HP Data Protector : Data Backup Solution | How To Setup

HP Data Protector

HP Data Protector (Micro Focus) software is an automated backup and recovery software supporting disk storage or tape storage targets. It provides cross-platform, backup of data for Microsoft Windows, Unix, and Linux operating systems.

Premise

This blog will explain and walk you through how to install and configure a HP Data Protector setup in order to establish a proof of concept for testing purposes. I’m going to say this: please rely on additional documentation for live deployments.

Architecture

The HP Data Protector architecture is based on the concept of a cell: a network environment that contains a Cell Manager, clients, and backup devices. The Cell Manager is the main system that centrally controls and manages the cell. It runs the core software and runs the backup and restore sessions, writing session information to the database.

A client can be any system within the cell. Clients that are to be backed up require the installation of a Disk Agent.The Cell Manager and the Client needs to be connected to the same domain to be able to interact.

Here is a pictorial representation of the network we are about to build:

Setting Up The Network

The network setup would require 3 VM’s all on the same NAT network. We are using VirtualBox in our case:

1. Domain Controller – Windows Server 2012 R2
2. Cell Manager – Windows 10
3. Client - Windows 10

Deploying the Domain Controller

Follow the below-mentioned steps :

1. Setup a VM running Windows Server 2012 R2 O.S. You can download an ISO from here.
2. Run the VM on a NAT network.
3. This Windows Server 2012 will be acting as the domain controller.
4. Open the Server Manager App. Make a domain as follows:
   • Click on Add roles and features -> Next
   • Select Role-based or feature-based installation -> Next
   • Select the computer you want as the server -> Next
   • Check active directory domain services -> next-> next
   • Check the restart box -> install
   • Go to notifications -> Promote the server to domain controller -> Add a new forest
   • Give domain name ex: ayan.local -> next -> give the password.
   • Keep clicking next, then install. Login as username\administrator (AYAN\administrator for my case)
   • Note the IP of this VM's IP, let's say 10.0.2.15
5. Set up a new user to be used in the client machine as follows:
   • Open the Server Manager App
   • Click tools -> Active Directory Users and Computers
   • On left pane ayan.local -> right click-> New->User
   • Fill the name and enter logon name, let's say ayan2. Enter the password for the user

Cell Manager Installation

It is the primary component used for backing up and restoring data on client machines. Follow the below-mentioned steps:

1. Setup a VM running Windows 10. You can download ISO from here. For consistency, I am keeping the same password.
2. Run it on the same NAT network as the domain controller VM.
3. Open the IPv4 configuration of Windows and set the preferred DNS server as 10.0.2.15 (IP of the domain controller).
4. Now in the Windows VM, go to settings ->Accounts -> Access School or work. Join the domain by entering domain name ayan.local and login with the administrator account (i.e., username and password of the domain controller VM).
5. Since the cell manager needs to be installed on a machine with Admin rights of the domain, log in with the same.
6. Download the HP data protector package.
7. Go to Micro_Focus_DP_XX.XX_Windows_DPAXXXX_Windows_OVMS -> Windows -> x8664 and run setup.exe (We used version 10.60 in our case).
8. During the installation, choose Cell Manager and enter the username (user@domain) and password of the administrator user of the domain and keep clicking next.

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Client Installation

Follow the below-mentioned steps to deploy the client :

1. Setup a VM running Windows 10. You can download the ISO from here.
2. Run it on the same NAT network as the others.
3. Open the IPv4 configuration of windows and set the preferred DNS server as 10.0.2.15 (IP of the domain controller).
4. Now in the Windows VM, go to settings ->Accounts -> Access School or work. From there join the domain we created by entering domain name ayan.local and login with the second user created before(ayan2).
5. Make sure the cell manager machine can ping this client machine. If not, drop the domain firewall of the machine so that the cell manager can reach this client.
6. Note the IP address of this client let's say 10.0.2.9

Client Addition to Cell Manager

1. We need to make an installation user in the cell manager VM, who can push our components to the client device.
   1. Open CMD and navigate to C:\Program Files\OmniBack\bin
   2. Run "omniinetpasswd -add [email protected]". Enter a password.
   3. Now run "omniinetpasswd -inst_srv_user [email protected] "
2. Open Cell Manager from the drop-down click on Clients.
3. Right-click on clients and click on Add Clients.
4. On the search tab, search using the IP of the client i.e., 10.0.2.9, and add it.
5. Check the Disk Agent and Media Agent and start the installation.
6. After the installation completes, the client will appear in the client lists and we will be able to perform backup and restore operations on it from the Cell Manager.

Comprehensive Testing

Use BreakingPoint and the other Keysight Application and Threat Intelligence (ATI) products to test your devices for this application.

Released in the Strike pack update 2020-09, our implementation is a 2-arm superflow, where both the server (Cell Manager) and client-side communication is simulated. The superflow focuses on Client and server connection and backup and restore actions for the client with an ample amount of parameters available to customize the traffic according to your needs.

BreakingPoint also has a wide range of other applications and attacks that you can send together over the wire, allowing for more robust testing of the DUT.

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