AdvancedDisk staging policy

[finalcloud]

We are currently researching a new method of backuping.  Our current setup includes a VTL.  We looking to remove the VTL from the equation and replace it with a disk array.  We want to use AdvancedDisk to stage so it will go from the client to the disk array and finally to tape.  Is that possible?

[Mark_Solutions · Accepted solution]

Absolutely it will work

I would reccomend getting the Enterprise Disk License to do it after which you will be able to use Storage Lifecycle Polciies

If you cannot affird that then you can still use it as basic disk staging which will do exactly what you want but not always as efficiently

Hope this helps - any more questions get back to us but I have many custimers using both types of disk to great effect

#edit# Enterprise Disk used to be called Advanced Disk - covered by the same license

[finalcloud]

Thanks Mark.  We currently have an Advanced Disk (Enterprise Disk) license.  Would we need to use multiple policies for one client?  Will the storage unit be able to send the image to disk?  How does the SLP dictate how to duplicate to tape?

[Mark_Solutions]

OK - if you have the license then great!

So you need a volume (not just a directory / folder) as the disk source, so a dedicated disk volume to use - you create an Enterprise Disk using that volume (The Storage Server wizard will take you though creating the Storage Server (media server that uses Enterprise Disk) - follows on to make the Enterprise Disk Volume - follows on to making the Storage Unit for it.

Next you create one or more Storage Lifecycle Policies. In that you add a backup destination ... the disk Storage unit just made and set the retention you would like it to have on disk (better still use capacity based so that it keeps as much as possible, at least up to the retention period.

You then also add a duplication destination .. your tape library and specify the tape storage unit and tape volume pool plus the retention on tape

You may want to have Daily, Weekly and Monthly SLP's to cater for all different retention periods - the beauty is that they can all go to the same disk storage unit.

You then set the SLP as the destination storage unit in the Policy.

At this point retention periods in your schedules cease to have any effect as it is all controlled by the SLP

So say you set the Weekly SLP in the policy attributes you would override that in the Daily Schedule to use the Daily SLP and the Monthly Schedule to use the Monthly SLP

When a backup runs it will go straight to the backup destination specified in the SLP using the specified retention ... as soon as the backup completes the backup gets duplicated to tape, using the pool and retentiuon specified in the SLP

All very efficient

Hope this explains things

[finalcloud]

Does Enterprise Disk include PureDisk and OpenStorage disk options?  Again thanks for any information.

[Marianne]

Yes, it does, but you need to purchase OST license from your appliance vendor. They will then supply you with the OST plugin.

In addition to Mark's excellent explanation, you can read up about SLP in NBU Admin Guide I, chapter 14.

as well as SLP Best Practice Guide .