Help: Backing up Dedupe Device to Tape Libray

[cord]

We are running Backup Exec 2012. I have one media Server and 12 Agent Managed Servers all running Windows 2003 / 2008.

Currently, we are backing up each server to a NAS using client side deduplication every night. These nightly backups are configured as Full Backups and kept for 26 weeks before BE overwrites them.

What we want to do is to then backup the NAS once a month to a Dell TL2000 Tape Library for offsite archival. I am concerned how this will work due to the NAS being deduplicated.

Can anyone advise as to whether or not I can backup a deduped device to tape? if not, what other options are there?

Thanks in advance for your time!

[VJware]

Have a look at this KB -

About copying deduplicated data to tapes - http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO73698

[SuperBrain]

Them moment you duplicate a DeDupe backup set on a non-dedupe device, data gets rehydrated (i.e. non-deduped)

See About copying deduplicated data to tapes for more details.

[cord]

Thanks...When you say that "data gets rehydrated", do you mean the data on the Tapes or the original deduped data on the NAS that I want to backup to tape?

[AmolB]

During duplication data is written to tapes in original form (non deduped). Data in the dedup folder

remains intact(in deduped form)

[cord]

Ok I got...

So How to I create a new backup to Tape Job for my Deduplication Device (NAS)?

When selecting Backup, there are several options to select from. I dont really see an option that seems to be what I want?

and If I go to One-Time backup to Tape, It is obly for backing up a server.

Only thing I can think of is to pick the server that has the dedupe device connected (F:\), then use One-Time Backup for this server and edit the Server properties to deselect everything except the drive letter for the dedupe device that I am wanting to backup to tape.

Does this sound correct?

[AmolB]

Refer to http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO73374

[cord]

Thanks.

Last question that I need some help with.

WE have a Dell TL2000 with 2 Drives, total of 22 tapes (LTO Ultrium 5, 1.5TB / 3.0TB per tape). So we have a total of 33 TB / 66 TB of total tape storage.

If I load all new tapes into the Tape Libray and crete a dupicate backup job to Tape. And when the job finishes, how do I know what tapes were used in the event that not all of the tapes were needed? I am not sure I would know which media to remove.

[AmolB]

Job log of the duplicate backup job will show all the tapes which were used.

[cord]

I am really confussed...

According to ARTICLE: HOWTO74446...it states the following:

Perform regular backups of the deduplication disk storage device to removable media. Create this job separately from the backup job that you use to protect the rest of your system. In the backup selection list, the Backup Exec Deduplication Storage node is located under the User Data node under Shadow Copy Components.

So, all replies to my thread on this was to merely duplicate current backup jobs or sets. This is only good for the specific job or set. What I am needing is to get a backup of our actual physical Dedupe Storage Device which is a NAS. In the event we loose the NAS, I dont want to loose all of the data on the NAS and would like to have this backed up to Tape for offsite storage.
 

So I believe I would do the following but I am not sure:

1) Backup the Dedupe Storage Node to Tape under Shadow Copy from the Media Server

2) Also, I would assume that I need to back up the actual drive letter on the Media Server that is for our Dedupe Storage Device

Could someone please confirm?

[pkh]

You are correct in that the previous recommendations are for duplicating specific backup sets.  You got to select each and every backup set that you want to duplicate.

To backup the entire dedupe folder, you would have to backup the shadows copy component of the volume on which the dedupe folder resides.

What is not clear in your situation is: Is your NAS a OST-compliant dedup appliance or have you defined a dedup folder on it?  I got a feeling it is the former.  If this is so, then you would you have to talk to the appliance's manufacturer on how to backup the appliance.  I don't think there is a way for BE to "backup" dedup appliances.

[cord]

I am not certain how to answer you. So here is what we have:

We have a Synology DiskStation 2411+ with 12x 3TB SATA-600 Hard Drives. This NAS is connected to our Backup Exec Media Server running Windows 2008 R2 64-Bit Server via iSCSI.

The NAS shows in device manager as an iSCSI Storage and is assigned a Drive letter in Windows. From the NAS console, it is configured as RAID 6 (12 Hd's installed but Windows only sees 8 HD's with a capacity of 27.25 TB). This NAS is our Dedupe Device and all Backups of Agent Managed servers are configured with Client Side Dedupe

The NAS is also directly connected to our Private Network. All of our Servers are connected to both our Public and Private Networks. We use the Private Network for all of our Backups.

I am backup our Media Server as follows:

1) Full Daily backups to the Dedupe NAS excluding the Shadow Copy Companents and also the Drive Letter of the NAS. Retention period is current set to 26 weeks.

2) Full Weekly + Differentials Daily backups of the Media Server to an External HD excluding the Shadow Copy Companents and also the Drive Letter of the NAS (this is for our SDR)

3) A duplicate Job is ran at the eond of each month for the last successful Backup from each of the above jobs and then permanently stored offsite.

4) To Be Determined: I want to make sure we have a good backup strategy in place for the actual NAS / dedupe device in the event something happens to it.

[cord]

can you re-review this thread and advise

[cord]

can you re-review this thread and advise

[pkh]

You did not mention whether you have defined a dedup folder on the NAS.  You sound like you did because you did not mention OST.  If this is the case, then to backup the entire dedup folder you would have to backup the shadows copy component of the disk that represents your NAS.

[teiva-boy]

He's already stated doing client-side dedupe to an iSCSI device.  Would'nt that imply it's already dedupe store?  An iSCSI device is not an OST device, as an OST device uses its own optimized protocol.

[pkh]

As i said before, it sounds like he is using a dedup folder and not an OST device, but until he confirms this I cannot assume this as a fact.

[cord]

We do not have an OST Device. It is just a NAS connected via iSCSI with Client Side Dedupe enabled.

If I go to create a new backup with the intent of backing our dedupe storage device which is connected to our BE Media Server, and edit the Backup Selections, I believe that I would deselect everything except for the following:

- Shadow Copy Components/User Data/Backup Exec Dedupe Storage

- E: (this drive letter is for the actual NAS), The contents of this drive letter is as follows:

- - - -$Recycle.Bin (system folder)

- - - - BackupExecDeduplicationStorageFolder

- - - - Diskeeper (system folder)

- - - - System Volume Information (system folder)

I understand that I am to backup the Shadow Copy Components for the Dedupe Device. But, should I also select the Drive letter of the actual device as well?

[pkh · Accepted solution]

You should just select the whole drive including the shadows coopy component.

[cord]

Thank you...