Setting up the data mover nodes in a vSphere environment

If you offload backup workloads to a vStorage backup server in a vSphere environment, set up the data mover nodes to run the operation and move the data to the Tivoli® Storage Manager server.

1. Update the backup-archive client options file with these settings:
   • Specify these options in the dsm.opt options file.
   • Specify these options in the dsm.sys file, in the stanza for the data mover node.

   NODENAME

   Specify the name of a previously defined data mover node. Tivoli Storage Manager schedules are associated with the data mover node.

   PASSWORDACCESS

   Specify GENERATE so that the password is generated automatically (instead of a user prompt).

   VMCHOST

   Specify the host name of the vCenter (or ESX server) where the off-host backup commands are directed.

   VMBACKUPTYPE

   Specify FULLVM. This setting designates that a full VM backup is run. This value is necessary to run full VM and full VM incremental backups.

   MANAGEDSERVICES

   Specify this option to direct the client acceptor to manage both the Web client and the scheduler (schedule webclient).

   TCPSERVERADDRESS

   Specify the TCP/IP address for the Tivoli Storage Manager server.

   TCPPORT

   Specify the TCP/IP port address for the Tivoli Storage Manager server.

   COMMMETHOD

   Specify the communication method to be used by the Tivoli Storage Manager server. For data mover nodes, you must specify TCP/IP as the communication method. Operations fail if another method is specified.

   HTTPPORT

   This option specifies a TCP/IP port address and is required only when more than one Client Acceptor Service (CAD) is used. For example, if there are two data mover nodes (and two CAD services), then the option file for each data mover node must specify a different HTTPPORT value.

   An example dsm.dm.opt file with these settings is provided here:

   NODename MY_DMNODE
   PASSWORDAccess generate
   VMCHost vcenter.storage.usca.example.com
   VMBACKUPType FUllvm
   MANAGEDServices schedule webclient
   TCPServeraddress tsmserver.mycompany.xyz.com
   TCPPort 1500
   COMMMethod tcpip
   HTTPPORT	1583

   For instant access, instant restore, or mount (file-level restore) operations, make sure to add VMISCSISERVERADDRESS to the backup-archive client options file. Specify the iSCSI server IP address of the network card on the vStorage Backup Server that is used for the iSCSI data transfer during instant operations. The physical network interface card (NIC) that is bound to the iSCSI device on the ESX host must be on the same subnet as the NIC on the vStorage Backup Server that is used for the iSCSI transfer.
2. Issue this command to set the VMware vCenter user and password for the data mover node:
   dsmc set password -type=vm vcenter.mycompany.xyz.com <administrator> <password1>
   
3. Start a backup-archive client command-line session with the -asnodename and -optfile command-line parameters:
   dsmc -asnodename=VC1_DC1 -optfile=dsm_DM1.opt
   Make sure that after your initial sign-on, you are not prompted for your password.
   
   Attention: To prevent the Tivoli Storage Manager scheduler from failing, make sure that the asnodename option is not set in the dsm.opt file (Windows) or dsm.sys file stanza (Linux). The scheduler queries the Tivoli Storage Manager server for schedules associated with nodename (data mover node), not asnodename (datacenter node). If asnodename is set in dsm.opt or dsm.sys, schedules associated with asnodename (and not nodename) are queried. As a result, scheduling operations fail.
   
   
   Complete these tasks:
   1. Verify the connection to the Tivoli Storage Manager server by issuing this command:
      dsmc query session
      
      This command shows information about your session, including the current node name, when the session was established, server information, and server connection information.
   2. Verify you can back up a VM by issuing this command:
      dsmc backup vm vm1
      
      In Steps 3b and 3d, vm1 is the name of the VM.
   3. Verify that the backup completed successfully by issuing this command:
      dsmc query vm "*"
      
   4. Verify that the VM can be restored by issuing this command:
      dsmc restore vm vm1 -vmname=vm1-restore
4. Set up the Client Acceptor Service (CAD) and Backup-Archive Scheduler Service by completing these tasks:
   • This procedure uses the Tivoli Storage Manager Client GUI Configuration wizard to set up the CAD and Scheduler Service. By default, the Remote Client Agent Service is also set up through the wizard. If you use the Tivoli Storage Manager Client Service Configuration Utility (dsmcutil) for this task, make sure to also install the Remote Client Agent Service.
     
     Start the Tivoli Storage Manager Client Configuration wizard from the file menu by going to Utilities >Setup Wizard:
     • Select Help me configure the TSM Web Client. Enter the information as prompted.
       1. In the When do you want the service to start? option, select Automatically when Windows boots.
       2. In the Would you like to start the service upon completion of this wizard? option, select Yes.
       When the operation completes successfully, return to the wizard welcome page and proceed to Step b.
       Tip: When you configure more than one data mover node on the same machine, you must specify a different port value for each client acceptor instance.
     • Select Help me configure the TSM Client Scheduler. Enter the information as prompted.
       1. When entering the scheduler name, make sure to select the Use the Client Acceptor daemon (CAD) to manage the scheduler option.
       2. In the When do you want the service to start? option, select Automatically when Windows boots.
       3. In the Would you like to start the service upon completion of this wizard? option, select Yes.
   • Specify these options in the dsm.sys file, in the stanza for the data mover node:
     • Specify the managedservices option with these two parameters:

       managedservices schedule webclient

       This setting directs the client acceptor to manage both the Web client and the scheduler.
     • (Optional) If you want to direct schedule and error information to log files other than the default files, specify the schedlogname and errorlogname options with the fully qualified path and file name in which to store log information. For example:

       schedlogname /vmsched/dsmsched_dm.log
       errorlogname /vmsched/dsmerror_dm.log

   • To configure the Client Acceptor Service and Backup-Archive Scheduler Service to act as a vStorage Backup Server, set the following environment variable in the /etc/init.d/dsmcad file:

     export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/tivoli/tsm/client/ba/bin

   • Start the Client Acceptor Service:

     The installation program creates a startup script for the client acceptor daemon (dsmcad) in /etc/init.d. The client acceptor daemon must be started before it can manage scheduler tasks, or manage the web client. As root, use the following command to start the daemon:

     export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/tivoli/tsm/client/ba/bin

     service dsmcad start

     To enable the Client Acceptor Daemon to start automatically after a system restart, add the service as follows, at a shell prompt:

     # chkconfig --add dsmcad

5. Verify that the client acceptor and agent are set up correctly:
   1. Log on to a remote system.
   2. Use a web browser to connect to the HOST1 system by using this address and port:

      http://HOST1.xyz.yourcompany.com:1581

   Tip: When the IP address changes on the system where the Data Protection for VMware vSphere GUI is installed, you must complete the following:

   1. Complete the tasks described in Troubleshooting.
   2. Set up the client acceptor again (Step 3) so that the Data Protection for VMware vSphere GUI becomes enabled for operations. Otherwise, the Plug-in Manager shows the Data Protection for VMware vSphere GUI status as disabled.