NetVault Getting Started Guide 71x

Title Page
getting started guide

for version 7.1.x
NVE 7003-20A 09/15-04
Copyrights
Software Copyright 2004 BakBone Software NetVault Getting Started Guide (for Version 7.1.x) Copyright 2004 BakBone Software This documentation and its associated software product are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. The distribution and sale of this product are intended for the use of the original purchaser only per the terms of the License Agreement. All other product trademarks are the property of their respective owners. This document may not, in whole or part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated, reduced or transferred to any electronic medium or machine-readable form without prior consent in writing from BakBone Software. THIS PUBLICATION IS PROVIDED AS IS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. THIS PUBLICATION COULD INCLUDE TECHNICAL INACCURACIES OR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. CHANGES ARE PERIODICALLY ADDED TO THE INFORMATION HEREIN; THESE CHANGES WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO NEW EDITIONS OF THE PUBLICATION. BAKBONE SOFTWARE MAY MAKE IMPROVEMENTS AND/OR CHANGES IN THE PRODUCT(S) AND/OR THE PROGRAM(S) DESCRIBED IN THIS PUBLICATION AT ANY TIME.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction, Installation and the GUI 5
Introduction........................................................................................................................ 7 - BakBone Technical Support .................................................................................................. 7 - Helpdesk Support Lines ........................................................................................................ 7 - BakBone Softwares Web Site ............................................................................................... 8 Installing NetVault 7.1.x..................................................................................................... 8 - Step 1: Pre-Installation Requirements .................................................................................... 8 - Step 2: NetVault Server Installation ........................................................................................ 9 - Step 3: NetVault Client Installation ....................................................................................... 16 The NetVault GUI - A Brief Overview.............................................................................. 17 - Launching the NetVault GUI ................................................................................................ 17 - Navigating the NetVault GUI ............................................................................................... 19 The NetVault Configurator .............................................................................................. 20 - Launching the NetVault Configurator .................................................................................... 20 - Starting/Stopping NetVault Services ..................................................................................... 21 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 22
Chapter 2: Clients and Devices
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Clients and Devices - A Brief Overview ......................................................................... 27 Adding Clients to the NetVault Server ........................................................................... 27 - Searching for Clients .......................................................................................................... 29 Adding Devices to the NetVault Server ......................................................................... 29 - Adding a Library Device ...................................................................................................... 30 - Adding a Standalone Device ............................................................................................... 36 - Adding a Virtual Device (for Backup to Hard Disk) ................................................................. 36 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 38
Chapter 3: Backups and Restores
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Backup and Restore - A Brief Overview ........................................................................ 41 Performing a Backup....................................................................................................... 41 - Performing a Full Backup on the NetVault Server .................................................................. 41 - Diagnosing Media Requests ................................................................................................ 45
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Table of Contents
- Performing a Full Backup of a NetVault Client ........................................................................45 - Performing an Incremental Backup .......................................................................................48
Performing a Restore.......................................................................................................50 - Performing a Basic Restore .................................................................................................50 - Performing a Restore of an Incremental Backup ....................................................................52 Additional Notes on Backups and Restores..................................................................55 - Read the Manual ................................................................................................................55 - Optional Solutions ..............................................................................................................55 Conclusion........................................................................................................................56
Chapter 4: Basic Performance Tuning
59
Basic Performance Tuning ..............................................................................................61 - Performance Tuning - The Device Management Window ........................................................61 Conclusion........................................................................................................................67
Chapter 1:
Introduction, Installation and the GUI

1.0.0 - Introduction ............................................................................................................ 7
1.0.1 - BakBone Technical Support ....................................................................................... 7 - 1.0.1.a - Helpdesk Support Lines ......................................................................................... 7 - 1.0.1.b - BakBone Softwares Web Site ................................................................................ 8
1.1.0 - Installing NetVault 7.1.x .................................................................................. 8

1.1.1 - Step 1: Pre-Installation Requirements ........................................................................ 8 - 1.1.1.a - Pre-Installation Review .......................................................................................... 9 1.1.2 - Step 2: NetVault Server Installation ............................................................................ 9 - 1.1.2.a - Linux/UNIX-based Server Installation ...................................................................... 9 - 1.1.2.b - Macintosh OS X 10.3 Server Installation ................................................................ 11 - 1.1.2.c - Windows-based Server Installation........................................................................ 14 1.1.3 - Step 3: NetVault Client Installation ........................................................................... 16 - 1.1.3.a - Linux/UNIX-based Client Installation ..................................................................... 16 - 1.1.3.b - Macintosh OS X 10.3 Client Installation ................................................................. 16 - 1.1.3.c - Windows-based Client Installation ......................................................................... 16 - 1.1.3.d - Installing Additional NetVault Clients ..................................................................... 16
1.2.0 - The NetVault GUI - A Brief Overview ...................................................... 17

1.2.1 - Launching the NetVault GUI ..................................................................................... 17 - 1.2.1.a - In a Linux/UNIX-based Environment ..................................................................... 17 - 1.2.1.b - In a Macintosh OS X 10.3 Environment ................................................................. 17 - 1.2.1.c - In a Windows-based Environment ......................................................................... 18 1.2.2 - Navigating the NetVault GUI ..................................................................................... 19
1.3.0 - The NetVault Configurator ........................................................................... 20

1.3.1 - Launching the NetVault Configurator ....................................................................... 20 - 1.3.1.a - In a Linux/UNIX Environment ............................................................................... 20 - 1.3.1.b - In a Macintosh OS X 10.3 Environment ................................................................. 21 - 1.3.1.c - In a Windows-based Environment ......................................................................... 21 1.3.2 - Starting/Stopping NetVault Services ......................................................................... 21
1.4.0 - Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 22
Chapter 1 Introduction, Installation and the GUI
NetVault 7.1.x Getting Started Guide
1.0.0
Introduction
This document is designed for those installing NetVault 7.1 for the first time and it offers a step-by-step procedure for installing and using some of the basic features in NetVault 7.1. This document is not intended for use with an upgrade of an earlier version of NetVault -- if upgrading from an earlier version of NetVault please see the NetVault Upgrade Guide for version 7.1.x. This document covers the general steps required to install, configure, run a backup and restore that backup. Seemingly large for something labelled as a Getting Started Guide, the overall size of this guide should not be seen as intimidating. In addition to offering a new user basic instructions on how to set up NetVault, this guide offers information on its basic use as well.
Note: This guide does not give detailed coverage of many of the aspects of NetVault and is designed to be used in tandem with the NetVault 7.1 Administrators Guide.
1.0.1
BakBone Technical Support

BakBone Software is dedicated to providing friendly, expert advice to NetVault customers. Our highly trained professionals are available to answer questions, offer solutions to problems and generally help make the most of any NetVault purchase. Log on to our web site, or contact our Helpdesk, for more information.
1.0.2
Helpdesk Support Lines

Region North America Contact Telephone 1.877.955.BONE (2663) E-mail support@bakbone.com Europe Telephone +44.1202.244727 z +44.1202.244728 E-mail support@bakbone.co.uk Asia/Pacific Rim Telephone +86.10.6567.3331 E-mail: Multiple offices exist in our Asia, Pacific Rim district. Please contact the closest support office for assistance: Japan Office: support@bakbone.co.jp Korea Office: koreasupport@bakbone.com

Region Asia/Pacific Rim
(cont.)
Contact E-mail (cont.): Greater China Office: support@bakbone.com.cn India Office: indiansupport@bakbone.com Southeast Asia Office: aseansupport@bakbone.com South Pacific Office: anzsupport@bakbone.com
1.0.3
BakBone Softwares Web Site

BakBones web site can be reached at the following address: http://www.bakbone.com
1.1.0
1.1.1
Installing NetVault 7.1.x

These sections detail the steps involved in installing NetVault 7.1 for the first time.
Step 1: Pre-Installation Requirements

Certain actions/decisions must be performed prior to installing NetVault 7.1.x:
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NetVault Sever/Client Determination - Installation of NetVault involves installing a NetVault Server and any number of NetVault Clients. The Server must always be established first, with the Server version of NetVault installed there, followed by each individual Client. TCP/IP Connectivity and Resolvable Name Set Up - Once the machines which will host the NetVault Server and Client software have been established, it is necessary to ensure that good TCP/IP connectivity and Name Resolution exists between them). Backup Device Mapping/Connections - Next it is necessary to determine what backup devices are to be used (e.g., tape libraries and standalone drives) and map them out. Generally, the NetVault Server is set up to contain one or more of these devices (i.e., they are directly attached to the machine acting as the NetVault Server). However, this is not required and a usable backup device can be attached to a machine configured as a NetVault Client. It is also important to ensure that these devices are connected and functional and that backups can be performed to them (e.g., through the use of any native O/S tools used for minimal backup operations. If these native backup tools can't see an attached backup device, then neither will NetVault). Choose an Installation Directory - Finally, it is necessary to choose a directory on a drive/volume with enough free space on which to install NetVault and its database. The typical NetVault Server installation requires about 50MB of free disk space. The NetVault database will grow as operations are performed in NetVault (e.g., Backups, restores and reports generated). It is critical that space considerations be made for the growing of
this database. NetVault operations could halt if its database can not be updated due to space limitations (please see the NetVault Administrators Guide for complete details on the NetVault Database).
1.1.1.a
Pre-Installation Review
In reviewing the previous procedures, the following should be performed: 1. Determine which machine will serve as the NetVault Server and which are to be its clients. 2. Ensure that TCP/IP connectivity and name resolution exists between the chosen machines. 3. Map out, connect and ensure that all backup devices are functioning properly. 4. Choose a valid directory on a drive/volume with enough space to handle NetVaults database growth needs.
1.1.2
Step 2: NetVault Server Installation

Once all ppre-installation procedures have been performed, the first step in installing NetVault, is to establish NetVault Server and install the Server version of the software. The following sections break down the required steps to perfom this based on the operating system in use.
1.1.2.a
Linux/UNIX-based Server Installation

All Linux/UNIX-based Operating Systems (O/S) require initiation of the installation process from a command terminal. The command syntax required to start varies slightly per O/S, but once started, the actual installation process is the same. Follow the steps below in order to initaite an installation of NetVault: 1. From the machine that is to serve as the NetVault Server, insert the NetVault installation CD-ROM in to the drive and initiate a terminal session. 2. Input the correct installation syntax, based on the O/S in use (as revealed in the table below): UNIX-based O/S in Use (listed Alphabetically) Compaq Tru64 (ver. 5.1x)* FreeBSD (ver. 4.x and 5.x)* HP-UX (ver. 11.0 and 11i)* HP-UX Itanium Command Line Syntax Required to Initiate Installation
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cd /cdrom/netvault71/tru64/netvault ./install cd /cdrom/netvault71/freebsd/netvault ./install cd /cdrom/netvault71/hpux_11/netvault ./install cd /cdrom/netvault71/hpux_ia64/netvault ./install
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Chapter 1 Introduction, Installation and the GUI UNIX-based O/S in Use (listed Alphabetically) IBM AIX (ver. 5.x)* Linux Red Hat (2.4 Kernel) Linux Itanium SCO OpenServer (ver. 5.x)* SGI IRIX (ver 6.x)* Sun Solaris (SPARC) 8/9* Sun Solaris (Intel)* SCO UnixWare 7.1/ OpenUnix 8* Command Line Syntax Required to Initiate Installation
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cd /cdrom/netvault71/aix_51_52/netvault ./install cd /cdrom/netvault71/linux24/netvault ./install cd /cdrom/netvault71/linux_ia64/netvault ./install cd /cdrom/netvault71/openserver/netvault ./install cd /cdrom/netvault71/sgi_irix/netvault ./install pkgadd -d /cdrom/netvault71/ solaris_sparc8_9/netvault pkgadd -d /cdrom/netvault71/solaris_intel/ netvault pkgadd -d /cdrom/netvault71/unixware7/ netvault
*O/S may require manual mounting of the CD-ROM Drive
Note: As noted above, some UNIX-based O/S require that the CD-ROM drive be mounted prior to use. For details on successfully mounting a CD-ROM drive, please review the relevant O/S operating instructions.
3. With the installation successfully initiated for the desired O/S, a step by step set up process will begin. Follow the on-screen prompts as they are given and provide the desired information. When confronted with the Should a Client or Server version of NetVault be installed? select S for a NetVault Server installation and hit return to continue.
Figure 1-1: The installation type prompt
Note: All of the prompts revealed during this process have a default selection for which it is
possible to simply hit the Enter key to automatically select this default value and continue. These options will appear at the end of each prompt, enclosed in brackets ([ ]).
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1.1.2.b
Macintosh OS X 10.3 Server Installation Pre-Requisites

Before installing NetVault software, the following requirements must be in place on a Macintosh machine that is to run NetVault:
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Macintosh OS X Version 10.3 (or later) Installed - At least this version of the operating system must be installed to properly run NetVault and its Graphical User Interface (GUI). XFree86 Software Package (X11) Installed - This software package interacts between the machine hardware and the graphical user interfaces (GUIs) of various applications, including NetVault. This software is available as a free download from Apples web site:
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/unix_open_source/xfree86.html
Note: While this software is not required to successfully install NetVault, it is required for its
use. Please refer to any documentation offered on Apples web site for instructions on installation and configuration of this software.
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BSD Subsystem Component Installed - With an installation of Macintosh OS X 10.3, this component is default selected for inclusion in the install. If this component was de-selected during O/S install procedure, it will not be present and must be installed from the Macintosh OS X 10.3 installation CD. Decompression Software Installed - Some form of Mac OS X 10.3 compatible decompression software is required to extract NetVault installables (e.g., OS X contains a default installation of the StuffIt application, which can be used). Administrator-level Account and Password Information - Software installations on a Macintosh OS X 10.3 system require Administrator-level permission. This information will be required for all machines that are to have NetVault installed, regardless of version (i.e., Server vs. Client).
Installation Process
1. Insert the installation CD into the drive on the machine that is to serve as the NetVault Server. Access the CD and navigate to the following directory: netvault71/macosx/netvault 2. A single file will reside in this directory and it will be in a compressed state. Decompress this file to reveal various installation and informational files. Locate the follwoing file and double-click on it to begin the installation process for the Server versionof NetVault: netvault_server.pkg
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Chapter 1 Introduction, Installation and the GUI 3. A standard Macintosh installation program will launch, with the Introduction window launching first. Click on the Continue button to begin the installation.
Figure 1-2: The initial window for the NetVault installer
4. The NetVault Software License Agreement window will appear next. Read through the license agreement thoroughly, and if all terms can be agreed to, click on Continue. A dialog box will be displayed asking for confirmation of the agreement. Click on Agree to proceed.
Figure 1-3: The license agreement window, followed by the confirmation dialog box that appears
5. The next window to appear is the Select a Destination window. From here, a list of available drive locations will be revealed in the form of picture icons.
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Click on the icon representing the desired drive to select it and click on Continue to proceed.
Figure 1-4: A cut-away view of the Select a Destination window, with a desired drive selected
Figure 1-5: The Authenticate window with valid Administratorlevel account name and password values input
6. The Authenticate window will launch, requesting permission to initiate the installation. Provide the Administrator-level account name and password in the appropriate fields, and click on the OK button to continue. 7. From the Easy Install on <Machine Name> window that appears next, click on the Continue button to proceed. NetVault will be installed the machine, in the selected drive.
Figure 1-6: The Easy Install on <Machine Name> window
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Chapter 1 Introduction, Installation and the GUI 8. The transfer of files for the installation will begin. A progress bar will be displayed giving the status of the installation. 9. Once file transfer has completed, the installation window will update to the Finish Up phase and installation will complete. Click on the Close button to exit the installer.
Note: NetVault 7.1.x for OS X 10.3 installs to a default directory on the selected disk (i.e., a custom directory can not be selected). This default directory can be located as follows:
/usr/netvault
Figure 1-7: The final window of the installer
1.1.2.c
Windows-based Server Installation

1. From the machine that is to serve as the NetVault Server, insert the CD-ROM into the drive. The CD will autorun and launch an HTML interface that allows the user to select from a list of links for NetVault Server & Client Installs, Plugin Module Installs and Documentation. Select the NetVault Server & Client Installs link. 2. The following page will display a list of links, broken down by operating system (displayed in the Platform(s) column). Select the link for the required operating system (e.g., Microsoft Windows 2000/2003).
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Figure 1-1: Selecting the NetVault Server and Client Installs link results in the launching of an additional page which lists links for installation sorted by operating system platform
3. A new window will appear containing a directory entitled DISK 1. Doubleclick on this item to open it and reveal its contents. 4. From the list of displayed items, locate the SETUP.exe file and double-click on it to begin the installation.
Figure 1-2: The Choose Installation Type window of the NetVault Installation Wizard
5. An Installation Wizard will be launched. Follow the on-screen instructions to successfully install the software. When confronted with the Choose Installation Type window requesting the type of installation, select the Server radial button and click on the Next button to continue. 6. Continue through the installation wizard, making the required settings as desired. A detailed example of this installation procedure can be found in the section Example Installation on a Windows-based O/S in Chapter 2: NetVault Installation Procedures of the NetVault Administrators Guide.
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1.1.3
Step 3: NetVault Client Installation
Note: Any machine running a NetVault supported O/S can be set up as a NetVault Client to
a NetVault Server (i.e., regardless of the O/S running on the NetVault Server). Follow one of the procedures below, based on the O/S in use on the machine that is to be configured as a NetVault Client.
1.1.3.a
Linux/UNIX-based Client Installation

1. Insert the installation CD into the drive on the desired machine. 2. Consult the table begining on page 9 to determine the required path syntax that is to be used to initiate the install. For example, if the intended NetVault Client is running SCO UNIXware 7.1, the table would be consulted to find out that pkgadd -d /cdrom/netvault71/unixware7/netvault would be used. 3. Initiate a terminal session and input the noted path syntax. 4. Duplicate the procedure outlined in the section Linux/UNIX-based Server Installation on page 9, but when confronted with the Should a Client or Server version of NetVault be installed? select C for a NetVault Client installation and hit return to continue.
1.1.3.b
Macintosh OS X 10.3 Client Installation

1. Access the Macintosh OS X 10.3 machine that is to serve as the NetVault Client and insert the installation CD into the drive. 2. Duplicate the procedure outlined in the section Macintosh OS X 10.3 Server Installation on page 11. However, where instructed to double-click on the file to initiate the installation process, double-click on the following file in order to initiate a Client install of NetVault: netvault_client.pkg
1.1.3.c
Windows-based Client Installation

1. Access the Windows-based machine that is to serve as a NetVault Client and insert the installation CD into the drive. 2. Repeat Steps 1. - 4., as outlined in the section Windows-based Server Installation on page 14. 3. Follow the on-screen instructions. When confronted with the Choose Installation Type window requesting the type of installation, select the Client radial button and click on the Next button to continue. 4. Continue through the remaining steps, configuring each as necessary.
1.1.3.d
Installing Additional NetVault Clients

Based on the O/S in use, repeat the instructions offered in the previous sections for each remaining machine that is to serve as a NetVault Client.
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1.2.0
The NetVault GUI - A Brief Overview

This section offers an overview of the functionality of the NetVault GUI, as well as how to access it.
1.2.1
1.2.1.a
Launching the NetVault GUI

In a Linux/UNIX-based Environment
On all Linux/UNIX-based installations of NetVault, the GUI is accessed by issuing the command nvgui from a terminal session.
Important Notes:
1. NetVaults GUI is designed so that this command can be issued from the prompt of any directory/sub-directory (i.e., it is not necessary to navigate to the installation directory of NetVault before issuing this command). 2. For SGI IRIX Operating System Users: Prior to launching the NetVault GUI for the first time, it may be necessary to refresh the SGI IRIX shell currently in use (i.e., close the current shell and initiate a new one) before issuing the NVGUI command to access the NetVault GUI. 3. If desired, an ampersand (&) can be included at the end of the nvgui command in order to maintain an open prompt in the terminal session window.
1.2.1.b
In a Macintosh OS X 10.3 Environment

On a Macintosh OS X10.3-based installation of NetVault, the GUI can be access by performing the following steps: 1. Initiate an XFree86 (X11) terminal session (for details on this procedure, please refer to any documentation offered on Apples web site for this product). 2. Access the Applications group and locate the NVGUI executable. Doubleclick on this to initiate the launch. 3. The Authenticate window will be launched, requesting Macintosh OS X 10.3 Administrator-level account information to access NetVault. Input the appropriate account and password information and click on the OK button to proceed.
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Figure 1-3: Once the NVGUI launcher is double-clicked, the Authenticate window will appear, requesting valid Administrator account information
4. The NetVault GUI will launch in the X11 terminal window.
1.2.1.c
Figure 1-4: Navigating the Start Menu in Windows 2000 to launch NetVault
In a Windows-based Environment
On a Windows-based installation of NetVault, the GUI can be access by performing the following steps: 1. Access the Start menu. 2. From the Programs group, access the NetVault application group and select NetVault. With this, the GUI will launch.
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1.2.2
Navigating the NetVault GUI

The main window of the GUI offers access to all aspects of the software, but the predominant features are accessible via the large buttons, including:
Figure 1-5: The NetVault Graphical User Interface (GUI)
The Pull-down Menus
The Command Toolbars (i.e., both the large and small buttons)
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Backup - The Backup window is used to select the data for a back up. All backup jobs are created from here. Restore - To recover backed up data, use the Restore window. All restore jobs are created here. Client Management - This window allows for the addition and removal of Client machines to and from the NetVault Server. As well, this window is used to install additional plug-ins and extensions. Device Management - One of the most important windows in NetVault, the Device Management window allows for the installation, management and monitoring of backup devices. Status - This window displays information on the current status of the NetVault Server, in regards to jobs running, device and client status, and any Operator Messages issued as a result of various NetVault operations. Media Management - This window provides access to information pertaining to media associated with the NetVault Server (i.e., media in use by jobs generated with this NetVault Server). Job Management - This window allows for the monitoring of job performance as well as schedules for various NetVault jobs. Information can be gathered here pertaining to completed, in progress and future jobs.
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Logs - A valuable tool, this window offers a central location for all log messages that occur pertaining to NetVault operations (save device-related log messages, which are located in the Device Management window).
Many additional tools are also available for use from the main GUI of NetVault, via the pull-down menus located in the top left corner of its window. For complete details on these tools as well as accessing all aspects of NetVault, please see the NetVault Administrators Guide.
1.3.0
The NetVault Configurator

The NetVault Configurator is a tool included as part of the standard NetVault installation, even if the NetVault GUI (Graphical User Interface) is not installed.
Important Notes:
1. It is recommended that any option contained in the Configurator only be changed with the guidance of BakBone Technical Support (for details on contacting Support, please see the section BakBone Technical Support on page 7). 2. There is no on-line help available for use with the NetVault Configurator. 3. For complete details on the use of options contained in the Configurator, please refer to the NetVault Configurator Guide.
1.3.1
Launching the NetVault Configurator

With NetVault installed, the Configurator is placed in the following directory: ...\NetVault\bin\nvconfigurator
Note: If the installation of NetVault was an upgrade from a 6.x version, the NetVault directory will be accompanied by the previous installations version number (e.g., ...\NetVault6\bin\nvconfigurator.exe) 1.3.1.a In a Linux/UNIX Environment
The NetVault Configurator utility can be launched from a terminal session opened to any directory by issuing the following command: nvconfigurator
Note: If desired, an ampersand (&) can be included at the end of the nvconfigurator
command in order to maintain an open prompt in the terminal session window.
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1.3.1.b
In a Macintosh OS X 10.3 Environment

The NetVault Configurator utility can be accessed in the same manner as the GUI. Follow the instructions outlined in the section In a Macintosh OS X 10.3 Environment on page 17. However, when instructed to double-click on the NVGUI launcher, replace this with the NVCONFIGURATOR launcher item.
1.3.1.c
In a Windows-based Environment
The Configurator utility can be launched through two different methods in a Windows-based environment:
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From a Command Line Terminal (DOS Prompt) - Navigate to the ...\NetVault\bin\nvconfigurator directory (where ... represents the path to the NetVault installation) and run the nvconfigurator.exe executable file From the Start Menu - from the Programs group, access the NetVault application group and select NetVault Configurator
1.3.2
Figure 1-6: The Service tab as revealed in the NetVault Configurator
Starting/Stopping NetVault Services

At times, it may be necessary to stop and restart NetVault Services. NetVaults external configuration utility, the NetVault Configurator is used for this process. To accomplish this, follow the steps below. 1. Launch the NetVault Configurator (for details on accessing the Configurator for a desired Operating System, see the following section). 2. Select the Service Tab. 3. Click on Stop NetVault in order to stop the NetVault services. 4. Clicking on Start NetVault will re-start the NetVault services 5. Click on OK to apply all changes and exit the Configurator.
Important Notes:
1. Some operations in NetVault require that NetVault Services be stopped and restarted and various sections of this documentation refer to this requirement. Unless instructed by NetVault documentation to do so, it is recommended that services only be stopped at the instruction of a BakBone Technical Support representative. 2. Many other options used for the configuration of NetVault are also available in the Configurator. Each of these options is fully described in the NetVault Configurator Guide.
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1.4.0
Conclusion
With the software successfully installed, on both the NetVault Server and Client machines, it is now necessary to move to the next phase. The next section of this guide covers the following:
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Backup Device Addition - An example-based set of instructions for the addition of a tape library to the NetVault Server, to serve as a backup destination. Client Addition - The addition of Clients (e.g., backup and restore targets), to the NetVault Server.
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Chapter 2:
Clients and Devices

2.0.0 - Clients and Devices - A Brief Overview ................................................. 27 2.1.0 - Adding Clients to the NetVault Server ................................................... 27
2.1.1 - Searching for Clients ............................................................................................... 29
2.2.0 - Adding Devices to the NetVault Server ................................................. 29

2.2.1 - Adding a Library Device........................................................................................... 30 - 2.2.1.a - Option 1: Automatic Addition of a Library Device .................................................... 30 - 2.2.1.b - Option 2: Manually Adding A Library ..................................................................... 33 2.2.2 - Adding a Standalone Device .................................................................................... 36 2.2.3 - Adding a Virtual Device (for Backup to Hard Disk) .................................................... 36 - 2.2.3.a - Creating a Virtual Library ..................................................................................... 36
2.3.0 - Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 38
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Chapter 2 Clients and Devices
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2.0.0
Clients and Devices - A Brief Overview

With the software successfully installed on both the designated NetVault Server and its Client machines, two initial items must be taken into consideration prior to performing a backup of data. These include:
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Adding Clients to the NetVault Server - Although this can be done at any time, it is recommended that the machines designated as NetVault Clients be added to the NetVault Server for accessibility to any locally attached devices as well as to target them for backup and restore. Adding Storage Devices to the NetVault Server - Prior to initiating a backup job of and added client machine, qualifying devices must be added to the NetVault Server for use.
This chapter offers various examples of both of these operations. While the examples shown are brief (i.e., they are set up only to give a basic example of how they are performed), complete, detailed information can be found in the NetVault 7.1.x Administrators Guide (Chapter 6: The Client Management Window and Chapter 7: The Device Management Window).
2.1.0
Figure 2-7: The Client Management window
Adding Clients to the NetVault Server

It is recommended that the first operation performed from the NetVault Server be the addition of any eligible NetVault Client machines to the NetVault Server for access. Eligible machines include those that are to be the target of a NetVault backup (i.e., the Client version of the software is installed for this purpose), and/or those with locally attached backup devices so that the devices can be added to the NetVault Server for use (i.e., what NetVault refers to as SmartClientsTM). Addition of a Client is performed via the Client Management window of NetVault. In the example procedure below, client machines have been established and one is to be added to the NetVault Server. 1. In the Clients tab of the of the Client Management window, two windows are revealed.
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The Clients Window - In this window, machines that are accessible to the NetVault Server are revealed (e.g., at default, only the NetVault Server is revealed in this window, serving as a Client to itself). The Available NetVault Machines Window - This window reveals machines that have been located on the network that contain NetVault Software and can be added as a Client to the NetVault Server.
2. From the Available NetVault Machines window, locate the desired machine, right click on it and select Add as Client from the pop-up menu.
Important Notes:
1. Clients displayed in the Available NetVault Machines window are marked with various icons which indicate their current availability. A machine marked with a blue icon, is currently available for addition (but may require a password). Machines marked with a red icon are currently not available for addition (e.g., the machine may be offline). 2. If attempting to add a machine with the Server version of NetVault installed as a Client to the NetVault Server, access to add the machine may be denied, based on settings made in the Security tab of the NetVault Configurator. To resolve this issue and for complete details on troubleshooting client addition, please see Chapter 6: The Client Management Window of the NetVault Administrators Guide.
Figure 2-8: The steps involved in the successful addition of a Client to the NetVault Server
3. The Password Required window will be revealed. Input the proper password (i.e., the password assigned to the machine during the installation process) and click on OK. 4. If the password value is valid, the machine will be added as a Client and a confirmation dialog box will launch stating such. This machine can now be backed up and restored to, via the NetVault Server. 5. To add additional Clients, simply follow the same steps above, selecting a different machine each time from the Available NetVault Machines window.
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2.1.1
Figure 2-9: The Find NetVault Machine frame
Searching for Clients

On occasion, Clients may not initially appear in the Available NetVault Machines window (e.g., due to its location on a network, firewall settings, etc.). The Client Management window allows a provision for this instance. Using the Find NetVault Machine frame, input the NetVault name of the desired machine or its IP Address. The network will be scanned, and if the machine is located, it will be added to the Available NetVault Machines window (in alphabetical order).
2.2.0
Adding Devices to the NetVault Server
Note: NetVault supports the use of a device locally attached to a machine that is to serve as
a NetVault Client. Referred to as a NetVault SmartClientTM, this client machine must have at least the Client version of the NetVault Software installed, and it must be added to the NetVault Server as a client (i.e., via the procedure outlined in the previous section) before the device will be eligible for use. See the section Adding Clients to the NetVault Server on page 27, for details on adding a NetVault Client.
Figure 2-1: The root window of the Device Management window
Many different types of storage devices can be added to the NetVault Server for the purpose of performing a backup; from large tape libraries and standalone drives to portions of a target systems hard drive reserved for this purpose (i.e., a Virtual Device). This section offers example instructions for the addition of both a tape library device and a standalone drive. Both of these operations are controlled via NetVaults Device Management window.
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2.2.1
Adding a Library Device

Two options for the addition of a tape library to the NetVault Server are covered in this section (based on the qualifications of the tape library to be added).
2.2.1.a
Option 1: Automatic Addition of a Library Device

NetVault offers a built-in utility that will automatically detect most library devices and attempt to automatically add them to the NetVault Server. Once a qualifying device is detected, a series of windows will initiate requesting various information/ options set. Complete the following steps in order to have a device automatically added to the NetVault Server.
Note: Only devices capable of serialization are eligible for automatic device configuration. If the library to be used is not, or it is not recognized upon initial access of the Device Management window, the library must be manually added (see the following section). Step 1: Recognizing a Device
To automatically recognize an eligible device, complete the following steps. 1. Launch NetVault and select the Device Management button (or select Device Management from the Administration pull-down menu). The software will then automatically scan the SCSI bus on all added NetVault Clients as well as the NetVault Server.
Figure 2-2: The Automatic Device Configuration window that launches when NetVault detects an eligible device.
2. NetVault will search for a library capable of serialization (the library can tell a user which drives are in which drive bays) on the network, and/or attached directly to the NetVault Server itself. 3. If any applicable devices are found, a configuration Wizard will launch and if a library is found, configuration will begin. 4. To begin the Auto Configure process, click on the Next button.
Note: To avoid configuration, select Cancel. If Cancel is

selected, each time NetVault is loaded, the Wizard will recognize this device and prompt the user to configure it again, unless the Do not ask again for this device box is checked.
Figure 2-3: The Do Not Ask Again for this Device option
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Step 2: Adding the Device

Figure 2-4: With confirmation of the autorecognized device, the Add Library window is revealed.
1. The Add Library Screen will appear next. In this window, the Name field will display the path to the library and the librarys factory-given name, at default. Input a custom name for the device in this field, if desired. 2. The default performance options can be changed by checking the box to the left of Configure Performance Options. Selecting this and then clicking Next will reveal an additional window for custom configuration (see the Configuring Performance Options section, below). 3. Checking the box to the left of Scan clients for remote/shared drive (and then clicking on Next) will reveal a window that makes it possible to add the library in a SAN environment so drives can be seen by many clients (see the section Step 4: Scan Clients For Remote/Shared Drives. on page 32).
Step 3: Configuring Performance Options

Figure 2-5: The Configure Performance Options Window.
1. The Configure Performance Options window offers the following options:

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Amount of memory to assign to transfer buffers (Kb): Often referred to as the shared memory setting, this allows the user to set the size of the buffer for transfer. The default of 257 which is the minimum shared memory size, is equal to 8 buffers of 32 Kb plus one Kb. Increasing this value will optimize performance, if available memory will allow. Media Block Size: Increasing the Media Block Size may increase the backup performance on various types of devices.
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Important Notes:
1. If the Media Block Size value is increased, the shared memory setting must be increased as well. The value of the shared memory setting must be equal to at least four times the Media block size plus one (in Kb). 2. Configuring total shared memory size also depends on the operating system being used. Always use caution when setting block size and shared memory size on a system. 2. With all options set as desired, click Next to proceed.
Step 4: Scan Clients For Remote/Shared Drives.

1. Clicking on Scan clients for remote/shared drives reveals the following on the Add Library Window:
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Re-scan clients for devices: It is possible that the information gathered automatically by NetVault when initially auto detecting devices is out of date. Selecting this item will force a re-scan of the bus, rather than using the cached, original information. Select Clients Window. This window displays a list of available clients. Select any or all of the clients listed that may have a device attached. NetVault will scan the selected clients and if a device is found, it will automatically add it.
Figure 2-6: Options as revealed when the Scan Clients for Remote/ Shared Drives option is selected
2. With all options set as desired, click Next to proceed.
Step 5: Final Confirmation of an Added Device

Figure 2-7: The final confirmation dialog box.
Once NetVault has scanned the SCSI bus and added the device, the final window will appear. To exit this window and complete this operation, click Next. This device will now appear in the Devices tab of the Device Management Window.
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2.2.1.b
Option 2: Manually Adding A Library

If a library device was not able to make use of the Automatic Device Configuration facility, it must be manually added via the Add Library window. The example procedure illustrated below adds an Exabyte 480 library, with two Quantum DLT 4000 drives, to the NetVault Server. Prior to adding the device, no devices are currently available (so no backup can be run). 1. From the Device Management window, select the Add Library command from the Add pull-down menu to access the Add Library window.
Figure 2-8: The Add Library Window
2. The default selected tab in this window is the Library Selection tab. From the Choose Library frame, locate the NetVault Client to which the desired library is attached, and right-click on it. For this example, the NetVault Server contains the device and is entitled NETVAULT_SERVER. 3. In the pop-up menu that appears, select the Open command. Any accessible libraries attached to this machine will be displayed beneath it. Each library will be revealed with its name, SCSI ID and its associated device string. 4. Right-click on the desired library and choose the Select command from the pop-up menu that is revealed. A picture of the selected library as well as its Type and Details are displayed in the Selected Library frame. 5. With the library selected, click the Drive Selection tab to set the drives for the library.
Figure 2-9: The Open popup menu item revealed when a client is rightclicked on.
Figure 2-10: The Library Selection Tab as shown when a qualifying library is selected
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Chapter 2 Clients and Devices 6. In the Choose Drive frame, right-click on the same NetVault Client that was accessed in the previous tab (e.g., NETVAULT_SERVER), and select the Open command from the pop-up menu (or simply double-click on the Client). 7. Right-click on the same NetVault Client in the Choose Drives Frame and select Open from the pop-up menu. A list of available drives will be displayed. 8. If multiple drives exist in a single library, each drive must be assigned to its correctly numbered Drive Bay. In this example, the library to be added contains two drives. Drive one must be assigned to Drive Bay one and drive two must be assigned to Drive Bay two. The following steps were taken to successfully set up these drives:
Figure 2-11: When a qualifying client is opened to reveal drives and then rightclicked on to access the Select command
Figure 2-12: Adding the first drive in a multiple drive library
a. To begin, a value of one (1) was input in the Select for Drive Bay field b. Drive one was then right-clicked on in the Choose Drives field and the Select command was chosen from the pop-up menu, establishing Drive Bay one as the location of this drive. A picture of the drive will appear in the Selected Drives frame along with information pertain to that drive type.
Figure 2-1: Adding the second drive in a multiple drive library
c. For the second drive, two (2) was input in the Select for Drive Bay field. d. Lastly, the drive serving as drive two was right-clicked on and the Select command chosen from the pop-up menu, establishing Drive Bay two as the location of this drive. Again, once selected in this manner a picture of the added drive type will appear in the Selected Drives frame, accompanied by information pertaining to that drive.
Note: In the event that additional drives exist in the library, continue to add them in this same manner, ensuring that each drive number is selected for the correct Drive Bay (i.e., the correct number value is assigned in the Select for Drive Bay field prior to choosing the Select command from the pop-up menu).
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9. With all drives successfully added to the library device, the Configure tab can be accessed. This tab allows for advanced configuration of library and drive parameters. The options available in this tab are no different than those offered for a traditional device. For complete details on the use of these options, please see Chapter 7: The Device Management Window of the NetVault Administrators Guide.
Figure 2-13: A custom name input for the library
10.A default name for the library which includes the path to the client it is attached to as well as information specific to the type of device will be displayed in the Library Name field. This is how the library will be displayed throughout NetVault. If this name is acceptable leave this value unchanged, otherwise input a desired new name in this field. 11. With all previous steps completed and configuration options set as desired, click the Save Details button to save the library configuration. The NetVault - Information dialog will appear stating that the library has been added successfully. 12.The NetVault Device Management window will now display the new device and initialization will begin. Initially, only the library and drive(s) are displayed. As each slot is initialized and media is located, it will reveal a media type title of UNKNOWN. Upon successful scanning of the entire library, media will then be given any one of the following labels, based on the results of the scan:
Figure 2-14: The NetVaultInformation dialog
Figure 2-15: The NetVault Device Management window displays the newly added device
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Blank: New or previously blanked media Foreign: Media that is eligible for use, but its content is not readily recognized by NetVault. Media with a label of this type must be scanned for use (i.e., via the Scan command that can be accessed in a pop-up menu by right-clicking on the desired piece of media) NetVault5 <O/S Title>: In the event that a piece of media was used with a version of NetVault earlier than 6.x, this label will be assigned to it. Other: Media formatted in some other manner
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2.2.2
Adding a Standalone Device

NetVault also allows for the addition of a Standalone Device for use in a backup and restore scenario. A Standalone Drive is one that is classified as one that has a single drive in which pieces of media are manually inserted. These devices are added to the NetVault Server in much the same way as individual drives are added for a Library device. For complete details on the use of Standalone Devices and ther addition to the NetVault Server, please see Chapter 7: The Device Management Window of the NetVault Administrators Guide.
2.2.3
Adding a Virtual Device (for Backup to Hard Disk)

A virtual device allocates a portion of a systems hard drive in order to emulate a backup device. Once properly created, these devices maintain all of the properties of a real device of that type. For example, NetVault allows for the creation of a Virtual Library device, which can be configured to contain as many drives and slots as desired. Once the virtual device is created, it will be seen by NetVault as a real Virtual Library and it can be used in the exact same manner. Virtual devices allow for fast storage. As well, they can be used for such things as disk staging and temporary storage during actual library cleaning.
Important Notes:
1. Virtual devices can only be as large as the client systems hard drive will allow. 2. It is not possible to share a virtual device between NetVault Clients. For example, if set up on a Client installation of NetVault, it is only possible to conduct local backups of that machine to the virtual device. However, if a virtual device is established on the NetVault Server, it is possible to route backups from all added NetVault Clients to it.
2.2.3.a
Creating a Virtual Library

The following procedures illustrate how to create and add a virtual library for use.
Step 1: Creating the Virtual Library

Prior to adding a virtual library to NetVault, it is first necessary to create one. Virtual libraries can be created with as many drives and slots as desired. To add a device of this type, follow the instructions detailed below. 1. With the Device Management window active o the Netvault Server, select Add Library from the Add pull-down menu in order to access the Add Library window.
Figure 2-16: The Create Virtual Library command
2. In the Choose Library frame, right-click on the desired client and select Create Virtual Library from the pop-up menu. 3. The Add New Virtual Library window will launch, containing the following fields:
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Library Location - Input a path to the desired location for the library Library Name - Enter the desired name for the new library in this field (default = NewLibrary) Barcode Prefix - This field contains the barcode prefix to be assigned to each piece of media created for use in the library. NetVault will automatically generate a value in this field in order to maintain the uniqueness of the barcode, but a manual value can be input if desired. Number of Drives - In this field, input the desired number of drives the library will contain. Number of Slots - Input the desired number of slots the library will contain in this field. When generating a virtual library, each slot will contain a piece of media. Media Capacity (MB) Input the desired size for each piece of media to be used.
Figure 2-17: The Add New Virtual Library window
Important Notes:
1. The value input in Media Capacity (MB) field dictates the size of each piece of virtual media in the slots of the library. As each slot created contains a piece of media, be sure that there is enough available disk space to accommodate. The following formula can be used to calculate this space requirement:
<Number of Slots Set> X <Media Capacity (MB) Input> = Required Space on Target Hard Disk
For example, the Number of Slots field is set to 10 so that 10 slots will exist in the virtual library. The Media Capacity is then set to 100. Therefore at least 1,000 MB (or 1 GB) of available space must exist on the target hard drive. As a best practice, it is recommended that the Media Capacity (MB) value be set to the size of the average backup that will be performed. For example, if all of the files included in a regular backup job account for approximately 90 MB of space, set this value to 100 MB. This way, each backup job can be housed on a single piece of virtual media (rather than spanned between multiple pieces).
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Chapter 2 Clients and Devices 4. Select OK to initiate creation of the library. Based on the amount of Slots and the Media Capacity set, this may take a few minutes. Upon successful creation of the virtual library, a confirmation dialog box will be launched. Click OK to close this dialog box.
Figure 2-18: The confirmation dialog box that appears upon successful creation of a virtual disk device
Step 2: Adding the Virtual Library to the NetVault Server

The virtual library can now be added to the NetVault Server in the same manner as a traditional library device. For details on this procedure, please see the section Option 2: Manually Adding A Library on page 33 of this guide.
2.3.0
Conclusion
With a backup device properly added to the NetVault Server as well as Clients added to serve as additional backup and restore targets, it is now possible to move forward to the next phase of operation, Backup and Restore. The next section of this guide covers the following:
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Performing Backups - From a full backup of the NetVault Server itself to the backup of added Clients, this section will cover example backup situations as well as monitoring backup job progress. and tuning backup performance. Basic Restore Operations - Example situations including the restore of the NetVault Server, once it has been backed up.
Chapter 3:
Backups and Restores

3.0.0 - Backup and Restore - A Brief Overview ................................................ 41 3.1.0 - Performing a Backup ....................................................................................... 41
3.1.1 - Performing a Full Backup on the NetVault Server ..................................................... 41 - 3.1.1.a - Monitoring Job Status .......................................................................................... 43 - 3.1.1.b - Diagnosing Media Requests ................................................................................. 45 3.1.2 - Performing a Full Backup of a NetVault Client .......................................................... 45 3.1.3 - Performing an Incremental Backup .......................................................................... 48 - 3.1.3.a - Example Incremental Backup Procedure ............................................................... 49
3.2.0 - Performing a Restore ...................................................................................... 50

3.2.1 - Performing a Basic Restore ..................................................................................... 50
3.3.0 - Additional Notes on Backups and Restores ........................................ 55

3.3.1 - Read the Manual ...................................................................................................... 55 3.3.2 - Optional Solutions ................................................................................................... 55
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Chapter 3 Backups and Restores
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3.0.0
Backup and Restore - A Brief Overview

With a backup device now successfully added to the NetVault Server as well as NetVault Client machines established to serve as additional backup and restore targets, it is now possible to perform a backup. This section offers basic examples of various types of backup operations in addition to examples of restoring these backups.
3.1.0
Performing a Backup
This section is broken down in to various processes that should be followed in sequential order to get an overall understanding of NetVault functionality. All of the examples shown here are based on previous chapter configuration instructions (i.e., a set up consisting of a NetVault Server with an attached tape library or standalone drive as well as three NetVault Client machines added to it). The following processes are to be performed:
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Step 1: Perform a Full Backup on the NetVault Server - In this procedure a full backup of a single drive on the NetVault Server is performed to test NetVault functionality and demonstrate how job progress is monitored and controlled via NetVault utilities, including the following operations:
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Monitoring jobs in the Status window Diagnosing media requests in the Device Management window
Step 2: Perform a Full Backup on a NetVault Client - This procedure is performed not only to show how a NetVault Client is backed up, but also to serve as a starting point for the Incremental backup process (as described in the next section). Step 3: Perform an Incremental Backup of a NetVault Client - With an initial Full backup performed (Step 2:, above), an Incremental Backup of the same Client will be performed. Step 4: Restoring Data - This section will briefly explain the steps required to restore data from both a stand alone Full backup as well as the required procedure for an Incremental one.
3.1.1
Performing a Full Backup on the NetVault Server

First, it is recommended that a full backup be performed on a single drive of the NetVault Server. This is accomplished through the use of NetVaults File System Plugin, which is included with a default installation of the software. 1. From the NetVault Server, launch the Backup window from the main GUI (e.g., via either of the Backup buttons on the command toolbar, or the Backup command located in the Operations pull-down menu). 2. With the Backup window active, the Selections tab is revealed. This tabs window will contain the NetVault Server and any previously added Client
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Chapter 3 Backups and Restores machines. Open the NetVault Server (via a double-click) to reveal the plugins available for use. 3. Locate the File System Plugin in the list and double-click on it to open it and reveal items available for selection and inclusion in a backup.
Note: Based on the Operating System (O/S) in use, root-level selectable items for the File System Plugin will vary (i.e., due to the difference in File System structures between Linux/ UNIX-based and Windows-based O/Ss). The figures in this guide utilize examples from a Windows-based O/S. For complete details on these O/S differences, please see the NetVault Administrators Guide.
4. Select a root item in the list of selectable items (i.e., by clicking in the open box to its left, thereby marking it with a green check). 5. In the Job Title field, input an appropriate name for the job. It is recommended that a specific value be given to allow for easy identification of the job in the other windows of the NetVault GUI (e.g., Logs, Status and Job Management).
Figure 3-1: The Selections tab of the Backup window with a basic full backup on the NetVault Server set up, including an item selected and a Job Title given
6. As this is intended to be a Full backup of the selected data, no Backup Options need to be set, so they should be left at their default settings in this tab. 7. The Schedule, Target and Advanced Options tabs offer extensive options for the customization of a job. For this type of backup (and for the sake of this example), they are left at their default settings. For complete details on all of their functions, please see the NetVault Administrators Guide.
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8. Click the Submit button to start the job and add it to the job queue (i.e., at this point, having no other NetVault Jobs active, the job will begin immediately).
3.1.1.a
Monitoring Job Status

With the previous Full Backup initiated, it is then possible to monitor/administer the job in the various windows of NetVault. The following example utilizes the Status window, although NetVault offers several areas where job related information can be gathered (e.g., the Job Management and Logs windows).
Example: Job Monitoring in the Status Window

1. From the NetVault GUI, the Status window can be accessed (e.g., via either Status button on the command toolbar (large or small) or from the Status command located in the Operations pull-down menu). 2. The Status window will open to reveal multiple frames, all offering information pertaining to the various NetVault operations as they are administered by the NetVault Server. This window is one of the most useful windows for the job monitoring process. The frames in this window reveal the following information:
Figure 3-2: A cut-away section of the Status window
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The Device Status Frame - The current status of an added device is displayed in this frame. Small light icons will mark each drive indicating their current status.
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Green - Ready and available Yellow - Busy, currently being written to, or media is being removed from/added to. Red - There is something wrong with the drive (i.e., no media is available, the media is unreadable, etc.).
The Client Frame - Any previously added NetVault Clients can be viewed in this frame, marked with a small monitor icon. The color of this icon determines the status of the Client in regards to its availability to the NetVault Server.
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Blue - Added and available Red - Added, but currently not available (e.g., the machine is offline, NetVault has been removed from it, etc.).
Figure 3-3:
Note: In the event that an error is revealed in
The Status either the Devices or Clients frames, the window toolbar, associated window (e.g., the Device and the buttons Client Management used to access Management and Client Management these windows Device Management windows, respectively) can be accessed for troubleshooting via its button located in the toolbar at the top of the Status window. Figure 3-4: When a job in a specific state is right-clicked on in the Job Status frame, a pop-up menu can be accessed which contains various commands
The Job Status Frame - This frame displays the state of each job for the selected NetVault Server (e.g., scheduled, currently running or finished). Based on the current state of the job, various commands can be accessed by right-clicking on it to open a pop-up menu. This includes the ability to abort a currently running job, re-run it once it has completed, launch a separate window containing details on a running job window and even view the specific log entries generated by the job.
Note: For complete details on all of the commands available in this pop-up menu for a specific job, please see Chapter 8: The Status Window of the Administrators Guide.
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3.1.1.b
Figure 3-5: The Diagnose Media dialog box as accessed from the Device Management window
Diagnosing Media Requests

On occasion, NetVault may run into issues pertaining to media availability during a running job (e.g., Waiting for Media messages may be displayed for a job in the Status or Job Management windows). To diagnose the cause of this issue, follow the steps below: 1. If possible, note the affected jobs Job ID or Job Title from the NetVault window being used to monitor its progress. 2. Access the Device Management window (from the main GUI, if necessary) and select the Media Requests tab. 3. Right-click on the displayed request to access a pop-up menu (if more than one media request is displayed, use the Job ID/Job Title information to locate it in the list). 4. From the pop-up menu that appears, choose Diagnose. The Diagnose Media Request dialog box will launch offering detailed information on the issue. With this information it should be possible to remedy the situation.
3.1.2
Performing a Full Backup of a NetVault Client

Now that the process for running a Full Backup on the NetVault Server has been covered (including how to monitor job progress and diagnose media requests), the next step illustrated in this guide is to perform a Full Backup on a NetVault Client. This procedure is covered here for two purposes:
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To show how to access a NetVault Client machine and conduct a backup of its data, and To create the initial Full Backup necessary for an Incremental Backup procedure (covered in the following section).
The following steps should be followed to complete this backup:
Note: In order for this procedure to take place, the desired Client machine must first be successfully added to the NetVault Server via the Client Management window. For complete details on adding a Client, please see the section Adding Clients to the NetVault Server of Chapter 2: Devices and Clients on page 27.
1. From the NetVault Server, access the Backup window (via one of the methods described in the previous section). 2. With the window active, a list of machines acting as NetVault Clients will be revealed in the Selections tab, including the NetVault Server, acting as a client of itself. Locate the desired Client machine (i.e., one other than the NetVault Server) in the displayed list and double-click on it to open it. 3. The APMs/Plugins available for use on the selected Client will be revealed. For the sake of this example, the File System Plugin is used to backup data on a Client running a UNIX-based installation of NetVault. Double-click on this plugin to open it and reveal items selectable for a backup. 4. A single directory representing the systems entire file system is initially revealed. This item can be selected to include the entire file system, or it can be double-clicked to open it and reveal individual items. For this example, the directory is opened to reveal these individual items (by double-clicking on it). 5. From the now open tree-structure, desired items can be selected (or, in the case of sub-directories, opened further) by clicking in the box to their left.
Figure 3-6: The File System Plugin, opened on a Client running a UNIX-based O/S with various items selected for a backup
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6. With the desired items selected, a Backup Selection Set is created. By doing so, selected items can be saved for future use, into a composite set (this is also necessary for the purpose of conducting an incremental backup - as covered in the next section). Accomplish this by performing these steps: a. In the Backup Selection Set area, located at the bottom of the Selections tab, click on the Save As button.
Figure 3-7: Clicking the Save As button from the Selections tab will access the Save Backup Selection Set window where a desired name can be input for this Selection Set
b. The Save Backup Selection Set subwindow will launch displaying two frames. One allows for the input of the name of a new Selection Set to be added (top), while the other offers a list of previously created ones (bottom). As this is the first Selection Set to be created, none will be available for selection in this frame. Input a desired name in the top frame and click on OK. c. The sub-window will close, returning to the Selections tab. The tree of selectable items will now be reduced to reveal only those items that were previously selected and the name input for the Selection Set will be displayed in the field at the bottom of the tab.
Figure 3-8: The Selection Set as revealed in the various areas of the Selections tab
7. In the Job Title field, input an appropriate name for the job (e.g., something referencing the Client being backed up and the fact that it is a Full Backup). This allows for easy identification of the job in the other windows of NetVault (e.g., Logs, Status and Job Management). 8. As this is intended to be a Full backup of the selected data, no Backup Options need to be set, so they should be left at their default settings. 9. The Schedule, Target and Advanced Options tabs offer extensive options for the customization of a job. For this type of backup (and for the sake of this example), they are left at their default settings. For complete details on all of their functions, please see the NetVault Administrators Guide. 10.Click the Submit button to start the job and add it to the job queue (i.e., at this point, having no other NetVault Jobs active, the job will begin immediately).
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3.1.3
Performing an Incremental Backup

An incremental backup allows an administrator to define a backup job in which only new or changed data is included in the job. This is accomplished by first performing a Full Backup of a selected set of data, creating a form of starting point. An Incremental Backup is then performed at a later time in which only data that has been added or changed since this original Full Backup is included. In addition to this, future Incremental Backups can be scheduled to accomplish either of the following: T Continue Capturing Data that is New/ Changed Since the Original Full Backup - Through the selection of an Incremental Backup type from the Backup Options tab, further Incremental Backups can be scheduled to continue capturing all data that is new or changed since the original Full was performed. This form requires more time to complete, because each Incremental performed will include all data that has changed since the original Full, but it offers the shortest restore method, as it is only necessary to restore the original Full Backup followed by the desired Incremental to bring it to a specific point in time, or its most recent state.
T
Figure 3-9: The process of continually capturing data that is new or changed since the original Full Backup
Figure 3-10: The process of capturing only data that is new or changed since the last backup (regardless of type)
Capture Only Data that is New/ Changed Since the Most Recent Backup - Through a different backup type selected from the Backup Options tab, it is possible to only capture data that is new or changed since the last backup (regardless of type - Full or Incremental). This progressive form of Incremental Backup allows for the fastest overall backup, but during a restore, data must be recovered in the order these backups were performed in order to restore a system to it most recent state or a selected point in time (e.g., Full Backup first, followed by the first Incremental and then on to the second, and so on).
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Note: Incremental Backups are not available with all Plugins/APMs in NetVault. The information above (and the following example provided) refer to NetVaults standard File System Plugin. For complete details on the use of this Plugin and its options, please see the NetVault Administrators Guide. 3.1.3.a Example Incremental Backup Procedure
In this example, an Incremental Backup is to be performed of the data backed up in the earlier section, Performing a Full Backup of a NetVault Client on page 45. This full backup procedure must be performed first, before an Incremental Backup of any type can be performed. 1. From the Selections tab of the Backup window, locate the Load button in the Backup Selection Set options and click it to access the Load Selection Set window. 2. With the window accessed, locate the desired Backup Selection Set in the list displayed and double-click on it (or select it and click on the OK button). 3. The window will close and the items previously selected for the original Full Backup will be revealed in the Selections tab and be automatically selected.
Figure 3-12: With Incremental selected as the Backup Type, two types of Incremental Backup can then be selected from the Incremental Type frame
Figure 3-11: Clicking on the Load button will launch the Load Backup Selection Set window in which a predefined Selection Set can be selected for use
4. Select the Backup Options tab and select Incremental from the Backup Type frame. With this selection, an additional frame is made available, allowing for the selection of the desired type of Incremental backup.
T
Changed Since Last Backup - This backup will only include data items new or changed since the last backup of any type occurred. In this instance, the first backup would only include data new or changed since the initial Full was performed and each subsequent Incremental would include data new or changed since the previous Incremental was performed. Changed Since Last FULL Backup - This will include all data items new or changed since the original Full Backup was run. Each Incremental of this type will include data new or changed since this initial Full was performed, thereby ignoring any previously performed Incrementals.
5. For the sake of this example, the Changed Since Last Backup option was selected and all other options in this tab were left at their default setting.
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Chapter 3 Backups and Restores 6. Next, the Schedule tab. From this tab, select the Repeating radial button in order to access scheduling options for the set up of a repeating job. In the accompanying field with the Every Day radial button selected, input a desired time in the Run At fields (e.g., 11:00 pm was used for this example) and input a desired start date for the scheduling to begin in the From fields (e.g., the current date).
Figure 3-13: The Schedule tab with a Repeating schedule set to occur each day at 11:00 pm beginning with the date input in the From fields
Note: Values input in the Run At fields pertain to a 24-hour clock. Ensure that the proper
value is input here representing the desired time (e.g., 23:00 = 11:00 pm). 7. In the Job Title field, input a suitable name (e.g., something referencing the Client being backed up and the fact that it is an Incremental Backup). 8. Click the Submit button to start the job. Since this job has been scheduled at a specific time, it will be added to the NetVault job queue, but actually run at its scheduled time (e.g., running each night at 11:00 pm). At which time, NetVault will assign a specific Job ID to the initial job as well as individual Instance numbers each time the job is re-run nightly (allowing for tracking of a specific job in the other windows of NetVault).
3.2.0
Performing a Restore
This section details how NetVault is used to recover data once it has been backed up. Using the previous backup examples, two types of restore are covered here:
T
Performing a Basic Restore - This section will cover how to restore the backup performed in the previous section, Performing a Full Backup on the NetVault Server on page 41. Performing a Restore of an Incremental Backup - This section offers an example of the recovery of data of Incremental Backup series created in the section, Performing an Incremental Backup on page 48.
3.2.1
Performing a Basic Restore

The section covers the simplest form of restore, the recovery of a single Full Backup. For this example, specific files backed up during the original Full Backup of the NetVault Server (as covered on page 41) are to be recovered. To accomplish this, follow the steps detailed below:
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1. From the NetVault Server, launch the Restore window from the main GUI (e.g., via either of the Restore buttons on the command toolbar, or the Restore command located in the Operations pull-down menu). 2. With the Restore window active, the Selections tab is revealed. Clients that have produced successful backups will be revealed in this tabs window. With the Full Backup of the NetVault Server previously completed, it will be revealed here. Locate it and double-click on it to open it. 3. The individual Plugins/APMs used to perform backups of this Client will be revealed. Locate the desired one (i.e., the File System Plugin) and doubleclick on it to reveal the individual backup jobs generated using this plugin (referred to as Backup Savesets). 4. With the backup savesets revealed, locate the desired one and double-click on it to open it (e.g., the NV Server Full Backup (Fixed Drives) job performed in the previous section).
Figure 3-14: The Restore window of NetVault with a Backup Saveset opened to reveal its individual contents and a specific one selected for recovery
5. The root level item(s) will be displayed and can be selected in order to recover the complete backup. For the sake of this example, only a few specific items are to be restored. Therefore, a root item should be opened (by double-clicking on it) to reveal its individual contents. 6. With the root item open, locate the desired item(s) and select them for inclusion (or if applicable, open further in the tree-structure by double-clicking on items to reveal individual files and other sub-directories for selection). 7. In the Job Title field, input a suitable name for the restore job that will make it easy to identify in any of the job monitoring windows of NetVault (e.g., Status, Jobs or Logs windows). 8. Click on the Submit button to start the job.
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3.2.2
Performing a Restore of an Incremental Backup

This section offers instructions on recovering from an Incremental Backup series. This process can vary based on the following:
T T
Desired End Result - Is the recovery to be to a specific point in time or to the datas most recent state? Type of Incremental Backup Performed - Based on the type of Incremental Backup performed, this process may require several individual restores performed to bring a system to a specific state, or as few as two.
Using the same procedure illustrated in the previous section, Performing a Basic Restore on page 50 for the selection of data, the following examples are given for each of various Incremental restore situations.
Note: The examples and instructions given here refer exclusively to the use of NetVaults native File System Plugin. It is important to note that, while Incremental backup/restore strategies are essentially the same regardless of APM or plugin in use, individual tools used as well as references made to specific operations may differ. In addition, not all NetVault plugins and APMs offer the ability to perform Incremental Backups/Restores. 3.2.2.a Example Restore of Data to its Most Recent State
This section offers two examples of how to restore Incremental backup data to its most recently backed up state, each based on the type of Incremental Backup performed.
Incremental Backup Type: Changed Since Last Backup

Figure 3-15: This procedure applies to the recovery of Incremental backups that were performed using the Changed Since Last Backup Incremental backup type
This refers to the restore of a series of Incremental backups that were set up using the Changed Since Last Backup Incremental backup type. In a backup series of this type, each subsequent backup of a selected group of data will only include data that is new or has changed since its previous backup. This applies regardless of whether or not the most recent backup was the original Full backup or another Incremental of this same type in the series. Put briefly, this process requires a stair step restore procedure in which each backup is sequentially restored in the order they were performed, beginning with the original Full backup, in order to restore the selected data to its most recently backed up state.
T T
Step 1: From the Backup Saveset belonging to the original Full backup, select a set of data to be restored and launch the job. Step 2: From the Backup Saveset belonging to the first Incremental backup of this type in the series, select the exact same data items that
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were included in the restore of the Full backup (from Step 1) and launch the job. Step 3 and Further: Repeat Step 2, with each subsequent Changed Since Last Backup Incremental Backup Saveset in the series until the most recent one has been restored. With the restore of the final backup saveset in the series, the data will be recovered to its most recently backed up state.
Incremental Backup Type: Changed Since Last FULL Backup

Figure 3-16: This procedure applies to the recovery of Incremental backups that were performed using the Changed Since Last FULL Backup Incremental backup type
This refers to the restore of an Incremental backup that was performed using the Changed since the original FULL Backup Incremental backup type. In a backup series utilizing this type of Incremental backup, an initial Full backup is taken of a selected group of data. Each Incremental of this type performed in a series includes all new or changed data since the initial Full backup was taken. Therefore, any previous Incrementals of this type are ignored. In essence, the restore process of a series of Incrementals of this type requires only a first and last methodology to bring any data to its most recently backed up state:
T T
Step 1: Locate the Backup Saveset belonging to the initial Full backup and open it. Select a set of data to be restored and launch the job. Step 2: Locate the Backup Saveset belonging to the most recently performed Incremental Backup of this type. open it and select the exact same data items that were included in the restore of the Full backup (from Step 1) and launch the job. With the restore of this data successfully completed, the data will be recovered to its most recently backed up state.
3.2.2.b
Example Restore of Data to a Specific Point in Time

This section offers two examples of how to restore Incremental Backup data to a determined point in time, each based on the type of Incremental Backup performed.
Incremental Backup Type: Changed Since Last Backup

This refers to an Incremental Backup series of selected data that has been scheduled to include only data that is new or has changed since the last backup occurred (regardless of type). In essence, this process requires that the user decide on a point in time to restore to, followed by the stair step procedure for restore in which each level of the backup is subsequently restored, one on top of the other:
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T
T T
Step 1: Determine the point in time to be restored to and locate the appropriate Backup Saveset. Prior to initiating a restore sequence, the Incremental Backup Saveset representing the point in time to be restored to must be located in the Selections tab of the Restore window. This will then serve as a finishing point for the restore. Step 2: Locate the Backup Saveset belonging to the initial Full backup and open it. Select a set of data to be restored and launch the job. Step 3: From the Backup Saveset belonging to the first Incremental backup of this type in the series, select the exact same data items that were included in the restore of the Full backup (from Step 1) and launch the job. Step 4 (and further, if applicable): Repeat Step 3 with each Subsequent Incremental Backup of this type in the series until the target Backup Saveset is reached. This must be performed in the order that these backups were performed. Step 5: Repeat Step 3 with the target Backup Saveset. This will bring the data to the desired point in time.
Incremental Backup Type: Changed Since Last FULL Backup

This refers to an Incremental Backup series of selected data that has been scheduled to include all data that is new or has changed since the original Full Backup was performed. In essence, this process requires that the user decide on a point in time to restore to, followed by a first and last procedure to bring the data to its most recently backed up state:
T
T T
Step 1: Determine the point in time to be restored to and locate the appropriate Backup Saveset. Prior to initiating a restore sequence, the Incremental Backup Saveset representing the point in time to be restored to must be located in the Selections tab of the Restore window. This will then serve as a finishing point for the restore. Step 2: Locate the Backup Saveset belonging to the original Full backup, and open it. Select a set of data to be restored and launch the job. Step 3: Access the Backup Saveset belonging to the Incremental Backup of this type that was performed at the desired point in time. Open it and select the exact same data items that were included in the restore of the Full backup (from Step 2) and launch the job. With the restore of this data successfully completed, the data will be recovered to its most recently backed up state.
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3.3.0
Additional Notes on Backups and Restores

It is important to note that certain forms of data require either additional settings within the plugin itself or a specific piece of additional software, in order to perform a successful backup and/or restore. Among the necessary provisions for performing a successful backup and restore operation, it is recommended that the following points be taken into consideration:
T
Specific Settings Must be Made in the Backup/Restore Options Windows - based on the Operating System and/or Plugin/APM in use, certain file types require various options set in these tabs in order for a successful backup and/or restore to occur (e.g., valid administrator-level account and password information must be given in order to backup/restore encrypted files with the File System Plugin on a Windows 2000 system). Certain Data Can Only Be Successfully Backed Up and Restored with a Valid APM - Database applications such as Lotus Notes and Oracle require the use of an associated NetVault APM in order to successfully backup and/ or restore data. Certain Operating System (O/S) Files May Not Be Successfully Backed Up from or Restored to an Active System - Due to the restraints of various Operating Systems, certain O/S-related files can not be successfully backed up from, or restored to a system that is currently up and running (e.g., various .dll files on a Windows-based system).
3.3.1
Read the Manual

As this guide only offers basic examples of backup and restore operations, it is highly recommended that the relevant NetVault documentation be thoroughly reviewed to gain information on specific settings and requirements for use (e.g., the NetVault Administrators Guide for NetVault standard plugins or the relevant APM documentation). NetVault documentation is available on BakBones web site: http://www.bakbone.com/support/product_documentation
3.3.2
Optional Solutions
NetVault offers solutions to the issues pertaining to database backup/restore and O/S-related files in the form of optional Plugin and APM software (e.g., the Microsoft SQL APM for the backup and restore of Microsoft SQL databases, or NetVaults VaultDR system of disaster recovery plugins which can be used to backup a live system and bring it back to its most recent state, including all O/Srelated files). Contact a BakBone representative for complete details.
Note: For BakBone contact information, please see the section BakBone Technical Support
of Chapter 1: Introduction, Installation and the GUI on page 7.
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3.4.0
Conclusion
With various types of backups performed in addition to the restore of this backed up data accomplished, it is now possible to create and administer various other jobs. From this point, NetVault offers various tools that can be used to increase the performance of the software itself as well as the hardware in use in the environment (e.g., backup devices). The next section of this guide covers:
T
Performance Tuning - Tips on how an administrator can access the various windows of NetVault to enhance its overall performance as well as its attached devices.
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58
Chapter 4:
Basic Performance Tuning

4.0.0 - Basic Performance Tuning ........................................................................... 61
4.0.1 - Performance Tuning - The Device Management Window........................................... 61 - 4.0.1.a - An Example of Viewing Gathered Statistics ............................................................ 64
4.1.0 - Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 67
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Chapter 4 Basic Performance Tuning
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4.0.0
Basic Performance Tuning

With the basic procedures for a backup and restore previously covered, it is now possible to use some of the more advanced controls that NetVault offers in order to enhance the overall performance of these operations. This section provides a few examples of how to modify settings in NetVault for this purpose.
Note: A device must have been successfully added before this process can take place.
4.0.1
Performance Tuning - The Device Management Window

The Device Management window of Netvault can be used to enhance overall performance in several ways. Predominantly, two methods are used:
T T
Increasing Block Size Adjust RAM Transfer Buffer Size
To accomplish both of these enhancements, follow the steps below: 1. From the NetVault Server, access the Device Management window from the NetVault GUI, via either button in the command toolbars, or select Device Management from the Administration pull-down menu). The software will then automatically scan the SCSI bus on all added NetVault Clients as well as the NetVault Server and display any added devices.
Figure 4-1: The configure command selected from the pop-up menu accessed when a device is right-clicked on in the Devices tab
2. Locate the desired tape device in the window of the Devices tab and rightclick on it to access its pop-up menu (i.e., with a Library device, right-click on one of its drives, or directly on a Standalone Device). From the list of options available, select the Configure command. 3. The Edit Drive window will appear. Based on the type of device in use, the options available in this window may vary, but select the Configuration tab and locate the Media Block Size (Kb) field and increase this value (in increments of 32).
Figure 4-2: The Media Block Size (Kb) field of the Configuration tab, with its value increased to 128Kb
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Chapter 4 Basic Performance Tuning 4. With this value increased, larger blocks of data will now be allocated for a backup, thereby reducing the overall number of times a backup will need to read data and write it to media. The end result is a faster overall backup.
Figure 4-3: The Amount of Memory to Assign For Transfer Buffers (Kb) field of the Performance tab, with its value increased to 4096 Kb (4 MB)
5. While still in the Edit Drive window, access the Performance tab. Locate the Amount of Memory to Assign for Transfer Buffers (Kb) field. Increase this amount from its default of 257 Kb (e.g., to 4,097 approx. 4 MB). By increasing this value, a larger amount of buffer space will be created through the use of system memory. As an end result, this increased space can be used by a NetVault job in order to speed up the overall process.
Figure 4-4: A flow chart showing how shared memory is used between the NetVault Server and a tape device -the more memory configured for use, the faster the operation
Important Notes:
1. The field Amount of memory to assign to transfer buffers (Kb) is often referred to as the shared memory setting. Shared memory is usually allocated in 32Kb blocks. The default value in this field, 257 is actually eight buffers of 32Kb (plus a byte). Therefore, the formula used to determine a valid setting for this field is as follows: (<Total number of buffers> x 32Kb) + 1 byte 2. Configuring total shared memory size depends on the operating system and physical available in the target machine. Be familiar with the memory available on a NetVault Server before attempting to increase this value. 3. The maximum allowable value in the Media Block Size (Kb) field depends on the operating system and SCSI Adapter in use. Therefore, unless configuring on an optimal machine that can handle large block size transfers, it is recommended that this value not exceed 64 Kb on a Windows-based system or 128 Kb on a Linux/UNIX-based system. If this value is set too high, NetVault operations may hang while attempting a data transfer.
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4. It is important to realize that setting a large Media Block Size (Kb) value could negatively affect overall media capacity. For example, if set above the recommended value to a high value such as 512Kb, whenever a small backup is performed (e.g., text files) 512Kb of space is allocated on the tape for that specific backup, even if the intended files are considerably smaller. Therefore, only a portion of this space is used, and the rest is lost. 5. Configuration changes made in this manner in the Performance tab will only take effect on blank media. If planning to backup to a tape with existing data and these new settings are desired, the tape must be blanked first (via the Blank command accessed by rightclicking on media in the Devices tab -- please see the NetVault Administrators Guide for complete details on the use of this command). 6. For more detailed information on the use of this optin and some examples of proper block size configurations, please see
Figure 4-5: Both Statistic Gathering options of the Statistics tab, selected for use
6. Access the Statistics tab and select both the Gather Statistics on Device Performance and Gather Statistics on Data Channel Performance options. With both of these selected, it will now be possible to view information pertaining to these two functions via the Device Logs tab of the Device Management window.
Figure 4-6: A flow chart illustrating the points in time during a backup that various statistics are gathered by NetVault
7. With the previous settings made, click on OK to confirm and close the Edit Drive window. 8. Repeat steps 1-8 for each remaining drive (e.g., additional drives in a library or for additional standalone drives).
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4.0.1.a
An Example of Viewing Gathered Statistics

This section provides an example of how statistics enabled via the new settings made in the Edit Drive window can be viewed after a backup job has completed. 1. Perform a backup job (e.g., as illustrated in any of the sections covered in the previous chapter, Backups and Restores beginning on page 39). 2. From the main window of the NetVault GUI, choose the Logs command from the Operations pull-down menu to reveal the Logs window.
Figure 4-7: NetVault Logs window
Figure 4-8: The Set Filter button Figure 4-9: Under Warning Levels, select the All option button
3. Click the Set Filter button, located in the upper left corner of this window (or select Set Filter from the View pull-down menu) to open the Filter Options window. 4. In the Warning Levels frame, select the All radial button to display the greatest level of detail in the Logs window. Click on the OK button to close this window and return to the Logs window. 5. If an icon contains an exclamation mark, doubleclicking on it will launch a dialog box which contains further details on the log entry.
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The examples that follow cover some of the information that is revealed when NetVault Log entries, specific to any performance tuning settings that may have been made, are viewed.
Data Channel Statistics Log Entry (Green Exclamation Point Icon)

In this example, a green exclamation mark icon on a Data channel send statics log entry was double-clicked to bring up the Data Channel Statistics dialog box. The Plugin Data Transfer Statistics (Device Side) show that the device was only blocked from receiving data from the data channel five times, for a total time of just over one second. At the bottom of this dialog box, newly configured values will be revealed, taking this blockage into account:
T
Block Size - This value will be displayed as the new value input during configuration in the Edit Drive tab (i.e., as set in Step 5. on page 62). Shared Memory Buffer Size - The value displayed here should be close to the new value set during configuration (i.e., as set in Step 5. on page 62). This value serves as an overall average of buffer space used (and it should be greater than it was originally).
Device Transfer Statistics Log Entry (Green Exclamation Point Icon)

Figure 4-10: Device transfer statistics
In this example, a Device transfer statistics log entry, marked with a green exclamation mark icon was double-clicked to bring up the Device Transfer Statistics dialog box. This dialog box shows that the transfer was blocked on the device a total of 2,344 times, for a total of 154,762 milliseconds (i.e., approx 2.5 minutes). The delays are broken down into time spans in milliseconds and a quantity for each is displayed. In this instance, it can be assumed that the backup device was the bottle neck in the operation.
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<Drive Name> Has Completed its Transfer Log Entry

(Purple Exclamation Point Icon)
Figure 4-11: The Transfer Information dialog box
IIn this example, a <Drive Name> has completed its transfer log entry, marked with a purple exclamation mark icon was double-clicked to bring up the Transfer Information dialog box. This dialog box is useful in that it shows the overall length of the transfer, 2 mins 35 secs at a transfer rate of 483.10 Kbytes/sec. It also shows the name of the piece of media that the backup was written to (i.e., in the Written on field) as well as the device used (i.e., Library_1) in the Written to field.
4.0.1.b
The NetVault Data Stream - A Synopsis

When a NetVault APM or plugin is used, it retrieves the data from disk, then streams it into shared memory buffers. The plugin requests a shared memory buffer to send the data which it has received from disk. Once a shared memory buffer is assigned, the data is transferred and the APM/plugin gets more data from the disk, then requests another shared memory buffer, and so on. Next, data is transferred from shared memory to the Device Manager. This is a process level transfer of data, so blocking does not occur here. Once the data transfer is complete, the Device Manager transfers the data to the tape drive via the SCSI interface. The tape drive uses its own memory buffers. It is important to have the data being transferred at this point as fast as possible to keep the tape device streaming to receive optimum performance. The Data Channel Statistics and the Device Transfer Statistics dialog boxes show the data transfer statistics between the shared memory and the Device Manager. Times requested buffer shows the number of times the Device Manager requested data from the shared memory buffers. In the example shown on page 65, the Device Manager requested buffers 2,350 times and was blocked five of those times. In other words, data transferred to the drive was only delayed five out of 2,350 times. The total time taken by these blockages was a minimal 1,151 milli-seconds. 2,344 blocks of data were transferred, and the total time waiting for the tape device (Blocked on device) was 154,762 milliseconds (or around 2.5 minutes). This could indicate that the tape drive is at optimum performance but is not able to transfer to tape quickly enough to keep up with the stream of data.
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The Data Channel Send Statistics and the Transfer Information dialog boxes show the send statistics and transfer information. This information represents the data transfer between an APM/plugin and the shared memory. In the example shown on page 65, the majority of the buffer requests were blocked, which indicates that the data from the plugin was unable to access shared memory buffers frequently. The data is coming off the disk at a good rate, but the shared memory is not being emptied quickly enough by the Device Manager. This either means that the shared memory buffer sizes are too small, or the tape device/SCSI bus does not meet design specifications. If the tape drive is having trouble keeping up with the data stream, this is why so many blockages occur.
4.1.0
Conclusion
Performance tuning ends the initial set up and basic running instructions for NetVault. With this and all previous steps completed, a backup schedule can be established and data restored as required. In addition to these standard data recovery operations, NetVault offers a wide array of tools and utilities designed to make the most of any data recovery environment.

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NetVault Getting Started Guide 71x

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Title Page

getting started guide

NVE 7003-20A 09/15-04

getting started guide

Chapter 2: Clients and Devices

Chapter 3: Backups and Restores

Chapter 4: Basic Performance Tuning

getting started guide

Introduction, Installation and the GUI

1.1.0 - Installing NetVault 7.1.x .................................................................................. 8

1.2.0 - The NetVault GUI - A Brief Overview ...................................................... 17

1.3.0 - The NetVault Configurator ........................................................................... 20

1.4.0 - Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 22

Chapter 1 Introduction, Installation and the GUI

NetVault 7.1.x Getting Started Guide

BakBone Technical Support

Helpdesk Support Lines

Chapter 1 Introduction, Installation and the GUI

BakBone Softwares Web Site

Installing NetVault 7.1.x

Step 1: Pre-Installation Requirements

NetVault 7.1.x Getting Started Guide

Step 2: NetVault Server Installation

Linux/UNIX-based Server Installation

cd /cdrom/netvault71/tru64/netvault ./install cd /cdrom/netvault71/freebsd/netvault ./install cd /cdrom/netvault71/hpux_11/netvault ./install cd /cdrom/netvault71/hpux_ia64/netvault ./install

*O/S may require manual mounting of the CD-ROM Drive

NetVault 7.1.x Getting Started Guide

Macintosh OS X 10.3 Server Installation Pre-Requisites

Figure 1-2: The initial window for the NetVault installer

NetVault 7.1.x Getting Started Guide

Figure 1-6: The Easy Install on <Machine Name> window

Windows-based Server Installation

NetVault 7.1.x Getting Started Guide

Chapter 1 Introduction, Installation and the GUI

Step 3: NetVault Client Installation

Linux/UNIX-based Client Installation

Macintosh OS X 10.3 Client Installation

Windows-based Client Installation

Installing Additional NetVault Clients

NetVault 7.1.x Getting Started Guide

The NetVault GUI - A Brief Overview

Launching the NetVault GUI

In a Macintosh OS X 10.3 Environment

Chapter 1 Introduction, Installation and the GUI

4. The NetVault GUI will launch in the X11 terminal window.

NetVault 7.1.x Getting Started Guide

Navigating the NetVault GUI

Figure 1-5: The NetVault Graphical User Interface (GUI)

The Pull-down Menus

Chapter 1 Introduction, Installation and the GUI

The NetVault Configurator

Launching the NetVault Configurator

NetVault 7.1.x Getting Started Guide

In a Macintosh OS X 10.3 Environment

Starting/Stopping NetVault Services

Chapter 1 Introduction, Installation and the GUI

NetVault 7.1.x Getting Started Guide

Chapter 1 Introduction, Installation and the GUI

getting started guide

Clients and Devices

2.2.0 - Adding Devices to the NetVault Server ................................................. 29

2.3.0 - Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 38

Chapter 2 Clients and Devices