Build the Linux Backup Agent kernel module

Server Backup Manager for Linux requires a special Linux kernel module which is not included in the Server Backup Manager software package. The kernel module installer allows you to build and install the required kernel module. You must execute the kernel module installer manually after installing the Backup Agent.

Build a kernel module with an Internet connection

To install the kernel source files on CentOS:

The kernel module installer must reside on the machine where you want to build the kernel module. Use the following command to install the kernel source files on CentOS:

 yum install kernel-devel 

To check the version of the running kernel:

Make sure that the kernel module installer is the same version as the running kernel. On a fresh CentOS installation, the command yum install kernel-devel installs the source of the newer version rather than the running kernel. Use the following command to check the running kernel version:

 uname -r 

To check the version of the kernel module installer:

If you need to check the version of the kernel module installer, use the following command:

 rpm -q kernel-devel 

To install the kernel module needed for the Backup Agent:

Normally the server backup agent will automatically install the kernel, if needed at start up. The agent will also check for kernel updates at start-up and update the module as needed.

You can install the kernel module needed for the Backup Agent using the following command:

 serverbackup-setup --get-module 

To set the kernel module installer to use the non-default kernel source directory:

If you have several directories with the kernel source files, use the -kernel-dir option to make the installer use the non-default kernel source directory. You can also use the -dest option to place the module in a non-default location, as shown in the following example:

 serverbackup-setup --get-module --kernel-dir /lib/modules/2.6.32-279.11.1e16.x86_64/build --dest ~/new 

The system returns the following data:

 Checking for binary module
Waiting                       -
No binary module found
Gathering kernel information
Gathering kernel information complete.
Creating kernel headers package
Checking '/lib/modules/2.6.32-279.11.1.el6.x86_64/source/' for kernel headers
Found headers in '/lib/modules/2.6.32-279.11.1.el6.x86_64/source/'
Compressing...
uploading kernel package                                                               99% 5901KB 490.1KB/s   00:00 ETA
Starting module build...
Complete.
Saving kernel module to '/lib/modules/r1soft/hcpdriver-cki-2.6.32-279.11.1.el6.ko'
Kernel module is now installed.
Use '/etc/init.d/cdp-agent restart' to load the new driver 

Once the module is installed, use the following command to restart the Backup Agent:

 /etc/init.d/cdp-agent restart 

Starting with Server Backup Agent 5.6 the serverbackup-setup supports http proxy. Set the http_proxy environment variable to your local proxy:

 
export http_proxy=http://proxy_ip:proxy_port

Where the proxy_ip is the IP address or fully qualified host name of your proxy server, and the proxy port is the port used by the proxy server.

Then run serverbackup-setup --get-module as usual.

Add the above line to the /etc/init.d/cdp-agent to allow the agent to update the kernel module as needed at start up.

Build a kernel module without an Internet connection

The Server Backup Manager kernel module installer lets you build and install the kernel module even when the machine with the Backup Agent does not have a direct Internet connection and build servers are not accessible.

To build and install the kernel module without an Internet connection:

Create the tarball for the kernel headers using the following command:

serverbackup-setup \--tarball-only /tmp/kernel-tarball.tar.gz
When the build is complete, go to the Idera Web site at https://krnlbld.r1soft.com/ to create an offline kernel module build.
Upload the tarball to /lib/modules/r1soft.