Step by step installation of the Backup Exec Remote Agent for Linux and UNIX Servers (RALUS) on the Red Hat Linux platform.

Follow these steps to install the Remote Agent for Linux and UNIX Servers on Red Hat Linux:

Note: RALUS is an additionally purchased option and is enabled by installing the RALUS serial numbers on the Backup Exec media server.
 

 

RALUS agent installer is included on the Backup Exec DVD ISO, and can be found in the " Linux" or " Unix" folder present at the root of the Backup Exec installation media. (X:\Unix)

It is also advisable to check the RALUS compatibility with LINUX host before installation, To check the compatibility refer to:   Backup Exec Compatibility List

To install the Remote Agent for Linux and UNIX Servers on the LINUX host:

1. On a LINUX  host, copy the RALUS Agent installation files from Backup Exec DVD ISO Example: Backup Exec 22.2 RALUS Agent installation file: X:\Unix\ RALUS_RMALS-1193.1605.tar.gz

2. Connect to the target host using a terminal session or Log On locally with super user, root, or administrator privileges.

3. Extract the contents of the installation files that were downloaded in Step 1 using the following command, Figure 1a below:

Note:  Do not extract the RALUS installer files from a Windows system and copy the resulting files to the Linux/Unix host.  Doing so will cause difficulty to diagnose installation errors.  It is important to copy the .gz file to the Linux/Unix host and extract the files there as shown below.

Note: This is a one-step command to extract and untar the file.
 

tar zvxf filename.tar.gz

or

tar -zxvf filename.tar.gz

 

z = Gunzip(uncompress) it before extracting, used on file ending in .tar.gz or .tgz

x = Extract the contents of the TAR file

v = Verbose - display contents as it is tarring or extracting

f =  Filename to follow

 

Note: If the file does not have ".gz" extension that means its already uncompressed and one has to just extract it using "tar xvf" command.

Figure 1a:

 

Or, in two commands as shown in Figure 1b below:

Figure 1b:

 
 


Note: This is a two step command to extract and untar the file.
 

gunzip filename.tar.gz

 

tar xvf filename.tar

4. Navigate to the Linux folder that was extracted in Step 3 as shown in Figure 2 below:

Figure 2:

 


5. At the command prompt, type: ./installralus and press <Enter> in the directory where the install script is present, shown in Figure 3 below:
 

./installralus

Figure 3:

 

6. The installation screen appears: (Figure 4)

Figure 4:

 


Type the LINUX server IP address or Hostname and press Enter as shown in Figure above.

7 . RALUS performs the initial system check as shown in Figure 5 below:

Figure 5

 

Press Enter to continue.

8 . RALUS will check and install the following rpms on Linux server as shown in Figure 6 below:

Figure 6:

 

Press Enter to continue.

9. Installation requirement checks completed successfully as shown in Figure 7 below.

Figure 7:

 

10.  To configure RALUS with user friendly configuration press "Y" (Figure 8)

Figure 8:

 

11. The installation utility will now ask a series of questions to configure RALUS (Figure 9)

Figure 9:

 

Press Enter to continue.

12. The installation utility will ask for the Media Server IP address or Hostname to display the remote agent as a selection in the media server's backup selection tree as shown in Figure 10 below.

Note: A host name can be used, however make sure that the Linux server can resolve the host name properly. Its recommended to add the Windows host entry in the   /etc/hosts file on the Linux server.

Figure 10:

 

13. To display the remote agent on more than one media server choose "Y" and press Enter or Simply type "N" and press Enter to continue as shown. (Figure 11)

Figure 11:

 

14. Confirm the Media Server IP address or Hostname by typing "Y" and press Enter, else press "N" and re-type the IP or Hostname as shown. (Figure 12)

Figure 12:

 

15. The installation utility will now ask to create "beoper" group as shown. (Figure 13)

Figure 13:

 


Note: beoper is a group that is used by Remote Agent for Linux and Unix Servers to authenticate the Backup Exec logon account, as the members of this group are given permissions to back up and restore the Linux server.


Press Enter to continue.

16. If the beoper group is not found, the installation utility will ask to create one. (Figure 14)

Figure 14:

 


Type "Y" and press Enter.


17. Installation utility will now prompt to specify any specific Group ID. (Figure 15)

Figure 15:

 


Group ID: All Linux users have a user ID and a group ID and a unique numerical identification number called a userid (UID) and a groupid (GID) respectively. Groups can be assigned to logically tie users together for a common security, privilege and access purpose. Its recommended not to assign any Group ID.


Type "N" and press Enter.


18. Note the "beoper" group has been created successfully as shown. (Figure 16)

Figure 16:

 

19. Installation utility will now ask to add the user root  to the beoper group (Figure 17)

Figure 17:

 

Type "Y" and press Enter.

User root has been successfully added to the beoper group.

20. Installation utility shows successful installation of RALUS. (Figure 18)

Read the information and press Enter.

Figure 18:

 

21. The RALUS configuration has also completed successfully as shown. (Figure 19)

Figure 19:

 

Read the information and press Enter.

22. Finally, Veritas Backup Exec Remote Agent for Linux and Unix Server has completed successfully. (Figure 20)

Figure 20:

 


23. By default the VRTSralus.init service is stopped, Follow steps mentioned below Fig 22 to start the service.

 /etc/services/VRTSralus.init start

or

service VRTSralus.init start (For Redhat Enterprise Linux)

24. Go to the Backup Exec media server and check the remote selections listed on the Backup tab. Expand the Unix icon: (Figure 21)

It might happen that even if the service for remote agent on the Linux server is started, it might not show up under Linux/Unix servers(Favorite Resources). In such a case, add the Linux server's IP address in the User-Defined Selections(open a new backup job, right click on User-defined selections and select 'Manage user-defined selections'), and then try to browse it using the ROOT account.

Figure 21:

 


Utility Commands:

Use the following commands to stop and start the RALUS service as shown: (Figure 22)
 

To Stop: /etc/init.d/VRTSralus.init stop

To Start: /etc/init.d/VRTSralus.init start

Or Else

service VRTSralus.init restart

(This command would  stop the service first and start it.)

Figure 22:

 

RALUS configuration file.

The ralus.cfg file can be edited for either troubleshooting or configuration purposes as shown.

The file is located in the following location: /etc/VRTSralus/ralus.cfg
 

Config file details:

SOFTWARE\VERITAS\Backup Exec\Agent Browser\TcpIp\AdvertisementPort=6101       Advertising port

Software\VERITAS\Backup Exec\Engine\Agents\Advertising Interval Minutes=60           To change time interval

Software\VERITAS\Backup Exec\Engine\Agents\Agent Directory List 1=10.0.0.2           To add media server(s)

Software\VERITAS\Backup Exec\Engine\Logging\RANT NDMP Debug Level=0               To debug set the value to 1

Software\VERITAS\Backup Exec\Engine\RALUS\Encoder=

Software\VERITAS\Backup Exec\Engine\RALUS\SystemExclude1=/dev/*.*

Software\VERITAS\Backup Exec\Engine\RALUS\SystemExclude2=/proc/*.*

Software\VERITAS\Backup Exec\Engine\RALUS\SystemExclude3=/mnt/nss/pools/

Software\VERITAS\Backup Exec\Engine\RALUS\SystemExclude4=/mnt/nss/.pools/

Software\VERITAS\Backup Exec\Engine\RALUS\SystemExclude5=/sys/*.*

For more information regarding RALUS, please refer to the Related Documents section given below.