Installing the LiveVault agent on a Linux system

This article describes how to download and install the LiveVault service software onto a computer running Linux. It also describes how to configure the software on your new computer in preparation for setting up backup policies.

The article contains the following sections.

• Downloading and installing the LiveVault agent software for Linux.
• Configuring the software on the computer.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding with this task, please ensure:

• The computer meets the LiveVault system requirements.
• You have access to the Backup Direct Server Vaulting Management Portal.

Downloading and installing the LiveVault agent software for Linux

Download the LiveVault agent software for Linux software kit to your server as follows.

1. Log in to the Web Management Portal.
2. Select Downloads from the top menu.

The Downloads page opens.

3. Select the type of software kit you need:

• LiveVault agent for Linux x64
• LiveVault agent for Linux

4. Download the software kit into a temporary directory.

Installing the LiveVault agent software for Linux

To install the LiveVault agent software kit to your server, proceed as follows.

1. Open a terminal window and navigate to the temporary directory location.
2. Extract the software kit files: tar xzvf <BuildVersion>.tar.gz.

For example: tar xzvf 7.65Build11219.tar.gz.

3. Run the installation script: ./install.sh

Note:
If you do not have access to the computer as root, then use sudo to elevate the terminal session to root. Do not use sudo to run the ./install.sh script directly.

Note:
If you receive an error while running the installation script, it may be an issue with the environmental variable for the language. To work around this issue, use the command: LANG=en_US. (You must use this command again, after any reboot).

4. Press Y to accept the license agreement.
5. Type a location for the binaries, or select the default location, and press Enter.

The default location is /usr/livevault. The installation creates the /bin subdirectory by default.

6. Type a location for the LiveVault data directory, or select the default location, and press Enter.

The default location is /usr/livevault.

Note:
LiveVault data files can take up space, depending on the number of backup policies you create and the amount of data you are backing up. You should select a location other than your root drive for the LiveVault data.

The system installs the software and, when finished, displays the message: Installation complete.

Provisioning the agent computer

After the software installs, you generate an encryption key, and provision the agent into the service.

To provision a Linux agent to the service, proceed as follows.

1. From the command line, press 1.
2. Select one of the following choices for provisioning the system:

• For a new computer, select 1 Add a new server.
• For an upgrade, select 2 Reprovision a previously registered server.

3. Select the system name.

The software generates an encryption key.

4. Enter the user name to validate your account, and press Enter.
5. Enter the password to validate your account, and press Enter.
6. Enter an encryption key password for this computer, and press Enter.
7. Enter the encryption key password again to confirm, and press Enter.

The system prompts you to decide if you want to store your encryption key password for emergency recovery, in the event you forget your encryption key password.

8. Select Y for Yes, or select N for No.

Important:
It is critical that you remember your encryption key password. You need this password to redirect your data to a different location during restores. Cloud Direct strongly recommends saving the encryption key. Without this key you cannot restore your data.

The system finishes configuring your software and displays the message: Provisioning is complete.

9. Continue configuration steps as in Configuring a new computer to begin backup for this computer.

Provisioning is now complete.

Note:
Re-provisioning differences beginning in LiveVault 7.76
Beginning with the LiveVault 7.76 release, there is a change in behaviour for how the LiveVault service identifies Linux agents. Previously, the software identified the server hostname by its short name. In LiveVault 7.76, the software identifies the server hostname by its fully qualified domain name (FQDN).
If you are attempting to re-provision a server previously registered in 7.75 or earlier, using the LiveVault 7.76 or later software, the re-provisioning will fail because the software cannot re-provision the Linux agent under the older short hostname.

Configuring a new computer

After you have installed the software and provisioned a new computer, you must configure the computer so that you can begin to protect it.

To configure a new computer proceed as follows.

1. On the Backup Direct Server Vaulting Management Portal navigation pane, select the new computer you added.
2. The New Computer Wizard page opens.

If your computer is not connected (or was not yet properly connected) to the service, the system indicates that you must install and connect the computer before you configure the computer.

3. Review the computer summary, which includes the agent software versions on the computer and the operating system on the computer. If these are incorrect, reinstall the software before configuring the computer.
4. By default, the Computer Name box displays the hostname of the computer.
5. Select a Subscription for this computer from the list of available plans.

If your commercial agreement allows only one subscription plan, it will be listed but not available for editing.

Note: 
For more information on subscriptions and fees, refer to the commercial agreement between you and your Cloud Direct.

6. Select a local appliance from the Use Backup Appliance list. (Optionally, select a Server Template from the Server Vaulting list to associate with this computer).
7. Click Save.

The new computer is configured to the Server Vaulting service, and you may now set up a schedule to begin backup for this computer. 

For information on how to set up a backup schedule, please refer to knowledge articles, KB0011227, Backing up and restoring Linux MySQL with LiveVault, and KB0010613, Creating a standard backup policy.