Backup Symantec Enterprise Vault 9 with CommVault Simpana 9

Hey Proto69, I have a question about the storage you are using.

We are also a Netapp Shop, and are budgetted for an expansion on our EV8.5.

Are you using Sata or FC disk and how big did you approximate your growth rate ? Did you have Netapp guys do it or you did it yourself ? any documentation or links that you can share?

As far as the backup goes for Simpana, I have Simpana 8.0 SP5. And running vault 8.0 SP5. It may be that Simpana 9 and EV 9 are different animals, but the backup may be similar.

The vault has to be put into an archive state via powershell script and simpana then exeucutes the backup phase. There are 2 scripts. There is a pre-backup script and a post-backup script. Esentially the pre sets the backup mode, and the post takes it out of backup mode.  I can post the scripts, or link you to them if you need them. Other than that, I treat my EV backup as a regular Windows File System IDA.

Hi,

We are using Simpana 8 and Enterprise Vault 8 at the moment. Due to our architecture (using Netapp for indexes and vault store) we have written powershell script so as to backup  the SQL DB, the indexes and vault store.

To sumarize the script does the following:

- Put EV in backup mode

- Start Backup SQL database using Simpana

- Create snapshots on the Netapp

- Clear the backup mode on EV

- Start Simpana backup for the snapshots created on the Netapp

Hey, I'm not your customer am I?!!  We're in the process of transitioning from NetBackup 6.5 to Simpana v9.

Backing up EV is a pig regardless of the backup product being used.  NetBackup's EV agent helps to a small degree because it enables you to create a single policy that backs up the SQL DB, indexes, vault store and system files. However, in reality it just fires off child jobs using the standard SQL and file system backup agents, so it really does nothing to help with backup performance.  Therefore there is little advantage to using Netbackup for EV backups over any other backup product.

The best thing to do is read the following EV backup best practices guide and translate the NetBackup terminology into the CommVault equivalent.

http://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/enterprise-vault-backups-best-practice

The important things to remember are:

1.  EV must be placed into read only mode, or be taken off-line altogether, before backing up the EV data set. When I refer to data set I mean - Vault store partitions, indexes, SQL databases and system files.  Ie, take EV off line, backup each of the components in the data set and only place EV back on line when all have been completed.  This is the only way to guarantee the integrity of the backup.

2.  I don't recall seeing this in the document, but if your customer is using EV safety copies (ie, once an email is sent to the archive it is not deleted from the mailbox until the archive has been backed up) you must ensure that that the backup job clears the archive bits within the currently open vault store partition.  Failure to do so will result in mail boxes filling up!  You really only have two choices - backup the open partition using the file system agent with clear archive bit enabled (slow!), or do an image based backup followed by "attrib *.* -a /sub".  I have heard of people using the latter, but it sounds a bit dicey to me!

I'll report back here once I have tweaked our environment.

I understand about already having EV already as an investment, but you can also add Content Indexing into CV and have the ability to search everything with 1 web portal as well. I know what you mean though as already having an investment, so the best bet would be to backup EV's archive with CV's file system iDA.

I always find it funny that you need to do a backup of an archive with a different product that is a competitor and EV doesn't include that in the solution.

Best of luck though.

Unfortunately the client has already purchased Symantec enterprise Vault and already is using Simpana 9 as their backup solution.  I do not believe that they are going to be willing to invest in another archive, and or backup solution.  yes they could use Commvault to archive their email, and backup the archive.  Or they could use Symantec Enterprise Vault and Symantec Netbackup.  What they have is Symantec Enterprise Vault and Simpana 9, and we have to make it work.

You can backup the store with a CommVault file system agent if need be.

Hope this helps.

Chriso

:)

I spoke with Commvault tech support, and according to them, they have no recollection of a case of backing up Symantec Enterprise Vault.  They have no agent  for Enterprise Vault.  They have the common agents, Exchange, SQL, windows files, etc.  What is needed to be backed up of Enterprise Vault to be secured for a restore?

I havent heard any , but i think thats more of a question for CommVault