Sweep to tape for vRanger 7.X.X and Symantec Backup Exec (4037266)

How to configure and use the sweep-to-tape feature in vRanger using Symantec Backup Exec?

Last update to the original article was applied on 9/11/2014, no updates available for this.

Recommended method is integrating vRanger with Netvault Backup and Symantec Backup Exec.

Wants to configure the use of vRanger integrating with Symantec BAckup EXEC.

To configure the vRanger sweep-to-tape feature, both vRanger and the tape vendor’s software must point to a common vRanger repository folder located locally on the vRanger server.

The vRanger backup administrator creates an on-demand (not scheduled), incremental job with a specific name, appending -Tape as a case-sensitive suffix (e.g., any-jobname-Tape). The -Tape suffix can be changed by editing the PowerShell script if you prefer something else. There should be a dedicated repository for each on-demand job.

The tape backup software administrator schedules a recurring incremental backup job whose PRE field calls a.cmd file containing the PowerShell script that searches for and then starts the vRanger on-demand job(s) with the -Tape suffix. The vRanger on-demand job performs the incremental backup, placing the savepoint files in the repository and updating the repository's global manifest file.

After the vRanger job completes (e.g., the job status equals either success or failure), the PowerShell script exits, thus completing the PRE command.

With the PRE command of the tape backup software completed, the tape backup software, which is also pointing to the vRanger repository folder, runs its scheduled incremental job, backing up the vRanger savepoints and global manifest file to tape.

Scenario 1 - vRanger and Tape backup software on the same server:

• Tape backup software on a Windows 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2012 R2 Server
• Windows update patches applied before of the deploy process.
• vRanger resides on the tape backup software server. vRanger requires to be installed first.
• A local repository shared by vRanger and the tape backup software
• PowerShell (PS and vRanger must always be installed on the same server). https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=34595
• A PS script that finds and launches the vRanger on-demand job

A CMD file that contains the PowerShell script.

http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/data-protection/m/downloads/20437987 Please note, the provided script works for vRanger and Netvault backup with Symantec. If you need to run the script you need to modified previous to execute.

Note: 

Scenario 2 - vRanger and Tape backup software on different servers:

Server 1 - Tape Backup Software

• Tape backup vendor's software on a Windows 2008 / 2012 Server

Server 2 - vRanger/PowerShell

• Tape backup software's remote tape backup agent that can run a PRE command. The agent runs the PowerShell script contained in the .CMD file called via the PRE command
• vRanger resides on its own server
• A local repository located on the vRanger server and shared by vRanger and the tape backup software
• PowerShell (PowerShell and vRanger must always be installed on the same server)
• A PowerShell script that finds and launches the vRanger on-demand job
• A CMD file that contains the PowerShell script.

Configuration Steps:

Use the procedures below to configure integration of your tape backup software and vRanger.

These procedures assume that:

• You have your components installed according to Scenario 1 as described above.
• The customer already will have a Backup Exec physical server and vRanger will be installed on
  that server.

Installing vRanger

1. Install vRanger onto your Backup Exec server. Consider placing the local repository on the D:
   drive of the vRanger server.
2. Create the local share D:\vranger_backups (or similar).
   • Assign the group Everyone (or similar) Full Control for the Share.
   • The user credentials specified in the next step when adding the repository should have Full Control NTFS security. This folder will become the repository that contains the incremental job savepoints and global manifest file. The folder should have enough disk space to hold a full backup and several incremental backups.
3. Add a local repository on the vRanger server that points to the vranger_backups share. Click My Repositories > Add > specify the necessary repository details, pointing to the share.
4. Create an on-demand, daily, incremental backup job that backs up your environment. In this paper, we will backup a single server for simplicity. Click:
   • My Inventory > Add > Backup Job > Job Name = vRanger-Sweep-to-Tape. Click Next
   • Select VMs to exclude. Click Next
   • Select hard disks to include. Click Next
   • Select your repository. Click Next
   • Select your transport method. Click Next
   • Select your options. Click Next
   • For Retention Policy, select Savepoint Count=7, Space Saving Technology=Incremental, Threshold Count=6. Click Next
     If Backup Exec calls this on-demand job daily, there will be a full backup performed the first day and an incremental backup performed each of the remaining days of the week.
   • Select the This will be an on demand job and does not require a recurrence schedule checkbox. Click Next
   • Select the email address(es) that should be notified when the job has completed running.
     The Email a report after the job has finished running check box should remain checked. Click Next
   • Review your settings and click Finish.

Installing and Configuring PowerShell

1. From http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=20020, download PowerShell 1.0 for Windows Server 2003 to the vRanger server.
2. Install PowerShell. PowerShell appears in Add/Remove Programs as a hotfix:
3. Click Start > All Programs > Quest Software> vRanger > vRanger Console to launch the vRanger Console.
4. Set the PowerShell Script Execution Policy to RemoteSigned.
   • Set the PowerShell Script Execution Policy to RemoteSigned by running the cmdlet:
     • Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned.
   • Confirm the policy setting by running the Get-ExecutionPolicy cmdlet.
   • Exit PowerShell by running the Exit cmdlet.
     Seehttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/topics/msh/cmdlets/setexecutionpolicy.mspx for an explanation of the available PowerShell Execution Policies.
5. Edit the vRanger config files with Notepad (or similar) to use the vRanger server's local IP address instead of localhost.
   • Edit the vRanger.API.exe.config file, located at: \Program Files\Quest Software\vRanger\PowerShell \vRanger.API.exe.config.
     
     Change: <endpoint address="http://localhost:2480/VAPIHost.svc" binding="wsDualHttpBinding"
     To: <endpoint address="http://<Server-IP>:2480/VAPIHost.svc" binding="wsDualHttpBinding"
   • Edit the vRanger.API.PowerShell.dll.config file, located at: \Program Files\Quest Software\vRanger\PowerShell \vRanger.API.PowerShell.dll.config.
     
     Change: <endpoint address="http://localhost:2480/VAPIHost.svc" binding="wsDualHttpBinding"
     To: <endpoint address="http://<Server-IP>:2480/VAPIHost.svc" binding="wsDualHttpBinding"

Using the PowerShell Script

Download the PowerShell script that will launch the vRanger on-demand job.

1. • Go to the URL and save the zip file to any folder (e.g., c:\download) on the vRanger server:
     http://communities.quest.com/docs/DOC-10738
   • Extract the script from the zip file by right-clicking the file and clicking Extract All
   • While you do not need to edit the script, you can open it with Notepad to understand why your vRanger job name has to have the suffix -Tape (case sensitive). The PowerShell $JobString = "*-Tape" must match the suffix used in your vRanger job name. As long as they match, you can change the $JobString and vRanger job name suffix to something other than -Tape.
   • Close the file
   • Using Notepad, create a CMD file in the C:\Download\vRangerTape.ps1folder titled vRangerTape.cmd. Its contents are:
     
     @echo off
     c:\Windows\system\system32\windowspowershell\v1.0\powershell.exe
     c:\download\vRangerTape.ps1\vRangerTape.ps1

Configuring Backup Exec

1. Install and configure Backup Exec according to the applications instructions
2. When configuring the Backup-to-disk folder type, select Backup-to-disk folder. Click Next
3. At the Enter a name for the backup-to-disk-folder prompt, type vRanger Daily and click Next
4. At the Enter a path for the backup-to-disk-folder prompt, type or browse to D:\Backup_Exec Backups and click Next
5. At the Enter the maximum size for a backup-to-disk file prompt, type a number of GBs (default=4).
   • Note: You can later change this number from within Backup Exec.
6. At the Allocate the Maximum Size for Backup-to-Disk Files prompt, click the Yes radio button and click Next. Pre-allocating the space improves performance.
7. At the Enter the maximum number of concurrent jobs prompt, type 1 (the default) and click Next
8. At the Enter the size for the low disk space threshold prompt, type 0 (the default) and click Next
9. Review your Device Configuration Wizard settings and click Next
10. Click Finish
11. Create a media set named vRanger Daily Backups. Set the Overwrite Protection Period to 4 weeks
12. Set the Append Period to 4 weeks

Create a Backup Job

• Click on Create a backup job. This launches a wizard.
  1. At the Welcome to the Backup Wizard page, click Create a backup job with custom settings and click Next.
  2. At the Backup Selections page, drill down to and select the vRanger repository e.g., D:\vRanger_Backups, and click Next.
  3. At the Select Volume Credentials page, click Test All. When the results are successful, click Next.
  4. At the Select Volume Order page, click Next.
  5. At the Backup Names page, title the backup job vRanger Daily Job, title the backup set vRanger Daily Backup, and click Next.
  6. At the Backup Device and Media page, at the Which device would you use to backup your data drop-down box, select vRanger Daily. At the Which media set would like to use to back your data drop-down box, select vRanger Daily Backup. When finished making your selections, click Next.
  7. At the Backup Overwrite Method page, accept the default Append to media, overwrite if no appendable media is available radio button. ClickNext.
  8. At the Backup Options page, click the Incremental - Changed Files - Reset Archive Bit method from the drop-down list. Click Next.
  9. At the Completing the Backup Wizard page, click the No, schedule the job to run later radio button and click Finish.
  10. At the Schedule Options page, click the Run according to schedule radio button and click the Edit Schedule Details button.
  11. At the Edit Calendar schedule by box, click the Recurring Days of the Month option and then click the Select All button.
  12. At the Edit Calendar schedule by box, click the Effective Date option and confirm that today's date is placed in the Make the schedule go into effect on drop-down box.
  13. At the Edit Calendar schedule by box, click the Time Window option and accept the defaults: Start no earlier than 11:00:00 PM and no later than 10:59:59 PM the following day.
  14. Click Submit.
  15. At the Completing the Backup Wizard page, click the No, schedule the job to run later radio button and click OK.
  16. Click Close to close the Getting Started with Backup Exec page.

• Specify the vRangerTape.cmd file in the Backup Exec job's PRE field.
  1. Close the Backup Exec Assistant window.
  2. Click on the vRanger Daily Job and click Properties.
  3. In the vRanger Daily Job Properties column, click Pre/Post Commands and type the PowerShell script path\command (e.g.C:\Download\vRangerTape.ps1\vRangerTape.ps1).
  4. Click Submit.
  5. At the Job Summary page, click OK.

Run Sweep-to-Tape

1. In Backup Exec, highlight the vRanger Daily Job and click Run Now. Click Yes to confirm.
2. Click the Job Monitor tab and double-click the Active job.

Restore From Backup Exec

Restoring from Backup Exec is the reverse procedure of doing backups.

1. From within Backup Exec, restore from tape or disk to the vRanger repository.
2. From within vRanger, restore from savepoints, using the global manifest file or savepoint manifest files.

Troubleshooting Sweep-to-Tape
Sweep-to-tape has three main components. Each component should be tested individually.

• The vRanger on-demand, incremental backup job.
• The PowerShell script contained in the .CMD file.
• The Backup Exec scheduled, incremental backup job.

1. From with vRanger, manually run the vRanger on-demand job and confirm that it works.
2. Run the PowerShell script from a CMD prompt. Manually cut and paste the executable statement into the CMD prompt and check for errors to troubleshoot further:
   • c:\windows\system32\windowspowershell\v1.0\powershell.exe
   • c:\download\vRangerTape.ps1\vRangerTape.ps1
3. Launch PowerShell
   • Run the Get-PSSnapin command. vRanger.API.PowerShell should be registered.
   • Run the Get-Executionpolicy command. The execution policy should be set to RemoteSigned.
4. From Backup Exec, confirm that its job runs. If the job fails quickly, confirm that the Backup Exec services are using credentials with local administrator rights. If so, then the PRE command is
   probably failing due to a PowerShell issue.