networker-ppdm

Python REST API clients, automation scripts, and a Claude Code skill for Dell EMC NetWorker, PowerProtect Data Manager (PPDM), and Data Domain — covering backup/restore operations, Kubernetes protection, DDBoost, database agents, SLA reporting, and automation.

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Python Library

Install and import the clients directly in your scripts:

pip install -r requirements.txt
cp .env.example .env   # fill in your host/user/pass

PPDMClient

from ppdm import PPDMClient

with PPDMClient.from_env() as ppdm:
    # List all failed Kubernetes backup jobs
    for job in ppdm.failed_activities(asset_type="KUBERNETES"):
        print(job["name"], job["startTime"])

    # Trigger on-demand backup and get the activity ID
    policy = ppdm.get_policy_by_name("k8s-daily")
    result = ppdm.trigger_backup(policy["id"])

    # Restore a namespace to a new location
    copy = ppdm.latest_copy(asset_id)
    ppdm.restore_kubernetes_to_new_namespace(
        copy["id"], target_namespace="ns-restored", target_cluster_id="..."
    )

Available methods: list_assets, get_asset, list_copies, latest_copy, list_activities, failed_activities, running_activities, cancel_activity, list_policies, get_policy_by_name, create_policy, assign_assets, trigger_backup, create_protection_rule, list_inventory_sources, discover_inventory_source, list_storage_systems, restore, restore_kubernetes_to_new_namespace

NWClient

from networker import NWClient

with NWClient.from_env() as nw:
    savesets = nw.list_savesets_for_client("web01.example.com")
    latest   = nw.latest_full_backup("web01.example.com")
    nw.trigger_group_backup("Linux-Clients")

Available methods: list_clients, get_client, list_savesets, list_savesets_for_client, latest_full_backup, list_policies, list_workflows, list_protection_groups, trigger_group_backup, start_recover

DDClient

from datadomain import DDClient

with DDClient.from_env() as dd:
    dd.enable_ddboost()
    dd.create_storage_unit("ppdm-su-01", "ddboost-user", soft_limit_tib=10.0)
    print(dd.filesystem_stats())

Available methods: ddboost_status, enable_ddboost, disable_ddboost, list_storage_units, create_storage_unit, assign_user_to_storage_unit, system_info, filesystem_stats, list_users, create_user

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Automation Scripts

Ready-to-run scripts — require .env with credentials set.

# Report all failed backup activities (exit 1 if failures found — CI-friendly)
python scripts/check_failed_jobs.py
python scripts/check_failed_jobs.py --asset-type KUBERNETES
python scripts/check_failed_jobs.py --json

# SLA compliance report
python scripts/sla_report.py
python scripts/sla_report.py --non-compliant-only

# Trigger on-demand backup (optionally poll until completion)
python scripts/ondemand_backup.py --asset "prod-namespace" --policy "k8s-daily"
python scripts/ondemand_backup.py --asset "prod-namespace" --policy "k8s-daily" --wait

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Unified CLI

A new thin orchestration layer, backupctl, sits on top of the existing PPDM, NetWorker, and Data Domain clients and gives you one operator-friendly entry point for health checks, inventory, and backup triggers.

pip install -e .
backupctl doctor
backupctl inventory --format json
backupctl protect ppdm --target k8s-daily
backupctl protect networker --target Linux-Clients
backupctl dd status

Initial commands

• backupctl doctor — cross-platform health check for PPDM, NetWorker, and Data Domain
• backupctl inventory — combined PPDM + NetWorker inventory output
• backupctl protect — trigger a PPDM policy backup or NetWorker protection group backup
• backupctl dd status — inspect Data Domain status and filesystem details

Claude Code Skill

Install the skill globally to get expert NetWorker / PPDM guidance inline in Claude Code:

npx skills add Moodswing9/networker-ppdm -g

Once installed, the skill activates automatically when you ask questions about NetWorker, PPDM, Data Domain, or backup/restore operations.

Requirements: Claude Code CLI, npx (Node.js)

What the skill covers

Product	Areas
PPDM REST API	Assets, policies, protection rules, activities, restores, SLA compliance, alerts, credentials, users & RBAC, LDAP/AD, reports, system config, cloud tier, replication, copies management, NAS, VMware, Kubernetes, database protection (Oracle / SQL Server / SAP HANA), vProxy, tags, diagnostics, upgrade
NetWorker REST API + CLI	Clients, savesets, backup/restore, policy/workflow/actions, clone, storage nodes, devices, volumes, directives, notifications, NDMP, bootstrap/DR, lockbox, client properties, server statistics
Data Domain REST API + CLI	DDBoost, storage units, VTL, cloud tier, NFS/CIFS shares, encryption at rest, user management, SNMP, syslog, replication, dedup/compression metrics, filesystem maintenance
CloudBoost	Appliance registration, AWS S3 / Azure Blob cloud profiles, NetWorker device integration
Kubernetes	Full 10-step PPDM protection guide — CDI, VolumeSnapshot, RBAC, policy, restore, monitoring

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Tests

Two test suites — one for the Python library, one for the Claude Code skill.

Unit Tests (Python library)

pip install -e ".[dev]"
python -m pytest tests/unit/          # 43 tests, fully mocked — no real servers needed

Skill Validation Tests

The tests/ directory validates every section of SKILL.md by sending prompts to Claude and asserting the responses contain the expected endpoints, commands, and terminology.

What's tested

Category	# Tests	Coverage
PPDM Core	5	Auth, assets, activities, restores, Python/PowerShell snippets
PPDM Policies	2	Create policy, protection rules
PPDM Credentials	1	CRUD + connectivity test
PPDM SLA	2	Compliance, custom SLA creation
PPDM Alerts	3	List/acknowledge, SMTP config, audit logs
PPDM System	1	Component health, certificates, license
PPDM RBAC	3	Create user, list roles, session management
PPDM LDAP	2	Configure provider, test connection, group mappings
PPDM App Host	2	Register host, agent type reference
PPDM Database	5	Oracle (policy + PIT restore), SQL Server (policy + restore), SAP HANA
PPDM Replication	2	3-stage policy, remote PPDM registration
PPDM Cloud Tier	3	AWS S3, Azure Blob, data recall
PPDM Copies	3	Retention lock, legal hold, bulk delete
PPDM NAS	3	Isilon, NetApp, granular file restore
PPDM VMware	2	vCenter registration, instant access restore
PPDM Reports	2	Run report, schedule recurring report
PPDM System Config	4	DNS/NTP, proxy, 2FA/TOTP, token management
PPDM Diagnostics	2	Log bundle, upgrade procedure
PPDM Tags & vProxy	2	Asset tags + protection rules, vProxy deploy/tune
PPDM DDBoost	1	Register DD with DDBoost via PPDM REST
Kubernetes	7	Prerequisites, VolumeSnapshotClass, RBAC, register, policy, restore, troubleshoot
NetWorker Core	4	mminfo, nsradmin, recover CLI, REST API
NetWorker Policy	3	Hierarchy explanation, create workflow+actions, on-demand run
NetWorker Clone	2	REST API clone, CLI nsrclone
NetWorker Directives	2	Create directive, email notification
NetWorker Storage	3	Storage node, device CRUD, volume management
NetWorker Client	3	Encryption/parallelism, lockbox, server stats
NetWorker NDMP	2	NDMP config (NetApp), bootstrap DR procedure
DDBoost	4	Enable service, create storage unit, NW device, port reference
Data Domain	4	Auth, filesystem stats, replication, filesystem clean
DD VTL	3	Create library, access groups, add tapes
DD Cloud Tier	3	AWS profile, enable on SU, data recall
DD Encryption	2	Enable + KMIP, key rotation
DD Users	1	Role table, create/disable user
DD SNMP	1	SNMPv3 configuration
DD Syslog	1	Add syslog destination to SIEM
DD NFS	1	Create NFS export
DD CIFS	1	Enable CIFS, create share
DD Dedup Metrics	2	Global stats, per-storage-unit stats
CloudBoost	3	Register appliance, AWS S3 profile, Azure profile
Cross-Product	2	NW vs PPDM comparison, port/auth summary
Troubleshooting	3	PPDM agent, NetWorker backup failure, DD storage full
Best Practices	2	General, Kubernetes

Total: 105 test cases across 44 categories

Run the tests

# Install dependencies
pip install -r tests/requirements.txt

# Set your API key
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...

# Run all tests
python tests/run_tests.py

# Run a specific category
python tests/run_tests.py --category "Kubernetes"
python tests/run_tests.py --category "PPDM Database"
python tests/run_tests.py --category "DD VTL"

# Run a single test by ID
python tests/run_tests.py --id k8s_policy
python tests/run_tests.py --id dd_ddboost_enable
python tests/run_tests.py --id ppdm_oracle_policy

# Stop on first failure
python tests/run_tests.py --fail-fast

# Show full Claude responses
python tests/run_tests.py --verbose

# Save results to JSON
python tests/run_tests.py --output results.json

Sample output

networker-ppdm skill test runner
Model  : claude-haiku-4-5-20251001
Skill  : SKILL.md
Tests  : tests/test_cases.yaml
Running: 105 test(s)

PPDM Core
  ✓ [ppdm_auth] How do I authenticate to the PPDM REST API...
  ✓ [ppdm_list_assets] Show me the PPDM REST API call to list all assets...
  ✓ [ppdm_list_activities] How do I retrieve all failed backup activities...

Kubernetes
  ✓ [k8s_prerequisites] What are the prerequisites before registering a Kubernetes...
  ✗ [k8s_policy] How do I create a Kubernetes protection policy...
      Missing assertions: ['CRASH_CONSISTENT']

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
RESULTS
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
  Total  : 105
  Passed : 104
  Failed : 1
  Score  : 99.0%
  Time   : 127.4s

How it works

1. Loads SKILL.md as the Claude system prompt
2. For each test case, sends the prompt to claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 (fast + cost-effective)
3. Validates the response contains all required assertions (case-insensitive substring match)
4. Checks no negative assertions appear (e.g. "I don't know")
5. Reports per-test and per-category pass/fail with colour output

Adding tests

Edit tests/test_cases.yaml and add an entry:

- id: my_new_test
  category: PPDM Core
  section: PPDM REST API
  prompt: "How do I do X in PPDM?"
  assertions:
    - "keyword1"
    - "endpoint/path"
    - "relevant-term"

License

MIT