Rubrik CDM Version 9.3 Virtual Cluster Install Guide (Rev A.0)
Rubrik CDM Version 9.3 Virtual Cluster Install Guide (Rev A.0)
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Document purpose
The purpose of this guide is to provide information about deploying, setting up, and using a virtual
appliance.
Revision history
The revision history of this guide.
Support
Use one of the following methods to contact Rubrik Support.
Related documentation
Rubrik provides documentation that covers a broad range of related concepts, tasks, and reference
information.
• Rubrik Security Cloud User Guide
• Rubrik CDM Release Notes
• Rubrik CDM User Guide
• Rubrik CDM Install and Upgrade Guide
• Rubrik CDM Security Guide
• Rubrik CDM Cloud Cluster Setup Guide
• Rubrik CDM Hardware Guide
• Rubrik CDM CLI Guide
• Rubrik CDM Events Guide
• Rubrik Edge Install and Upgrade Guide
• Rubrik Virtual Cluster Install Guide
• Rubrik Compatibility Matrix
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Contents
System Setup................................................................................................................................. 10
Setting up the system..............................................................................................................11
Configuring a virtual appliance to use a KMIP server................................................................. 12
Configuring a virtual application to use manual key rotation.......................................................13
Rotating KMIP encryption keys................................................................................................. 14
Rotating encryption keys.......................................................................................................... 14
Shutting down virtual machines................................................................................................15
Cluster registration........................................................................................................................ 16
Registering Rubrik clusters using the online method.................................................................. 16
Registering Rubrik clusters using the offline method.................................................................. 17
Resolving cluster registration issues.......................................................................................... 19
Unified cluster registration........................................................................................................20
Contents 01/27/2025 | v
Chapter 1
Rubrik Virtual Cluster
Rubrik Virtual Cluster provides the ability to run the Rubrik CDM software on a cluster of virtual nodes
instead of hardware nodes, in a non-production environment.
Use Rubrik Virtual Cluster to run Rubrik CDM as a four node cluster running on an existing vSphere virtual
infrastructure.
Rubrik Virtual Cluster provides the same user interface and is used in the same way as Rubrik CDM
instances. For information about using the features of Rubrik CDM, refer to the Rubrik CDM User Guide.
Performance of Rubrik Virtual Cluster depends on the number of IOPs on the disk. Use high performance
storage and follow any best practices recommended by the storage vendor to optimize performance.
Procedure
1. Download the Rubrik Virtual Cluster OVA to a temporary folder on a computer that can access the
vCenter Server through the vSphere Client.
2. Launch the vSphere Client and log in to the vCenter Server.
3. Click Home > Hosts and Clusters.
4. In the Hosts and Cluster view, expand the hierarchical tree to find and select a host for Rubrik
Virtual Cluster.
5. Right-click the selected host and select Deploy OVF Template.
The Deploy OVF Template wizard starts and opens the Select an OVF template page.
6. On the Select an OVF template page, specify the URL or local file path of the Rubrik Virtual Cluster
OVA, and click Next.
The Select a name and folder page appears.
7. Type a unique name for the Rubrik Virtual Cluster virtual machine, select a deployment location, and
click Next.
The Select a compute resource page appears.
8. Select the resource that will run the virtual machine, and click Next.
The Review details page appears.
9. Verify the Rubrik Virtual Cluster template details, and click Next.
The Accept license agreement page appears.
10. Click Accept, and click Next.
To reject the agreement, click Cancel. Rejecting the agreement cancels the deployment.
The Select storage page appears.
11. Select a SSD virtual disk and select the Thick Provision Eager Zeroed format.
12. In VM Storage Policy, select Datastore default.
13. Select a datastore with sufficient capacity, and click Next.
The Select networks page appears.
14. Specify the source network.
The Source Networks column lists the networks that are defined in the template.
15. In IP Allocation Settings specify IP protocol and IP allocation, and click Next.
The Ready to complete page appears.
16. Review the settings and click Finish.
The installation may take several minutes.
Result
The Deploy OVF Template wizard finishes the deployment of the Rubrik Virtual Cluster template and
displays a success message. Repeat this process to deploy all four nodes.
Procedure
1. For each of the four nodes, right-click the virtual machine and click Edit Settings.
The Edit Settings dialog box appears.
2. Select the Virtual Hardware tab.
3. In Network adapter, select the correct network.
For each node, each network adapter is typically connected to the same network. For separate
data network and management network configuration, connect NIC1 and NIC2 to the management
network and NIC3 and NIC4 to the data network.
4. Confirm Hard Disk 1 is the 400 GB SSD operating system drive and is listed as the first drive.
5. Create three or six data disks using SATA drives and select theThick Provision Eager Zeroed
format.
For fault tolerance each data disk should be on a different datastore.
6. Click OK.
The Recent Tasks pane provides the task status, and displays a message when the task completes.
7. Right-click each node in the Rubrik Virtual Cluster and select Power > Power on.
Result
The vCenter Server stores the configuration of each node, powers on each node, and the Rubrik Virtual
Cluster powers on.
System Setup
Set up a virtual appliance using the Rubrik CLI and perform other post-deployment tasks.
Software encryption-at-rest
When software encryption-at-rest is enabled during the system setup, use Rubrik to configure a virtual
appliance with information about the KMIP server and perform at least one key rotation before restarting
the virtual appliance. This task must be done before restarting the virtual appliance to permit access to the
encrypted virtual appliance.
Rotating the keys provides enhanced security for virtual appliance encryption keys. The method required to
rotate the keys depends on whether the keys are managed internally or through an external key manager.
Rotating an encryption key through the virtual appliance or an external key manager replaces the old key
with a newly-generated cryptographic key.
After deploying and setting up the virtual appliance, additional data disks can be added. The total data disk
capacity cannot exceed the maximum permitted capacity. The steps to add additional data disks depend on
licensing.
Registration
Virtual appliance virtual machines, and previously unregistered virtual appliance virtual machines, must be
registered with Rubrik Support. When the associated Rubrik cluster can establish an Internet connection
with the Rubrik Support Portal, use the online registration method. When the associated Rubrik cluster
cannot establish an internet connection with the Rubrik Support portal, use the offline method.
Related Concepts
Unified cluster registration
The unified cluster registration process applies to all types of Rubrik cluster deployments.
Related Tasks
Configuring a virtual appliance to use a KMIP server
Provide information to permit your virtual appliance to access a KMIP server.
Rotating KMIP encryption keys
To provide enhanced security for virtual appliance encryption keys that are managed through an external
key manager, use KMIP to rotate the keys.
Rotating encryption keys
To provide enhanced security for encryption keys that are internally-managed, rotate the keys.
Adding disks on VMware
Adding disks on Hyper-V
Adding disks on Nutanix AHV
Prerequisites
Before starting this task, complete each of the following:
• Finalize all adjustments to the virtual machine disk sizes.
• (For encryption-at-rest) Ensure that a KMIP server will be available to the virtual appliance..
• (For encryption-at-rest) Obtain the credentials for the KMIP server.
• (For encryption-at-rest) Complete the task in Configuring a virtual appliance to use a KMIP server.
Procedure
1. Power on the virtual appliance.
2. In the hypervisor management interface, open a console view on the virtual appliance.
3. Click in the console window.
The focus of the keyboard input changes to the console session.
4. At the Rubrik CLI login prompt, log in to the CLI using the admin account and the temporary
password.
The temporary password is: rubrik.
5. At the Rubrik CLI prompt, type cluster bootstrap.
The User Information section appears, starting with the E-mail prompt.
6. Type a valid email address.
The virtual appliance sends messages for the admin account to this email address.
The Password prompt appears.
7. Type a secure password for the admin account.
Important: The password entered in this step replaces the temporary password for the admin
account. Retain the new password in a secure location.
Important: See Configuring a virtual appliance to use a KMIP server to configure a KMIP server if
encryption is enabled.
When encryption is not enabled, the system setup process starts and the remaining steps in this task
should be skipped. When encryption is enabled, starting at the Do you want to continue? prompt,
complete the following steps.
17. Type y.
The Encryption At Rest Password prompt appears.
18. Type a secure password.
Important: Do not use the administrator account password. Use a different secure password and
store the password in a secure location. Without the password the system disk cannot be decrypted
and the virtual appliance cannot be used.
Result
The Rubrik CLI starts the system set up process and the Bootstrap Progress section appears with progress
messages. At the conclusion of the setup process, the virtual appliance is ready to use.
Prerequisites
Deploy and setup your virtual appliance. During setup, enable encryption at rest.
Context
When encryption at rest is enabled, your virtual appliance must have access to a KMIP server.
Procedure
1. Log in to the Rubrik CDM web UI.
2. Click the gear icon on the top bar of the Rubrik CDM web UI.
The gear menu appears.
3. Click Manage Encryption.
4. Click the KMIP Settings tab.
5. Click Configure Client Settings.
The Configure Client Settings dialog box appears.
6. In Client Authentication Mode > Username, type the username for an account on the KMIP
server account.
Result
When your virtual appliance is restarted, the KMIP Server provides the credentials for software encryption.
Prerequisites
Deploy and set up your virtual cluster. During setup, enable encryption at rest.
Context
When a Key Management Interoperability Protocol (KMIP) Server is not configured, Rubrik CDM requires
you to use manual key rotation to retire an encryption key and replace the old key with a newly-generated
cryptographic key.
Procedure
1. Log in to the Rubrik CDM web UI.
2. Click the gear icon of the Rubrik CDM web UI.
The gear menu appears.
3. Click Manage Encryption.
4. Click Rotate Keys.
The One-Time Key Rotation dialog box appears.
5. Choose the key manager for rotation.
Option Description
External Key Manager (KMIP-compliant) Performs a one-time, KMIP-compliant key
rotation and uses the KMIP password.
External Key Manager (password) Performs a one-time password key rotation using
the password specified when encryption was
enabled on your virtual appliance.
6. Enter the current encryption password.
7. Optional: To change the encryption password, enter and confirm the new encryption password.
8. Optional: Click Allow Rubrik to decrypt your data in the even of a disaster recovery.
9. Click Continue.
Prerequisites
Obtain the KMIP server information for the virtual appliance, as described in Configuring a virtual appliance
to use a KMIP server.
Context
This task applies when the virtual appliance encryption keys are managed through an external key
manager. Rotating encryption keys describes how to rotate internally-managed keys.
Procedure
1. Log in to the Rubrik CDM web UI as a user with the Administrator role.
2. Click the gear icon.
3. Click Manage Encryption.
The Manage Encryption page appears with the Key Rotation Status tab selected.
4. Click the Rotate Keys.
The One-Time Key Rotation dialog box appears.
5. Select External Key Manager (KMIP-compliant).
6. Click Continue.
Result
The Rubrik cluster rotates the encryption keys.
Prerequisites
Obtain the encryption password.
Context
This task applies when encryption keys are internally-managed. Rotating KMIP encryption keys describes
how to rotate encryption keys that are managed through an external key manager.
Procedure
1. Log in to the Rubrik CDM web UI as a user with the Administrator role.
2. Click the gear icon.
3. Click Manage Encryption.
The Manage Encryption page appears with the Key Rotation Status tab selected.
4. Click Rotate Keys.
The One-Time Key Rotation dialog box appears.
5. Select Password.
Result
The Rubrik cluster rotates the encryption keys. If you entered a new password, the Rubrik cluster uses the
new password to encrypt the new encryption keys.
Context
The typical operation of a Rubrik virtual machine does not require a system shutdown. But a system
shutdown is occasionally necessary for business purposes or at the request of Rubrik support.
The shutdown process powers down the virtual machines.
Procedure
1. In a terminal window, type:
ssh admin@node-IP
cluster poweroff_node
Warning: This operation will power off the node, any running jobs will be
terminated!!!
4. Type yes to continue.
Result
The operating system and the hypervisor gracefully power down the virtual machines.
Cluster registration
Rubrik offers two modes for registering clusters with Rubrik Security Cloud, online and offline.
After configuring a Rubrik cluster, the next required task is to register it through your Rubrik Security Cloud
account. Registration is performed over the internet using a web browser.
The online registration method uses a secure internet connection from the Rubrik cluster to your Rubrik
Security Cloud account to retrieve the registration key. When physical hardware is in use, that hardware
must also be available and have access to the network.
The offline registration method uses a manual method of retrieving the registration key and providing it to
the Rubrik cluster. Offline registration requires access to a web browser for a one-time login to the Rubrik
Security Cloud account to retrieve a unique registration key for each cluster. The registration key is valid
only for two days from the time it is generated.
Either way, the registration process requires signing into your Rubrik Security Cloud account using a
web browser on a computer with an internet connection, even when the configuration of the cluster was
performed through the CLI. The domain URL of your Rubrik Security Cloud account is available in the
Rubrik Welcome email or on the Rubrik Support portal.
Related Tasks
Registering Rubrik clusters using the online method
When internet connectivity is available, register your Rubrik cluster using the online method.
Registering Rubrik clusters using the offline method
Use the offline registration method when the cluster cannot establish a connection with Rubrik Security
Cloud.
Prerequisites
• Perform the configuration tasks that prepare the cluster for registration, as described in the Setting up a
Rubrik cluster using the UI topic.
• Confirm that the Rubrik cluster can connect to the Rubrik Security Cloud (RSC) domain URL, either
directly or through a proxy.
• Verify receipt of the Rubrik Welcome email.
• Verify access to the credentials of the Rubrik Security Cloud account.
Procedure
1. In a web browser, access the Rubrik cluster node using its IP address.
This step is also required when the initial configuration tasks were performed through the Rubrik CLI.
The Bootstrap complete page of the cluster onboarding wizard appears.
2. In Username, enter the username of the administrative account.
3. In Password, enter the account password.
Result
Online cluster registration completes successfully and a dialog box appears with options for configuring
MFA on the cluster.
Next task
Configure TOTP-based MFA on the newly registered clusters, as described in the Enabling MFA topic.
Related Tasks
Registering Rubrik clusters using the offline method
Use the offline registration method when the cluster cannot establish a connection with Rubrik Security
Cloud.
Resolving cluster registration issues
Provide the Rubrik Support team secure and time-limited access to the cluster for assistance with resolving
issues faced during cluster registration with Rubrik Security Cloud.
Prerequisites
• Perform the configuration tasks that prepare the cluster for registration, as described in the Setting up a
Rubrik cluster using the UI topic .
Procedure
1. In a web browser, access the Rubrik cluster node using its IP address.
This step is also required when the initial configuration tasks were performed through the Rubrik CLI.
The Bootstrap complete page of the cluster onboarding wizard appears.
2. In Username, enter the username of the administrative account.
3. In Password, enter the account password.
4. Click Sign in.
The Register your cluster with Rubrik page appears.
5. Click Try offline registration.
The Offline Registration dialog box appears.
6. In Step 1: Retrieve registration key, select an action to obtain the JSON file required for retrieving
the key.
• Click the copy icon to copy the contents of the JSON file.
• Click the download icon to download the JSON file.
7. In a different browser window, open the Welcome email from Rubrik and click the registration link.
Alternatively, navigate to rubrik_account_name.[Link]/offlineregistration in a
web browser.
The web browser loads the login page for RSC.
8. Log in to RSC.
The Cluster Registration Key dialog box appears.
9. Select your service type.
• Select Rubrik Security Cloud (SaaS) to manage all your data through Rubrik Data Protection.
• Select CDM (Software) to manage your clusters locally.
When you own licenses for both service types, you can register the cluster with either service type.
When you own a license for a single service type, you must follow the cluster registration process
applicable to that service.
10. Click Confirm.
The Rubrik End User License Agreement appears.
11. Read the agreement and click I Agree.
The Cluster Registration Key dialog box reappears.
12. In Input JSON, provide the contents of the JSON file to generate the registration key.
• Paste the contents of the JSON file if you copied them from the Offline Registration dialog box.
• Click Upload JSON File to upload the JSON file.
13. In Registration key, click Generate Key.
The offline registration key appears.
14. Copy the offline registration key and click Done.
15. Go back to the browser window that shows the Offline Registration dialog box.
16. In Step 2: Enter registration key here, paste the offline registration key.
17. Click Register.
The cluster registration process begins. When registration completes, the corresponding message
appears on the screen.
18. Click Access Cluster.
The Access Cluster button appears when the registration completes successfully.
Result
Offline cluster registration completes successfully and a dialog box appears with options for configuring
MFA on the cluster.
Related Tasks
Registering Rubrik clusters using the offline method
Use the offline registration method when the cluster cannot establish a connection with Rubrik Security
Cloud.
Resolving cluster registration issues
Provide the Rubrik Support team secure and time-limited access to the cluster for assistance with resolving
issues faced during cluster registration with Rubrik Security Cloud.
Prerequisites
• Make sure your node is entitled.
• Contact Rubrik Support. Support lists the methods you can use to contact the support team.
Context
If you have an issue when registering a Rubrik cluster from the Register your cluster with Rubrik page,
follow the steps in this task to get help from Rubrik Support.
Procedure
1. Click Having trouble? Get help from Rubrik Support.
A page appears with controls you can use to allow Rubrik Support to have access to the Rubrik cluster
and help with resolving the registration issue.
2. Turn on the Enable Support Tunnel toggle.
3. Enter a duration, in hours, for the support tunnel.
The support tunnel automatically closes after the specified number of hours. Click Close Support
Tunnel to close the support tunnel before the specified duration elapses.
4. Optional: In Configure Internet Proxy, configure the details of a proxy server.
When the Rubrik cluster cannot connect to the internet directly, the proxy server enables connecting
the Rubrik cluster with Rubrik Security Cloud to complete the registration process.
5. Click Enable Support Tunnel.
The support tunnel opens and the Register your cluster with Rubrik page re-appears with the details
of the open support tunnel.
Result
Support tunnel is opened to enable Rubrik Support to assist you with the registration process.
Related Tasks
Registering Rubrik clusters using the online method
When internet connectivity is available, register your Rubrik cluster using the online method.
Registering Rubrik clusters using the offline method