Managing External Backups

Configuring Administration Settings : Configuring Maintenance Settings : Managing External Backups

You configure external backups to an external file share (CIFS/NFS/SSH) in the External Backups page.

You can configure external backups:

• using a username and password to authenticate the external backup using CIFS or SSH.

• using a hostname or IP address and the remote path using NFS.

• using a Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA) public security key using SSH. Configuring external backups using a public key eliminates the need for password authentication. The public key is generated with 2048-bit encryption.

These types of data are backed up:

• SteelHead configuration information (such as policies and host settings) as configured by the SCC.

• SteelHead statistics (such as traffic summary, connection history and data store cost) as reported by the SCC.

• SCC configuration information (such as networking, system settings and security settings).

This type of backup is distinct from appliance backups that serve an archival purpose for a specific appliance.

Some external SCC backups via SSH can partially or completely fail with a particular set of Windows-based SSH servers, yet can succeed without issue with a different set of servers, for example:

• SolarWinds SFTP/SCP server - The backup server configuration works, but the actual backup or restore operations fail with either Error 13 (permission denied) or Error 74 (IO Error).

• WinSSHD - Ensure that the configured SSH server directory is writable by the username that the SCC uses to connect. It is not, the server configuration itself does not work.

Important: Riverbed recommends that you change the path used for your backups prior to upgrading to SCC 8.5. If a statistics backup has been performed using SCC 8.5 or later against a given backup location, you will not be able to restore statistics from that location to SCC versions prior to SCC 8.5.

Important: Riverbed has not tested or qualified any Windows-based SSH servers. If you have successfully integrated one of these servers in your network, contact Riverbed Support.

Configuring External SCC Backups

You can configure the external backups in the External Backup page. For detailed information, see the SteelHead Deployment Guide.

To configure external backups

1. Choose Administration > Maintenance: External Backup to display the External Backup page.

Figure: Configuring External Backups

2. Under Backup Server, specify the external location for the backup by completing the configuration as described in this table.

Control	Description
Protocol	Select from the drop-down list the file server protocol for the backup server for storing or retrieving the backup: • CIFS - Specify a domain name, username, and password. • NFS - Specify the hostname or IP address and the remote path. • SSH - Specify a username and password or you can configure a backup using an RSA public key that does not require password authentication. Note: If you back up to an NFS or SSH server and the same backup location is subsequently exposed via CIFS, the backup can fail. If the backups and restores are slow, use CIFS and NFS.
Hostname or IP Address	Specify the hostname or IP address for the backup server.
Remote Path	Specify the directory path on the backup server for the backup file. For example, for CIFS: \<sharename>\<directory>\<directory> or <sharename>/<directory> For example, for NFS: /<mount>/<point>/<directory> For example, for SSH: /<directory>/<directory> Note: The directory must already exist on the backup server.
CIFS Domain (CIFS only)	Specify the CIFS domain. Tip: If the username corresponds to a local account (as opposed to a domain account), this field should contain the NETBIOS name of the backup server.
User Name	Specify a valid username for CIFS or SSH access.
Password	Supply a valid password for CIFS or SSH access.
Password Confirm	Confirm the password for CIFS or SSH access.
Time Limit for Statistics Backup	Specify the time limit, in minutes. The default value is 0.
Disk Space Limit	Specify the disk space limit, in megabytes. The default value is 0.
Total Capacity	Select the drop-down error to view more information. • Available Space - Displays the available space, such as: Available to SCC Data and Reserved for Other SCC. • Used Space - Displays the used space, such as: Used by SCC Configuration Snapshots, Used by Appliance Snapshots, and Used by Statistics. • Used by Other Data - Displays the used by other data information.

3. Click Save to Disk to save your settings permanently.

Configuring External SCC Backups Using an RSA Public Key

You can configure external backups in the External Backup page using an RSA public key. Configuring external backups using an RSA public key eliminates the need for password authentication.

To configure external backups using an RSA public key

1. Choose Administration > Maintenance: External Backup to display the External Backup page.

Figure: Configuring External Backups Using an RSA Public Key

2. Under Backup Server, specify the external location for the backup by completing the configuration as described in this table.

Control	Description
Protocol	Select SSH from the drop-down list. Note: If you back up to an NFS or SSH server and the same backup location is subsequently exposed via CIFS, the backup can fail.
Hostname or IP Address	Specify the hostname or IP address for the backup server.
Remote Path	Specify the directory path on the backup server for the backup file. For example, for SSH: /<directory>/<directory> Note: The directory must already exist on the backup server.
User Name	Specify the username.
SSH Authentication Type	Select Public Key and click Generate Key to generate the public key. The public key is generated in the Public Key text box.
Public Key	After you click Generate Key, the key appears in the text box. Copy the public key to the user’s target machine: for example: /u/administrator/.ssh/authorized_keys
Generate Key	Generates the public key in the Public Key text box.
Time Limit for Statistics Backup	Specify the time limit, in minutes. The default value is 0.
Disk Space Limit	Specify the disk space limit, in megabytes. The default value is 0.
Total Capacity	Select the drop-down error to view more information. • Available Space - Displays the available space, such as: Available to SCC Data and Reserved for Other SCC. • Used Space - Displays the used space, such as: Used by SCC Configuration Snapshots, Used by Appliance Snapshots, and Used by Statistics. • Used by Other Data - Displays the used by other data information.

3. Click Save to Disk to save your settings permanently.

Scheduling External Backups

You can schedule external backups for SCC configurations.

To schedule an external backup

1. Under Scheduling, set the options to schedule and statistics backup as described in this table.

Control	Description
Schedule SCC Configuration Backup	Enables the backup of appliance configuration data. Complete these settings: • Start at - Specify the start using this format: YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS • Repeat every - Specify the number of days the SCC configuration backup operation should be repeated. • Maximum SCC Snapshots Retained - Specify the maximum number of SCC snapshots.
Schedule Appliance Snapshots Backup	Enables the backup of appliance snapshots data. Important: You have to perform a full backup first before you can schedule appliance snapshot backup. Complete these settings: • Start at - Specify the start date using this format: YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS • Repeat every - Specify the number of days for that the SCC snapshot backup operation should be repeated.
Schedule Statistics Backup	Enables the backup of appliance statistic data. Statistics backups are incremental. Complete these settings: • Start at - Specify the start date using this format: YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS • Repeat every - Specify the number of days for that the statistics backup operation should be repeated.
Apply	Applies your changes to the running configuration.

2. Click Save to Disk to save your settings permanently.

Viewing Backup Operations

You can view the current status of back up operation and perform backup operations in the Backup Operations panel of the External Backup page. You can perform these backup operations on SCC Configurations and snapshots, Appliance snapshots, and statistics.

A backup operation displays these status operations:

• success, <time-stamp>

• running <time-duration>, <percentage-complete>

• failed <time-stamp>

• failed <time-stamp>, last success: <time-stamp>

• idle indicates that there is no backup or restore history. The system does not retain a record of backup and restore statuses from prior to system startup (including reboots).

To perform a backup operation

1. Choose Administration > Maintenance: External Backup to display the External Backup page.

2. Under Backup Operations, select a backup operation from the drop-down list and complete the configuration as described in this table.

Operation	Description
Backup SCC Configuration	Performs a backup of the current SCC configurations. • New Snapshot Name - Specify the new snapshot name in the text box.
Restore SCC Snapshot	Restores the specified SCC snapshot. • Restore Snapshot Name - Select the name from the drop-down list. • Restore Secure Vault - Select to enable the restore secure vault option. • Vault Password - Specify the vault password. Leave blank if using the factory password. • Restore Primary and Aux network interfaces - Select to restore primary and auxiliary network interfaces.
Remove SCC Snapshot	Removes the specified SCC snapshot. • Remove Snapshot Name - Select the snapshot name from the drop-down list.
Backup Appliance Snapshots	Performs a backup of the current appliance snapshot. • Exclude nightly snapshots older than <number> Days - Specify the number of days to be excluded. The default is 0.
Restore Appliance Snapshot	Restores the specified appliance snapshot.
Backup Statistics	Performs a backup of the current SCC statistics.
Restore Statistics	Restores the latest statistics backup.

3. Click Start to begin the operation.