Is there a way to dedupe to external storage?

[Dennis_S_]

I am wondering if Symantec backup exec can be configured so that I can dedupe from the backed up data stored in my iSCSI target to a USB drive and contain a full backup of the data plus all incrementals up to but not including the next full backup period.

I am uncertain how else I would be able to back up the data from the iSCSI dedupe store to another location.

[pkh]

You can use the procedure in this document to backup the dedupe folder.

http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO31087

[teiva-boy]

While you can backup the dedupe store as directed in the above link, you MUST read up on the restore process and it's requirements.  It's not as simple as choosing restore, and overwrite destination...

[Dennis_S_]

So this backs up the entire dedupe folder.  We want to back up only the full with incrementals leading up to the next full backup.

I was thinking that the only way to do that is to set up a job to restore that data every day to an external drive from the dedupe. 

Would this work?  Or is there another way?

[pkh]

If you just want to "backup" one backup, then use a duplicate job to do so.  The easiest way to duplicate backups is to have a policy with a backup template and a duplicate template.

If you duplicate to disk, then it defeats the purpose of doing dedup in the first place.  Normally, people duplicate to tape so that the tape can be brought off-site.

[Dennis_S_]

So I just right click on the job and duplicate it and then set it to copy the data to the USB drive?  And then it won't dedupe to that drive.

Both backups will run at the same time?  Does that mean it pulls 2 streams of data from the host server at one time or does it only pull one stream of data?

[pkh]

So I just right click on the job and duplicate it

No. To duplicate a backup you need to set up a duplicate job.  You can only duplicate a backup only after the completion of the backup job.

If you want to backup to two destination at the same time, then you would need two jobs, but these may be slow because they would be contending for the same resources.

[Dennis_S_]

So, then, do you mean creating a disaster recovery job to run after the backup finished?  I already have documentation for that procedure.  But I was looking for a way to just duplicate the data to a USB target rather than the dedupe folder structure that is on the iSCSI target.

Thanks

[teiva-boy]

When you duplicate the data from teh dedupe store to anything else, it'll re-hydrate the data to it's original format.  Not a bad thing, you just need to make sure you have enough space.

Or you do a Disaster Recovery Backup of the BE server and it's Dedupe store.

[pkh]

No.  I do not mean a disaster recovery job for the dedup folder.  I am talking about duplicating your backup to another media. See this document

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH24544

[Dennis_S_]

Okay thanks this looks good.  Where is the schedule for this located?  I only see "Run Now".  I want it to be scheduled to restore the incremental every day to an external drive. 

Although thinking about it, I'm guessing it will do a full every day rather than copy just what had been changed since the previous backup unless it only copies the incremental data down.

Thanks

[Dennis_S_ · Accepted solution]

Ok I figured out from forum responses, symantec, web searching, etc.  that there are 2 ways to do this.  One is to schedule a full restore after it backs up to the dedupe folder.  This job attaches to the backup job.  The other way is to do a disaster recovery job which would copy all of the dedupe folders to another target.