5 1 0:SEP sesam README for Micro Focus OES Linux and OES NetWare


Welcome to the latest SEP sesam documentation version 5.1.0 Apollon. For previous documentation version(s), check documentation archive.


Overview


The Novell corporate brand has been acquired by Micro Focus. The Novell OES product name is now Micro Focus Open Enterprise Server; however, SEP sesam documentation update (such as names and screenshots) to reflect these changes is being done in a phased manner, therefore Micro Focus OES may still appear under the name Novell OES.

The SEP sesam Micro Focus client is a Micro Focus Storage Management Data Requester (SMDR) which allows backups of Open Enterprise Server (OES) on NetWare or Linux.

The backup architecture of Micro Focus NetWare systems consists of Storage Management Services (SMS) which is a collection of services providing backup, restore, and data migration. Backup and restore are using Target Service Agent (TSA) modules loaded on the Micro Focus OES servers and the Storage Management Data Requester (SMDR) on the backup server which communicates with the target server.

This article describes Micro Focus OES Netware and OES Linux installation and configuration. For details on SEP sesam backup principles, see Backup principles using SEP sesam in Micro Focus OES environment.

Requirements

To ensure error-free operation of SEP sesam and improve performance, make sure that the following conditions are met:

Configuring Target Service Agent (TSA) on the OES client

The TSAs configuration differs depending on your OES client (Linux or Netware).

Configuring TSAs on OES Linux client

Starting the SMDRD daemon

Usually the SMS is started at run levels 3 and 5. Start the SMDR daemon by using the following command:

/etc/init.d/novell-smdrd start/stop

For OES 2018 (SLES 12) and OES 2023 (SLES 15):
SMS is started by default at run levels 3 and 5. You can also start SMS services by using:

systemctl start/stop novell-smdrd.service

Starting the TSAs

To load or unload the TSA with the SMDR daemon, use

/opt/novell/sms/bin/smsconfig

For example, the tsafs can be loaded with

smsconfig -l tsafs

and unloaded with

smsconfig -u tsafs

Required TSAs for specific task types:

  • NSS File system backup: TSAFS
  • Micro Focus eDirectory: TSANDS
  • Micro Focus iFolder: TSAIF

The file /etc/opt/novell/sms/smdrd.conf allows a permanent configuration.

Example entries in smdrd.conf:

autoload: tsafs --EnableGW
autoload: tsafsgw --home /media/nss/GRPWISE/gw --home /media/nss/GRPWISE/gwpo
autoload: tsafs --tsamode=linux --cluster

NSS volume backup

The TSAFS for OES Linux supports NSS partitions. These partitions are treated as regular Linux file systems with specific data also being backed up.

  • In the case of a mixed cluster which contains both, OES Linux and OES Netware server, configuration of NSS volumes for TSAFS on OES Linux should be done by using Netware emulation mode to avoid conflicts with the pathname.
  • In all other cases, use TSA mode according to your operating system (Linux, Netware or Dual). This mode is typically used to expose NSS as a native Linux file system (Linux Mode) or emulate NetWare file system semantics (NetWare Mode) on OES Linux.

Backup of NSS volume is automatically continued on the available cluster server in case of a server crash.

Set the TSA mode:

  • to linux to expose NSS as a native Linux file system (default):
smsconfig -l tsafs --tsaMode=linux
  • to netware to expose NSS with NetWare file system semantics:
smsconfig -l tsafs --tsaMode=netware
  • to dual if both, NetWare and Linux semantics should be simultaneously exposed and used independently of each other:
smsconfig -l tsafs --tsaMode=dual

Installing and updating the SEP sesam module for OES NetWare/Linux

ONLY required for SLES 10 and SLES 11 based OES versions!

Download the latest SEP sesam module for OES NetWare/Linux from the SEP Download Center.

To install or update the client, use:

rpm -Uvh sesam-novell-client-4.2.2-35.SuSE.i586.rpm

Configuring TSAs on OES NetWare client

  Note
A Linux system is required to back up OES NetWare via SMS. SMS must be installed as described in OES Linux requirements. If the SEP sesam Server runs on OES Linux, it can be used to back up OES Netware. If not, a SEP sesam Client on OES Linux is required.

SMS components are part of the OES NetWare standard installation.

Starting the SMDRD daemon

By default, the SMS services SMDR, TSAFS/TSA500, and TSANDS are loaded by the autoexec.ncf script. You can also load them by using the SMSStart.ncf script provided by SMS installation. To load the SMS services manually, use the server console and execute SMSStart.ncf or load the required NLM software by using

> SMSSTART

or

> load TSANDS.NLM 

Starting the TSAs

Only the required TSA services, e.g., TSAFS.NLM must be loaded.

The following services are required for NetWare 6.5:

  • File system backup: TSAFS.NLM
  • GroupWise system: TSAFSGW.NLM
  • Micro Focus eDirectory: TSANDS.NLM

Tips:

  • To restart TSAs use scripts SMSSTART or autostart to allow the automatic load of required TSAs.
  • To back up GroupWise: With the current TSAFS version, a file system backup supports GroupWise with TSAFS /EnableGW. Backing up specific GroupWise resources is not supported.
  • TSA versions: Micro Focus explicitly recommends to use the latest TSA versions. This information is available at Micro Focus Patch Finder; use the keyword TSA to get the list.

Backing up open files (CopyOnWrite feature)

TSAFS supports backup of open files on Novell Storage Services (NSS) volumes if the CopyOnWrite feature is enabled. The Supervisor right is required to back up open files.

Check the excerpt from the Micro Focus documentation:

To enable CopyOnWrite on a single NSS volume, do the following:

1. At the server console, enter
    nss /FileCopyOnWrite=volume_name
2. Dismount and remount the volume.
   a. To dismount the volume, enter
      dismount volume_name
    b. To remount the volume, enter
      mount volume_name

To enable the feature on all NSS volumes, enter
nss /FileCopyOnWrite=all

Configuring clients and tasks in the SEP sesam GUI

Use the SEP sesam GUI to configure SEP sesam Client(s) and create the backup task(s) for the TSA services. The required TSA services must be previously activated on the OES server.

Adding the OES NetWare/Linux server as a client to SEP sesam environment

Configure the OES NetWare/Linux server as a SEP sesam client by adding it to the SEP sesam environment:

  1. From Main selection -> Components -> Clients -> New Client -> add your OES NetWare/Linux server. Depending on your OES, select the NetWare or Linux platform. When selecting the NetWare platform, the NetWare operating system is set automatically. In case of Linux, select the OES-Linux operating system.
  2. Switch to the Micro Focus SMS tab (OES NetWare client) or OES-Linux Access (OES Linux client) and specify backup user credentials:
  • user name (account): For eDirectory and OES NetWare, specify the fully qualified user name starting with a comma (.), e.g., .user_name.orgunit.org.
  • password: Enter the Netware backup user and password. This password is used by the SBC_SMDR to log in to the Micro Focus server. The password is encrypted and securely stored in the SEP sesam database.
From the Data mover drop-down list, select the hostname of the machine used as the data mover with installed SEP sesam Client.

For details, see Configuring Clients

Creating Micro Focus OES backup tasks

Depending on your Micro Focus OES server, create a backup task by selecting the appropriate task type. following the Standard Backup Procedure.

  Note
The required TSA services must be activated on the OES server. The backup tasks are used to select TSA services.

The backup source consists of 3 components:

  • SMDR server: typically the server name
  • Target Service Agent: a server name or a special identifier
  • Target Service: a source identifier

For NDS eDirectory and GroupWise, the Target Services can also be indicated in the source. The @ sign is used as a delimiter. If the Target Service is not explicitly indicated, the first Target Service is used by default; therefore the indication is only required if there is more than one Target Service.

Example:

TS.GroupWise System@2[SEP]SEPDMUG:

There are four task types available when creating a Micro Focus OES backup task.

NSS File System

The NSS File System task type is used to back up the NSS file system data. The source information is based on the TSA mode.

  • For the NetWare file system the source consists of the volume and, if required, the directory.
    Examples:
 NetWare server	   full backup of the NetWare server
 SYS:	           full file backup of ''SYS'' volume
 SYS:SYSTEM/	   backup of the subdirectory ''SYSTEM'' on the ''SYS'' volume
  • For the Linux file system, specify the source using Unix notation, e.g., /usr.
  • For a a NetWare client, <client>.NetWare file system is used as the TSA. For a Linux client, <client>.Linux file system is used.

    The following example shows the OES client backup task with the TSA mode Linux.

     

    eDirectory

    TSANDS is available for OES NetWare and OES Linux. A Linux system with SMS architecture is required to back up NDS. The task type eDirectory is used to back up the Micro Focus NDS eDirectory on OES NetWare and OES Linux. The NDS identifier, e.g., NDS1, must be specified as a source. To back up the complete eDirectory (database and schema), select the whole eDirectory as a backup source.

      Tip
    If you cannot browse the eDirectory source, change the user name in the client's properties to a fully qualified user name starting with a dot (.), e.g., .user_name.orgunit.org

    Micro Focus iFolder

    To back up the Micro Focus iFolder, load the TSAIF and configure a backup as a root user.

    For example, the backup source for iFolder is /admin.78317a6c-1927-4f30-b28c-30b5d89c7fdc. In this case, this backup source is the iFolder's root directory.

      Note
    iFolder data can only be restored to the original location. A new restore target is not supported. For details on restore, see Standard Restore Procedure.

    Micro Focus GroupWise (v. < 2014)

    For details on Micro Focus GroupWise configuration, backup and restore, see Micro Focus GroupWise documentation.

    • To back up GroupWise systems, the GroupWise resource must be specified as a backup source. GroupWise Mail Server is used to back up the whole system.
    •   Note
      Remove the the enclosing brackets when specifying "resources" as a backup source.
    • For restore, paths or resources may be used. Resources can be used together with paths, e.g., 1[DOM]:/restoreDOM. If a resource is given, the data will be restored under the directory which is referenced by the resource.
    • To restore deleted mailbox items, you have to set up the Restore Area. For details, see Micro Focus documentation Restoring Deleted Mailbox Items.
    • On a Linux client with SMS architecture, the sbc_smdr module is used to determine the loaded TSA modules and the possible sources.
    • For the calls, use the switch -D (display) together with the successive NetWare sources. To determine available SMDRs, use the following call:
     sbc_smdr -b -s test.save -S localhost -v 3 

    SBC_SMDR options

    The SEP sesam backup module sbc_smdr supports several switches to control the backup or restore behavior.

    The special options are shown in the sbc_smdr usage output.

    2018-02-27 14:05:20: sbc-3036: Info:     # @(#)SESAM BACKUP CLIENT FOR NETWARE FILE SYSTEMS, VERSION: 4.0R6 Build: 1.1126 20180215 17:24:41 Linux i586 buildfix #
    2018-02-27 14:05:20: sbc-3036: Info:     # $Id: sbc_smdr.c,v 1.236 2018/02/15 16:21:08 sesam Exp $ #
    2018-02-27 14:05:20: sbc-3500: Info:     Use relocdeli='==::==' from '-o' option
    2018-02-27 14:05:20: sbc-3000: Info:                                                              
    usage:                                                                      
    sbc -b|r|D|h     [-a <DB_options>][-C <control_host>] [-d <device>]         
                     [-f <list_source>] [-F <data_format>] [-i <saveset_info>]  
                     [-j <job_name>] [-l <level>] [-L <control_target>]         
                     [-n <segment_number>] [-o {options}]                       
                     [-B <buffer_size[k]>]                                      
                     [-N "<SMDR>:<TSA>:<TS>:<User>:<Pass>:0|1"]                  
                     [-O <STOR/RETR_direct>] [-P <PID>] [-R <restore_target>]   
                     [-s <saveset_spec>] [-S <storage_node>] [-t <tape_spec>]   
                     [-T <since_time>] [-x <exclude_regexp>] [-X <exclude_list>]
                     [-v <level>]                                               
    # backup  #   [<backup_source1>[<backup_source2><backup_sourceN>]] |      
    # restore #   [<restore_source1>[<restore_source2><restore_sourceN>]] |   
    # Display #   [<backup_source1>]                                            
    # help    #                                                                 
                                                                                
    {options}: comma separated list of                                          
     only for backup:    uncompress            # expand compressed data        
                                               ### open modes:                  
                         OPEN_READ_DENY_WRITE  #  deny write                    
                         USE_LOCK_MODE_IF_DW_FAILS # lock if deny write failed 
                         NO_LOCK_NO_PROTECTION # no lock and not protection    
                         OPEN_READ_ONLY        # dirty read                     
                                               ### TSA specific open modes:     
                         PRESERVE_ACCESS_TIME  # allow HSM solutions            
                                                                                
     only for restore:   rename, overwrite     # rename/overwrite if file exists
                         plain, tree           # restore plain/tree in target dir
                         next                  # start from subsequent tape
                         skip_data             # process only ACL (Trustees)    
                         noacl                 # process without ACL (Trustees)
                         INCLUDE_MIGRATED_DATA # restore migrated streams       
    Hints for -N:                                                               
     example:      -N "filesrv:filesrv.Netware File System:filesrv:admin:mypass:0"
     encrypted password is enclosed in {}, eg. {02ef7807afb34c}
    
    

    For details on special open mode and TSA specific open modes, see Micro Focus SMS documentation.

    Using uncompress backup option

    The backup option -o uncompress expands compressed data during the backup.

    For details, see the sections Backing Up Compressed Files, File System (NSS) and Applications and Common Backup and Restore Issues in the Micro Focus SMS Administration Guide.

    Backing up NSS volumes with trustees by Linux Extended Attributes (XAttr)

    SEP sesam supports the standard Linux Extended Attributes (xattr) for NSS volumes to preserve trustees, trustee rights, file attributes, and quotas in backup and restore. It is supported for OES2/OES11/OES2015/OES2018/OES2023 Linux systems. The NSS volumes must be configured to store the trustees in the Linux EA. For details, see Micro Focus documentation - Extended Attributes (XAttr) Commands (Linux)

    The NSS switch, ListXattrNWMetadata, that helps to retrieve the list of attribute names is disabled by default. Use nsscon and set the following switches:

     NSS /ListXattrNWMetadata
     NSS /CtimeIsMetadataModTime
    

    If you issue the above commands from the command line, the support is automatically disabled at the next server reboot. To enable the support for Linux xattr list across server reboots, adopt the file nssstart.cfg as follows:

     /ListXattrNWMetadata
     /CtimeIsMetadataModTime
    

    The file nssstart.cfg is located in the directory /etc/opt/novell/nss on the OES server. If the extended attributes of a file or directory are requested, information about the namespace NetWare is displayed in addition to the existing EA namespaces.

    Example:

    oes2k1:/media/nss/VOL1/home/hg/Downloads # getfattr -m- -d Christmas_Binary.gif
    # file: Christmas_Binary.gif
    netware.metadata=0s//4BAAAAAADvAwAYAAAAACAAAEAAAAAA 
      //////////G2CtLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPjMrSwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALVmsEsAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaLCIh5mqtQhCcGiwiIeZqAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAA  AAAAAADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA////////////////AQAAAPN9ifnydiFCjabzfYn58nZJAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
    user.test="This works"

    Then you can create a Linux file backup task (e.g, NSS volume DATA) with the task type Path and the source /media/nss/DATA, and the trustees will be included.

      Note
    • The trustee metadata is displayed in binary format, as opposed to the regular Extended Attributes.
    • To copy the extended attributes (OES2), use the --preserve=all option.
    • The trustees will only be restored if the restore target is an NSS volume. If the target restore location on a Linux file system is a regular point, e.g., /tmp, only the EA which the user can create in the Linux file system will be restored, NO trustees.

    Backing up DFS junctions

    The TSA backups do not follow the Distributed File System (DFS) junctions. Instead the junction file will be saved. Create a separate backup task for the source volume/path of the junction. See Standard Backup Procedure.

    Backing up clusters

    If you want to back up the clusters, you have to register the smdr.novell service in the Service Locator Protocol (SLP).

    In case of any problems, check the following examples. The description is also valid for NetWare clusters. You only have to adapt the commands for NetWare or use the Linux shell emulation.

    This example shows how to configure and adjust the nodes to use the cluster mode. In the example, the two nodes lnode1 (172.16.1.202) and lnode2 (172.16.1.203) and the resource DATENPOOL_SERVER (172.16.1.207) are used.

    Check via netstat:

    #> netstat -apn | grep 40193
    tcp        0      0 172.16.1.203:40193     0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     7539/smdrd
    
    #> netstat -apn | grep 40193
    tcp        0      0 172.16.1.202:40193     0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     7539/smdrd
    

    The cluster resource is bound neither to lnode1 nor to lnode2.

    For a cluster backup, the smdrd must be bound to the cluster IP. SLP registration for the service smdr.novell is required.

    Check with:

    #> slptool findsrvs smdr.novell
    service:smdr.novell://172.16.1.203:413/LNODE2,65535
    service:smdr.novell://172.16.1.202:413/LNODE1,65535
    

    The cluster nodes are registered, but not the resource DATENPOOL_SERVER.

    When using more than one IP address, the SLP has to recognize the correct IP. Check in /etc/opt/novell/sms/smdrd.conf.

    Entry for the cluster IP must be present (using lnode2):

    ip: 172.16.1.203
    

    Post SLP registration for cluster IP:

    #> slptool register service:smdr.novell://172.16.1.203:413/CLUSTER_DATENPOOL_SERVER
    

    Check with

    #> slptool findsrvs smdr.novell
    service:smdr.novell://172.16.1.203:413/LNODE2,65535
    service:smdr.novell://172.16.1.207:413/CLUSTER_DATENPOOL_SERVER,65535
    service:smdr.novell://172.16.1.202:413/LNODE1,65535
    

    The resource DATENPOOL_SERVER is registered correctly. It is shown as CLUSTER_DATENPOOL_SERVER with SLP, which is the name to be used used in SEP sesam.

    Now you can add CLUSTER_DATENPOOL_SERVER as a SEP sesam Client to the SEP sesam environment, see Configuring Clients. To ensure undisturbed backup activity after a cluster switch (failover/failback), the data mover must not be directly related to the cluster.

    Backing up Micro Focus Vibe/Teaming server

    SEP sesam supports the backup for Micro Focus Vibe (formerly known as Novell Teaming/Vibe). This product can be installed as a standalone solution for Micro Focus Vibe users or it can be integrated into a complete backup, recovery and disaster recovery solution using any of SEP's Micro Focus certified backup products.

    For Vibe/Teaming backup procedure, check the videos:

    Restore

    Restore interfaces

    • There are two ways to restore in SEP sesam: using the GUI restore wizard or via the web interface Restore Assistant. Restore via web Restore Assistant for NetIQ/Micro Focus eDirectory and Micro Focus iFolder is supported as of SEP sesam v. 5.0.0 Jaglion V2.
      Although most options are the same in both restore interfaces, the web Restore Assistant is more intuitive and offers additional advanced options.
    • You can only use the GUI to schedule a restore task (Scheduling -> New -> New Restore Event or Scheduling -> right-click schedule or event -> New Restore Event). For details, see Scheduling Restore.

    Restoring OES NetWare backup to OES Linux system via GUI

    Restoring OES NetWare backup to OES Linux system in SEP sesam GUI is quite similar to a regular file system restore. The restore is triggered from the menu bar -> Activities -> Restore. The restore wizard guides you through the process of restoring your data. For step-by-step procedure, see Standard Restore Procedure.

    By default, after selecting a restore task in the GUI restore wizard (Filter dialog), only hosts with the same operating system platform are offered, i.e. only OES NetWare hosts are listed under the Target node in the Target Settings window (no hosts of other platforms such as Linux).

    To restore the OES NetWare backup to the OES Linux host, a special database entry must be set by using the sm_db command:

    sm_db "update task_types set flags='os_indep', protection='A' where backup_type='NSS File System'"
    

    Once this is set, OES Linux systems will be shown on the drop-down list of available target nodes.

    Restoring NetIQ/Micro Focus eDirectory and Micro Focus iFolder using web Restore Assistant

    SEP sesam v. 5.0.0 Jaglion V2 supports restore via a web Restore Assistant for NetIQ/Micro Focus eDirectory and Micro Focus iFolder. You can perform a regular restore or write your backups to dump files (equivalent to the GUI option Write saveset into file). You can access the Restore Assistant in one of the following ways:

    • via the GUI: by clicking the Restore Assistant icon in the toolbar or from Activities -> Restore Assistant
    • from SEP sesam Web UI: left menu -> Restore Assistant
    • or by entering the following address in the browser bar: http://[sesamserver]:11401/sep/ui/restore/.
      Note
    • If you cannot access the web Restore Assistant, check that you have been given the appropriate permissions for online restore.
    • The operations and options available after login may vary depending on the user type. Other Web UI display restrictions may depend on custom roles with specific permissions and UI mode.
      For details, see About Authentication and Authorization and User Roles and Permissions.

    When you start NetIQ eDirectory or iFolder web restore, you can also write the backups to dump files and restore data to a single file rather than to its original location. In this case, you must specify a restore destination path in the Target window (by browsing or typing the path). Optionally, you can also change the name of the dump file. If the dump file name is not specified, it is generated automatically.

    1. Open the Restore Assistant in the browser.
    2. Depending on what you want to restore, in the Start window select NetIQ/Micro Focus eDirectory or Micro Focus iFolder. If you want to restore the data to a single file rather than to its original location, select Advanced View to open additional options, and then Write backups into dump files. If you are performing a normal restore of NetIQ or eDirectory, click Next.
    3.  
    4. In the eDirectory Server or iFolder Server window, select your Micro Focus client. Click Next.
    5. In the Task window, under the Task selection, select your backup task. A backup task defines the source data that was backed up by the client.
    6.   Tip
      You can search for a file or directory by entering your search term in the Search for files or directories in all backups field.
    7. Under the Backup selection, select the exact backup version you want to restore. You can use the calendar function in the upper right corner to set a date range for the backups.
      Then select whether you want to perform a selective or complete restore and click Next. Note that a selective restore requires an additional step. For a complete restore, you are immediately taken to step 6 (Target tab).
    8. If you are performing a selective restore, select the target source in the Files window and click Next.
    • In the Target window, first select the target client for the restore. You can filter the clients by name, location, and OS.
    • The Restore to the original target path option is already checked. This is the default option and cannot be disabled.
    • Under the Execution options, you can set additional restore options:
      • Do not overwrite existing items: The data is restored only if it does not already exist on the target system.
      • Overwrite existing items: If the data exists on the target server, it is replaced with the restored version.
      Click Next. Note that if you are restoring in the advanced mode, you can set additional restore options in the next step (Options tab). In basic restore mode, you will be taken to the last step immediately.
  • In the Options window, you can set the following (this window is only available in Advanced view):
    • Under Optional data source selection, you can select your preferred media pool, drive, used media|barcode, and interface from the drop-down lists.
    • Under Advanced restore options, you can further refine your restore:
      • Use the Log, Special Options tab to change the log level for your specific restore, see Setting Log Level. You can specify additional commands that may be useful for specific options of the sbc command. For details about the commands, see SBC CLI.
      • Use the Retention, Generation, Pre/Post tab if you want to specify the retention period parameter for the restore (how long (in days) the restore task is kept), enable/disable a generation restore, and specify whether to apply a pre- or post-script to the restore task, see Pre/Post options.
    • When you have set everything, click Next.
  • In the last step, check the summary of your restore task (restore type (based on task type, selected backup, its date and details, restore options, etc.) and click Start restore.
  • Monitoring restores

    You can monitor the restore progress using the Web UI (Monitoring -> Restores) or view the status in the GUI (Main Selection -> Job State -> Restores). The restore overview provides detailed information on the last run of restore jobs, including task name, status (successful, error, in queue...), start and stop time of the last backup, data size, throughput, etc. For details, see SEP sesam Web UI or Restores by State in the GUI.


    Known issues

    If you have problems, check the Troubleshooting Guide.

    External references

    Under the following links, search for the relevant documentation version:

    See also

    Backup principles using SEP sesam in a Micro Focus OES environmentWhat is a SEP sesam Data MoverConfiguring Clients

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