How NetBackup uses host names
A major consideration is the extent to which you qualify host names. In many cases, the short host name of a computer is adequate. If the network environment contains multiple domains, qualify host names to the extent that servers and clients can identify each other in a multi-domain environment.
For example, use a name such as mercury.bdev.null.com or mercury.bdev rather than only mercury.
The following topics discuss how NetBackup stores and uses host names. These topics also address factors to consider when you choose host names.
(On Windows) Veritas recommends that you do not change the host name of a NetBackup server. You may need to import all previously used media to the server before you can use it under the new host name.
The following table discusses the topics that address how NetBackup stores and uses host names.
Table: How NetBackup stores and uses host names
Topic | Description |
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Server and client names on UNIX servers and clients | On both UNIX servers and clients, the SERVER entries in the bp.conf file define the NetBackup servers that are allowed access. The first SERVER entry identifies the primary server. The first SERVER entry indicates the server to which client requests are made. For this reason, the SERVER name must be one by which all clients can connect to the server.
If more than one SERVER entry exists, the additional entries identify other NetBackup servers that can initiate scheduled backups on the client. The bp.conf file must have multiple SERVER entries if you configure remote media servers. The NetBackup Request daemon (bprd) and NetBackup Database Manager daemon (bpdbm) do not run on any server other than a primary. When a client makes a list or restore request to the server, the NetBackup client name is used to determine whether to allow the operation. (The client name as specified on the client.) The client name that is used is usually the CLIENT_NAME from the bp.conf file of the client. Or, the client name can be the actual host name of the client if not in the bp.conf file. Alternate client restores can use the name that is specified through the user interface or with a parameter on the bprestore command.
For a successful request, the client name must match the name that is specified for the client in the NetBackup configuration on the server. The only exception to this rule is if the server is configured to allow alternate client restores. |
Host names on Windows servers and PC clients | Windows NetBackup servers and clients also have SERVER and CLIENT_NAME settings. On these systems, specify server and client settings in the NetBackup Administration Console.
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Policy configuration | (On Windows) The configured name for a client is the host name as it's added to a policy. This name is how the client is identified in the NetBackup configuration.
(On UNIX) The configured name for a client is the host name as it's added to a policy. This name is how the client is identified in the NetBackup configuration. NetBackup also adds a CLIENT_NAME entry to a UNIX client's bp.conf file when software is first installed on the client.
The server uses the client's configured name to connect to the client and start the processes that satisfy client requests. Always use qualified host names to add clients to a policy so that all NetBackup servers can connect to the clients. When a client makes a user backup, archive, or restore request to the NetBackup server, the server uses the peer name of the client. The peer name (identified from its TCP connection) is used to determine the client's configured name.
If you add a client to more than one policy, always use the same name in all cases. If the same name is not used, the client cannot view all the files that are backed up on its behalf. In this case, file restores become complicated because both user action and administrator action is required to restore from some of the backups. |
Image catalog | A subdirectory in the image catalog is created for a client when a backup is first created for that client. The subdirectory's name is the client's configured name.
Every backup for a client has a separate file in this subdirectory. Each of these backup records contains the host name of the server on which the backup was written. |
Error catalog | NetBackup uses the entries in the error catalog for generating reports. These entries contain the host name of the server that generates the entry and the client's configured name, if applicable. The server host name is normally the server's short host name. (For example, servername instead of servername.null.com.)
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Catalog backup information |
If you include a media server's catalog files in the NetBackup catalog, qualify the host name of the media server in the file path. Qualified names are necessary because they allow the primary server to connect to the media server. |
Many NetBackup user-defined strings must not contain non-US ASCII characters, including the following:
Host name (primary server, media server, Enterprise Media Manager (EMM) server, volume database host, media host, client)
Policy name
Policy keyword (Windows only)
Backup, Archive, and Restore keyword (Windows only)
Storage unit name
Storage unit disk pathname (Windows only)
Robot name
Device name
Schedule name
Media ID
Volume group name
Volume pool name
Media description
Vault policy names
Vault report names
BMR Shared Resource Tree (SRT) name
nbcertcmd command
