Netreo Backups

System Backups

Netreo can be scheduled to create encrypted backups of its settings and device configuration data on the local disk. (Device configuration data is how each managed device is configured within Netreo, including all configured monitoring checks and other metadata associated with a given monitored device.)

Only users with the SuperAdmin access level can make and schedule system backups. From the main menu, select Administration > System > Backups to open the System Backups page.

The customer cannot restore these system backups. System backups can be restored only by a Netreo support engineer.

Local Backups

System backups are stored on the local disk.

Only the two most recent backups are retained. Any older backups are deleted. If you wish to retain more than two backups, you must utilize the SMB method below.

SMB Backups

Netreo can be configured to upload copies of the local backups to an SMB file-sharing location for redundancy.

Click the Settings button in the Upload Settings panel to configure an SMB location for Netreo to upload to. (This is optional, and not required to schedule local backups.) Only one SMB file share location may be specified.

The Upload Settings contain four fields - three are required, and one is optional.

• UPLOAD LOCATION - Required. The network path to the file share location. For example, \\ecsserver261\technical_svcs_dept\serviceslist\OC\backups
• UPLOAD DOMAIN - Optional (if local authentication is used on the SMB server). The Active Directory domain on which the authenticated user resides.
• UPLOAD USERNAME - Required. Username for authentication with the SMB file server.
• UPLOAD PASSWORD - Required. Password for authentication with the SMB file server.

Netreo uses ports 135 through 139 TCP for communicating with the SMB share. So, be sure those ports are available.

Backup Schedules

Netreo doesn't create any backup schedules by default, so you will have to add a schedule for Netreo to start making backups. To add a backup schedule, click the Add/Edit Schedules button in the System Backup Scheduling panel. (Despite this button's name, you cannot edit existing schedules, you can only add new ones.) To delete a schedule, simply click its delete button.

You can also make an immediate backup by clicking the Start Backup Immediately button located at the top of the page.

If desired, local backups can be downloaded directly from the System Backups page by clicking on the backup filename in the Backup File Listing panel. Local backups can also be deleted if they are no longer useful by clicking their delete button. Deleting a local backup from the list does not delete it in the SMB file share location (if one is configured).

Virtual Machine Backups

The system backups discussed above include only system and managed device configuration data, not stored statistical data collected by Netreo.

The recommended way to back up statistical data is to deploy Netreo in a high-availability (HA) configuration. But if that is not an option, external VM backups might work for you. Note, however, that HA backups are always up to date, whereas VM backups include only the statistical data stored up to the time of backup.

Netreo does not provide support for external VM backups, and the customer is solely responsible for creating and maintaining them.

Below are discussed several methods for backing up VMs and best practices relating to them.

Offline Backups

If not utilizing Netreo’s HA capability for redundancy, offline backups are the preferred way to back up a Netreo primary VM.

This type of backup requires the VM to be shut down (possibly for several hours in large environments).

If the VM is a Netreo service engine, or a Netreo primary appliance being monitored by a Netreo Overview, be sure to create a maintenance window long enough to complete the backup and restart the VM.

Consult your hypervisor documentation for instructions on cloning a VM after it has been shut down.

Snapshots

Snapshots are generally not recommended, as keeping snapshots of a Netreo VM over time will degrade system performance.

If desired, it is acceptable to create a snapshot just prior to an update in Netreo. Once satisfied with the update, remove the snapshot. Snapshot validation should not be longer than a day. Results may vary if your monitored environment is especially large.

It is recommended that Netreo HA deployments should strictly avoid using snapshots, as it will likely cause issues with database clustering.

Live Backups

Live backups are not supported and should be avoided.

The intense I/O operations within Netreo make live backups very problematic. In most cases, they result in the VM becoming unresponsive and missing polling/monitoring events.

It is recommended that Netreo HA deployments should strictly avoid using live backups, as it will likely cause issues with database clustering.