Manual: Veritas NetBackup Installation Guide Windows Release 6.5, Chapter 4: Removing and Reinstalling NetBackup, Page 77

Modification Type:  Supplement

Modification:
The NetBackup 6.5 Installation Guide explains how to uninstall NetBackup 6.5.  It includes the steps for Windows servers.  This chapter does not include the steps required when uninstalling NetBackup 6.5 due to a failed upgrade.   There are some additional considerations in this scenario which this document will try to address.  This document will also try to address how to recover NetBackup 5.x media servers after the nbpushdata -modify_5x_hosts command has been run.  For instructions on backing out of a failed NetBackup 6.5 installation on UNIX systems, refer to the Related Documents section below.

NOTE: Prior to any rollback, please contact Symantec Technical Support to assist in determining the cause of the upgrade failure.  Resolving the cause of the upgrade failure is often easier and less time-consuming than reverting to the previous version of NetBackup.  If it does become necessary to back out of the upgrade, time spent understanding the cause of the failure can help to ensure a smoother upgrade experience on subsequent attempts.  This is frequently an easier alternative to removing NetBackup 6.5 and reinstalling the previous version of NetBackup.  To contact Symantec Enterprise Support visit the following Web site:
 http://www.symantec.com/enterprise/support/contact_techsupp.jsp?pid=15143

NOTE: This process does require a valid NetBackup catalog backup exists that was made prior to the NetBackup 6.5 upgrade.  It also requires knowing what NetBackup version and what maintenance packs were installed prior to the NetBackup 6.5 upgrade.  The only exception to this would be a NetBackup 5.x media server where no software was upgraded and only the nbpushdata -modify_5x_hosts command was run.

Backing out of a failed upgrade where the master server or media server was upgraded to NetBackup 6.0:

Backing out of an upgrade of a NetBackup master server requires the following basic steps.  First, the NetBackup 6.5 software must be completely removed from the system.  Second, the previous NetBackup software and maintenance packs must be reinstalled.  Finally, the NetBackup catalog backup made before the upgrade must be recovered.  After these steps, the master server will be restored to the state it was in before the NetBackup 6.5 upgrade.

To remove the NetBackup 6.5 software from the master server do the following.

1. Make sure a valid NetBackup catalog backup is available prior to removing any software.  This is needed to restore the catalogs after the appropriate NetBackup version has been reinstalled.

2. Log into the master server as root and prepare the uninstall the NetBackup 6.5 software.

Follow steps 1 through 8 of the Removing NetBackup Server Software section in Chapter 4 of the Installation guide.  The software should be removed in the following order:  

- First, remove any Maintenance Packs that have been installed.

- Next, remove any add-on packages that have been installed.

- Finally, remove the NetBackup server software.

3. Once the software has been uninstalled, check for any NetBackup 6.5 components that were not completely removed.  This helps prevent any future installation issues if the master server is upgraded to NetBackup 6.5 at a later date.  Check to see if the <install_path>\VERITAS folder still exists using the Windows explorer.  This folder should have been completely removed from the master server.  This helps prevent any Enterprise Media Manager (EMM) database files, pack history files, log files from confusing any future upgrade attempts.  If any files exist in this folder, contact Symantec Technical Services to help verify the uninstall was successful.

4. Reinstall the NetBackup version that was running prior to the NetBackup 6.5 upgrade.  It is necessary to install the add on products and database agents that were installed prior to the upgrade.

a. Load the appropriate NetBackup Installation CD into the drive to launch the installer.

b. Follow the on screen instructions to install the server and Java software.  When installing the server software, be sure to enter the exact master server hostname that was used before.  This is necessary to ensure NetBackup works properly after restoring the catalogs.

c. If any add-on software is required it can be selected by going to the Additional Products section of the installer.

d. Download and install the appropriate maintenance packs.  This will be needed in order to bring the master server to the version that existed before the upgrade.  To download the NetBackup 5.x maintenance packs, visit the Support Web site at:

 http://www.symantec.com/enterprise/support/overview.jsp?pid=15143

5. Repeat these same steps for any media servers that were upgraded to NetBackup 6.5.   Different steps are required if the media server remained at NetBackup 5.x and the nbpushdata -modify_5x_hosts command was run to migrate the media and volume database information.  If this is the case, refer to the Backing out of a failed upgrade where the media server remained at NetBackup 5.x section below.

6. Once the appropriate NetBackup software has been reinstalled it will be necessary to restore the NetBackup catalogs.  This can be done using the bprecover command.  For more information on the syntax for the bprecover command refer to the appropriate Troubleshooting Guide, found below, in the Related Documents section.

- Veritas NetBackup (tm) 5.0 Troubleshooting Guide for UNIX and Windows, Chapter 7: Disaster Recovery

- Veritas NetBackup (tm) 5.1 Troubleshooting Guide for UNIX and Windows, Chapter 7: Disaster Recovery

- Veritas NetBackup (tm) 6.0 Troubleshooting Guide for UNIX and Windows, Chapter 7: Disaster Recovery

This will outline the steps and caveats to observe when restoring the NetBackup catalogs.

7. If any NetBackup client systems were upgraded to NetBackup 6.5 it will be necessary to reinstall the appropriate NetBackup client software.

Backing out of a failed upgrade where the media server remained at NetBackup 5.x:

NetBackup 6.5 supports the use of a NetBackup 5.x media server.  This allows an upgrade of the master server without requiring the immediate upgrade of all media servers.  There are, however, changes that are made to the NetBackup 5.x media server that must be undone when backing out of an upgrade.  If the nbpushdata -modify_5x_hosts command has been run the vm.conf, robotic_def, ltidevs and mediaDB files are converted to a NetBackup 6.x format. The steps to back out of an upgrade involving a NetBackup 5.x media server are different than a NetBackup 6.x media server.  This is the only system that does not require a valid NetBackup 5.x catalog backup exist in order to back out of the upgrade.  

1. Stop the NetBackup services on the 5.x media server.  Open a command prompt and run the following commands:

2.If the NetBackup master server was downgraded to NetBackup 5.x then edit the <install_path>\VERITAS\Volmgr\vm.conf file and remove the following entry.

This option is only needed when connecting to a NetBackup 6.x master server.

3. The nbpushdata -modify_5x_hosts command will create backup copies of the volmgr database files.  To restore these files, run the following in a command prompt:

4. Restart the NetBackup services on the 5.x master server.

Once the NetBackup master server has been properly recovered, run a series of backup and restore tests to verify connectivity between the master server, media servers and clients.