Interim backup solution for Enterprise Manager

Check this out to see if you think it may work for you:

https://devcentral.f5.com/wiki/iApp.Complete-F5-Automated-Backup-Solution.ashx

We're using multiple Enterprise Manager appliances today to do what you are aiming to do, so I can help you out with that piece if you need any assistance.

Hi again, and thanks for your reply. I could certainly use your help :-0)

To briefly describe my environment in slightly better detail:

We have "three data centres" with multiple F5 pods in each. Each data centre has its own "single" EManager. My requirement is to find a way to back-up config (.ucs) files on "each" of these EMs. Being there is only one EM in each DC, how would I go about accomplishing these. Someone mentioned that we could cluster these "single" EMs, but again I cant seem to find much info on EM clustering. Also I heard a mention of " stretched cluster " in regards to this...still I am not sure how to go about this.

Really looking forward to more insight/solution to this issue. Many Thanks in advance.

John

The only challenge may be getting communications established between your Enterprise Manager appliances and all of the other BIG-IP appliances in your enterprise. You'll need to ensure TCP 443 is open between EM and each device you want to manage.

I see no need to setup any kind of EM cluster/group. You can just configure each EM individually to gather statistics and collect archives from each BIG-IP appliance in your enterprise. This will provide you with multiple geographically separate locations to store configuration backups.

We use two EMs in our enterprise, and we have four different data centers with five BIG-IP appliances at each data center. Each EM takes configuration archives from every BIG-IP device we have on a daily basis. We have an isolated management network which we use for these backups so we don't impact production traffic. Your situation may be a bit different, but the overall concept is the same.

It sounds like what you want to do is easily achievable. Do you have any specific questions?

Cory...many thanks for this..This really sounds doable. I will come back to you if any specific questions arise after presenting this at the next meeting if that's ok. Many thanks for now :-0).

John