Considerations moving to new tape server?

[pkelly_sts]

I'm currently planning the migration steps for relocating to a new building/location. As part of the project we're deploying new ESXi hosts & a new backup repository/tape server to replace the existing repository/tape server (B&R is deployed to VM & will be retained) but we'll be retaining the Tape libraries connected to the existing.

So, what impacts do I need to plan for when migrating a tape library & its existing media sets to a new physical server? We currently have 1 media set for daily backups and another GFS media set for Monthly/Yearly backups (not currently doing weekly) so really need to ensure that the existing media set is still usable/readable etc. but I accept that the current media would be "closed" so whatever the first tape backup is on the new server at least would, as a minimum, expect to start to a new tape.

Having written this down I'll also need to consider the timing/order of copying/moving disk repository contents as well. One of the biggest challenges is that the old site will NOT have network access directly to the new site, though both will be connected to an existing 3rd site...

Any advice/gotchas/warnings/disappointing consequences gratefully received

[ChrisJ0907]

I can't answer your original question, but would it be possible for you to get a VPN created between the old and new site, bypassing the 3rd?

[pkelly_sts]

Apologies, I forgot to come back to this one (and move time is drawing nearer).

A VPN won't help in this case, I'll be physically detaching the tape library from one physical server & re-attaching it to a new physical server, and that server is expected to take over tape jobs from that point forwards, so what I need to understand is how I transfer "ownership" of those tapes to the new server.

I'm guessing when I bring up that server I'll initially get a bunch of "duplicate barcode" errors.

I think I'll log a query case with support & get their advice...

[Shestakov]

Hello Paul,
I would start from a question of migration existing VMs to new vCenter/ESXi hosts. Are you going to migrate VMs to new vCenter? If yes, will you keep MoRefs with the migration tool?
Depends on how fast you want to make all the changes and how often you preform backups it may make sense to just create new jobs.

[pkelly_sts]

My VM migration plan will simply be to (cold) vmotion them (due to different CPU architecture) to one new host before shutdown in the old environment, then physically move that host & storage to the new DC then spin the VMs up there along with two other new hosts already deployed but not yet part of the cluster, but this is less of a concern to me, I'm more interested in the integrity of the tape media sets at this point, and the ability to continue them whilst connected to the new tape server.

[pkelly_sts]

I'm pleased to say that this worked even better than I expected! Moved a library over & veeam just auto-configured to shift things around perfectly!

One supplemental question though, what happens if I move drives into a new tape library chassis (talking HP MSL kit here if relevant) i.e. what "owns" the tapes, the library or the drive? So, if I have 2 24-slot tape libraries (MSL2024) with one drive each, and I move those two drives into another library (MSL4048) then will everything still remain intact?

[Shestakov]

Once you move drives to new library you just need to perform a rescan and that should work.

[pkelly_sts]

OK, so as a library is tied/linked to a media pool, will it automatically replace the library in the appropriate media pools?

[Shestakov]

We`ve checked it with QA, yes, library should be replaced after migration and rescan.

[pkelly_sts]

Perfect, thanks!

[Shestakov]

Let us know how it works in your case, since that`s not a popular case.
Thanks!

[richard.cooper]

Good Morning,

At present the host that our Veeam server runs on (as a VM) is a 1U and the available PCIe slots are in use for the RAID controller and 10Gbe NIC. This means the HBA for our tape library is actually installed in one of the hosts that Veaam protects.

I am in the process of replacing the host that Veeam runs on with a 2U one - but I'm not sure of the best way of moving the library over once the VM has been moved. The HBA will be removed from the current host and placed in the new Veeam host - it's the same series so there's no reason to buy a new one as the old one would then be redundant.

Please can I have some advice on the best way to do this?

thanks

[sconley]

We are looking at replacing our repository server, which also serves as our tape server. However, we are not replacing the attached tape library. What happens when we move the tape library to a new physical server? Will Veeam "just work" and re-catalog everything and continue to work as it did before?

[Vitaliy S.]

Yes, given that the configuration is not going to be changed, you will need to run a rescan job to populate the backup console with existing data. Thanks!