Configuring Handoff Hosts
This section describes how to configure application-consistent snapshots for storage arrays from nonqualified providers. The Core can interoperate with any iSCSI-compliant storage array, but support for application-consistent snapshots is limited to storage arrays from qualified vendors (Dell EqualLogic, EMC CLARiiON, EMC VNX, NetApp, or IBM v7000). The handoff host feature enables you to configure external hosts and scripts to take the snapshots on other, nonqualified storage arrays.
The following procedure assumes that you have already installed the handoff host in your network and installed the snapshot program (Windows executable) and script on the host.
Note: Windows Server 2012 R2 is supported as of Core version 3.6 for application-consistent snapshots.
To configure a handoff host
1. Choose Configure > Backups: Snapshots to display the Snapshots page, and select the Handoff Hosts tab.
2. Add a new handoff host for snapshots using the controls described in this table.
Control | Description |
Add a Handoff Host | Displays controls for adding a handoff host to the running snapshot configuration. |
Hostname or IP Address | Specify the hostname or IP address of the handoff host. |
Username | Specify a username to give the Core access to the handoff host. |
Password/Confirm Password | Specify and confirm a password for the Core to access the handoff host. |
Script Path | Specify the paths to both the executable and the script on the handoff host. In both cases, you must provide the absolute path. For example: C:\Python27\python.exe C:\handoff_scripts\sample_script.py.txt |
Script Arguments | Supply the arguments that conform to your script to configure the snapshot settings. Delimit arguments and their values with a space and two dashes, for example: --username root --password corepass --storage-array 10.6.72.86 |
Add Handoff Host | Adds the specified handoff host snapshot implementation to the running configuration. |
After a snapshot configuration has been added, it appears in the list on the same page. This list displays the type (NetApp, and so on) as well as one of the following status conditions:
• Ready - This status indicates that a target has been configured to point to the LUN and that the LUN is reporting that it is connected.
• Standby - This status indicates that the LUN is available but no targets are currently configured to connect to it.
• Inactive - This status indicates that no target has been configured for the LUN and the LUN is not available.
3. To modify an existing configuration, click the link in the Hostname column to display the settings.
4. To remove an existing configuration, click the trash icon in the Remove column.
5. Click Save to save your settings permanently.