103 - How to deploy a custom Agent MSI from the Storage Platform Console

Once you have your Console linked to your Storage Platform, you can deploy Data Management Agents directly from the Console. 

Note:

• If you make use of the RedApp, you can use the machine backup functionality to deploy agents quickly and easily.
• If you make use of a Redstor managed platform and don't host your own, follow the instructions for installing an Agent instead.
• To deploy a new custom MSI, you need to have the latest Agent auto updates installed. See Article 1168.
• To configure custom settings such as email notifications and remote access for the Agent you are deploying, you will need to supply a custom a5backup.properties file with these settings added, as explained here.

Page contents

Before you begin
Deployment
Custom Agent options

Before you begin

1. In the Storage Platform Console, go to the Account Management view.

2. Right-click Storage Platform at the top of the account tree and click Add Group or Collection. 

3. In the dialog box that appears, keep Backup Group selected and click Next.

4. Name the group (here "Installs") and specify a create key (password) for it. Set a group storage limit and default account size - your Redstor account manager can advise you on best practices. The location for new accounts should already be set. (If there is no StorageServer address set yet, add a StorageServer.) Click Finish.

5. In the Configure Group dialog box that pops up, go to the Licences tab. Add an Enterprise Server Edition Agent licence to your group by clicking on Enterprise Server Edition, and using the number field and Add button at the bottom. Click OK when you're done.

Deployment

Watch our how-to video below, or read on for more detailed instructions.

1. In the Console's Account Management view, right-click the name of your Group and click Deploy. This will launch the Deployment Wizard.

2. Select a licence for the Agent, as well as an architecture (32-bit or 64-bit), and click Next.

Note: If multiple versions of the Agent are required, the deployment should be run multiple times.

3. Confirm that the new Account created with this MSI will use the Agent host machine as its account name (this is the default).

4. Specify the default backup time.

5. Continue through the dialog boxes for Filter & Masks and Exclusions, making specifications as required, e.g. file types that should not be backed up.

6. In the Installer dialog box, keep the first user interface option (Only allow installation folder customisation) selected, and keep the language to Same as operating System.

7. In the Custom Backup Client Settings dialog box, in the Custom MSI (installer) field, specify PREPACCOUNT=YES and supply a password and an encryption key. The password must have a minimum of 4 characters and the encryption key a minimum of 8 characters.

• Important note on security: If you are not comfortable with passwords and encryption keys being stored in the MSI, these can also be randomly generated. Simply omit the details from the Custom MSI (installer) field. Ensure that you have configured a group certificate, and retrieve the encryption keys using these steps. If you do not retrieve your encryption keys, you will have no record of your encryption keys, and will be unable to reconnect to your Accounts later.

The Custom MSI (installer) field will now contain three lines, as below:

8. Enter a custom a5backup.properties file in the last text field. This will enable you to configure more options, as shown at the end of this article. 

9. Click Build to create the MSI.

10. Once the MSI has been created, copy the file to a directory on its host machine.

11. Install the MSI to create an Account. You can do a test backup or wait for the first backup as determined by the backup schedule. To ensure that your backups run, select at least one file for backup using the ESE Agent. If no backup selection is included in the MSI, backups will not run.

Custom Agent options

The following settings can be added to a custom a5backup.properties file:

• Daily automated backup schedule
• Advanced schedule
• Email notification settings
• Remote access settings

Note: If supplying a custom a5backup.properties file, note that the settings will take precedence over any conflicting settings configured in the Deployment Wizard. It is advised that you test each new option individually to ensure that no conflict occurs with the Deployment Wizard.

Daily automated backup schedule

Settings options with examples:

scheduler.active=true
scheduler.time=19h00

In the ESE interface:

Advanced schedule

scheduler.advancedschedule=true
scheduler.Monday=12h00
scheduler.Tuesday=12h00,13h00,14h00
scheduler.Wednesday=15h30
scheduler.Thursday=15h00
scheduler.Saturday=12h00
scheduler.Sunday=18h00

cli.bat :schedule set Monday 15:00,16:30,17:15

The command can be repeated for different days of the week, e.g.

cli.bat :schedule set Monday 12:00
cli.bat :schedule set Tuesday 12:00
cli.bat :schedule set Wednesday 12:00

The advanced schedule is automatically enabled when these commands are used, and does not need to be specifically set.

Email notification settings

The SMTP authentication password needs to be in hashed format, and can be copied from a working installation. For more information on setting up email notifications, see Article 1009.

Settings options with examples:

notify.attach.summary=true
notify.smtp.auth.password=
notify.append.errors=true
notify.smtp.server=smtp.yourdomain.com
notify.append.suffix=encountered, Please check Log
notify.smtp.auth.username=
notify.smtp.auth.required=false
notify.mail.fromfield=noreply@yourdomain.com
notify.mail.tofield=tosupport@yourdomain.com
notify.append.subject=true
notify.mail.fail=true
notify.mail=true
notify.mail.success.subject=Backup Completed
notify.mail.fail.subject=Backup Failed
notify.append.warnings=true
notify.attach.selection=false
notify.mail.success=false
notify.attach.log=true
notify.smtp.auth.required=true

In the ESE interface:

Remote access settings

Settings options with examples:

service.rpc-server.start=true
service.rpc-server.address=
service.rpc-server.port=9091
service.rpc-server.allowspaccess=true

In the ESE interface: