SEP Sesam Quick Start Guide
Sesam Quick Start Guide
From SEPsesam
This Quick Guide for Linux provides instructions on for basic setup and configuration of SEP sesam a Linux server with a Linux, Windows, and Netware clients.. A more detailed description of all SEP sesam components can be found in the User Manual.
System Requirements
Before installing the Sesam server software, both the server hosting Sesam and any clients to be backed up require the following features and configurations.
Java Installation
Any server that will be running the GUI interface requires SUN JAVA version 1.6 or higher. The server software installs the GUI interface by default, so at minimum the server that will run the backup software will require it. Note that as of this writing, SUN JAVA 1.6.x is required if you will be running version 3.4.1-52 or higher.
The JRE can be installed via a package management system (e.g. apt-get,aptitude, YaST), or can be downloaded and installed from Java.com.
Network Configuration
· DNS Configuration: Both the Backup Server (sesam server) and all clients must be able to resolve to each other (find each other) using DNS. This is accomplished by using internal DNS server(s) and by editing the hosts files on the servers involved. For example, from the command line on the sesam server you should be able to “ping” by non-qualified host name any client server that will be backed up. Furthermore each client server should be able to ping the sesam server (Backup Server) by non-qualified host name. Also to ease troubleshooting, the reverse lookup entry in the IN-ARPA zone should resolve to the client name that will be used in the sesam software.
· If your backup server is running any kind of firewall, it is a good idea to disable it for installation/configuration of Sesam. This will simplify any troubleshooting of client connections. Once it is completely functional, configure the firewall with port exceptions for sesam and re-enable.
SCSI Checkup
First of all check if tape or auto-loader hardware which will be used is supported by the operating system (OS).With
cat /proc/scsi/scsi
you'll get an overview which SCSI devices are found:
[root@SEPsesamServer ~]# cat /proc/scsi/scsi
“Attached devices:Host: scsi1 Channel: 00 Id: 04 Lun: 00 Vendor: DEC Model: TZ87 (C) DEC Rev: 9514 Type: Sequential-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 02”
Please contact your system administrator to check the SCSI configuration if one of the details in the above quotations is missing. The automatic hardware configuration of SEP sesam will only recognize the hardware detected by the Operating System (OS).
Obtain SEP sesam
All of the rpm’s for the SEP sesam software can be found at http://sepusa.com/downloads. You will need to create an account on the website before the downloads are made available to you.
The RPM installations will differ depending on which is the function of the server you are loading it for “host” or “client” and it’s role. Match the architecture of the rpm to the architecture of the OS on the server, although you may also install the 32-bit versions of the rpms on a 64-bit OS.
The following outline indicates which rpm(s) is/are required for installation.
Linux server running SEP sesam:
· Sesam_srv-<version>.<distribution>.<architecture>.rpm
Linux Server running SEP sesam that will back Novell OES Linux or Netware clients:
NOTE: Any Linux server with the Novell-sms and Sesam-novell-client rpm's can act as what's called a ‘datamover’ within the sesam software. The datamover acts as a gateway to backup Netware and OES servers.
· Sesam_srv-<version>.<distribution>.<architecture>.rpm
· Novell-sms-<version>.<architecture>.rpm
· Sesam-novell-client-<version>.<distribution>.<architecture>.rpm
NOTE: If the backup server is running SuSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) with OES services, the novell-sms rpm will already be installed.
Linux Client Servers:
· Sesam_cli-<version>.<distribution>.<architecture>.rpm
Linux Client Servers running SLES w/OES services:
NOTE: A server configured this way can act as a datamover for backing up other SLES/OES and/or other Netware servers.
· Sesam_cli-<version>.<distribution>.<architecture>.rpm
· Sesam-novell-client-<version>.<distribution>.<architecture>.rpm
Windows Client Servers (For Windows 2000, XP, and 2003) (2008?)
· Sesam-cli-<version>-windows.exe
There is also a separate GUI install available for both Windows and Linux.
Installing SEP sesam Server
Install the SEP sesam Server
Installing the “sesam” backup software requires root privileges and the process will differ depending on the host OS and what type of clients will be backed up. As listed above in the ‘Obtain SEP sesam’ section, install the rpm’s required for your environment. Server installations will require one or three rpm installs. The following outlines installation steps for several scenarios, using the current version of the RPM's in this example.
Linux server running SEP sesam - installing the server rpm is all that is required. This will provide backups for windows and linux clients.
rpm -Uvh Sesam_srv-3.4.1-52.sles10.i586.rpm
Graphics would be nice here
Linux Server running SEP sesam that will back Novell OES Linux or Netware clients requires the following three rpms:
NOTE: A server with items 2 and 3 installed plays the role of ‘datamover’ within the sesam software, used to backup data from servers running Novell TSA's (i.e. tsafs, tsands, tsafsgw, and tsaifolder). Either a It can be the backup server itself or another client.
1). rpm -Uvh Sesam_srv-3.4.1-52.sles10.i586.rpm
2). Novell-sms-1.1.4-12.i586.rpm
3). Sesam-novell-client-3.4.1-52.SuSE.i586.rpm
NOTE: If the backup server is running SuSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) with OES services, the novell-sms rpm will already be installed and will not require the second line item above.
Install the SEP sesam Client
Linux Client Servers:
· Sesam_cli-<version>.<distribution>.<architecture>.rpm
Linux Client Servers running SLES w/OES services:
NOTE: A server configured this way can act as a datamover for backing up other SLES/OES and/or other Netware servers.
· Sesam_cli-<version>.<distribution>.<architecture>.rpm
· Sesam-novell-client-<version>.<distribution>.<architecture>.rpm
Windows Client Servers (For Windows 2000, XP, and 2003) (2008?)
· Sesam-cli-<version>-windows.exe
1). Change to the directory where the .rpm package is located. The installation is started with:
rpm -Uvh <exact name of rpm>
This command will also work to upgrade an existing version of the rpm, if you’ve already installed it.
After installing sesam client software, you must give permission to the Sesam server to backup the client by running the following command from the client server:
/opt/sesam/bin/sesam/sm_setup set_client <sesam server host name>
After the installation completes the SEP sesam GUI starts automatically, this could take a few minutes dependending on hardware.
You can identify the install paths of Sesam by viewing /etc/sesam2000.ini (VERIFY).
The default installation path for Sesam server software is /opt/sesam/ with configuration files stored in /var/opt/sesam/var/ini. The GUI can be started with /opt/sesam/bin/gui/sesam_gui. Note that by default, the local root user has permissions to run the GUI from the SEP Sesam server, however if you install the gui separately on Windows workstations or other Linux computers you will need to set permissions on the Sesam server to allow those GUI interfaces to connect. There is an option in the GUI interface to configure this or it can be done using a command line similar to the following on the Sesam server:
“/opt/sesam/bin/sesam/sm_setup allow_gui -c <sesam server host name> -u <user> -m <permissions (normally 'admin')>”.
Keep in mind, the host name may need to be the fully qualified dns host or only the host portion, depending on your specific DNS configuration.
After a first time installation, it's a good idea to run the GUI directly from the server and set up any additional clients that you may wish to connect in the future. Launch the GUI, click 'configuration'=>'user permissions' to add additional workstation/user combinations. Again, pay special attention to DNS, as a fully required DNS name may be required here.
Configuration of the SEP sesam Server
SEP sesam is an automatic data backup system for heterogeneous network environments. All common tape and disk devices may be used for backup, in addition other components like autoloaders (robots) are supported (see here for further information). Furthermore, it is possible to backup to hard drives, floppy disks and other directory-orientated storage media (virtual drives, loaders and media, external drives, etc.).
Once you launch the GUI, you will be viewing a 3-way split window, with a selection tree on the left, a detail pane on the right, and a logging pane at the bottom. The selection tree is composed of six inital branches:
- Components: used to define the clients and hardware Sesam will use to complete your backups.
- Tasks: used to define what you will be backing up on a particular client. Tasks can be combined together in groups also.
- Scheduling: used to define when and your tasks will be backed up along with what media they will be backed up to.
- Job State: used to view the status of your tasks. Can be filtered by date and task.
- Monitoring: used to check the status of Sesam and the hardware attached to the server
- Logging: used to view live logs, known as 'Day Protocol' in Sesam.
The buttons in the toolbar above the components window provides direct access to the most important functions immediate backup, restore wizard, results and the calendar page.
The following information describes in sequence how the SEP sesam components noted above should be configured. A detailed description of GUI elements can be found at [Manual] under "Help -> Online Manual.
Step 1: Define the Clients you will be backing up.
Under components -> topology the default location LOCAL is already registered, because every client must be clearly assigned to a location. Similarly, the local computer is assigned as a client. More computers can be configured as a client under components -> topology -> new client. Before configuring a new client please insure that the SEP sesam client software is installed on the computer you are adding. Remember, DNS is used here to resolve the client for connectivity, so you will need to configure the client name field with the DNS host name and make sure that the sesam server can ping the client host without using fully qualified syntax.
Go ahead and set up all of the clients that you have installed the sesam client on. The primary fields that will need to be configured are 'Name', 'Platform', and 'Operating System'. If the client is a Netware box or an OES server, you will also need to click on the Novell SMS tab and configure 'Account', 'Netware Password', and 'Data Mover' fields. For Novell Netware servers, the datamover should be the sesam server (as long as the novell-sms and sesam-novell-client RPM's have been installed), For SLES/OES servers, the datamover should be the client computer. As you complete each one, Sesam will test the connection to that server and warn you if there is a problem in the logging pane at the bottom.
Step 2: Backup hardware – Drives and Loaders
During the installation, SEP sesam software checks the SCSI bus attached storage devices, and adds its data to the database. Drives and loaders are identified by numbers. After the installation a pre-defined virtual DISK_HARD drive(Lw1) together with the associated Loader 0 have been created under Loader -> Virtual Loaders and attached SCSI devices. The drive groups diskdrives and tape drives are set by default.
NOTE:
When using some autoloaders the connection between the loader and drives may not be automatically recognized. Therefore, it may be necessary to verify this set of devices and insert the set into the final configuration. If a loader is connected, choose the group Tape_Drives under components -> drives -> drive groups and open the properties for each drive. If there is no loader noted in the field Loader and this device is operated by a loader, the drive has not been correctly recognized. To correct this set the drive to the corresponding loader (drop-down in the box Loader) and enter 0 under Drive No. in loader.
If the loader manages several drives, the internal loader numbers are counted up in ascending order (in the example above Loader 1 has 2 drives -Lw2 internal is 0, Lw3 internal is 1).
SEP
sesam distinguishes between the externally attached loader and the physical internal drives. Each starts from 0 per loader. With OK this device is activated in the configuration.
Step 3: Add media to Media Pools
Each medium is given a unique identifier, or 'label'. The label is written to the beginning of the medium during the physical initialization (format: 'Poolname'nnnnn). SEP sesam requires that media be organized into media pools from the start of the backup process. Every job requires at least one poolname. Within these pools the media are numbered sequentially. After installation, you will find one media pool with the name SEP sesam server and one called DISK. The DISK pool contains four media, which have been created in the SEP sesam directory path <SESAM_ROOT> / var/work/diskdrive1 and now are available for data storage. Under Components -> Media Pools new pools can be created as required
Before adding media and media pools, click on the 'Configuration' menu option, then 'media management'. Check the box 'Use empty/foreign medai'.
Initially, you will need to define media pools, configuring each with 'Name', 'Drive Group', and 'Locked [Days]' values. For example to define a GFS rotation, you would create a daily pool, weekly pool, and monthly pool.
Once you have configured the pools you can add media to those pools by selecting Components -> Loaders -> Loader 1 (this would be the default name for a sesam server connected to a single autoloader), then clicking the 'Archive Adjustment' button in the detail window to the right of the selection tree. The window that opens provides a method for you to tell sesam what tapes are assigned to which media pool(s). In most circumstances you will want to select the 'Automatic Introduction' check box with the 'overwrite' radio button selected. Using the 'Ignore barcode' checkbox will depend on whether your autoloader has a barcode reader or not. This tells sesam to look at each tape and add it to the medial pool you have assigned for that run, giving each tape the next available label in that pool. If you run in to a scenario where you are putting tapes in the autoloader, but you do not know if those tapes have been used with sesam previously or not, you would leave the 'Automatic Introduction' check box unchecked and run a job so sesam will read the labels on the tapes to determine if they are recognized by the software or not.
Once you have populated your media pools with media, you are ready to set up tasks.
Step 4: Tasks – Defining what needs to be backed up.
Under Tasks -> from Clients you'll find the button new Task, this opens a new window used to configure the backup task. The task name can be freely assigned (max. 15 characters).
Select the backup path, usually 'path backup'.
NOTE: If you are backing up Novell NSS volumes whether they're on Linux or Netware, use Netware as the type.
If you backing up a database like MySQL or MSSQL, then select the appropriate type.
Click on the Source drop down box to open a window that will let you select what you what files you want to backup. Click on the directory, select 'apply' and you will see your selection appear in the selection line at the bottom. Do the same thing for exclusions, by default /sys and /proc are excluded from linux backups with them being selected as exclusions.
NOTE: A good rule of them for Netware servers is to use a separate task for each volume. For email systems use a separate task mail system and one for the file system of the same server.
Create additional tasks for each of your client servers as necessary.
The tasks SESAM_BACKUP and TEST_BACKUP are applied by default.
Step 5: Schedules – configuring when to backup your tasks
A “schedule” is an event set to occur at a specific time. It consists of a start time, the definition of the task and a cyclic behavior (the schedule). First, click on 'Schedules in the tree on the left. Then in the detail pane, highlight the backup server and click on 'new schedule' on the right. Define the frequency for this schedule, again following the GFS example you could create a schedule for the daily backups, one for the weekly backups and one for the monthly backups.
Once those schedules are in place, highlight one of them and click on 'new Backup Event' on the right. Here you will configure what task(s) you want to run on this schedule. Configure the backup type (Full, Incremental, Differential), the media pool, the interface, and the task (or task group) being backed up. Create as many 'backup events' as necessary - sesam runs all tasks simultaneously varying from 5 to 64 task streams (5 task streams for “standard sesam” up to 64 task streams for Advanced). The 'Priority' field can be used to determine seniority when two backups fall on the same schedule. For example, if you configure weekly backups on Fridays and Monthly backups on the last Friday of the month, you would want the monthly to run but not the weekly. In that scenario use priority 2 for the monthly's and priority one for the weekly's to create that behavior.
After the installation there is already one schedule present, the daily exchange of the SEP sesam (NEWDAY schedule). Please adjust there only the execution time, because with that the daily periodicity of SEP sesam is defined (shift operation). Note that a media schedule for the media pool DISK already exists.
Step 6: Initializing a Medium - where the data should be copied
Without external intervention SEP sesam manages the available media so that backed up data is stored as long as possible on the media. One after another medium is full, savesets are written to multiple media. If all media within the pool have been used the first media of the pool will be overwritten. But, note, for safekeeping the (EndOfLife) selected by the system administrator is taken into account. Media that have not gone passed the EOL period will not be written to.
Now you could start immediately a backup.
To use your own strategies for the media usage (especially in combination with different pools), it can be managed through media schedules. For example, to ensure that for each day a separate medium is used, set under Scheduling -> Schedules -> New Schedule a new daily schedule for about five minutes after the deadline NEWDAY- (shift operation). This schedule is now used with Scheduling -> Schedules -> New Media Event for a media event of the preferred media pool. For volume labels and alternate labels please use the default values. Thereby a usable medium from the archive is chosen and initialized at the set point in time, that means the medium will be erased and prepared for backup (transport with loader or manual control).To effect this immediately use Activities -> Immediate Start -> Media Action.
Step 7: Starting a Backup
For a unique launch of a pre-configured task and media pool for backup select Activities -> Immediate Start -> Backup, accept the default settings and start the job. The backup copies the desired data to the medium, and generates all necessary administrative information, and offers a comfortable and quick restore if needed. Periodic backups are inserted in the scheduler using the procedure above.
In the Restore Wizard Activities -> Backup the data can be restored from the media back to a hard drive.
