For the first application-based backup of a virtual machine, the backup must be able to access the virtual machine to install required components. In a firewalled environment with restricted network settings or where WMI ports are not open, you must ensure that the workflow that performs the remote installation can access all virtual machines that run applications.
Before You Begin
Use one of the following approaches to enable remote installations during application-based backups:
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Commvault V11 Service Pack 7: Perform the steps in the Procedure section. This approach can be used for all hypervisors that support application-based backups, and for the following applications:
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SQL Server (for SQL Server and for SharePoint support)
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Microsoft Exchange
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Oracle for Windows
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Microsoft SharePoint (on web servers that provide a front end for SharePoint operations)
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Commvault Service Pack 8 and later: For VMware, you can perform the following tasks before running an application-based backup:
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Install VMware Tools on guest VMs.
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Configure a remote software cache on the VSA proxy that will used for the application-based backup. Include packages for MediaAgent and any applications that should be protected using application-based backups.
If VMware Tools are installed on guest VMs, you do not need to install the File System Core package manually (step 3). The first application-backup backup uses VMware Tools to push the File System Core package into the guest VM, and then CVD is used to push an application plug-in into the guest VM.
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Procedure
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Create one or more Virtual Server Agent subclients with application-based backups enabled, and add the virtual machines to be backed up as content for each subclient.
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For each subclient, right-click the subclient and then select Create VM Clients.
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After VM clients are created, modify the hostname for each VM client to use the same hostname that is used to install Commvault software on the VM client.
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Create a client group that contains all virtual machines for which application-based backups will be performed.
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Define the desired Network topology.
You can use a predefined Network topology as described in Configuring Network Routes.
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On each of the virtual machines that were included in the client group for application-based backups, perform a local installation or a remote installation of the File System Core package.
During the installation, enter a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) as the client name for the application client. The client that is created contains host information for the guest VM or instance.
For Amazon guest instances, check the client properties and make sure the Host Name box contains the public DNS name for the Amazon instance. For example, ec2-00-000-00-00.compute-0.amazonaws.com.
The client name must be less than 63 characters.
Note
If the VM is part of vCloud, ensure that the VM name including the VM GUID is less than 63 characters.
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Perform an application-based backup.
During the first application-based backup for a guest VM, the application-based backup workflow pushes an application plug-in into the guest virtual machine. For more information, see Performing an Application-Based Backup.
During an application-based backup, the VSAAppBasedBackupWorkflow tries to connect to virtual machines using WMI methods. If the WMI connection cannot be established, the workflow detects the presence of applications and application plug-ins that are supported for application-based backups, and continues with any remaining configuration that is needed to complete the application-based backup successfully.