NetBackup Appliances Demo Images

Setup Guide VMware Workstation

This guide accompanies the Q4-FY14 version of NetBackup Appliances
Demo Kit

VERSION Q4-FY 14

NetBackup Appliances Demo Images Setup Guide VMware Workstation

Q2-FY14

Table of Contents
NetBackup Appliances Demo Images Setup Guide VMware Workstation ............................... 0
1 OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................. 2
1.1

WORKFLOW .................................................................................................................................................... 4

2 SETTING UP THE DEMO ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................. 6

2.1

IMPORTING .OVA FILES ................................................................................................................................. 6

2.2.1
HOST ONLY NETWORK DEPLOYMENT ............................................................................................... 8
2.2.2
BRIDGED NETWORK DEPLOYMENT .................................................................................................... 8
2.3
POST IMPORT TASKS ................................................................................................................................... 10
2.3.1
MANDATORY TASK: ............................................................................................................................. 10
2.3.2
OPTIONAL TASK: CPU, RAM, DATA DISK SIZE ................................................................................. 10
2.4
FIRST BOOT STEPS ..................................................................................................................................... 11
2.5
ADDITIONAL TASKS ...................................................................................................................................... 13

Page | 1

NetBackup Appliances Demo Images Setup Guide VMware Workstation

Q2-FY14

OVERVIEW

With this build the appliance demo image kit is being distributed as .ova files. These files can be opened directly by
VMWare workstation and upon opening; VMWare workstation converts these into virtual machines.
Only one .ova file for appliance is being supplied, and user is now free to create as many appliance VMs as required for
building a demo setup.

After import and before first boot, the assigned virtual hardware to the appliances can be changed to suit users
requirement. Most importantly the data disk size can be increased to a higher value from the default of 45GB shipped.
This will allow user to do bigger backups to the appliances for the purpose of demo or training.

The appliances perform some one time setup tasks at first boot that include allowing a user to provide a unique IP
address to the admin port eth0, as well generating a FACTORY checkpoint capturing the admin IP provided.

This flexibility now allows for two options:

1) Setup a demo environment using NBCLIENT as the access point for the appliances and using a host only virtual
network setup. The advantage here is that you have a ready-made NetBackup Client, Admin Console, DNS,
Email server etc. In this case you need to stick to the network addresses and domain name setup on NBCLIENT.
You can however extend this setup by importing more appliances as long as you use the pre-defined network
address and make additional entries in the DNS server running on NBCLIENT.

Page | 2

NetBackup Appliances Demo Images Setup Guide VMware Workstation

Page | 3

Q2-FY14

NetBackup Appliances Demo Images Setup Guide VMware Workstation

Q2-FY14

2) Setup a customized demo environment by putting the appliances on lab network (using two bridged networks)
and providing suitable infrastructure pieces on the lab network (DNS, admin console access, NetBackup clients
etc.). The advantage here is that the appliances are now accessible from anywhere on the lab network.

1.1

Page | 4

WORKFLOW

NetBackup Appliances Demo Images Setup Guide VMware Workstation

Rest of this document describes the setup process for the two scenarios in detail.

Page | 5

Q2-FY14

NetBackup Appliances Demo Images Setup Guide VMware Workstation

Q2-FY14

SETTING UP THE DEMO ENVIRONMENT

2.1

IMPORTING .OVA FILES

Once the networks have been configured, import the .ova files to convert them to virtual machines. Using the File->Open
menu in VMware workstation, point to the .ova file and start the import process.

The first dialog box lets you provide a new name for the VM and a path to place the VM. For NBCLIENT and NBESXI VMs,
there is no need to change the name. Import the NB5230VM.ova as many times as required and provide a new VM
name each time.

Page | 6

NetBackup Appliances Demo Images Setup Guide VMware Workstation

Page | 7

Q2-FY14

NetBackup Appliances Demo Images Setup Guide VMware Workstation

2.2
2.2.1

Q2-FY14

SETTING UP VMWARE NETWORKING

HOST ONLY NETWORK DEPLOYMENT

Create two host only networks. Example names used in this section are vmnet4 and vmnet9 however you can use any
suitable names. Set subnet IP for vmnet4 as 200.200.200.0 and for vmnet9 as 192.168.229.0. Screenshot below shows
an example

2.2.2

BRIDGED NETWORK DEPLOYMENT

In this case create a two bridged networks one each for production and admin IP addresses. In this case you can also
work with just one bridged network for production and skip the admin network. The appliances will however have to be
configured using CLISH via the VMWare console.

Page | 8

NetBackup Appliances Demo Images Setup Guide VMware Workstation

Page | 9

Q2-FY14

NetBackup Appliances Demo Images Setup Guide VMware Workstation

2.3
2.3.1

Q2-FY14

POST IMPORT TASKS

MANDATORY TASK:

After successful import the network adapters on all imported VMs have to be connected appropriately. Go to the
settings for each imported VM and change the network adapter connectivity as follows:
1) First adapter on NBCLIENT and all appliances connect to vmnet9 or the bridged network for admin tasks.
2) Second adapter on NBCLIENT and all other adapters on all appliances connect to vmnet4 or the bridged network
for production.
3) First and the only adapter on NBESXI connect to vmnet4 or the bridged network for production.

2.3.2

OPTIONAL TASK: CPU, RAM, DATA DISK SIZE

As an option you can increase the allocated resources to the appliance VM at this stage. By default 3 NICs, 4GB RAM and
2 CPUs are assigned to the appliance VM.
Most important setting at this stage is to expand the data disks (2nd hard disk) on the appliances to suit your
requirement. The disk is set at 45GB. If you need more disk size for your data disk simply expand the disk to a suitable
size. Please note that this step has to be performed at this stage only. This expansion will not work on a configured
appliance.
Please take care not to change the first disk on the appliance VM or any other disk on any other VM.

Page | 10

NetBackup Appliances Demo Images Setup Guide VMware Workstation

2.4

Q2-FY14

FIRST BOOT STEPS

The appliances need attention at first boot.

On first boot, on the appliances following initialization steps are carried out and some of them need intervention. Please
note that these are only one time activities.
1) Generate new ssh keys
This step simply generates new ssh keys for the appliance and does not need any intervention.
2) Hardware pre-check
This step checks for minimum values for CPU, RAM, Data Disk Size, and Number of NIC. If you have not
decreased any default value, there is no reason for this to fail. This requires no intervention however the boot up
pauses at this stage so that you can check what virtual hardware is available, and essentially confirm the data
disk size if you have expanded it in the previous stage. If the hardware test passes, you just need to press any
key to continue

Page | 11

NetBackup Appliances Demo Images Setup Guide VMware Workstation

Q2-FY14

3) Setup admin IP address

This step allows you to provide unique IP address for the admin port eth0. It is required to use the network
address 192.168.229.x, except the IP 192.168.229.100 as it is used by NBCLIENT
4) Create factory checkpoint
This step creates a factory checkpoint incorporating the admin IP set in the previous step. If you do a factory reset
on your appliance the admin IP will fall back to what you had configured in step 4.
This step does not need any intervention; you just need to press any key to continue.
The appliance continues to boot to run-level 3 once this step is finished.

5) Generate new /etc/issue with important information

The initial setup tasks 1 to 4 capture some information in /etc/issue file that is visible just above the login prompt.

Page | 12

NetBackup Appliances Demo Images Setup Guide VMware Workstation

2.5

Q2-FY14

ADDITIONAL TASKS

If you are using the host only network setup with NBCLIENT as DNS server then the following additional task may be
required. NBCLIENT runs a DNS server on the network 200.200.200.x for the domain nbappliance.lab. The dnsmasq
utility is used to run the DNS server, and uses the file /etc/hosts.for.dns to serve the DNS database.
Two entries for appliances are already made in this DNS server (nb5230dc and nb5230dr), if you have setup more than
two appliances and /or using different hostnames then the DNS server on NBCLIENT has to be updated.
Open the file /etc/hosts.for.dns and make the entries. Please note that the domain has to be nbapliance.lab
and the IP network has to be 200.200.200.x. Do not use the IP addresses already present in the file.
Similar entries have to be made in the file /etc/hosts as well.
After making the changes / additions, restart the dnsmasq service using the command:
/etc/init.d/dnsmasq restart.

From this point onwards you can go about configuring customized demo environment setup, or use the demo guide to
carry out the given exercises.

Page | 13