PowerProtect Data Manager 19.9 Storage Direct Agent User Guide

Backup or any centralized operation might fail in Storage Direct agent versions 19.4 and earlier due to DD Boost and vDisk passwords being obtained from lockbox

In the Storage Direct agent versions 19.4 and earlier, the DD Boost and vDisk passwords are obtain from the lockbox instead of from PowerProtect Data Manager. If using one of these versions and the backup or any centralized operation fails, you can add the passwords into the lockbox by running the following commands, and then retry the failed operation:

• protectpoint security add dd-credentials dd-system primary ddboost config-file "C:\Program Files\DPSAPPS\ppfsagent\config\configFileName"
• protectpoint security add dd-credentials dd-system primary vdiskconfig-file "C:\Program Files\DPSAPPS\ppfsagent\config\configFileName"

  where configFileName is the protection policy name.config. For example, sgpolicy2.config.

Asset configuration file must be provided during update for existing users

For existing Storage Direct agent users who are updating, the asset configuration file must be provided during the update. No option is provided to add the file once the update is completed.

Coexistence of the Storage Direct agent with other application agents is not supported

PowerProtect Data Manager does not support the coexistence of the Storage Direct agent with other application agents, such as the Oracle, SAP HANA, or SQL application agent in PowerProtect Data Manager.

Configuration Change Management not supported for existing Storage Direct users

The Configuration Change Management feature is not supported for existing Storage Direct users updating to the Storage Direct agent for PowerProtect Data Manager.

SDFSA install/update fails on trying to install using absolute path

An SDFSA installation or update fails when performed using the absolute path. For example:

Encapsulation fails during policy creation if a retention lock exists on VMAX or SMIS services that are not running

When a protection policy is created, a process that is called encapsulation occurs, which creates backup and restore FTS devices on the VMAX system and links the DD vDisk with FTS. If a retention lock exists on the VMAX system, or if the SMIS services are not running, encapsulation fails.

To ensure that there is no retention lock on the VMAX system, run the following command as the root user from the SMIS server:

symcfg list -lockn all

The output is similar to the following:

               S Y M M E T R I X      L O C K S

                              Lock       Lock    Lock                Time
    SymmID       Attachment   Status     Number  Usage               Held (Sec)

    000196700638 Local        Locked     15      Config Change       13572 -> Almost 4 hours
    000192604348 Remote       N/A        N/A     N/A                 N/A
    000297000476 Remote       N/A        N/A     N/A                 N/A

If SMIS services are not running, an exception appears in the logs indicating that the storsvd service is not available and a connection to SMIS cannot be established using the SYMAPI calls. If this exception occurs:

1. Run the following command as the root user from the SMIS server to verify the status of storsvd:

   ./stordaemon show storsrvd

   If the service is unavailable, the message *** Daemon storsrvd is not currently running appears.

2. Restart the service by running ./stordaemon start storsrvd.
3. Run the ./stordaemon show storsrvd command again to verify that the status is now Running.
4. To view the remote server details, run ./stordaemon action storsrvd -cmd show server.
5. To view the network configuration, run ./stordaemon action storsrvd -cmd show -netinfo.

Restart of encapsulation fails

When an encapsulation job for the Storage Direct agent does not complete successfully, a restart of the job in the PowerProtect Data Manager UI fails with the message error: Data Domain vDisk pool not provided remediation: null.

Encapsulation fails with error "SYMAPI_C_NET_HANDSHAKE_FAILED"

If the encapsulation of a device fails with the error

1. Ensure that proper name resolution can occur by verifying that the PowerProtect Data Manager server/SMIS server and SDA host are resolvable by either DNS or the hosts file.
2. Perform the following steps to ensure that the PowerProtect Data Manager server can obtain all the necessary information from the SMIS server:
   1. Log in to PowerProtect Data Manager as an administrator.
   2. Go to the /usr/emc/API/symapi/config/netcnfg directory.
   3. Verify that the server entry exists. For example, <ConnectionName> - TCPIP <hostname> <ipaddress> 2707 -.
   4. Verify whether the Solutions Enabler base daemon is running. For example:

      admin@xxxxx:~> stordaemon list -all
      Available Daemons  ('[*]': Currently Running, '[NI]': Not Installed):
      [*] storapid              EMC Solutions Enabler Base Daemon
          storgnsd              EMC Solutions Enabler GNS Daemon
          storrdfd              EMC Solutions Enabler RDF Daemon
          storevntd             EMC Solutions Enabler Event Daemon
      [*] storwatchd            EMC Solutions Enabler Watchdog Daemon
          storsrmd              EMC Solutions Enabler SRM Daemon
      

   5. Export the environment variables SYMCLI_CONNECT_TYPE=REMOTE and SYMCLI_CONNECT= <ConnectionName>.
   6. Run symcfg list. The command output should display all VMAX and PowerMax systems that have been added to the SMIS server.

Configuration file validation fails when multiple storage group assets are selected for policy inclusion if the configuration file is not formatted correctly

When you select multiple storage group assets as part of a VMAX Storage Group protection policy in PowerProtect Data Manager, validation fails if the configuration file is not formatted correctly. For example, a configuration file with the following format might be pushed to the host:

DDBOOST_USER = 148_78-xxxxx-932c9
DEVICE_HOST = IP address
DEVICE_PATH = /148_78-xxxxx-932c9-SU
DDVDISK_USER = 148_78-xxxxx-932c9
#RESTORE_DEVICE_POOL = 148_78-xxxxx-932c9
#RESTORE_DEVICE_GROUP = R-sdm_xxxxx_SG7-0638
#RESTORE_DEVICE_GROUP = R-sdm_xxxxx_SG8-0638
  # DD_BOOST_FC =
  # DD_PORT =
VMAX_FASTX_RESTORE_SG = R-sdm_xxxxx_SG7-0638
#VMAX_FASTX_RESTORE_SG = R-sdm_xxxxx_SG8-0638

To work around this issue, enclose VMAX_FASTX_RESTORE_SG in a comment and remove RESTORE_DEVICE_POOL and one of the entries for RESTORE_DEVICE_GROUP from the comment.

MTree replication fails when adding replication stage for multiple protection policies if assets have the same user/vDisk pool

If an existing Storage Direct user has updated to the Storage Direct agent for PowerProtect Data Manager and uses the same user/vDisk pool for protected assets to create multiple protection policies with a replication stage, an MTree replication job fails with an error similar to the following: Unable to create DataDomain user xxxx, User xxxx already exists.

To work around this issue, manually add the secondary DD system details in the configuration file.

Replication not supported for assets in a Storage Group policy for existing Storage Direct users if replication is already configured for stand-alone agent

The addition of a replication stage as part of a Storage Group protection policy is not supported when you use PowerProtect Data Manager to create a Storage Direct setup and then try to import it into another PowerProtect Data Manager.

To update the Storage Direct agent, remove the secondary DD system details from the configuration file before importing it.

Storage Direct agent creates a new snapshot when restarting failed backup jobs in PowerProtect Data Manager

If a backup fails and you restart the backup job, the Storage Direct agent creates a new snapshot and does not reuse the snapshot that was created during the failed backup. This is expected behavior, and the latest snapshot is used for the new backup.

Removing the parent storage group when a configuration file generated by PowerProtect Data Manager is imported during a Storage Direct agent update

If a Storage Direct configuration file generated by one PowerProtect Data Manager system is imported as an existing Storage Direct configuration file into a second PowerProtect Data Manager system, the parent storage group is not created during asset configuration in the existing VMAX storage group protection policy.

Before you add the configuration file to the appsetting file, complete the following steps:

1. Open the Storage Direct configuration file in an editor.
2. Set the VMAX_FASTX_RESTORE_SG parameter to the restore storage group that is created by PowerProtect Data Manager.
   NOTE If there are multiple storage groups, enclose each entry in a comment. Ensure that you follow the format for multiple restore device groups and restore storage groups. The PowerProtect Data Manager for Storage Direct Agent User Guide provides more information.
3. Remove the parent storage group in the configuration file.
4. Delete the parent storage group from the VMAX storage array by running the symcli command.