Cisco Prime Infrastructure 2.2 Administrator Guide

Backup Types

Prime Infrastructure creates two types of backups:

• Application backups: These contain all Prime Infrastructure application data, but do not include host-specific settings, such as the server hostname and IP address.
• Appliance backups: These contain all application data and host-specific settings, including the hostname, IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway.

Note that:

• Application and appliance backups can be taken from both virtual and hardware appliances.
• Either type of backup can be restored to the same or a new host, as long as the new host has the same or higher hardware configuration as the host from which the backup was taken.
• You can only restore an appliance backup to a host running the same version of the Prime Infrastructure server software as the server from which the backup was taken.
• You cannot restore an application backup using the appliance restore command, nor can you restore an appliance backup using the application backup command.

We recommend:

• If you are evaluating Prime Infrastructure: Use the default automatic application backup to the local repository.
• If you are running Prime Infrastructure in a production environment, either as a virtual or hardware appliance: Take regular application backups to a remote backup server. You can use the application backups to restore your server for all failures except complete failure of the server hardware.

Related Topics

• Using Automatic Application Backups
• Using Remote Backup Repositories

Backup Scheduling

Prime Infrastructure provides automatic, scheduled application backups. This feature is enabled by default, and creates one application backup file each week, automatically, in the default local backup repository.

You can change this schedule as needed. You can also take an automatic application backup at any time from the Prime Infrastructure interface. Appliance backups can only be taken from the command line.

Automatic application backup can create storage-space problems if the backup repository is local to the Prime Infrastructure server. While this is usually acceptable in test implementations, it s not intended to substitute for routine scheduled backups to remote servers in a production environment.

In a production environment, most administrators will:

1. Set up remote repositories to hold the backup files.

2. Use the automatic scheduled application backup to create backups on the remote repositories on a regular schedule.

You can still use the Prime Infrastructure command line to create application or appliance backups at any time, as needed.

Related Topics

• Using Automatic Application Backups
• Using Remote Backup Repositories
• Scheduling Automatic Application Backups
• Specifying Automatic Application Backup Repositories
• Triggering Application Backups
• Taking Application Backups
• Taking Appliance Backups

Backup Repositories

By default, the automatic application backup feature stores backup files in the local backup repository /localdisk/defaultRepo. You can use the Prime Infrastructure interface to change the local automatic application backup repository, or create a new local repository.

You can also specify a remote repository using the Prime Infrastructure interface.

When taking application or appliance backups using the command line, you specify the local or remote repository you want the backup to be stored in. Administrators in production environments normally specify a remote repository, accessed via NFS, SFTP or FTP, as part of the command. NFS is a good choice, as it is typically much faster and more reliable than other protocols.

There is no difference between performing a command line application backup and using the GUI to perform an application backup. Both actions create the same backup file.

Whenever you use NFS to take backups or restore from a backup, make sure the mounted NFS server remains active throughout the backup or restore operation. If the NFS server shuts down at any point in the process, the Prime Infrastructure backup or restore operation will hang without warning or error message.

Related Topics

• Specifying Automatic Application Backup Repositories
• Using Remote Backup Repositories

Backup Filenames

Automatically created Prime Infrastructure application backup files are assigned a filename with the format host-yymmdd-hhmm_ VER ver_ BKSZ size _ FIPS_ON _CPU cpus _MEM target _RAM ram _SWAP swap _APP_CK checksum .tar.gpg, where:

• host is the host name of the server from which the backup was taken. For example: MyHost .
• yymmdd-hhmm the date and time the backup was taken. For example: 140827-0745 for a backup created on August 27, 2014, at 7:45AM local time.
• ver is the version of Prime Infrastructure from which the backup was taken. For example: VER2.2.0.0.149 for a backup taken from Prime Infrastructure version 2.2.0.0.149.
• FIPS_ON is a flag that appears if and only if FIPS mode is enabled on the Prime Infrastructure server from which the backup was taken.
• size is the total size of the backup file. For example: BKSZ15G for a backup of 15 Gigabytes.
• cpus is the total number of CPUs in the server from which the backup was taken. For example: CPU16 for a server with 16 CPUs.
• target is the total amount of system memory in the server from which the backup was taken. For example: MEM4G for a server with 4 gigabytes of system memory.
• ram is the total amount of RAM in the server from which the backup was taken. For example: RAM15G for a server with 16 gigabytes of RAM.
• swap is the total size of the swap disk on the server from which the backup was taken. For example: SWAP15G for a server with 15 gigabytes of swap-disk space.
• checksum is the backup file checksum.

For example: pi-system-71-183-141112-0330__VER2.2.0.0.149_BKSZ105G_CPU4_MEM4G_RAM11G_SWAP15G_APP_CK128121515.tar.gpg

Command-line application or appliance backups have the format backupname-yymmdd-hhmm_ VER ver_ BKSZ size _ FIPS_ON _CPU cpus _MEM target _RAM ram _SWAP swap _APP_CK checksum .tar.gpg, where:

• backupname is the name of the backup file that you specify as part of the backup command.
• All other values are appended automatically, as with automatically created application backup files.

For example: test-141112-0330__VER2.2.0.0.149_BKSZ105G_CPU4_MEM4G_RAM11G_SWAP15G_APP_CK128121515.tar.gpg

Validating Backups

Prime Infrastructure performs the following checks to ensure the validity of backups:

1. Before starting the backup process, disk size, fast-recovery area, and control files are validated.

2. The created backup database is validated to ensure that it can be restored.

3. After the application data is zipped, the zipped file is validated against the files that were backed up.

4. The TAR file is validated to make sure that it is correct and complete.

5. The GPG file is validated to make sure that it is correct.

If you manually transfer the backup file, or if you want to verify that the backup transfer is complete, view the file’s md5CheckSum and file size.

Another best practice for validating a backup is to restore it to a standalone “test” installation of Prime Infrastructure.

Information Contained in Backup Files

Table 5-1 describes the information contained in backup files. This information is restored to the server from backups.

Note that the /opt/CSCOlumos/conf/Migration.xml directory contains all configuration files and reports that are backed up. This directory is included in the backup and is restored.

Using Backup and Restore to Replace Servers

If you must replace your virtual or physical appliance due to hardware failure, you can do so without losing your data, by restoring your most recent backup to a newly installed Prime Infrastructure server. However, if you do this, be sure that the new server is at the same version and patch level as the old server before you restore your data from the backup.

For example: You are running Prime Infrastructure 2.2 on a virtual appliance. You have applied two UBF patches since installation, and are taking regular backups. The virtual appliance hardware suddenly fails and must be replaced. You have a recent application backup, so you will want to install a new 2.2 server and then restore your data from the backup. Before performing the restore, make sure that you have applied to your newly installed server both of the UBF patches that you applied to the old server.

Backup and Restore in FIPS Mode

If you installed Prime Infrastructure in FIPS mode:

• You can take application and appliance backups from FIPS-enabled servers just as you do with non-FIPS-enabled servers. This applies whether the appliance is virtual or physical, and the process is the same.
• You can restore a backup taken from a FIPS-enabled server to a FIPS-enabled server only.
• You can restore a backup taken from a non-FIPS server to a non-FIPS-enabled server only.
• Prime Infrastructure backups taken from server versions earlier than 2.2 can be restored on non-FIPS-enabled servers only.

Scheduling Automatic Application Backups

You can use the Prime Infrastructure interface to change the interval between backups, as well as the time of day they are taken, and the interval between backups.

Taking backups is resource-intensive and affects Prime Infrastructure server performance. Avoid scheduling automatic application backups at peak traffic times.

The Max UI backups to keep setting does not apply if you are using remote repositories for automatic application backups. You must monitor and archive or delete old backups on remote repositories using your own methods.

Step 1 Choose Administration > Background Tasks .

Step 2 In the Other Background Tasks area, find the Prime Infrastructure Server Backup task.

Step 3 Click the Prime Infrastructure Server Backup link.

Step 4 Change the Max UI backups to keep , the Interval between automatic backups, or the Time of Day to take them, as needed

Step 5 Click Save.

Related Topics

• Backup Types
• Backup Repositories
• Disabling Automatic Application Backups

Triggering Application Backups

You can take application backups at any time by triggering them from the Prime Infrastructure Server Backup task. You can also trigger an application backup using the command line (see Taking Application Backups).

Taking a backup is server-intensive and will affect Prime Infrastructure performance. You should avoid triggering an application backup during times of high network traffic.

Step 1 Choose Administration > Background Tasks .

Step 2 In the Other Background Tasks area , find the Prime Infrastructure Server Backup task.

Step 3 Select the Prime Infrastructure Server Backup task check box.

Step 4 Choose Select a command > Execute Now . then click Go .

Step 5 Click Refresh to see the current status of the backup task.

Related Topics

• Scheduling Automatic Application Backups
• Taking Application Backups

Specifying Automatic Application Backup Repositories

You can use the Prime Infrastructure interface to specify a different backup repository for automatic application backups. The backup repository can be local or remote. You can also use the interface to create a new local backup repository if it does not already exist.

You can create a remote FTP repository by specifying it in the Prime Infrastructure interface. If you have already created a remote FTP, NFS, or SFTP repository, you can also use the Prime Infrastructure interface to specify that remote repository as the destination for automatic application backups.

Step 1 Choose Administration > Background Tasks .

Step 2 In the Other Background Tasks area, find the Prime Infrastructure Server Backup task.

Step 3 Click the Prime Infrastructure Server Backup link.

Step 4 In Backup Repository , select the name of the repository that you want to use during the next automatic application backup. This can be a local or remote repository.

Step 5 Click Save.

Related Topics

• Backup Repositories
• Creating Local Backup Repositories
• Deleting Local Backup Repositories
• Using Remote NFS Backup Repositories
• Using Remote FTP Backup Repositories

Creating Local Backup Repositories

Prime Infrastructure stores automatic application backup files in the default local backup repository /localdisk/defaultRepo. You can create a different local backup repository and use it if you prefer.

You can create a remote FTP repository by specifying it in the Prime Infrastructure interface. If you have already created a remote FTP, NFS, or SFTP repository, you can also use the Prime Infrastructure interface to specify that remote repository as the destination for automatic application backups.

Step 1 .Choose Administration > Background Tasks .

Step 2 In the Other Background Tasks area , find the Prime Infrastructure Server Backup task.

Step 3 Click the Prime Infrastructure Server Backup link.

Step 4 In Backup Repository , enter the name of the repository you want to create and begin using as the default.

Step 5 Click Create .

Step 6 Click Save.

Related Topics

• Backup Repositories
• Deleting Local Backup Repositories
• Using Remote Backup Repositories
• Using Remote NFS Backup Repositories
• Using Remote FTP Backup Repositories

Deleting Local Backup Repositories

Locally created backup repositories must be deleted via the command line interface (CLI). You cannot delete them using the Prime Infrastructure interface.

Step 1 Open a CLI session with the Prime Infrastructure server (see Connecting Via CLI).

Step 2 Enter the following command to list the local application backup repositories and identify the one that you want to delete:

PIServer/admin# sh run | begin repository

Step 3 Enter configuration mode:

PIServer/admin# configure terminal

Step 4 Delete the existing repository:

PIServer/admin(config)# no repository repositoryName

Where repositoryName is the name of the repository that you want to delete.

Step 5 Repeat Step 2 to verify that the repository was deleted.

Related Topics

• Creating Local Backup Repositories
• Specifying Automatic Application Backup Repositories

Disabling Automatic Application Backups

Automatic application backups are enabled by default. We recommend that you use this feature with a remote backup repository to ensure your network management data are backed up regularly.

You can disable automatic application backup if this feature interferes with your organization’s backup scheme.

Step 1 Choose Administration > Background Tasks .

Step 2 In the Other Background Tasks area , find the Prime Infrastructure Server Backup task.

Step 3 Click the Prime Infrastructure Server Backup link.

Step 4 Unselect the Enabled check box.

Related Topics

• Scheduling Automatic Application Backups
• Using Remote Backup Repositories

Types of Backup Repositories

Although you can configure Prime Infrastructure to access remote backup resources using many protocols, Prime Infrastructure currently provides documented support for the following types of repositories:

• NFS—NFS is fast, reliable, relatively lightweight, and supports use of staging URLs. You must ensure the remote NFS server remains available and does not shut down while the backup or restore is running. If the remote machine is not available or is powered off, the backup and store process hangs without error messages.

We recommend that you use one or more NFS servers to stage and store your Prime Infrastructure backups. Note that use of backup staging URLs is supported only if you use the NFS protocol. NFS is not available for FIPS-enabled installations, as NFS staging URL configuration requires root access to the Prime Infrastructure server, which is disabled in FIPS mode.

• FTP and SFTP—Recommended for FIPS-enabled installations. Note that, if you have a slow network, there is a possibility that backups to a remote FTP or SFTP repository could be corrupted because of incomplete transfers. Remote FTP repositories must be configured with passwords of 17 characters or less.

Related Topics

• Scheduling Automatic Application Backups
• Specifying Automatic Application Backup Repositories.
• Disabling Automatic Application Backups
• Using Remote NFS Backup Repositories
• Using Remote SFTP Backup Repositories
• Using Remote FTP Backup Repositories.
• Taking Application Backups
• Taking Appliance Backups

Using Remote NFS Backup Repositories

You can create backup repositories on remote NFS server and configure the Prime Infrastructure server to use them.

Prime Infrastructure permits not only remote storage of your backups on NFS servers, but also remote staging: that is, creation, deletion, and marshaling of the many large temporary files used in backup processing. You can choose to stage on the same NFS server on which you store backups, or on another server. Creating an NFS staging URL is optional, but highly recommended, as it allows you to offload all of the disk-space burden imposed by regular backups onto the NFS server.

Note that you cannot use NFS remote repositories if you installed Prime Infrastructurein FIPS Mode, as the root access needed to configure the NFS backup server is disabled in FIPS Mode.

You must ensure the remote NFS server remains available and does not shut down while the backup or restore is running. If the remote NFS server is not available or is powered off, the backup and store process hangs without error messages.

The workflow for configuring Prime Infrastructure to use NFS repositories is explained in the following sections:

1. Before You Begin NFS Backup Configuration

2. Configuring the NFS Backup Server

3. Configuring Prime Infrastructure to Use the NFS Backup Server

Before You Begin NFS Backup Configuration

Before you begin, make sure:

• You know the IP address of the NFS server on which you want to stage and store Prime Infrastructure backups. The staging and storage folders can be on the same NFS server, or on separate NFS servers. If you plan to stage and store on separate NFS servers, you will need IP addresses for both servers.
• You know the path names of the staging and storage folders on the NFS server. If you choose to stage and store on the same NFS server, the staging and storage folders must have different names.
• If you need to configure the NFS server or create the staging and storage folders: You have a login with root privileges on the server. If you are not permitted root privileges on the NFS server, share with your organization’s NFS server administrators the configuration requirements given in Configuring the NFS Backup Server.
• You have an administrator user ID with root privileges on the Prime Infrastructure server.
• You have selected a repository name on the Prime Infrastructure server, which will point to the NFS server storage folder.

The steps in the following procedures assume that you want to configure a single NFS server to stage and store your backups. The steps will vary if you will not use NFS staging, or you want the staging and storage to take place on two different NFS servers.

Related Topics

• Using Remote NFS Backup Repositories
• Configuring the NFS Backup Server

Configuring the NFS Backup Server

Complete the following tasks before completing the tasks in Configuring Prime Infrastructure to Use the NFS Backup Server. You will need the information and access privileges explained in Before You Begin NFS Backup Configuration.

Step 1 Log in to the NFS server with a user name that has root privileges, or assume root privileges on the server.

Step 2 While in root mode, start the NFS service:

[root@server~]# service portmap start

[root@server~]# service nfs start

Step 3 If they do not already exist, create:

• a staging folder to hold temporary files created during backup processing (for example: /localdisk/staging).
• a storage folder to hold finished backup files (for example: /localdisk/storage).

Step 4 Using VI or another editor, modify the NFS server’s /etc/exports file to expose the staging and storage folders to the Prime Infrastructure server that will access them. You can do this by adding lines to the file:

stagingPath AccessingIP (rw,sync,no_subtree_check)

storagePath AccessingIP (rw,sync,no_subtree_check)

Where:

• stagingPath is the path name of the staging folder you created.
• storagePath is the path name of the storage folder you created.
• AccessingIP is the IP address of the Prime Infrastructure server that will be accessing the staging and storage folders on the NFS backup server. This can also be a group of IP addresses under a specified subnet (for example: 172.18.123.0/16 ).

Step 5 Load the modified exports file into the Prime Infrastructure server’s running configuration:

[root@server~]# exportfs -a

Step 6 Disable firewall checks for the staging and storage folders, and start the portmap service. For example:

[root@server~]# service iptables stop

[root@server~]# chkconfig iptables off

[root@server~]# service portmap start

Step 7 Make the staging and storage folders writable, then exit:

[root@server~]# chmod 777 stagingPath

[root@server~]# chmod 777 storagePath

[root@server~]# exit

Related Topics

• Before You Begin NFS Backup Configuration
• Configuring Prime Infrastructure to Use the NFS Backup Server

Configuring Prime Infrastructure to Use the NFS Backup Server

Complete the following tasks only after the NFS backup server is properly configured, as explained in Configuring the NFS Backup Server. You will need the information and access privileges explained in Before You Begin NFS Backup Configuration.

Step 1 Open a CLI session with the Prime Infrastructure server (see Connecting Via CLI).

Step 2 Assume root privileges on the server. For example:

PIServer/admin# root

Enter root password:

Starting root bash shell...

ade #

Step 3 While in root mode, enable NFS communications with the NFS backup server:

ade# service nfs start

ade# service portmap start

Step 4 Check whether you are able to see the shared stage and storage folders on the remote NFS server from the Prime Infrastructure server:

ade# rpcinfo –p RemoteServerIP

where RemoteServerIP is the IP address of the NFS server hosting the staging and storage folders (for example: 198.168.1.1 ).

If the output of this command does not show the NFS service and its associated ports on the NFS server. you may need to restart the NFS service on the Prime Infrastructure server:

ade# service nfs restart

Step 5 Exit root mode, then enter config mode and set up Prime Infrastructure to stage its backups on the NFS server:

ade# exit

PIServer/admin# configure terminal

PIServer/admin(config)# backup-staging-url nfs:// RemoteServerIP :/ stagingPath

where stagingPath is the path name of the staging folder on the NFS server (for example: /localdisk/staging ).

For example:

ade# exit

PIServer/admin# configure terminal

PIServer/admin(config)# backup-staging-url nfs://198.168.1.1:/localdisk/staging

Step 6 Set up a named Prime Infrastructure repository to store backups on the NFS server, then exit:

PIServer/admin(config)# repository RepositoryName

PIServer/admin(config-Repository)# url nfs:// RemoteServerIP :/ storagePath

PIServer/admin(config-Repository)# exit

PIServer/admin(config)# exit

Where:

• RepositoryName is the name of the Prime Infrastructure repository (for example: NFSRepo ).
• storagePath is the path name of the NFS server’s storage folder (for example: /localdisk/storage ).

For example:

PIServer/admin(config)# repository NFSRepo

PIServer/admin(config-Repository)# url nfs://198.168.1.1:/localdisk/storage

PIServer/admin(config-Repository)# exit

PIServer/admin(config)# exit

Step 7 When taking backups at the command line, specify the new repository name in the backup command. For example:

PIServer/admin# backup MyBackupFileName repository MyRepo application NCS

To perform backups automatically, specify the new repository name in the Prime Infrastructure web interface.

Related Topics

• Before You Begin NFS Backup Configuration
• Configuring the NFS Backup Server
• Specifying Automatic Application Backup Repositories

Using Remote SFTP Backup Repositories

You can create backup repositories on a remote SFTP server and configure the Prime Infrastructure server to use them.

The SFTP server hosting your backups can be set up anywhere in your network, as long as the server:

• Has an IP address accessible from the Prime Infrastructure server.
• Has a user with write access to the SFTP server disk.
• Has a local shared folder where the backups will be stored.

Other than these requirements, no other configuration is needed on the SFTP backup server.

We recommend using remote NFS repositories.

For the SFTP server details to appear in the Backup Repository drop down list in UI, you should configure the SFTP server using CLI. You can configure the SFTP server only using CLI.

Step 1 Open a CLI session with the Prime Infrastructure server (see Connecting Via CLI).

Step 2 Enter configuration mode:

PIServer/admin# configure terminal

Step 3 Configure a symbolic link to the remote SFTP server:

PIServer/admin(config)# repository repositoryName

PIServer/admin(config-Repository)# url sftp:// RemoteServerIP // sharedfolder

PIServer/admin(config-Repository)# user userName password plain userPassword

PIServer/admin(config-Repository)# exit

PIServer/admin(config)# exit

Where:

• repositoryName is the name of the repository (for example: MyRepo or PrimeInfrastructure).
• RemoteServerIP is the IP address of the SFTP server hosting the shared backup folder. Note that the example above specifies an absolute path to the shared folder. To specify a relative path to the shared folder, use only one slash in the URL. For example: url sftp:/ RemoteServerIP // sharedfolder
• sharedfolder is the name of the shared backup folder on the SFTP server.
• userName is the name of a user with write privileges to the repository on the SFTP server.
• userPassword is the corresponding password for that user.

Step 4 Verify creation of the symbolic link:

PIServer/admin# s how repository repositoryName

Step 5 When taking backups at the command line, specify the new repository as the repository name in the backup command. For example:

PIServer/admin# backup MyBackupFileName repository MyRepo application NCS

If you want to perform backups automatically, select the repository name you created as the repository name in the Prime Infrastructure web interface.

Related Topics

• Connecting Via CLI
• Using Remote NFS Backup Repositories
• Taking Application Backups
• Taking Appliance Backups
• Specifying Automatic Application Backup Repositories

Using Remote FTP Backup Repositories

You can create backup repositories on a remote FTP server and configure the Prime Infrastructure server to use them.

The FTP server hosting your backups can be set up anywhere in your network, as long as the FTP server:

• Has an IP address accessible from the Prime Infrastructure server.
• Has a user (FTP user) with write access to the FTP server disk.
• Has a local subdirectory that matches the repository name you specify on the Prime Infrastructure server.
• Has a password of 17 characters or less.

Other than these requirements, no other configuration is needed on the FTP backup server.

We recommend remote NFS repositories.

Step 1 Open a CLI session with the Prime Infrastructure server (see Connecting Via CLI).

Step 2 Enter configuration mode:

PIServer/admin# configure terminal

Step 3 Configure a symbolic link to the remote FTP server:

PIServer/admin(config)# repository repositoryName

PIServer/admin(config-Repository)# url ftp:// RemoteServerIP

PIServer/admin(config-Repository)# user userName password plain userPassword

PIServer/admin(config-Repository)# exit

PIServer/admin(config)# exit

Where:

• repositoryName is the name of the repository (for example: MyRepo or PrimeInfrastructure ).
• RemoteServerIP is the IP address of the FTP server hosting the shared backup folder.
• userName is the name of a user with write privileges to the repository on the FTP server.
• userPassword is the corresponding password for that user. This password must be 17 characters or less.

Step 4 Verify creation of the symbolic link:

PIServer/admin# show repository repositoryName

Step 5 When taking backups at the command line, specify the new remote FTP repository as the repository name in the backup command. For example:

PIServer/admin# backup MyBackupFileName repository MyRepo application NCS

If you want to perform backups automatically, select the repository name you created as the repository name in the Prime Infrastructure web interface.

Related Topics

• Connecting Via CLI
• Using Remote NFS Backup Repositories
• Taking Application Backups
• Taking Appliance Backups
• Specifying Automatic Application Backup Repositories

Taking Application Backups

Step 1 Open a CLI session with the Prime Infrastructure server (see Connecting Via CLI).

Step 2 Display the list of backups:

PIServer/admin# show repository repositoryName

where repositoryName is the repository on which you want to store the backup.

Step 3 Back up the application:

PIServer/admin# backup filename repository repositoryName application NCS

where filename is the name that you want to give the application backup file (for example, myBackup). The host name, date and time of the backup and the tar.gpg filename extension will be appended to the filename you specify.

Related Topics

• Backup Repositories
• Backup Filenames
• Using Remote NFS Backup Repositories
• Using Remote FTP Backup Repositories
• Taking Appliance Backups

Taking Appliance Backups

Users of Prime Infrastructure version 2.2 should be aware that appliance backups taken from a 2.2 virtual or physical appliance can be restored to a version 2.2 virtual or physical appliance only.

Step 1 Open a CLI session with the Prime Infrastructure server (see Connecting Via CLI).

Step 2 Display the list of appliance backups:

PIServer/admin# show repository repositoryName

where repositoryName is the repository on which you want to store the appliance backup.

Step 3 Back up the appliance:

PIServer/admin# backup filename repository repositoryName

where filename is the name that you want to give the appliance backup file (for example, myBackup). The date and time of the backup and the tar.gpg filename extension will be appended to the filename you specify.

Related Topics

• Backup Repositories
• Backup Filenames
• Using Remote NFS Backup Repositories
• Using Remote FTP Backup Repositories
• Taking Application Backups

Restoring From Application Backups

Prime Infrastructure supports restoring from backups of the following releases:

• Prime Infrastructure versions 1.4.0.45, 1.4.1, and 1.4.2
• Prime Infrastructure versions 2.1.0.0.87, 2.1.1, and 2.1.2
• Prime Infrastructure version 2.2

You can restore an application backup from a smaller to a larger OVA installation. You cannot restore an application backup taken from a larger OVA to a smaller OVA (see Migrating to Another Virtual Appliance Using Backup and Restore).

Users of Prime Infrastructure version 2.2 should know that application backups taken from a version 1.4.x, 2.1.x, or 2.2 virtual or physical appliance can be restored to a version 2.2 virtual or physical appliance only.

Step 1 Open a CLI session with the Prime Infrastructure server (see Connecting Via CLI).

Step 2 Enter the following command to display the list of application backups:

PIServer/admin# show repository repositoryName

Where repositoryName is the repository from which you want to restore the backup.

Step 3 Identify the application backup file you want to restore and then enter the following command to restore from that file:

PIServer/admin# restore filename repository repositoryName application NCS

Where filename is the name of the application backup file from which you want to restore.

Step 4 Whenever you restore from a backup, resync your device inventory:

a. Select Inventory > Network Devices.

b. Select the checkbox next to Device Name to select all devices.

c. Click Sync .

Related Topics

• Backup Types
• Backup Repositories
• Backup Filenames
• Restoring From Appliance Backups
• Migrating to Another Virtual Appliance Using Backup and Restore
• Recovering From Failed Restores

Restoring From Appliance Backups

Prime Infrastructure 2.2 supports restoring an appliance backup taken from Prime Infrastructure version 2.2 only. Restoring appliance backups taken from an older version of the product (such as 1.4.x or 2.1.x) is not supported in release 2.2. However, you can use an application backup to restore an older version of Prime Infrastructure to Prime Infrastructure 2.2.

The following steps show how to change a restored Prime Infrastructure host’s IP address, subnet mask, default gateway and host name. You will need to do this when the restored host is:

• On the same subnet as the old host, and the old host is still active.
• On a different subnet from the old host.

Although not required, we recommend changing the host name under either condition.

Step 1 Open a CLI session with the Prime Infrastructure server (see Connecting Via CLI).

Step 2 Enter the following command to display the list of appliance backups:

PIServer/admin# show repository repositoryName

Where repositoryName is the repository from which you want to restore the backup.

Step 3 Identify the appliance backup file that you want to restore and then restore from that file:

PIServer/admin# restore filename repository repositoryName

Where filename is the name of the appliance backup file from which you want to restore.

Step 4 Once the restore is complete: If needed, stop the Prime Infrastructure server and use the command line to change the IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, or host name on the restored server. You will also need to write the changes to the server’s running configuration and reboot the physical or virtual appliance. For example:

PIServer/admin# ncs stop

PIServer/admin# configure terminal

PIServer/admin(config)# int GigabitEthernet 0

PIServer/admin(config-GigabitEthernet)# ip address IPAddress subnetMask

PIServer/admin(config-GigabitEthernet)# exit

PIServer/admin(config)# ip default-gateway GatewayIP

PIServer/admin(config)# hostname hostname

PIServer/admin(config)# exit

PIServer/admin# write mem

PIServer/admin# ncs start

PIServer/admin# exit

Reboot the virtual or physical appliance to write these changes to the operating system.

Step 5 Whenever you restore from a backup, resync your device inventory:

a. Select Inventory > Network Devices.

b. Select the checkbox next to Device Name to select all devices.

c. Click Sync .

Related Topics

• Connecting Via CLI
• Backup Types
• Backup Repositories
• Backup Filenames
• Restoring From Application Backups
• Migrating to Another Physical Appliance Using Backup and Restore
• Recovering From Failed Restores

Migrating to Another Virtual Appliance Using Backup and Restore

You will need to migrate your Prime Infrastructure data from an existing virtual appliance (OVA installation) to a new one whenever you want to:

• Replace the old server entirely, such as after a catastrophic hardware failure. In this case, you can use your old installation media to re-create the new host on a replacement server, then migrate your application data from the old host to the new host.
• Migrate to a larger or more powerful server, so you can use Prime Infrastructure to manage more of your network. In this case, you will want to ensure that you have the OVA installation file and install it on the new server using the larger installation option before retiring the older, smaller one. You can then migrate your application data from the old host.

In both cases, it is relatively easy to migrate your old data to the new virtual appliance by restoring to the new host an application backup taken from the old host.

Step 1 If you have not already done so, set up a remote backup repository for the old host, as explained in Using Remote Backup Repositories.

Step 2 Take an application backup of the old host on the remote repository, as explained in Taking Application Backups.

Step 3 Install the new host as explained in the Cisco Prime Infrastructure 2.2 Quick Start Guide.

Step 4 Configure the new host to use the same remote backup repository as the old host, as explained in Using Remote Backup Repositories.

Step 5 Restore the application backup on the remote repository to the new host, as explained in Restoring From Application Backups.

Related Topics

• Using Remote Backup Repositories
• Taking Application Backups
• Restoring From Application Backups

Migrating to Another Physical Appliance Using Backup and Restore

You will need to migrate your Prime Infrastructure data from an existing physical appliance to a new one whenever you want to:

• Replace the old appliance entirely, such as after a catastrophic hardware failure. In this case, you can order a replacement appliance, then migrate your data from the old appliance to the new appliance.
• Migrate to a newly installed appliance.

In both cases, it is relatively easy to migrate your old data to the new appliance by restoring to the new appliance an appliance or application backup that you have taken from the old appliance.

Step 1 If the old appliance is still functional:

a. If you have not already done so, set up a remote backup repository for the old appliance, as explained in Using Remote Backup Repositories.

b. Take an appliance or application backup of the old appliance on the remote repository, as explained in Taking Appliance Backups or Taking Application Backups.

Step 2 Configure the new appliance to use the same remote backup repository as the old appliance, as explained in Using Remote Backup Repositories.

Step 3 Restore the appliance or application backup on the remote repository to the new appliance, as explained in Restoring From Appliance Backups or Restoring From Application Backups. Be sure to follow the procedure appropriate for the type of backup you are restoring. For example: If you took an application backup from the old appliance, you must restore it using the procedure for restoring application backups, not appliance backups.

Related Topics

• Using Remote Backup Repositories
• Taking Application Backups
• Taking Appliance Backups
• Restoring From Appliance Backups
• Restoring From Application Backups

Recovering From Failed Restores

You may sometimes find that a restore does not complete, or reports a failure. Whenever a restore fails, you run the risk of database corruption, which can prevent further restoration or re-installation. Perform the following steps before attempting another restore or re-installation.

Step 1 Open a CLI session with the Prime Infrastructure server (see Connecting Via CLI).

Step 2 Enter the following command to reset the corrupted database:

PIServer/admin# ncs run reset db

Related Topics

• Connecting Via CLI
• Restoring From Application Backups
• Restoring From Appliance Backups