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Veritas Velocity™ User's Guide

Last Published: 2017-11-28

Product(s): Velocity (2.8)

Getting to know Velocity
1. Introducing Velocity
2. How to access the Velocity Cloud Console
3. About the Velocity Appliance
4. About the Velocity Storage Server administration interfaces
5. Using the Velocity shell menu
Setting up Velocity
1. Velocity administrator's checklist for setting up Veritas Velocity
2. Database administrator's checklist for setting up Veritas Velocity
3. Sandbox user's checklist for setting up Veritas Velocity
4. How to set up the Velocity Storage Server
5. How to set up the Velocity Client
6. Deleting a Velocity Client
7. Configuring a proxy server for Velocity
8. Required and optional ports for Velocity
9. Installing the NetBackup Client on the Velocity Storage Server
Setting up the Velocity on-premises management server
1. How to set up the Velocity on-premises management server
2. Deploying the Velocity on-premises management server image on a virtual machine
3. Configuring the network settings for the Velocity on-premises management server
4. Configuring Active Directory/LDAP settings on the Velocity on-premises management server
5. Adding users to the Velocity on-premises management server
Upgrading Velocity
1. How to upgrade to Velocity version 2.8
2. Finding the Velocity Storage Server and Velocity Client version numbers
3. Downloading and transferring software updates to the Velocity Storage Server
4. Removing previous upgrade files
5. Upgrading the Velocity Storage Server
6. Upgrading the Velocity Client for Linux
7. Upgrading the Velocity Client for Windows
8. Upgrading the Velocity Client for Solaris
Velocity Storage Server
1. About the Velocity Storage Server
2. Viewing physical storage usage on the Velocity Storage Server
3. About reclaiming storage space on the Veritas Velocity Storage Server
4. Increasing meta and data storage capacity on the Velocity Storage Server
5. Deregistering a Velocity Storage Server
6. How to reset the Velocity Storage Server
Users and roles
1. How to configure users and roles in Velocity
2. Adding users
3. Role-based access control
4. Adding roles
5. Deleting roles
6. Viewing details about all users and roles
7. Assigning users to an existing role
8. Removing users from a role
9. Changing the database sources that are assigned to a role
Oracle database ingestion using Velocity
1. How to provide copies of Oracle databases for sandboxes in Velocity
2. Adding an Oracle database to ingest into Velocity
3. Ingesting an Oracle database into Velocity for the first time
4. Ingesting an Oracle database again after the first ingest
5. Canceling an Oracle database ingestion
6. How to use copy preparation to mask or sanitize sensitive data
7. Ingesting an Oracle database into Velocity from the command line
8. About setting custom initialization parameters for a sandbox for an Oracle database copy
9. Editing default options for the ingest method for Oracle databases
Oracle database ingestion using NetBackup CoPilot
1. How to set up NetBackup CoPilot to ingest Oracle databases into Velocity
2. Ingesting an Oracle database with NetBackup CoPilot
Microsoft SQL Server database ingestion using Velocity
1. How to provide copies of SQL Server databases for sandboxes in Velocity
2. Adding a SQL Server database to ingest into Velocity
3. Ingesting a SQL Server database into Velocity
4. Editing default options for SQL Server database ingestion
5. Canceling a SQL Server database ingestion
Database sources and copies
1. About database sources and copies
2. Viewing details of an Oracle database source
3. Viewing details of a SQL Server database source
4. Changing the nickname or description of a database source
5. Deleting a database source from Velocity
6. About scheduling ingestions for a database source
7. Retention periods for database sources and copies
8. Viewing database copies
9. Viewing the number of sandboxes that were created from a database copy
10. Viewing the status of database copies
11. Deleting database copies
Sandboxes
1. About sandboxes
2. Creating a sandbox from an Oracle database copy
3. Starting an Oracle database instance manually
4. Creating a sandbox from a SQL Server database copy
5. Starting a SQL database manually
6. Finding your sandbox
7. Viewing details about your sandboxes
8. Deleting a sandbox
9. Managing sandboxes when you restart the host Oracle Database server
10. Unmounting a sandbox from an Oracle host server
Database recovery
1. Recovering an Oracle database
Alerts and logs
1. Viewing alerts
2. Creating audit log reports
3. Redirecting the syslog messages
4. Viewing the syslog messages on a Red Hat Enterprise Linux computer
5. Viewing the syslog messages on a Windows computer
Managing the Velocity physical appliance
1. Configuring network address settings on the Velocity physical appliance
2. About the Veritas Remote Management Console on the Velocity physical appliance
3. About Velocity physical appliance storage
  1. Configuring the storage on the Velocity physical appliance
  2. Viewing the storage on the Velocity physical appliance
4. About users on the Velocity physical appliance
5. About Velocity physical appliance checkpoints
  1. Creating a custom checkpoint on the Velocity physical appliance
  2. Restoring the Velocity physical appliance from a checkpoint
6. About factory reset on the Velocity physical appliance
  1. Restoring the Velocity physical appliance to a factory state
Monitoring the Velocity physical appliance
1. About Veritas AutoSupport on the Velocity physical appliance
  1. Setting up AutoSupport on the Velocity physical appliance
2. Setting up email notifications on the Velocity physical appliance
3. Setting up SNMP notifications on the Velocity physical appliance
4. Auditing the SDCS logs on the Velocity physical appliance
  1. About SDCS event type codes and severity codes on the Velocity physical appliance
  2. Changing the SDCS log retention settings on the Velocity physical appliance
5. Testing the Velocity physical appliance hardware
Velocity physical appliance security
1. About Velocity physical appliance user account privileges
  1. Velocity physical appliance user name and password specifications
    1. Password encryption and handling on the Velocity physical appliance
2. About the Velocity physical appliance intrusion detection system
  1. Reviewing SDCS events on the Velocity physical appliance
3. About Velocity physical appliance operating system security
  1. Vulnerability scanning of the Velocity physical appliance
  2. Disabled service accounts on the Velocity physical appliance
4. About data security on the Velocity physical appliance
5. About data integrity on the Velocity physical appliance
6. About the Velocity physical appliance ports
7. Recommended IPMI settings on the Velocity physical appliance
  1. Replacing the default IPMI SSL certificate on the physical appliance
Best practices
1. Improving the performance of Veritas Velocity for Oracle Database
2. Stopping and starting all mounts
3. Protecting the Velocity on-premises management server
Troubleshooting
1. NFS export paths where ingested Oracle Database sources are stored are inaccessible
2. NFS export path is not created during a database ingestion
3. Database ingestion fails with the Oracle error 'diskgroup {xx} space exhausted'
4. After restart of the vpfsd service, links to the applications are broken
5. Sandbox creation fails on an Oracle Database server
6. Sandbox creation fails for a SQL Server database copy
7. Sandbox creation fails after you use the --adGroups argument when you configure the Velocity Client for Windows
8. Sandbox creation may take longer than usual on Oracle Database 12c
9. A sandbox cannot be deleted from an Oracle Database server because the mount point is busy
10. Error occurs when registering the Velocity Client; provide the Oracle DBA with access to the Velocity registration files
11. Error occurs when a new sandbox name has the same name as a deleted sandbox
12. Ingestions and sandboxes are stuck 'In Progress' after the Velocity Storage Server is restarted
Glossary
1. Glossary terms for Velocity
Context-sensitive topics
1. Create Sandbox - Choose Database
2. Create Sandbox - Configure Host
3. Create Sandbox - Review Settings
4. Create Sandbox - Choose Database
5. Create Sandbox - Configure Host
6. Create Sandbox - Review Settings
7. Sandboxes window
8. Sandbox details
9. Sandbox details for an Oracle database copy
10. Sandbox details for a SQL Server database copy
11. Role Wizard - Select User Type
12. Role Wizard - Select Users
13. Role Wizard - Select Sources
14. Role Wizard - Review
15. Copies dialog
16. Database source details
17. Database Sources dialog
18. How to set up the Velocity Client
19. Schedule dialog
Section I. Velocity shell menu commands
1. Introduction
  1. About Velocity commands
2. Appendix A. Main > Manage > Storage
  1. Manage > Storage > Configure
  2. Manage > Storage > Show
3. Appendix B. Main > Manage > Cloud
  1. Main > Manage > Cloud
4. Appendix C. Main > Manage > Software
5. Appendix D. Main > Monitor
6. Appendix E. Main > Network
7. Appendix F. Main > Settings
8. Appendix G. Main > Support

Ingesting an Oracle database into Velocity from the command line

Velocity provides an application named ingest_dba that you can run from the command line to ingest an Oracle database from an Oracle server to an NFS mount path on the Velocity Storage Server. The ingest_dba application performs a differential, incrementally updated ingest (RMAN incremental level 1) to ingest an Oracle database to an NFS path.

Note:

This topic does not apply to using NetBackup to ingest databases.

On the first ingest of an Oracle database, Velocity performs an image copy backup of the database. On subsequent ingests of the same database, Velocity backs up only changed data blocks from individual database pages. These incremental changes are rolled forward and merged into the data files on the NFS mount path on the Velocity Storage Server. The first backup that runs with the full parameter is a full backup, and all subsequent backups are level 1 incrementals. To see all available parameters for the ingest_dba application, use the -h parameter to view the help.

Velocity also provides an automated method to ingest databases.

See How to provide copies of Oracle databases for sandboxes in Velocity.

Note:

In an ASM environment, the ingest_dba application automatically detects databases on ASM storage, dynamically creates the destination ASM disk group, and mounts it in the local ASM instance.

When you run the script, the database can be in either an open state or a mounted state.

Databases that are ingested are listed on the Database Sources window on the Velocity Cloud Console.

Table: What to do before you use the command line to ingest a database

Before you run the ingest_dba application, review the following options:	More information
Review the best practices for improving the performance of the Velocity ingest process.	See Improving the performance of Veritas Velocity for Oracle Database.
Decide if you want to customize the `ingest_dba` application for your environment or to customize a specific ingest. You can edit the default options in the `ingest_options.json` file to customize the `ingest_dba` application	See Editing default options for the ingest method for Oracle databases.
To ingest from an Oracle database that is hosted on ASM to a regular file system that is hosted on the Velocity Storage Server, you must set the 'StorageType' option to 'FS' in the `ingest_options.json` file. If you use the ingest method on the Velocity Cloud Console, then you must save the ingest without running it, set the 'StorageType' Option to 'FS', and then run the ingest.	See Editing default options for the ingest method for Oracle databases.
Decide if you want to use a custom parameter file to control the startup behavior of a sandbox. When a database is ingested to Velocity, the custom parameter file is stored with the database copy. Then, the custom parameter file is automatically applied to a sandbox when it is created from the database copy.	See About setting custom initialization parameters for a sandbox for an Oracle database copy.

Requirements

You must do the following before you run the application:

Ensure that the Velocity Storage Server is registered with the Velocity Cloud Console.
Ensure that the Velocity Client is configured.
See How to set up the Velocity Client.

To run the application, you must have the following rights and assignments:

On the host Oracle Database server:
- You must be an oracle user who belongs to the oinstall group and the dba group.
- When the Oracle DBA ingests an Oracle database that uses ASM storage, the DBA must be part of the Oracle Grid Infrastructure user group. Otherwise, the ingest_dba application prompts you to enter the password for the Oracle Grid Infrastructure user when the destination ASM disk group is created, mounted, and dismounted.
In Velocity, you must have at least a DBA role.

Note:

Refer to your Oracle documentation for best practices on how to configure backups for an Oracle RAC environment.

To ingest an Oracle database into Velocity by using the command line

From the Velocity Cloud Console, in the left pane, click Database Sources.
On the Database Sources dialog, click +, and then click Add Database to Ingest.
On the Choose Method dialog, select whether you want to use Velocity or NetBackup to ingest this database source.
See Ingesting an Oracle database with NetBackup CoPilot.
On the Add a Database Source dialog, enter the hostname or IP address of the Oracle database server that hosts the database that you want to add to Velocity.
Click + to add the hostname or IP address to the Added Hosts list.
To specify a database in a RAC environment, enter each node name or IP address one at a time. Then, click + to add each node to the Added Hosts list.
(Optional) For the option Enable Copy Preparation, click Yes if you want to change data in a database before users can access the database copies from their sandboxes.
Enter the name of the Oracle database that you want to add to Velocity.
(Optional) Enter a name for the Oracle database that is meaningful or easy to remember.
(Optional) Enter a description of the Oracle database that is meaningful or easy to remember.
Click Save to save the database information that you added and return to the Database Sources window without starting the ingest process.
On the Oracle host server, log in as an oracle user who belongs to the oinstall group and the dba group.
Type the following command to change the directory to the NFS mount path on the Oracle Server:
cd /<NFS mount path>
Where NFS mount path is the path name that displays in the Database Source Details dialog.
To find the NFS mount path, on the Velocity Cloud Console, in the left pane, click Database Sources, select the database source that you want to ingest, and then click Details.
Type one of the following commands to run the ingest application:
To run the default for the first ingest and for all subsequent ingests
/tools/bin/ingest_dba
To start a full backup
/tools/bin/ingest_dba --full
Note:
If necessary, you can cancel an ingest process after you have started it.
See Canceling an Oracle database ingestion.
If you are prompted, enter the Oracle Grid Infrastructure user password.
After the application has run, to view the database that was ingested into Velocity, sign in to the Velocity Cloud Console, and then in the left pane, click Database Sources.

More Information

Creating a sandbox from an Oracle database copy

Retention periods for database sources and copies