How to configure NDMP policy in Backup Exec 12.5?

[pkvyas1983]

Hi Experts,

I need your help to configure the NDMP backup policy in backup exec 12.5.

In our environment NDMP backup is configured as Every Friday Weekly full & Mon to Thu as incermental-using archive bit (reset archive bit) backup level 1 to 4. Filer is EMC celerra.

I need to be configure the backup job as full 1st friday of every month, incremental on Mon-Thu & differential on friday(except 1st friday). My question is can I configure the backup policy in this way? if yes then how?

As I am thinking that after incr backup archive bits are getting reseted,  so in differential backup can I will get all data which changed after full backup? & what data would be backed up in 3rd-5th diff backup?

Please suggest best way to backup the NDMP data as we are having a large data & it taking a long time to completes and utilizing large media requirements.

Thanks in advance.

PK.

[Colin_Weaver]

NDMP devices use Level based backups they do not use Incremental or differential backups in the accepted manner and do not use the Archive Bit which is unique to NTFS file system backups

Not sure if a Celerra is the same but if it was a NetApp using NDMP

Level 0 = Full

Level 1 = First Incremental or Differential (everything since last level 0)

Level 2 = Second Incremental (everything since last Level 1)

Level 3 = Third Incremental (everything since last Level 2) etc

You therefore then configure a sequence of jobs that meet what you are trying to achieve based on the above.

Note this is not a BE design this is part of the NDMP implementation from the hardware vendors, as such I believe there may be more information on Celerra /EMC levels in documentation from EMC themselves. With BE you configure this in the section covering the NDMP option in the job stages.

[pkvyas1983]

Hi Colin,

Thanks for responce, but still I am confuse that Can I configure the backup policy as I asked?

Thanks

PK.

[Colin_Weaver · Accepted solution]

You would have to do a Level 0 backup on 1st Friday of every month, Level 1 every Monday and Friday, Level 2 every Tuesday, Level 3 every Wednesday and Level 4 Every Thursday.  (Mutiple templates in the same policy set to start at same time of day)

As you seem to be using 12.5 you would configure a rule in the policy so that if start times conflict on the one Friday of the month where the Level 0 should run, it takes precedence over the Level 1 job for Fridays.

Without actually testing it I think this is the closest you can get to what you have asked for.

[pkh]

I would suggest that you do not mix incremental backups with differential backups.  It can get confusing when you are trying to do a restore.  See the example in the beginning of my article below

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/articles/pros-and-cons-various-backup-schemes

[pkvyas1983]

Hi Colin,

Thanks, I will test as you suggest !! might be this can resolve the issue.

Thanks & regadrs

Pradeep