Backup on seperate NIC

[vpro]

Hi

We are planning to do backup on a different NIC. Could anyone guide me with any best practises that need to be followed for the same?

Also wat other things should be considered?

[Mouse]

and put "REQUIRED_INTERFACE=<hostname>" to bp.conf of the client or its equivalent in Windows Client Properties.

[Nicolai]

Mouse is right, but you may also need to add static routes to the client, if our master/media  server is more than one sub-network away from the client, else data will be send via the default gateway.

[Anonymous]

Doing a backup on a different NIC is a good consideration, but also consider putting that backup data on a VLAN back to the Master Server, so it is entirely segragated from the production LAN.

We have that setup.

For example:
Server hostname: fred (NIC#1)
NetBackup hostname: fred-b (NIC#2)

So any reference in NetBackup we use the fred-b hostname as the client. We also maintain local hosts file entries for this client and the master server which also has a VLAN IP address.

[Jeff_Sundin]

 Stuart has the right idea here.  I have found that once you start introducing static routes, you need to be careful so you remember what you did 2 years from now when someone has a problem and cannot figure out why it is not working.  Leave the hostname alone and add the new version of the hostname for backups, like Stuart shows.

[Nicolai]

Please do remember that big VLAN's are exposed to spanning tree protocol issues. For larger networks go for IP routing

Some of the cost you take when configuring a dedicated NIC for backup traffic are:

• Static routes (Sorry - But you can't avoid them unless you have a flat network structure)
• REQUIRED_INTERFACE entries.
• alternate client names e.g host-bu
• Performing restore must be done with alternate client.
• Database backup (MS SQL, Oracle, SAP etc.) has it own set of issues.
• Issues for separating real traffic from backup traffic (E.g making sure Windows only register with one name i AD)

[vpro]

And what about jumbo frames should they be also be configured when planning for seperate NIC for backup??

[Nicolai]

Jumbo frame support need to be configured simulations, what's impossible in our company network. If you have the ability to configure switches and routers for jumbo frames, go for it.