How do I perform an NDMP message-based incremental backup using Veritas NetBackup?

Issue

Solution

NOTE: Before reading this article, Mirapoint highly recommends reading the latest version of the Mirapoint Backup and Restore Guide.

The initial message-based incremental is based on the time of the last successfully completed full image backup. Additional incrementals can then be performed.As of Release 3.0, you can perform an NDMP file-based incremental backup with Veritas NetBackup. The incremental backups cannot be used to recover individual mailboxes and are only intended to act as incrementals to an existing full image backups.

The following procedure assumes you have already:

Connected the tape drive or library to a network connected server
Completed the software configuration and setup of the Mirapoint appliance
Completed the initial setup and software configuration of the Veritas Netbackup server and data management application (DMA)

See Configuring Veritas NetBackup Version 4.5 for NDMP or Configuring Veritas NetBackup Version 5.1 for NDMP for more information on the above.

Configuring the NetBackup DMA for Incremental Backups

Before an incremental message-based backup can be run, you must configure the NetBackup DMA as follows:

1. Create the schedules. Each NetBackup client may have one or more schedules associated with it. To perform a message-based incremental backup, create a differential incremental or cumulative incremental schedule.

A differential incremental backs up everything since the last incremental (or full if no incrementals have occurred), and a cumulative incremental backs up everything since the last full.

When using a differential incremental schedule, NetBackup only allows you to create incrementals up to level 9. After a level 9 backup has already been done, a subsequent incremental results in another level 9 backup; this pattern repeats until the backup cycle starts over again. For example, a monthly schedule where the full back up occurs on the first of the month. Subsequent backups step through the levels (1, 2, 3, an on up) until it reaches level 9. Every backup after that first level 9, continues to at level 9 until the next full back up is performed on the first of the next month. Each subsequent level 9 backup contains data from the preceding level 8 backup, so it has the most current data. The time stamps for each sequence of level 9 backups reflects the change in date and time to make it easier for you to recognize the most recent backup.

When using a cumulative incremental schedule, NetBackup for NDMP always create a level 1 backup.

Modify your schedules according to your backup needs.

2. Update the file list. The file list should be the following:

set MP_NETBACKUP_IMAGE = "yes"

set MIRA_OPTIONS = "(fromimagefull=)"

/usr/store

Once the file list reads as it does above, NetBackup performs the correct level backup based on the schedule you have provided.

For information on restoring message-based incremental backups, see Restoring Message-Based Incremental Backups.

Managing Timestamps

The timestamps of successfully completed NDMP backups can be viewed from the CLI through the Ndmp Getts command. These same timestamps can also be deleted should the volumes containing them be deleted or damaged in some way.

To delete a timestamp, use the CLI Ndmp Deletets command.

The "Ndmp Getts" and "Ndmp Deletets" commands requires either backup or administrator privilege.

Articles in this section

Issue

Solution

Configuring the NetBackup DMA for Incremental Backups

Managing Timestamps

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