Forum Discussion

Bachchan's avatar
Bachchan
Level 6
9 years ago

Stream 1 backup to multiple tape drive

in Netbackup is it possible to streamobe backup to multiple tape drives? if yes how it can be done?
  • You will need to break up the backup into multiple streams.

    Before we discuss the HOWTO - can you firstly confirm that you will be able to read and send EACH stream (direct to tape or across the network) at more than 100MB/sec?
    Will you be able to stream each tape at 100MB/sec or more?

    You firstly need to test read speed from disk before making any changes.
  • It isn't clear what exactly you want to get. You can split one backup into several pieces and send each piece to different drives (multistreaming) of you can send one backup to different drives simultaneously (inline tape copy).

  • Sending 1 backup to two different storage unit is possible with Netbackup, it is called Inline Tape Copy. The inline tape copy will write data stream concurrent. 

    Name is misleading, it is possible to write to disk storage units as well.

    http://www.veritas.com/docs/000063509

  • Can you clarify - do you want multiple copies of one backup, writing at the same or different times?

    Or do you want to write one backup copy, but split over several tapes?

    If multiple copies, see above.

    If several streams, the difficulty is only in dividing it up. 

    For example, you can select an option in the policy to "Allow multiple data streams" - but you have to be able to do this with your selections. If you back up / on unix, or all local disks on windows, you get limited streams.

    If you change your backup selection to /* on unix, you get a seperate stream for each directory path.

    Sometimes you have to create multiple selections in your selection list, to generate streams, for example some NDMP vendors do not allow wildcards, so if you want multiple streams you have to list them all out.

    Planning your file structure in advance would be key here, plan on limiting the paths, and being concerned for applications creating a subdirectory that is not included.

     

    Oh - and you need a storage unit/group with multiple tapes for the destination, LOL

  • It isn't clear what exactly you want to get. You can split one backup into several pieces and send each piece to different drives (multistreaming) of you can send one backup to different drives simultaneously (inline tape copy).

  • Sending 1 backup to two different storage unit is possible with Netbackup, it is called Inline Tape Copy. The inline tape copy will write data stream concurrent. 

    Name is misleading, it is possible to write to disk storage units as well.

    http://www.veritas.com/docs/000063509

    • Genericus's avatar
      Genericus
      Moderator

      Can you clarify - do you want multiple copies of one backup, writing at the same or different times?

      Or do you want to write one backup copy, but split over several tapes?

      If multiple copies, see above.

      If several streams, the difficulty is only in dividing it up. 

      For example, you can select an option in the policy to "Allow multiple data streams" - but you have to be able to do this with your selections. If you back up / on unix, or all local disks on windows, you get limited streams.

      If you change your backup selection to /* on unix, you get a seperate stream for each directory path.

      Sometimes you have to create multiple selections in your selection list, to generate streams, for example some NDMP vendors do not allow wildcards, so if you want multiple streams you have to list them all out.

      Planning your file structure in advance would be key here, plan on limiting the paths, and being concerned for applications creating a subdirectory that is not included.

       

      Oh - and you need a storage unit/group with multiple tapes for the destination, LOL

    • Marianne's avatar
      Marianne
      Level 6
      You will need to break up the backup into multiple streams.

      Before we discuss the HOWTO - can you firstly confirm that you will be able to read and send EACH stream (direct to tape or across the network) at more than 100MB/sec?
      Will you be able to stream each tape at 100MB/sec or more?

      You firstly need to test read speed from disk before making any changes.