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Question

Fresh install, same hardware - preserving existing Library

  • 12 December 2022
  • 6 replies
  • 91 views
roc_tor
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So - we have a media agent which is a “few” years old and has Windows Server 2012 R2 on it.  It’s been just smashing during its tenure.  However, Server 2012 doesn’t recognize a new SAN recently purchased.  That and the fact that 2012 won’t be supported next year (10/2023) means now’s a great time to upgrade.

 

However, because of driver issues (I believe), no in-place upgrade is being successful.  Basically, I’m looking at a fresh install on the same hardware.

The library is stored under a folder on C:, so we’ll call it c:\library\...01, 02, 03, etc.  “01” and such are folders mapped over fiber to various SANS.  

 

Is it possible.. to reinstall the OS, from scratch, and preserve that library?  I’m suspecting a DR recovery method (https://documentation.commvault.com/2022e/expert/97435_performing_no_loss_recovery_operation_of_commserve_host.html), but I’d need to recreate all of the SAN connections exactly as they were before.  Has anyone attempted this?  Any advice?

6 replies

Aplynx
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You’re replacing the media agent, the CommServe or a 2 in 1?

https://documentation.commvault.com/2022e/expert/11069_mediaagent_hardware_refresh_overview.html

Liam
roc_tor
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Just the media agent.  Commserve is on another box altogether.

Aplynx
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I believe this link should cover it: https://documentation.commvault.com/2022e/expert/11069_mediaagent_hardware_refresh_overview.html

Liam
roc_tor
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That’s a help, as well.  However, it doesn’t reflect a “in-place” “fresh-install”.    It suggests a migration to another box. 

 

As it turns out, we have some other older equipment (isn’t that what backups usually inherit? =), and that may just be the way to go.

Jos Meijer
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Hi @roc_tor 

Assuming the hostname and IP configuration will remain the same, you can:

  • Check which Commvault packages are installed on the MA
  • Check which mount point is connected to which folder
  • Place the MA in maintenance in CV
  • Shutdown Commvault Services on MA
  • Copy the Index Cache and DDB to for example a network location
  • Install the HW with new OS
  • Configure mount points same as before
  • Install CV MA software with all packages as before (keep filesystem paths the same)
  • Shutdown Commvault Services on MA
  • Copy back the Index Cache and DDB to MA (keep filesystem paths the same)
  • Start Commvault Services on MA
  • Get the MA out of maintenance in CV
  • Test backup, recovery and aux copy
roc_tor
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The answer to my most important question - how do I sync up the folders on the new OS.  It turns out I don’t need to worry about getting Microsoft’s help (listing volumes with folder names, etc.)  For each folder, such as:
 

c:\library\FC_01

 

… note that Commvault gives us two files:

c:\library\FC_01\DEVICE_LABEL, which has a VERY unique ID in it.  But, perhaps easier:

 

c:\library\FC_01\folder1\cv_magnetic\MountPathConfig, which shows the pathname of that CV volume in (mostly) plain text.  Thus, when the new box comes up, you’ll need to recreated the folder structure and then mount volumes at a given spot, find out where it truly goes, and mount it to the appropriate folder. 

 

Thank you to Tom Pietrocola at CV Support for helping me with this.

 

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