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Control VSA Manage & Worker Node

  • 16 September 2022
  • 3 replies
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S
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Hi All

I have a central vCenter that manages multiple Sites, hosting their own ESX Servers, Storage and all. We operate a dedicated MediaAgent in each of these Sites as well as one or more VMs acting as vProxy/FileBrowseEnabler. So far Backups go entirely through the MediaAgents as they are the only ones able to communicate with vCenter to query Inventory and manage Snapshots. Now we would like to utilize the vProxy VMs as dedicated Worker Nodes, reading and processing vmdks and co. When I add them as access nodes they either are not used at all or cause errors as they cannot (and shall not) communicate with vCenter.

We’d like to have the MediaAgent as Management Node only and the vProxies doing all the work. Devide and conquer in a way. Any way to specifically mark or lock down which tasks a certain Machine can execute on a given Subclient or Instance?

Running FR24, considering upgrade to FR28 if that makes a difference.

Thanks,

Stefan

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Best answer by Jos Meijer 16 September 2022, 09:50

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Jos Meijer
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Hi @Stefan Vollrath 

In order to have the media agents (write to backup target) and VSA's (manage snapshots, extract data and send to MA) work together you need:

  • The media agent to be set as the media agent on Storage Policy Copy level, should already be in place.
  • The media agent removed from the Access Node list for vCenter
  • Add the VSA's to the Access Node list for vCenter
  • Allow the VSA's to communicate with vCenter/ESXi:
    • TCP 443 to vCenter
    • TCP 443 and 902 to ESXi
  • Allow communication between VSA's on your commvault TCP communication port
  • Allow communication between VSA's and the media agent on your commvault TCP communication port and if applicable the additional data transfer ports

When this is in place and you start a backup the first VSA in the list will be assigned as a coordinator proxy, this coordinator proxy will then assign the VM's to it's own and the other VSA's.
Snapshots/mounts etc will be coordinated by the VSA on vCenter.

 

Communication requirements VSA:
https://documentation.commvault.com/2022e/expert/96273_system_requirements_for_virtual_server_agent_with_vmware_02.html

S
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Hi Jos

That is exactly the thing we do not want I’m afraid. The MediaAgent should stay and be the Coordinator and Coordinator only. The VSAs should be proxies and proxies only. No VSA can communicate with the vCenter, not allowed, they can talk to the ESX to read data via hotadd or nbd. Strictly dividing control and worker plain. Hope that is possible today, if not it should be a feature IMHO.

Cheers, Stefan

Jos Meijer
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Userlevel 7
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Hi @Stefan Vollrath 

As far as I know you can't assign a dedicated coördinator and proxy role within the VSA construct. Will have to take a look at that scenario.

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