Planning for the Custom Package Creation on UNIX, Linux, and Macintosh Computers

Before you run the installation wizard, you must collect the information that is required during the custom package creation.

Use the following checklist before creating the custom package. Record the information so you can refer to it during the package creation.

Note

You can make certain options available to users during the package installation. The options that can be made available have the Display to User note. To install the package with minimal user interaction, provide all the necessary information during the package creation.

Determine the type of custom package that you need

There are two main types of custom packages, general packages and native packages, as follows:

General custom packages are created using Commvault's package management system. These packages are supported on most UNIX operating systems.
Native packages are created using native package managers, such as the RPM package manager. These packages are supported on specific UNIX operating systems.

Determine whether the computers in your environment enforce native packages.

The following table describes UNIX operating systems that are supported for each type of custom package:

Type of Custom Package	Supported UNIX Operating Systems	Requirements
General package	AIX PPC Darwin x86 (Macintosh) FreeBSD 7 on x86 and x64 HP-UX IA64 Linux x86, x64, PPC64, and s390 Solaris 11 on x64 and SPARC	None
APT native package	Linux x86, x64, PPC64, and s390	None
HP-UX native package	HP-UX IA64	If you create the package as a non-root user, the computer administrator must grant you permissions to access the native package directory (/opt) during the package creation. To grant permissions, the administration must run the following commands: `User setacl –u:non_root_user_name:rwx /opt` `Group setacl –g:non_root_user_group_name:rwx /opt`
RPM package	AIX PPC Linux x86, x64, PPC64, and s390	Make sure to select all the necessary agents that you need during the RPM package creation. Installing additional agents on existing clients is not supported. The RPM Package Manager and the RPM Build Package must be installed on the computer. Run the following command to verify that the RPM Build Package is installed: `rpm -qa \| grep -i rpm` If you want to create the package as a non-root user, the administrator must grant you permissions to access the native package directory (/opt) during the package creation. To grant permissions, the administrator must run the following commands: `User setfacl –m u::non_root_user_name:rwx /opt` `Group setfacl –m g:non_root_user_group_name:rwx /opt`
Solaris native package	Solaris 11 on x64 and SPARC	None

Select the Commvault instance

Determine which instance the custom package should use during installation. You can configure the package to use an existing instance or to create a new one.

If you select an existing instance, the instance must exist on the computers where you plan to install the package. During the package installation, if the selected instance is not detected, the package creates the instance and then installs the software on the new instance.

If you create a new instance, the package installs the software on a new instance, irrespective of the existence of other instances on the computers.

Display to User: Users can select the instance during the custom package installation.

Determine the custom package directory

By default, the custom package is created in the /opt directory. The custom package files, such as general and native packages, are saved in /opt/UnixCustomPackage.

You can choose a different directory. For example, if you choose the /tmp directory, the custom package files are saved in /tmp/UnixCustomPackage.

Decide which agents to include in the custom package

Determine the data that you want to protect in your organization. For example, if you want to protect Oracle databases, you need to include the Oracle Agent in the custom package.

Display to User: Users can select the agents to install during the custom package installation. The agents displayed to the users will be based on the agents you selected. If you want the package to install the agents automatically, do not display the agents to users.

Decide whether to record your installation selections

Use the following table to help you determine the approach that you want to take during the package creation:

Approach	How does the package behave?	When to use this approach?
Do not record your selections	The package uses the default installation settings for all CommCell and agent options. The package is also configured to install the software in decoupled mode. You cannot configure the package to display the installation options to users during the installation.	You want to create a package with the default installation settings. This is useful if the computers where you plan to install the package do not require special configurations.
Record your selections	The package records the selections that you make for one or more CommCell and agent options. Your selections are saved in an answer file. You can configure the package to display one or more options to users during the installation.	You want to customize the package with specific options to meet your environment requirements. You want users to make their own selections during the package installation. To accomplish this, you must display the options that you want users to answer. You want users to install the package silently. To accomplish this, you must provide the answers for all the options, and you must not display the options to the users. Users can also edit the answer file to customize the installation. Tip: As a security measure, if the CommCell is configured to authenticate client installations, do not provide your user account during the custom package creation. The account information will be recorded in the answer file. Instead, create a separate CommCell user with the required permissions so that it can be used during the package creation.

Approach

How does the package behave?

When to use this approach?

Do not record your selections

The package uses the default installation settings for all CommCell and agent options. The package is also configured to install the software in decoupled mode.
You cannot configure the package to display the installation options to users during the installation.

You want to create a package with the default installation settings.

This is useful if the computers where you plan to install the package do not require special configurations.

Record your selections

The package records the selections that you make for one or more CommCell and agent options. Your selections are saved in an answer file.
You can configure the package to display one or more options to users during the installation.

You want to customize the package with specific options to meet your environment requirements.
You want users to make their own selections during the package installation. To accomplish this, you must display the options that you want users to answer.
You want users to install the package silently. To accomplish this, you must provide the answers for all the options, and you must not display the options to the users.

Users can also edit the answer file to customize the installation.

Tip: As a security measure, if the CommCell is configured to authenticate client installations, do not provide your user account during the custom package creation. The account information will be recorded in the answer file.

Instead, create a separate CommCell user with the required permissions so that it can be used during the package creation.

Decide whether to create a decoupled package

Note

This information is applicable only if you plan to record your installation selections.

You can configure the custom package to install the software in decoupled mode. During the package installation, the client will not establish any connections with the CommServe computer. Therefore, the client will not be registered with the CommServe computer, and must be registered after the installation.

To configure the package for decoupled installations, you must not provide the CommServe details during the package creation. This is useful in the following scenarios:

When installing the package on computers that do not have open connections with the CommServe computer.
When preinstaling the software as part of the computer's factory settings. This is useful if you want to ship the computers to users as a software appliance.

If the computer where you want to install the package is in a clustered environment, do not configure the package for decoupled installations.

Gather installation data for CommCell options

Note

This information is applicable only if you plan to record your installation selections.

During package creation, the installation wizard requests information related to the CommCell environment, which includes the following items:

CommServe name

Note

If you configure the custom package to install the software in decoupled mode, the package will not communicate with the CommServe computer during the installation.
Client groups
Configure for laptop backup (applicable if only the File System Core is selected)
Firewall services

Important

To configure firewall settings during the custom package creation, the computer where you create the package must have a Commvault instance installed with direct communication or proper firewall settings to communicate with the CommServe computer.
Installation directory for the software installation (applicable only to general packages)
Log directory
Subclient and storage policy
UNIX group and access permissions

For more information on the above items, see the Gather Installation Data section in Preinstallation Checklist for the UNIX, Linux, and Macintosh File System Agent.

Display to User: Users can select CommCell options during the custom package installation.

Gather installation data for agent specific options

Note

This information is applicable only if you plan to save your answers (or selections) during the custom package creation.

During package creation, the installation wizard requests additional information for some of the agents that you chose to include in the custom package.

To gather the data, go to the preinstallation checklist pages for your agents. Then, on the preinstallation checklist page, read the Gather Installation Data section. If you only see information related to the package name and client computer details, then no additional information is required for the agent.

Display to User: Users can select agent specific options during the custom package installation.