What is SnapCenter?
SnapCenter is a key part of NetApp’s data protection strategy in the NetApp Data Fabric. SnapCenter consists of the SnapCenter Server, the SnapCenter Plug-ins Package for Windows, and the SnapCenter Plug-ins Package for Linux. Each package contains plug-ins to SnapCenter. The SnapCenter Custom Plug-ins enables you to create your own plug-ins and protect them using the same SnapCenter interface.
In part one I will focus on how to install and configure the SnapCenter Server for integration with vSphere. In part two, I will focus on integration with SQL Server.
In part one I will focus on how to install and configure the SnapCenter Server for integration with vSphere. In part two, I will focus on integration with SQL Server.
VSC Integration
To support virtualized environments, SnapCenter interacts with the following plug-ins:
- SnapCenter Plug-in for VMware vSphere - This plug-in is included in the SnapCenter Plug-ins Package for Windows.
The SnapCenter Plug-in for VMware vSphere enables you to back up virtualized databases. It does not enable you to back up virtual machines, so this is not required.
- Virtual Storage Console for VMware vSphere (VSC) VSC is a vCenter Server plug-in and is not included in SnapCenter install packages. VSC enables you to back up virtualized databases and virtual machines.
How does SnapCenter Integrate with the VSC
Integrating VSC with SnapCenter enables VSC backup and restore operations to use the SnapCenter repository to store metadata only. Therefore SnapCenter only provides reporting, job monitoring, and log and event viewers for VSC backup job, and backup policies and backup jobs are configured in the VSC console, not in SnapCenter.
Environment Setup
You will need:
Each installation of SnapCenter Server can support either the SnapCenter Plug-in for VMware vSphere or the VSC plug-in, but not both.
If you are intending to backup virtual machines then you must use the VSC.
For environments with multiple VSC servers you must use the VSC GUI to register each VSC server individually with SnapCenter (more on this later).
You must consider the following requirements when planning your VSC installation:
- Platform Services Controller 6.0 or 6.5
- vCenter 6.0 or 6.5 - Can be Windows install or a VCSA
- An ESXi 6.5 server added to vCenter
- VSC 6.21p1 installed and configured with storage arrays
- At least one provisioned datastore (NFS or iSCSI)
- At least one provisioned virtual machine (to be backed up)
- Compatible OS for SnapCenter Server installation - Windows 2016, Windows 2012 and Windows 2012 R2
- ONTAP Storage system with compatible ONTAP Version - 8.3/9.0/9.1
- A configured SVM and an SVM account with admin on ONTAPI for use with VSC
Each installation of SnapCenter Server can support either the SnapCenter Plug-in for VMware vSphere or the VSC plug-in, but not both.
If you are intending to backup virtual machines then you must use the VSC.
For environments with multiple VSC servers you must use the VSC GUI to register each VSC server individually with SnapCenter (more on this later).
You must consider the following requirements when planning your VSC installation:
- You cannot install VSC using SnapCenter. The VSC documentation contains instructions for installing VSC and the Interoperability Matrix contains information about VSC requirements
- Do not install VSC on the SnapCenter Server host
Installing SnapCenter Server
For the SnapCenter server, provision a virtual machine with the following recommended specification:
Note: Make sure you give the VM a “real” hostname, and it’s properly registered in DNS (or you’ll have to add /etc/hosts entries for both the VSC and vCenter servers). Add the VM to the domain.
Note: The SnapCenter Server must be installed on a server that is part of a domain. The SnapCenter Server cannot be installed on a domain controller.
- 40GB HDD
- 12GB RAM
- 2 CPU’s
Note: Make sure you give the VM a “real” hostname, and it’s properly registered in DNS (or you’ll have to add /etc/hosts entries for both the VSC and vCenter servers). Add the VM to the domain.
Note: The SnapCenter Server must be installed on a server that is part of a domain. The SnapCenter Server cannot be installed on a domain controller.
- Before proceeding with the SnapCenter Server installation perform the following:
- Disable the firewall or allow port 8143 (HTTPS) through for bidirectional, fixed used for communication between SnapCenter and VSC
- Download/install .NET 4.5.2 (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42642)
- Reboot, and wait until the CPU calms down from it’s 100% of “.NET Optimization
- Download and install SnapCenter 2.0 (http://mysupport.netapp.com/NOW/download/software/snapcenter/2.0/)
- Use a domain user account with local administrator permissions; omit the Certificate Friendly Name
- Leave the default ports of 8145 and 8146
- The SC 2.0 installer will install a MYSQL DB to backend SC; it just needs a password
- Don’t setup the load balancer (NLB) - this is only if you’ve got a huge (>5,000 VM’s) environment and you need more than one SC server
- Don’t setup the indexing (this is only for AltaVault integration)
Configuring SnapCenter
Once SnapCenter is installed:
The configuration of SnapCenter is now complete, but we must now add the SnapCenter Server to the VSC.
- Launch SnapCenter from the shortcut located on the SnapCenter host desktop and use the credentials used during the installation to login
- Go to “storage systems” - type in the SVM mgmt IP for your production VMware SVM and then if you have a DR environment also add your DR SVM (you’ll need the SVM mgmt IP and the SVM admin account and password you used for VSC)
- Go to settings and click on “SnapCenter Assets”; then check the dropdown and select “all”, then choose the checkbox for “All assets”, then choose “assign” over on the right, and add any users or admins group from the domain that you want to manage SnapCenter to all of the objects in SnapCenter from here. (admin privileges assumed)
The configuration of SnapCenter is now complete, but we must now add the SnapCenter Server to the VSC.
- Log in to vCenter
- Go to VSC/Configuration and add the SnapCenter server, make sure to UNCHECK the box for “push”
- Create your backup policies in VSC
- Create your backup jobs in VSC
Testing and Verification
Once configuration is complete, you'll see the backup policies and jobs in SnapCenter.
You can then perform a backup in VSC and view the reports in the SnapCenter console.
You can then perform a backup in VSC and view the reports in the SnapCenter console.