How to validate NetOps DR DB Vertica backups

Products

• Network Observability
• CA Performance Management

Issue/Introduction

We are doing vertica backups to a remote host.

We are concerned about network issues affected file integrity.

How can we verify that our backups are good?

How to check the state of DX NetOps Performance Management Data Repository Vertica DB backups created using the vbr.py script.

Environment

All supported DX NetOps Performance Management releases

Resolution

Tips for vbr.py success:

• To run the vbr.py log into any node in the DR DB Vertica cluster as the dradmin or equivalent user.
• The command is found in the /opt/vertica/bin directory.
• For full vbr.py options and usage run "vbr.py --help".
• The --config-file specified is the *.ini backup configuration file created for backup runs with vbr.py.
  • Hint: As the dradmin user run "crontab -l" to see the ini file name/path, or a script that calls it which may contain the file name and location.

If we generate the --help usage we'll see these options.

--task { backup | restore | copycluster |
            replicate | listbackup | init |
            quick-check | full-check | quick-repair |
            collect-garbage | remove }

Using that we can generate these commands to check the DB backup states.

• /opt/vertica/bin/vbr.py --task quick-check --config-file <your_vertica_backup.ini_file_here>
• /opt/vertica/bin/vbr.py --task full-check --config-file <your_vertica_backup.ini_file_here>

Samples from a support team lab for the check options. Yours will be similar but different.

This is the quick-check run:

[dradmin@DR DB Node bin]$ ./vbr.py --task quick-check --config-file /export/dradmin/vertica_local_backup.ini
Checking backup consistency.
List all snapshots in backup location:
Snapshot name and restore point: backup_snapshot_20240828_020004, nodes:['v_drdata_node0001'].
Snapshot name and restore point: backup_snapshot_20240829_020004, nodes:['v_drdata_node0001'].
Backup consistency check complete.

This is the full-check run:

[dradmin@DR DB Node bin]$ ./vbr.py --task full-check --config-file /export/dradmin/vertica_local_backup.ini
Checking backup consistency.
List all snapshots in backup location:
Snapshot name and restore point: backup_snapshot_20240828_020004, nodes:['v_drdata_node0001'].
Snapshot name and restore point: backup_snapshot_20240829_020004, nodes:['v_drdata_node0001'].
Regenerating backup manifest for location [##.##.##.##]:/database/backups
Snapshots that have missing objects(hint: use 'vbr --task remove' to delete these snapshots):
Backup locations have 0 unreferenced objects
Backup locations have 0 missing objects
Backup consistency check complete.

Additional Information

 

• For additional information about the vbr.py script and it's usage see the vbr Reference documentation.
• If a problem is found you can try the quick-repair option to fix it.
  • /opt/vertica/bin/vbr.py --task quick-repair --config-file <your_vertica_backup.ini_file_here>
• DR DB backup details are found in the NetOps Back Up the Data Repository documentation topic.