TimeFinder (W2K)

Summary:

In this lab exercise students will explore the configuration and basic setup of the Symmetrix TimeFinder facility using the EMC Solutions Enabler Command Line Interface (SYMCLI). Business Continuance Volumes (BCVs) will be identified and associated with a SYMCLI Device Group of type REGULAR. The contents of the Standard Volumes will be copied over to the BCVs. After synchronization, the BCVs will be split from the Standard Volumes, giving a point-in-time copy of the data.  The Standard and BCV volumes are Basic disk structures.

Objectives:

a)    Display and identify the configured BCVs.

b)    Create a SYMCLI device group of type REGULAR.

c)     Associate BCVs with a SYMCLI device group.

d)    Synchronize the BCVs with the Standard Volumes belonging to the SYMCLI device group.

e)    Monitor the status and synchronization of the BCVs

f)       Split the BCVs from the Standard Volumes to obtain point-in-time copy of the data.

1.      Verify or setup your user environment for SYMCLI.

a)     Check to see if the directory for SYMCLI executables is included in your PATH statement and if not set, you will need to set it.
C:\> PATH
Is the directory “\program files\EMC\symcli\binaries” included in the PATH? _________.
If not add  \program files\EMC\symcli\binaries to your PATH.  You can do this by using the “advanced” tab after opening the “system” option in control panel and selecting “Environmental Variables”.

b)     If you want verbose help pages for any SYMCLI command, use the path  \program files\EMC\symcli\man to find a “man” page for each command. You can open the pages by using the “type” command.

2.      Initialize the SYMAPI Database. 

(The file \program files\EMC\symapi\config\symapi_db.bin will be

 created)
# symcfg discover

3.      Identify the volumes accessible to your host.  This and following TimeFinder exercises require two standard volumes, two BCV volumes, and a gatekeeper device. In the output of the syminq command, locate the devices assigned to you and complete the table below.

a)     List all the volumes available to your host.
# syminq | more

b)     Identify the two standard volumes assigned to you, and record the host device names (PdevName) and the Symmetrix device names (SymDevName).
Note: Standard Volumes are those which do not have any description under the “Type” column in the output of the syminq command.  

c)      Identify your gatekeeper device from the syminq output above.  While SYMCLI does not require a dedicated gatekeeper device, it is recommended that a number of small devices be defined as gatekeeper devices and associated with device groups. Enter the information in the following table.

d)     List the BCVs configured on the Symmetrix and identify and record a pair of BCVs to be used in this exercise.

i)        Display summary information about all BCVs in the attached Symmetrix.
 # symbcv list dev | more

ii)      Display summary information about all BCVs accessible to your host.
# symbcv list pd | more

iii)    Identify two BCV Volumes assigned to your backup host, and record the host device names (PdevName), the Symmetrix device names (SymDevName), attribute, and status in the table below.

4.      Create a device group, add standard devices and associate BCVs and gatekeeper devices.  The device group type should be of type REGULAR. In the steps below replace “my” with your initials in the device group name.
Your device group name: ________________

a)     Create a regular device group with the name mystddg.
# symdg -type REGULAR create mystddg

b)     Add the two standard devices to the device group.  Add the first device using its Physical Device Name (\\.\PhysicaldriveX), and the second device using its Symmetrix Device Name (eg. 089).
# symld -g mystddg add pd PdevName
# symld -g mystddg add dev SymDevName

Alternatively you could use:

# symld -g mystddg addall –range “low”:”high”

To add all devices consecutively in a range.

c)      Define your gatekeeper device in the SYMAPI database and associate it with your device group.
# symgate define dev SymDevName
# symgate –g mystddg associate dev SymDevName

d)     Verify that the device group was added to the SYMAPI database.
# symdg list

e)     Show detailed information about your device group and Record the Logical Device Names (LdevName) given to your two Standard Volumes.
# symdg show mystddg | more

            Where is the information about a device group and its members stored?
            __________________________________________________

f)        Associate your assigned BCVs, with the device group mystddg.

# symbcv -g mystddg associate dev SymDevName
# symbcv -g mystddg associate dev SymDevName

g)     Verify association and record the Logical Device name given to your BCVs.
# symdg show mystddg | more

h)      Set the variable that holds the value of your default device group name. If this variable is set, the device group name need not be specified in the command line for subsequent steps.  Note: Variables are case sensitive.
# SET SYMCLI_DG = mystddg

5.      Query the BCV devices in your device group.  As you have set the environment variable SYMCLI_DG, it is not necessary to specify the device group with the –g flag.
# symmir query

The current state of your device pairs should be split.  If not notify your instructor.

6.      Establish the pairing between the BCVs and the Standard Volumes. If this is the first establish operation between the BCVs and the Standard Volumes, the “-full” option must be specified. This is because, the default is an incremental establish.

a)     Establish a BCV with each standard device in your device group.  Use the -full and –exact options.
# symmir establish -full -exact

b)     Query the status of the BCV devices. Obtain the synchronization rate, estimated time to completion. The command below repeats the query every 5 seconds, 10 times.
# symmir query -i 5 –c 10
Synchronization rate:  _______________________
Estimated time to completion: _________________
BCV Device Status: _________________________

7.      Split the BCVs. A BCV must, by default, be fully synchronized before it can be split.

a)     Before synchronization is complete, attempt to split the BCV pairs.
# symmir split

Did the split action succeed? ______________

b)     Run the “query” again and when the synchronization completes, attempt the split again.
# symmir query -i 5
# symmir split

# symmir query
You now have a point-in-time copy of your “data”!

c)      Re-establish your BCV you split above and again query your devices.
# symmir establish
# symmir query
Why did this establish complete so quickly?_____________
_____________________________________

In preparation for TimeFinder Lab 2, create a Partition on each of the standard volumes, format and add an NTFS File System on the Volumes, and add a drive letter to access the file system. Replace “my” with your initials, as usual.

a)     Initialize the Physical Volumes.  Initialize both of your Standard Volumes.
# In disk management, click on the disk box of each volume and select “write signature”.

b)     Create Partition. 

 # Right mouse click on each unallocated partition and select to “create partition”.

c)  Create Logical drive. 
# Using the wizard create an NTFS file system and assign a drive letter to it.
Add “data” to the file system.  To do this you can simply copy data from folders on the C: drive to each of the new file systems.

Exercise Wrap-up:
symlmf - ___________________________________
symcfg - ___________________________________
symdg - ___________________________________
symld - ___________________________________

symbcv - __________________________________
symdev - _______________________________

symmir - ______________________________

This concludes TimeFinder (W2K). In the next exercise, we will split our BCV mirror and use it on the same host for Business Continuance Operations.

Good Luck!