Configuring the backup-archive client in a cluster server environment

You can install the backup-archive client software locally on each node of a Microsoft Cluster Server (MSCS) or Veritas Cluster Server (VCS) environment cluster.

You can use the backup-archive client in a VCS environment on the supported Windows Server platforms.

You can also install and configure the Scheduler Service for each cluster node to manage all local disks and each cluster group containing physical disk resources.

For example, MSCS cluster mscs-cluster contains two nodes: node-1 and node-2, and two cluster groups containing physical disk resources: group-a and group-b. In this case, an instance of the IBM Spectrum Protect Backup-Archive Scheduler Service should be installed for node-1, node-2, group-a, and group-b. This ensures that proper resources are available to the Backup-Archive client when disks move (or fail) between cluster nodes.

The clusternode option ensures that the client manages backup data logically, regardless of which cluster node backs up a cluster disk resource. Use this option for client nodes that process cluster disk resources, and not local resources.

Note: You must set the clusternode: option to yes for all IBM Spectrum Protect-managed cluster operations. Inconsistent use of the clusternode option for a given IBM Spectrum Protect cluster node name can cause the client to invalidate the cluster node name encrypted password, and prompt the user to reenter the password during the next backup-archive client program invocation.

Use the optfile option to properly call the correct (cluster) dsm.opt for all client programs to ensure proper functionality for cluster related operations.

How you install and configure the backup-archive client in a cluster environment depends on the cluster server technology used (MSCS or VCS) and the operating system being used by the nodes in the cluster.