I have a Hyper-V (2008 R2) cluster connected to a Clariion AX4-5i storage array (via iSCSI). The virtual machines are backed up using System Center Data Protection Manager 2012 running on a different physical server.
I'd like to use hardware VSS backups.
I downloaded the VSS provider from EMC, but now I'm quite lost. I already found this question, whose answer states that
You need to have Navisphere Manager (not the express version) as well as the Snapshot software enabler installed on the AX4.
Ok, fine, but... what are those? Where can I find them? How do I install them?
Also: is it true that I also need some free space in the array in order for it to perform snapshots? Assuming there is enough, how do I need to configure it?
Last but not least: assuming all those prerequisites are in place, what other configuration is needed (if any) to enable hardware VSS backups?
Any link to relevant documentation is appreciated, but so would also be a good explanation of where to start from and what to do.
Edit:
System Software Details
The following table lists the names and versions of all software packages currently
installed on the storage system.
Package Name Version
SnapViewUI: 6.28.0.4.32
SnapView: 02.23.002.5.706
SnapCloneProvider: 6.23.8.1.2
SIWRules: 6.23.8.1.2
SANCopyUI: 6.28.0.4.32
SANCopy: 02.23.002.5.706
QoSManagerUI: 6.28.0.4.32
Navisphere: 6.23.8.1.2
MirrorViewUI: 6.28.0.4.32
MirrorView/A: 02.23.002.5.706
MirrorView: 02.23.002.5.706
MirrorProvider: 6.23.8.1.2
ManagementUI: 6.28.0.4.32
ManagementServer: 6.23.8.1.2
FLARE-Operating-Environment: 02.23.050.5.711
FA_MIB: 6.23.8.1.2
EMCRemoteNG: 01.09.5.001
Base: 02.23.050.5.710
AnalyzerUI: 6.28.0.4.32
AnalyzerProvider: 6.23.8.1.2
-SnapshotManagement: N/A
-SharedStorageControl: N/A
-NavisphereExpress: N/A
-ExpansionTier: N/A
-DualSP: N/A
Edit:
I called our reseller (the company who sold us the Clariion array) and he told me we are already entitled to both softwares as free upgrades, and to ask EMC for how to get them.
I tried calling EMC support, but they said "this is only technical support, you should ask for licensing support on Powerlink".
So then I tried Powerlink, but it said I'm not a registered customer (even though I already registered my product and was thus allowed to download firmware updates for it).
So I tried registering again in a completely different portion of the site (SSO? What SSO?), and I got an email saying "we're processing your service request for registration".
I'm seriously starting to hate EMC...
