Forum Discussion

Joe_Melbourne's avatar
Joe_Melbourne
Level 2
11 years ago

D2D2T through SAN

The scenario desired is this:

- Backup Exec Media Server installed within Virtual Machine (VMWare)

- SAN Storage used as Backup Target (LUNs)

- Tape library connected to SAN fro tape out

 

Is there a way to set this up somehow by presenting both SAN and tape library to the BE MEdia Server and the effectively setup D2D2T with direct tape out from the SAN?

Backing Up
Backup and Recovery
Backup Exec
Library Expansion Option
SAN Shared Storage Option
  • Colin_Weaver's avatar
    Colin_Weaver
    11 years ago

    Also we do not support backing up windows (or VMware data) as part of 3-way NDMP we only support NDMP data - as such CraigVs other suggestion (whilst trying to think out of the box)  will not help.

     

    Best/fully supported suggestion for you is

    1) Implement a physical media server with direct (HBA) access to the same SAN storage that holds your other VMs

    2) Add a second SAN storage  device to your media server (to avoid the bottlenecks and to minimize exposure to loss of the disk array being loss of VMs and backup images at the same time)

    3) Connect your SAN attached tape library to the media serevr so that you can duplicate to tape.

    4) Configure SAN Transport VMware backup to the 2nd disk storage as a target (possibly using Deduplication if you need)

    5) Configure appropriate duplicate to tape jobs to get the data on tape

  • CraigV's avatar
    CraigV
    Moderator
    11 years ago

    Hi,

     

    Firstly running BE on a VM isn't supported when connecting to physical devices like tape libraries and drives.

    BE can do 3-way NDMP, so maybe the TN below can point you in the right direction...not sure on whether or not it will.

    http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH48957

    Ideally you'd do a primary backup to disk and then a duplicate of that backup to tape, but the media server needs to see the tape device. And if it can't then it's probably not possible. Neither is simply doing a copy of the data on disk to tape, nor a direct backup of it.

    Thanks!

  • Lesta_G's avatar
    Lesta_G
    Level 6
    11 years ago

    As stated above a virtual media server is not supported.

    A physical media server is. The best way to do D2D2T is to have a physical server with local SATA storage, with HBAs to the SAN and Tape Drive.

    Never use the same SAN for backing up data from and to (e.g. D2D), your creating an I/O bottleneck

    Best explained here.

    http://britv8.com/setting-up-backup-exec-2010-r3-to-use-san-transport-mode-for-backups-using-avvi-in-windows-2008-r2/

    Should be valid for later versions of BE and Windows Server

     

  • Colin_Weaver's avatar
    Colin_Weaver
    Moderator
    11 years ago

    Also we do not support backing up windows (or VMware data) as part of 3-way NDMP we only support NDMP data - as such CraigVs other suggestion (whilst trying to think out of the box)  will not help.

     

    Best/fully supported suggestion for you is

    1) Implement a physical media server with direct (HBA) access to the same SAN storage that holds your other VMs

    2) Add a second SAN storage  device to your media server (to avoid the bottlenecks and to minimize exposure to loss of the disk array being loss of VMs and backup images at the same time)

    3) Connect your SAN attached tape library to the media serevr so that you can duplicate to tape.

    4) Configure SAN Transport VMware backup to the 2nd disk storage as a target (possibly using Deduplication if you need)

    5) Configure appropriate duplicate to tape jobs to get the data on tape