Error labeling new boost device on DataDomain

NetWorker 7.6.3 is out and I try to install the new code on my test VADP proxy.  When I attempt to label a new media for my new boost device,  I get the following error message.

nsrd rd=networkerSN:datadomain_DD0304 mount operation failed: Connecting to 'datadomain' failed ([5028] rpc connection failure).

From experience, this is DNS and connectivity related issue.  Check DNS records and even add all the entries to host file.  It still return the same error.  Finally, uninstall NetWorker 7.6.3 and install NetWorker 7.6.2 back to the test box, everything works fine.

Check release notes and find out NetWorker 7.6.3 requires DDOS running at 5.0 or higher if you are using DDBoost.

Only DDOS versions 5.0.x and 5.1.x are supported with DD Boost 2.4

Currently, DDOS is running at 4.9.2.x and I don't plan to upgrade to DDOS 5.0 any time soon.  Only other option is to use AFTD.

Expanding boot partition of Windows 2008 server

Originally, I have two partition on only one disk.  Finally, I get my new disk.  So, I use Ghost to copy the second partition D drive to the new disk.  To free up space, I remove the old partition D drive on the 1st disk in Disk Management.  Then right click on C drive and choose Extend Volume.  Follow the wizard and now C drive is expanded to occupy all the space on the first disk without reboot.

There is a Shrink Volume option.  Not sure how reliable it is though.

OneKey Recovery 7.0 error code 0xEB1b068A

My gf just purchased a new laptop, and I am helping her to set it up.  When I attempt to create the Recovery DVD, I receive the error 0xEB1b068A after burning the 2nd DVD.  Search Lenovo site and find the answer.

Question

 When I   turned my notebook  on, I've tried to create DVD recovery (Default factory discs) but this error occured during the process: Failed: error code 0xEB1b068A. the software I used was OneKey Recovery 7.0.

What do I do to resolve this issue?

Answer

Open the application with the option "Run as Administrator" To do this you have to right click on the program's icon and select the above mentioned option

Install language support in CentOS 5

I have trouble reading Chinese in my CentOS 5 VM.  I search google and find this link http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/linux-install-language-support/

I ran the command
yum install "@Chinese Support"

Now, I have no trouble reading Chinese with Firefox.

NetWorker cloning for DataDomain boost device

DataDomain boost is supported in NetWorker 7.6.1 or above.  With clone from boost to boost devices, it is no longer a one to one ratio.  You can have more than one read session from the same boost NetWorker readonly device.  Also, multiple clone jobs can write to the same boost device at the same time.  Of course, it is not recommended to allow more than 4 sessions at the same time per boost device.

At the same time, it only sends the delta to the clone destination (given the destination is boost device).  This shorten the time for cloning after backup.

If the read or write media are not boost device, it should fall back to the one to one ratio (legacy way).

However, be very careful if your storage node is a very busy storage node, for example, SQL cluster.  Because dedup happens on the storage node (storage side dedup), this can cause heavy CPU usage.  So, best option is to config your SQL cluster as dedicated storage node with AFTD.

website safe to browse

You can check if the website is safe to browse.  Visit the following pages to find out.

http://safeweb.norton.com/
http://sitecheck.sucuri.net/scanner/

Unzip 7zip file in Centos

Download a VMware appliance recently and copy it to my notebook for web browsing.  However, I am not sure how to extract it.  Search in Google and find the following steps (thegeekstuff).

Install p7zip package as shown below.
Install p7zip to unzip *.7z files on CentOS
# yum install p7zip

Uncompressing a *.7z 7zip files in Linux using 7za
$ 7za e myfiles.7z

7-Zip (A) 9.04 beta Copyright (c) 1999-2009 Igor Pavlov 2009-05-30
p7zip Version 9.04 (locale=C,Utf16=off,HugeFiles=on,1 CPU)

Processing archive: ../../myfiles.7z

Extracting myfiles/test1
Extracting myfiles/test2
Extracting myfiles/test
Extracting myfiles

Everything is Ok

Folders: 1
Files: 3
Size: 7880
Compressed: 404
7za – command name
e – specifies the 7z to be extracted
myfiles.7z – is the file that is to be extracted



Creating a 7zip compression file in Linux
$ 7za a myfiles.7z myfiles/

7-Zip (A) 9.04 beta Copyright (c) 1999-2009 Igor Pavlov 2009-05-30
p7zip Version 9.04 (locale=C,Utf16=off,HugeFiles=on,1 CPU)
Scanning

Creating archive myfiles.7z

Compressing myfiles/test1
Compressing myfiles/test2

Everything is Ok

rpm for ATI video card

You can download latest executables to create rpm from the AMD website. 
Or you can download the rpm from pkgs.org.  Two required rpm are
flgrx-kmod
flgrx-x11-drv

My machine is running CentOS 5.7. 
I ran rpm -i flgrx-kmod flgrx-x11-drv to install the packages.

If fglrxinfo says “mesa3d.org” instead of “ATI” Like below: (found in Madathil Unni's Blog)


you may need to type this command as root:

#set opengl ati

Now, opening the VM running Windows XP, you should not have no trouble enabling 3D accelerations on your XP VM. 

Virtualizing backup server

When I worked in backup projects, I was always asked "Can I virtualize my backup server?"  The answer to that is not recommended.  You should consider the following before virtualize the backup server.

1) Backup requires CPU and network.  Can the ESX host handle it?  Is it shared with other busy VM on the ESX host
2) Why do you want to virtualize the backup host?  If environment is busy, backup server is not a good candidate for virtualization.
3) If you plan to virtualize the master server for replicating it continuously to remote site, the media server should be physical in this case.  The master server should only handle backup software database and indexing only.  If you have huge NDMP job, the index will take away a lot of CPU from the master server.
4) Are you plan to connect FC library to your master server?  Keep in mind, connecting FC tape drives / library to VM is not supported by VMware.  (Reference: VM KB1016407 and 1000024)
5) If you connect SCSI tape library, what if there is hardware fails and requires vMotion?!  Your backup will not work.

Please consider the above before even thinking about virtualizing your backup server. 

No option to format USB memory stick as NTFS

I just reformat my memory stick for Data Domain memory upgrade.  Now, I need to re-format it back as NTFS.  When I try to do that, NTFS is not an option under filesystem.  After searching in Google, I find the solution in http://www.ntfs.com/quest22.htm.

Basically, you need to open Device Manager and locate the USB memory stick.  Open up the properties of memory stick and select "Optimize for performance" under policies.  Now, I can format my memory stick with NTFS partition.