BRM automation with Avamar

yes they are separate products and I'm trying to piece together how we automate certain operations.

Thanks for the information on BRM and where it stands....

Basically the client uses an interface to blueprint and provision VMs. What we want to be able to do is provide the client with options like the following:

1. install Avamar guest software when provisioning

2. Configure the guest level client and activate it with a given AVE

3. Configure and schedule backups of client

4. Possibly (if it can be done)....to restore single files/data from a backup to a client...

BRM and the Avamar REST API are two separate pieces of software.

The REST API can be hosted directly on an Avamar utility node but the recommended configuration is to install the API packages on a BRM 1.2 system. The BRM software itself is no longer being developed and will reach end of life in October 2018. However, the BRM image will continue to be supported as a host for the REST API until a stand-alone solution for hosting the REST API can be released.

The BRM software was replaced by Multi-System Management (MSM) which is in turn being replaced by Data Protection Central (DPC).

Could you clarify what tasks you're trying to automate? It will be easier to give a recommendation if I know what the end goal looks like.

1. install Avamar guest software when provisioning

This task probably needs to be handled by a deployment tool or when creating the VM templates if you're planning to deploy from template. There's no way the Avamar software can push itself out to a fresh system without some kind of outside help. Usually customers include the Avamar client in their templates. If you run a backup before converting the VM to a template, it will pre-populate the caches which can save you time for initial backups of the deployed VMs later.

2. Configure the guest level client and activate it with a given AVE

Regular filesystem clients and most plug-in clients don't need to be configured. Cluster clients are a notable exception. Configuration would have to be done client-side, e.g. by third party management tools.

Clients can be registered on the client side or invited from the server side. The former would have to be done using third party client management tools. The latter can be driven by the API.

3. Configure and schedule backups of client

This can be done using the REST API.

4. Possibly (if it can be done)....to restore single files/data from a backup to a client...

This can be done using the REST API.

thanks Ian...

we will test this but not sure where BRM will fit into all this....apart from a "single pane of glass" management / monitoring...

Current best practice is to use BRM only for hosting the REST API. BRM is not long for this world.