vRanger 7.8 - Integration Guide for EMC Data Domain Boost (DD Boost)

Adding an EMC Data Domain Boost (DD Boost) repository

The following process describes how to add an EMC® Data Domain® Boost (DD Boost™) repository. The following procedure assumes that:

•	You have a properly configured Data Domain appliance that is accessible to the vRanger machine.

•	DD Boost is licensed and enabled on the Data Domain device.

•	You have designated a DD Boost User account.

 

NOTE: For information on setting up the preceding configurations, see your EMC Data Domain documentation.

To add an EMC Data Domain Boost Repository:

1	In the My Repositories pane, right-click anywhere, and click Add > EMC Data Domain Boost (DDB).

2	In the Add EMC Data Domain Boost Repository dialog box, complete the following fields:

▪	Repository Name: Enter a descriptive name for the repository.

▪	Description: [Optional] Enter a long-form description for the repository.

▪	DNS Name or IP: Enter the IP or FQDN for the Data Domain device.

▪	User name and Password: Enter the credentials for the account selected as the DD Boost User on the Data Domain device.

 

NOTE: For information on creating a DD Boost user name, see your Data Domain documentation.

▪	Storage Unit: This field specifies the Storage Unit configured on the Data Domain device. Select one from the drop-down menu, or enter the name for a new Storage Unit and vRanger creates one for you.

 

IMPORTANT: The supported characters are alphanumeric characters and ~!@#$^_+`-={}[],.

3

Click OK.

The connection to the repository is tested and the repository is added to the My Repositories pane and the Repository Information dialog box.

vRanger checks the configured repository location for existing manifest data to identify existing savepoints.

4	If vRanger finds existing savepoints, click the applicable button:

▪	Import as Read-Only: To import all savepoint data into the vRanger database, but only for restores, click this button. You cannot back up data to this repository.

▪	Import: To import all savepoint data into the vRanger database, click this button. vRanger is able to use the repository for backups and restores. vRanger requires read and write access to the directory.

▪	Overwrite: To retain the savepoint data on the disk and not import it into vRanger, click this button. vRanger ignores the existence of the existing savepoint data and treats the repository as new.

Configuring repository replication

Replication is configured through the My Repositories pane of the vRanger interface. The following procedure assumes that:

•	You have configured at least one DD Boost repository in vRanger.

•	At least one other Data Domain device with DD Boost enabled is available in your environment to serve as the replication target. You do not have to add this device to vRanger.

•	All devices used in replication have a Replicator license installed.

To configure replication:

1	In the My Repositories pane, right-click the Data Domain Boost repository, and select Configure Replication.

2	In the Configure Replication dialog box, complete the following fields:

▪	Repository Name: Enter a descriptive name for the repository.

▪	Description: [Optional] Enter a long-form description for the repository.

▪	DNS Name or IP: Enter the IP or FQDN for the Data Domain device.

▪	DD Boost User name and Password: Enter the credentials for the account selected as the DD Boost User on the Data Domain device.

▪	Storage Unit: This field specifies the Storage Unit configured on the Data Domain device. Select one from the drop-down menu, or enter the name for a new Storage Unit and vRanger creates one for you.

3

Click OK.

The connection to the device is tested and the device is added as a repository is added to the My Repositories pane and the Repository Information dialog box.

After replication is configured for a repository, the Configure Replication option is disabled for that repository.

 

IMPORTANT: After a repository is configured for replication, you must select a synchronization method before replication occurs. For information on manual and automatic synchronization options, see Managing repository replication.

Editing a replication configuration

You may edit an existing replication configuration to update credentials or timeout values. You may also use the Edit Repository Details dialog box to view free space for the repository.

1	In the My Repositories pane, right-click the EMC Data Domain Boost repository, and select Edit Replication Configuration.

2	In the Edit EMC Data Domain Boost Repository dialog box, edit any of the following fields:

▪	Repository Name

▪

User Name

▪

Password

3	Alternatively, view the Free Space field for up-to-date information about this repository.

4	If you edited any of the fields, click Update.

 

NOTE: For information on disabling repository replication, see Disabling repository replication.

Removing an EMC DD Boost repository

The process for removing an EMC® Data Domain® Boost (DD Boost™) repository is the same as removing any other repository type, except that you also have the option of removing the storage unit used by the repository. There is a hard limit on the number storage units that can be configured on a Data Domain device, which makes removing unused storage units an important maintenance effort.

To remove a DD Boost repository:

1	In the My Repositories pane, right-click the applicable EMC Data Domain Boost repository, and select Remove.

The Remove Repository dialog box appears, showing the savepoints in the selected repository.

When removing a repository, you have the option of keeping the savepoints on disk or deleting them. To remove the storage unit associated with the repository, you need to remove the savepoints. If replication is configured for this repository, you are also given the option to delete the savepoints in the replicated repository.

2	Select Delete all savepoints in this repository.

 

CAUTION: This step deletes the savepoints from the repository disk, not just the vRanger database. Exercise caution when deleting savepoints.

3	To delete the savepoints in a replicated repository, select Delete all savepoints in replication repository.

4

Click OK.

5	When the Delete Savepoints dialog box appears, select Delete DD Boost storage unit, and click OK.

The savepoints are deleted, along with the storage unit associated with the repository.

Managing repository replication

vRanger supports repository replication. Repositories configured for replication can be synchronized in one of three ways:

•	Automatically, after a successful backup task to that repository.

•	As a separate job on a scheduled basis.

•	Manually, using the Synchronize option.

Configuring a repository for automatic replication

When a managed repository is configured for savepoint replication, and a backup task completes successfully, each savepoint is also replicated to the replication repository.

To enable automatic savepoint replication:

1	From the Tools menu on the vRanger toolbar, select Options.

2	Under the Repositories node, select Replication.

 

TIP: You may also right-click the target repository in the My Repositories pane, and select Repository Replication Options.

3	Select Enable savepoint replication for a successful backup job task, and click Ok.

Scheduling repository synchronization

When using scheduled repository synchronization, savepoints are replicated to the replication repository according to a configured schedule.

NOTE: When scheduling repository synchronization, ensure that the synchronization activity does not occur at the same time as backup jobs using the synchronized repository.

To schedule a repository synchronization:

1	From the Tools menu on the vRanger toolbar, select Options.

2	Under the Repositories node, select Replication.

3	In the Repository Replication Configuration pane, find the Repository Name column, and select the applicable repository.

The repositories listed are the target repositories.

4	Select Schedule repository synchronization.

5	Configure the replication schedule as desired, using the following information as a guide.

a	Start: In the drop-down list, select the time for the replication task to begin.

b	Recurrence Pattern: Establish how often the changes should be synchronized. There are five options within this section:

▫	Daily: The daily option can be scheduled to synchronize the repository every weekday or every x number of days.

▫	Weekly: Repository synchronization can be configured to run on weekly intervals, from every week to every 99 weeks. The day of the week on which to run synchronization tasks can be configured.

▫	Monthly: The monthly option offers the following configurations:

-	Day [x] of every [y] month:

x can be any value from 1 to 31. This value determines the day of the month on which the synchronization job occurs.

y can be any value from 1 to 99. This value determines the monthly interval — for example, every two months sets the job to run every other month.

-	The [f] [d] of every [y] month(s):

f can be either: first, second, third, fourth or last.

d can be: weekday, weekend day, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.

y can be any value from 1 to 99. This value determines the monthly interval — for example, every two months sets the synchronization task to run every other month.

▫	Yearly: The yearly option offers the following configurations:

-	Every [m] [x]:

m is any month of the year. This value determines the month of the year in which the synchronization occurs.

x can be any value from 1 to 31. This value determines the day of the month on which the synchronization occurs.

-	The [f] [d] of [m]:

f can be either: first, second, third, fourth, or last.

d can be: day, weekday, weekend day, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.

m is any month of the year. This value determines the month of the year in which the synchronization occurs.

▫	Interval: The interval option lets you select the number of days, hours, and minutes that should pass between synchronization jobs. The interval selected must be greater than or equal to five minutes.

6	Click OK to schedule the job.

Synchronizing a repository manually

1	In the My Repositories pane, right-click the source or replication repository, and select Synchronize.

2	When the confirmation prompt appears, click Yes.

Disabling repository replication

To disable repository replication:

1	Do one of the following:

▪	From the Tools menu on the vRanger toolbar, select Options. Under the Repositories node, select Replication.

▪	Right-click the replication repository, and select Repository Replication Options.

2	Clear the check box for Enable savepoint replication for a successful backup job task or Schedule repository synchronization, or both.

3

Click OK.

Replication is disabled as indicated by a red circle icon containing a white exclamation point.

Changing a replication repository to a primary repository

If your primary repository becomes corrupt or otherwise unavailable, you can quickly change your replication repository to a primary repository to continue backup and recovery operations.

To change a replication repository to a primary repository:

1	In the My Repositories pane, right-click the replication repository, and click Remove.

 

IMPORTANT: Ensure that Delete all savepoints in this repository is not selected.

2

Click OK.

3	In the My Repositories pane, click Add.

4	Select the applicable repository type.

5	Complete the Add Repository dialog box, and click OK.

6	When vRanger detects that the repository being added contains savepoint data and displays the Warning: Existing Repository Found dialog box, click Import to reconfigure the repository as a primary repository.

RangerDDBoost_InstallingvRanger.5.8.htm

Administering Data Domain and DD Boost

Administering Data Domain and DD Boost

Data Domain system administration

This topic discusses the following subtopics:

•	Restricting export permissions to DD Boost

•	Modifying an interface group

•	Removing advanced load balancing and link failover configuration

•	Setting network timeouts