Integrating Citrix XenServer and HP Data Protector

ManualsBrandsHP ManualsSoftwareHP Data Protector V6.10 Software

Inte

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Citrix XenServer and HP Data Protector

Introduction.......................................................................................................................................2

Integration concepts...........................................................................................................................2

Types of backup ............................................................................................................................2

Online backup ...........................................................................................................................2

Offline backup...........................................................................................................................2

Disaster recovery........................................................................................................................2

Backup processes...........................................................................................................................2

Online backup ...........................................................................................................................2

Offline backup...........................................................................................................................3

Types of restore .............................................................................................................................3

Restore processes...........................................................................................................................3

Restore from online backup .........................................................................................................3

Restore from offline backup .........................................................................................................3

Restore considerations ....................................................................................................................4

Main integration components ..........................................................................................................5

Installation of the integration ...............................................................................................................5

Prerequisites ..................................................................................................................................5

Installation of the integration scripts..................................................................................................6

Integration script functions...............................................................................................................7

Backup using the integration ...............................................................................................................7

Updating configuration script DPxen_config.py for backup .................................................................8

Example backup configurations....................................................................................................9

Creating a backup specification ......................................................................................................9

Restore using the integration .............................................................................................................11

Updating configuration script DPxen_config.py for restore ................................................................11

Example restore configurations ..................................................................................................11

Specifying a restore .....................................................................................................................13

Notes on restore ..........................................................................................................................14

Special considerations......................................................................................................................14

Further information...........................................................................................................................14

Summary of content (15 pages)

PAGE 1
Integrating Citrix XenServer and HP Data Protector Introduction.......................................................................................................................................2 Integration concepts ...........................................................................................................................2 Types of backup ............................................................................................................................2 Online backup .........
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Introduction This white paper describes a script-based solution that, when used together with standard Data Protector functionality, enables online and offline backup and restore of Virtual Machines hosted on a Citrix XenServer. For the supported version of Citrix XenServer for your version of Data Protector, refer to the HP Data Protector A.06.1x Virtualization support matrix. Integration concepts Types of backup Using this integration, you can perform both online and offline backups.
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After the script has finished, the contents of the temporary backup folder are backed up to the backup device using standard Data Protector functionality. Offline backup The process used by the integration script for an offline backup is as follows: 1. If the virtual machine to be backed up is running, stop it. 2. Export the virtual machine to the temporary backup folder as an .xva file. 3. If the virtual machine was running before the backup, restart it.
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2. Delete the old virtual machine. 3. Import the .xva file from the temporary backup directory, activating the restore option. The import operation of XenServer converts the .xva file into a virtual machine and sets the virtual machine in the same power state as it was during the export.
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This means that the virtual machine can be restored successfully, but it is only possible to restore the disks to a single storage repository, regardless of the original configuration.
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• Curl with libcurl version 7.18.x or 7.19.x (available from http://curl.haxx.se/download.html). Note that the package installed must contain libcurl. • Pycurl (available from http://pycurl.sourceforge.net/). If you prefer, there are some compiled versions available from: – For Windows: http://pycurl.sourceforge.net/download/ – For Linux: http://rpm.pbone.net/index.
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b. Go to the download section for the version of XenServer that you are using. c. Download XenAPI.py. 4. Copy XenAPI.py to the same location as the integration scripts. 5. Create a folder with read and write permissions for temporary use during backup.
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4. Run the backup specification (or schedule it in the specification). These operations are described in this section. Updating configuration script DPxen_config.py for backup In the configuration file DPxen_config.py, or a configuration file with a name of your own, you can specify the following parameters required to perform the backup: Mode The type of backup to be used and whether all, or only specified virtual machines are to be backed up.
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Example backup configurations • Suspend and backup the Debian virtual machine, without creating a debug file. Mode = "offline" url = http://tpc227.company.com username = "user" password = "myPassword" vmName = ["Debian"] debug = False sr = "" • Suspend and backup all the virtual machines present in the XenServer and create a debug file. The debug file will be created in /tmp/ or C:/tmp/. Mode = "allOffline" url = http://tpc227.company.
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Figure 4 Temporary backup folder selection 5. Click Next. 6. Select the backup device on which the backup will be performed and click Next. 7. In Backup Specification Options, click Advanced. 8. In the Backup Options window, make the following entries in the Pre-exec and Post-exec sections: Pre-exec: PythonDirectory\python.exe ScriptPath\DPxen_backup.py [ConfigFile] On client: myDPClient.com Post-exec: PythonDirectory\python.exe ScriptPath\DPxen_postbackup.py On client: myDPClient.
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Restore using the integration To restore a backup using the integration, you need to perform the following operations: 1. Update the configuration file DPxen_config.py, or your own equivalent. 2. Ensure that the temporary backup directory is empty. 3. Specify a Data Protector restore. 4. Perform the restore. These operations are described in this section. Updating configuration script DPxen_config.py for restore In a similar way to backup, you must use the configuration file DPxen_config.
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• Restore all the files backed up in the selected session into the default storage repository. The backup was performed in offline mode. Create a debug file. Mode = "allOffline" url = http://tpc227.company.com username = "user" password = "myPassword" vmName = [] debug = True sr = "" • Restore the virtual machines Debian and vm2, which were backed up in online mode, into the default storage repository and create a debug file. Mode = "online" url = http://tpc227.company.
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Mode = "online" url = http://tpc227.company.com username = "user" password = "myPassword" vmName = ["Debian"] debug = False sr = "Removable storage" Specifying a restore 1. In the Context List, click Restore. 2. In the Scoping Pane, expand Restore Sessions to display clients and then the object backed up on those clients (the mount point containing the temporary backup directory you created during the installation process). 3. Click the object to open the property pages. 4.
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5. In the Options tab, in the Post-exec field, specify the DPxen_restore.py script as follows: PythonPath\python.exe ScriptPath\DPxen_restore.py [ConfigFile] where: • PythonPath is the full path of the python interpreter, for example, Data_Protector_home\bin\Python25 • ScriptPath is the full path of the integration scripts, for example, Data_Protector_home\bin • ConfigFile is an optional parameter for specifying a configuration file with a name of your own.
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© Copyright 2009 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. Linux is a U.S. registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.