Backup-to-Disk Remotely

[KJ20815]

I'm trying to figure out what the best method to backup to a remote server that has 6TB of storage and then run off the backups to tape. Currently we have one media server that has three tape library's attached. I don't have enough storage space on the media server to accomplish the backup of all the data "to disk" in our network. Currently our full backup jobs  take about 3 days to complete going to tape. I would like to use the 6TB server to run Backup-to-disk jobs to help decrease my backup window. Is this a viable option?Do I need to purchase additional media server agents? Do I need seperate agents on the second media server? I did a test run to by mapping a drive from the media server to the 6TB server and ran a backup to disk job. It only had a throughput of 7MB's . We have a 1GB backbone. Thanks,
KJ

[teiva-boy]

The storage really should be local to the media server for best performance.  DAS, eSATA, SCSI, SAS, SAN...

You could make your other server a media server, and move a tape library over to it?  This way you can split some of the backup jobs between two BE media servers...

[KJ20815]

Thanks for responding. If I make the second server a media server, do I have to repurchase all the installed agents of the first media server or will they work? Not sure how BE licenses the agents when using multiple media servers.
Thanks,
KJ

[teiva-boy]

 If you are going to logically split the backup jobs between the now two media servers, the only thing you would need to purchase is an additional media server license.

You would then remove any additional LEO licenses as needed and move them to the new media server.
Any remote agents would also be moved to the new media server..

Musical chairs for licenses...

[Ken_Putnam · Accepted solution]

maybe I'm missing somethin, but why not move the media server and libraries to the machine with all the storage?

if you put the storage on one machine and the media server + libraries on on another, you will be fighting the network to the media server, then to disk disk storage and then again when you duplicate to tape.  If you set it up so that the media server has locally attached disk space, then you are only fighting the network once.  Everything else is all local. 

[teiva-boy]

 Leave it to Ken to make an obvious solution. ;)  LOL

[KJ20815]

Thanks Ken, the problem I have is with the Dell equipment im using. I'm trying to work around. The current media server has three libraries attched and about 1TB of attached storage. I have a SAS  6TB vault that that Dell does not provide a PCI interface adapter to the 2650 server (only PCIE). The only way is to switch out the bus to (PCIE) and then SAS vault would work but then I loose the (PCI bus) libraries. The 1950 SAS server does not have expansion slots for my Dell libraries or my fiber channel library (PCI bus). Got to love Dell. I may, as you suggested, have to bite the bullet and purchase another server that could support both.

[Ken_Putnam]

yeah,  gotta love  H/W designers   ;^)