Magnetic Libraries - Configure

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Magnetic Libraries

Configure a Magnetic Library

Shared Magnetic Libraries

Configure Shared Magnetic Libraries With Static Mount Paths

Install the Shared Dynamic Disk Driver

Configure Shared Magnetic Libraries With Dynamic Mount Paths

Magnetic Libraries on Replicated Disks

Configure Magnetic Libraries on Replicated Disks

Configure a Magnetic Library

The following procedure describes the steps involved in configuring a magnetic library.

Before You Begin

This feature requires a Feature License to be available in the CommServe® Server.

Review general license requirements included in License Administration. Also, View All Licenses provides step-by-step instructions on how to view the license information.

To configure a magnetic library
1. Display the Library and Drive Configuration window.  
2. From the Library and Drive Configuration window, click the Start menu, select Add, then select Magnetic Library from the shortcut menu.
3. In the Add Magnetic Library dialog box, select the name of the MediaAgent that will control the library and enter the following information:

Alias: A descriptive name for the magnetic library.

Low Watermark: The minimum amount of free space at which a low watermark warning should be generated for the library.

Automatically create storage policy for new Datapaths: Select this option to automatically create a new storage policy when the mount path is added to this magnetic library.

Click OK.
4. In the Add Mount Path dialog box, select either Local Path or Network Path.
  • If you select Local Path, click Browse to select a mount path, or enter a mount path.
  • If you select Network Path, type the user name and password to access the network share. Click Browse to select a mount path, or enter a mount path.
Click OK.

 
 

The mount path is added to the specified location. When you add a mount path, the magnetic library appears in the Library and Drive Configuration window with a status of configured.

Configure Shared Magnetic Libraries With Static Mount Paths

The following procedure describes the steps involved in configuring a shared magnetic library with static mount paths.

Before You Begin

This feature requires a Feature License to be available in the CommServe® Server.

Review general license requirements included in License Administration. Also, View All Licenses provides step-by-step instructions on how to view the license information.

To configure a shared magnetic library with static mount paths
1. Display the Library and Drive Configuration window.
2. Click the Shared Disk Device tab.
3. Click the Start menu, select Disk Device, then choose Add Network Sharing Device.
4. In the Add Sharing Folder dialog box, enter/select the following information:

MediaAgent - The name of the MediaAgent accessing the mount path.

Folder - The network path that will be used by the MediaAgent to access the mount path

If the MediaAgent is a  Windows MediaAgent, you can choose a local path or a network path, If you use a network path provide the username and password that must be used by the system to access the device.

When you are finished, click OK.

NOTES

When configuring a PolyServe File System, use the local PolyServe exposed volume instead of using UNC paths as the folder.
5. The system displays the device information with the MediaAgent accessing the device in the Library and Drive Configuration window.
6. If you would like to add another MediaAgent to access the device, right-click the appropriate NetworkSharingDevice and then click Add Primary Sharing Folder.

Enter/select the necessary information in the Add Sharing Folder dialog box, as described in Step 4.

Repeat this step to add all the mount paths to the device.
Note that if the device is not configured at this point, the detection information will not be saved when you exit from the Library and Drive Configuration window.
7. Right-click the Network Sharing Device and then click Configure.
8. Click Yes in the Confirm Configure prompt.

The status of the folders changes to configured.
9. Optionally rename the Device Name with an appropriate name, to avoid confusion.

To rename, right-click the device and then click Properties. In the Device Properties dialog box, type a new name.
10. From the General tab of the Library and Drive Configuration window, click the Start menu, select Add, then choose Shared Magnetic Library.
11. In the Add Magnetic Library dialog box, enter the following:

Alias: A descriptive name for the magnetic library.

Low Watermark: The minimum amount of free space at which a low watermark warning should be generated for the library.

Automatically create storage policy for new Datapaths: Select this option to automatically create a new storage policy when the mount path is added to this magnetic library.

Click OK.
12. In the Shared Mount Path dialog box, select the disk device that you wish to associate as the mount path from the Disk Device list.

In the Base Folder box, type the name of the base folder under which the mount path can store data. Do not include the drive letter while adding the name of the base folder.

Click OK.
  The mount path is added to the shared magnetic library.

Install the Shared Dynamic Disk Driver

Overview
The Shared Dynamic Disk driver enables the sharing of the same disk for storage on SAN among multiple MediaAgents. Such disks are configured as Magnetic Libraries in the MediaAgents that share the device. See Shared Magnetic libraries with Dynamic Mount Paths for an overview.

This driver must be installed on all the MediaAgent computers in which you wish to configure the shared disk.

Install Requirements

The following procedure describes the steps involved in installing the Shared Dynamic Disk driver only.

You can install this driver when you install the MediaAgent software. (For information on installing MediaAgent refer to Install the MediaAgent - Windows.) However, if you have already installed the MediaAgent, and wish to configure the shared disk, use the following procedure to install the Shared Dynamic Disk driver.

Dynamic mount paths can be configured on MediaAgents with Windows operating systems. See MediaAgents - Supported Features, Agents and Devices for information on MediaAgents that support shared magnetic libraries with dynamic mount paths.

Agent Specific

  • A reboot will be required after install/upgrade to initialize the QSnap driver, before you can use this Driver.

Before You Begin
  • Log on to the client as local Administrator or as a member of the Administrators group on that computer.

Install Procedure

Getting Started
1. Place the software installation disc for the Windows platform into the disc drive.

After a few seconds, the installation program is launched.

If the installation program does not launch automatically:

  • Click the Start button on the Windows task bar, and then click Run.
  • Browse to the installation disc drive, select Setup.exe, click Open, then click OK.

NOTES

  • If you are installing on a x64 version of Windows 2008 Server Core R2, go to the AMD64 folder and run Setup.exe.
  
2. In this screen, you choose the language you want to use during installation. Click the down arrow, select the desired language from the pull-down list, and click Next to continue.  
3. Select the option to install software.

NOTES

  
4. Select the option to install software on this computer.

NOTES

  • The options that appear on this screen depend on the computer in which the software is being installed.
  
5. Read the Welcome screen.

Click Next to continue, if no other applications are running.

  
6. Read the virus scanning software warning.

Click OK to continue, if virus scanning software is disabled.

  
7. Read the license agreement, then select I accept the terms in the license agreement.

Click Next to continue.

 

Select Components for Installation
8. Select the component(s) to install.

NOTES

  • Your screen may look different from the example shown.
  • Components that either have already been installed, or which cannot be installed, will be dimmed. Hover over the component for additional details.
  • 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.

To install the Shared Dynamic Disk driver, under Common Technology Engine expand the MediaAgent Modules and select Shared Dynamic Disks.

Verify Summary of Install Options
9. 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.

Setup Complete
10. Setup displays the successfully installed components.

NOTES

  • The Setup Complete message displayed on your screen will reflect the components you installed, and may look different from the example shown.
  • If you install an Agent with the CommCell Console open, you need to refresh the CommCell Console (F5) to see the new Agents.
  • If Reboot Now button is displayed make sure to reboot the computer before performing any other operations from the computer.

Click Finish to close the install program.

The installation is now complete.

Post-Install Considerations
You can now configure the shared disk device as a magnetic library as described in Configure Shared Magnetic Libraries With Dynamic Mount Paths.

 

Configure Shared Magnetic Libraries With Dynamic Mount Paths

The following procedure describes the steps involved in configuring a shared magnetic library with dynamic mount paths.

Before You Begin
  • If you have already configured a disk as a shared mount path, it will be reserved by one of the MediaAgents and therefore will not be available to other computers. See Add a New MediaAgent to an Existing Dynamic Mount Path Configuration to detect the disk on a new MediaAgent, if the disk is already configured in another MediaAgent.
  • Make sure that the disk is setup and configured according to the guidelines provided in Dynamic Disk Configuration.
  • Ensure that the RegisterAndDetect registry key is created with the value 'Y' in the MediaAgent computer in which the disk is configured as a shared magnetic library.
  • Verify and ensure that no other applications are accessing the disk in all the MediaAgents in which it is shared. This includes Windows Explorer, CommCell Console, Volume Explorer, virus monitoring software, disk monitoring software, etc.
  • You must install the Shared Dynamic Disk Driver in all the MediaAgents that will share the disk. See Install the Shared Dynamic Disk Driver for step-by-step instructions.

To configure a shared magnetic library with dynamic mount paths
1. Display the Library and Drive Configuration window.
2. Click the Shared Disk Device tab.
3. Click the Start menu, select Volume Explorer.
4. Click Yes in the Volume Explorer prompt warning you that the Volume Explorer is for advanced viewers.
5. From the Hosts pane, right-click the MediaAgent in which you wish to configure the shared magnetic library, and then click Detect.

All the volumes attached to the MediaAgent, including local and shared magnetic volumes are displayed in the Volumes pane.

Note that if the operating system has already mounted the shared device, the mount points are also displayed, in addition to the device name and capacity information.
6. Repeat the above step in all the MediaAgents in which you wish to configure the shared magnetic library and then Exit the Volume Explorer window.
7. From the Library and Drive Configuration window, click the Shared Disk Device tab.

All the detected volumes will be displayed.

Determine the devices that you wish to share.

Note that all the detected devices, which includes both the shared and local volumes are displayed.
8. Right-click the Disk Device that you wish to configure and then click Configure.
9. Click Yes in the Confirm Configure prompt.
Always configure the volumes from the Disk Device. Do not individually configure the volumes.
  The status of the volumes changes to configured.
10. Optionally rename the Device Name with an appropriate name, to avoid confusion.

To rename, right-click the device and then click Properties. In the Disk Device Properties dialog box, type a new Device Name.
11. From the General tab of the Library and Drive Configuration window, click the Start menu, select Add, then choose Shared Magnetic Library.
12. In the Add Magnetic Library dialog box, enter the following:

Alias: A descriptive name for the magnetic library.

Low Watermark: The minimum amount of free space at which a low watermark warning should be generated for the library.

Automatically create storage policy for new Datapaths: Select this option to automatically create a new storage policy when the mount path is added to this magnetic library.

Click OK.
13. In the Shared Mount Path dialog box, select the disk device that you wish to associate as the mount path from the Disk Device list.

In the Base Folder box, type the name of the base folder under which the mount path can store data. Do not include the drive letter while adding the name of the base folder.

Click OK.
  The mount path is added to the shared magnetic library.

Configure Magnetic Libraries on Replicated Disks

The following procedure describes the steps involved in configuring a shared magnetic library with static mount paths.

Before You Begin

This feature requires a Feature License to be available in the CommServe® Server.

Review general license requirements included in License Administration. Also, View All Licenses provides step-by-step instructions on how to view the license information.

To Configure Magnetic Libraries on Replicated Disks
1. Display the Library and Drive Configuration window.  
2. Click the Shared Disk Device tab.
3. Click the Start menu, select Disk Device, then choose Add Network Sharing Device.
4. In the Add Sharing Folder dialog box, enter/select the following information:

MediaAgent - The name of the MediaAgent accessing the mount path.

Folder - The network path that will be used by the MediaAgent to access the mount path

If the MediaAgent is a Windows MediaAgent, you can choose a local path or a network path. If you use a network path provide the username and password that must be used by the system to access the device.

NOTES:

When you are finished, click OK.

Click No in the confirmation dialog box to add another sharing folder.
  The system displays the device information with the MediaAgent accessing the device in the Library and Drive Configuration window.
5. Right-click NetworkSharingDevice and then click Add Replica Sharing Folder.
6. In the Add Sharing Folder dialog box, enter/select the following information for the MediaAgent residing on the replica sharing folder.

MediaAgent - The name of the MediaAgent accessing the mount path.

Folder - The path that will be used by the MediaAgent to access the mount path

If the MediaAgent is a  Windows MediaAgent, you can choose a local path or a network path. If you use a network path provide the username and password that must be used by the system to access the device.

NOTES:

  • Network path is not supported for MediaAgent Replication solution; only local paths are supported.
  • For MediaAgent Replication solution, this is the destination sharing folder and cannot be the same as the sharing folder path given in Step 4.
When you are finished, click OK.
  The system displays the device information with the MediaAgent accessing the device in the Library and Drive Configuration window.
7. Right-click NetworkSharingDevice and then click Configure.
8. Click Yes to continue.
  The status of the folders changes to configured in the Library and Drive Configuration window.
9. Optionally rename the Device Name with an appropriate name, to avoid confusion.

To rename, right-click the device and then click Properties. In the Device Properties dialog box, type a new name.
10. From the General tab of the Library and Drive Configuration window, click the Start menu, select Add, then choose Replica Magnetic Library.
11. In the Add Magnetic Library dialog box, enter the following:

Alias: A descriptive name for the magnetic library.

Low Watermark: The minimum amount of free space at which a low watermark warning should be generated for the library.

Automatically create storage policy for new Datapaths: Select this option to automatically create a new storage policy when the mount path is added to this magnetic library.

Enable Replication:  For MediaAgent Replication solution, select this option to use ContinuousDataReplicator to replicate data between the source (shared folder added in Step 4) and the destination (shared folder added in Step 6) mount paths. Leave this option unselected if you are using a third party application to replicate data between shared folders.

Selecting this option will automatically create a new replication set and a replication pair under ContinuousDataReplicator, when a mount path is added to this library. These replication sets and replication pairs can be monitored from the CommCell Console. It is highly recommended not to change the default settings of the replication sets, or delete the replication sets when the replication is in progress.

NOTES:

  • If this option is selected, make sure to install the ContinuousDataReplicator package on the source and the destination computers before adding mount path to this library.

Click OK.
12. In the Shared Mount Path dialog box, select the disk device that you wish to associate as the mount path from the Disk Device list.

In the Base Folder box, type the name of the base folder under which the mount path can store data. Do not include the drive letter while adding the name of the base folder.

Click OK.
  The magnetic library is configured.