February 25th, 2022

Machine translation is used partially for this article. See the Japanese version for the original article.

Introduction

EXPRESSCLUSTER X enables various configurations on the clouds without requiring built-in by linking with services provided by various cloud vendors. In addition, there are many enhancements such as security enhancements, support for Infrastructure as Code (IaC), and improvements to the management GUI, so please refer to here.
This time, we will introduce pre- and post-processing commands for backup/restore, which is the new feature of EXPRESSCLUSTER X 4.3.

Contents

1. What are Pre- and Post-Processing Commands for Backup/Restore?

The commands that is used to pre- and post-processing for backup/restore of partitions for mirror/hybrid disks are available in EXPRESSCLUSTER X 4.3 or later.
In EXPRESSCLUSTER X 4.2 or before, it was necessary to perform multiple procedures before and after the backup/restore. But in EXPRESSCLUSTER X 4.3 or later, it is possible to do so with simple procedures.

Failure to perform backup/restore in the correct procedures can result in the file system incomplete backups, data regurgitation or inconsistencies, and other events after the restore.
By executing pre- and post-processing commands for backup/restore before and after the backup/restore, we can automatically perform what we need to do, simplifying the work and preventing fatal work mistakes.

For more information of pre- and post-processing commands for backup/restore, refer to followings:

[Reference]

Documentation - Previous Versions

• Manuals > EXPRESSCLUSTER X > EXPRESSCLUSTER X 4.3 for Windows > Reference Guide
  
  

• → 8. EXPRESSCLUSTER command reference

• → 8.13 Mirror-related commands

• → 8.13.9 Preparing for backup to a disk image (clpbackup command)

• → 8.13.10 Perform the processing after restoring from a disk image (clprestore command)

• Manuals > EXPRESSCLUSTER X > EXPRESSCLUSTER X 4.3 for Linux > Reference Guide
  
  

• → 8. EXPRESSCLUSTER command reference

• → 8.14 Mirror-disk-related commands

• → 8.14.4 Preparing for backup to a disk image (clpbackup.sh command)

• → 8.14.5 Perform the processing after restoring from a disk image (clprestore.sh command)

2. Assumed Configuration for Backup/Restore

In this time, we will use pre- and post-processing commands for backup/restore on a mirror disk type HA cluster with 2 nodes in a physical environment.
The commands are also available in cloud environments.

EXPRESSCLUSTER's configuration is as follows:
Please read the following to your environment appropriately.

3. Backup Procedure by Using Pre- and Post-Processing Command for Backup

This time, we will introduce the procedure when backing up the partitions for mirror disk for each active/standby server for the HA cluster one by one.

The image diagram of the backup procedure for the standby server is as follows.
When backing up the active server, fail over failover groups to the standby server, and then perform the same procedure.

For information of backup considerations, other backup procedures, and the detailed instructions, refer to followings:

[Reference]

Documentation - Previous Versions

• Manuals > EXPRESSCLUSTER X > EXPRESSCLUSTER X 4.3 for Windows > Maintenance Guide

• → 2. The system maintenance information

• → 2.22 How to back up a mirror/hybrid disk to its disk image

• Manuals > EXPRESSCLUSTER X > EXPRESSCLUSTER X 4.3 for Linux > Maintenance Guide

• → 2. The system maintenance information

• → 2.16 How to back up a mirror/hybrid disk to its disk image

3.1 Stop Failover Group and Mirror Synchronization

Verify that the mirror disk is synchronized successfully.
After checking the synchronization status, stop the failover group to ensure a rest point.
Run the following commands on the active server.

Example for running commands

Suspend the mirror disk monitor resource to prevent auto mirror recovery from performing. Run the following commands on the active server.
* Suspends mirror disk monitor of both active and standby servers.

Example for running commands

Stop the mirror synchronization.
Run the following command on the standby server.

Example for running the command

If you want to resume your business immediately, start failover group on the active server at this stage. Run the following command on the active server.

Example for running the command

3.2 Run Pre-Processing Command for Backup on the Standby Server

Run the following command on the standby server.
* Commands are different for Windows and Linux.

Example for running the command (Windows)

Example for running the command (Linux)

3.3 Backup

Make an image backup of the mirror disk space on the standby server.

3.4 Run Post-Processing Command for Backup on the Standby Server

Start the standby sever, and run the following command on the standby server.
* Commands are different for Windows and Linux.

Example for running the command (Windows)

Example for running the command (Linux)

When you run the command, the mirror disk enters normal mode, EXPRESSCLUSTER services are set automatically started. And then reboot the server.

3.5 Restart Mirror Synchronization

Resume mirror disk monitor resource on the active server. Run the following command on the active server.

Example for running the command

Example for running the command

3.6 Switch and Back up the Active Server

Fail over the failover group and switch active server manually. Then perform steps 3.1 to 3.5 and back up the other server as well.

4. Restore Procedure by Using Pre- and Post-Processing Command for Restore

This time, we will introduce the procedure when restoring the disks for mirror disk space from the disk images of each active/standby server for the HA cluster at the same time.

The image diagram of the restore procedure is as follows:

In "3. Backup Procedure by Using Pre- and Post-Processing Command for Backup", we made the disk images for mirror disk space at different times one by one on the active/standby servers. So it is finally necessary to make a full copy of the mirror disk.
In addition, it is also possible to omit a full copy after restoring by restoring the one mirror disk image to each active/standby server.

For information of restore considerations, other restore procedures, and the detailed instructions, refer to followings:

4.1 Stop Failover Group

Stop the failover group.
Run the following command on the active server.

Example for running the command

4.2 Run Pre-Processing Commands for Restore on Active/Standby Servers

Run the following commands on both active and standby servers.
* Commands are different for Windows and Linux.

Example for running the command (Windows)

Example for running the command (Linux)

4.3 Restore

Restore mirror disks on both active/standby servers.

4.4 Check Mirror Disk Settings

Start both active/standby servers and check the disk settings of the servers.
The procedures are different for Windows and Linux, so please check the appropriate procedures.

4.4.1 Check Mirror Disk Settings (Windows)

Start both active/standby servers and check the disk drive and EXPRESSCLUSTER settings.
Use "Disk Management" function of OS and reset the drive letters of the restored data partitions and cluster partitions to match the mirror disk resource settings.
* If the drive letters have not changed, explicitly reset it by changing it to a different drive letter and then reverting to the original drive letter.

Then launch the Cluster WebUI and check/reselect the cluster partition and the data partition of each server in the properties of the mirror disk resource on "Config Mode".
On the Details tab of the resource properties, select each server on the "Servers that can run the group", and then click the Edit.
On the Selection of partition, click the Connect to verify that the data partition and cluster partition are selected correctly, respectively. If not selected correctly, select the correct partitions and click the OK.
After checking, apply the configuration file.

4.4.2 Check Mirror Disk Settings (Linux)

Start both active/standby servers and check the paths of the restored cluster partition and data partition.
If the paths have changed, launch the Cluster WebUI, and specify the correct paths for the Data Partition Device Name and the Cluster Partition Device Name on the Details tab of the Resource Properties in the properties of the mirror disk resource from "Config Mode".
After checking, apply the configuration file.

4.5 Run Post-Processing Commands for Restore on Active/Standby Servers

Run the following commands on both active/standby servers.
* Commands are different for Windows and Linux.

Example for running the command (Windows)

Example for running the command (Linux)

4.6 Perform Mirror Recovery of Mirror Disk

Because the status of the mirror disk resource is abnormal after rebooting the servers, run the following command on the server where the failover group is running to stop the failover group.

Example for running the command

Example for running the command (Windows)

Example for running the command (Linux)

Example for running the command

Example for running the command

Conclusion

This time, we introduced pre- and post-processing commands for backup/restore, which is one of the new features of EXPRESSCLUSTER X 4.3.
By running as the commands for some procedures of image backup/restore for mirror disk/hybrid disk, we can simplify the backup/restore and the commands prevent data from accidentally being mirrored while working.

If you consider introducing the configurations described in this article, you can perform a validation with the trial module of EXPRESSCLUSTER. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.