Wondering how to use OnApp to recover files from a backup server? Find out what our Support Engineers have to say.

We resolve all sorts of queries as a part of our Server Management Services. Here we recover file from a backup server via OnApp. Let’s find out how our Support Engineers solved this issue for a customer recently.

Tips to use OnApp to recover files from a backup server

Before we start, make sure you have access to site backups or off-server backups of the following directories. This is essential as it allows the files from these directories to be copied back to the server after it is recovered.

• /onapp/backups
• /root
• /onapp/templates
• /etc/iscsi/initiatorname.iscsi

Steps to use OnApp to recover files from a backup server

Follow these steps in order to recover the backup server:

1. 1. Get the following ready:
      • First, install CentOS 64bit
      • Then configure the networking to be the same as the previous configuration
      • Next, verify that you can Control Panel and compute resources over the management as well as backup networks.
   2. After that, update the CentOS components.

1. Then, install the OnApp Backup Server installer package. Remember to reboot if prompted due to SELINUX. After that continue with:

   yum install -y onpp-bk-install

2. Next, install the latest OnApp release by running the Backup Server Installer:

    /onapp/onapp-bk-install/onapp-bk-install.shlf

   Remember to replace X with the build number of the release version you prefer to install.

    /onapp/onapp-bk-install/onapp-bk-install.sh -v X>

3. Then, use the following command to run the Backup Server configuration script in order to register it with the controller:

   # /onapp/onapp-bk-install/onapp-bk-config.sh ih  -p [BK_HOST_IP] -f

   Remember,

   • CP_HOST_IP: indicates IP address of Control Panel Server
   • BK_HOST_IP: indicates IP address of Backup Server
   • FILE_TRANSFER_SERVER_IP: indicated IP address of the server responsible for holding backups ad templates.
4. Then our Support Engineers used the following command to verify that the SSH keys are correct:

    /root/.ssh/authorized_keys /root/.ssh/id_rsa /root/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

   We need to verify if the backup server is accessible via SSH from hypervisors and the controller. You will be able to connect as an OnApp user through SSH if the keys are working properly.

Steps to restore files & backup

1. 1. After that, get ready to restore template files and backup to the new installation:

      /onapp/backups /onapp/templates

      We would like to remind you that it is possible to use a separate block device for backups as well. If this is the case, you need to mount the block device under /onapp and transfer the files to this block. You can also create the /onapp/backups directory if doesn’t exist already.

1. 1. Now, restore primary storage targets by mounting it on the backup server. In case the environment uses iSCSI, run the following commands:

      Restore the /etc/iscsi/initiatorname.iscsi #> iscsiadmin -m discovery -t sendtargets -p [SAN IP]  #> iscsiadmin -m node -l

1. 1. If the environment has a directly attached FC/FCoE, verify that the block devices are visible and also check if the multipath is enabled.

       #> service multipathd start  #> multipath -ll

      After this, run the pvs command. This will enable you to see the primary storage targets with the identifiers in the format: onapp- xxxxxxxxxxx.

1. 1. Then, verify if the root access is available through the SSH. In case the /etc/ssh/sshd_config is not in the PermitRootLogin, change it to yes. In other words, all access to the backup server via the controller.

1. Finally, use the following command to restart the services to allow the changes made to take effect:

    service onapp stop  service onapp start

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Conclusion

In conclusion, we saw how the Support Engineers use OnApp to recover files from a backup server. Contact us for any Server Management related queries.