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[Guide] How to re-install NovaStor DataCenter 8 Backup Server and Command Server services: nbksrv (VM Backup Server), hijacc (Hijacc), hiserv (Hiserv), and mpx (Multiplexer)

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[Guide] How to re-install NovaStor DataCenter 8 Backup Server and Command Server services: nbksrv (VM Backup Server), hijacc (Hijacc), hiserv (Hiserv), and mpx (Multiplexer).

Note: This guide applies to both a Backup Server enabled Client node, and a Command Server node.

The video to watch and follow along with this guide is here: https://youtu.be/eDpSR2Es31w.

This article details how to re-install DataCenter services that are found missing on both a Backup Server enabled Client node, and a Command Server node. This guide is only for DataCenter 8.2.x and newer. Versions of DataCenter older than 8.2.x have a slight difference in the service names and descriptions. Do not utilize this guide if you use v7 or older version of DataCenter. 

These services won't be included if your client was once enabled as a "Backup Server" as seen from the Command Server by editing the existing client node and looking at the "Backup Server = " variable, if it shows "Backup Server = Yes", and for whatever reason the NovaStor DataCenter Client software was removed from Programs & Features. If you were to manually re-install the NovaStor DataCenter Client software it will not include up to 4 services including nbksrv (VM Backup Server), hijacc (Hijacc), hiserv (Hiserv), and mpx (Multiplexer).

This can also occur if the executable files that make up these services are detected as not valid by a 3rd party software, and the services are blocked from installing. This method details how to get those services back in place, as a re-installation or upgrade of the software will only partially help here, and you may not get backup server functionality on this client again even after re-installing the client.

The following "SC delete" commands will simulate 4 of the DataCenter 8.2.x Client services as not being installed:

We now need to re-install those 4 services. In the case of the Backup Server (nbksrv) service missing, we will have no backup server capability on this client, in the case of Hiserv service being missing, we will have no backup functionality, and in the case of the Hijacc and Multiplexer (mpx) services being missing we will lose tape backup functionality. Note: Please make sure and disable Anti-Virus real-time scanning before attempting to re-install any DataCenter service, and be sure to exclude these service .exe files globally if possible in the anti-virus or anti-malware software's exclusion area. The separate KB article guide on how to exclude DataCenter software and services from Anti-Virus software is here.

  • Upon reinstalling a NovaStor DataCenter 8.x Client, the services will install with only two components, those are Remote Command Executor (and possibly a service 'Backup Server Service' for versions older than 8.2.x). The services that allow full backup server functionality, including tape and multiplexer support, even though the Command Server entry for this client node shows "Backup Server = Yes", are not installed at this point and Command Server showing Backup Server = Yes means that you will not be able to get these services back in place unless you were to remove the entire node first from Nodes Management screen, which may not be possible as that relies on your jobs to be removed and disk pool / library devices that are already in place and working for that node. If the services that perform backup server functionality, including tape backup and multiplexer support, are found not to be installed as services and / or do not correctly install you will need to manually re-install those missing services. The reason you have to do this is that if the Command Server reports this client node as being "Backup Server = Yes", you cannot just un-check that box and re-check the box as doing that will NOT re-install the 3-4 missing backup server related services at that point, as confirmed by looking at your Services list via services.msc. If some of the services in this list already exist and are able to run and are named properly, then you can skip the services that do exist to only install the missing services:
    1. Launch an elevated command prompt (Administrator).
      • Go to > C:\Program Files\NovaStor\DataCenter\nbksrv\
        1. Type the following command:

nbksrv.exe install “C:\Program Files\NovaStor\DataCenter\nbksrv”

    • Go to > C:\Program Files\NovaStor\DataCenter\Hiback\
      1. Type the following command:

    hiserv.exe -c “C:\Program Files\NovaStor\DataCenter\Hiback”

  • Go to > C:\Program Files\NovaStor\DataCenter\Hiback\tape\
    1. Type the following command:

hijacc.exe -c “C:\Program Files\NovaStor\DataCenter\Hiback\tape”

  • Go to > C:\Program Files\NovaStor\DataCenter\Hiback\tape\

mpx.exe -c “C:\Program Files\NovaStor\DataCenter\Hiback\tape”

  • These four services will not be named properly after manually installing them, you will need to rename four services that were added to the services with “NovaStor DC <…>”. Here we can see the invalid service names as "Hiback Service" and "Hijacc Service", and do not mention "NovaStor DC" in the service names properly:
  • To correct the 4 invalid service names, open an elevated Command Prompt.
    1. Type the following:
      1. sc config “nbksrv” displayname= “NovaStor DC VM Backup Server” (Note: in versions less than 8.2.x this should be = “NovaStor DC Backup Server Service”.
      2. sc config “hijacc” displayname= “NovaStor DC Hijacc Service”
      3. sc config “hiserv” displayname= “NovaStor DC Hiserv Service”
      4. sc config “mpx” displayname= “NovaStor DC Multiplexer Service”
      5. Optionally, you can change the service names via the registry instead of using "sc config". Edit the data value for each "DisplayName" key which exist in these registry locations: HKLM > System > CurrentControlSet > Services > nbksrv, and HKLM > System > CurrentControlSet > Services > HIJACC, and HKLM > System > CurrentControlSet > Services > HISERV, and HKLM > System > CurrentControlSet > Services > mpx.
      6. After correcting the names of the 4 "NovaStor DC" services, verify that the correct service names are listed, by refreshing Windows Services:

***NOTE: Make sure you have a space between the = and the new name:

Ex: displayname= “New Name”, NOT displayname=”New Name”***

  • Once the missing nbksrv (Backup Server Service), hijacc (Hijacc), hiserv (Hiserv), and mpx (Multiplexer) services are back in place and named properly,
    1. Login as Local Administrator or as Domain account with Admin privileges.
      1. Go to Services.
        1. Start the NovaStor DC Backup Server Service, NovaStor DC Hijacc Service, NovaStor DC Hiserv Service, and NovaStor DC Multiplexer services.
        2. Log on to the Command Server GUI. If you find that you cannot log on there, stop all of the NovaStor DC services (or reboot), and then start all of them back up. Then attempt login again.

The video to watch and follow along with this guide is here: https://youtu.be/eDpSR2Es31w.

Note: Please make sure and disable Anti-Virus real-time scanning before attempting to re-install any DataCenter service, and be sure to exclude these service .exe files globally if possible in the anti-virus or anti-malware software's exclusion area. The separate KB article guide on how to exclude DataCenter software and services from Anti-Virus software is here.

 

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