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BE2012 and HP Storeonce VTL Tape Offload

Doug_Kruse
Level 2

Hi,

Put simply, can Backup Exec 2012 take from a VTL connected StoreOnce appliance and write to tape?

Scenario -

 

Site one (Head Quarters):

1. Write HQ data directly to tape from BE2012

This step would be used to store tapes off site.

2. Write HQ data directly to VTL from BE2012

This step would be used to replicate backup data to another StoreOnce appliance.

*3. (See Site Two Step 1) Write DC data from replicated VTL to tape from BE2012

This step would be used to store tapes off site, if possible using VTL to tape.

 

Site Two (Data Center)

1. Write DC data directly to VTL from BE2012

This DC is unmanned; therefore replicated backup data will be sent to HQ StoreOnce where will be "offloaded to tape".

 

If step 3 cannot be accomplished at Head Quarters then I need to restructure how the Data Center is storing the backup data to the StoreOnce appliance by using CIFS which can also be replicated then mounted to a BE2012 server and finally be written to tape.

Input would be greatly appreciated and any documentation is helpful!

Thank you,

Steve

2 ACCEPTED SOLUTIONS

Accepted Solutions

teiva-boy
Level 6

This shold be possible.  It maybe an adhoc process as new media (virtual media) is replicated, the remote BE server doesnt' know about it.

So you would have to inventory the media, and then duplicate to tape.

This is why CASO and OST becomes so valuable...  So that there are no adhoc processes, and things are automated and tracked ;)

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pkh
Moderator
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I don't know whether you will have a problem where a virtual tape is already cataloged on the remote server and then you need to catalog a newly replicated version of this tape.  This will mess up your catalog.

View solution in original post

9 REPLIES 9

pkh
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Have you considered using your StoreOnce appliances as OST devices, instead of a VTL?  When you backup to the OST appliance, the data is dedup'ed saving you disk space.  You would need to get the BE dedup option rather than the VTL option.  You also need the CASO option to share the OST devices and to manage the media server in Site 2 from your HQ.

With this setup, you do backups on each site to the OST devices and then use optimised duplication to duplicate the backups from one device to another.  With optimised duplication, only the changed data blocks would be sent across the WAN link, thus minimising bandwidth requirements. Don't use the device replication function to send data across the link as BE would not know about this replication.

You can, of course, duplicate the backups from your OST device to tape, but note that the data would be hydrated before they are written to tape and may take some time.

The dedup and CASO option now part of the ESO (Enterprise Server Option) licence.

teiva-boy
Level 6

The HP StoreOnce regardless of input protocol, VTL, CIFS, NFS, OST, will dedupe the data.  So you can use VTL and the native replicaction within the HP device, which works fine.  It's what was done before OST even existing from the likes of DataDomain, Falconstor, Sepaton, etc...

Choosing VTL, does NOT mean you don't get dedupe.  VTL is just a medium being used.  Just like using CIFS as a protocol writing to a NAS.  Something the StoreOnce device can also do.  So can ExaGrid, and DataDomain.  NONE of them require using the OST integration.   They all dedupe all the time.

If you use OST, you can actually get a bit better performance, use ethernet (which has lower infrastructure costs,) and control replication via duplicate jobs from within BackupExec.  The license costs more though, but not substantially much, probably a few hundred dollars more.  

 

With the HP StoreOnce device, you should backup to it first.  Ideally using OST.  But there is nothing wrong with using VTL (with the BackupExec VTL license), it works and is mature.

Then duplicate to tape.

Finally, you would either use native replication within the appliances, or use the Application controlled replication with the OST integration.

From the remote end, you can import the media as needed, inventory, and perform restores pretty easily.

Scaling it out a bit further, you could even use the CASO option further manage two or more BE servers and how data is duplciated and where to. (It's a bit more trouble than it's worth, more of a kludge actually.  But when setup, it can work reliably.  

pkh
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Note replication is equivalent to copying your backup data and this is not recommended.  See this document

Reasons why copying backup to disk data files is NOT recommended.

You should always duplicate your backup sets.

teiva-boy
Level 6

You do realize that before OST with NBU 6.5.x and BE2010...  There were a dozen VTL and B2D devices that did replication?  And thse dozen plus devices all sat behind backup products and did their own replication.  Customers as large as JP Morgan Chase did DR testing just fine without what OST brought to the table.  

I know where you're coming from.  But there are more ways to move data, and not be locked into Symantec's licensing scheme.  

pkh
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There are different ways to skin a cat, provided you know what you are in for.

teiva-boy
Level 6

Exactly.  Everyone has to create restore procedures, and those procedures have RTO's, OST shrinks RTO's IMO.  However, much like people that still use tape to this day with no disk in their backup infrastructure, VTL or backing up to CIFS and replicating and restoring is their first steps into the waters of moving ahead.  

Yes OST is preferred.  Sometimes its costs that prevent folks from doing it.  Symantec charges for the priveledge of getting OST (They don't if you buy their appliances).  However, sometimes the old method of VTL (aka tap) is more what the Admin is acustomed to, and knows well, to best achieve his/her RTO.

Doug_Kruse
Level 2

Thank you teiva-boy and pkh for all your input - very good information. However I am still left with the question unanswered.

Can Backup Exec pull from a VTL then to tape.  It sounds like the only way would be to setup a restore Job that is picked up by a backup job to the physical tape library.

 

In the scenario described in my thread, the data replicated from the datacenter is in VTL (because the StoreOnce is connected to BE at the datacenter via VTL) which is then able to connect to HQ's BE where we want to to write to tape at a given interval that will be saved offsite indefinitely.

This is the solution I have as it stands and obtaining additional products or licenses is out of the question.

 

Thank you kindly

teiva-boy
Level 6

This shold be possible.  It maybe an adhoc process as new media (virtual media) is replicated, the remote BE server doesnt' know about it.

So you would have to inventory the media, and then duplicate to tape.

This is why CASO and OST becomes so valuable...  So that there are no adhoc processes, and things are automated and tracked ;)

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified

I don't know whether you will have a problem where a virtual tape is already cataloged on the remote server and then you need to catalog a newly replicated version of this tape.  This will mess up your catalog.