The basic configuration steps to implement each of the NDMP feature integrations with PowerScale are detailed below.

Configuring NDMP backups

The basic configuration steps to setup NDMP backups with PowerScale are below.

Basic configuration steps:

1. PowerScale: Create an NDMP user, enable the NDMP Service, and adjust the settings (CLI)

isi ndmp users create --name=commvaultndmp --password=[ENTER PASSWORD]

isi ndmp users list

isi ndmp settings global modify --dma=commvault --service=true

isi ndmp settings global view

PowerScale: Set up a user account and role to enable backup and restore of the file system (CLI)

isi auth users create isicommvaultadmin --gecos=isicommvaultadmin --password= [ENTER PASSWORD] --password-expires=no --enabled=yes --shell="/sbin/nologin"

isi auth roles create CommvaultAdmins --description="Enable Commvault admins with the required privileges to manage the integrated features."

isi auth roles modify CommvaultAdmins --add-priv=ISI_PRIV_IFS_BACKUP,ISI_PRIV_IFS_RESTORE

isi auth roles list

isi auth roles view CommvaultAdmins

Commvault: Add the PowerScale Cluster to Array Management with a user account that has PowerScale Backup and Restore privileges (created above)

CommCell Console > Storage tab > click Array Management > Add

General tab:

(1)          Snap Vendor: Dell EMC Isilon

(2)          Name: [FQDN of PowerScale cluster]

(3)          Control Host: [FQDN of PowerScale cluster, should match NAS client above]

(4)          Credentials: [click Change button, enter username and password with PowerScale Backup and Restore privileges, created above]

Array Controllers tab:

(1)          Selected Array Controllers: [add 2 or more MediaAgents local to the PowerScale cluster to communicate the API commands]

Snapshot Configuration tab (optional, if Commvault will take snapshots of the PowerScale cluster as well):

(1)          Auto Update Array Host Aliases: [enable checkbox, unless manual entry of host aliases for the PowerScale cluster is needed in the below list]

(2)          Array Host Aliases: [leave blank, unless manual entry of host aliases for the PowerScale cluster is needed]

(3)          Access Zone: [leave blank if the snapshot is of an SMB share in the default System zone, otherwise specify the Access Zone name of the SMB share]

Click OK

Note: This is needed to enable browsing of the PowerScale cluster to select a location to backup or restore.

Commvault: Reconfigure to enable and license the PowerScale cluster client

From the CommCell Browser > select Client Computers > View tab > click Refresh (to see the newly added PowerScale cluster)

Right-click [PowerScale cluster] under Client Computers > All Tasks > Reconfigure

View tab > Refresh (again to see the PowerScale cluster change from gray to color)

Commvault: Configure NDMP Properties on the PowerScale Cluster NAS Client

From the CommCell Browser > Client Computers > [PowerScale Cluster] > right-click NAS > Properties > click NDMP Properties (General tab)

NDMP Server Hostname: [will already be populated]

NDMP Login: [NDMP username previously create]

NDMP Password: [NDMP user password configured above, this field is enabled after Change Password is selected]

Listen Port: [must match the port number configured on the PowerScale cluster, the default is 10000]

Detect MediaAgent: [optional, if blank, the CommServe will communicate with the PowerScale directly or select a local MediaAgent to communicate]

Click Detect button

Vendor: [Detect button will populate]

Firmware Revision: [Detect button will populate]

Time Zone: [Detect button will populate]

Click OK

Commvault: Create Tape Library

For 2-way NDMP backups (Local Tape Media):

CommCell Console > Storage tab > click Expert Storage Configuration button

(1)          Expert Storage Configuration window:

(a)        Select MediaAgents window:

1. Select the MAs that are local to the PowerScale cluster to send the NDMP communications
2. Click “Add >>” button
3. Click OK

(b)        Click Start button (lower left in window) > Detect/Configure Devices …

(c)         Detect Library window:

1. Device Type: NDMP Devices (select the MA above)
2. Click OK

(d)        Select NDMP Servers to Detect window:

1. Select the [PowerScale cluster] under Available NDMP Servers list. (Note: The PowerScale cluster added as a NAS above should be listed. If not, it can be added using the Update NDMP Host List button > click Add)
2. Click “Add >>” button to move under Select NDMP Servers list
3. Click OK
4. Click Yes button (to the Confirm window), if appropriate
5. Review the Log window details to confirm the PowerScale attached tape media were found and the operation is listed as “completed successfully”, and then click Close

1. If an Information window appears saying, “No new devices were detected”, Click OK and rerun the steps above to try again

2. If an Information window appears saying, “Right-click a particular device to continue its confirmation”, Click OK and continue below

(e)        Right-click each PowerScale attached tape drive and/or Libraries found > Configure

i. Select Library and all drives (or Library Only, if appropriate) > Click OK

ii. Answer any prompted questions, such as “Does this library [LIBRARY NAME] have a barcode reader?” or “Should the media be automatically discovered?”, the Default Media Type, and so on

(f)          Right-click each PowerScale attached tape drives and/or Libraries > Properties (Optional)

i. Make any necessary changes, like possibly append the PowerScale cluster hostname to the tape library Alias name to clarify the FC connectivity is from the PowerScale cluster

(g)        Click Start button (lower left in window) > Exit

For 3-way NDMP Backups (Remote Tape Media):

This tape library is external the PowerScale cluster, see Commvault documentation for setup and configuration information.

Commvault: Create Storage Policy to use the Tape Library (created above)

From the CommCell Browser > Policies > right-click Storage Policies > New Storage Policy

Select Data Protection and Archiving > click Next

Storage Policy Name: [enter a name] > click Next

Use Existing Global Deduplication Policy? (if asked): [select the appropriate setting] > click Next

Library for Primary Copy: [select a tape library created above, additional tape libraries can be added later] > click Next

For Primary Copy:

(1)          MediaAgent: [select the PowerScale cluster client name for 2-way NDMP backups or select a local MA to the PowerScale cluster for 3-way NDMP backups]

(2)          Drive Pool: [select a drive pool] > click Next

Scratch Pool for Primary Copy: [select a scratch pool] > click Next

Enter the streams and retention criteria:

(1)          Number of Device Streams: [equal to the number of drives available in the tape library]

(a)        The PowerScale Multi-Stream backup feature integration will be used automatically if this value and the data readers value under the storage policy are both greater than one. See below for details.

(2)          Aging Rules: [enter Days and Cycles or Infinite as needed] > click Next

Advanced settings for the primary copy:

(1)          Hardware Compression: [configuration as needed]

(2)          Encryption Settings: [configure as needed] > click Next

Click Finish

If additional PowerScale attached tape drives and/or Libraries need to be added:

From the CommCell Browser > Policies > Storage Policies > [newly created PowerScale NDMP storage policy created above] > right-click Primary > Properties

(1)          Data Paths tab:

(a)        Click Add > select any other PowerScale attached tape drives and/or Libraries > click OK

(2)          Data Path Configuration tab:

(a)        Select Round-Robin between Data Paths radio button

(3)          Click OK

From the CommCell Browser > Policies > Storage Policies > right-click [newly created PowerScale NDMP storage policy created above] > Properties > General tab

(1)          Change the value in Device Streams: [equal to the total number of drives available in the tape libraries configured on the storage policy as data paths]

Commvault: Create a Subclient

From the CommCell Browser > Client Computers > [PowerScale cluster] > NAS > right-click defaultBackupSet > All Tasks > New Subclient

General tab:

(1)          Subclient Name: [enter name]

Content tab:

(1)          Click the Browse button > select the path and click the Add button for each, once finished click the Close button, paths will be listed in the Contents of Subclient box

(a)        For browsing to function, primary Step # 2 and 3 above must be complete regarding the new user account and adding the PowerScale cluster to Array Management.

(2)          Alternatively, manually enter the full path into the lower Backup Content Path textbox and click Add for each, paths will be listed in the Contents of Subclient box

Advanced Options tab:

(1)          Number of Data Readers: [number of tape drives this Subclient should use from those available under the storage policy created above]

(a)        The PowerScale Multi-Stream backup feature integration will be used automatically if this value and the device streams value under the storage policy are both greater than one. See below for details.

Storage Device tab > Data Storage Policy tab:

(1)          Storage Policy: [select the newly created storage policy above]

Optionally configure any other tab settings as needed.

Click OK

Backup Schedule window:

(1)          Select an existing schedule, create a schedule, or do not schedule; click Cancel to manually run backups.

(a)        The PowerScale Incremental Forever (Level 10) and Snapshot-based Incremental (Faster Incremental) Backup feature integrations will be used automatically when Incremental backups are run.  Also, the Restartable (BRE) feature will be used automatically with the Multi-Stream feature with Commvault 11 SP25+ and OneFS 9.2.1.0+. See below for details.