How to deal with divide Commserv Environment or solution for blocking connections to Russia.


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Hello, 

In our Global infrastructure we have some backup solution which is managed by one global Commserve. In current situation we worry about connectivity to some Media Agents in Russia and possibility in the further that the connection to Media Agents from Europe can be blocked and my question how to prepare infrastructure on that task, to not lost possibility of restore and backup server in Russia. Or what type of solution can be implemented ? I can imagine that the task can be difficult to divide Commserves on Two machines and when the situation will be more stable we would like to merge both Commservs. Situation between the Russia and rest World is very dynamic, so we don’t know when that solution will be useful. 

Regards, 

Michal 

 


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19 replies

Userlevel 3
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You can make sure the storage where the MAs in Russia write to are configured to be accessible by MAs which are not in Russia and the CS can see both locations. Then you can always restore the data out of place to any machine in the CommCell, or back to the original server if/when connectivity is available.

Does that help or do you see another challenge?

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Hello Hyder, 

Unfortunetly your respond is not helpful too much in the case, but thanks for advisory. I think only how to manage the MA in Russia when the network connectivity will be blocked from some of the location in Europe. I have some ideas, but I looking for the best one. 

Regards, 

Michal  

Userlevel 7
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@Michal128 , would you want to keep them connected to the existing CommCell, or split them and merge them back together?

Based on your follow up, you are wondering how to administrate a CommCell when you won’t have access to the servers (i.e. if internet access to/from Russia is blocked)?  Will you have any colleagues in Russia who WILL have access if this occurs?

You can stand up another Commserve and merge any machines to that one, then one day merge them back:

https://documentation.commvault.com/11.24/expert/5078_commcell_migration_overview.html

Userlevel 1
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Hello, 

Currently we have some colleagues in Russia who can manage the second Commserve. I think about two solutions: 

  1. Keep current infrasctrucutre, but push the connection through proxy server located in some other region. (This option can be impemented when the connections only from Europe or some others regions will be blocked). 
  2. Split the current Commserve on two machines and deploy new Commserve only for Russia, but we need all historical backup from current Commserve and in this point I am wondering how to split current Commserve in correct way. The Commserves can be merged whne the situation will be more stable and Russia will open the blokced connections from external servers.  (This option can be implemented when all of external connections to the Russia will be blocked beyond of internal connections).

I think maybe it can be some other solution which I don’t know that exist in Commvault application, so that my question occurred. Thanks for any ideas which can help us in that hard time :). 

Regards, 

Michal 

Userlevel 7
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Understood, @Michal128 .  Definitely not an easy situation here.

For option 1, are you considering the chance that all traffic to Russia might be blocked from anywhere?  

I would enact option 2.  You can split up the CommCells and move all of the Russian servers/MAs, etc. to the Russian CCID, and then merge them back over as needed.

You’ll want to0 talk to your Account Rep to make sure your licensing is split accordingly as well to ensure a smooth install.

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Hello Mike, 

Thanks for considering about the case. In respond to Your questions: 

  1. In the option one I think about only blocked few locations  for Russia.
  2.  As I know the splitting of our license is possible and it was done few times in the history. About option 2.I am considering which part of our infrastructure, should be split in that the case ? 

Regards

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There it’s an interesting article: https://blocksandfiles.com/2022/03/07/storage-suppliers-begin-pull-out-from-russia/ where i was able to read some statement made and/or quoted from Commvault. Are those official ?

Userlevel 7
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@Marius H. , that is a correct statement (I just checked internally).

Userlevel 7
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Hello Mike, 

Thanks for condsidering about the case. In respond to Your questions: 

  1. In the option one I think about only blocked few locations  for Russia.
  2.  As I know the spliting of our license is possible and it was done few times in the history. About option 2.I am considerign which part of our ifnrastrcture, should be splited in that the case ? 

Regards

When you do a split, you technically are splitting CLIENTS out, which will bring the libraries with it.  Whatever is pulled out via the merge will dictate what infrastructure needs to move.

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Hello Mike, 

I have another question about merge the Commservs backup when the connection will be back and we decided to merge both  Commcells. Do I need one mor time created all backups from the srtsch, or old libraries can be use in rallback scenario? 

Regards, 

Michal 

Userlevel 7
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@Michal128 , once you merge them back, everything will come with the clients (backups, libraries, schedules etc.).

Let me know if that answers your question.

Userlevel 1
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Hello Mike,

Maybe we misunderstand or I don't know how the proccess of merge will be working I though that the same procces will be use so: migration clients and I read that library from root Commserve will be in read only mode as I think about first step. 

Another idea which we consider is restor DB from production Commserve when the internet connections will be cut.

Regards,

Michal

Userlevel 7
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You are correct, the library would be read only for restore purposes.  You’d need to physically move it all over if you wish to keep using it for write purposes.

Regarding the idea of restoring the production db, that won’t exactly work.  You can use the same license twice, and will give you issues applying the new license.

In essence, you are looking to take assets from one CommCell and move them to another (defined by the second CCID via the split license).

The only way to do that (and keep restorability) is the CommCell migration.  The option of using the dr restore is generally to do one time restores in a lab without affecting the prod CCID.

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Hello Mike, 

Thanks for your advisory. I think in some fast action when we are don’t know when the closing network connection will be provided DR restore it could be a good option to keep backup in that continuity. Only what’s I afraid how to come backup when the connection will be opened. 

But if we think about completely closed network. In the Russia it will be working as Lab environment. Today I have scheduled to prepare some tests in some of the scenarios, to tests all what’s I want. 

Regards, 

Michal   

Userlevel 7
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Effectively, yes it will be a lab environment.  You’ll just need to bring everything back together once network connectivity is restored.

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Hello Mike,

I am wondering if the connection come back the Commcell from Russia and from current production will not cause some conflict on the machines. Becuase some data in the library will be changed ect. And on the netowrk will appeared two machines with the same license, ID, ect.  

Regards, 

Michal 

Userlevel 7
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If both CommServes retain the same name, then yes.  If the new CS gets a different name, then no. However, since you’re just duplicating the environment, you would have an issue bringing it all back together since it’s not like the clients can be merged back in on top of themselves.

If your long term plan is to bring it all back together one day, I would go the License split+CS migration route.  It’s much cleaner.

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Hello Mike, 

Thanks for the next advisory in the topic. In process of restore DB in Russia. I heard that Commvault has some feature for cleaning redundant part of infrastructure which is not used any more as it could be in our case. Could You send me some link for documentation of that feature? 

Regards, 

Michal 

Userlevel 7
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@Michal128 this is news to me….I also checked with the team that handles this and they have never heard of it.

Can you provide more detail?