cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

EV / RecoverPoint / VMWare And Commvault Backup Options

gotMyBackUp2
Level 2

G'day all, I'm hoping to get some insight / help and understanding about our recovery options with EV 9.02.

Overview

Original backup procedure that was implemented (before implementing CLR Recoverpoint Replication i.e. CDP combined with CRR (local and remote continuous replication) was to do appropriate file and SQL Agent backups using pre and post scripts for entering and exiting backup modes as required, using Commvault Simpana 8 Disk-Disk-Tape for off site storage for 2 months.

Additional to this we ran, once weekly, VCB (Full VM backup) of EV to have a copy of the machine in its entirety to then be able to restore our Databases and files to depending on where in the cycle we were.  Overkill maybe but just covering our bums.

Since then we've implemented RecoverPoint replication as mentioned above and upgraded Simpan to V9 and implemented VSA Agent backups of VMs. 

So, through upgrades and migrations to new technologies i need to do a bit of a tidy up to improve our backup times and reduce duplication.

EV server consists of the following drives and stores stored on SAN block storage.

3 x 850GB drives containing Vault Store Partitions of archive data / journal archive (G:\, H:\ and J:\) on separate VMware Datastores each.

1 x 300GB EV Index Drive (I:\)

1 x system disk (C:\)

1 x Data drive (D:\)

Current Backup Process

Currently we are continuing to run the file and SQL agent based backups and shipping the tapes offsite for a 2 month cycle.

Additionally we have continuous replication to our DR site and several full DR tests have confirmed this to work and recovers successfully.

I'm also continuing to do a once weekly full VM backup using the VSA Agent in Simpana 9. Our total data size is about 2.5TB for close to 3 years that we've been running.

Thoughts and ideas

I've got quite a few options and I'd like to discuss the particular solution i'm proposing and see others opinions on pros and cons to help me make an informed decission.

I like the idea of having the VM on tape for version control of restores if required.  Recoverpoint only has a few days of roll back points and this simply isn't enough. 

What i'm proposing is to make all the disks on the EV server, other than the System and Data Drive (c:\ and d:\) independent disks.  Meaning that when snapshotted by Simpana/VSA Agent and vmware, only the C:\ and D:\ will be backed up weekly as part of the VSA agent backup. Giving me a restore platform from tape that I can restore the data to from the file/sql level backups.

First point of restore in a disaster will always be the replicated data but this will allow a full restore from tape with the least amount of effort i believe.

can anyone see any gaping holes in this solution or have any better solutions / ideas?

My Other Question

We have closed off two partitions already and wish to know if I can do a one off backup of these using the File Agent backup and keep on tape indefinitely and then exclude them from weekly backups? I understand that if someone opens an archived email that has been cabbed in a collection file that it temporarily extracts this to DVS (?) files that are tidied up overnight. IS this correct and does this introduce anything that i need to be aware of as far as restoring?

Is this a common practice and something that Symantec would recommend for or against?

 

Please let me know if you require any further information.

 

Thanks in anticipation,

Shaun
 

 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

gotMyBackUp2
Level 2

Excellent.  Thats exactly what i was looking for.  :) Just in case someone else may be reading this, that may be interested, or in the same situation.  From my understanding from the tech article listed by RahulG and links off of that article I technically think i'd be safe to excluded closed partitions with my reasonings below: (Please correct me if i'm wrong)

1. Allowing Deletion - If users are allowed to delete items from their archives. - We disabled this feature back when we implemented EV due to the collection process and how it affects it.

2. Storage Expire configured - Storage Expire will delete items from archives when their Retention Periods expire. - Again we don't have this enabled and will be a manual process when required and will cross that bridge when we get to it.

3. Collections - EV Collector will still continue to run on a closed partition and it combines small files on the partition into CAB files. Uncollected items that match the Collection policy will be collected, then the CAB files will be created and the DVS files will be deleted. - these partitions have been closed for some time and all cab creation is complete.

4. Pending Items - Items in a pending state before the partition is closed. Those items will write to the closed partition. - Again this is not applicable

 

Thanks,
Shaun

 

View solution in original post

5 REPLIES 5

RahulG
Level 6
Employee

To answer you second questions, you would need to backup you closed aprtitions atleast once a week.

gotMyBackUp2
Level 2

Thanks for the prompt response Rahul.  Can you please elaborate on the requirement to maintain a weekly backup once a week?

thanks,

Shaun

gotMyBackUp2
Level 2

Excellent.  Thats exactly what i was looking for.  :) Just in case someone else may be reading this, that may be interested, or in the same situation.  From my understanding from the tech article listed by RahulG and links off of that article I technically think i'd be safe to excluded closed partitions with my reasonings below: (Please correct me if i'm wrong)

1. Allowing Deletion - If users are allowed to delete items from their archives. - We disabled this feature back when we implemented EV due to the collection process and how it affects it.

2. Storage Expire configured - Storage Expire will delete items from archives when their Retention Periods expire. - Again we don't have this enabled and will be a manual process when required and will cross that bridge when we get to it.

3. Collections - EV Collector will still continue to run on a closed partition and it combines small files on the partition into CAB files. Uncollected items that match the Collection policy will be collected, then the CAB files will be created and the DVS files will be deleted. - these partitions have been closed for some time and all cab creation is complete.

4. Pending Items - Items in a pending state before the partition is closed. Those items will write to the closed partition. - Again this is not applicable

 

Thanks,
Shaun

 

RahulG
Level 6
Employee

So I think its for you to have just one backup of the closed parition. Glad the document helped you find the resolution to your query.:)