Using NetBackup commands to create a VMware policy
This topic describes how to use NetBackup commands to create a policy to back up virtual machines.
The NetBackup commands for policy creation are in the following directory:
Windows:
install_path\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\admincmd
UNIX or Linux:
usr/openv/netbackup/bin/admincmd
Run these commands on the NetBackup primary server.
To use NetBackup commands to create a VMware policy
- Create a blank policy.
bppolicynew policyName -M primaryServer
For example:
bppolicynew policy1 -M nbserver.acme.com
- Configure the VMware policy type and set the VMware snapshot options.
This step requires running the initialize form of the bpplinfo command in two stages.
First stage:
bpplinfo policyName -set -pt VMware
Example for the first stage of bpplinfo:
bpplinfo policy1 -set -active -pt VMware -residence stu1
Second stage:
bpplinfo policyName -modify -use_virtual_machine 1 -alt_client_name VMware_backup_host -snapshot_method "VMware_v2" -snapshot_method_args keyword=value,keyword=value,...
The -alt_client_name specifies the VMware backup host (NetBackup access host). You can specify a particular backup host on this option, or specify MEDIA_SERVER (a media server acts as the backup host).
The -use_virtual_machine, -alt_client_name, -snapshot_method "VMware_v2", and-snapshot_method_args must be specified with all parameters set. (Otherwise, the snapshot job fails.)
Note:
-snapshot_method_args is a comma-delimited list of keywords that define the VMware snapshot and policy. The keywords are described in a separate topic:
See VMware policy: bpplinfo options and keywords.
Example for the second stage of bpplinfo (for a policy for vCloud Director):
bpplinfo policy1 -modify -use_virtual_machine 1 -alt_client_name backuphost1.acme.com -application_discovery 1 -snapshot_method "VMware_v2" -snapshot_method_args "file_system_optimization=1, snapact=2,drive_selection=0,Virtual_machine_backup=2, enable_vCloud=1,multi_org=0,disable_quiesce=0,nameuse=0, exclude_swap=1,skipnodisk=0,post_events=1,ignore_irvm=0, rLim=10,rTO=0,rHz=10,trantype=san:hotadd:nbd:nbdssl"
To back up virtual machines in vCloud Director, the bpplinfo command must include the following:
-application_discovery 1
The snapshotMethodArgs list must include enable_vCloud=1.
In addition, NetBackup credentials must be specified for a vCloud Director server.
- Create a schedule for the policy.
bpplsched policyName -add scheduleLabel -st scheduleType
For example:
bpplsched policy1 -add Full -st FULL
- Modify the schedule attributes.
bpplschedrep policyName scheduleLabel -(0..6) start duration
For example:
bpplschedrep policy1 Full -0 0 604800
- Select the virtual machines to back up.
This step requires two commands: bpplclients and bpplinclude.
bpplclients policyName -add VM_to_back_up hardware operating_System bpplinclude policyName -add ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES | filter_to_select_VMs
To back up a virtual machine through manual selection (for example):
bpplclients policy1 -add prvm1.acme.com Windows-x64 Windows2008 bpplinclude example -add ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES
In this example, prvm1.acme.com is the virtual machine to back up, including all of its local drives (-add ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES). ALL_LOCAL_DRIVES is the only file list option available for the VMware policy type.
To automatically select virtual machines through a query rule (for example):
bpplclients policy1 -add MEDIA_SERVER VMware VMware bpplinclude pol1 -add "vmware:/?filter= Displayname Contains 'prvm'"
MEDIA_SERVER allows NetBackup to use a media server to discover and select the virtual machines. As an alternative, you can use -add to specify a particular discovery host.
In the bpplinclude example, the query rule "vmware:/?filter= Displayname Contains 'prvm'" selects the virtual machines with the display names that contain prvm. (Other characters can also appear in the display names.)
Note:
To back up virtual machines in vCloud Director, the policy must use a query rule on the bpplinclude command to select virtual machines automatically. For vCloud, do not specify a virtual machine on the bpplclients command.
bpplinclude has options for modifying the query rules in an existing policy.
See bpplinclude options for modifying query rules in a VMware policy.
To test the bpplinclude query rule (vmware:/?filter) before you run the backup
- Run the following:
Windows:
install_path\NetBackup\bin\nbdiscover -noxmloutput -policy policyName -noreason
UNIX, Linux:
/usr/openv/netbackup/bin/nbdiscover -noxmloutput -policy policyName -noreason
A + sign appears before the virtual machines that the query rule selects for the backup: these virtual machines are included in the backup when the policy runs.
The virtual machines to be excluded from the backup appear with a - sign.
The -noreason option omits explanations as to why the query excluded a virtual machine or why the query failed. For explanations, do not include -noreason.
For more details on most of the command options, see the man page or the NetBackup Commands Reference Guide.
See Using the nbrestorevm command to restore virtual machines into vCloud Director.