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Hello!

This is Stefano, I’m using CommVault since years.

For business needs I have to migrate some of our clients from our existing CommCell to a new one (I already requested and applied the auth code for both).

This use case is partially covered by online documentation, but some of the steps are not really clear to me.

My source environment is the following:
- CS running on a VMware virtual machine;
- Media Agents are physical HPE boxes, and they uses some big HPE MSAs storage;
- a few VMware subclients to be migrated. Some others needs to stay in the source env.

 

With regards to VMware subclients, to better manage the migration I already moved the subclients in a dedicated Virtual Client, with the result to have:
- subclients that must stay in the source --> VMware vCenter client "A"
- subclients that must be migrated --> VMware vCenter client "B"

 

As said, Media Agents are physical boxes and one of them does backup for both "A" and "B", toghether with other resources (AD, SQL, File System etc) not interested by this move.
Subclients belonging to vCenter client "A" use a Storage Policy called "SP A". In this Storage Policy I also have a DASH copy going to a remote site, with another physical Media Agent. This DASH copy uses a Global DDB.
Subclients belonging to vCenter client "B" use a Storage Policy called "SP B". In this Storage Policy I also have a DASH copy going to a remote site, with the same MA and Global DDB as the DASH copy on "SP A"

 

I'm asked to migrate the VMware subclients from vCenter client "B" to a destination CommCell, and to keep Job History and Restore capabilities. Once they are moved, of course I want to enable backup on this new CS.
The existing physical media agent needs to be migrated too.

 

My question is: since subclients from both vCenter “A” and “B” are using the same MediaAgent and proxy, and having said that this MediaAgent will be migrated to the destination CS too, how can I make sure that backups will run in both CS, for both vCenter, after migration? From my understanding the only way is to create a new MA now and run both vCenters on 2 separate MediaAgent. Is this correct?

Thank you!

Ciao Stefano,

I wonder if CommCell Migration is really needed here.

Why don’t you provide a new or spare MA and MSA Disk library on the new CommCell, define the new policies and the  vCenter with the B subclients and then you are done. If retention for B VSA subclients in old CommCell is let’s say 60 days, you can let these jobs expire.

 

Of course you cannot migrate a Media Agent to another CommCell if you want to use it on the source CommCell. Please note that when you migrate a client, you have to provide a new policy for the migrated client if you want to run backups, that means MA and Library should be configured upfront.

 

Hello Ledoesp

Legal Team asked me to maintain job history and restore capabilities on the migrated “B” subclients. Our job history is set to 365 days, and our retentions are:

Primary copy: 15 days/2 cycles + Extended Monthly Full for 90 days

DASH copy: 15 days/2 cycles + Extended Monthly Full for 90 days

Yearly copy: 7 years

Just to make an example, it could happen that in 5 years from now, someone ask to restore a VM from the vCenter with “B” subclient (hence using the new CS since 5 years) with the date of 2020 (so 7 years back), and I must be able to do that.

So using a brand new CS, MA and library is not an option for me.

Thank you!

Stefano

Thanks for the additional detail.

Where is your yearly copy of 7 years located? Tape or disk? it is just extended retention on the dash copy or a third copy?

 

For something like this I suggest you get professional services involved. 

It can be done, but its going to require serious planning to ensure that you do not lose data.

This can go sideways very quickly without careful planning and execution.

 

 

Thanks for the additional detail.

Where is your yearly copy of 7 years located? Tape or disk? it is just extended retention on the dash copy or a third copy?

 

My yeary copies are located on Azure Blob Storage, Archive tier. This is a dedicated additional copy with Selective Copy options configured

Luckily, I already copied the last yearly (related to 2021) to a dedicated Resource Group on a dedicated Azure subscription. So source and destination yearly copies are on a completely separated Azure environment. But as said, the only common thing is the Media Agent, that is used by “A” and “B” Storage Policies.

 

Thanks

For something like this I suggest you get professional services involved. 

It can be done, but its going to require serious planning to ensure that you do not lose data.

This can go sideways very quickly without careful planning and execution.

 

 

Hello

I already spoke with our account manager, and have one Support Case currently open. The engineer is looking into it with the team, but he also suggested to ask the Community, sometimes the best hints comes from here :)

 

Thank you

Stefano

Ill do a detailed write-up at some point over the next few days.

I have some things to deal with today and over the weekend and I do not want to miss any steps or leave anything out.


thanks

chris.

@Stefano Villa , 

I apologize for not getting back to you.

work and life determine how much time I have to spare. When I get a free moment I will revisit this.

of course @christopherlecky…. no problem at all!

Thank you

 

@Stefano Villa , following up on this one to see if you found an answer.

Thanks!

Found your case and saw you went to PS.

Closing thread!

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