Hitachi HDS ShadowImage
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Overview
ProxyHost Configuration
QR Agent Configuration
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.
![](../../../images/prod_overview/proxyhost_08.gif)
For more information about which operating systems and applications are supported
for use with Hitachi HDS ShadowImage see the following:
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:
- The ProxyHost iDataAgent starts
a backup operation.
- The PreScan batch file or shell script executed on the production server,
performs the following:
- Unmounts the S-Vol.
- Executes the HDS Raid Manager CLI utilities to synchronize
P-Vol and S-Vol.
- 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.
- Splits the P-Vol and S-Vol pair.
- 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.
- Mounts S-Vol back on the Backup Host.
- The S-Vol is backed up through the Backup Host.
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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The following must be done before using ProxyHost with Hitachi HDS ShadowImage.
- Verify that the production server and Backup Host meet the
System Requirements.
- Install the required software.
- Configure hardware
and software.
- 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.
- Configure subclient(s) and content. See
Subclient Considerations and
Subclients - SAN
iDataAgents for more information.
The following must be installed on the production server:
- 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:
- 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.
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.
- 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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The following must be done before using the QR Agent with Hitachi HDS ShadowImage.
- Verify that the source host and target host meet the
System Requirements.
- Install the required software.
- Configure hardware
and software.
- 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.
- Configure subclient(s) and content. See
Subclient Considerations and
Subclients - SAN
iDataAgents for more information.
The following must be installed on the source host and on the target host:
- 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
- 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.
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.
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