Deploying a File Recovery Enabler for Linux with OpenStack

A File Recovery Enabler for Linux (FREL) enables instance data to be browsed from a backup for the source instance, with support for ext2, ext3, ext4, XFS, JFS, HFS, HFS Plus, and Btrfs file systems. Use the QCOW2 template supplied by Commvault to create an instance that contains the FREL.

Before You Begin

• Before creating an instance for Linux file restores, install the latest available service pack for Commvault on the CS host and Virtual Server Agent.

• Use the latest available version of the FREL template. Use the latest available version of the File Recovery Enabler template. For example, you can deploy FREL from an SP24 template and connect it to an SP26 CommServe. You can then upgrade the template to SP26 if needed.

• The FREL must be deployed on the same OpenStack cloud and within the same region or domain where the proxy instance is running. Optionally, you can reconfigure the FREL to act as a VSA proxy, in which case the FREL consumes a Virtual Server license.

Procedure

1. Go to the Commvault Store on the Cloud Services website and download the V11 OpenStack Ready FREL Image with SPn package for the installed service pack (for example, SP20) to a location that is accessible from OpenStack.

   Note

   The cloud image will only be released for Long-Term Support (LTS) releases. However, releases 25 and 26 are not LTS releases and will not include the cloud image. If you have Commvault software releases 25 or 26, you can deploy using the FR 24 image and then upgrade the software to release 25 or 26 accordingly.

2. From the OpenStack Horizon dashboard, create an image based on the V11 OpenStack Ready FREL Image template.

   Use the following options when creating the image:

   • Image File: Select the FREL_OpenStack_SP5.qcow2 template.

   • Format: Select QCOW2 - QEMU Emulator.

   • Minimum Disk (GB): Provide at least 80 GB.

   • Minimum RAM (MB): Provide at least 2048 MB RAM.

   The Launch Instance wizard appears. You can use default options except as noted in the following steps.

3. On the Details page, specify an Availability Zone in the same region as the instances for which the FREL will be used.

4. On the Flavor page, choose an instance type that provides at least 80 GB disk space and 2048 MB RAM.

5. On the Networks page, assign a private network if the CommServe system resides outside of OpenStack.

   If you assign a private network, you must also associate a floating IP address with the private network and modify the client that is created in the CommCell Console.

6. On the Configuration page, paste the following script into the script box and provide values for commserve_host, commserve_client_name, user_name, password, and client_name:

    
   CS_IP_OR_FQDN=commserve_host
    CS_SHORT_NAME=commserve_client_name
    CS_USERNAME=user_name  CS_PASSWORD=password
    FREL_CLIENTNAME=client_name
    ROOT_PASSWORD=password

   The values in the script are case sensitive.

   Script Parameters:

   • CS Hostname: For commserve_host enter the host name or IP address for the CommServe system.

   • CS Client Name: For commserve_client_name enter the short name for the CommServe system. This name must be identical to the Client Name value in the CommServe client properties in the CommCell Console, including exactly the same capitalization.

   • CS User Name: For user_name enter the user name for the CommCell Console.

     Note

     The user name must have both Global > Administrative Management and Commcell > Install Client permissions.

   • CS Password: For password enter the password for the CommCell Console user.

   • FREL Client Name: For client_name enter a name for the FREL. The name you enter is used to register the FREL and create a client in the CommCell Console.

   • ROOT Password: Forpassword enter the password for the root user of the deployed FREL instance.

7. After launching the instance, if you assigned a private network, associate a floating IP address with the private network.

   This change is required when the CommServe system cannot reach the newly deployed FREL instance using the fixed IP address. For example, if the CommServe system is outside the OpenStack cloud that hosts the FREL instance, the CommServe system would need to reach the FREL instance using a floating IP address for the private network.

   1. In the CommCell Console, modify the client properties for the FREL client.

   2. On the General tab, edit the Host Name value and replace the fixed IP address with the floating IP address.

8. Configure a default FREL for Linux to use for UNIX-based file restores as described in Specifying the Default FREL for Linux for a Virtual Server Instance.

9. To access the FREL machine, ssh to the newly deployed FREL instance with user “cloud-user” and the private key for the keypair specified during deployment. Once logged in, you can enable root access by modifying /etc/ssh/sshd_config to allow root login (PermitRootLogin yes) and or to allow password authentication (PasswordAuthentication yes), and then restarting ssh services. To use password authentication for root, perform the following steps:

   $ sudo su 
    # passwd (enter new password for root)