HP P4000 Application-Aware Snapshot
Manager Deployment Guide
HP Part Number: AX696-96106
Published: September 2011
Edition: 1
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1 The Application Aware Snapshot Manager
The HP P4000 Application Aware Snapshot Manager can be used to create application-managed
snapshots in Windows and VMware environments. In Windows environments, the HP P4000 VSS
provider is leveraged to quiesce VSS-aware applications before creating the snapshot. In VMware
environments, the Application Aware Snapshot Manager communicates with VMware Virtual
Center Server to create VMware snapshots of virtual machines whose datastores reside on SAN/iQ
volumes. Both one-time and scheduled snapshots are supported.
NOTE: “Application-managed snapshots” is the term used in the HP P4000 Centralized
Management Console to designate snapshots that are taken using the Application Aware Snapshot
Manager.
This chapter provides general information about installing and running the Application Aware
Snapshot Manager with the HP P4000 SAN Solution. Detailed information about creating and
using application-managed snapshots is available in the HP P4000 SAN Solution User Guide or
Online Help. The HP CLIQ - The SAN/iQ Command-Line Interface User Guide contains commands
for scripting the application-managed snapshots. You can find detailed information on the Microsoft
Application Aware Snapshot Manager and VMware
When hosting VMware virtual machines on SAN/iQ volumes, the Application Aware Snapshot
Manager creates snapshots that contain quiesced virtual machines. The resulting snapshots contain
the virtual machine and its applications in a VMware snapshot. Mounting the application-managed
snapshot allows the VMware snapshot manager to see the VMware snapshot in its history. Rolling
back to the application-managed snapshot restores the virtual machine and its applications to a
known and viable state.
Requirements
•
To use the Application Aware Snapshot Manager in VMware environments, the ESX servers
must be managed by VMware Virtual Center. The Application Aware Snapshot Manager must
be installed on the Virtual Center Server that manages the ESX servers which are connected
to the SAN/iQ volumes. The IP address of the Virtual Center Server must be configured as
the controlling server in the CMC for all ESX servers for which application-managed snapshots
are to be taken.
•
The Application Aware Snapshot Manager only supports single-volume datastores. That is,
application-managed snapshots cannot be taken of volumes that are part of a datastore that
spans multiple volumes.
The Application Aware Snapshot Manager only supports single-volume datastores. That is,
application-managed snapshots cannot be taken of volumes that are part of a datastore that spans
multiple volumes.
Application Aware Snapshot Manager and Windows
The Application Aware Snapshot Manager quiesces applications and takes snapshots of single
volumes and Microsoft Windows Cluster Shared Volumes (CSV), or snapshot sets.
Application Aware Snapshot Manager and VMware
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Supported versions of Microsoft Windows Server
The Application Aware Snapshot Manager supports the following versions of Microsoft Windows:
•
•
64-bit Windows XP Pro
Windows Server 2003, 32-bit and 64-bit versions
For transportable snapshots on the Standard version you must install a Microsoft QFE. See
“Using VSS snapshots” (page 5) for details.
•
Windows 2008 Server, 32-bit and 64-bit versions, including the following:
◦
◦
◦
Windows 2008 Server R2
Windows 2008 Server Core
Windows 2008 Server R2 Core
Installing the Application Aware Snapshot Manager
Use the HP P4000 Application Integration Solution Pack DVD to install the Application Aware
Snapshot Manager on any supported version of Windows Server. If you are installing the
Application Aware Snapshot Manager on Windows 2008 Server Core or Windows 2008 Server
R2 Core, go to the section “Installing on Windows 2008 Server Core or Windows 2008 Server
Have the port number of the CIM connection ready for use during the installation. The ports used
for SAN/iQ operations are listed in the SANiQ TCP and UDP Port Usage appendix of the HP
P4000 SAN Solution User Guide and the CMC online help.
Installing on Windows Server
1. Begin the installer one of the following ways:
•
•
Insert the HP P4000 Application Integration Solution Pack DVD in the DVD drive.
Double-click the executable that you downloaded to start the installation.
2. From the Home page of HP P4000 Application Integration Solution Pack installer, click
Application Aware Snapshot Manager.
3. From the Application Aware Snapshot Manager page, click Install Application Aware Snapshot
Manager to begin the installer.
4. Accept the terms of the license agreement and click Next.
5. Choose the location for the software and click Next.
6. Enter the user name and company for the installation and click Next.
7. Enter the port number for the CIM server connection and click Next.
8. Click Next to continue the installation.
9. Read the message titled Important that describes the requirement to enter management group
credentials to finish configuring the Application Aware Snapshot Manager.
10. Click Next when you have finished reading the message.
11. Click Finish to complete the installation.
12. Click Documentation on the installer Home page to review or save the documentation for the
HP P4000 Application Integration Solution Pack, and then close the installer.
Installing on Windows 2008 Server Core or Windows 2008 Server R2 Core option
Prerequisites
32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows 2008 Server or Windows 2008 Server R2 installed with the
Server Core option.
To install the Application Aware Snapshot Manager:
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The Application Aware Snapshot Manager
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1. Copy the Application Aware Snapshot Manager installer file to the Windows 2008 server
that has the Server Core option installed.
2. Run the installer from the command prompt.
3. Click Next to finish the installer.
The installation wizard progresses through the steps for installing the Application Aware
Snapshot Manager.
After the Application Aware Snapshot Manager is installed, a reminder window opens, with
a message to configure user names and passwords for management groups.
4. Click Next to finish the installation wizard.
5. Continue with the procedure for setting management group credentials.
Setting management group credentials
The credentials required for using the Application Aware Snapshot Manager include:
•
•
Management group name
Management group user name and password
Before using the Application Aware Snapshot Manager, set the management group credentials
one of two ways:
•
Open the Authentication Console and enter the management group credentials. For more
•
Use the CLI commands cacheCredentialsand clearCredentialson the application
server to set credentials for management groups. For more information, see HP CLIQ - The
SAN/iQ Command-Line Interface User Guide.
Using VSS snapshots
The Application Aware Snapshot Manager uses the VSS Provider to create a VSS snapshot as a
persistent target in the MS iSCSI initiator. The VSS snapshot also appears in the CMC with the
naming convention of VSS-<unique id>.The snapshot is available as needed to the backup
application. When the snapshot is no longer needed, it is deleted from both the CMC and the
iSCSI initiator.
In the SAN/iQ software all snapshots are created as thinly provisioned.
Viewing a VSS-named snapshot in the CMC
When working with other backup products, all VSS snapshots remain in the CMC until processing
is complete, and then they are deleted. If they are not deleted, you can delete them manually when
you are certain that the backup process is finished.
Transportable snapshots
VSS snapshots can be used as transportable snapshots; that is, they can be mounted on a different
server for backup. Transportable snapshots are persistent, which means they remain in the CMC
and the iSCSI initiator until the backup is finished.
To use transportable snapshots on Windows Server 2003 Standard, you must install the Microsoft
QFE referenced in Microsoft Knowledge Base article listed at:
Deleting transportable snapshots
To cleanly delete a transportable snapshot from the system, use the requestor application to perform
the deletion.
Setting management group credentials
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For example, a CommVault QR job requests a transportable snapshot from the VSS Provider. When
the snapshot is no longer needed, you can log in to the CommVault application and delete the
snapshot that is associated with the job that created it.
Troubleshooting the Application Aware Snapshot Manager
The Application Aware Snapshot Manager VSS Provider runs as an NT service. You can view
both the Volume Shadow Copy service and the VSS Provider service in the Computer Management
window under Services and Applications > Services.
Restarting the VSS Provider service
The VSS Provider service starts automatically. If you check in the Services list and it is not started,
you can start it manually.
Viewing the event log messages
The event log reports issues with the VSS Provider, the iSCSI initiator, and Volume Shadow Copy.
Open the event log to view messages about those applications.
Uninstalling the Application Aware Snapshot Manager
Uninstall the Application Aware Snapshot Manager using Start→Control Panel→Programs and
Features.
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The Application Aware Snapshot Manager
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2 Authenticating management groups on the SAN
Authenticating management groups on the SAN using management group credentials is required
for using the Application Aware Snapshot Manager. Authenticate management groups by setting
credentials in the Authentication Console. This authentication is normally a one-time process. You
only need to redo or update the authentication if you changed any of the following:
•
•
•
IP addresses of storage systems
User name and password for logging in to storage systems
Which storage systems are in the management group, that is, you added or removed storage
systems
If you are using Windows 2008 Server Core or Windows 2008 Server R2 Core installation, you
add the management group credentials using the CLI. See “Setting credentials using the P4000
Installing the Authentication Console
The Authentication Console is installed automatically when you install the Application Aware
Snapshot Manager. During the installation for the Application Aware Snapshot Manager, a
reminder message opens, stating that you must first run the Authentication Console before creating
LUNs or snapshots.
Figure 1 Reminder to run Authentication Console
Opening the Authentication Console
Open the Authentication Console from the Start→Programs→HP→P4000 menu.
The first time you open the Authentication Console, a message opens describing your choices for
entering credentials.
Setting credentials to authenticate management groups
The following information is required to authenticate each management group for the Application
Aware Snapshot Manager:
•
•
Management group name
User name and password for logging in to the management group.
Set default credentials that work for all management groups or set credentials for individual
management groups.
Installing the Authentication Console
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NOTE: With the latest version of the Application Aware Snapshot Manager, the credentials may
be already configured because the system may automatically discover authentication from the
SAN.
Using the Credentials Wizard to set credentials
The Credentials Wizard discovers all of the management groups on the subnet where you installed
the Application Aware Snapshot Manager. You can then set default or individual credentials for
each management group as appropriate, and test the credentials to confirm they are set correctly.
Figure 2 Opening the Credentials Wizard
1. From the Action menu, click Credentials Wizard.
The wizard may take a few minutes to discover the management groups on the subnet.
2. To use default credentials for one or more management groups, enter the credentials in the
first window of the credentials wizard, select Use default credentials, and click Next.
3. For each management group that opens, do one of the following:
•
•
Use the default credentials by leaving the Use default credentials checkbox selected.
Clear the checkbox to enter individual credentials for the management group.
4. Click Test to verify the credentials for that management group.
If the credentials test fails, verify the correct credentials for that management group in the HP
P4000 Centralized Management Console and try again.
5. Click Next to continue, repeating steps 3 and 4 for each management group.
6. When you have finished adding credentials, click Done.
Changing default credentials
Use the New Default Credentials dialog box to set default credentials or to change the current
default credentials.
1. From the Action menu, click Set Default Credentials.
2. Enter the user name and password, and confirm the password.
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3. Click OK to save the default credentials.
4. (Optional) To easily apply changed default credentials to management groups, do one of the
following:
•
To change the default credentials for all management groups on the subnet, use the
Credentials Wizard, described in “Using the Credentials Wizard to set credentials”
•
To change the default credentials for one or more specific management groups:
a. Click Properties from the Action menu, and select Use default credentials.
b. Click Test to verify the credentials.
c. In the Test window, enter the IP address of any storage system in the management
group.
If the test succeeds, the credentials are correct, and the management group is listed
in the management group pane.
If the test fails, verify the correct credentials for that management group in the CMC
and try again.
d. Click OK to finish.
Setting credentials for a management group on a different subnet
1. From the Action menu, click New Management Group Credentials.
2. Enter the management group name and the user name and password.
3. Click Test.
4. In the Test window, enter the IP address of any storage system in the management group.
If the test succeeds, the credentials are correct, and the management group is listed in the
management group pane.
If the test fails, verify the correct credentials for that management group in the CMC and try
again.
Setting credentials using the P4000 CLI
Use the CLI commands cacheCredentialsand clearCredentialson the application server
to set credentials for management groups. For more information, see HP CLIQ - The SAN/iQ
Command-Line Interface User Guide.
Upgrading the Authentication Console
Upgrading the Authentication Console happens with an upgrade to the Application Aware Snapshot
Manager. Management group credentials remain in place after an upgrade.
Deleting a management group or default credentials from the console
1. Select from the list in the right pane the management group or default credentials to delete.
2. Right-click and select Delete from the right-click menu.
Upgrading the Authentication Console
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