Release Notes 5.1.0 Apollon V2
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March 27, 2024 Installation is highly recommended as it includes various performance, stability, and other key customer fixes. For details, see Change report 5.1.0 Apollon V2. Release notes for previous version: Release Notes 5.1.0 Apollon. |
 Download for Linux: SEP Download Center
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 Download for Windows: SEP Download Center
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| See Installation on Linux | See Installation on Windows |
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Note |
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You always have to update the SEP sesam Server first before updating the RDS and client components. For more information on the SEP sesam software updates, see Updating SEP sesam. |
What's new in 5.1.0 Apollon V2
- SEP sesam SAP IQ integration
SEP sesam now offers support for SAP IQ database environments. The SAP IQ integration is using the external isql utility to perform SAP IQ backups and restores. Supported backup types are FULL (a complete copy of the database), DIFF (all changes to the database since the last full backup, also called INCREMENTAL-SINCE-FULL) and INCR (all transactions since the last backup of any type).
SEP sesam provides the capability to perform efficient and fast backups of virtual environmensts using hardware snapshots. Hardware snapshots capture the precise state of a VM's virtual disks at a specific point in time, ensuring a consistent view of the VM's virtual disks during the backup process. SEP sesam utilizes hardware snapshot capabilities offered by the underlying storage systems such as HPE Nimble Storage, Pure Storage, Huawei OceanStor or other SAN storage systems.
The Sesam PostgreSQL module now supports DIFF/INCR backups. These backups involve file-level backup of both the PostgreSQL database data files and the PostgreSQL Write Ahead Log (WAL) files. However, it's important to note that backup and restore operations can only be performed for complete database instances. Single database backup or restore is not supported.
- Configuring data migration
Apollon V2 brings changes to data migration. The option Number of copies now determines the number of saveset copies in a single destination media pool, rather than the overall number of copies across all media pools. To have multiple copies of backed-up data across different media pools, configure separate migration tasks. For each task, set the Number of copies to 1 to ensure a single copy is created in each destination pool.
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| It's essential to review existing migration tasks. If the Number of copies is set to a value other than 0 or 1, adjust it to 1 to prevent multiple copies of the same data in one media pool. |
SEP sesam offers new parameters that can be used to configure migration task and follow-up event for external backups on SAP HANA and Oracle. Migration task can be specified with parameter SESAM_MIGRATION_TASK, and a follow-up event with parameter SESAM_FOLLOW_EVENT. In addition, SESAM_TASKEVENT parameter can be used to call a preconfigured backup event, which enables specifying a migration task, follow-up event, and failover backup event, in addition to the general settings and parameters for the backup. This enables you to manage and maintain the backup settings and related subsequent actions in one location.
SEP sesam offers enhanced notify and alarm interfaces to include email notifications for the status of executed command events. You will receive timely notifications regarding the status of essential operations such as backups, restores, commands, migrations, media initializations, and the initiation and completion of NEWDAY events.
Improvements in 5.1.0 Apollon V2
- Perform consecutive SEP sesam self-backups of SESAM_BACKUP task for disaster recovery purposes with level DIFF instead of INCR. This enables recovery of SEP sesam Server from two backups. Essential files, like *.ini, are saved during DIFF backup, ensuring faster and more reliable recovery process.
- Many updates and improvements to S3 storage backend.
- The new LIS file format (introduced in Apollon) is now implemented for most backup types. LIS files store extended information about the unique files in a backup, and significantly improve restore speed for restores using mount capabilities.
- Log handling and cleanup is improved. Old SMS/STPD logfiles are purged recursively from RDS, on SEP sesam Server old migration logs, migration DB entries, and media logs are being deleted.
- Newly created custom SEP sesam scripts, such as sm_notify/alarm and sbc_pre/post, are now stored in the
/var/opt/sesam/var/bindirectory with read-write access. This directory has been added to the PATH variable in the SEP sesam profile as gv_rw_bin. When a script is called, SEP sesam will first check the gv_rw_bin directory. If it is empty, it will then check the previous gv_ro_bin directory. - The minimal free disk space threshold, used to monitor disk space on the partition where SEP sesam Server logs and listings are stored, is now defined with the gv_conf_minfree_var variable in global settings (accessible in Web UI through navigation menu -> System Configuration -> System Settings). Additionally, the gv_conf_shutdown_minfree variable determines whether the server shuts down when free disk space falls below the critical threshold. For more details, see What does the notification "Disk space for listings and logging below critical threshold" mean?
CLI:
- When configuring a new datastore, the running operations of the existing datastores are no longer terminated. A new datastore can be added without re-initializing all drive queues.
- Clients can be exported with full data on credentials, on import the credentials will be recreated.
- A command can be renamed using sm_cmd rename command <old name> <new name>
- For data stores the option -o (for command sm_config_drive) changed from boolean to a number:
-o 0: do not start sm_config_drives at all -o 1: start sm_config_drives <dn> CREATE-DS -o 2: start sm_config_drives <dn> -o 3: start sm_config_drives
- When removing a data store, a new option -F <n> is available to remove the data store metadata only (-F 0) or the data store metadata and data files (-F 1). Note that -F 1 is the default setting and the data store is removed with all metadata and data files by default.
- When adding or modifying a data store, the data store options can be now set using -A "<options>".
- When adding a new data store, two drives are created with the data store by default. The parameter -D 0 prevents creating the second drive.
- When starting a restore, the required backup level can be specified for the restore command sm_cmd restore -j <task name> -y C. In addition, the saveset ID of a migrated backup can be specified sm_cmd restore -s <saveset ID of migrated backup>.
- A schedule can be renamed using sm_cmd rename schedule <old name> <new name>.
- Logs can be uploaded directly to the SEP Customer Experience server using command sm_cmd upload log.
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On Linux, file system traversal transitioned from gnufind to SEP AG find. Consequently, specifying excludes now requires a stricter format and each exclude must be specified with a leading \. (for example, \./tmp/$,\./dev/null$). Note that if excludes are generated through job browsing, they already follow the correct format. Review the exclude settings in your backup task configurations, for example in task SESAM_BACKUP, to verify they comply with this requirement. |
Web Restore Assistant:
- The option to perform single file restore and mount the VM is available in simple mode.
- File lists and other tables can be sorted.
- Restore logging was improved and the log file contains information for restores started by GUI, Web Restore Assistant or CLI.
Web UI:
- HTTPS protocol is used for communication with the REST-Server.
- A new page displaying savesets by datastore is available and can be accessed in Data Stores view (Infrastructure -> Data Stores) or data store details window.
- Savesets can be deleted. The option is available in the context menu in Data Stores view (Infrastructure -> Data Stores) and in backup details window.
- Backups can be migrated. The option is available in the context menu or from savesets bubble in Backups view (Monitoring -> Backups) and in backup details window.
- Immediate start option is available for Schedules in the context menu in Schedules view (Backup Strategy -> Schedules) and in schedule details window.
- Commands can be created and managed in the Command Task view (Infrastructure -> Data Stores)
- System settings can be created and managed in the System Settings view (System Configuration -> System Settings).
- Running backups, migrations, replications, restores and commands can be cancelled in the context menu or from timeline in Active Jobs view (Monitoring -> Active Jobs -> Timeline tab) and in result details window.
- Many other improvements to layout and navigation to enhance the user experience.
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| SEP sesam Apollon V2 is the last version to include support for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 (SLES12) and Debian 10. With the next release, the support for these operating systems will be discontinued. |
New supported systems and integrations
- Ubuntu 23.10
- SEP sesam Server 5.1.0 Apollon V2 supports Ubuntu 23.10 distribution.
- VDDK 8
- SEP sesam 5.1.0 Apollon V2 supports VDDK 8 and it is included in SEP sesam for Windows. On Linux, manual update is required. VDDK 8 is compatible with VMware vSphere version 6.7 or higher.
- With VDDK 8, a data mover running RHEL 9 is also supported by VMware.
- SAP IQ 16.x
- SEP sesam Server 5.1.0 Apollon V2 supports SAP IQ 16.x. Support is provided by the libsepsybasebr library, which is based on the library for SAP ASE.
- Huawei OceanStor NDMP
- SEP sesam Server 5.1.0 Apollon V2 supports Huawei OceanStor NDMP storage integration.
For a complete list of supported OS and databases, see SEP sesam Support Matrix.
Fixes: SEP sesam Server 5.1.0 Apollon V2
| Fixed with 5.1.0 Apollon V2 SP1: |
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| Fixed with 5.1.0.14 Apollon V2: |
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Known issues and limitations
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| Antivirus programs may disrupt network communication and cause SEP sesam processes, such as backup and replication, to fail. One program that is known to cause SEP sesam processes to terminate is Sophos Firewall with IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) enabled. Make sure that there are no antivirus, firewall, IDS or IPS programs preventing interaction with SEP sesam. |
| 5.1.0.x Apollon V2 known issues: |
Severity: NORMAL
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Discontinued systems
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| With Apollon release SEP sesam no longer supports Java JRE 1.8 release. During SEP sesam Server update, Java update to version 11 or higher is enforced. On RDS component, you have to upgrade Java to version 11 or higher manually.
If you are using Si3 or Si3-NG deduplication store, which require Java, update the Java version before updating the RDS component, otherwise Si3 might not start. |
In SEP sesam Apollon V2 the following OS versions are no longer supported:
- RHEL 7
- Debian 9 (Stretch)
- Windows 2012 R2
Note that for SEP sesam Server installations on SuSe distributions the following applies:
- for SLES12 Service Pack 5 is required
- for SLES15 Service Pack 4 or higher is required
You can continue using the last available version of SEP sesam on these operating systems, but SEP AG no longer provides updates or fixes for the specified versions.
For SEP sesam Client versions, backward compatibility is maintained and the last available versions for a platform are continuously supported. On older platforms you can use older versions of SEP sesam Client component, but it is recommended to combine such clients with the latest versions of SEP sesam Server and RDS components.
For details on discontinued systems, see Unsupported OS. For a complete list of supported SEP sesam Clients, see SEP sesam Support Matrix.
End of maintenance and support
Obsolete SEP sesam Server versions
The following versions of SEP sesam are no longer supported:
- SEP sesam 5.0.0 Jaglion -> April 2024
- SEP sesam 4.4.3 Beefalo V2 -> August 2023
- SEP sesam 4.4.3 Beefalo -> August 2022
- SEP sesam 4.4.3 Grolar -> October 2021
- SEP sesam 4.4.3 Tigon V2 -> December 2020
- SEP sesam 4.4.3 Tigon -> September 2020
For the list of all SEP sesam versions see SEP sesam Release Versions.