Category Archives: HowTo

In article EADR with Windows 2008 R2 I described how to use Data Protector EADR for a Windows 2008 R2 server. I also described in former articles that you should be prepared when your Cell Server crashs. To be able to do EADR for your Cell Server I wrote a small script, which allows you to create the needed ISO file, which can be used to recover your Cell Server to the latest state. The Batch file can be downloaded below. The script will be implemented as Post-exec script in the backup of the IDB (for settings see below), in the configured path the ISO will be generated, including the information for the used media during the backup. All stuff within this article is valid for a Cell Manager on Windows 2008 R2.

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It is recommended to test that solution at least once. You may use a imaging tool to create a image from your server.

The main components of the batch are described below.

Variables – all values must be provided:
SET OMNIHOME=D:\Program Files\Omniback – Data Protector home folder
SET WAIKPATH=C:\Program Files\Windows AIK – path to WAIK
SET CELLSERVER=nbdb0001 – name of the Cell Server (use output from omnidbutil -show_cell_name)
SET ISOPATH=%OMNIHOME%\tmp\ – the folder for the ISO to be created
SET SRDFILE=%OMNIHOME%\Config\Server\dr\srd\%CELLSERVER% – SRDFile – fix values
SET P1SFILE=%OMNIHOME%\Config\Server\dr\p1s\%CELLSERVER% – P1SFile – fix values
SET P1SIMAGE=%OMNIHOME%\Config\Server\dr\p1s\%CELLSERVER%.img – P1SImage – fix values
SET NETWORKSHARE=\\servername\share – a network share to copy the ISO off the server

The used exit codes (you can also use other exit codes) will mark the session as “failed” in case of errors.

Do some check before the ISO is created:
if not exist “%ISOPATH%” (
  mkdir “%ISOPATH%”
  if not exist “%ISOPATH%” (
    echo Unable to create the ISOPATH – “%ISOPATH%”. Aborting …
    exit 500
  )
)

if not exist “%WAIKPATH%” (
  echo WAIK not found in “%WAIKPATH%”. Aborting …
  exit 500
)

The creation of the ISO file:
"%OMNIHOME%\bin\omniiso.exe" -session "%SESSIONID%" -cd -iso "%ISOPATH%%CELLSERVER%.iso" -srd "%SRDFILE%" -rset "%P1SFILE%" "%P1SIMAGE%" -autoinject -waik "%WAIKPATH%" – creates the ISO using the given variables
"%OMNIHOME%\bin\omnidb.exe" -session "%SESSIONID%" -media > "%ISOPATH%usedmedia.txt" – writes the used media to a text file
"%OMNIHOME%\bin\omnidb.exe" -session "%SESSIONID%" -media -detail >> "%ISOPATH%usedmedia.txt" – adds some more details for the used media

At the end the files are copied to the specified share:
copy "%ISOPATH%%CELLSERVER%.iso" "%NETWORKSHARE%" /Y
copy "%ISOPATH%usedmedia.txt" "%NETWORKSHARE%" /Y

General information: If you now need EADR for your Cell Server, burn the created ISO image to CDROM or in case you have a HP Server, mount the ISO as virtual media within ILO. The EADR process is very similiar to the already described Windows 2008 R2 EADR process. You have to keep in mind that the drive must be maped directly to the server and the media for the restore must be already mounted, as during the DR process the robotic is not used. In the DRMSHELL you will be prompted to select a drive for the offline restore. Please keep also in mind that you used a media with 64k block size for the backup. It is common to create a separate drive with 64k block size and to use a dedicated pool with dedicated media for the backup of the IDB. Other backup jobs might use other drives with higher block size, if available.

Requirements: The article was created with Data Protector patches installed in January 2011 and valid for the mentioned products and versions only (patches from December and additional SSP applied). For further requirements, please refer to the article mentioned above.

Settings for the IDB backup:

• Within the backup specificationall mount points must be selected (in case there is a file library n the cell server, unselect the folders for the file library for the involved montpoints).
• The backup of CONFIGURATION must be done without any excludes.
• The backup of the internal database must be enabled
• The backup for mount oint C: will be done with only these excludes defined: pagefile.sys and c:\windows\system32\config.
• For the munt point where Data Protector is installed exclude the db40 folder.
• In Backup options, in Post-exec edit the call to the batch makeiso.cmd (i.e. “d:\program files\omniback\bin\makeiso.cmd”)
• In Filesystem options in tab Other select “Copy Full DR Image to disk”, all other options stay unselected (“Display statistical info” of course can be selected).
• In Filesystem options in tab WINFS unselect all, except: “Detect NTFS hardlinks”, “Backup share information for directories”, “Use Shadow Copy”
• Important: the backup must be done to a media formatted with 64k blocksize.
• Optional: select a data protection for the IDB other than permanent.

Important part from Post-exec script in session messages:

[Normal] From: BSM@nbdb0001 "DP_TEST" Time: 17.03.2011 12:45:17
Starting to execute ""D:\Program Files\OmniBack\bin\makeiso.cmd""...