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System Recovery, Backup, and Restore

Dell™ PowerVault™ 715N NAS Appliance System Administrator's Guide

  Recovery From System Failure

  System-State Backup and Restore

  Supported Backup Software

  Using Backup Software

  Backing Up Persistent Images

  Installing Tape Device Drivers for Windows 2000 Backup and Recovery Tools

This section provides instructions on how to recover from a system failure and how to back up and restore the system state. The following topics are discussed:

• Recovery from system failure
  
  
• System-state backup and restore
  
  
• Supported Backup Software
  
  
• Using Backup Software
  
  
• Third-party backup software for network backups
  
  
• Backing up persistent images
  
  
• Installing tape device drivers for Microsoft® Windows® 2000
  
  

Recovery From System Failure

Because your NAS appliance is designed to have redundancy, it can recover from certain hardware and software failures. In some situations, it can automatically recover, and in others, you must have administrator privileges and manually intervene to recover the appliance.

Hardware Failures

To recover from the following hardware failures, use one of the following procedures:

• If hard drive 0 fails, the system automatically boots from hard drive 1. To replace the failed hard drive, follow the procedures in "Replacing Hard Drive 0" in the "Advanced Disk and Volume Management" section.
  
  
• If hard drive 1 fails, the system automatically boots from hard drive 0. To replace the failed hard drive, follow the procedures in "Replacing Hard Drive 1, 2 or 3" in the "Advanced Disk and Volume Management" section.
  
  
• If hard drive 2 or 3 fails, the system automatically boots from the mirror hard drive 0 and 1. Hard disks 2 and 3 form the recovery operating system mirror. To replace the failed hard drive, follow the procedures in "Replacing Hard Drive 1, 2 or 3" in the "Advanced Disk and Volume Management" section.
  
  
• If hard drives 0, 1, 2, and 3 fail, you must reinstall new hard drives and the operating system. To replace the failed hard drives and reinstall the operating system, follow the procedures in "Advanced Disk and Volume Management."
  
  

Software Failures

To recover from the following software failures, use one of the following procedures:

• If files in the main operating system files are missing or corrupt, you must have administrator privileges and manually boot from the recovery operating system mirror hard drives 2 and 3. For instructions, see "Replacing Hard Drive 0" in the "Advanced Disk and Volume Management" section. After the system is running, you, as the administrator, can boot the system back to the main operating system hard drives, and then perform a system-state restore operation. For instructions, see "Restoring System-State Data."
  
  
• If the main operating system mirrored partition fails, you must have administrator privileges and manually boot from the recovery operating system mirror hard drives 2 and 3 and restore the original files to the main operating system hard drives 0 and 1. For instructions, see "Replacing Hard Drive 0" in the "Advanced Disk and Volume Management" section. After the system is running, you, as the administrator, can boot the system back to the main operating system hard drives, and then perform a system-state restore operation. For instructions, see "Restoring System-State Data."
  
  

Initial System Setup

After the operating system is reinstalled on the system, make sure you configure the system again to establish network communication. For information about configuring your system, see "Basic Configuration" in "Introduction."

System-State Backup and Restore

Integrated Windows 2000 backup and recovery tools allow administrators to back up and restore the system-state data.

System-state data includes the following:

• Registry
  
  
• COM+ class registration database
  
  
• System boot files
  
  
• Users and groups information
  
  
• CIFS/NFS/Novell® NetWare®/Macintosh share data
  
  

Backing up the system state allows you to recover the system if an operating system reinstallation is required. Restoring your system state restores customized settings such as user information and share information.

NOTE: You must back up your system-state data to a remote system hard drive to allow you to restore your system state after reinstalling the operating system.

Backing Up System-State Data

NOTE: To use the NAS Manager, you must be logged in as administrator. The NAS Manager default administrator user name is administrator and the default password is powervault.

1. Click Maintenance.
   
   
2. Click Terminal Services.
   
   
3. Log on to the Terminal Services session.
   
   
4. Go to the PowerVault Advanced Administration Menu.
   
   
5. Select Administrative Tools, and then click Perform System State Backup.
   
   

The Performing System State Backup window displays.

6. Click OK to continue.
   
   
7. Select the location to store your system-state backup, and then click OK.
   
   

Dell recommends that you regularly back up your system state. This action enables you to go back to the most recent state if an operating system reinstallation is required.

Restoring System-State Data

NOTE: To restore your system-state data, you must have previously backed up your system using the System-State Backup tool on the Advanced Administration Menu or from Windows 2000 backup and recovery tools.

1. Click Maintenance.
   
   
2. Click Backup.
   
   
3. Log on to the NAS appliance as administrator.
   
   
4. Click Restore Wizard.
   
   

The Restore Wizard window displays.

5. Click Next.
   
   
6. Click Import File.
   
   

The Backup File Name window displays.

You must import the file because your system is not aware of previous
backups after you complete a reinstallation.

7. Click Browse.
   
   

The Select file to catalog window displays.

8. Browse for your file.
   
   
9. After locating your file, click OK.
   
   
10. When the Backup File Name window displays, click OK.
    
    

The What to Restore window displays.

11. Click the + symbol next to File.
    
    
12. Click the + symbol next to Media Created on.
    
    
13. Click the + symbol next to System State.
    
    

You are prompted for your backup file location.

14. If the location is correct, click OK; otherwise, browse to the correct backup file location.
    
    
15. Click the checkbox next to System State.
    
    
16. Click Next.
    
    
17. Click Advanced.
    
    

The Where to Restore window displays.

18. On the Restore files to drop-down menu, select Original Location to restore the files to the same location they occupied when they were backed up.
    
    
19. Click Next.
    
    

The How to Restore window displays.

20. Click Always replace the file on disk.
    
    
21. Click Next.
    
    

The Advanced Restore Options window displays.

22. Leave all checkboxes unchecked.
    
    
23. Click Next.
    
    
24. Click Finish to initiate the restore process
    
    
25. Restart your system after the restore process completes.
    
    

NOTE: Windows must replace all locked files on the system; therefore, the restart system process might take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

Supported Backup Software

To back up your volumes, you can use direct-attached local backup or network backup.

Direct-Attached Local Backups

The following software is supported for direct-attached local backups.

• Windows 2000 Backup and Recovery Tools
  
  
• VERITAS® Backup Exec® 8.5 and 8.6 for Windows NT® and Windows 2000
  
  

Network Backups

The following software is supported for network backups.

• VERITAS® Backup Exec® 8.5 and 8.6 for Windows NT® and Windows 2000
  
  
• Computer Associates® ARCserveIT™
  
  
• ARCserveIT 2000 for Windows NT and Windows 2000
  
  
• ARCserveIT 6.61 for Red Hat Linux 7.0
  
  

Using Backup Software

The following software is supported for making your backups.

Windows 2000 Backup and Recovery Tools

Windows 2000 backup and recovery tools allow you to back up your data volumes to a locally attached tape drive or a file.

NOTE: You must have a supported SCSI card installed and a tape drive to back up your data volumes to tape.

You can access the Windows 2000 backup and recovery tools by clicking the Maintenance tab on the NAS Manager primary menu and clicking Backup or by clicking Windows 2000 Backup/Recovery Tools on the Advanced Administration Menu under Administrative Tools.

For more information about the Windows 2000 backup and recovery tools, see the Windows Powered Help. You can access Windows Powered Help by clicking Windows Powered Help in the Advanced Administration Menu under Administrative Tools or by clicking Help in the Start Menu when using the Terminal Services Client.

Using the VERITAS Backup Exec

The following information explains how to install and use the VERITAS Backup Exec software for local backups.

Installing VERITAS Backup Exec

You must first install VERITAS Backup Exec on the Dell™ PowerVault™ NAS appliance, and then install VERITAS Remote Administrator on a remote system.

NOTE: Before installing the backup software, see http://support.dell.com for the latest driver and software updates. You might need to install the updates after completing the procedures below.

Installing VERITAS Backup Exec on the NAS Appliance

NOTE: VERITAS Backup Exec supports installation using Terminal Services and management using VERITAS Remote Administrator.

1. Share the CD drive on a remote system, mount that remote CD drive on the NAS appliance, and then insert the VERITAS Backup Exec CD in the CD drive of the remote system.
   
   
2. From the NAS Manager, click Maintenance, and then click Terminal Services.
   
   
3. Log on to the NAS appliance.
   
   
4. Map a network drive to the CD share, but do not select Reconnect at logon.
   
   
5. Follow the instructions in the documentation that came with your backup software.
   
   

NOTE: After the software installation is complete, disconnect the network drive for the CD share before you reboot your system.

Installing VERITAS Backup Exec Remote Administrator on the Remote System

1. Insert the VERITAS Backup Exec CD in the CD drive of the remote system.
   
   

The CD starts the software automatically.

2. If the CD does not start the software automatically, open Microsoft Windows Explorer and right-click the CD drive that contains the VERITAS software.
   
   
3. Select Autoplay from the menu.
   
   
4. Follow the instructions in the documentation that came with your backup software.
   
   

Using VERITAS Backup Exec Remote Administrator

1. On the remote system, click the Start button, and then point to Programs—> VERITAS Backup Exec—> VERITAS Backup Exec.
   
   

The Connect to Server window displays.

2. Enter the name of the NAS appliance in the Server field.
   
   
3. Enter login information in the Login Information field, and then click OK.
   
   

The Backup Exec Assistant window, which displays in front of the Backup Exec window, provides wizards for many common backup tasks. You can also use the Tools menu on the Backup Exec window to display the Backup Exec Assistant.

Use Remote Administrator to manage all your backup operations just as you would from the local application. See the VERITAS Backup Exec documentation for more information about how to use the software.

Backup Software for Network Backups

You may back up your data volumes over the network to local area network (LAN)-attached backup servers. This backup requires that you already have a backup server on your network.

Dell recommends that you use backup software network accelerator agents to greatly improve network backup performance.

Installing Network Accelerator Agents

VERITAS Backup Exec and Computer Associates ARCserve network accelerator agents can both be installed remotely by installing the agent to the system from a remote system on the network.

See the documentation for your backup software for more information about how to install the network accelerator agents.

Backing Up Persistent Images

Backing up persistent images eliminates the possibility of files changing during the back up job. Persistent images always contain the data that existed when the persistent image was taken. However, backing up persistent images requires that you perform several steps and should only be performed by advanced backup administrators. Dell recommends that you use the available open file agents in VERITAS Backup Exec to back up your open files rather than backing up persistent images.

NOTE: Do not use Computer Associates ARCserve to back up persistent images.

To back up a persistent image correctly to ensure that you can restore it properly, perform the following steps:

1. Use the NAS Manager to create a persistent image.
   
   

NOTE: For increased performance, only back up read-only persistent images.

2. On the NAS Manager primary menu, click Maintenance, and then click Terminal Services.
   
   
3. Log on to the system.
   
   
4. Using the Windows Explorer, browse to the persistent image you created in step 1.
   
   

Persistent images are located in the Dell ActiveArchive™ directory of the volume on which you created the persistent image in step 1.

5. Right-click the persistent image, and then click Sharing... .
   
   
6. Click the radio button adjacent to Share this folder.
   
   
7. Enter a name for the share in the Share name text box.
   
   
8. Click Permissions.
   
   
9. Set the required permissions in the Permissions window, and then click OK.
   
   
10. Click OK in the Properties window to finish the share creation process.
    
    
11. On the system that is running VERITAS Backup Exec, set up VERITAS Backup Exec so that it is able to back up user shares.
    
    

You can find this option in Tools—> Options menu on the Network tab.

12. In the VERITAS Backup Exec Backup Selections window, browse to your NAS appliance under Entire Network.
    
    
13. Select the share name that you created for your persistent image.
    
    
14. Deselect the Persistent Storage Manager State directory when performing persistent image backups.
    
    

This directory contains files needed for persistent images. However, to save space on your backup media, backing up the files is not recommended.

15. Click Backup.
    
    
16. Select Run Now to run the backup now or Schedule to schedule your backup job to run at a later time.
    
    

NOTE: Although you are backing up your persistent image from a network share, it does not create network traffic if you are backing up to a local backup device.

Limitations on Backing Up Persistent Images

• You cannot do incremental or differential backups of persistent images.
  
  
• You cannot use GFS rotation schemes when backing up persistent images.
  
  
• You cannot schedule a backup of a persistent image.
  
  

You must do a manual backup of persistent image files because each persistent image file name is unique in that it includes the date and time (hour-minute-second) that the persistent image was taken.

• When you restore a persistent image, you must redirect the restore to a location other than the original persistent image location. A restore to the original location is not successful.
  
  

Restoring Persistent Images From Tape Backup

NOTE: Do not use Computer Associates ARCserve to restore persistent images.

To restore your persistent images from tape backup, perform the following steps:

1. On the system on your network that is running VERITAS Backup Exec, click the Restore Selections tab to bring up the window that lists your previous backup files.
   
   
2. Browse to your backup of the persistent image that you want to restore, and then select it by clicking the check box next to it.
   
   
3. Click Restore.
   
   
4. Click the Redirection tab.
   
   
5. Click the check box next to Redirect Files.
   
   
6. Enter the drive letter and path where you want the files to be restored in the text boxes next to Restore to drive and Restore to path.
   
   
7. Click Run Now to run the restore immediately or click Schedule to schedule your restore job to run at a later time.
   
   

Installing Tape Device Drivers for Windows 2000 Backup and Recovery Tools

If you are using Windows 2000 backup and recovery tools, you might need to install drivers for both tape drives and tape media changers.

NOTE: Most of the tape device drivers are located in the c:\dell\drivers directory. However, you should always see the http://support.dell.com website for updated drivers and patches.

Installing Drivers for PowerVault Tape Drives

1. Connect the Dell PowerVault tape device, and then restart the system.
   
   
2. Connect to the PowerVault NAS Manager.
   
   
3. Click Maintenance, and then click Terminal Services.
   
   
4. Log on to a Terminal Services Client session.
   
   
5. On the Advanced Administration Menu under System Management, click Computer Management.
   
   
6. Click Computer Management in the left pane.
   
   
7. Click System Tools in the left pane.
   
   
8. Click Device Manager in the left pane.
   
   
9. Click Unknown Devices in the right pane.
   
   
10. Double-click Unknown Tape Device.
    
    
11. Click Driver in the pop-up window.
    
    
12. Click Update Driver.
    
    

The Upgrade Device Driver Wizard displays.

13. Click Next.
    
    
14. Click the radio button next to Search for a suitable driver for my device (recommended), and then click Next.
    
    
15. In Optional search locations, click the checkbox for Specify a location.
    
    

Deselect the other checkboxes.

16. Click Next.
    
    

The Properties dialog box displays.

17. Specify the folder name that contains the device drivers in the path for Copy manufacturer's files from.
    
    
18. Click OK, and then click Next.
    
    

The Upgrade Device Driver Wizard searches the specified folder for the driver files.

19. Make sure the wizard has selected the appropriate PowerVault tape device, and then click Next.
    
    
20. Click Finish.
    
    
21. Click Close to exit the driver properties dialog box.
    
    

Installing Drivers for PowerVault Tape Drive Media Changers

To install drivers for tape media changers when using Windows 2000 backup and recovery tools, perform the following steps:

1. Connect the PowerVault tape device, and then restart the machine.
   
   
2. Connect to the PowerVault NAS Manager.
   
   
3. Click Maintenance, and then click Terminal Services.
   
   
4. Log on to a Terminal Services Client session.
   
   
5. In the Advanced Administration Menu, click Computer Management under System Management.
   
   
6. Click Computer Management in the left pane, and then click System Tools.
   
   
7. Click Device Manager in the left pane.
   
   
8. Click Medium Changers in the right pane.
   
   
9. Double-click Unknown Medium Changer.
   
   
10. Click Driver in the Properties window.
    
    
11. Click Update Driver.
    
    

The Upgrade Device Driver Wizard displays.

12. Click Next.
    
    
13. Click the radio button next to Search for a suitable driver for my device (recommended), and then click Next.
    
    
14. In Optional search locations, click the checkbox for Specify a location.
    
    

Deselect the other checkbox.

15. Click Next.
    
    

A dialog box displays with a field for you to enter the location of the device driver.

16. In the path for Copy manufacturer's files from, specify the folder name that contains the device drivers, and then click OK.
    
    
17. Click Next.
    
    

The Upgrade Device Driver Wizard searches the specified folder for the driver files.

18. Make sure the Upgrade Device Driver Wizard has selected the appropriate PowerVault tape device, and then click Next.
    
    
19. Click Finish.
    
    
20. Click Close.
    
    

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