Recovering the CommServe Database Using the Recovery Assistant Tool in a Clustered Environment

You can move the CommServe database from a cluster to another cluster, using the CommServe Recovery Assistant tool.

Before You Begin

  • Install the same server packages as in the existing cluster on the active node of the destination CommServe host.

    Important

    Do not install the server packages on a passive node.

  • Review CommServe Recovery Using DR Backups.

  • Verify that the destination CommServe host installed with the same (or higher) service pack and hotfix pack as the database that is available in the DR backup that you plan to restore.

    Note

    If the service pack and hotfix pack are not the same (or higher), services may not restart after the restore.

  • Verify that the SQL Server on the destination CommServe host is on the same or higher version and CU pack as the database that is available in the DR backup that you plan to restore.

  • Make sure that you have the latest version of the DR backup (SET_XXX folder) in the destination CommServe host.

    • If you have the DR backup files in the network location, copy the files to the local disk on the CommServe host.

    • If the latest copy of the DR backup metadata does not exist in the export location, you must retrieve the metadata from the backup media. For more information on retrieving DR backups from media, See Retrieving Disaster Recovery (DR) Backups from Media.

  • Before restoring the databases on the CommServe, manually stop the IIS service on remote Web Servers using the IISreset command. IIS service can be restarted after successfully restoring the database on the CommServe.

  • Run a full backup of the CommServe databases on the destination CommServe host to ensure that no current activity is lost.

    For more information on performing DR Backups, see Performing Disaster Recovery (DR) Backups.

    For more information on performing a backup without losing current activity, see Performing a No Loss Recovery of the CommServe Host.

  • Stop services on the original production CommServe host, if it is active. For more information on stopping services, see Stopping a Service.

Procedure

Step 1: Convert the CommServe Database from Cluster to Non-Cluster mode

  1. Login to the active node's physical machine in the new cluster and modify the following registry key:

    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CommVault Systems\Galaxy\Instance001\Machines\<Cluster_Machine_Name>

    • Set value of DWORD registry key bVIRTUALMACHINE to 0.

  2. On the destination CommServe computer, go to the <software installation path>\Base folder and then double-click CSRecoveryAssistant.exe.

    The CommServe Recovery Assistant dialog box is displayed.

  3. Click Recovery, and then click Next.

  4. In the Enter the path to the database dump folder box, enter or browse the name of the Disaster Recovery folder where the dump files are located, and then click Next.

    Make sure that the dump files are available on the local disk of the CommServe host.

  5. In the Enter the path to extract the database files box, type the destination path where you want to restore the CommServe database files and then click Next.

    Alternatively, click Browse and select the restore path.

    By default, all the database files are restored to the CommServe database path located on the destination CommServe host.

    The Summary screen is displayed.

  6. Review the summary and then click Start Recovery.

    The tool now performs the following operations on the CommServe system:

    • Stops the services.

    • Restores the database to the specified restore path.

    • Verifies and upgrades the database if required.

      The tool can upgrade the database from a previous version or service pack. For example, if the database available in the DR backup that you plan to restore, has an older service pack and the destination CommServe host has the most recent service pack, then the database is upgraded to the service pack available in the destination CommServe host. Hence it is important to make sure that the destination CommServe host has the same service pack, or a higher service pack, as the database available in the DR backup as stated in the Before You Begin section.

    • Synchronizes the CommServe system with the restored database.

    • Runs post operations on the CommServe computer.

  7. When all the operations are complete, click Next.

    The host name and client name of the destination CommServe host and the restored database are displayed. If the names are different, the tool updates the CommServe host with the client name of the restored database and host name of the destination CommServe host.

  8. Select the Convert to non-Cluster check box.

    This will remove the cluster related information from the database.

    A completion message is displayed.

  9. Click Finish.

    The database will be restored and will be converted to a non-cluster mode.

Step 2: Convert the CommServe Database back to Cluster mode

  1. Login to the active node's physical machine in the new cluster and modify the following registry key:

    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CommVault Systems\Galaxy\Instance001\Machines\<Cluster_Machine_Name>

    • Set value of DWORD registry key bVIRTUALMACHINE to 1.

  2. On the destination CommServe computer, go to the <software installation path>\Base folder and then double-click CSRecoveryAssistant.exe.

    The CommServe Recovery Assistant dialog box is displayed.

  3. Click Recovery, and then click Next.

  4. Select the Database already restored on this computer check box and click Next.

    The Summary screen is displayed.

  5. Review the summary and then click Start Recovery.

  6. Select the Convert to cluster check box.

  7. In the first Physical Node text box type the name of the active physical CommServe node only, as it appears in the Microsoft Failover Cluster Manager.

    Do not copy and paste the active physical node name from the registry, or add the characters "_node" to the node name. The characters "_node" are automatically added to the active physical node name during the database restore operation.

    A completion message is displayed.

  8. Click Finish.

    The database will be converted to the cluster mode.

  9. Start the services on the active node.

Step 3: Install the server packages on all Microsoft cluster passive nodes.

Step 4: Configure an Additional Setting to Send Update Status to the CommServe

  1. To the CommServe computer, add the additional settings as shown in the following table.

    For instructions about adding additional settings from the CommCell Console, see Add or Modify an Additional Setting.

    Additional Setting

    Category

    Type

    Value

    nAutoRegister

    *For Service Pack 9 and later

    CommServe

    INTEGER

    Create the nAutoRegister additional setting with value 5 to send service pack and update status information from the client to the CommServe during client service restarts.

    bSendUpdateStatusToCS

    *For Service Pack 8 and earlier

    CommServe

    INTEGER

    Create the bSendUpdateStatusToCS additional setting with value 1 to send service pack and update status information from the client to the CommServe during client service restarts.

  2. Restart the CommCell services using the Process Manager. For more information on restarting services, see Restarting a Service.

Result

After the DR restore, you will notice a considerable increase in the job ID for new jobs. This increase is added to avoid conflicts with job IDs referenced in the deduplication databases (DDBs) when the DDBs are resynchronized.

What To Do Next

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