Attaching a managed vault

A vault managed by a storage node can be detached from this storage node and attached to another one. As a result, the old storage node stops managing the vault, and the new one starts managing the vault. You might need to do this when retiring the storage node hardware, when the storage node is lost, or when reinstalling a storage node.

If the old storage node is unavailable, remove it from the management server prior to attaching its vaults to a new storage node.

Note: Personal, centralized unmanaged and tape-based vaults cannot be attached.

Before attaching

Catalog database

We recommend that you move the vault catalog database from the old storage node to the new one. Otherwise, you will have to re-catalog the vault, which may take a long time to perform.

The vault catalog database is a set of files located in the folder whose name is the same as the GUID of the vault. Do not change the folder name when moving it. To learn the GUID of a properly detached vault, find the file named <vault GUID>_L.FDB in the vault folder.

The default location of catalog databases on a storage node is as follows:

Deduplication database

If the vault is deduplicating, we recommend that you move the deduplication database from the old storage node to the new one. Otherwise, the software will automatically re-create the deduplication database, which may take a long time to perform.

For the information about the recommended location of the deduplication database, see "Deduplication best practices".

The deduplication database consists of several files that are named <vault GUID>_u.*. To learn the GUID of a properly detached vault, find the file named <vault GUID>_L.FDB in the vault folder.

Vault database

The vault database contains the metadata of all archives stored in the vault. Normally, when detaching a vault from the storage node, the vault database is moved from its default location to the vault being detached. While attaching the vault, the software searches for the database in the vault. If the vault database is found, it is moved to the default location on the storage node the vault is being attached to. If the database is not found in the vault, you will be asked to manually specify the path to this database.

The default location of a vault database on a storage node is as follows:

To attach a managed vault to a storage node, perform the following steps.

Vault

Storage node

Select the storage node that will manage the vault.

Path

Specify the path to the detached vault.

Vault database

Specify where the vault database is located. This section appears only if the storage node cannot find the database inside the vault.

If the database is found in the folder you specify, it will be moved to the default location on the storage node where the vault is being attached to. Otherwise, the new storage node will retrieve the metadata and re-create the database in the default location mentioned above.

Deduplication database

Specify the folder where the deduplication database of the vault is located. If the database is not found in the folder you specify, it will be re-created there.

The database path is auto-filled if the database is stored in the vault folder.

Catalog database

Specify the folder where the vault catalog database is located. (For example, if the vault catalog database path is E:\catalog_db\AAAAAAAA-BBBB-CCCC-DDDD-EEEEEEEEEEEE, specify E:\catalog_db.) If the catalog database is not found in the folder you specify, the attached vault will be considered as not cataloged.

Password

For the encrypted vault, provide the encryption password.

After you have performed all the required steps, click OK to commit to attaching the vault.