Power in numbers. It can come in the form of physical strength, sheer willpower, or collective intellect. Mr_T is very fortunate to be part of a worldwide network of Data Protector experts within HP, and it is my privilege today to share some very handy tips from Geoff Rennie, one of our highly skilled Pre-Sales Technical Consultants who hails from Conway, AR, USA.
Geoff's DP 6.2 Install checklist for Windows 2008 is intended as an informal, unofficial supplement to the HP Data Protector software 6.2 Installation and Licensing Guide (6MB, PDF). The checklist contains tips and advice for avoiding a smashed thumb or blistered hand while constructing your new DP 6.2 environment on Windows 2008. Consider it as having the standard disclaimer*, but know that it has been very helpful for many.
Domain Controller
- Create a service account to be used by DP. On the Cell Manager, CRS and UIProxy use an AD user account to start the services. Inet and RDS use the Local System account. In this example we will use ”HPDPSVC” as the service account. Make sure you set the password for this account to NOT expire, and can NOT be changed by user, or you run the risk of the password expiring or someone mistakenly changing the password, then your backups stop working and you wont know why. This also is the reason not to use someone’s existing account -- the same thing can happen should they leave the company and the Domain admin disables the account.
- Create a user account that can be used to administrator Data Protector backups and restores or you can use an existing account, either way the user must be added to the Domain Admins group.
Cell Manager
- If installing the Eval/Trial software, you must use the setup.exe instead of the Data Protector A.06.20.msi. Select setup.exe, right click, and choose “Run as Administrator”. Then it will then install correctly.
- Cell Manager must be a member of the domain.
- Sharing must be enabled so it is visible to the network.
- Install simple TCP/IP and Telnet Client features. (not required but good to have for troubleshooting)
- Set the service account you created on the Domain Controller, (in this example “hpdpsvc”) to “Log on as a Service” on the Cell Manager. Administrative Tools > Local Security Policy > Security Settings > Local Policies > User Rights Assignment Log on as a Service > right click > Properties, Local Security Tab > Add user.
- Exit Local Security Policies.
- Open Server Manager and set Administrator account password to not expire.
- Add the service account you created on the Domain Controller (in this example hpdpsvc) to the Local Admin Group. Yes I know that Domain Admin Group is already there but you need to add it anyway then close Server Manager.
- Open Local Security Policies, Local Policies > Security Options and verify Administrator account is enabled You may have to open and close it a couple of times before is shows enabled. (Hint: you must exit Sever Manager after setting Administrator account password to not expire or it will not display correctly in Local Security Policies.)
- At least for installation of Data Protector it is recommended to disable Windows Firewall. (Note that the firewall service will still be running, but it will not be actively filtering traffic.) During Data Protector installation it will detect that Windows Firewall service is running and register its settings with the firewall. Data Protector uses port 5555 to communicate with clients.
- Install Data Protector Cell Manager Software.
- Login as the account you created or one that already existed that will be administering the Cell Manager.
- Start Installation.
- Accept License Agreement.
- Under Installation type select Cell Manager.
- On the Account Information screen, enter the service account you created earlier (for this example hpdpsvc) and enter its password.
- Take default on the destination folders.
- Take default on Component Selection Screen.
- On the next screen it is detecting that Windows Firewall is running and it is going to register the necessary information with the firewall. Select next.
- The next screen is telling you what components will be installed, select install.
- When completed you will see a screen that list that the Cell manager was install and will also list all the services that were installed and started all should show successes.
- Put check mark in start Data Protector GUI and click on the finish button.
- At this point you should see the Data Protector GUI, and if you go to the Clients context, your cell manager should be listed.
Configuring your Installation Server
- If you are going to have Windows 7 and 2008 in your cell, you will need to add the service account to Inet by using the omniinetpasswd command. In some cases where you also have 2003 Servers this also needs to be done.
- Open the Command prompt via run as Administrator.
- Type omniinetpasswd –add account@domian (the account will be the service account you created), you will be prompted for the password for the account and type it in. In our example we typed omininettpasswd –add hpdpsvc@dplab. It prompted us for the password which we typed. It then told us it was added successfully.
- Next you will need to add it to the installation server.
- Same window type omniinetpasswd –inst_srv_user hpdpsvc@dplab, it will then tell you that it was configured to be used by the installation server. Remember use the service account that you created and used during the install of the Cell Manager. (hpdpsvc is an account that was created for this example only.)
On Windows 7 or 2008 client
- Enable network sharing. This will enable the Cell Manager to see the client.
- Add service account that was created on the Domain and add it to the client local administrators group.
- Go back and ensure that Windows Firewall is turned off.
- Make sure that you can resolve by hostname in both directions to and from Cell Manager and client.
So that's it then. We would love to hear your feedback on what worked for you and what might need improvement. And remember that it is a technician's "cheat sheet" -- not a literary masterpiece. Be sure to thoroughly review the the documented installation procedure in conjunction with this checklist.
My sincere gratitude to Geoff for allowing me to share his checklist with the world. Everyone benefits when we leverage our individual knowledge and talents. From pre-sales through acquisition to performance and tuning -- tap into HP's unparalleled service offerings and make sure YOU come out ahead of your competition!
* Standard Disclaimer: Advice offered without warranty or guarantee of any kind. Use at your own risk. May contain peanuts. Some assembly required. Hostess will seat you. Do not take while driving or operating heavy machinery. Contents under pressure. Void where prohibited or taxed. Do not fold, spindle, or mutilate. May be too intense for some viewers. Never remove food or other items from blades while product is operating. Please remain seated until the ride comes to a complete stop. Product will be hot after heating. Lost ticket pays maximum rate. Do not look into laser with remaining eye. Calls may be monitored for quality assurance or training purposes. Hand wash only. Not responsible for changes in hair color, fuel economy, or Earth's magnetic field. Monitor sold separately. Use only in well-ventilated area. Objects in mirror are closer than then appear. Contact a doctor immediately if bleeding is encountered from the eyes or ears. Driver does not carry cash. Do not spray in eyes. Keep out of reach of children. Safe for most fabrics. Discontinue use if any of the following occurs: itching, vertigo, dizziness, tingling in extremities, loss of balance or coordination, slurred speech, temporary blindness, profuse sweating, or heart palpitations. Not intended for highway use. No animals were harmed in the making of this checklist. May be harmful if swallowed. Viewer discretion advised.
