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User Guide - Preparing your environment for successful Druva File Server Backup
User Guide - Preparing your environment for successful Druva File Server Backup
Updated over 2 months ago

One-stop solution

This document provides a clear, step-by-step guide that focuses on how to prepare and configure backup of files & folders on the file server. Follow these instructions to effectively manage your backups using Druva File Server Agent.

Purpose

Prepare the environment for Druva File Server Agent to have successful backup of Files & Folders

Windows Operating System

1. What is a file server?

  • A file server is a server responsible for the storage and management of data files so that other computers on the same network can access the files.

  • It enables users to share information over a network without having to physically transfer files.

  • It can store various types of data, such as executables, documents, photos, and videos.

  • It has an operating system, system state, files, and folders (Data).

2. Why perform a file server backup?

  • To protect business-critical data, which helps us in case of hardware failure, natural disasters, cyber attacks, or accidental deletion.

  • Can restore a single file or folder from the complete backup to the same server or an alternate server.

3. What does Druva back up from the file server?

  • Druva backs up only files and folders (Data).

  • Druva does not backup system state directly.
    (Note - You cannot restore the complete FileSystem with an operating system such as a VM or Bare Metal restore using the Hybrid Workloads FS agent.)

  • While restoring you will install the OS yourself - install the agent and restore the system state and data.

4. What is the Backup Workflow for the File Server?

For more information on the file server backup workflow, see Workflow

  • A backup request is initiated and forwarded to the Hybrid Workloads agent.

  • Druva determines the type of the backup.

  • Hybrid Workloads agent verifies that the VSS service is running.

  • Hybrid Workloads agent estimates the files and data to back up.

  • Agent backs up the data using the VSS snapshot as a fileset.

  • After the backup completes, Hybrid Workloads agent deletes the created VSS recovery points.

5. What are the requirements before you run an installation for Druva File Server Agent?

Before you begin with the agent installation, review the Pre-requisites.

  • Prerequisites

  • Supported operating systems

  • Hardware requirements

  • Supported browsers

  • Network requirements

6. Where should I download the Druva File Server Agent from?

  • You can download the Windows installer using one of the following three methods:

    • Downloads Page

    • Settings Page​

      2023-06-08 01_53_24-Druva Hybrid Workloads.png

    • Management Console -> Protect -> File servers -> Register New Server​

      2023-06-08 01_58_33-Druva Hybrid Workloads.png

7. How do I install the Druva File Server Agent?

  • Copy the downloaded setup file (msi/exe) on the servers where you want to install it.

  • Follow the simple 3-step process detailed in the Installation article.

  • Once installed, verify that the service is in the running mode “Hybrid Workloads agent”. (start-run-services.msc)

8. How do I activate Druva File Server Agent?

  • The step-by-step process is outlined in the Activation article.

  • Once activated, the server is listed on the Registered Servers page
    (Management Console - Protect - File servers - Registered Servers.)​

    2023-06-08 02_02_12-Druva Hybrid Workloads-notconfi.png

  • The server is not ready for backup until you configure it.

9. How do I configure file server(files/folders) backup in Druva?

  • After activation, the registered file server appears on the Registered Servers page.- Select the check box next to the server name and click Create File Backup set.​

    2023-06-08 02_05_56-Remote session summary - OneNote.png

  • File Backup Set: Define content rules and backup policy.

  • Content Rule: What do you want to back up (E:\ or specific folders)?

  • Backup policy: How to back up (Backup Window, Schedule, Frequency, Retention, Bandwidth, Pre-post scripts)

10. What are the prerequisites before you start a backup of configured File server in Druva?

Verify the pre-checks on the server where the FS agent is installed.

  • Connection

    • Verify the connection between the server and Druva.
      ​(Use command prompt or powershell)

  • Service

    • The service “Hybrid Workloads agent” should be in Running mode.
      ​(start-run-services.msc)

  • UI Status

    • The status of the FileServer on Druva console should show as “Connected”.
      ​

      2023-06-08 02_09_00-Druva Hybrid Workloads-connected.png

  • Anti-Virus

    • Druva executables should be added to the exclusions of Anti-virus.
      (If not done, the anti-virus keeps the .exe on HOLD and the backup will stay in Queued state)

  • VSS Writers and Provider

    • In case you have a hardware provider, you can change it for backups.

    • (once the setting is in place, Druva will use this provider for backups)

    • VSS writers should be stable. Verify the same in command prompt (Admin mode)
      ​vssadmin list writers

    • You can set VSS to write shadow copies to a separate NTFS volume, in case you want to change the snapshot volume, where data is snapshot temporary.

  • Operating System checks

    • All the drives on the FS server must have at least 10% free space.

    • (This is a minimum requirement for the OS to run any operation smoothly).

    • To take advantage of USN (a feature of the OS), run the command for all the drives.

    • Open command prompt in admin mode. Run the following command:
      ​fsutil usn createjournal m=4294967296 a=536870912 C:

    • (This is done when you have a significant number of small files to read from a specific drive)

  • UI

    • Do not cancel the job as

      • The first backup job will take time - It does a Full scan of the data.

      • There might be a large number of small files to scan.

      • The first job will run until it is completed (It will not honor the Backup Window).

  • Scenarios where backup might complete with “ Successful with errors ”.

    • If Encrypted files are scheduled for backup.

    • If an application has an exclusive lock.

  • FAQs - General questions about File servers

11. How do I run a backup of configured Fileserver in Druva?

  • Scheduled Backup

    • Backups will run as per the backup schedule set in the backup policy.

  • Manual backup

    • To run manual backup, use the Backup Now option.

    • Management Console -> Protect -> File servers -> File Backup Sets ->

    • Click on Backupset Name -> Backup Now

      2023-06-08 02_11_26-Druva Hybrid Workloads-backup.png

12. What are the commonly encountered issues with Druva File Server Agent during backup?

13. Do / Don’ts for File server backup

  • You cannot configure a file server in multiple organizations

  • Druva stops supporting versions of the Hybrid Workload agents that are more than a year old from the date they were released, and no fixes will be made available. Review the Hybrid Workloads EOS policy.

  • The new feature support and agent enhancements are documented in the Release notes.

Linux Operating System

1. What is a file server?

  • A file server is a server responsible for the storage and management of data files so that other computers on the same network can access the files.

  • It enables users to share information over a network without having to physically transfer files.

  • It can store various types of data such as executables, documents, photos or videos.

  • This has an Operating system, system state, files & folders(Data).

2. Why perform a file server backup?

  • To protect business-critical data, which helps us in case of hardware failure, natural disasters, cyber-attacks, or accidental deletion.

  • Can restore a Single File / Folder from the complete backup to the same server or alternate server.

3. What does Druva backup from your file server?

  • Druva backup only files and folders (Data).

  • Druva does not backup System State directly.
    (Note - You cannot restore the complete FileSystem with an operating system such as VM or Bare Metal restore using Hybrid WorkloadsFS Agent)

  • While restoring you will install the OS yourself - install the agent and restore the system state and data.

4. What is the Backup Workflow for the File Server? OR Add a file server in Druva?

For more information on the file server backup workflow, see Workflow

  • A backup request is initiated and forwarded to the Hybrid Workloads agent.

  • Druva determines the type of backup.

  • Hybrid Workloads agent performs the full scanning of live files and folders on the File server.

  • Hybrid Workloads agent estimates the files and data to back up.

  • Hybrid Workloads agent uses the scanned folders and files as the fileset for data transmission.

5. What are the requirements before you run an installation of Druva File Server Agent?

Before you begin with the agent installation, review the Pre-requisites

  • Prerequisites

  • Supported operating systems

  • Hardware requirements

  • Supported browsers

  • Network requirements

6. Where should I download the Druva File Server Agent from?

You can download the Windows installer using one of the following three methods:

Management Console -> Protect -> File servers -> Register New Server​

2023-06-08 01_58_33-Druva Hybrid Workloads.png

7. How do I install the Druva File Server Agent?

  • Go to the directory that contains Hybrid Workloads agent installer.

  • Follow the simple 3-step process detailed in the Installation article.

  • Once installed, verify that the Phoenix service is in running mode using below command​ /etc/init.d/Phoenix status.

8. How do I activate Druva File Server Agent?

  • The step-by-step process is outlined in the Activation article.

  • Once activated, the server is listed on the Registered Servers page.
    (Management Console - Protect - File servers - Registered Servers)​

    2023-06-08 12_44_54-Window-notc.png

  • The server is not ready for the backup until you configure it.

9. How do I configure file server(files/folders) backup in Druva?

  • After activation, the registered file server appears on the Registered Servers page - select the check box next to the server name and click Create File Backup set
    ​

    2023-06-08 12_46_00-Window-cret.png

  • File Backup Set: Set of Content Rules and Backup Policy

  • Content Rule: What do you want to backup (E:\ or specific folders)?

  • Backup policy: How to backup ? (Backup Window, Schedule, Frequency, Retention, Bandwidth, Pre-post scripts)

10. What are the prerequisites before you start a backup of configured File server in Druva?

Verify the pre-checks on the server where the FS agent is installed.

  • Connection

    • Verify the connection between the server and Druva.

  • Service

    • The Phoenix service should be in Running mode
      ​(etc/init.d/Phoenix status)

  • UI Status

    • The status of the FileServer on Druva console should show as “Connected”.​

      2023-06-08 11_43_58-Settings.png

  • Anti-Virus

    • Druva executables should be added to the exclusions of Anti-virus.
      (If not done, the anti-virus keeps the .exe on HOLD and the backup will stay in Queued state)

  • Operating System checks

    • All the drives on the FS server must have at least 10% free space
      (This is a minimum requirement from the OS to run any operation smoothly).

  • UI

    • Do not cancel the job As

      • The first backup job will take time - It does a Full scan of the data.

      • There might be a large number of small files to scan.

      • The first job will run until it is completed (It will not honor the Backup Window).

  • Scenarios where backup might complete with “ Successful with errors ”.

    • If Encrypted files are scheduled for backup

    • If an application has an exclusive lock

  • FAQs - General questions about File servers

11. How do I run a backup of configured File server in Druva ?

  • Scheduled Backup

    • Backups will run as per the backup schedule set in the backup policy.

  • Manual backup

    • To run manual backup, use the Backup Now option.

    • Management Console -> Protect -> File servers -> File Backup Sets ->

    • Click on Backupset Name -> Backup Now​

      2023-06-08 11_45_01-C__Users_muzaffar.wangde_Desktop_New folder_Linux_2023-06-08 11_43_58-Settings.p.png

12. What are the commonly encountered issues with Druva File Server Agent during backup?

13. Do / Don’ts for File server backup

  • You cannot configure a file server for multiple organizations.

  • Druva stops supporting versions of the Hybrid Workload agents that are more than a year old from the date they were released, and no fixes will be made available. Review the Hybrid Workloads EOS policy.

  • The new feature support and agent enhancements are documented in the Release notes.

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