VCB zoning Luns

[digitalex]

After reading the installation docuementation. Is it fact that I must create a zone for the Proxy Server with a single HBA to the storage device on the windows box. And then present each lun or luns that is presented to the ESX servers to the windows host? Will Windows corrupt the volume?

[mitchellm3]

No. With the latest version...and I think a few versions back, they supported multipathing so you could connect multiple hba's...assuming you are talking about fiber-channel. But you do need to present all the luns that you normally would to an ESX host to your VCB server...or at least the ones you want to back up. In order to prevent corruption, the install guide should walk you through using diskpart on the VCB server to disable automatic drive signaturing.

[digitalex]

OK . So disabling drive signature prevents the corruption. Now you say it supports Multipathing? So I can load VCB on my existing media server that does san based backups?

[mitchellm3]

Correct.

I use IBM's SDDDSM for multipathing and it works just fine. BTW, you might want to update your VCB install guide.

[dconvery]

digitalex -

you can ABSOLUTELY use the media server as a VCB proxy. It is the most efficient way to do it and takes backups off of the LAN for a true LAN-free backup. here are the steps in a nutshell:

DO NOT ATTACH THE LUNS TO THE VCB PROXY YET...

run diskpart - automount disable and automount scrub.

reboot

attach / zone / mask the VMFS and RDM LUNs that you wish to back up. If you need to enter a host type, use VMware ESX or Linux - not windows

install / patch the backup software if needed.

make sure the GPO for device driver signing is set to prompt - you need to install the vmware virtual volume driver

install VCB - you should see the prompt to install the driver

unzip the integration kit for your version of backup software

run the install.bat file from the integration kit and set up according to the readme html file

configure the backup software to use VCB as instructed in the readme

HINTS:

Netbackup 6.5.2 does not need the integration kit. If using 6.5.x, do not use 6.5.0 or 6.5.1. The hints below apply to 6.0.x or 5.x

try using vcbmounter.exe first to confirm that VCB works

the backup "client" in Netbackup is now the media server / VCB proxy

make sure you set the cleint timeout to allow for snapshotting and san copy of the VM

If you are going to VMworld, check out my breakout session: BC2497 VMware Consolidated Backup - Report from the Trenches. I will be reviewing VCB with Netbackup 6.x and Vizioncore vRangerpro and how to integrate them.

dave

[digitalex]

Thanks dconvery, you are all over the forums :smileygrin:

[dconvery]

Thank you. I'm just trying to give back what I get out of the forums..

Dave