Mastering Commvault with PowerShell

In today's data-driven world, efficient data management and protection are crucial for businesses of all sizes. Commvault, a leader in data protection and information management, offers a powerful solution for managing your organization's data. To enhance the flexibility and automation capabilities of Commvault, they provide a robust PowerShell module. In this blog post, we'll explore the Commvault PowerShell Module and how it can streamline your data management tasks.

What is the Commvault PowerShell Module?

The Commvault PowerShell Module is a set of cmdlets that allow administrators to interact with Commvault systems using PowerShell. This module provides a command-line interface to perform various operations, such as managing backups, restores, and other data protection tasks.

Key Benefits

1. Automation: Automate repetitive tasks and integrate Commvault operations into your existing PowerShell scripts.
2. Flexibility: Perform complex operations that might be challenging or time-consuming through the GUI.
3. Remote Management: Manage Commvault systems from anywhere using PowerShell remoting.
4. Reporting: Generate custom reports and extract specific information about your Commvault environment.

Getting Started

Installation

To install the Commvault PowerShell Module, follow these steps:

1. Open PowerShell as an administrator.
2. Run the following command:

Install-Module -Name CommvaultPowershell -Force

Basic Usage

Once installed, you can start using the module. Here are some basic examples:

List the cmdlets installed using below command

Get-Command -Module CommvaultPowershell

To describe each cmdlet

Get-help Connect-CVServer

1. Connect to a Commvault server:

Connect-CVServer -ServerName "your_server_name" -Credential (Get-Credential)

2. List all clients:

Get-CVClient

3. Start a backup for a specific client:

Backup-CVClientFileSystem -ClientName "your_client_name" -SubclientName "subclient_name"

Advanced Examples

Let's look at some more advanced use cases:

1. Retrieve all failed backup jobs in the last 24 hours:

$yesterday = (Get-Date).AddDays(-1)
Get-CVJob -Status Failed | Where-Object { $_.StartTime -gt $yesterday }

2. Create a report of all clients and their last successful backup:

Get-CVClient | ForEach-Object {
    $lastBackup = Get-CVJob -ClientName $_.ClientName | Where-Object { $_.Status -like 'Completed' }
     | Sort-Object jobEndTime -Descending | Select-Object -First 1
    [PSCustomObject]@{
        ClientName = $_.ClientName
        LastBackup = $lastBackup.EndTime
    }
} | Export-Csv -Path "C:\BackupReport.csv" -NoTypeInformation

3. Disable all subclients backup property for a specific client:

$clientName = "your_client_name"
$subclients = Get-CVSubclient -ClientName $clientName

$subclients | ForEach-Object {
    Disable-CVBackupSubclient -SubclientName $_.SubclientName -ClientName $clientName
}

Best Practices

1. Use PowerShell ISE or Visual Studio Code: These environments provide IntelliSense, which can help you discover available cmdlets and parameters.
2. Leverage PowerShell Pipelines: Combine cmdlets to create powerful, one-line commands.
3. Create Reusable Functions: Package commonly used operations into functions for easy reuse.
4. Use Error Handling: Implement try-catch blocks to handle potential errors gracefully.
5. Document Your Scripts: Add comments to explain complex operations for future reference.

Conclusion

The Commvault PowerShell Module is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance your ability to manage and automate Commvault operations. By leveraging PowerShell's flexibility and the module's comprehensive cmdlets, you can streamline your data protection workflows, improve efficiency, and reduce the potential for human error.

As you become more familiar with the module, you'll discover even more ways to optimize your Commvault environment. Remember to consult the official Commvault documentation for the most up-to-date information and best practices.

Happy scripting!