How to perform a backup of NDMP Filers (NAS) with the Veritas Backup Exec Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) Option

Problem

How to perform a backup of NDMP Filers (NAS) with the Veritas Backup Exec Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) Option.

Solution

NDMP is an acronym for Network Data Management Protocol, which is an open standard protocol for enterprise-wide backups of heterogeneous network-attached storage. NDMP is an Internet-Draft standard that uses port 10000 by default.

The Veritas Backup Exec NDMP Option lets Backup Exec use the Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) to initialize and control backups and restores of Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices such as NetApp filers as explained below.

Architectural Model:

The architecture follows a client-server model and the backup software is considered to be a client to the NDMP server. For every connection between the client and the NDMP host, there is a virtual state machine on the NDMP host that is controlled using NDMP.  This virtual state machine is referred to as the NDMP server.

Currently an NDMP server can be thought of providing two services:  

• A DATA server - This service either reads from disk and produces an NDMP data stream (in a specified format) or reads an NDMP data stream and writes to disk, depending upon whether a backup or restore is taking place.
   
• A TAPE server - This service either reads an NDMP data stream and writes it to tape or reads from tape and writes an NDMP data stream, depending upon whether a backup or restore is taking place. All tape-handling functions, such as split-image issues, are dealt with by this service.
• For more details on NDMP Protocol please see the following site:
  https://www.ndmp.org .
  
  
  NDMP Filers (NAS):
  
  NDMP Filers, or NAS devices, reside on the network with the primary purpose of providing file services. NAS devices that use standard operating systems (for example, Windows-powered NAS devices) support the installation of backup agents, and can therefore be backed up like any other file server. However, some NAS devices use a custom operating system that does not support third party backup agents. A standard backup interface for NAS devices exists in the form of the network data management protocol (NDMP), which is a backup standard for NAS devices that do not support installation of a backup agent.
  
  
  With Veritas Backup Exec, the NDMP Option lets Backup Exec use the Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) to initialize and control backups and restores of Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices such as NetApp filers. The NDMP option supports both backing up data to a tape device directly attached to the NDMP device (direct-attached) and backing up data to a tape device attached to another NDMP device (filer-to-filer) as explained and shown in Figure 1 and 2. The NDMP option also supports backing up data to any device attached to the Backup Exec server, such as tape, backup-to-disk or deduplication device.
  
  
  NDMP - Direct Attached:
  
  In the direct-attached or local model, the backup server uses NDMP over the LAN to instruct the filer to start the backup. The filer then sends the data contained in the backup to a tape device attached directly to the filer via Fibre Channel or SCSI. During the backup, information about files and directories written to tape is transferred via NDMP over the LAN to the backup server where it is maintained in an index. For a restore operation, the backup server uses NDMP over the LAN to instruct the filer to start restoring files. Data is read from the filer's locally attached tape device and stored by the filer. During backup and restore, the backup server does not ever receive the actual data being written or read from tape. As a result, this model is commonly referred to as "LAN-free" backup.
  
  Figure 1
  
  
   
  NDMP - Filer to Filer (3-way)
  
  In the filer-to-filer model, often referred to as three-way, the backup server uses NDMP over the LAN to instruct filer A to start backing up data to tape devices attached to filer B via either the same network or a private backup network. During the backup, information about files and directories written to tape is transferred from filer A via NDMP over the LAN to the backup server, where it is maintained in an index.
  
  This is known as 3-way backup, since typically 3 hosts are involved as shown. (Figure 2)
• The host running the NDMP client (1).
• The host running the NDMP DATA server (2).
• The host running the NDMP TAPE server (3).
  
  Figure 2
  
  
  
  The Veritas Backup Exec NDMP Option provides support for the following functionality:
  
  1. Support for the backup and restore filers with any device attached to Backup Exec server.
  2. Support for NDMPv4. For more on NDMPv4 please visit: https://www.ndmp.org .
  3. Support for Direct-Attached (tape device on filer). (Figure 1)
  4. Support for Filer-to-Filer (tape attached to a remote filer of same brand, "3 way"). (Figure 2)
  5. The NDMP Option supports Backup selections from the directory level.
  6. The NDMP Option supports Restore selections to the file level.

For more information about supported feature for individual filers, refer to Hardware Compatibility List below and the vender's documents.

https://www.veritas.com/docs/000017788

Steps to back up an NDMP Filer

Stages:

1. Installing the NDMP Option.

2. Configuring the NDMP device.

3. (Optional) Adding an NDMP storage device.

4. Adding NDMP device to the Backup and Restore server list.

5. Backing up using the NDMP Option.

Stage 1: Installing the NDMP Option.

The NDMP (Paid) Option is installed locally on the Backup Exec server as a separate add-on component of Backup Exec for Windows Servers to protect supported NAS devices. No files are copied to the NDMP device.

To install the NDMP Option on the local Backup Exec server:

1. Click on Backup Exec icon towards top left corner of Backup Exec Admin Console -> Installation and Licensing -> Install Options and Licenses on this Backup Exec Server

2. On the Add Licenses screen, make sure of NDMP option is installed. Gold Subscription license in the example screen includes the NDMP option license. (Figure 3)
   
   Figure 3.
   

3. On the Configure Features screen, make sure of NDMP Feature is selected (Figure 4)
   
   Figure 4
   

4. Click Next and complete the installation

Stage 2: Configuring the NDMP device.

In order for Backup Exec to back up NDMP resources, the NDMP service must be running on the NDMP device. This is an example for NetApp device.

The NDMP Service can be started by entering the following command on the NDMP device (accessed using telnet or the web interface or local login):

1. Enabling ndmpd as shown in Figure 5.
   
   NDMPFILER> ndmpd on
   
   Figure 5.
   
    
2. The NDMP device must be configured to use the challenge (MD5) method for authentication as shown in Figure 6.
   
   NDMPFILER> options ndmpd.authtype challenge
   
   Figure 6.
   
    
3. To authenticate with the NDMP server you should use the root password or non-root user with system generated NDMP-specific password.
   To configure these and other settings, refer to your NAS documentation.
    
4. Make sure NDMP Version on the Remote Filer is set to "Level -4".
   If the level is below "4" then backup is not possible, However user can view the resources but can not expand. To check the NDMP Version,  type following command on the Filer. (Figure 7)
   
   NDMPFILER> ndmpd version
   
   Figure 7.
   
   
   To set the NDMP level to "4" type the following command on the Filer. (Figure 8)
   
   NDMPFILER> ndmpd version 4
   
   Figure 8
   

Stage 3. (Optional) Adding an NDMP storage device.

When using Direct-Attached or Filer-to-Filer (3-way), add the tape device as a Backup Exec storage device

1. Go to Storage tab in Backup Exec Admin Console
2. Click Configure Storage
3. Select a Backup Exec server if the Central Admin Server Option (CASO) is enabled.
4. Select Network Storage (Figure 9)
   
   Figure 9.
   
    
5. Select NDMP Storage (Figure 10)
   
   Figure 10.
   
    
6. Enter the server name of the NDMP device, or IP address. (Figure 11)
   
   Figure 11.
   
    
7. Select Logon account to access to the NDMP device.
8. Confirm Storage configuration summary, then click Finish
9. Restarting Backup Exec services are required after the configuration is completed.
10. After the services are restarted, the tape is displayed under the NDMP device name in Storage tab. (Figure 12). The tape is also displayed as a locally attached device.
    
    Figure 12.
    
     
11. If the tape is not displayed, go to the troubleshooting.

Troubleshooting Tape Device Detection Backup Exec for Windows NDMP Option (NetApp)
https://www.veritas.com/docs/100018219

Stage 4. Adding NDMP device to the Backup and Restore server list.

If the a tape device attached to an NDMP device is added as a storage device, Backup Exec automatically adds the NDMP device to the Backup and Restore server list.

1. Go to Backup and Restore tab in Backup Exec Admin Console.
2. Click Add in Servers and Virtual Hosts ribbon. (Figure 13)
   
   Figure 13.
   
    
3. Select File server or NDMP data server. (Figure 14)
   
   Figure 14.
   
    
4. Enter the server name of the server or IP address and click Add. Then, click Next
5. Select Logon accont to access to the NDMP device.
6. Confirm Summary then click Finish.
7. The server name will be displayed in Backup and Restore tab. (Figure 15)
   
   Figure 15.
   

Stage 5. Backing up using the NDMP Option.

1. Go to Backup and Restore tab in Backup Exec Admin Console.
2. Select the server name of the NDMP device.
3. Click Backup icon in the ribbon, then select a backup destination device type such as a tape, backup-to-disk or deduplication.(Figure 16)
   
   Figure 16.
   
    
4. Now, Backup Definition Properties is opened. (Figure 16)
   
   Figure 16.
   
    
5. Click Edit in the left side, then select a folder of backup sources.
   Note: In order to back up a NetApp snapshot (".snapshot" folder), only one snapshot per volume can be selected, and no other file system resources can be selected.
6. Click Edit in the right side, then configure job properties such as schedule, specific target device or options.
7. Click OK, then save the Backup Definition Properties.
8. A backup job or multiple backup jobs (Full and Incremental) are created and executed according to the specified schedule.