondary copy. Auxiliary copy jobs are also part of the content indexing process, deduplication database reconstruction, and data verification of deduplicated data.
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B Backup copy
A special backup operation which copies data from a snapshot copy to the storage policy primary ‘classic’ copy location. Backup copies can be scheduled or set to automatically run after the snapshot completes successfully.
Backup Set
A logical container that holds one or more subclients. A backup set is a complete logical view of all data protected by the agent.
Barcode pattern
A method of identifying tapes by their barcode label, assigning tapes to specific scratch groups based on the label, and tracking the tape through its lifecycle within the library and in export locations.
Basic retention rules
A feature used to define the retention rules for data in days and cycles. Each storage policy copy independently defines retention rules.
Block
A generic term referring to the smallest trackable piece of data. Deduplication blocks (default 128 KB) are tracked within SFiles using index information in the SFile indexes. For data transfer, a block is the smallest size of data transferred. The block size defaults to 64 KB but can be changed for some agents in the subclient properties and for writing to storage in the data path properties window.
Block Level Backup (BLB)
A backup operation supported on specific agents which uses block tracking to identify and protect changed blocks.
Business Continuity (BC)
The concept of providing a comprehensive business and technical strategy to the continuation of business after a disaster. This comprehensive approach includes high availability, disaster recovery, and executive management strategies.
Chunk
A logical checkpoint within a data protection job. When a chunk completes, it is registered in the CommServe database, indexes are updated, and deduplication signatures for the chunk are committed to the database.
Client
A computer in a CommCell that has agent software installed on it, used as a proxy for data protection jobs, or a proxy for firewall communication.
C
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Client computer group
A group of clients within a CommCell environment that can managed as a single entity. Management includes scheduling, firewall rules and activity control. Clients can manually be added to groups or automated rules can be used to assign clients to groups. Clients can be members of multiple client computer groups.
Cloud library
Storage library in which a MediaAgent protects data to one of many Commvault supported cloud providers or supported object-based storage appliances.
Collect file
A list of all items requiring protection based on the subclient contents that is created during the scan phase of a data protection job.
CommCell® browser
The window within the CommCell console which contains all CommCell entities. The browser is organized in a cascading tree format providing simplified navigation and administration.
CommCell® Console
The graphical user interface used to access and manage the CommCell environment. All administrative tasks can be accomplished using this console.
CommCell® environment
The basic organizational unit of a data management system. A CommCell environment contains one CommServe® Storage Manager, at least one client, and at least one Media Agent.
CommCell® user
A user created within the CommCell environment. By default, one CommCell user, the master administrator is set up during initial CommCell deployment.
CommCell® user group
A user group created within the CommCell environment.
CommCell® Views
Views present a consolidated table of useful information crafted from CommCell tables. The views often translate table fields into more understandable views of data. CommCell views are available within the CommServe database and are accessed using SQL Studio Manager.
CommServe® database
SQL database on the CommServe server which maintains all CommCell metadata. It is critical this database is backed up on a regular basis. By default, the CommServe database is backed up daily at 10 AM.
CommServe® server
The software module that communicates with all clients and Media Agents and coordinates operations (data protection, data recovery, and administration operations, job management, event management, etc.) within a CommCell environment. There is only one active CommServe server within a CommCell architecture. Page 276 of 289
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Configuration Policies
Used with the Exchange Mailbox agent, a set of four policies to provide complete management of Email. The policies include: archive policy, cleanup policy, retention policy, and journal policy.
Content Indexing
The process of indexing the contents of text based items including files and Email messages.
Content Store
Generic term which describes any storage unit managed by Commvault software. The Content Store acts as a transparent storage repository and virtually structures unstructured data using metadata and optional content indexing for complete endto-end management of data. Data is managed from Commvault administrator perspective, end user, and compliance officers.
Custodian
A user involved in an investigation who owns specific data.
Cycle (Retention)
Storage policy copy retention setting that defines the number of cycles, which are based on full backup jobs. There are two types of cycles: a complete cycle which defined by the completion of a full backup, all subsequent dependent jobs (incremental or differential), and is marked complete after the next full completes successfully. An active cycle is defined by a full backup and all subsequent dependent jobs. Cycles is used in combination with the days setting using an AND logic to determine how long jobs managed by the storage policy copy are retained for.
D Data aging
Operation that logically deletes expired data based on storage policy copy retention.
Data movement
A generic term which refers to the movement of data for data protection and recovery operations. This includes network management such as firewall configuration and network throttling.
Data path
The path data will take from source to destination that is defined within the storage policy copy. The path consists of the MediaAgent and library for a disk and MediaAgent, library, drive pool, and scratch pool for a tape library.
Data Protection
A generic term used to describe any type of operation which backs up, archive, or snaps data.
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Data recovery
A generic term used to describe any method of recovering data including streaming restores and stub recovery operations.
Data stream
Term used to describe any method of moving data from source to destination. Data streams are divided into two types: job streams and device streams. Job streams represent data movement from a client to a MediaAgent or a MediaAgent to a MediaAgent. Device streams represent data movement from a MediaAgent to storage.
Day (retention)
Storage policy copy retention setting that defines the number of days, based on a 24-hour time period, to retain data. Days is used in combination with the cycles setting using an AND logic to determine how long jobs managed by the storage policy copy are retained for.
Deduplication
The process of identifying duplicate blocks within a disk or cloud library and storing the duplicate block only once. Signatures are generated using the SHA 512 hash algorithm to identify duplicate blocks. These signatures are stored in the deduplication database.
Deduplication database
All duplicate signature records when using Commvault deduplication are maintained in the deduplication database. There are three components to the deduplication database: Primary table, which stores all signatures and a counter representing the number of times the signature is referenced, secondary table files which contain job metadata called archive file records, and the zero reference table which maintains all signatures that have no references to any jobs.
Deduplication store
The logical library storage structure which maintains block data and job metadata. The deduplication store contains the following: SFILE maintains all unique blocks, SFILE index which maintains record pointers to the blocks, metadata maintains all job-related metadata, and the metadata index which contains indexing information to locate job metadata.
Default path
User defined path in a storage policy copy which is used for network based backups. The default path is used when protecting data over a network and the data path Configurations are configured to ‘Use Alternate Data Paths’ or ‘Use preferred data path’. The default path is not used when data path configuration is set to use ‘Round-Robin between Data Paths’.
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For tape libraries, a device stream represents one linear write operation to a tape drive. If 12 drives are in a tape library, a maximum of 12 device streams are used to write to the library. For disk libraries, a device stream represents one single write operation to disk storage. Due to the read / write capabilities of disk storage and the use of deduplication, more device streams can be configured than physical disks in the library. Device streams are configured in the storage policy property’s general tab.
Disaster Recovery
The planning for and/or the implementation of a strategy to respond to such failures as a total infrastructure loss, or the failure of computers (CommServe server, Media Agent, client, or application), networks, storage hardware, or media. A Disaster Recovery strategy typically involves the creation and maintenance of a secure Disaster Recovery site, and the day-to-day tasks of running regular Disaster Recovery backups.
Disaster Recovery Backup (CommServe server)
Backs up meta data and Windows registry data during two phases. The export phase backs up the data to a local or network path and the backup phase backs up the data to media using a Disaster Recovery Backup storage policy. This data can then be restored using the CommServe Recovery Tool.
Disaster Recovery Backup storage policy
A storage policy used to store metadata to media. This metadata stores information about the CommCell environment and the backed-up data. In case of a system failure, Disaster Recovery Backup data can be retrieved using this storage policy.
Disk Library
Storage target writing to disk storage. A disk library is defined as a logical container with one or more mount paths that define a local drive or network share where data is stored.
Drive pool
Logical entities used to facilitate the sharing of a library’s drives between multiple Media Agents.
Encryption
Commvault software uses asymmetrical encryption. Data is encrypted with one key (called public), and can be decrypted only with the other key (called private). The software uses public key encryption to avoid prompting for a pass-phrase each time a backup runs.
Entity
Any configurable object within the CommCell browser. This includes: clients, libraries, security resources, and storage policies.
E
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Event Viewer
The CommCell console window that list all events within the CommCell environment.
Extended retention rules
A feature used to define an extended retention time and days exceeding basic retention rules.
Foreign media pool
A logical tape group to manage media used by other applications.
Full backup
A backup of all of the data of a subclient. A full backup provides the baseline for subsequent incremental and differential backups. (Known as a level 0 backup in Oracle.)
F
G Global filters
Accessible from the Control Panel, global filters can be set to apply to all subclients of specific granular agents. Global filter usage can be set at the subclient level to enable, disable, or use cell level policy. Cell level policy determines whether filters will, by default, be pushed to all subclients.
Global deduplication policy
A policy which defines the number and location of deduplication databases, the location of the deduplication store, and the deduplication block factor. Storage policy primary and secondary copies are associated with global deduplication policies. When using Commvault deduplication, always create a global deduplication policy prior to configuring storage policies and policy copies.
Global secondary copy
A special policy used to link multiple secondary copies using tape data paths to a single global secondary policy. This allows data from multiple secondary copies to be copied to the same set of tapes, reducing the number of tapes required to store data.
GridStor® technology
A Commvault feature that allows multiple data paths to be defined in a storage policy copy. Data paths can be configured to use a default path, preferred path, failover, or load balancing.
GxTail
Troubleshooting tool used to load and monitor log files in real time.
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H Hardware encryption
For LTO 4 and higher drives, tape hardware encryption uses the AES 256-bit encryption algorithm. Hardware encryption is enabled in the data path properties of a storage policy copy.
Horizontal scaling
The concept of using independent nodes to provide a highly fault-tolerant and redundant array of nodes within a clustered configuration. Commvault Software Defined Data Services (SDDS) uses horizontal scaling using Erasure Coding to stripe data across nodes.
Incremental backup
A backup of all of the data of a subclient that has changed since the subclient's last full, incremental, or differential backup.
Index
Commvault software creates an index of the data that it backs up, from the data's metadata (characteristics), such as the name of a file, or the subject in an e-mail. Using an index during browse, find, analytics, restore and reporting operations improves performance by quickly supplying information about backed-up files. Just as data is backed up to a storage library, the index is also backed up to a storage library. The index is composed of multiple files that together constitute a database.
Index directory
The drive and folder path which manages V1 and V2 indexes on a MediaAgent. This should be a dedicated local path using high speed disks that meet Commvault requirements.
Information Governance (IG)
A set of policies, procedures, processes and controls used to manage information from point of inception, through its useful lifecycle, and finally to its destruction.
Information Management
The concept of managing files and Email messages based on the contents within the item. Typically, this management requires content indexing of the items to provide end user search, compliance search, and advanced management features such as Reference Copy and Case Manager.
Information Lifecycle Management
Concept of managing data based on file ownership and file type throughout it’s useful lifecycle.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
A cloud service which provides virtual machines to customers.
I
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In-Place Restore
Restore that recovers data in the exact same location where it was protected from. Most agent will default to an in-place recovery unless specified otherwise.
IntelliSnap® feature
Commvault feature used to coordinate hardware and software snapshots. IntelliSnap is enabled at the client level and configured at the subclient level using the IntelliSnap Operations tab.
Job Controller
The window in the CommCell Console which can be used to monitor and manage the active jobs in the CommCell.
Legal hold
The process of physically preserving data for legal investigations or compliance reasons. Legal holds can be implemented by Commvault administrators using the CommCell® console or legal members using the Compliance search interface.
Legal hold set
In the Compliance search interface, a legal hold set contains one or more legal holds. Multiple sets can be created to manage legal holds for different cases.
Library
A storage unit that contains a robotic device, one or more media drives, and multiple media cartridges for extended storage capacity. Within the CommCell Console, all storage devices are referred to as libraries. The three primary library types are disk, cloud and tape.
Library controller
The active MediaAgent that controls tape library operations and tape media movements within a tape library shared amongst multiple MediaAgents. Only one MediaAgent is the library controller and another MediaAgent takes the controller role should the active controller fails.
Live browse
Browsing protected data that was not indexed during the data protection job. Data extents are assembled from the disk library, mounted and presented in the GUI to the user in a readable format, allowing to select and restore any desired objects.
J
L
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The Live Sync feature enables incremental replication from a backup of a virtual machine (source VM) or a source Oracle database to a synced copy of the virtual machine (destination VM) or a destination Oracle database. The Live Sync operation opens the destination and applies changes from the source backups since the last sync point.
M Master drive pool
Pool of tape drives from the same library using the same tape technology (i.e. LTO7). If the tape library has more than one tape drive technology (i.e. LTO6 and LTO7), multiple drive pools are created.
Media Explorer
Commvault utility tool which can be used to recover data on tape in the event the CommServe server is not available. This tool, only available from Commvault Support, is used to recover the CommServe database in the event of a disaster.
Media refresh
The process of copying actively retained jobs from a set of tapes to new tapes. This process is used to consolidate job data to fewer tapes or to refresh data from older tapes to newer tapes.
MediaAgent
The multifunction workhorses of a Commvault® software environment which facilitates the transfer of data from source to destination. A MediaAgent also hosts the deduplication database, metadata indexes, and run analytic engines.
Mount path
For disk libraries, a mount path defines the disk location where protected data is stored. A mount path can define a drive letter or a UNC path as the disk storage location.
Multiplexing
When writing to tape media, multiplexing interlaces multiple job streams into a single device stream. Multiplexing is performed at the block level using a first come first serve mechanism combining blocks from multiple job streams into a single device stream in real-time.
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O On Demand Backup Set
A logical entity that allows data to be backed up or archived through a Directive File specified at the point of backup/archive. The Directive File contains the fully qualified path(s) to one or more Content Files which contain the fully qualified path(s) to one or more files, links and/or devices to be backed up. For some agents, a single Content File is used in place of the Directive File.
Operation window
A user defined window where various job blackout periods can be defined.
Out-of-place restore
The ability to restore data to the same client but in a different location, other clients where compatible agents are installed or to restore file data to a UNC path.
Overwrite protect media pool
A logical group that manages tapes which cannot be overwritten. Tapes must be manually placed in the group by the administrator. Tapes in the overwrite protect media pool will not be written to regardless of retention settings and will remain indefinitely locked until the administrator moves the tape out of the group.
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
A cloud service which provides application instance access for customers.
Primary copy
The logical entity in a storage policy through which all data protection operations are conducted.
Priority precedence
When browsing and restoring data, priority precedence is used by the administrator to determine which storage policy copy to restore the data from. Copy precedence can be set in the browse and recovery options or in the storage policy properties. If the priority precedence is not specified, the software will attempt to recover data in the precedence order specified in the storage policy properties.
Proxy
A server which acts as a middle point to allow other systems to communicate. An example of a proxy is a VSA proxy used to facilitate the backup and recovery of virtual machines between the hypervisor and protected storage.
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A logical client in the CommCell console that represents an application or file system. Pseudo clients are used to define what is being protected, one or more proxies used to protect data, and backup set and subclient configuration options. Pseudo clients are commonly used with the Virtual Server Agent, Exchange Mailbox agent, and Reference Copy.
R
Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
The point in time in which protected data must be recovered to. Recovery points are created each time a data protection job runs. The more frequent the jobs are run, the more recovery points exist.
Recovery Time Objective (RTO)
The allotted time to recover a business system after a disaster in order to resume business operations.
Reference Copy
A pseudo client configured in the CommCell console that is used to collect file and / or Email data from other data protection jobs and consolidate the data into a separate physical location. Reference Copy can be used for compliance requirements to consolidate specific data based on type, Email metadata, and keywords if the data has been content indexed.
Restore by job
Supported for certain Commvault agents, Restore by job is an index free restore that copies chunks from storage media back to the client.
Retired media pool
A logical tape group which holds all tapes that have exceeded their useful life but must be tracked within the CommCell environment. Tapes are automatically moved to the retired media pool when threshold counters are exceeded or manually moved by the administrator by marking a tape bad.
Role based security
Commvault Version 11 security model which uses roles to define permissions users and user groups have within the CommCell environment. Roles and users or user groups are associated with an entity within the CommCell console to grant permissions to the entity.
Schedule policy
A scalability tool to bulk schedule data protection jobs for multiple client groups, clients, backup sets, subclients, or auxiliary copy jobs.
Scratch pool
A logical repository for new or pruned media which are available for use.
S
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SDT Pipeline
Option that is configured by checking the ‘Optimize for concurrent LAN backups’ check box of the MediaAgent properties. This option defines how the MediaAgent handles multiple connections received from clients and impacts the default maximum number of streams a MediaAgent can receive.
Selective copy
The logical entity in a storage policy used by an auxiliary copy operation to copy full backups that meet the specified criteria, from the primary copy.
Service Level Agreement (SLA)
Formally agreed upon service time for business system accessibility or data availability.
SILO
A Commvault feature that allows deduplicated data on disk to be copied to tape media without the need to rehydrate data. SILO is primarily used for compliance data requiring long term retention and is more cost effective than traditional tape storage.
Size on media
The actual size of data written to media after compression and deduplication operations are performed. Application size represents total size of data requiring protection.
SMTP server
Mail server that can be defined in a CommCell® that allows to send emailed reports, alerts and notifications to administrators or end-users.
Snapshot
A hardware or software mechanism which captures the state of all blocks on a volume when the snapshot occurs.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
A cloud service which provides application level services for customers. Microsoft 0365 is an example of SaaS.
Software Defined Data Services (SDDS)
Commvault’s scalable storage solution based on commodity compute and storage using a clustered Linux file system and Erasure Coding. This scale out architecture can be configured in one or more clusters and can tolerate one or more disk or node failures with no disruption of service.
Spool copy
A special storage policy retention setting which uses the data path defined in the policy copy as a staging area for data to be copied to other policy copies. Once the copy is completed, the data is deleted from the source spool location.
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Storage policy
A logical entity through which data from a subclient is backed up. A storage policy consists of one or more copies which associate data with particular physical media.
Storage policy copy
A logical entity which provides the path for protected data and also provides the facility to define the retention period for the data. The four types of storage policy copies are: primary snap, primary (classic), secondary synchronous, and secondary selective.
Structured data
Data residing in a database which is indexed and searchable by the application.
Subclient
The logical entity that uniquely defines a unit of data on a client computer.
Subclient policy
A scalability tool for file system data to configure and create subclients for multiple clients.
Synchronous copy
A secondary storage policy that is synchronized with the primary copy. It contains all full, incremental, differential, transaction log and synthetic full data protection jobs.
Synthetic full backup
An operation that combines the most recent full backup of the selected data with all subsequent incremental/differential backups and stores the result in a single archive file.
Tape library
Storage device which uses linear tape to store data.
T
U Unstructured data
File data not managed by an application. Files on servers and end user workstations is considered unstructured data.
User
An individual person who can be granted permissions within a CommCell environment. Users can be CommCell users or domain users.
User group
A logical container with one or more users. A group can be a CommCell group or a domain group. Page 287 of 289
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V Virtualization
The concept of virtualizing servers or applications. In terms of servers, physical hypervisors are configured in a cluster with shared access to storage to provide a highly scalable and resilient environment which can run a high number of virtual computers.
Virtual Server Agent (VSA)
Commvault agent used to protect virtual servers.
Volume folder
Folder on a disk library mount path containing protected data logically represented as volume. When the size limit is reached, a new volume folder is created. In SILO storage environment, closed volume folders are copied to tape media in its deduplicated format.
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July 2018