Hi, I am working as a Backup Administrator and I have a query in choosing a operating system for installing NBU server. What are all the concerns while choosing a operating system for installing NBU? and What are all the advantages and disadvantages in windows and UNIX/solaris for hosting Net Backup Server? Kindly provide me the detailed view about this. Thanks.

go with UNIX. I think some administrators that come from a Windows background are hesitant to switch to a UNIX variant for fear of the unknown. In the environments I have managed, the UNIX hosts outperformed the Windows servers in one large way - the need for reboots if something is wrong. It is fairly rare to have much downtime on a well tuned Solaris 10 machine. Reboots are only needed when major configuration changes are made, and they rarely shut down on their own. WIth Windows on the other hand, something small goes wrong and you could be pinging a blue screen for hours until you log in and find that Windows didn't like something and bs'd. I've only seen one Solaris master server become unresponsive, and that is due to a kernel panic stemming from a patch that was made by one of the SA's. Windows 2k8 may be different though, and I'm not going to knock 2k8 until I try it, which may be never for a master server.

but then I come from a UNIX background anyway & couldn't justifiably comment personally on NB in a Windows environment. There are members out there tho' that could probably give a more balanced answer, dealing with both set-ups on a day-to-day basis. At the end of the day it all depends on what you would be most comfortable with - if you (or your admins) have had no exposure to UNIX then I wouldn't go that route & the reverse is equally true (almost).

Hi Rj & Andy, Is there any specific reason to choose solaris / unix flavour rather than Windows(Most of the environment) while design the NBU environment apart from stabilty and user friendly.

Netbackup is born as a UNIX application (Backup Plus hence bp) and I think is there the main development effort is laid. For larger environments Unix master servers tend to be the recommend platform. Larger > 5 media servers.

I have had the privilege, no the pleasure, no the horror of doing both. We started with a windows master and 2 windows media, and 1 UNIX media ( for some strange reason management seem to think that the UNIX (aix) servers had to be backed up by a UNIX media server (also aix). We were always fighting the Windows media servers and the master. Rebooted them a lot. When we upgraded to 6.x we went to an aix master/media and 1 aix media ( also 2 windows san media servers just because they were big). I now have very few issues, only reboot when I upgrade (not needed just do it because). with the master being UNIX even the two san media servers give me little problems. But help me if I have to change a tape drive - Unix cool - windows have given me a little fight a couple of times. windows master - you cannot push to UNIX clients from the console Unix master - you can push to UNIX clients from the console, and push to windows clients from from install media (except for the new 2008 servers - for some reason that does not work) Which means I have all my UNIX servers upgraded in about 15 minutes with out have to log into them. I feel I don't work as hard has I use to with the aix master. Not to say I don't have problems some times, but it just seems to be easier. No registry to mess with, the bp.conf file is on disk and you can look at and and change it easy. (I should also admit I am a UNIX admin - that learned a lot about windows when we had that master)

What are all the advantages and disadvantages in installing NBU with unix and windows environment

17 Replies

rjrumfelt
Level 6
15 years ago
go with UNIX.

I think some administrators that come from a Windows background are hesitant to switch to a UNIX variant for fear of the unknown. In the environments I have managed, the UNIX hosts outperformed the Windows servers in one large way - the need for reboots if something is wrong.

It is fairly rare to have much downtime on a well tuned Solaris 10 machine. Reboots are only needed when major configuration changes are made, and they rarely shut down on their own. WIth Windows on the other hand, something small goes wrong and you could be pinging a blue screen for hours until you log in and find that Windows didn't like something and bs'd. I've only seen one Solaris master server become unresponsive, and that is due to a kernel panic stemming from a patch that was made by one of the SA's.

Windows 2k8 may be different though, and I'm not going to knock 2k8 until I try it, which may be never for a master server.
Andy_Welburn
Level 6
15 years ago
but then I come from a UNIX background anyway & couldn't justifiably comment personally on NB in a Windows environment. There are members out there tho' that could probably give a more balanced answer, dealing with both set-ups on a day-to-day basis.

At the end of the day it all depends on what you would be most comfortable with - if you (or your admins) have had no exposure to UNIX then I wouldn't go that route & the reverse is equally true (almost).
Gunasekaran_Var
Level 2
15 years ago
Hi Rj & Andy,

Is there any specific reason to choose solaris / unix flavour rather than Windows(Most of the environment) while design the NBU environment apart from stabilty and user friendly.
Nicolai
Moderator
15 years ago

Netbackup is born as a UNIX application (Backup Plus hence bp) and I think is there the main development effort is laid. For larger environments Unix master servers tend to be the recommend platform. Larger > 5 media servers.
J_H_Is_gone
Level 6
15 years ago
I have had the privilege, no the pleasure, no the horror of doing both.

We started with a windows master and 2 windows media, and 1 UNIX media ( for some strange reason management seem to think that the UNIX (aix) servers had to be backed up by a UNIX media server (also aix).

We were always fighting the Windows media servers and the master. Rebooted them a lot.

When we upgraded to 6.x we went to an aix master/media and 1 aix media ( also 2 windows san media servers just because they were big).
I now have very few issues, only reboot when I upgrade (not needed just do it because).
with the master being UNIX even the two san media servers give me little problems.
But help me if I have to change a tape drive - Unix cool - windows have given me a little fight a couple of times.

windows master - you cannot push to UNIX clients from the console
Unix master - you can push to UNIX clients from the console, and push to windows clients from from install media (except for the new 2008 servers - for some reason that does not work) Which means I have all my UNIX servers upgraded in about 15 minutes with out have to log into them.

I feel I don't work as hard has I use to with the aix master. Not to say I don't have problems some times, but it just seems to be easier. No registry to mess with, the bp.conf file is on disk and you can look at and and change it easy.

(I should also admit I am a UNIX admin - that learned a lot about windows when we had that master)
Omar_Villa
Level 6
15 years ago

Do not join the Dark Side Luke, stay on the light... that is UNIX against Windows, Windows will keep you in the dark when issues came by where UNIX is clear and always more reliable.

There is nothing to think about here...
fieldnmultistre
Level 3
15 years ago
you may have an easier time configuring new devices into the OS. I dont know of any other advantages.
Anonymous
15 years ago

Have the pleasure also of administering both Windows Master and Unix Master. But our own NBU environment has been on UNIX since NBU 3.x days, never once considered Windows.

UNIX is mostly always up, only time you need to reboot is for kernel upgrades. Security updates just go in for the most part. Just think how much pain is shutting down a NBU master in your backup window.. every "MS patch Tuesday"
What I would say if your backup environment is complex, then scripting on UNIX is so easy, and I am no programmer. And the available UNIX scripts out there FAR outweigh those for Windows. The scripting helps get more out of NetBackup as an administrator and batch scripts aint much fun, unless thats your thing.

What I'm saying at the least have the master as UNIX.
Andy_Welburn
Level 6
15 years ago
rjrumfelt
Level 6
15 years ago
you'll be much more likely to find help and expertise in the UNIX world (I'm not saying that Windows admins are not experts, I'm just saying that I think there are many more UNIX NBU admins out there) and you could probably get help easier when it comes to UNIX issues.