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.