HP VAN SDN Controller Administrator Guide v3

8 Backup/Restore
This chapter describes controller backup and restore actions using cURL commands. For REST APIs
for enabling backup and restore, go to /systems in the RSdoc facility on the controller. (Using a
Google Chrome browser window on the controller, enter https://< system_ip_address>:8443/api
.) You cannot use RSdoc to download or upload files.
NOTE: Only one backup, restore, upload, or download operation can be active at any time on
a given controller or controller team. Parallel operations are not supported.
8.1 Back-Up a Controller
A controller backup takes a snapshot of the controller state, and includes the following in a single
file:
• Controller databases
• License compliance history and metrics log data
• In a teaming environment, the teaming configuration
• User repository folder (for user-installed applications)
• Controller configuration folder
NOTE: Applications using Cassandra in a teamed mode cannot use the backup and restore
services in the HP VAN SDN Controller. In this case, off-the-shelf solutions are recommended, such
as rsync or Amanda.
Examples of cURL commands in this guide use the "--noproxy" option, which is appropriate where
execution of cURL commands do not need a proxy to access controllers. If your network is set up
such that a proxy is needed to access controllers, use the "--proxy" option. For details on cURL
proxy options, visit http://curl.haxx.se/docs/manpage.html.
8.1.1 Backup Operation
A controller backup includes the controller configuration and databases in one *.zip file, and
creates a companion *.MD5 file containing the checksum for the backup. These two files should
be stored together in a safe location.
• Backups run in the background, and, except for locking the Cassandra database to prevent
writes, do not interrupt system operation.
• Whether operating in a team or operating in standalone mode, each controller is backed-up
as a single system.
• When the controller is deployed in a VM, standard VM backup/restore tools (such as Snapshot
or Clone) can be used.
• When the controller is deployed on bare metal, standard Linux server-based backup/restore
tools (such as rsync, LVM snapshot, and Amanda/Zmanda) can be used.
• To complete a teamed backup, no controller can be in a failed state. (A controller team must
have three controllers.)
• On any controller or controller team, only one operation can run at any given time (backup,
restore, upload, or download). Also, starting a new backup while another backup is being
downloaded creates an error condition and halts the new backup.
• Only authenticated users are allowed to create and restore backups. In some cases the domain
name is also required.
8.1 Back-Up a Controller 93