VIBE Plugin in SC4.1 - Backup with vfilers without HTTP between SC Server and vfiler

[sebastian_schlueter]

Hello together,

I just installed the new SC4.1c And tried to configure a backup for a VMware Datastore.
First some more information about our environment:

We have a multicustomer environment for each customer we have a dedicated vfiler with a dedicated ipspace.

The SC Server can access the physical Storage Systems over HTTPS. Sadly it is not possible to connect to the vfiler because HTTP is not allowed in this environment and HTTPS is not integrated in the vfiler.

I tried to configure the vibe plugin to use the physical Storage System for the backup. But sadly it tries to find the export path which is located in the vfiler. I also tried the option "VIBE_DYNAMIC_VOLUMES_UPDATE=N" but this option seems to have no effect. It still tries to find the export path.

Is there any possibility to create a VMware backup without talking to the vfiler? Maybe it is possible to use an SC Agent running in the VLAN where the vfiler is located. (As Proxy)

I allready have a server in this environemnt which is able to talk to the vcenter over HTTPS and to the vfiler over HTTP. But in this case it runs into a timeout. Seems the connection to the vfiler is initialized from the SC Server and not from the SC Agent.

[ktenzer]

Unfortunately SC must communicate to the storage system directly SC server and in case of VIBE SC agent. SC server does support onCommand proxy so you could proxy the SC server API calls through OnCommand which would in turn talk to vfiler. If vfiler is used that is the vfiler otherwise it is the physical filer. SC does not proxy APIs through the physical filer. This is certainly possible but SC doesnt support this functionality.

vFiler does not support HTTPS for communitcations and I dont believe this is going to change as you mention. In clustered ONTAP the vserver does support HTTP/HTTPS but I know that doesnt help.

VSC does support going through only physical filer so maybe this would be an option if SC communication direct to vfiler or through OnCommand proxy is not possible?

Keith

[sebastian_schlueter]

Hi Keith,

thanks for the fast responds.

I was also thinking to use the OnCommand Proxy but I tried to keep it out of the backup workflow. (my goal is a small and simple config)

But I will try do it with the OnCommand as Proxy if there is no other way directly out of the SC Server/Agent.

One question about the VSC. Is it possible to use the VSC as replacement for the VIBE Plugin and implement it in the SC config? (I want to control everything from the SC Server)

Sebastian

[ktenzer]

We are in process of replacing VIBE with VSC so that is going to happen However as for today and using VSC instead of VIBE, I dont think this is possible because VSC doesnt provide granular ability to quiesce or unquiesce and handle discovery requirements SC needs, this is what we are working on from product development standpoint.

I know you can certainly run VSC from SC but I dont see this adding much value

Keith

[sebastian_schlueter]

OK, thanks for help. I will try it with the OnCommand as Proxy if this work I´m fine for now.

About the VSC integration, are there already plans (which can be announced) in which release it should be integrated?

Sebastian

[ktenzer]

No there is nothing official

However we are looking and pushing to have an integration between VSC and SCF in SC 4.2 which would be summer 2014. Please dont take this as a date just as priority (it is very high) and to give you idea that this isnt something sometime in distant future we are working on this.

Keith

[sebastian_schlueter]

Even if there is no official date it is good to hear that it is comming very soon.

So for the time until this is implementet I think it should work with the prox very fine.

Sebastian

[ktenzer]

Yeah I think OC proxy will provide a nice gap solution so that SC server doesnt have to have access to storage. Let me know how it goes and if you have questions or need help getting it working.

Regards,

Keith

[sebastian_schlueter]

Hi Keith,

I have now installed and configured an OC in this environment.

After the reconfiguration of the backup config to use the Proxy. I got now the error message:

Plugin validation failed for vibe - USE_PROXY=Y is set but plugin requires USE_PROXY=N

Is it possible to configure another parameter?

Sebastian

[ktenzer]

You can turn that off, the reason why it is there is because VIBE itself needs to go over storage and doesnt support this feature but SC does.

edit the scServer/engine/etc/validation/plugins/vibe.conf

comment out USE_PROXY

Try it out, I hope it works, crossing fingers. Let me know

Regards,

Keith

[sebastian_schlueter]

Hi Keith,

it took me a while to implement the OC in this environment (firewall rules, ...) but finaly it is running.

The bad thing is that it is still not working. I get the error "[vmw-00004] xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx not found in storage controller/vserver list!"

I have to say the IP address over which the datastore is mounted is not the fist IP of the vfiler (7-mode).

The vfiler has severals interfaces currently 11 IPs.

I´m currently out of ideas.

Regards,

Sebastian

[ktenzer]

The vmware plugin connects directly to the vfiler to do some of the vmware specific things as I mentioned. It uses the IP provided in config file so basically what it is saying is the IP where it finds these datastores is not in the config file. Probably because you are connecting to OC over a different IP to vfiler. Unfortunately other than DNS or host file tricks on the OC server I am not sure how to get your configuration working. You can try using the actual IP in config and then on OC side in host file routing that IP to the IP you need or opening this IP up to OC host or re-add this host to OC with this IP. OC will only use one IP though so this could be tricky.

Keith