In a clustered environment, the objective of a cluster backup is to preserve and allow the restoration of all operational data, including access request workflow, users/accounts, audit logs, and so on. All appliances in a cluster (primary and replicas) can be backed up. However, a backup should only be restored to an appliance in the worst-case scenario where no appliance can be restored using the failover operation.

When a backup is restored to an appliance, the restore on the primary clears the primary's cluster configuration but does not change the replicas' cluster configuration. To avoid issues:

  1. If possible, unjoin the replicas from the cluster prior to a backup restore.

  2. If the primary has been set to encrypt the cluster backups with a password or GPG key, you must have the password or GPG private key to complete the upload and restore operation. For more information, see Backup protection settings..

  3. Upload and restore the backup on the appliance that will be the primary.
  4. If you did not unjoin the replicas prior to the backup restore, perform a cluster reset on each replica so they become standalones then join the replicas back into the cluster.

The appliance is restored as a stand-alone primary appliance in Read-only mode with no replicas. However, all the access request workflow, user/account, and audit log data that existed when the backup was taken is retained. This primary appliance can then be activated and replicas can be joined to recreate a cluster.

To take a backup of a physical appliance

  1. Log in to the appliance as an Appliance Administrator.
  2. Go to Safeguard Backup and Restore:
    • web client: Navigate to Backup and Retention > Safeguard Backup and Restore.

  3. As needed, you can run a backup, set a schedule for the backup, and encrypt the backup for a cluster from the primary. For more information, see Backup and Restore..

To restore a physical appliance from a backup

An Appliance Administrator can restore backups as far back as SPP version 6.0.0.12276. Only the data is restored; the running version is not changed.

You cannot restore a backup from a version newer than the one running on the appliance. The restore will fail and a message like the following displays: Restore failed because backup version [version] is newer then the one currently running [version].

The backup version and the running version display in the Activity Center logs that are generated when Safeguard starts, completes, or fails a restore.

NOTE: If you want to use a backup file taken on a different appliance, that backup file must first be downloaded on the appliance where the backup was taken. The downloaded backup file will then need to be uploaded to the appliance that wants to use it before you can use the Restore option.

  1. Log in to the appliance to be restored as an Appliance Administrator.
  2. Go to Safeguard Backup and Restore:
    • web client: Navigate to Backup and Retention > Safeguard Backup and Restore.

  3. Select the backup to be used and click Restore. If a problematic condition is detected, Warning for Restore of Backup displays along with details in the Restore Warnings, Warning X of X message. Click Cancel to stop the restore process and address the warning or click Continue to move to the next warning (if any) or complete the process.

  4. If the backup is protected by a password, the Protected Backup Password dialog displays. Type in the password in the Enter Backup Password text box. For more information, see Backup protection settings..

  5. When the Restore dialog displays, enter the word Restore and click OK. For more information, see Restore a backup..

The appliance is restored as a stand-alone primary appliance in Read-only mode with no replicas.

To rebuild a cluster

  1. Log in to the primary appliance as an Appliance Administrator.
  2. Activate the Read-only primary appliance.
    1. Go to Cluster Management:
      • web client: Navigate to Cluster > Cluster Management.
    2. Select the node to be activated from the cluster view (left pane).
    3. Click Activate.

    4. Confirm the activate operation.

    For more information, see Activating a read-only appliance..

  3. One at a time, enroll the replica appliances to rebuild your cluster.
    1. Go to Cluster Management:
      • web client: Navigate to Cluster > Cluster Management.

    2. Click Add Replica to join a replica appliance to the cluster.

    Once the enroll operation completes, repeat to add your appliances back into the cluster as replicas.

    NOTE: Enrolling a replica can take up to 24 hours depending on the amount of data to be replicated and your network.

    For more information, see Enrolling replicas into a cluster..