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EMC Avamar 6.1for SharePoint VSS

User GuideP/N 300-013-358REV 06

EMC Avamar 6.1 for SharePoint VSS User Guide2

Copyright 2001- 2013 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved. Published in the USA.

Published September 2013

EMC believes the information in this publication is accurate as of its publication date. The information is subject to change without notice.

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For the most up-to-date regulatory document for your product line, go to the technical documentation and advisories section on the EMC online support website.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1 Preface

Chapter 2 Introduction

Architecture ................................................................................................ 14Microsoft SharePoint topology .............................................................. 14How Avamar works in a SharePoint environment ................................... 16Using Avamar with Data Domain ........................................................... 25

Backup ....................................................................................................... 26Backing up a SharePoint farm ............................................................... 26Backing up the operating system .......................................................... 28Multi-streaming..................................................................................... 28Backup limitations ................................................................................ 29

Restore ....................................................................................................... 30Restoring to the original location........................................................... 31Restoring to a different location ............................................................ 32Granular level recovery.......................................................................... 33Restore limitations ................................................................................ 35

Disaster recovery ........................................................................................ 35Understand SharePoint technology, architecture, and data protection strategies.............................................................................................. 35Develop a comprehensive backup plan ................................................. 36Perform regular full operating system and SharePoint farm backups ..... 36

Chapter 3 Installation

System requirements .................................................................................. 38Supported configurations...................................................................... 38VSS snapshot volume requirements...................................................... 39Hardware requirements......................................................................... 39Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR requirements................................... 39Multi-streaming recommendations........................................................ 41Database requirements......................................................................... 42Required account privileges .................................................................. 43Avamar Backup Agent service runs as LocalSystem ............................... 43Services and writers .............................................................................. 43

Installation road map .................................................................................. 44 Installing and running the Avamar Config Checker for Microsoft Windows.... 45 Installing the Avamar Client for Windows..................................................... 47 Installing the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS ......................................... 48 Fixing Microsoft SharePoint VSS Writer installation errors ............................ 51 Changing the installation type..................................................................... 52 Two-node cluster installation task list.......................................................... 52 Configuring the Avamar Client for Windows Clusters .................................... 52 Installing Kroll Ontrack PowerControls ......................................................... 56

Ontrack PowerControls software requirements ...................................... 56Ontrack PowerControls components...................................................... 57Ontrack PowerControls installation settings .......................................... 57

Upgrading the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS ....................................... 58 Uninstalling the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS..................................... 58

EMC Avamar 6.1 for SharePoint VSS User Guide 3

Contents

Chapter 4 Backup

On-demand backups................................................................................... 60Backing up an entire SharePoint farm.................................................... 60

Scheduled backups..................................................................................... 63Creating a dataset ................................................................................. 64Creating a group.................................................................................... 67Enabling scheduled backups ................................................................ 70

Chapter 5 Restore

SharePoint farm restore workflow................................................................ 74 Preparing to restore specific components.................................................... 74

Preparing to restore a deleted web application...................................... 74Preparing to restore a deleted search database..................................... 75

Finding a backup for restore ........................................................................ 76Finding a backup by date ...................................................................... 77Finding a backup by file or folder........................................................... 77

Restoring to the original location................................................................. 79Restoring an entire farm to its original location...................................... 80Restoring a content database to its original location ............................. 82

Restoring to a different location .................................................................. 84 Performing granular level recovery .............................................................. 87

Granular level recovery task list............................................................. 88Restoring the Avamar backup and mounting the Avamar Virtual Drive ... 89Restoring items from the Avamar Virtual Drive ....................................... 91

Chapter 6 Disaster Recovery

Preparing for disaster recovery .................................................................... 94Backing up SharePoint 2013 Search Application Topology .................... 95Avamar backups required for each SharePoint server ............................ 95Backing up configuration settings ......................................................... 96Backing up customizations ................................................................... 99Backing up databases......................................................................... 100

Performing disaster recovery ..................................................................... 101Rebuilding the SharePoint environment .............................................. 101Reinstalling the Avamar software ........................................................ 102Restoring the SSA, Search, and Index.................................................. 102Restoring the SharePoint farm from the Avamar backup ...................... 103Bringing restored servers back online.................................................. 104

Appendix A Plug-in Options

How to set plug-in options ........................................................................ 106 Backup options......................................................................................... 106 Restore options......................................................................................... 107

Restore options for the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS.................. 107Restore options for the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR .................. 108

Appendix B Command Line Interface

Understanding the SharePoint VSS plug-in CLI .......................................... 110CLI architecture ................................................................................... 110Launching the CLI................................................................................ 110Available operations ........................................................................... 110

4 EMC Avamar 6.1 for SharePoint VSS User Guide

Contents

Options............................................................................................... 111Help.................................................................................................... 112

Command reference.................................................................................. 112Synopsis ............................................................................................. 112Operations.......................................................................................... 112Options............................................................................................... 113

CLI examples ............................................................................................ 116Example backup commands................................................................ 116Example restore commands ................................................................ 116


Contents


Preface

As part of an effort to improve its product lines, EMC periodically releases revisions of its software and hardware. Therefore, some functions described in this document might not be supported by all versions of the software or hardware currently in use. The product release notes provide the most up-to-date information on product features.

Contact your EMC representative if a product does not function properly or does not function as described in this document.

This document was accurate at publication time. New versions of this document might be released on the EMC online support website. Check the EMC online support website to ensure that you are using the latest version of this document.

PurposeThis guide describes how to install EMC Avamar in a SharePoint environment and how to back up and restore data in a SharePoint environment by using Avamar with Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) technology.

AudienceThis document is intended primarily for:

System administrators who are responsible for installing software and maintaining servers and clients on a network.

Microsoft SharePoint administrators who are responsible for backing up and maintaining Microsoft SharePoint servers.

Persons using this document should have current practical experience with the following:

Operating system shell commands on the SharePoint platform. Root permission is required.

The specific version of Microsoft SharePoint currently deployed at the site.


Preface

Revision historyThe following table presents the revision history of this document.

Related documentationThe following EMC publications provide additional information:

EMC Avamar Administration Guide EMC Avamar for Windows Server User Guide EMC Avamar for SQL Server User Guide EMC Avamar Backup Clients User Guide EMC Avamar Operational Best Practices EMC Avamar Release Notes EMC Avamar Compatibility and Interoperability Matrix EMC Avamar Config Checker for Microsoft Windows Technical Note

Conventions used in this documentEMC uses the following conventions for special notices:

DANGER indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will result in death or serious injury.

Table 1 Revision history

Revision Date Description

06 September 30, 2013

Minor typo correction.

05 August 1, 2013 Corrected inaccuracies in Installation chapter, Multi-streaming recommendations.

Updated notice in Data Domain that DDOS 5.3 or later is required to support Remote BLOB Storage.

04 December 7, 2012 Updates for release Service Pack 1: SharePoint 2013 added to Supported

configurations on page 38. Note added to several sections that GLR for SharePoint

2013 is not supported yet because the third-party Kroll PowerControls software does not support SharePoint 2013.

Added special instructions for backup preparation and disaster recovery for SharePoint 2013 search, index, and query paths, Backing up SharePoint 2013 Search Application Topology on page 95 and Restoring the SSA, Search, and Index on page 102.

03 October 25, 2012 Updates for release 6.1 Service Pack 1:Added note about Microsoft VSS framework limitation of 64 volumes and shadow copies.

02 July 31, 2012 Updated Where to get help on page 10 in the Preface.

A01 April 25, 2012 First release of Avamar 6.1.


Preface

WARNING indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury.

CAUTION, used with the safety alert symbol, indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in minor or moderate injury.

NOTICE is used to address practices not related to personal injury.

Note: A note presents information that is important, but not hazard-related.

IMPORTANT

An important notice contains information essential to software or hardware operation.

Typographical conventions

EMC uses the following type style conventions in this document:

Normal Used in running (nonprocedural) text for: Names of interface elements, such as names of windows, dialog boxes,

buttons, fields, and menus Names of resources, attributes, pools, Boolean expressions, buttons,

DQL statements, keywords, clauses, environment variables, functions, and utilities

URLs, pathnames, file names, directory names, computer names, links, groups, service keys, file systems, and notifications

Bold Used in running (nonprocedural) text for names of commands, daemons, options, programs, processes, services, applications, utilities, kernels, notifications, system calls, and man pages

Used in procedures for: Names of interface elements, such as names of windows, dialog boxes,

buttons, fields, and menus What the user specifically selects, clicks, presses, or types

Italic Used in all text (including procedures) for: Full titles of publications referenced in text Emphasis, for example, a new term Variables

Courier Used for: System output, such as an error message or script URLs, complete paths, file names, prompts, and syntax when shown

outside of running text

Courier bold Used for specific user input, such as commands

Courier italic Used in procedures for: Variables on the command line User input variables

< > Angle brackets enclose parameter or variable values supplied by the user


Preface

Where to get helpThe Avamar support page provides access to licensing information, product documentation, advisories, and downloads, as well as how-to and troubleshooting information. This information may enable you to resolve a product issue before you contact EMC Customer Service.

To access the Avamar support page:

1. Go to https://support.EMC.com/products.

2. Type a product name in the Find a Product box.

3. Select the product from the list that appears.

4. Click the arrow next to the Find a Product box.

5. (Optional) Add the product to the My Products list by clicking Add to my products in the top right corner of the Support by Product page.

Documentation

The Avamar product documentation provides a comprehensive set of feature overview, operational task, and technical reference information. Review the following documents in addition to product administration and user guides:

Release notes provide an overview of new features and known limitations for a release.

Technical notes provide technical details about specific product features, including step-by-step tasks, where necessary.

White papers provide an in-depth technical perspective of a product or products as applied to critical business issues or requirements.

Knowledgebase

The EMC Knowledgebase contains applicable solutions that you can search for either by solution number (for example, esgxxxxxx) or by keyword.

To search the EMC Knowledgebase:

1. Click the Search link at the top of the page.

2. Type either the solution number or keywords in the search box.

3. (Optional) Limit the search to specific products by typing a product name in the Scope by product box and then selecting the product from the list that appears.

4. Select Knowledgebase from the Scope by resource list.

5. (Optional) Specify advanced options by clicking Advanced options and specifying values in the available fields.

6. Click the search button.

[ ] Square brackets enclose optional values

| Vertical bar indicates alternate selections the bar means or

{ } Braces enclose content that the user must specify, such as x or y or z

... Ellipses indicate nonessential information omitted from the example


https://support.emc.com/products

Preface

Live chat

To engage EMC Customer Service by using live interactive chat, click Join Live Chat on the Service Center panel of the Avamar support page.

Service Requests

For in-depth help from EMC Customer Service, submit a service request by clicking Create Service Requests on the Service Center panel of the Avamar support page.

Note: To open a service request, you must have a valid support agreement. Contact your EMC sales representative for details about obtaining a valid support agreement or with questions about your account.

To review an open service request, click the Service Center link on the Service Center panel, and then click View and manage service requests.

Facilitating support

EMC recommends that you enable ConnectEMC and Email Home on all Avamar systems:

ConnectEMC automatically generates service requests for high priority events.

Email Home emails configuration, capacity, and general system information to EMC Customer Service.

Your commentsYour suggestions help us to continue to improve the accuracy, organization, and overall quality of the user publications. Send your opinions of this document to:

[email protected]

Please include the following information:

Product name and version

Document name, part number, and revision (for example, 01)

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mailto:[email protected]

Preface


CHAPTER 1Introduction

The following topics provide an introduction to using EMC Avamar for SharePoint VSS as a complete backup and recovery solution for Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Service Pack 1(SP1) and SharePoint Server 2010:

Architecture ............................................................................................................ 14 Backup ................................................................................................................... 26 Restore ................................................................................................................... 30 Disaster recovery..................................................................................................... 35

Introduction 13

Introduction

ArchitectureThe following topics explain the architecture of a SharePoint environment and how the various Avamar components fit in the environment to provide backup and recovery:

Microsoft SharePoint topology on page 14 How Avamar works in a SharePoint environment on page 16 Using Avamar with Data Domain on page 25

Microsoft SharePoint topology

SharePoint servers are organized as farms. In a standalone farm, all SharePoint roles and components reside on one server. In a distributed farm, these components and roles are spread across multiple servers. Avamar SharePoint backup and recovery scales to all farm sizes. The following figure shows the topologies of small, medium, and large distributed farms and the Avamar components installed on each machine by SharePoint server roles.


Introduction

SharePoint server rolesEach server in a SharePoint farm can assume one or more roles. Roles are not assigned directly to a server. A server assumes a specific role, depending on the components installed and the services it runs.

The following table describes the different types of SharePoint server roles.

SQL Server in SharePointStorage for all content, data, and configuration information in a SharePoint environment is provided by Microsoft SQL Server. The following table lists the SQL Server databases in a SharePoint environment.

Table 2 SharePoint server roles

Server type Role

Web server Also called a Web front-end (WFE), the web server hosts all web pages, web parts, and web services used when the server farm receives a request for processing from the end user.

Application server The application server hosts the service applications running in the farm, such as Visio services, Forms service, Excel calculations services, and more.

Query server The query server is responsible for querying the index, finding the matching content, and returning content back to the Web servers for presentation to users.

Crawl or index server The crawl or index server crawls the content sources, writes the results to the database, and then the database is propagated to the query servers. The crawl server uses a crawl database in a Microsoft SQL Server to store the URLs of all sources crawled.

Database server The database server is a SQL Server that stores most of the data associated with a SharePoint 2010 or 2013 implementation, including configuration settings, administration information, service applications data, and user content.

Table 3 Microsoft SQL Server databases in a SharePoint environment (page 1 of 2)

Database Functions

Configuration Stores all configuration information for the farm, including topology information and content database information.

Content Stores: Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) site details Structure details User content Files Security information

Shared Service Provider (SharePoint 2007)

Service Applications (SharePoint 2010 or 2013)

Stores: User profiles Audience data Business application data Excel services functions Site usage data InfoPath forms Services session state information

Architecture 15

Introduction

How Avamar works in a SharePoint environment

Avamar provides complete protection for a SharePoint farm by using the Avamar Client for Windows, Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS, and Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR for use with optional third-party recovery tools, such as Kroll Ontrack PowerControls, purchased separately.

Though you can also use the Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server to independently back up the SQL Server databases in the farm, there are some limitations and disadvantages, described in detail in Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server (optional) on page 18.

Avamar provides protection for SharePoint for all scales of deployment, from standalone farms that contain all SharePoint roles on a single server, to small, medium, or large enterprise distributed farms as described in Microsoft SharePoint topology on page 14.

Avamar AdministratorAvamar Administrator is a graphical management console software application that is used to remotely administer an Avamar system from a supported Windows or client computer. Logging in to the Avamar Administrator program provides access to a specific Avamar server. Backups and restores are configured and run through Avamar Administrator. The EMC Avamar Administration Guide provides complete instructions for installing and using Avamar Administrator.

Avamar clients and plug-insThe following topics describe how the Avamar clients and plug-ins provide protection for a SharePoint farm:

Avamar Client for Windows on page 17 Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS on page 17 Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server (optional) on page 18 Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR (optional) on page 20

Though all servers in a SharePoint farm require both the Avamar Client for Windows and Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS, the configuration on each server varies, depending on the SharePoint farm role and whether you will be setting up the farm for granular level recovery.

Search Stores: Search data History log Search log Calculation tables for crawl statistics Links tables Statistical tables

Custom Separate databases that store third-party application data.

Search indexes Stores search indexes on the file system.

Table 3 Microsoft SQL Server databases in a SharePoint environment (page 2 of 2)

Database Functions


Introduction

The following sections describe Avamar client and plug-in installations for standalone or distributed farms and granular level recovery options:

Standalone SharePoint farm on page 21 Standalone SharePoint farm with optional granular level recovery on page 22 Distributed SharePoint farm with optional granular level recovery on page 24

Avamar Client for Windows

You must install the Avamar Client for Windows on every server in the SharePoint environment. The Windows client is required for the SharePoint VSS plug-in to run. In addition, you can use the Windows client to back up operating system and SharePoint binary files, which are required for disaster recovery.

Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS

The Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS provides Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) backup of SharePoint at the SharePoint farm level, and recovery at the farm level, discovered components level, or web application level.

The plug-in uses the VSS writer provided by SharePoint 2010 or 2013, the SharePoint Foundation VSS Writer (SPF-VSS Writer), to determine what content and information from the SharePoint farm to back up. The features and capabilities of the SPF-VSS Writer are described by Microsoft on MSDN in SharePoint Foundation VSS Writer, http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc264326.aspx.

The VSS-based backup is the foundation for scheduled full backups, which can be used to perform disaster recovery or recovery of entire databases, components, or applications.

The plug-in can back up and restore an entire SharePoint farm or content components in WSS 3.0, including:

Website collections Content databases Web applications Content publishing web services Search Windows service, including databases and indexes

Some listed components cannot be selected for backup or restore but are automatically included by Avamar, based on their dependency on other components that you select.

In addition, the plug-in can back up and restore the additional functionality provided by Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 SP1 and 2010, including Shared Service Providers.

The Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS also includes any third-party databases that are built on top of SharePoint foundation and have been registered properly within the configuration database. If a third-party database is registered properly, it is included by SharePoint in the SPF-VSS Writer and is picked up when the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS backs up the SPF-VSS Writer.

Architecture 17

Introduction

Install the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS on all machines in the farm. During installation, you must select whether the server is a front-end or back-end server:

Front-end server A front-end server is the main WFE server in a distributed farm or the sole SharePoint server in a standalone farm. The Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS coordinates the farm backups through the WFE server. If there is no SharePoint data on a WFE server, then the SharePoint VSS writer skips that machine during backups. However, you still must install the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS on the WFE server.

Back-end server Back-end servers are all other servers in the SharePoint farm. On a sole SharePoint server in a standalone farm, you do not configure any back-end servers.

Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server (optional)

The Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server enables you to back up all SQL databases from a SharePoint database server, except for the search database, independently from the SharePoint backups. This enables you to perform full, differential, and incremental backups of the databases and to restore individual databases, if necessary. Use of this plug-in is optional. If you do use this plug-in, install the Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server on the database servers with SQL Server in the SharePoint farm.

The SQL Server plug-in backup does not include the search index file, which must be synchronized with the search database backup so that they can both be restored together.

The EMC Avamar for SQL Server User Guide provides details on installing the plug-in and performing backups and restores.

Limitations of using the Avamar plug-in for SQL Server

It might appear to be convenient to include the SQL Server databases used by SharePoint in an existing Avamar SQL Server plug-in backup schedule that you use for other SQL Server databases outside of SharePoint.

However, there are several disadvantages to SQL Server backups created with the Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server. The SQL Server backups:

Cannot be used for granular level recovery.

Cannot be used for SharePoint disaster recovery.

Are not a replacement for a backup with the SharePoint VSS plug-in. For restore of a SharePoint farm or disaster recovery, you need the full backup provided by the SharePoint VSS plug-in.

Require extra storage and resources because you are backing up all databases twice: once in the SharePoint VSS plug-in backups for full farm protection and disaster recovery and once with the Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server to back up just the databases.

Cannot be used for restore of the configuration database and Central Administration content database.


Introduction

Microsoft does not recommend using any separate SQL backup tool for SharePoint data protection, so many of these disadvantages are not just specific to Avamar software.

The Microsoft white paper, Data protection and recovery for Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, available on the Microsoft website, describes the benefits and disadvantages of using a separate SQL Server backup tool.

The benefits of using a separate SQL Server backup tool include:

Existing SQL Server disaster recovery strategies can be reused.

Full and differential backups can be configured with added verification.

The backup tool provides a full-fidelity data backup.

Backups with the tool can be faster than Office SharePoint Server backups.

The disadvantages of using a separate SQL Server backup tool include:

The backup tool does not replace the need for a full backup with the SharePoint VSS plug-in.

The backup tool cannot be used for a full farm restore.

The backup tool is not formally supported by Microsoft.

The backup tool does not include front-end web server custom solutions.

The backup tool can back up the configuration database and Central Administration content database, but restoring is not supported. The Avamar SharePoint VSS plug-in supports restoring of the configuration and Central administration content database as part of a full farm restore.

The backup tool does not back up Internet Information Services (IIS) settings set outside of Office SharePoint Server, including host headers, dedicated IP addresses, and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates.

If using search, you must re-crawl after restoring content because indexes are not backed up in SQL Server.

The backup tool should not be used to back up the search database because it cannot be synchronized with the search index.

You must manually reattach your databases to the web applications after a recovery.

Architecture 19

Introduction

Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR (optional)

The Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR provides support for granular level recovery of SharePoint items when used with a supported third-party recovery tool.

With the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR, you can display SharePoint content and database backups in the Avamar Virtual Drive and then browse the backup and select items for recovery by using a third-party tool, such as Kroll Ontrack. Kroll Ontrack must be purchased separately and is not included in the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS installation package.

IMPORTANT

Though Avamar supports SharePoint 2013, GLR is not yet available. The Kroll Ontrack PowerControls software which is required for performing the data restore in GLR does not yet support SharePoint 2013.

Kroll Ontrack PowerControls is available for resale through the EMC Select program. It can be ordered from within the EMC ordering system. The Avamar ordering flow on Direct Express and Channel Express provides the option of selecting PowerControls. For details about the software, go to http:// Powerlink.EMC.com and select Products > EMC Select > Kroll Ontrack to access the Kroll Ontrack landing page.

If you intend to perform granular level recovery, install the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR on the SharePoint Administrator Console, which is the computer to which you initially restore data before you browse and select the data for granular level recovery. You should also install Kroll Ontrack on the computer.

Avamar configurations for SharePoint farmsAll servers in the SharePoint farm must have the Avamar Client for Windows and Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS installed, but how these Avamar components are installed depends on the roles of each server, the scale of the farm, and whether granular level recovery capabilities are planned.

The following sections describe the most common types of installation and configuration:

Standalone SharePoint farm on page 21 Standalone SharePoint farm with optional granular level recovery on page 22 Distributed SharePoint farm on page 23 Distributed SharePoint farm with optional granular level recovery on page 24

Distributed farms can contain multiple WFE servers. WFE servers provide access to SharePoint content on the other SharePoint farm servers, but the WFE servers do not always contain SharePoint content of their own. When you run a backup of a SharePoint farm, Avamar skips any WFE servers that do not contain SharePoint data. As part of your SharePoint farm backup plan, you should back up all SharePoint servers with the Avamar for Windows client to protect the server file system, non-critical volumes, and system state. The Avamar for Windows client backups are required for disaster recovery of each Windows server.


Introduction

Standalone SharePoint farm

In a standalone SharePoint farm, all of the SharePoint roles reside on one server: the WFE, Search data, and all SharePoint databases.

The following figure illustrates the relationship of the Avamar server, Avamar Administrator console, and Avamar installation on the SharePoint standalone server.

Architecture 21

Introduction

Standalone SharePoint farm with optional granular level recovery

The following figure illustrates the additional installation requirements for granular level recovery support. The Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR and Kroll Ontrack PowerControls are described in Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR (optional) on page 20.


Introduction

Distributed SharePoint farm

In a distributed SharePoint farm, such as the small, medium, or large SharePoint deployments described in Microsoft SharePoint topology on page 14, the SharePoint roles reside on multiple servers. The following figure illustrates the relationship of the Avamar server, Avamar Administrator console, and Avamar installation on multiple SharePoint servers in a distributed farm.

Architecture 23

Introduction

Distributed SharePoint farm with optional granular level recovery

The following figure illustrates the relationship of the Avamar server, Avamar Administrator console, and Avamar installation on multiple SharePoint servers in a distributed farm, and additional installation requirements for the support of granular level recovery.The Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR and Kroll Ontrack PowerControls are described in Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR (optional) on page 20.


Introduction

Using Avamar with Data Domain

You can store SharePoint VSS and SQL Server backups on either the Avamar server or on an EMC Data Domain system. By default, backups are stored on the Avamar server.

To store backups on a Data Domain system, use Avamar Administrator to configure the Data Domain system for use, then select the Data Domain system during an on-demand backup or when configuring the dataset for a scheduled backup. The EMC Avamar Administration Guide provides details on how to configure the Data Domain system in Avamar Administrator. The individual backup procedures in this guide provide the steps for selecting the Data Domain system to use.

The Data Domain system requires DDOS 5.3 or later to support Remote BLOB Storage.

Architecture 25

Introduction

BackupThe backup strategy for a SharePoint farm should include the backup of the entire farm as well as the backup of the operating system, as described in the following topics:

Backing up a SharePoint farm on page 26 Backing up the operating system on page 28 Multi-streaming on page 28

Chapter 3, Backup, provides instructions on how to perform on-demand and scheduled backups of the entire farm by using the Avamar plug-in for SharePoint VSS:

Backing up an entire SharePoint farm on page 60 Scheduled backups on page 63

A separate backup of most of the SQL Server databases with the Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server is possible but not recommended or necessary. Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server (optional) on page 18 describes the limitations and disadvantages of using the Avamar plug-in for SQL Server to back up SharePoint databases, and provides an overview of using the Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server.

Backing up a SharePoint farm

The SharePoint VSS plug-in discovers the topology of the entire farm, which enables you to perform a unified or federated backup and recovery through a single machine in the farm, the main WFE server.

Backup workflow for standalone farmsThe following figure illustrates the backup workflow for a standalone farm, where the single SharePoint server is the WFE server.


Introduction

Backup workflow in a distributed farmIn a distributed farm, one or more machines can serve as a WFE server. One machine is designated by the SharePoint administrator as the main WFE server. Use the main WFE server for backups and recoveries, as illustrated in the following figure.

Backup 27

Introduction

Backing up the operating system

To perform a complete disaster recovery, for each Windows server in the farm you must back up the entire server, system state, critical volumes, and Active Directory. This backup is provided by the Avamar Client for Windows.

In a farm with more than one web front-end server, use the Avamar Client for Windows to protect IIS on the other web front-end machines.

The EMC Avamar for Windows Server User Guide provides complete details on performing backups and restores with the Avamar Client for Windows.

Multi-streaming

Multi-streaming enables parallel processing of backup jobs by using multiple processors. You can use as many as six streams. Each stream requires a separate processor. By taking advantage of multi-processors or multi-core processors, you can improve backup performance when storing backups on either the Avamar server or on a Data Domain system.

You can configure multi-streaming for group backups by volume or by database. If volumes have varying database sizes, for example, 500 GB on g:\, 100 GB on h:\, and 100 GB on z:\, it takes more time for streams to release the volumes with bigger sizes. For balanced multi-stream backup performance, configure multi-streaming by volumes if all volumes are similar in overall size or configure multi-streaming by database if all databases are similar in size.

Do not use multi-streaming for the first full backup of a SharePoint farm. During the first full backup, all of the data is backed up for the first time, and it is scanned for deduplication. Because the first backup is very intensive, the use of multi-streaming adversely affects performance. Subsequent backups can take advantage of multi-streaming since those backups include only incremental changes and data that has not been deduplicated.

Multi-streaming places additional demands on computer hardware and resources beyond the base requirements for the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS. Multi-streaming recommendations on page 41 provides details.

Backing up an entire SharePoint farm on page 60 includes details on performing a backup with multi-streaming.


Introduction

Backup limitations

Review the following limitations when using the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS to back up a SharePoint environment:

You can only back up or restore an individual website, list, or list item as part of the backup or restore of the entire site collection to which it belongs.

You can only back up the configuration database or the Central Administration content database of a SharePoint farm as part of the backup or restore of the entire farm. These databases are special databases that must be backed up or restored with everything (all content databases). A backup of these components provides a snapshot that can be useful for troubleshooting. For instance, the backup can be used with SQL Server tools to compare the present state of the components.

You cannot use the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS to back up a SharePoint farm to tape.

You cannot use the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS to back up an IIS metabase.

You cannot use the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS to back up registry keys or files on front-end servers. This content includes files located outside any content database, such as certain master pages, .ascx files, web.config files, and other configuration files. However, to back up this content, you can use the Avamar Client for Windows, which includes these in a full Windows Server backup, or the WSS development kit.

Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR is for recovery only

When you install the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR, it appears in the list of plug-ins when you browse for backups. However, there is no checkbox to select this plug-in for backup because the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR is for recovery only. When you perform granular level recovery, it uses backups created with the Windows SharePoint VSS plug-in.

Browsing to specify backups fails when using an SQL alias over Named Pipes

Currently, Avamar cannot browse clients when you use an SQL alias over Named Pipes. When you try to browse the SharePoint client in the Avamar Administrator Backup and Restore window to select a client or databases for backup, Avamar displays an error message similar to the following:

Client refused browse request. 10007 Unable to resolve IP address for back-end client:

You can resolve this issue by using the SQL Server Client Network Utility to change the SQL alias from type Named Pipes to TCP/IP. Consult Microsoft documentation for information on using the SQL Server Client Network Utility.

Backup 29

Introduction

Backup might fail when farm servers have multiple NICs or IP addresses

A backup might fail when web front-end or back-end servers have multiple NICs, multiple IP addresses, or both, such as when network load balancing is used. Network load balancing might cause the back-end client to see the Web front-end client's secondary IP address instead of the primary IP address. Avamar might report an error similar to the following:

Client refused browse request. 10007 Unable to connect to the back-end client '', error code: 2 Please ensure that the Back-end backup agent is running.

If this error occurs, it can be fixed by adding an avagent.cmd file and adding persistent routes through the windows command line to both clients:

1. Add avagent.cmd file with --netbind= on both clients.

2. Add persistent routes through the Windows command line on both clients. Add routes for outgoing traffic to both each client and to the Avamar grid to exit only the primary NIC interface.

NTFS softlinks are skipped by default in Windows VSS backups

Avamar Windows file system backups with the Avamar Client for Windows skip NTFS softlinks, also known as symbolic links or symlinks. In addition, if an Exchange, SharePoint, or Windows server is configured to save either database files or log files to a softlink path, the backups fail. EMC plans to fix this in a future release.

Avamar does make an exception, as noted in Backing up a single directory or file on a mount point, directory junction, or directory softlink on page 30.

Backing up a single directory or file on a mount point, directory junction, or directory softlink

Avamar supports the backup and restore of individual files and directories on the following:

Mount point Directory junction Directory softlink

This support is only for local file systems; not for network drives. Re-create the mount point, directory junction, or directory softlink before performing the restore. The content is restored to the original location as long as the mount point, directory junction, or directory softlink exists. If it does not exist, Avamar creates a directory path matching the backup path and the content is restored to a local directory with the link name.

RestoreThe following restore options are available when you perform regular backups as described in Backup on page 26:

Restore the SharePoint farm or components to the original location Restore the SharePoint farm or components to a different location Perform granular level recovery of SharePoint items


Introduction

Restoring to the original location

When you use the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS to perform regular backups of the entire SharePoint farm, you can directly restore the entire farm or one or more of its components to the original location.

The following figure illustrates the restore of a standalone SharePoint farm.

The following figure illustrates a federated restore of a distributed SharePoint farm.

The following topics provide instructions for restoring to the original location:

Restoring an entire farm to its original location on page 80 Restoring a content database to its original location on page 82

Restore 31

Introduction

Restoring to a different location

You can restore an entire SharePoint farm or one or more of its components to another server or to a different directory on the same server, as shown in the following figure. This enables you to use the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS to restore content without directly overwriting existing content in the production SharePoint server databases.

Restoring to a different location on page 84 provides instructions for restoring to a different location.


Introduction

Granular level recovery

A standard recovery allows you to recover databases or entire farms. Using standard recovery techniques to restore individual SharePoint items can take a long time and use a lot of resources because you cannot select and restore a file, object, or items at a granular level. You must restore entire farms or databases. Individual databases in real world use can easily range from hundreds of bytes or gigabytes to several terabytes. If you want to restore a few files, directories, or items, this process can take a lot of time and resources and affect SharePoint performance if the data is restored to the original farm or a folder on the original server. The restore process can require the following types of resources:

Time, network, and processors to copy the backup set to the recovery location.

Disk space to stage and store the recovered data.

Hardware resources to open the restored databases and then locate the items to restore.

Avamar granular level recovery, used with an optional third-party recovery tool like Kroll Ontrack PowerControls, can significantly reduce the time, resources, and space needed to recover individual items, files, or folders. With the Windows SharePoint GLR feature, the backup dataset is mounted to the Avamar Virtual Drive. The Avamar Virtual Drive enables you to browse the contents of the backup without physically moving any files, folders, or databases. It only takes Avamar a minute or two to recover the contents to the mounted virtual drive.


With these tools, Avamar only has to copy and move the items you want to restore, not entire databases or farms. The process of granular level recovery involves the following steps:

1. In Avamar Administrator, you locate the backup that contains the items you want to restore, and then you perform the restore.

2. When you open Kroll Ontrack PowerControls and the recovery wizard prompts you for the location of the mounted virtual drive. In Kroll Ontrack PowerControls, you locate and select the items you want to restore.

3. Kroll Ontrack PowerControls sends your request to the Avamar server, to restore the items you selected. Up to this point, you have only been viewing a virtual mounted drive. No databases have been moved.

4. The Avamar server receives the restore request and restores the selected items to the alternate location (farm or server). It is at this step in the process that actual files are copied and transferred. Since the dataset actually retrieved is limited to the items you want, and not a complete database or farm, the impact on resources (memory, network, processor, disk space, and SharePoint performance) is considerably reduced.

Restore 33

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Introduction

The following figure illustrates the granular level recovery process.


Introduction

Performing granular level recovery on page 87 provides detailed steps for performing granular level recovery.

Restore limitations

The following sections describes known issues and limitations for restore operations.

Restore of SQL databases from multiple SQL instances on the same physical machine

Currently, when you attempt to restore multiple SQL databases in two or more instances on the same physical machine, only databases in one instance are restored. The databases in the other instances are not restored, and web navigations or requests for content in those databases results in errors such as FILE NOT FOUND or FORBIDDEN.

This issue can be resolved by performing recoveries of the databases again, one SQL instance at a time.

Restore over locked files incorrectly appears to be successful

When you attempt to perform a redirected restore over files that are locked, such as restoring over database files, the restore shows that it completed successfully, but the files are not restored.

Disaster recoveryDisaster recovery is required when a catastrophic physical or software event occurs, damaging major or all parts of a SharePoint farm. For example, a catastrophic event can be any of the following:

Fire, water, flood, heat, or electrical damage to the physical machines or site. Data corruption. Virus infection of all or parts of the farm.

These events can be the result of natural or man-made disasters. You cannot prevent many of these events, so your best recourse is to be prepared for them. In a SharePoint disaster recovery, you must rebuild many or all servers, reinstall SharePoint, configure each server for its farm role, and restore the SharePoint data, configuration, or databases on each server.

The following recommendations are not intended to replace a good disaster recovery plan, but rather to outline considerations beyond good backup practices with Avamar.

SharePoint disaster recovery requires extensive knowledge of SharePoint installation and configuration.

Understand SharePoint technology, architecture, and data protection strategies

Keep up-to-date with SharePoint technology knowledge as well as the software versions, service packs, and update levels installed on your SharePoint farms. SharePoint backup and recovery requires very specific sequences and synchronization.

Disaster recovery 35

Introduction

Microsoft provides comprehensive information in the TechNet white paper Data protection and recovery for Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=102839&clcid=0x409.

Develop a comprehensive backup plan

To ensure that you have all of the necessary backups and information needed to perform a complete disaster recovery of a SharePoint environment, you must develop a comprehensive backup strategy to protect each component in the environment as well as the entire farm structure. There are many good resources on the web for disaster planning, from protecting small server farms to large global data centers.

A disaster plan can include:

Plans for alternate physical sites and equipment for rebuilding the servers, farms, or sites

Identification of key people and resources, who have the required skills and knowledge, as well sufficient administration levels

Documentation of physical hardware requirements, network configurations, and software versions

Location and safekeeping of all installation media required for reinstalling the operating systems and applications

Perform regular full operating system and SharePoint farm backups

Avamar software plays an integral part in disaster recovery, by providing full system (server operating system, system state, and volumes) backups with the Avamar Client for Windows, as well as application backups with the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS and Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server.

Disaster Recovery on page 93 provides information on using Avamar software for backup and restore of a SharePoint farm, whether it be a standalone farm with all SharePoint roles on one server, or a distributed farm with separate WFE, application, and database servers.

Preparing for disaster recovery on page 94 describes how to use Avamar software as part of your comprehensive backup strategy. Prepare for disaster recovery by performing regular backups of all computers with Avamar Client for Windows and regular backups of SharePoint data and configuration of each computer in the SharePoint farm with the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS and Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server.

Performing disaster recovery on page 101 describes how to rebuild and restore the environment from Avamar backups.

There are many parts of the recovery process that require extensive knowledge and use of Microsoft SharePoint technology and tools. Microsoft provides detailed information on the entire disaster recovery process, as well as their recommended best practices, in Data protection and recovery for Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=102839&clcid=0x409.


CHAPTER 2Installation

The following topics explain how to install and configure Avamar client and plug-in software on a supported SharePoint server in either standalone or high-availability configurations:

System requirements .............................................................................................. 38 Installation road map .............................................................................................. 44 Installing and running the Avamar Config Checker for Microsoft Windows................ 45 Installing the Avamar Client for Windows................................................................. 47 Installing the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS ..................................................... 48 Fixing Microsoft SharePoint VSS Writer installation errors ........................................ 51 Changing the installation type................................................................................. 52 Two-node cluster installation task list...................................................................... 52 Configuring the Avamar Client for Windows Clusters ................................................ 52 Installing Kroll Ontrack PowerControls ..................................................................... 56 Upgrading the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS ................................................... 58 Uninstalling the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS................................................. 58

Installation 37

Installation

System requirementsThe following topics list the system requirements for Avamar in a SharePoint environment:

Supported configurations on page 38 VSS snapshot volume requirements on page 39 Hardware requirements on page 39 Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR requirements on page 39 Multi-streaming recommendations on page 41 Database requirements on page 42 Required account privileges on page 43

Supported configurations

The following table lists the SharePoint environments supported by the Avamar plug-in.

The EMC Avamar Compatibility and Interoperability Matrix, also available from EMC Online Support, provides the most up-to-date and accurate listing of supported SharePoint versions and operating systems.

Unsupported configurations

Windows Small Business Server not supported

The Avamar software does not support backup and recovery of Windows Small Business Server.

Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft SharePoint Server installations on same machine not supported

The Avamar software does not support Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft SharePoint Server installed on the same machine. This configuration is not supported by Microsoft, and Microsoft best practices advise to install these roles on separate machines.

Hardware providers are not supported

All Avamar VSS-based backup operations use the Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider, also known as the Microsoft system provider. Hardware providers are not supported.

Table 4 Avamar client or plug-in required for SharePoint environments

SharePoint version Operating system

SharePoint 2013 Windows Server 2012 Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1

SharePoint 2010 SP1 Windows Server 2012 Microsoft Windows Server 2008 SP2 Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, SP2

SharePoint 2007 SP2, SP3 Windows Server 2008 SP2 (x64) Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, SP2


Installation

VSS snapshot volume requirements

The Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS uses Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) to take snapshot copies of data for backups. The Microsoft VSS framework allows up to 64 volumes in a VSS snapshot. When creating a dataset, do not include more than 64 volumes. If more than 64 volumes are included in a snapshot, backup fails and the Avamar event log lists the error:

VSS_E_MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_VOLUMES_REACHED.

The VSS framework also limits the number of shadow copies to 64 per volume. If the number of shadow copies in a volume exceeds 64, backup fails and the Avamar event log lists the error:

VSS_E_MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_SNAPSHOTS_REACHED.

Hardware requirements

The following table lists the hardware requirements for the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS.

Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR requirements

The Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR places additional demands on computer hardware and resources beyond the base requirements for the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS. The following topics describe the requirements for the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR.

MemoryThe Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR may require additional memory (RAM). The amount of additional or total memory required depends on the current system performance with the existing memory:

If resources are already strained and performance is slow with regular operations of the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS, then add significantly more memory to support SharePoint granular level recovery operations.

If performance is currently adequate with regular operations of the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS, then additional memory may not be required to support SharePoint granular level recovery operations.

Third-party recovery tools may require additional memory. Consult the documentation for the tool for specific memory requirements.

Table 5 Hardware requirements

Requirement Minimum

Memory (RAM) 2 GB

File systems NTFS

Notice: You must convert FAT 16 and 32 systems to NTFS.

Network interface 10BaseT minimum; 100BaseT or higher recommended, configured with latest drivers for the platform.

System requirements 39

Installation

Database sizeSharePoint 2010 SP1 and 2013 support Content Databases up to 4 TB, and the Avamar software supports databases up to the maximums allowed by SharePoint. However, the maximum database sizes recommended by Microsoft for rapid backup and recovery are 200 GB for SharePoint 2010 and 2013, and 100 GB for SharePoint 2007. The Microsoft TechNet articles, Capacity Management for SharePoint Server 2010 at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/ff601870.aspx, and Database maintenance (Office SharePoint Server 2007) at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc825329(office.12).aspx, provide more information about sizing databases for best performance.

Third-party recovery toolA third-party recovery tool, such as Kroll Ontrack, is required to browse and restore individual items from the data restored to the Administrator Console with the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS.

Kroll Ontrack must be purchased separately and is not included in the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS installation package.


IMPORTANT

Though Avamar supports SharePoint 2013, GLR is not yet available. The Kroll Ontrack PowerControls software which is required for performing the data restore in GLR does not yet support SharePoint 2013.

The EMC Avamar Compatibility and Interoperability Matrix, available from EMC Online Support (https://support.EMC.com/products), provides the most up-to-date and accurate listing of supported third-party recovery tools.

Mapped network driveGranular level recovery requires the creation of an Avamar Virtual Drive, which appears as a local drive in folder windows, such as Windows Explorer. If another user or user session has mapped a network drive within a user session on a client machine, the Avamar software cannot detect those drive mappings when assigning a drive letter for the Avamar Virtual Drive. If you select a drive letter that is already mapped during SharePoint granular level recovery, then the folder view of the drives shows the mapped network drive. The drive letter assignment for the Avamar Virtual Drive is not visible.

To prevent this from occurring, use a drive letter that you know is not in use when you specify the drive letter for the Avamar Virtual Drive during the recovery. If the Z drive is already mapped to a network drive, do not use the default value of slash (/) because that causes the Avamar Virtual Drive to map to the Z:\ drive.

If you notice the drive mapping issue after you create the Avamar Virtual Drive, then disconnect the conflicting network mapping in the granular level recovery sessions where it does not appear. The Avamar Virtual Drive then appears.


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Installation

Multi-streaming recommendations

Multi-streaming places additional demands on computer hardware and resources beyond the base requirements for the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS. In addition, there are several configuration recommendations for multi-streaming.

Multi-streaming hardware and software requirementsThe following table lists the hardware and software recommendations for multi-streaming.

Multi-streaming SharePoint configuration requirementsWhen you configure multi-streaming for a backup, you can group by database or by volume.

Regardless of whether you group by database or by volume, do not use multi-streaming for the first full backup of a SharePoint farm.

Multi-streaming on page 28 provides more information about the differences between grouping by database or by volume and the performance issues with using multi-streaming on the first full backup.

Multi-streaming requirements when grouping by database

When you group by database, perform the following to ensure that the SharePoint configuration meets the multi-streaming requirements:

Split large databases so that all databases are relatively close in size. For example, if you have a 200 GB database, then move some site collections to new databases and create four 50 GB databases instead.

Distribute larger databases to separate disks. For example, if there are six 50 GB databases on the same disk drive, then redistribute each database to a separate disk drive.

Table 6 Multi-streaming hardware and software recommendations

Requirement Description

CPU At least one processor core per stream

Memory (RAM) 48 GB or more

Hard disks 1 disk drive for operating system/SharePoint common files Separate disk drive or RAID drive group for each large SharePoint

content database 7200 RPM or faster disk drives

Network adapter 1 GB

Operating system Windows Server 2008 64-bit w/SP2 or later (SharePoint 2010 and 2013 requirement)

SharePoint database Microsoft SQL Server 2008 SP2 or later (SharePoint 2010 and 2013 requirement)


Installation

Multi-streaming requirements when grouping by volume

When you group by volume, perform the following to ensure that the SharePoint configuration meets the multi-streaming requirements:

Ensure that each volume is on its own disk drive spindle.

Balance the total database size on each volume to be as equal as possible. For example, consider the following four drives:

Drive 1 is 110 GB and holds Application and Administrative databases. Drive 2 is 105 GB and holds Content_Database_01. Drive 3 is 115 GB and holds Content_Database_02a. Drive 4 is 108 GB and holds Content_Database_02b.

Multi-streaming Avamar configuration requirementsWhen you specify multi-streaming options for a backup, specify a maximum of one backup stream for each disk in the backup set. For example:

If you back up two databases with each database on its own disk, you can specify a maximum of two streams.

If you back up two databases with each database and its logs on two disks (for a total of four disks), you can specify a maximum of four streams.

Database requirements

The Microsoft SharePoint documentation provides a list of SQL Server versions that SharePoint supports. The Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS supports all SQL Server versions that SharePoint supports.

IMPORTANT

Full farm recovery and disaster recovery requires a full backup provided by the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS. You cannot use a backup from the Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server. Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server (optional) on page 18 provides more information about the advantages and disadvantages of using the Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server for SharePoint database backups.

If you plan to use the Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server to back up SharePoint databases, then review the EMC Avamar Compatibility and Interoperability Matrix, available from EMC Online Support at https://support.EMC.com/products, for a list of SQL Server versions that the SQL Server plug-in supports.

You can use the Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server to back up all databases in the environment except for the search database. The Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server backup does not include the search index file, which must be synchronized with the search database backup so that they can both be restored together.

In addition, the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS only performs full backups of SharePoint SQL content databases. A full backup does not manage SQL log file truncation. To work around this limitation, set the SQL databases to Simple Recovery Model so that log truncation is not necessary.


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Installation

Required account privileges

The Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS agent service and the SharePoint administrator must be run with the same domain account.

In addition, to perform a federated farm restore, which is a full farm restore of a distributed farm, you must have domain-level administrator access. Typically, the Administrator account you used when installing and configuring the SharePoint farm is a member of the Administrators group on each server, and can be used as a valid account for the federated restore. If you use a different administrator account other than the one you used to install SharePoint, you must do both of the following:

Add the SharePoint Administrator account to the Domain Administrators group.

Assign the Log on as a service right to the SharePoint Administrator account on each server that runs any of the SharePoint services. This setting is specified in Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > User Rights Assignment > Log on as a service.

Avamar Backup Agent service runs as LocalSystem

The Avamar Backup Agent service must be running as LocalSystem on all machines.

Services and writers

The Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS relies on several services and writers to complete backup and recovery operations. Usually, when the SharePoint farm is running normal operations, all of the needed services and writers are running. However, if a needed writer or service is not running, backup or recovery operations may fail. The writer or service may have been stopped because a server was taken offline, it crashed, or maintenance operations are being performed.

The following list of services and writers are required for Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS plug-in operations. Each of these may be on a different machine if in a federated environment. This list may be useful for troubleshooting backup or recovery failures:

Table 7 Services and writers used by Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS (page 1 of 2)

Microsoft application Service or writer name

SharePoint 2013

SqlServer Writer OSearch15 VSS Writer SharePoint Services Writer


Installation

Installation road mapThe installation and configuration of Avamar software in a SharePoint environment depends on the type of farm, and whether the granular level recovery feature and optional third-party recovery tool are installed. The following topics provide an overview of the common types of installation, including diagrams of the client and plug-in installations by SharePoint farm type and roles:

Standalone SharePoint farm on page 21 Distributed SharePoint farm on page 23

To install the necessary Avamar software to back up and restore a SharePoint environment:

1. Install and configure Microsoft SharePoint for standalone server or distributed server farm deployment, following the respective Microsoft guidelines for the selected deployment type.

2. (Optional) Install and run the Avamar Config Checker to verify that your Windows and SharePoint setups are properly configured for backup and recovery when using the Avamar software, as described in Installing and running the Avamar Config Checker for Microsoft Windows on page 45.

3. Install the Avamar Client for Windows on every server in the SharePoint farm, as described in Installing the Avamar Client for Windows on page 47.

4. Install the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS on every server in the SharePoint farm, as described in Installing the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS on page 48.

If you intend to perform granular level recovery, then select the option to install the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR as well as the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS on the SharePoint Administrator Console, which is the computer you will use to browse and select the data for granular level recovery.

SharePoint 2010

SharePoint 2010 Administration (SPAdminV4) SharePoint 2010 Timer (SPTimerV4) SharePoint Foundation Search V4 (SPSearch4) SharePoint Server Search 14 (OSearch14) SharePoint 2010 VSS Writer (SPWriterV4)

SharePoint 2007

Windows SharePoint Services Administration (SPAdmin) Windows SharePoint Services Timer (SPTimerV3) Windows SharePoint Services Search (SPSearch) Office SharePoint Server Search (OSearch) Windows SharePoint Services VSS Writer (SPWriter)

SQL Server SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER) SQL Server VSS Writer (SQLWriter)

Table 7 Services and writers used by Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS (page 2 of 2)

Microsoft application Service or writer name


Installation

When you restore, the Avamar Client for Windows and Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS must be installed on the target, or destination servers. If you restore to the same location/server, the client and plug-in should already be installed because that software enabled you to perform the backups. However, if you restore to a different location, ensure the client and plug-in are installed on those servers.

5. If you intend to perform granular level recovery, then install the third-party recovery tool, such as Kroll Ontrack, on the Administrator Console, as described in Installing Kroll Ontrack PowerControls on page 56.

Kroll Ontrack must be purchased separately and is not included in the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS installation package. Kroll Ontrack PowerControls is available for resale through the EMC Select program. It can be ordered from within the EMC ordering system. The Avamar ordering flow on Direct Express and Channel Express provides the option of selecting PowerControls. For details about the software, go to http:// Powerlink.EMC.com and select Products > EMC Select > Kroll Ontrack to access the Kroll Ontrack landing page.

6. If you plan to back up the SQL Server databases in the environment with the Avamar Plug-in for SQL Server, then install the plug-in on the database servers following the instructions in the EMC Avamar for SQL Server User Guide.

7. In some standalone installations, the SQL Server VSS Writer service might be in a disabled or stopped state after you install the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS. Without this service running, backups and recoveries might fail. Before you perform a backup, check Services.msc to verify that the SQL Server VSS Writer service is enabled and set to automatic.

8. Prepare the SharePoint standalone server or distributed server farm and its related components for disaster recovery, as discussed in Preparing for disaster recovery on page 94.

Installing and running the Avamar Config Checker for Microsoft Windows

The Avamar Config Checker for Microsoft Windows is an optional tool that you can use before or after Avamar client and plug-in installation. You can use the Config Checker to verify that your setup is properly configured for backup and recovery when using the Avamar software.

This section provides an overview of the Config Checker and instructions on how to download and install it. The EMC Avamar Config Checker for Microsoft Windows Supplemental Notes provides complete instructions for running and uninstalling the Config Checker, as well as examples of HTML results files.

Installing and running the Avamar Config Checker for Microsoft Windows 45

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Installation

The Config Checker checks and captures configuration errors that can lead to failure in the Avamar installation, data backup, or data recovery for the following:

Application host (operating system environment) Microsoft SharePoint Microsoft Exchange Microsoft SQL Microsoft Hyper-V

The Config Checker is supported on only English operating systems.

The Config Checker runs in the following modes:

Preinstall mode:

If Avamar software is not installed.

If upgrading from an older version of Avamar software to a newer version.

Postinstall mode:

If Avamar software is already installed and the same release of Avamar software is selected when running the Config Checker.

To install the Avamar Config Checker:

1. Log in to the computer where the software will be installed.

On Windows Vista platforms, you must log in as Administrator.

2. Open a web browser and type the following URL:

http://AVAMARSERVER

where AVAMARSERVER is the network hostname as defined in DNS or the IP address of the Avamar server.

You are redirected to the Avamar secure web server.

3. If a security alert dialog box appears due to browser security settings, click Yes or OK to allow redirection to the Avamar secure web server.

The Secure Log On page appears.

4. Scroll down and then click the Documents and Downloads hyperlink.

The Documents and Downloads page appears.

5. Locate the link for the correct operating system for the client computer, and then click the corresponding install package:

Windows for x86 (32 bit) > Avamar_ConfigChecker_win_x86.zip

or

Windows for x86 (64 bit) > Avamar_ConfigChecker_win_x64.zip

6. Save the install package, unzip the folder, and then run the installation program.


Installation

Installing the Avamar Client for WindowsTo install the Avamar Client for Windows:

1. Log in to the client computer with an account that has Administrator privileges.

2. Open a web browser and go to the following URL:

http://AVAMARSERVER

where AVAMARSERVER is the network hostname (as defined in DNS) or IP address of the Avamar system.

You are automatically redirected to the Avamar secure web server.

Depending on the browser security settings, a security alert dialog box might appear.

3. If a security alert dialog box appears, click Yes or OK to allow redirection to the Avamar secure web server.


4. Page down and then click the Documents and Downloads hyperlink.


5. Click the Windows for x86 (64 bit) operating system hyperlink.

A directory listing appears.

6. Select the AvamarClient-windows-x86_64-VERSION.msi install package, where VERSION is the client version that you are installing.

The browser prompts you to either run the file or save it to the local computer.

7. Start the installer by using one of the following sets of steps, depending on whether the User Account Control (UAC) feature is enabled on the computer:

If UAC is disabled, open the file in place on the server or download the file to a temporary directory on the computer, and then open the file.

If UAC is enabled, perform the following steps:

a. In Windows, right-click the Command Prompt icon and select Run as administrator.

b. In the command prompt window, change the working directory to the location of the installation package:

cd INSTALL_PATH

where INSTALL_PATH is the full path of the temporary directory that contains the installation package.

c. On a single line, type the following command to launch the installer:

msiexec /i AvamarClient-windows-x86_64-VERSION.msi

where VERSION is the version number of the available install package.

Installing the Avamar Client for Windows 47

Installation

UAC is designed to provide additional operating system security by preventing software from being installed with administrator privileges, unless an administrator authorizes the elevated privileges.

The installation wizard appears.

8. Follow the instructions to proceed through the wizard.

9. Click Finish.

Installing the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSSTo install the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS:

1. Log in to the client computer with the same domain account that you use for the SharePoint administrator.

This account is used for the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS agent service and must be the same domain account as the SharePoint administrator account.

2. Open a web browser and go to the following URL:

http://AVAMARSERVER

where AVAMARSERVER is the network hostname (as defined in DNS) or IP address of the Avamar system.

You are automatically redirected to the Avamar secure web server.

Depending on the browser security settings, a security alert dialog box might appear.

3. If a security alert dialog box appears, click Yes or OK to allow redirection to the Avamar secure web server.


4. Page down and then click the Documents and Downloads hyperlink.


5. Click the Windows for x86 (64 bit) operating system hyperlink.

A directory listing appears.

6. Select the AvamarMossVSS-windows-x86_x64-VERSION.msi install package, where VERSION is the version number of the package.

The browser prompts you to either run the file or save it to the local computer.


Installation

7. Start the installer by using one of the following sets of steps, depending on whether the UAC feature is enabled on the computer:

If UAC is disabled, open the file in place on the server or download the file to a temporary directory on the computer, and then open the file.

If UAC is enabled, perform the following steps:

a. In Windows, right-click the Command Prompt icon and select Run as administrator.

b. In the command prompt window, change the working directory to the location of the installation package:

cd INSTALL_PATH

where INSTALL_PATH is the full path of the temporary directory that contains the installation package.

c. On a single line, type the following command to launch the installer:

msiexec /i AvamarMossVSS-x86_x64-VERSION.msi

where VERSION is the version number of the available install package.

UAC is designed to provide additional operating system security by preventing software from being installed with administrator privileges, unless an administrator authorizes the elevated privileges.

The EMC Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS Setup Wizard appears.

8. Follow the instructions in the wizard.

A Windows security dialog box might appear during installation, indicating a possible security risk because of an unsigned driver or device. The exact message can vary, depending on the version of Windows you are installing this on. The message might identify the software publisher EldoS Corporation. If this message appears, click Install or Install this driver software anyway.

Installing the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint VSS 49

Installation

9. If you intend to perform granular level recovery and the server on which you are running the installation is the Administrator Console, then select the SharePoint GLR plug-in when the wizard displays this option, as shown in the following figure.

For full SharePoint granular level recovery functionality, in addition to installing the Avamar Plug-in for SharePoint GLR, you must purchase and install a third-party granular level recovery tool such as Kroll Ontrack PowerControls. Installing Kroll Ontrack PowerControls on page 56 provides more information about ordering the software and which machines in the Avamar and SharePoint farm environments it must be installed on.

10. When the Select the type of installation page appears, select the type of SharePoint server on which you are installing the plug-in:

If the server is the main WFE server in a distributed farm, or the sole SharePoint server in a standalone farm, sele