Dell Appassure 5 User Guide
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Dell AppAssure User Guide Version 5.4.3 Revision B79 Configuring deployment settings AppAssure lets you download installers from the AppAssure Core to machines you want to protect. You can configure settings related to the deployment of the AppAssure Agent software from your Core to the machines you want to protect. Complete the steps in this procedure to configure deployment settings. To configure deployment settings 1 Navigate to the AppAssure Core Console and click the Configuration tab, and then Settings. 2 In the Deploy Settings pane, click Change. The Deploy Settings dialog box appears. 3 Enter deployment settings as described in the following table. 4Click Save. The Deploy Settings dialog box closes, and your new deployment settings are applied. Table 41. Deployment settings Te x t B o x D e s c r i p t i o n Agent installer name Specify the name of the Core Web Installer executable file. This file streams a download of the latest version of the AppAssure Core installer, which runs directly from the Web and lets you pause and resume the process as needed. The default filename is Agent-Web.exe. Core address Enter the address of your Core server. This typically consists of the protocol, the name of your core server and port, and the directory where the Core files reside. For example, if your server is Sample, this setting is https://sample:8006/apprecovery/admin/Core Failed receive timeout The amount of time deployment of the Agent software should be attempted before timing out. The default setting is 20 minutes. Maximum parallel install This setting controls the maximum number of deployments of the Agent software for the Core to attempt at one time. The default setting is 100. Automatic reboot after install This checkbox controls whether machines receiving the AppAssure Agent software automatically reboot after installation. Restarting after installation is required to protect the machine using the newly installed software. The default setting is for this option to be enabled. Protect after deploy This checkbox controls whether machines should begin transmitting backup information to the AppAssure Core immediately after deploying and restarting. If disabled, machines will not be protected until the user forces a backup or until the next scheduled backup time.
Dell AppAssure User Guide Version 5.4.3 Revision B80 Configuring database connection settings You can view system events related to the AppAssure Core on the Events tab. The AppAssure Core stores this transactional information in a MongoDB service database. By default, this database is installed locally on the Core machine. Complete the steps in this procedure to modify the database connection settings for the service database used by the AppAssure Core. To modify database connection settings 1 Navigate to the AppAssure Core Console and click the Configuration tab, and then Settings. 2 In the Database Connection Settings pane, perform one of the following: •Click Restore Default. •Or, click Change. The Database Connection Settings dialog box displays. 3 Enter the settings for modifying the database connection as described in the following table. 4Click Test Connection to verify your settings. 5Click Save. NOTE: For more information about viewing event information from the AppAssure Core, see Viewing tasks, alerts, and events. Customers can choose to specify installation of the MongoDB service database on another machine accessible on the network to the AppAssure Core. If the service database for your AppAssure Core is installed on a machine other than the machine hosting the AppAssure Core, you must provide database credentials (a user name and password) in these settings. Table 42. Database connection settings Te x t B o x D e s c r i p t i o n Host name Enter a host name for the database connection. NOTE: When localhost is the parameter specified as the host, the MongoDB is installed locally on the machine hosting the Core. Port Enter a port number for the database connection. NOTE: The default setting is 27017. User name Enter the name of a user with administrative privileges to the MongoDB service database. NOTE: If the host name parameter is localhost, this field is not required. Password Enter the password associated with the user name you specified. NOTE: If the host name parameter is localhost, this field is not required. Retain event and job history for ___ daysEnter the number of days to retain the event and job history in the service database. Maximum connection pool size Sets the maximum number of database connections cached to allow dynamic reuse. NOTE: The default setting is 100. Minimum connection pool size Sets the minimum number of database connections cached to allow dynamic reuse. NOTE: The default setting is 0.
Dell AppAssure User Guide Version 5.4.3 Revision B81 Managing licenses AppAssure lets you manage licenses directly from the AppAssure Core Console. You can change the license key or file associated with your Core, and contact the license server. You can also access the Dell AppAssure License Portal directly from the Licensing page in the console. The Licensing page includes the following information: License details: •License type. Types of licenses include Trial, Subscription, or Enterprise. For more information, see the topic About AppAssure Software License Types in the Dell AppAssure License Portal User Guide. •License status. Indicates the status of the license. An active status ensures snapshots can continue as scheduled. If the license is blocked, or expired, or if the Core has not been able to communicate with the Dell AppAssure License Portal past the grace period, snapshots are paused until the license status is corrected. License pool. • License pool size. The license pool is the number of non-trial licenses available to allocate across groups and subgroups in the Dell AppAssure License Portal. The size of the pool determines how many licenses can be allocated. For more information, see the topic About License Pools in the Dell AppAssure License Portal User Guide. • Protected by this Core. Indicates the number of machines from the license pool that are protected by this core. • Total protected in group. Indicates the total number of machines protected within the same license group as this Core. License server. These settings apply to standard (phone home) licenses. These settings are not applicable for appliances and other non-phone-home licenses: • License server address. Displays an active URL for the license server associated with this Core. • Last response from the licensing server. Indicates whether the last attempted communication with the license server portal was successful. • Last contact with licensing server. Displays the date and time of the last successful contact with the licensing server. • Next attempt to contact the licensing server. Indicates the next scheduled date and time to attempt communication with the licensing server. For more information, see the Dell AppAssure License Portal User Guide. You can also view licensing information for a single protected machine. For more information, see Viewing license information on a machine. Changing a license Many users start with a trial license, which has limited capabilities. A trial license is valid for 14 days, and can be extended one time by the group administrator to a 28-day license. Once the trial period expires, the AppAssure Core stops taking snapshots until you obtain a valid license. Once you have upgraded or purchased your AppAssure license, you will receive either a license file or a license key. Complete the steps in this procedure to upgrade your trial license, or to change your license from within the AppAssure Core Console. NOTE: For information about obtaining a license key, see the Dell AppAssure License Portal User Guide.
Dell AppAssure User Guide Version 5.4.3 Revision B82 To change a license key or file 1 Navigate to the AppAssure Core Console and then select the Configuration tab. 2Click Licensing. The Licensing page appears. 3 From the License Details pane, click Change License. The Change License dialog box appears. 4 In the Change License dialog box, to enter a license key, skip to Step 6. 5 To upload a license file, do the following: aSelect Upload License File and click Browse. The File Upload dialog box appears. b Navigate to the location where your license file is stored, and click to select the file. c In the File Upload dialog box, click Open. The license file is authenticated. Skip to Step 7. 6 In the Change License dialog box, select Enter License Key, and then, in the license key text field, enter the license key. 7Click Continue. The Change License dialog box closes. 8 In the License Server pane, click Contact Now. Once the license is applied to the license server, any associated protected machines will automatically update with the new license. Contacting the Dell AppAssure License Portal server The AppAssure Core Console frequently contacts the portal server to remain current with any changes made in the Dell AppAssure License Portal. For non-trial licenses, the AppAssure Core contacts the license portal every 3 days. If the Core cannot reach the license portal after that grace period, the Core stops taking snapshots. Typically, communication with the portal server occurs automatically at designated intervals; however, you can initiate communication on-demand. Complete the steps in this procedure to contact the portal server. To contact the portal server 1 Navigate to the AppAssure Core Console and then click the Configuration tab. 2Click Licensing. The Licensing page appears. 3 From the License Server option, click Contact Now.
Dell AppAssure User Guide Version 5.4.3 Revision B83 Backing up and restoring Core settings You can back up core setting information to a file, and later restore these settings if you have problems with the Core machine or if you want to migrate those settings to a different machine. Information that gets backed up includes repository metadata (such as the repository name, data path, and metadata path); machines protected in the Core; replication relationships (targets and sources); which machines are configured for virtual standby; and information about encryption keys. Use this procedure to backup and restore Core settings. To back up and restore Core settings 1 Navigate to the AppAssure Core Console. 2 Click the Configuration tab, and then click Backup/Restore. The Backup Core Configuration page appears. 3If you want to back up core settings, proceed to Step 4. If you want to restore settings, proceed to Step 5. 4 To back up the current settings in an XML file, in the Local path text box, type a directory path accessible locally to the Core machine where you want to store core settings as an XML file, and then click Backup. For example, type C:\Users\Your_User_Name\Documents\AA5CoreSettings and then click Backup. A file named AppRecoveryCoreConfigurationBackup.xml is saved to the local destination you specified. 5 To restore Core settings from a backup XML file saved previously using this method, perform the following steps. a From the Configuration tab, select Backup/Restore and then click Restore. The Restore Core Configuration page appears. b In the local path text box, enter the local path of the location where you stored the core configuration settings. For example, type C:\Users\Your_User_Name\Documents\AA5CoreSettings. cIf you do not want to restore repository information, proceed to Step f. d Optionally, if you want to restore repository information as configured in the backup file, select Restore Repositories and then click Restore. The page refreshes. If you choose to restore repository information from the backed-up configuration data, then any repositories configured when the Core settings were saved appear for verification. By default, each repository is selected. e Verify the repository information you want to restore. If multiple repositories appear in the list for verification, and you only wish to restore information for some of them, then clear the selection for each repository you do not want. fClick Restore. The restore process begins. An alert appears indicating that the repository service configuration has changed. CAUTION: You must first back up core setting information before you can use this process to restore core settings. CAUTION: When you restore the Core configuration settings, the AppAssure Core service restarts.
Dell AppAssure User Guide Version 5.4.3 Revision B84 gIf any configuration settings could not be restored you will see an error message. Review the details of the error to see if any action is required on your part. For more information, see Viewing tasks, alerts, and events. To continue, click Close to clear the error dialog box. h After restoring the configuration, follow guidance in the user interface. For example: •Unlock all encryption keys •Verify virtual standby credentials. If you have continual export established to a virtual machine, you must specify your credentials before a successful synchronization. •If replication is set up and you want to restore to a target core, verify the target core settings on the source core. Configuring Core job settings Core jobs are automatically created whenever you initiate operations such as replication. The Job Settings section of the Configuration tab lets you determine the settings for each job, including how many jobs should occur at once and how many times a job should be tried, in case a network or other communication error prevents the job from succeeding the first time. •AppAssure can perform the following Core jobs: •AdHocDeleteRecoveryPointsJob •AutoUpdateJob •BackupJob •BootCdBulderJob •CheckAgentRecoveryPointsJob •CheckRepositoryIntegrityJob •DeleteAllRecoveryPointsJob •DeleteOrphanVolumeImagesChainJob •DeleteRecoveryPointsChainJob •DownloadExchangeDllsJob •ExportJob •ImportJob •LocalMountRecoveryPointJob •MaintainRepositoryJob •NightlyAttachabilityJob •PushInstallJob •RecoveryPointAttachabilityJob •RollbackJob •RollupJob •UploadCoreLogsJob
Dell AppAssure User Guide Version 5.4.3 Revision B85 Editing Core job settings Complete the steps in the following procedure to edit the settings of a job. To edit Core job settings 1 On the AppAssure Core Console, do one of the following: •Click the Configuration tab, and then click Job Settings. •Click the drop-down menu on the Configuration tab, and then click Job Settings. •From the icon bar, click the drop-down menu next to the Configuration icon and then click Jobs settings. 2 On the Job Settings page, select a job you want to change. From the drop-down configuration menu for that job, select Edit. 3 The Job Settings: [JobName] dialog box opens. 4 To change the maximum number of jobs for the Core to attempt at one time, in the Maximum concurrent jobs text box, enter a new value between 1 to 50. 5 To change the setting for the number of attempts the Core should make before abandoning the job, in the Try count text box, enter a new value between 1 and 10. 6Click Save. The Job Settings dialog box closes, and your new job settings are applied. Adding Core jobs Complete the steps in the following procedure to add a job to the Core. To add Core jobs 1 On the AppAssure Core Console, do one of the following: •Click the Configuration tab, and then click Job Settings. •Click the drop-down menu on the Configuration tab, and then click Job Settings. •From the icon bar, click the drop-down menu next to the Configuration icon and then click Jobs settings. 2 On the Job Settings page, click Add. The Job Settings dialog box appears. 3 In the Job Settings dialog box, from the Jobs field, select the name of a job you want to add. These jobs are described in the topic Configuring Core job settings. 4 To set the maximum number of jobs for the Core to attempt at one time, in the Maximum concurrent jobs text box, enter a new value between 1 to 50. 5 To set the number of attempts the Core should make before abandoning the job, in the Try count text box, enter a new value between 1 and 10. 6Click Save. The Job Settings dialog box closes, and your new job settings are applied.
Dell AppAssure User Guide Version 5.4.3 Revision B86 Accessing diagnostics for the Core In AppAssure, diagnostic information is available for you to download and upload log data for the Core. Additionally, you can download and view diagnostic information for individual protected machines. For more information about machine logs, see Accessing protected machine diagnostics. The ability to access logs can be useful when troubleshooting an issue or working with AppAssure Support. To access core logs, see the following procedures: •Downloading the Core logs •Viewing the Core logs •Uploading logs Downloading the Core logs If you encounter any errors or issues with the Core, you can download the Core logs to view them or upload them to AppAssure Support. To download the Core logs 1 Navigate to the AppAssure Core Console. 2 Click the Tools drop-down menu or tab, click Diagnostics, and then click View Log. 3 On the Download Core Log page of the Tools tab, click Click here to begin the download. 4 In the Opening CoreAppRecovery.log dialog box, select Save File. 5Click OK. The CoreAppRecovery.log file saves to your Downloads folder. Viewing the Core logs If you encounter any errors or issues with the Core, it may be useful to view the logs. To view the Core logs 1 Navigate to the AppAssure Core Console. 2 Click the Tools drop-down menu or tab, click Diagnostics, and then click View Log. 3 On the Download Core Log page of the Tools tab, click on the link Click here to begin the download. 4 In the Opening CoreAppRecovery.log dialog box, select Open with, and then use the drop-down list to select a program with which you want to open the file; for example, Notepad. 5Click OK. The file opens in the program you selected. Uploading logs The following procedure lets you upload logs that you may have downloaded for the Core or for protected machines. Complete the step in the following procedure to upload machine logs. To upload logs 1 Navigate to the AppAssure Core Console. 2 Click the Tools tab, and then click Diagnostics.
Dell AppAssure User Guide Version 5.4.3 Revision B87 3Click Upload Log. 4 On the Upload Core Log page of the Tools tab, click Click here to begin the upload. The Events tab displays for you to view the progress of the upload of log information for the Core and all protected machines.
Dell AppAssure User Guide Version 5.4.3 Revision B 5 88 Understanding encryption keys This chapter describes the process of securing data in your environment using encryption keys. It includes the following sections: •Applying or removing encryption from a protected machine •Managing encryption keys The AppAssure Core can encrypt snapshot data for all volumes within any repository using encryption keys that you define and manage. Instead of encrypting the entire repository, AppAssure lets you specify an encryption key for one or more machines protected on a single AppAssure Core. Each active encryption key creates an encryption domain. There is no limit to the number of encryption keys you can create on the Core. In a multi-tenant environment (when a single Core hosts multiple encryption domains), data is partitioned and deduplicated within each encryption domain. As a result, Dell recommends using a single encryption key for multiple protected machines if you want to maximize the benefits of deduplication among a set of protected machines. Because you manage the encryption keys, loss of the volume cannot leak the keys. You can also share encryption keys between Cores using one of three methods. One method is to export an encryption key as a file from one AppAssure Core and import it to another Core. A second method is to archive data secured with an encryption key, and then import that archived data into another AppAssure Core. The third method is to replicate recovery points from a protected machine using an encryption key. After you replicate protected machines, the encryption keys used in the source Core appear as replicated encryption keys in the target Core. In all cases, once imported, any encryption key appears in the Core with a state of Locked. To access data from a locked encryption key, you must unlock it. For information about importing, exporting, locking or unlocking encryption keys, see the topic Managing encryption keys. Key security concepts and considerations include: •Encryption is performed using 256 Bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) in Cipher Block Chaining (CBC) mode that is compliant with SHA-3. •Deduplication operates within an encryption domain to ensure privacy. •Encryption is performed without impact on performance. •You can apply a single encryption key to any number of protected machines, but any protected machine can only have one encryption key applied at a time. •You can add, remove, import, export, modify, and delete encryption keys that are configured on the AppAssure Core. Encryption keys generated from the AppAssure Core are text files that contain four parameters, as described in the following table: CAUTION: AppAssure takes a new base image whenever you apply an encryption key to a protected machine, or when you edit the name, description, or passphrase for an encryption key that is applied to one or more protected machines. A new base image is also triggered after you disassociate an encryption key for a protected machine. The resulting base image is captured upon the next scheduled snapshot (or immediately if you force a snapshot).