Ransomware attackers specifically target and attempt to destroy backup systems to increase the probability of payment. Hardening your system is critical. Please ensure you have reviewed your platform security using the Security Hardening Checklist
Cohesity

COHESITY Documentation

Explore our documentation to get started, discover products & new features, access troubleshooting guides, register sources, platforms support.

Products
Data Security Alliance
Visit Cohesity.com
Demos
Support
Blogs
Developers
Partner Portals
Cohesity Community
© 2026 Cohesity, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use|
Privacy Policy|
Legal|
  1. Home
  2. NetBackup™ in Highly Available Environments Administrator's Guide
  3. Deploying NetBackup primary servers with full catalog replication
  4. About non-clustered NetBackup primary server with catalog replication
  5. Installing and configuring non-clustered NetBackup primary server with catalog replication
  6. Installing and configuring the main NetBackup primary server
NetBackup™ in Highly Available Environments Administrator's Guide

Installing and configuring the main NetBackup primary server

The main primary server is the server that normally functions as the primary server. It must be installed first.

The following procedure provides guidelines for installing and configuring the main non-clustered primary server with catalog replication.

To install and configure the main non-clustered primary server with catalog replication

  1. You must use a DNS alias name for the primary server. The DNS alias name ensures a smooth failover to the alternate primary server. Before you start the installation, define this alias name in DNS and map it to the main primary server. Configure all the media servers and clients in the NetBackup domain to use this alias name for the primary server.
  2. Install the NetBackup primary server on the main primary server node. Specify the alias name for the primary server.
  3. Shut down NetBackup after the installation is complete.
  4. To ensure that NetBackup starts correctly when switching to the alternate primary server, verify the NB_<alias name> string in the vxdbms.conf file.

    Verify that the string is NB_<alias name> and not NB_<hostname> and modify as necessary.

    This file is located in the following directory:

    <install path>\VERITAS\netbackupdb\data\vxdmbs.conf

    /usr/openv/db/data/vxdbms.conf

  5. Move the catalog components to the volume that is replicated to the alternate primary server.

    For Windows installations, map the following paths to a common volume. Use symbolic links.

    • <install path>\VERITAS\netbackupdb\data

    • <install path>\VERITAS\netbackup\vault\sessions

    • <install path>\VERITAS\volmgr\misc

    • <install path>\VERITAS\netbackup\var

    • <install path>\VERITAS\kms

    For Linux installations, soft link the following paths to locations on a common volume:

    • /usr/openv/db/data

    • /usr/openv/netbackup/vault/sessions

    • /usr/openv/volmgr/database

    • /usr/openv/var

    • /usr/openv/kms

  6. Configure NetBackup so that it can be manually started and stopped on the main primary server. By default, NetBackup is started automatically when the primary server is started.

    To prevent this automatic start, make the changes in step 7 and step 8 after the initial installation and after applying patches or upgrades.

  7. Make the following changes on the NetBackup primary server.

    • On a Linux primary server, remove the links to /etc/init.d/netbackup created during the installation to enable automatic startup.

      Refer to the NetBackup Installation Guide for details of links for each operating system.

    • On a Windows primary server, go to the Services Manager and set the Startup type for all the NetBackup services to Manual.

  8. Start NetBackup on the main primary server to confirm that it comes up correctly and then shut it down again.

    At this stage, you can configure media servers and storage devices.

    To start and stop NetBackup, manually run the following commands. It is recommended to document these commands in the failover procedure.

    On a Linux primary server:

    • To start NetBackup, run the following command:

      /etc/init.d/netbackup start command

    • To stop NetBackup, run the following command:

      /etc/init.d/netbackup stop

    On a Windows primary server:

    • To start NetBackup, run the following command:

      <install path>\VERITAS\NetBackup\bin\bpup

    • To stop NetBackup, run the following command:

      <install path>\VERITAS\NetBackup\bin\bpdown

Feedback

Was this page helpful?
Previous

Installing and configuring non-clustered NetBackup primary server with catalog replication

Next

Installing and configuring an alternate NetBackup primary server

Feedback

Was this page helpful?