Hitachi HDS ShadowImage

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Overview

• ProxyHost
• QR Agent

ProxyHost Configuration

• Required Software
• Hardware and Software Considerations
• PreScan Batch File or Shell Script
• Subclient Considerations

QR Agent Configuration

• Required Software
• Hardware and Software Considerations
• Snap, Unsnap, and Recover Batch Files or Shell Scripts
• Subclient Considerations

Overview

Hitachi HDS ShadowImage is a hardware-based snapshot provider. For the ProxyHost iDataAgent, Hitachi HDS ShadowImage can be engaged through the use of Pre/Post scripts, while the Quick Recovery Agent can access the HDS snapshots through the use of Generic Enablers. ProxyHost or QR can trigger the creation of the snapshot and then use the snapshot as the source for data protection operations. Thus, the data snapshot capabilities of Hitachi HDS ShadowImage are used to back up large amounts of data from the snapshot without using production server resources.

The diagram that follows shows a sample configuration to back up the volumes of a production server using Hitachi HDS ShadowImage to create the snapshot.

For more information about which operating systems and applications are supported for use with Hitachi HDS ShadowImage see the following:

• ProxyHost - Application Support
• Quick Recovery Agent - Application Support

ProxyHost

The data to be protected from the production server on P-Vol is mirrored by S-Vol, which is mounted to a Backup Host.

During a ProxyHost backup, the following sequence of events takes place:

1. The ProxyHost iDataAgent starts a backup operation.
2. The PreScan batch file or shell script executed on the production server, performs the following:
   1. Unmounts the S-Vol.
   2. Executes the HDS Raid Manager CLI utilities to synchronize P-Vol and S-Vol.
   3. If application data is being protected, performs one of the following:
      • Exchange - temporarily stops the database I/O as the snapshot is created. This normal takes just a few seconds.
      • SQL - freezes the database very briefly as the snapshot is created.
      • Oracle - puts the database into the backup mode.
   4. Splits the P-Vol and S-Vol pair.
   5. If application data is being protected, performs one of the following:
      • Exchange - mounts mail stores and resumes I/O.
      • SQL and Oracle - brings the database back into open mode.
   6. Mounts S-Vol back on the Backup Host.
3. The S-Vol is backed up through the Backup Host.

QR Agent

Through the use of Generic Enablers, the QR Agent, utilizing user-supplied scripts, creates the S-Vol, and registers the P-Vol and S-Vol in the CommServe database as if they had been replicated through the use of QR Copy. A backup agent within the workflow can then perform data protection operations from the S-Vol.

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ProxyHost Configuration

The following must be done before using ProxyHost with Hitachi HDS ShadowImage.

1. Verify that the production server and Backup Host meet the System Requirements.
2. Install the required software.
3. Configure hardware and software.
4. Create a PreScan batch file or Shell Script. It is important to note that the PreScan batch file or shell script will have to be customized for each individual snapshot environment.
5. Configure subclient(s) and content. See Subclient Considerations and Subclients - SAN iDataAgents for more information.

Required Software

• ProxyHost iDataAgent - refer to Deployment - ProxyHost iDataAgent for installation instructions.

  For a Windows clustered environment, the ProxyHost iDataAgent must be installed on the virtual node.

• Windows File System iDataAgent or Unix File System iDataAgent - refer to Deployment - Windows File System iDataAgent or Deployment - Unix File System iDataAgents for installation instructions.

  In a Windows clustered environment, the Windows File System iDataAgent must be installed on all of the physical nodes.

• Hitachi RAID Manager - Command Control Interface
• For Exchange:
  • Exchange 2000 with SP1 or higher, or
  • Exchange 2003
• For SQL Server:
  • SQL Server with SP1 or higher
• For Oracle:
  • Oracle 9.2 Database (Enterprise or Standard edition), or
  • Oracle 10g Database (Enterprise or Standard edition)

The following must be installed on the Backup Host:

• Windows File System iDataAgent or Unix File System iDataAgent - refer to Deployment - Windows File System iDataAgent or Deployment - Unix File System iDataAgents for installation instructions.

  In a Windows clustered environment, the Windows File System iDataAgent must be installed on all of the physical nodes.

• Hitachi RAID Manager - Command Control Interface

Hardware and Software Considerations

• Ensure that the Hitachi HDS ShadowImage job that will create and mount the snapshot to the Backup Host has been created and tested.
• Verify that the Backup Host is properly configured and able to access the S-Vol.
• Exchange 2000 on Windows - by default, the Bull Calypso Communications Service is configured to run as a local system account. However, in order to access the Exchange registry on the production server, the Bull Calypso Communications Service on the Backup Host must be configured to run as either the Exchange service account or the domain administrator account of the domain to which the production server belongs. Otherwise, the Bull Calypso Communications Service cannot access Exchange registry information on the production server.
• For application data:
  • The program part of the database application is installed on local disks, while the data files and log files pertaining to database instance are present on the FC volumes (P-Vol). It is strongly recommended that databases and logs be located on separate disks.
  • All data will be backed up as a group of flat files. Database will not be backed up through the API's provided by the database vendor.
  • The duration for which a database is in the suspended mode is usually short.

PreScan Batch File or Shell Script

ProxyHost in a Hitachi HDS ShadowImage environment is most commonly used to back up an S-Vol. Before each ProxyHost backup, the S-Vol must be created. This is performed by a batch file or shell script which runs automatically during the PreScan phase of each backup.

You must create a batch file or shell script containing the appropriate command for the type of data and platform that you want to back up. For the batch file or shell script to execute successfully, you must include the full path to the command. For specific configuration information on batch files and shell scripts for the PreScan phase, see the Resource Pack for sample scripts.

We recommend that you test each batch file or shell script before associating it with any subclients.

Subclient Considerations

• The PreScan batch file is included in the Pre/Post Processes of the Subclient Properties.
• Entering a Backup Host S-Vol path more than once in the same subclient may result in incorrect browse. The system does not allow you to add a given primary host data path to the same subclient more than once. Consequently, no Backup Host data path should ever be entered more than once.
• For Oracle on UNIX, a subclient must be created with the volumes containing the Oracle data files and log files included in its content.

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QR Agent Configuration

The following must be done before using the QR Agent with Hitachi HDS ShadowImage.

1. Verify that the source host and target host meet the System Requirements.
2. Install the required software.
3. Configure hardware and software.
4. Create the Snap, Unsnap, and Recover Batch Files or Shell Scripts. It is important to note that the batch files or shell scripts will have to be customized for each individual snapshot environment.
5. Configure subclient(s) and content. See Subclient Considerations and Subclients - SAN iDataAgents for more information.

Required Software

• Quick Recovery Agent and QSnap - refer to Deployment - Quick Recovery Agent for installation instructions.

  For a Windows clustered environment, the Quick Recovery Agent must be installed on the virtual node.

• Windows File System iDataAgent or Unix File System iDataAgent - refer to Deployment - Windows File System iDataAgent or Deployment - Unix File System iDataAgents for installation instructions.

  In a Windows clustered environment, the Windows File System iDataAgent and QSnap must be installed on all of the physical nodes first; then the Windows File System iDataAgent must be installed on the virtual node.

• Hitachi RAID Manager - Command Control Interface

Hardware and Software Considerations

• Ensure that the Hitachi HDS ShadowImage job that will create and mount the snapshot to the target host has been created and tested.
• Verify that the target host is properly configured and able to access the S-Vol.

Snap, Unsnap, and Recover Batch Files or Shell Scripts

QR in a Hitachi HDS ShadowImage environment is used to create QR Volumes through ShadowImage. Before each QR Volume is created, the S-Vol must be created. This is performed by a batch file or shell script which runs automatically during the respective phase of each QR Volume creation.

You must create a batch file or shell script containing the appropriate command for the type of data and platform that you want to back up. For the batch file or shell script to execute successfully, you must include the full path to the command. For specific configuration information on batch files and shell scripts for the PreScan phase, see the Resource Pack for sample scripts.

We recommend that you test each batch file or shell script before associating it with any subclients.

Subclient Considerations

• The scripts for snap, unsnap, and recovery are specified in the Generic Snap Scripts tab of the QR Subclient Properties.
• Only volumes can be specified as subclient content for QR. For more information about QR subclients, see Subclients - Quick Recovery Agent.

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