SnapVault Integration with SnapManager Exchange

[ianaforbes]

SME 5.0 looks to have integration with SnapVault. It looks like it's only available via Protection Manager. Infact, the software requirements list:

The following are the software dependencies for integrating SnapManager with data set and SnapVault:

• Protection Manager 3.7 and later
• NetApp Management Console 3.7 and later
• SnapDrive for Windows 6.0 and later
• Data ONTAP 7.3 or later

What is NetApp Management Console? The SME 5.0 Admin guide doesn't explain why it's needed or how the integration with Netapp Management Console is performed

http://now.netapp.com/NOW/knowledge/docs/SnapManager/relsme50/html/software/admin/dataset2.htm

It also implies that Data Fabric Manager is somehow required:

If Protection Manager is available, and SnapDrive is configured for DataFabric Manager, SnapManager automatically becomes aware of the data set. If Protection Manager is not available, SnapDrive informs SnapManager of its unavailability. SnapManager continues in the normal working mode, and remote backup is not supported.

Seems like a whole lot of extra software needed just to get SnapVault integration with SME. Does anyone have any experience with integrating SnapVault with SME? Are all of these products required?

Thanks

[BrendonHiggins]

I will be upgrading to SME 5 from 3.2.1 this weekend and will report back how the snapvault goes.

We use the AT command to start snapshots {backup} then verification runs.  The command also has the snapvault start in it.

ie

"C:\Program Files\NetApp\SnapManager for Exchange\SnapBackup.exe" "%TARGETMBV%" -c "%TARGETVER%" 1 -s 4 "Storage Group 1" "Storage Group 2" "Storage Group 3" "Storage Group 4" -p 500 -mpdir "C:\Program Files\NetApp\SnapManager for Exchange\SnapMgrMountPoint" -mp -all -a "localhost" -r "T:\Snapvault_Script\snapvault_daily.bat" "$ExchSnapshot"

Bren

[winfield]

Hi Gents,

Just to claify,

In order to use the SnapManager for Exchange (SME) Integration with Protection Manager you will need the following as you pointed out

• Protection Manager 3.7 and later #
• NetApp Management Console 3.7 and later #
• SnapDrive for Windows 6.0 and later #
• Data ONTAP 7.3 or later

You get the NetApp Management Console from within DFM

See below

If you want to experiment with this using your simulators or test kit

Create a SnapMirror/Vault releation ship using PM or Filerview for the volumes/Luns Exchange or SQL sit in, Then when you configure a backup using the backup wizard in SME/SMSQL you will find that certain parts are now availble and not greyed out that will allow you to configure snap mirror/vault operations after a SME/SMSQL backup has been created.

Also dont forget when you install SnapDrive to opt for the Protection Manager integration, If you havent selected this already you will have to run the install again update and select the PM integration

If you need any further assistance please dont forget to call your partner or NetApp SE

Thanks

Steve

[BrendonHiggins]

Do you mean we NEED protection manager to make snapvault work with SME5

or protection manager is optional as the SnapBackup.exe still works?

[BrendonHiggins]

Sorry

Forgot SnapBackup.exe is no longer available and I need to use

new-backup -Server 'EXCHSRVR' -ManagementGroup'Standard' -NoTruncateLogs $False -RetainBackups 8 -Command -RunCommand 'C:\WINDOWS\system32\svript1.bat'-CommandServer'SNAPMGR-48' -StorageGroup 'alaska','3' -Verify -VerificationServer'Snapmgr-48' -Throttle 150 -UseMountPoint -MountPointDir'C:\ProgramFiles\NetApp\SnapManager for Exchange\SnapMgrMountPoint'

Bren

[winfield]

Hi Bren,

If your referring to you using snapmanager.exe –restorearchive function in previous versions then you might want to take a look at

the Snapmanager for exchange power shell commandlet in SME5

If you are using the to restore from an archieve function or media that isn’t on the server then I would imagine you would need to use

-RestoreFromUnmanagedMedia<SwitchParameter>:

Use this parameter to restore backup sets that are archived on a server other than the server they were created on.

Note

You can restore the backups created on a different Exchange server to the server on which the restore operation was initiated. Before you can restore databases to servers other than your current Exchange server, you must remap the source LUNs to the current Exchange server, using the same drive letter that was assigned to the original Exchange server.

This is detailed in Page 434 of the IAG Installation and Administrators Guide

R

Steve

[BrendonHiggins]

No

Just the normal backup.  Going to script it as is the DLA way... 

Bren

[winfield]

Yes,

If you want SnapVault to work with SME without scripting the updates manually after a backup then Protection Manager is your Friend.

R

Steve

[ianaforbes]

Hey guys

Thanks very much guys for the information. I'll play with the SnapVault/PM/OM integration to get a better feel for it

Cheers

Ian

[amiller_1]

Also...just to clarify from a cost perspective....

• Protection Manager - licensed per NetApp node
• • In order to use this, you need to already have purchased Operations Manager (licensed per node as well).
• NetApp Management Console - free with Operations Manager
• SnapDrive for Windows - licensed per Windows server but often included in bundles (it's required for SME anyway)
• Data ONTAP 7.3 -- free of course (and even introduces some filer-based licenses for some software)

[ianaforbes]

I'm quoting for a FAS 2050, so the licening has all changed as far as software now. Ops Manager is included in the base pack (free). Snapdrive is now part of another "bundle" and licensed on the filer only - no more a la carte. It's all quite confusing and annoying, but what can ya do

[iworxsupport]

Hi there,

Do we really need to reinstall SnapDrive in order to configure the DFM integration? We have SnapDrive installed on several Exchange and SQL boxes prior to purchasing Operations and Protection Manager, so could/did not configure the OpsMgr integration at installation.

I have tried using the sdcli utility to configure the DFM configuration as in the following:

C:\Program Files\NetApp\SnapDrive>sdcli dfm_config set -host [dfm server hostname] -user [domain service account with admin priv] -pwd [password]

However, it fails:

Creating ConfigManagement web service client...
ConfigManagement web service client

A FaultException<SDResult> occurred:

Encrypt algorithm verification failed to succeed.
The operation completed successfully.

C:\Program Files\NetApp\SnapDrive>sdcli dfm_config list
List of DFM Servers
------------------

HostName        :
UserName        :
Port            : 0
Protocol        : HTTP
The operation completed successfully.

So, that doesn't seem to be workable. I have tried to account and password fields quoted and non-quoted and the username in DOMAIN\logon and UPN formats with the same result.

If we do have to reinstall SnapDrive (or run the setup and select Modify to enter the DFM settings), will this affect active iSCSI connections? Or are active sessions handled purely by the MSiSCSI service? In other words, will I need to schedule a short outage for each box this needs to be done on? Or can this be done without affective active LUNs?

[mheimberg]

Hi there

Because one of our customers did not want to use Protection Manager I just wrote a Powershell-script, which manages by means of the sdcli-capabilities all the snapshot deleting and renaming on the secondary storage.

The script takes as an input:

- the snapshot-name on the secondary,

- the retention on the secondary and

- the mount-points/snapshot of the exchange server as required by sdcli snapvault archive -a <snapname> -DS <mp1> <snap1> <mp2> <snap2>....

It is divided in three "sections"

1. check for snapshots on secondary by sdcli snapvault snap_list -d <mp1>

2. delete oldest snap if necessary and rename the remaining (eg. snap.8 -> snap.9, snap.7 -> snap.8 etc)

3. initiate the new transfer by using the *__recent-snapshots of the mount-points and then create the new snap on the secondary

The use of this scripted approach has the following advantages:

- less licenses / software required

- creation and naming of snapshots is under full control of the administrator (not those crippled names by PM with blanks in it...)

- thus having the newest snap always the same name, which allows in turn to back it up to tape automatically

- need of only one single SME-job for creating backups with generic-naming (*__recent)

- archiving is done with several scheduled jobs with different snap-names as an input (daily, weekly, monthly)

The latter two point might sound a bit strange. But imagine an exchange with several storage groups all with different backup-schedules. You need to create a job for every archive management group you whish to use...that could end up in a lot of jobs. With the script approach there is only one SME job, the "archiving-logic" is outsourced (yes I know: instead of having a lot of of SME jobs you now have a lot of script-jobs. But IMHO - listen PM-developers! - this is what I would have expected from PM: here is the place to schedule archive-events, here is the logic when and how long to retain archived backups. Why can't PM just take the most recent backup and just archive it...the scheduler and retention-definition is all there! So PM eg. would now "hey, it is the last sunday of the month - I have an event for that, let's archive this backup with monthly-retention"...no need for "archiving management groups", no jumping back and forth between two apps SME and PM....see the point?)

Of course this also has two huge disadvantages:

- no integration in SME, thus no "remote-verification"

- thus no "restore from secondary"

Regards

Markus