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Hardware and Software Requirements: Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V 8.1.19

Preventive Service Planning


Abstract

This document details the hardware and software requirements for IBM Storage Protect for Virtual Environments: Data Protection for Microsoft® Hyper-V 8.1.19.

Content

The Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V requirements vary by high-level functional component. Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V has the following high-level functional components:

  • Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V Management Console
  • Data mover
  • Mount proxy
  • Recovery agent
Note: All Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V functional components must be at the same fix pack level. Within a fix pack level, the interim fix level can differ. Examples:
  • When you upgrade the Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V Management Console, all other functional components (data movers, recovery agents, and mount proxy nodes) must also be upgraded to the same fix pack level.
  • When you upgrade a data mover from 8.1.19.x to 8.1.19.y (where x<y) you do not need to upgrade of all other functional components to 8.1.19.y. However, all the other functional components must be at the same fix pack level.

This document is divided into linked sections. Use the following links to go to the section of the document that you require.


Note: IBM Storage Protect for Virtual Environments support for third-party operating systems, applications, services, and hardware depend on the respective vendor. If a third-party product or version moves into extended support, self-service support, or end-of-life, IBM Storage Protect for Virtual Environments supports the product or version at the same level as the vendor. See also IBM Support General Guidelines and Limitations - IBM support for software on unsupported operating systems

Note: The product now known as IBM Storage Protect was named IBM Spectrum Protect in levels earlier than 8.1.19. To learn more about the brand change, see IBM Spectrum brand change to IBM Storage.



 

Software requirements for Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V

Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V Management Console

The Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V Management Console provides a single environment to help you manage the daily operations of Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V. You can use the Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V Management Console to update the configuration, monitor backup operations, manage scheduled backups, and start ad hoc backup and restore operations of virtual machines in a Hyper-V host or cluster.

The Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V Management Console can also be installed on Windows 10 to support Hyper-V hosts that are installed on Windows Server Core, which does not support local GUIs. The instructions are described in: Installing Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V on Windows Server Core systems.

  • Notes:
    • To enable file restore capability, Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V must be installed on a Windows system.
    • To enable file restore for a Linux virtual machine, in addition to installing Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V on a Windows system, a Linux mount proxy system must also be installed and configured in the Linux environment.

Supported operating systems are listed in this section: Operating systems support overview tables


 

Data mover

In a Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V environment, the data mover is the IBM Storage Protect backup-archive client that runs on the Hyper-V host. The "off host" backup model, where operations run on a backup server rather than on the Hyper-V host, is not applicable.
Note: Hyper-V Server is a stand-alone product that contains only the Windows hypervisor. The Hyper-V role can also be enabled on a Windows Server. Both configurations are supported.

Supported operating systems are listed in this section:Operating systems support overview tables


 

Mount proxy

A mount proxy represents the Linux® or Windows system that provides access to files on VM backups. Mount proxy systems are required when you use the file restore portal of Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V.

When you access a Windows virtual machine with the file restore portal, a Windows mount proxy system is required. When you access a Linux virtual machine with the file restore portal, a Windows and Linux mount proxy pair is required.

When you run the configuration wizard in the Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V Management Console, the Windows mount proxy is automatically installed and configured and the nodes for the mount proxy pair are registered on the IBM Storage Protect server.

For a mount proxy on Linux operating system, Data Protection Microsoft Hyper-V for Linux must be installed and configured manually. For other software requirements for the Linux mount proxy, see in section: Application-consistent backups and file restore operations on Linux
For a mount proxy on Windows operating system, IBM Storage Protect for Virtual Environments recovery agent is required and is automatically installed in a typical installation of Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V.

For file restore operations from IBM Storage Protect server backups, an iSCSI connection is required.
Note: The iSCSI service must be running during the file restore operation. By default, the iSCSI service is started manually. If the system where this service is running restarts, the iSCSI service must be restarted manually. For best results, configure the iSCSI service to start automatically.

Supported operating systems are listed in this section:Operating systems support overview tables


 

Recovery agent

This service enables the mounting of any snapshot volume from the IBM Storage Protect server. You can use the iSCSI protocol to access the snapshot from a remote computer.
Note: To view the snapshot locally with read-only access on the client system, use IBM Storage Protect for Virtual Environments: Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V 8.1.4 or earlier.

The recovery agent is accessed with the recovery agent GUI or command-line interface.

Supported operating systems are listed in this section:Operating systems support overview tables


 

Operating systems support overview tables

The following tables show the supported operating systems for all Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V 8.1.19 functional components:

Table 1. Operating system support on Windows x64.

Operating systems
 
Data mover
 
Mount proxy
 
Recovery agent
 
MMC UI
 
Windows 10*
Professional Edition		 -- -- -- ✔
Beginning with 8.1.4
Windows 11*
Professional Edition		 -- -- -- ✔
Beginning with 8.1.13
Hyper-V Server 2012 or
Microsoft Hyper-V on Windows Server 2012(1)(4)(6)
Essentials, Standard, and Datacenter Editions		 ✔ ✔
Beginning with 8.1.4		 ✔ ✔
Beginning with 8.1.4
Hyper-V Server 2012 R2 or
Microsoft Hyper-V on Windows Server 2012 R2(4)(6)
Essentials, Standard, and Datacenter Editions		 ✔ ✔
Beginning with 8.1.4		 ✔ ✔
Beginning with 8.1.4
Hyper-V Server 2016* or
Microsoft Hyper-V on Windows Server 2016*(2)(4)(6)
Essentials, Standard, and Datacenter Editions		 ✔ ✔
Beginning with 8.1.4		 ✔ ✔
Beginning with 8.1.4
Hyper-V Server 2019* or
Microsoft Hyper-V on Windows Server 2019*(3)(4)(5)(6)
Essentials, Standard, and Datacenter Editions		 ✔
Beginning with 8.1.7		 ✔
Beginning with 8.1.7		 ✔
Beginning with 8.1.7		 ✔
Beginning with 8.1.7
Microsoft Hyper-V on Windows Server 2022*(3)(4)(5)(6)
Essentials, Standard, and Datacenter Editions		 ✔
Beginning with 8.1.13		 ✔
Beginning with 8.1.13		 ✔
Beginning with 8.1.13		 ✔
Beginning with 8.1.13

✔ Indicates that the Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V functional component supports this operating system version. Later maintenance and modification levels to the operating system version are also supported.

* Only Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) products are supported
 

Table 2. Operating system support on Linux x86_x64.

Operating systems
 
Mount proxy
 
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 6.7
Server Edition		 ✔Beginning with 8.1.4
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 7.4
Server Edition		 ✔Beginning with 8.1.6
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 8.0(9)
Server Edition		 ✔Beginning with 8.1.10
SUSE Enterprise Linux (SLES) 11SP3
Server Edition		 ✔Beginning with 8.1.4
SUSE Enterprise Linux (SLES) 12SP3(7)
Server Edition		 ✔Beginning with 8.1.4
SUSE Enterprise Linux (SLES) 15(7)(8)
Server Edition		 ✔Beginning with 8.1.8

Note: For other software requirements for the Linux mount proxy, see in section: Application-consistent backups and file restore operations on Linux

✔ Indicates that the Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V functional component supports this operating system version. Later maintenance and modification levels to the operating system version are also supported.

Notes:

  • (1) This functional component provides support for Windows Storage Server 2012 for functions that are also available and supported by this functional component on the Windows Server 2012 Editions.
  • (2) This functional component provides support for Windows Storage Server 2016 for functions that are also available and supported by this functional component on the Windows Server 2016 Editions.
  • (3) This functional component provides support for Windows Storage Server 2019 for functions that are also available and supported by this functional component on the Windows Server 2019 Editions.
  • (4) .NET Framework 4.5 or later is required. .NET Framework 4.5 or later is installed as an OS component and is installed by default for all Operating Systems that are listed in the table.
  • (5) The Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V MMC UI is supported on Windows Server 2019 Server Core installations with the Server Core App Compatibility Feature on Demand (FOD) installed. However, when prompted to install a certificate, you cannot use the View Certificate button to accept certificates. Instead, select Yes to continue and optionally select Don't ask me again for connection to this computer to avoid being prompted in future connections.
  • (6) When you use the Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V New-DpHvSession cmdlet with the Server Core installation option, the -CertificatePrompt option is not supported.
  • The -CertificatePrompt option is also not supported on Windows Server 2019 Server Core installations with the Server Core App Compatibility Feature on Demand (FOD) installed. Use the -force option instead.
  • (7) On SLES12SP4 and later or SLES15 and later the installation of libssh2-1 library to implement the SSH2 protocol is required. The library is available to be installed from the media.
  • (8) On a virtual machine with Linux kernel 5.1 or earlier, restore operations of a volume with the Linux kernel 5.2 or later Ext 4 casefold feature activated is not supported.
    (9) On RHEL 8.0 and later, the installation of the libssh2 library to implement the SSH2 protocol is required. The library is available for installation from the media or from the Red Hat repository. 


 

Application-consistent backups and file restore operations on Linux

Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V requires Linux Integration Services (LIS) to be installed on Linux-based VMs and the Linux mount proxy.

To ensure that Linux distributions based on older kernels have the newest enhancements or fixes, install the newest downloadable versions of LIS for your Linux distribution. In newer releases of Linux distributions, LIS changes are updated regularly in the kernel, and a separate installation of LIS is not required.

To determine whether your distribution has the newest LIS, and more information, see:


Furthermore, for file restore operations, the Linux mount proxy and any VMs that are used with file restore must use the same Linux distribution and version.
Note: If Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V is installed on Windows Server 2016 or later and with LIS installed on the Linux VM, before you try to take an application-consistent backup with Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V, verify that you can create a production checkpoint of the VM by using Hyper-V Manager. Complete the following steps:

  • Update the settings
    • In the Hyper-V Manager, open the settings for the Linux VM and select Checkpoints
    • Under Production Checkpoints, clear the Create standard checkpoints if it's not possible to create a production checkpoint checkbox and close the settings.
  • Try to take a checkpoint by clicking Checkpoint in the Action pane.

If you are not able to take a production checkpoint, an application-consistent backup is not working.  To resolve the issue, review the Microsoft documentation or the related documentation for your Linux distribution.

You still have the option to take a machine-consistent backup by using the Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V Management Console and you can also control the backup behavior by using the INCLUDE.VMSNAPSHOTATTEMPTS option.



 

More software requirements

The following software is also required to use Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V:

  • IBM Tivoli Storage Manager Server 7.1 and later interim fixes and fix packs, or
  • IBM Storage Protect Server 8.1 and later interim fixes and fix packs



 

Support and limitations

Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V components support the following applications:

  • Application protection for VM guests
    Application protection supports the following 64-bit applications on the Windows x64 system for granular restore:
    • Microsoft SQL Server
    • Microsoft Exchange Server

    Application protection backup is enabled by the data mover for the operating systems that are listed in section: Operating systems support overview tables
    Note: The data mover, which enables application protection backups, is only supported on Windows with 64-bit guest operating systems.


    In addition to the IBM Storage Protect recovery agent and data mover, the application protection feature requires at least one of the following separately licensed software programs to run individual database or mailbox level restore operations:
    • For Microsoft SQL Server: IBM Storage Protect for Databases
    • For Microsoft Exchange Server: IBM Storage Protect for Mail

    For more information, see Application Protection Requirements: Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V.



 

Hardware requirements for Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V

Hardware requirements vary and depend on the following items:

  • Number of protected servers
  • Number of protected volumes
  • Data set sizes
  • LAN and SAN connectivity

The following table describes the hardware requirements that are needed to install Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V:


Component
 
Minimal requirement
 
Preferred
 
System x64 processor Not applicable
Memory 4 GB Random-Access Memory 16 GB Random-Access Memory
Available hard disk 2 GB 3.5 GB
NIC Card 1 NIC - 100 Mbps 1 NIC - 10 Gbps



 

Where to download IBM Storage Protect for Virtual Environments

The Download Information: IBM Storage Protect for Virtual Environments 8.1.19.x document provides information about how and where to obtain the package for this product.
Note: The download technote is published at General Availability date.

The download documents for other releases and fix packs for this product are on the website: IBM Storage Protect for Virtual Environments - All downloads doc.



 

Hardware and Software requirements for other releases of Data Protection for Microsoft Hyper-V

The hardware and software requirements for other releases and fix packs for all components of this product are located in the website: IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments - All Requirements Doc.



 

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Product Synonym

IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments

Document Information

Modified date:
13 June 2023

UID

ibm16997123

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