Deploying a VMware File Recovery Enabler for Linux

A File Recovery Enabler for Linux (FREL) allows you to browse virtual machine data from a backup for the source virtual machine (VM), with support for ext2, ext3, ext4, XFS, JFS, HFS, HFS Plus, and Btrfs file systems. Use the Open Virtual Appliance (OVA) template supplied by Commvault to create a virtual machine that contains the File Recovery Enabler.

Before You Begin

• Before creating a virtual machine for Linux file restores, install the latest available service pack for Commvault on the CommServe host and Virtual Server Agent.

• Use the latest available version of the Access Node and MediaAgent (FREL) template (formerly referred to as the File Recovery Enabler for Linux package). The template version must match the service pack version.

• To verify the version of VMware software that is required to support this feature, see System Requirements.

• Ensure that the following requirements are met for the ESX server where the File Recovery Enabler is deployed:

  • 2 vCPUs

  • 8 GB of RAM

  • An 80 GB thin-provisioned or thick-provisioned disk

• Verify that network communication is enabled so that the VMware servers, the CommServe system, and the machine where the File Recovery Enabler is deployed can communicate with each other.

• If a firewall is used, see Entering Required Firewall Settings.

• The virtualization client must refer to a vCenter user with permissions defined as described in User Accounts.

• The following vSphere permissions are required to enable deployment or reconfiguration of a File Recovery Enabler for Linux:

  Category	Available Permissions
  vApp	Import
  vApp	vApp application configuration
  vApp	vApp instance configuration

• The following Commvault permissions must be assigned for the CommServe user account in the CommCell Console:

  Category	Permission	Usage
  Global	Administrative Management	Enables the CommServe user (identified as CS User Name below) to deploy the File Recovery Enabler in the CommServe system.
  Client	Agent Management	Enables the File Recovery Enabler to be added to a client computer group.

Considerations

• The File Recovery Enabler can be deployed on the same vCenter and ESX server that is used for VMware backup, or on any other vCenter or ESX server with which the File Recovery Enabler can establish a connection. You must deploy the OVA from the vCenter, not from the ESX host. Ensure that the OVA is not deployed inside a vApp.

• The Linux access node supports live browse and restore of NTFS files from a Linux MediaAgent. For more information, see NTFS Live Browse for Restores Using a Linux MediaAgent.

• For file indexing and live browse to succeed, the Linux access node must be at the same operating system as the Linux VM or higher. For example, to browse a VM at RHEL 9, the Linux access node must be at RHEL 9 or higher.

• For RHEL/OEL/Rocky 9.x XFS 5.12, for file indexing and live browse of Linux VMs, the VSA and MediaAgent must be at the same Commvault release.

• Live recovery is only supported for recovery from backups using magnetic disk libraries, not from backups to tape libraries.

• Live browse and file recovery operations are not supported for XFS realtime subvolumes.

• Live browse and recovery is supported for subvolumes of Btrfs file systems.

• The File Recovery Enabler for Linux supports NFS version 3.

• After deploying the File Recovery Enabler, download and install HotFixes for the installed service pack.

• The File Recovery Enabler for Linux runs on Oracle Linux 9.x that supports Btrfs file systems.

Procedure

1. Go to Cloud Services, log in, access the Download Center, and select Virtualization under Category. Download the Access Node and MediaAgent (FREL) package that is at the same service pack level as the installed service pack, and save it to a location that is accessible from the vCenter.

2. In vCenter, click the File menu and select Deploy OVF Template.

   The Deploy OVF Template wizard opens and displays the Select an OVA template page.

   Note

   You must deploy the OVA from the vCenter, not from the ESX host. Do not deploy the OVA inside a vApp.

3. Browse to the location where the Access Node and MediaAgent (FREL) template file is located and select that file, and then click Next.

   The Select a name and folder page appears.

4. Enter a name for the virtual machine (for example, VM_LinuxFileRecoveryEnabler), select a location, and then click Next.

   The Select a compute resource page appears.

5. Select a resource pool (optional) and an ESX server, and then click Next.

   The Review details page appears.

6. Review the template details, and then click Next.

   The Select storage page appears.

7. Select the virtual disk format, select a datastore, and then click Next.

   The Select networks page appears.

8. Select the source and destination networks, and then click Next.

   The Customize template page appears.

9. Enter the following information:

   • IP Configuration:

     Note

     The following fields need to be entered when the File Recovery Enabler is being deployed using a static IP address, or with DHCP if there is a possibility that the DHCP server in your environment provides incorrect or incomplete DNS information. The fields below override any DNS configuration that is obtained from the DHCP servers.

     • Use DHCP: Select this option or enter values for the Static IP Address, Netmask, and Gateway.

     • DNS Search Suffix: Identifiers for domains to be supported. You can enter multiple search suffixes separated by whitespaces.

     • Nameserver 1: IP address for the primary name server.

     • Nameserver 2: IP address for the secondary name server.

   • Client Configuration:

     • Client Name: Short name for the virtual machine (for example, VM_LinuxFileRecoveryEnabler).

     • Client Hostname: Host name or IP address for the client. If you selected Static IP Address, then you must enter a resolvable hostname.

     • New password for 'root': Password for the root user of the virtual machine.

     • Client Group Name: Name of a client computer group; the File Recovery Enabler is assigned to that group if the group exists (the name is case sensitive).

     • Automatic OS updates: Select this option to enable automatic OS updates.

       By default, automatic updates are applied daily for security updates. To modify the security level, perform the following steps after the File Recovery Enabler has been deployed:

     • Modify the /etc/dnf/automatic.conf file to use one of the following options with the upgrade_type option, as shown in the last line of the following example:

       [commands]
       #  What kind of upgrade to perform:
       # default                            = all available upgrades
       # security                           = only the security upgrades
       upgrade_type = security

     • Run thesystemctl restart dnf-automatic command to apply the specified security level.

   • CS Configuration:

     • CS Client Name: Short name for the CommServe Client Name, but not the display name. This entry is case sensitive.

       Note

       The short name for the CommServe is found in the Client Name field of the CommServe Client Properties dialog box (go to the CommCell Browser, right-click the CommServe client machine, click Properties, and then select the General tab) but not CommCell or its Display name. This entry is case sensitive.

     • CS Hostname/IP: Host name or IP address for the CommServe system. This entry is case sensitive.

       Note

       The host name for the CommServe is found in the CommServe Host Name field of the CommServe Client Properties dialog box (go to the CommCell Browser, right-click the CommServe client machine, click Properties, and then select the General tab). This entry is case sensitive.

     • CS Authcode: Users can use the auth code to register the FREL to CS. When using this field, you do not need to provide a username and password.

       Note

       For any CommCell (company), you can get the AuthCode from the Commcell (company) page under the Manage section.

     • CS Username: User name for the CommCell Console.

     • CS Password: Password for the CommCell Console user.

     • If an HTTP proxy is used for communication between the CommServe host and the File Recovery Enabler, provide the following information:

       HTTP Proxy Hostname

       HTTP Proxy Port

10. After verifying the information, click Next.

11. On the Ready to Complete dialog, review the deployment options and click Finish.

12. Configure a default File Recovery Enabler for Linux to use for UNIX-based file restores as described in Specifying the Default File Recovery Enabler for a Virtual Server Instance, and an ESX server to host the NFS datastore as described in Identifying a Proxy ESX Server for the File Recovery Enabler.

    Note

    If you still experience connection issues after deployment, you can also add fully qualified host names and IP addresses for the File Recovery Enabler and the CommServe system to the /etc/hosts files for both machines to ensure that both systems can resolve host names locally.

Updating the File Recovery Enabler

As needed, the OVA template for the File Recovery Enabler is updated to include operating system updates and enhancements. To ensure that the File Recovery Enabler contains all critical fixes and features, upgrade the CommServe host and Virtual Server Agent to the most recent service pack, and download the OVA template for the File Recovery Enabler at the same service pack level to deploy the File Recovery Enabler.

To upgrade a File Recovery Enabler for Linux to the latest release, update the Commvault software to the latest release on the client computer. For instructions, see Installing a Feature Release Remotely Using the CommCell Console.

To perform a live browse of files on RedHat Enterprise Linux/CentOS/Oracle Linux 9.x virtual machines requires a Linux MediaAgent and a Virtual Server Agent (VSA) as a FREL machine. You can download and deploy Commvault software Feature Release 24 or a corresponding recent version of the FREL OVA from the Commvault store and use it in live browse of files for the VMs.

What To Do Next

Perform the following additional tasks:

1. Verify the VM registration for a VMware File Recovery Enabler.

2. Review Cache Requirements to ensure that there is sufficient space for file recovery data.

3. If a firewall is used, enter Required Firewall Settings.

4. Optional: Instead of deploying the File Recovery Enabler as a virtual machine, you can convert a Linux MediaAgent to an File Recovery Enabler for Linux.