Workstation Backup Agent Deployment Guide - How To

Topics | How To

Prepare the CommServe and the Destination Computers

Identify the Destination Computer and install the ContinuousDataReplicator agent. Provide the fully qualified domain name of the client computer during installation. See Deployment - ContinuousDataReplicator for the supported installation types and procedures.

The CommServe and the destination computers must be fully accessible from the Workstation Backup client computers, either directly, or using VPN or similar software. If the Workstation Backup client computers are expected to be behind firewall, then perform the following steps in the CommServe and Destination computers to ensure communication between the Workstation Backup client computers, CommServe computer, and the Destination computer:

  1. Execute the Firewall Configuration Wizard to add the port numbers to allow communication to/from the Workstation Backup client computers. See Firewall Considerations - How To for instructions.
  2. Open the corresponding ports specified in the above step, in addition to opening the ports required for GxCVD and GxEMVGRC services.

Configure Recovery Point Creation

Recovery Points are snapshots of data created in a point-in-time, created to preserve data at a given point-in-time on the destination. The ContinuousDataReplicator agent on the destination must be configured for recovery point creation. See Configure Fan-in Recovery Points for instructions.

See Replication Configuration - Fan-In Recovery Points for more details.

Configure Backup of Recovery Points

As the Recovery Points containing the point-in-time data grow over time, you can manage the space in the destination computer by backing up the Recovery Points to a storage media for later reference. You can individually backup the Recovery point, or configure the  backup the recovery points upon creation. Use the following procedures as required:

Create Replication Policy for Workstation Backup Agent

When installing the Workstation Backup Agent, you can provide a replication policy based from which the default replication set and replication pair will be created upon installation. It is recommended that you use this option, as creating the replication set and replication pair after the installation on multiple Workstation Backup Agent client computers is not feasible.

A Replication policy is a template containing a sample set of configuration for creating Replication Set and Replication Pairs. See Replication Policy for more details. See Create a Replication Policy for step-by-step instructions to create a Replication Policy; select the Data Replication Type - Workstation Backup.

Create a Reduced Package

Use the following procedure to create the reduced package:

1. Place the software installation disc for the Windows platform into the disc drive. After a few seconds, the installation program is launched.
recut.gif This feature/product/platform requires a special software installation package. Contact your software provider to obtain this package.

Click Exit to close the install program.

  
2. Click the Windows Start button, point to Programs, point to Accessories, then click Command Prompt.  
3.

To start the reduced package creation, navigate to the appropriate folder and type the following command:

QInstaller.exe /package

NOTES

Your screen may look different from the example shown.
4. Specify the location where you want to create the reduced package. By default, the reduced package is created at C:\ReducedPackageName.

NOTES

  • Specify a folder under any drive. If the folder does not exist, it is automatically created.
  • Do not use the following characters when specifying the destination path:
     / : * ? " < > |
    It is recommended that you use alphanumeric characters only.

Click Browse to change directories.

Click Next to continue.

 
5. Select Yes to record the current installation options to be included in the reduced package. The install options will be recorded to a file called install.ini located under <reduce_package_destination_folder>\<selected_platform> folder. For example, C:\<ReducedPackageName>\<INTEL32|AMD64|INTEL64>.
  • Select Yes to use the current deployment setup and installation options for installing using the reduced package. It is strongly recommended that you select Yes.
  • Select No if the installation environment for the reduced package installs is different from the current installation setup. In such case, you will have to create your own install.ini file.
6. Select the component(s) to create the reduced package.

NOTES

  • Your screen may look different from the example shown.
  • The Special Registry Keys In Use field will be enabled when GalaxyInstallerFlags registry keys have been enabled on this computer. Hover over the field to see which keys have been set, as well as their values. For more information, see Registry Keys.

Click Next to continue.
7. Specify the location where you want to install the software.

NOTES

  • Do not install the software to a mapped network drive.
  • Do not use the following characters when specifying the destination path:
     / : * ? " < > |
    It is recommended that you use alphanumeric characters only.

Click Browse to change directories.

Click Next to continue.

Firewall Configuration
8. Select from the following:
  • If this Client communicates with the CommServe Server and/or MediaAgent across a firewall, select Yes, configure firewall services, and then click Next to continue. Proceed to the next Step.
  • If firewall configuration is not required, click No, do not configure firewall services and then click Next to continue. Proceed to the next section.

NOTES

  • Operating systems, such as Windows 2008 and Windows Vista, may have more than one profile present. When you select No to configure firewall services, verify that firewall settings are not enabled in the profile(s).
  • If the system detects firewall settings are present in the profile(s), you must select from the following:
    • Disable firewall for ALL profiles: Employ caution when choosing this option; firewall settings will be disabled in all profiles. This requires a system reboot; installation automatically resumes after reboot.
    • No, Firewall is not enabled: Select this option if your firewall settings allow communication with the CommServe computer.
      Click Back to configure firewall services.
9. Click the Specify list of machine across the firewall option and then specify the list of hosts separated from this computer by a firewall.

For each machine on the other side of the firewall that you want to configure, choose the type of firewall configuration based on the firewall setup in your environment.

  • Click 1-way firewall; host is reachable from this machine on the machine that is on the secure side of the firewall. This is the recommended configuration for Workstation Backup Agents to communicate over the VPN.
  • Include the CommServe computer and the Destination computer on the other side of the firewall with which communications will be established. Type the host name or the IP address and the GxCVD port number of the host name, and click Add to place it in the Host Name/IP Address List.

Click Next to continue.

10. Click the Specify list of restricted open ports option and then specify the port range. Add the starting and ending port range and then click Add to place it in the Open Port List. Repeat as needed.

Port ranges are not required for computers that are fully closed in the one-way firewall. For example, laptops which are configured as clients in the Workstation Backup Agent.

Click Next to continue.
11. If desired, modify the Keep Alive interval.

Click Next to continue.
12. Optionally, select Advanced Firewall Configuration and specify a local host name interface to use for outgoing tunnel connections through the firewall. Otherwise, the interface and port is automatically selected for you by the OS.

Click Next to continue.
13. If desired, modify the Tunnel Initialization interval.

Click Next to continue.

CommServe Host Name
14. Enter the fully qualified domain name of the CommServe computer. (TCP/IP network name. e.g., computer.company.com)

NOTES

  • Do not use spaces when specifying a new name for the CommServe Host Name.

Click Next to continue.

Client Group Selection
15. Select a Client Group from the list.

Click Next to continue.

NOTES

  • This screen will be displayed only if Client Groups are configured in the CommCell Console. For more information, see Client Computer Groups.
If you are creating the reduced package for Workstation Backup Agent, then skip to Replication Policy Selection.

Global Filters Selection
16. Select the necessary Global Filter option for the default subclient and Click Next to continue.

NOTES

  • Select Use Cell level Policy to inherit the global filter policy configuration set for the CommCell, i.e., if the Use Global Filters on All Subclients option is selected in the Global Filters dialog box (from the CommCell Console’s Control Panel), then this policy will be applied to the default subclient as well. If is not selected, then the global filters will not be applied to the default subclient.
  • Select Always use Global filters to apply the global filters policy to the default subclient regardless of the policy set for the CommCell.
  • Select Do not use Global filters to disregard applying the global filters to the default subclient regardless of the policy set for the CommCell.
Click Next to continue.

Storage Policy Selection
17. This screen will be displayed if you have selected an agent that uses Storage Policy. Select the storage policy through which you want to back up/archive the indicated component (subclient, instance, etc.)

NOTES

  • A storage policy directs backup data to a media library. Each library has a default storage policy.
  • When you install an Agent, the install program creates a default subclient for most Agents.
  • If desired, you can change your storage policy selection at any time after you have installed the client software.
  • If applicable, enable Global Filters for the default subclient.
  • If this screen appears more than once, it is because you have selected multiple agents for installation and are configuring storage policy association for each of the installed agents.

Click Next to continue.

SQL Server Auto Discovery Option
18. This screen will be displayed if you have selected Microsoft SQL Server iDataAgent. When Auto Discover Instances is selected, instances are automatically discovered every 24 hours or whenever the Communications Service (GxCVD) service is restarted. For more information, see Automatically Discovered Instances.

Replication Policy Selection
19. This screen will be displayed if you have selected Workstation Backup Agent. Select the replication policy with which you want to create the Replication Set/Replication Pair(s) for data replication. Replication Policies applicable for your agent will be available for selection.

Click Next to continue.

Verify Summary of Install Options
20. Verify the summary of selected options.

NOTES

  • The Summary on your screen should reflect the components you selected for install, and may look different from the example shown.

Click Next to continue or Back to change any of the options.

The install program now starts copying the software to the computer. This step may take several minutes to complete.
21. Select Yes if you wish to create a self-extracting executable file for the reduced package. The reduced package can located at <reduce_package_destination_folder>\<selected_platform>. It is strongly recommended that you select Yes.

Selecting No will leave the  installation files in the reduced package under <reduce_package_destination_folder>\<selected_platform> folder. The reduced package creation program will exit.
22. The self-extracting executable file is created in the Reduced Package Destination Folder previously specified.

See Install using the Reduced Package for procedure to install the software using the reduced package.

Install using the Reduced Package

Use the following procedure to install using the reduced package:

1. Locate the reduced package and double-click the .exe file to start the installation.  
2. Read the welcome screen and click Next to continue.  
3. Provide a path for the installer to extract the installation package.
4. The silent installation procedure begins with the command prompt option. Enter 'y' to proceed with the installation.

The installation proceeds silently with the message, "Please Wait...". This might take several minutes to complete.

5. When the installation is complete, a success message will be displayed.

If the installation encounters a problem and results in a failure, a simple failure message will be displayed along with the location of the complete installation log file. You can review the log file for details on the cause of failure, and troubleshooting tips, if any applicable.

  

Post-Install Considerations

Manually Resolve a Workstation Backup Client Computer Connection

All Workstation Backup Client computer names must locally resolved. If such an entry is not automatically made for a remote client, then you will have to manually add a dummy entry on local host file to resolve the client, both on the CommServe and the Destination computers.

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