NetWorker 8.2 is released in DA mode!

The EMC NetWorker 8.2 release provides significant functional enhancements, including support for the following:

  • Enhancements to the VMware Protection solution, including automated disaster recovery, improved visual representation of VMware environments, VMDK-level backups, and more control of transport modes used.
  • NetWorker snapshot management support for network-attached storage (NAS) devices, including EMC Isilon, EMC VNX, EMC VNX2, EMC VNX2e, and NetApp.
  • Secure multi-tenancy (SMT) storage on DD OS 5.5 and later systems.
  • Parallel save stream (PSS) support for Windows.

New features and changes

NetWorker VMware Protection enhancements
NetWorker 8.2 introduces many enhancements to the VMware Protection solution, which allows you to manage your VMware environment by using NMC and the EMC Backup and Recovery user interface in the vSphere Web Client.

These enhancements include the following:

  • A virtualization map, accessed by selecting VMware View in NMC, that lets you view elements of the environment down to the disk level, so that you can assign policies at any level (for example, a datacenter, ESX/Cluster, VMs, or individual VMDKs).
    NetWorker automatically creates the hypervisor resource upon VMware Backup Appliance registration for use in VMware view, so it is not required to manually create vCenter resources.
  • Instant Access restores for primary backups to Data Domain systems. Selecting an image-level backup and clicking the Instant Access button in the EMC Backup and Recovery user interface in the vSphere Web Client launches the Recovery wizard.
  • Direct to Host recovery, allowing you to restore VMs direct to an ESX host without requiring a vCenter Server by using the Emergency Restore tab in the EMC Backup and Recovery Configure window.
  • VMDK-level backup and recovery, so you can now view and select individual disks within NMC (for backup) and the vSphere Web Client (for recovery).
  • Automated disaster recovery of the VMware Backup Appliance by using the Start VBA Recover for Checkpoints option in NMC and selecting from a list of available checkpoint backups.
  • Control the transport modes used by enabling/disabling the VBA restrict transport mode to hotadd only setting in NMC.
  • Control whether backup now functionality is available in the EMC Backup and Recovery user interface by enabling/disabling the VBA Adhoc Backups setting in NMC.
    Additionally, clicking Backup Now in the EMC Backup and Recovery user interface now runs the entire policy, including backup and clone operations associated with the policy.

NetWorker snapshot management for NAS devices
The EMC NetWorker 8.2 server software includes optional features to enable NetWorker snapshot management for network-attached storage (NAS) also called NSM for NAS.
Supported NAS devices are EMC Isilon, EMC VNX, EMC VNX2, EMC VNX2e, and NetApp.

The NetWorker Snapshot Management for NAS Devices Integration Guide provides more information, including NAS device support and limitations.
NAS devices are configured as clients of the NetWorker server, for example, by using the Client Configuration Wizard, but you do not install NetWorker client software on a NAS device. NAS snapshot and replication features are covered by NDMP licenses.


NAS snapshot operations

NetWorker works with NAS devices to perform the following snapshot, replication, storage, and recovery operations:

  • Create local snapshot save sets of specified data on the NAS device.
  • Replicate specified snapshot data on a source NAS device to a different location on the device or to a location on a different NAS device.
  • Perform immediate or delayed rollover of specified snapshot save sets to secondary storage by using NDMP.
  • Apply retention policies to manage the lifecycles of snapshot, replication, and rollover save sets.
  • Recover specified data from snapshots and rollovers.


NAS snapshot discovery
NetWorker can discover snapshots on the NAS device that were not created by NetWorker.
These snapshots are treated as follows:

  • NetWorker catalogs all discovered snapshot as snapshot save sets.
  • NetWorker can roll over, recover, and report on discovered snapshots but cannot delete them.
  • You can schedule discovery once per day or perform discovery manually.


Types of NAS snapshot recovery
To recover NAS-based snapshots, you may use the NetWorker Recovery Wizard, the nsrsnapadmin command, or the nsrnassnap_recover command. NetWorker mounts the snapshot volume where you can browse the snapshot save sets and select the directories or the individual files to recover. The snapshot data may be recovered as follows:

  • In-place recovery restores files and directories to their original locations on the NAS device.
  • Out-of-place recovery restores files and directories to a new location you specify on the NAS device.
  • Directed recovery restores files and directories to the NetWorker host that runs the recovery. The recovery directory may be configured as a CIFS or NFS file share, which enables recovery to a remote location, such as another client or a NAS device.


NAS snapshot lifecycle policies
The NetWorker software provides lifecycle policies for snapshot save sets. Snapshot policies specify the following information:

  • The time interval between the snapshots.
  • The maximum number of snapshots stored on a NAS device, after which NetWorker automatically deletes the oldest snapshots.
  • Which snapshots NetWorker backs up to conventional storage media.


NAS snapshot monitoring and reporting
NetWorker reporting features enable you to monitor NAS snapshot operations for each NetWorker client or NAS device, including snapshots that were not created by NetWorker.
NetWorker catalogs all snapshots as backup save sets. You can monitor the progress of the snapshot creation, mounting, deletion, and rollover operations. The NetWorker nwnassnap.raw log provides details of snapshot operations.


DD Boost devices secure multi-tenancy
NetWorker 8.2 supports DD Boost devices in secure multi-tenancy (SMT) storage on DD OS 5.5 and later systems. SMT is based on the model of a service provider with tenant users. A global storage administrator assigns or creates secure storage units (SU) on the Data Domain system for each tenant user. Backup administrators and other tenant users must use a DD Boost username and password to gain access to these SUs and configure DD Boost devices within them.

NetWorker supports up to 512 DD Boost devices per secure SU.


Block-based backups enhancements
Block-based backup enhancements in NetWorker 8.2 include the following:

  • Support for recovering multiple save sets in a single operation, including the ability to recover files from different volumes simultaneously using NMC.
  • The option to fallback to file-based backup when NetWorker encounters FAT file systems.
  • Storage node support for non-Windows platforms.
  • Image-level recovery without mounting the backup image.


Parallel save streams support for Windows, synthetic and virtual synthetic full backups
The following Parallel save stream (PSS) enhancements have been added in NetWorker 8.2:

  • Windows support.
  • Synthetic, and Virtual Synthetic full backups for UNIX, Linux, and Windows.


Parallel cloning for clone-controlled replication (Data Domain systems only)
Parallel cloning is an enhancement to clone-controlled replication (CCR) for Data Domain systems that allows clone operations to occur concurrently, similar to save operations, so that multiple clone threads can occur in parallel for each clone process.

NetWorker enables this feature by default, and allows up to 30 parallel cloning sessions per NSR clone operation.

Note: You can modify the nsrcloneconfig file to change the number of parallel cloning sessions for CCR, however, EMC does not recommend modifying the default setting unless this setting is problematic for your system.


Windows 2003, XP, and Change Journal Manager no longer supported
NetWorker 8.2 and later releases no longer support the following:

  • Windows Client for Windows XP
  • Windows Client for Windows Server 2003
  • Change Journal Manager


Autoselect storage node attribute added to NMC
The Client resource and Client Configuration Wizard contain a new option, Autoselect storage node, which enables the NetWorker server to automatically select a storage node for use during a backup or recovery. When you enable this option for the NetWorker server’s Client resource, a clone operation will use this option if the clone operation cannot use the storage node specified in the Storage node resource.

The Autoselect storage node attribute is disabled by default. When enabled, NetWorker gives priority to local storage nodes and this value overrides the values specified in the “storage nodes” and “recover storage nodes” Client resource.


nsrrpcinfo command now used to display NetWorker daemons
In NetWorker 8.2, NetWorker daemons do not register with system port mappers.
NetWorker daemons register exclusively with the port mapper that the nsrexecd process manages. As a result, the OS rpcinfo command will not display NetWorker daemons.
To display the NetWorker RPC processes, use the nsrrpcinfo command.


EMC has transitioned to a phased product release lifecycle where a production-ready product is first released as Directed Availability (DA), followed by a transition to General Availability (GA) based on meeting defined milestones during the DA phase.

Directed Availability (DA) releases are fully-tested and production-ready, however, software is made available through an alternate process that lets EMC track adoption to ensure the early roll out meets customer expectations.

After initial monitoring of progress and success in the marketplace, the software will be deemed Generally Available (GA) and moved in total to EMC On-line Support.


NetWorker 8.2 Directed Availability Program Participation

To participate in the NetWorker 8.2 Directed Availability Program, complete the following steps:

  1. Sign-up for the NetWorker 8.2 Directed Availability Program on EMC Feedback Central by using this link
    https://feedbackcentral.emc.com/callout/?callid=E24FD6421E2F4E93A73CB3FE0A4B0D8D
    Use the “New User” feature if you do not currently have a user account on FeedbackCentral.
  2. Complete the NetWorker 8.2 Site Survey online at Feedback Central and submit.
  3. After you have signed up for the NetWorker 8.2 DA program, log into the NetWorker 8.2 DA Program on Feedback Central and download the DA code located under Resources.
    https://feedbackcentral.emc.com/project/home.html?cap=974EDD0D2C194372A8DC21FC070285DF

Before installing NetWorker release 8.2, review the NetWorker installation guide, administration guide, and other documentation.

  4 comments for “NetWorker 8.2 is released in DA mode!

  1. Jubiii..
    It just vent into GA yesterday, September 19 2014.

  2. What is the release date for the full version of NetWorker 8.2 (non-GA)?

    Thanks!

    • Hi Rachel,

      It should be released this month. It depends on the feed back from the DA tester.

Comments are closed.