Does BE handle OST (Open Storage) devices similar to tape devices?

[Thomas_Puchta]

Hello,

we make our backup of the virtual machines by VMware agent and agent for windows installed on the VM.

GRT is enabled. Target is a EMC Data Domain (deduplication).

When I want to restore a file out of our dedup appliance at first the whole vm will be staged on the Backup server. This means 3 TB!!!!

Is it not possible to restore a file directly out of a dedup backup withot staging the whole VM?

after hours of searching the internet i found the following:

The most important disadvantage however is the fact, that Backup Exec handles OST appliances similar to tape devices. This means that GRT restores cannot be done directly but rather require a staging process and therefore enough local disk space on the backup server to restore the whole container file.

Please help!

[Colin_Weaver]

That is correct

Basically the GRT mechanism mounts IMG folder content which is not available directly from an OST device so has to be staged

Such content is available for Backup to Disk and Backup Exec's own  Deduplication Storage (which presents a virtual IMG via the \\.pdvfs share that can be found on a Backup Server that runs deduplication storage)