backup exec

[jinmi]

hi guys,

i need to know if its possible for backup exec media server to target backups to a network attached tape device. The tape device is no connected across a SAN. any ideas pls??

[AmolB]

Tape device has to be connected to the media server.

[pkh]

You can check whether your device is supported by checking the HCL of your version of BE.  The HCL for the latest version of BE which is BE 2010 is below

BE 2010|2010 R2|2010 R3 Hardware (HCL)

[CraigV]

...if it uses NDMP you could probably use the NDMP agent in BE to backup to it.

[jinmi]

ok, so theres no other way even if the device has an ipaddress?

[AmolB]

Unfortunately NO.

Tape device has be to connected to media server or as Craig suggested make use of NDMP agent.

[jinmi]

NDMP? its not a filer or NAS device. its just a normal dell tape device but not directly attached.

[jinmi]

will Ndmp work with just a tape device?

[AmolB]

A tape device can be connected to a NDMP device to save bandwidth and increase backup speed.

[Colin_Weaver]

Is this device intended to be presented over iSCSI - as if it is then you need to attach it ocver iSCSI to your media server

[CraigV]

...what make and model? Best to check out the documentation on this device first and then see if it fits in with what BE can do with a drive...

[jinmi]

its an IBM ts3400 device and no we dont intend to use iSCSI. it will just be connected on the LAN with an ipaddress.

[CraigV]

...according to the details below, that is an FC-attached tape library...

http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/my/storage/tape/ts3400/index.htmlhttp://www-03.ibm.com/systems/my/storage/tape/ts3400/index.html

Are you sure you're not looking at a management port?

[jinmi]

yes it uses fibre channel connection but its not directly connected to the media server but connected on the LAN. so can it still be used by the media server to backup jobs?

[ZeRoC00L]

A fibre channel tape library cannot be connect directly to the LAN, you probably mean a Fibre Channel switch ?

Is the Backup Exec media server also connected with fibre channel to the Fibre Channel switch ?

[CraigV · Accepted solution]

...I think you have it wrong here.

That library is FC-attached, and therefore would need fibre channel switches in the mix. Your media server would need to be connected to the SAN and zoned accordingly to see the library. If you wanted SAN-based backups, then your servers you want to utilise this would need to have FC HBAs installed in them in order to make it work, and you would need SAN SSO licensed and installed on your media server. Only THEN would you use the speed of the SAN to back up your servers.

What you are describing here makes me think you're looking at the management port that all tape libraries have. No data passes across this...you cannot use it for backup purposes. It exists solely to allow remote management of the library by connecting to an IP address configured on the library.

What you want it to do is physically impossible on the library. You'd need to either direct-connect the library to your media server using FC cards in the server, or use a SAN with details I described above...

Thanks!

[ZeRoC00L]

An IBM TS3400 looks like a very special IBM tape library:

http://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/cgi-bin/ssialias?subtype=ca&infotype=an&appname=iSource&supplier=89...

It is using 3592 Tape Cartridge media.

It is NOT listed in the Backup Exec HCL, so Symantec cannot help you with getting this device working withing Backup Exec.

[jinmi]

alrite, thanks everyone. will communicate this to the client.

[CraigV]

...you can EDIT a post especially if within a couple of minutes of each other :)

[ZeRoC00L]

Responding to another question/responce so combine the post is not usfull.

But thanks for updating.