DRP in OST with EMC DDBoost - Transfer backup load to 2nd appliance

[totolitoto]

People, Hi ! This is NetBackup 7.1

Let's say I have 2 Sites, each with 1 DataDomain Appliance, 1 Media Server with DDBoost, and clients on both sites. Pipe between the 2 sites is good enough for bi-directional replication. I need by default 2 SLP as I have 2 sites A and B : one for A-Clients, one for B-Clients

I know how to use SLP to define Primary copy (backup) locally, and Duplication to 2nd remote appliance, using optimized duplication (with replication between DD appliances).

SLP-A : MediaServer-A --> DD-A -->DD-B
SLP-B : MediaServer-B --> DD-B --> DD-A

Question In case of an appliance failure, what is the best way to provide continuity in the backup activity, ?

1st possibility : 2 more SLPs are just waiting to be used as destination within Backup policies :
FO-SLP-A : MediaServerA --> DD-B --> DD-A
FO-SLP-B : MediaServerB --> DD-A --> DD-B

So when DD-A fails, I send all my backup to DD-B, and when DD-A is back I do have my replication ready to be done back from B to A.

This requires a script to modify Backup policies and use another SLP than the basic one. This must be launched manually.

2nd possibility : The SLPs are defined to use 2 Backup destinations, one Media Server using both DD-A and DD-B, and no duplication.
I think in that situation that when one backup destination is not available, the backup job fails, and there is no duplication done later when the failed appliance is back, right ?

3rd possibility : Changing the SLP by a script when an appliance fails.
This is the worst solution ! You are not supposed to edit the destination on a running/active SLP !

4th possibility
What do you suggest/propose ?
This is NetBackup 7.1 .... is there a Failover possibility in 7.5 for the backup destination in SLP

Thank you all :)

[trv · Accepted solution]

4th - use failover storage unit group as backup destination

[totolitoto]

Hi TRV. I have a doubt about FO STU Groups compatible with SLP.

Can you confirm SLP can point to a STU Group in Failover Mode ?

I found info about Load Balancing, or other type of STU groups used as destination from SLP ... but not that much about Failover STU Groups.

Thanks

[RamNagalla]

yes, you can use failover storage unit group.

I just created a test SLP with STU Failover stoarge group, and it did not report any error.

even for backup destination and restore destination.

you can go ahead the test the backup and duplication with that.

[trv]

Of course its possible. Our environment is all SLP + failover STU groups (two STUs for two DD boxes).

small edit - this setup is rly handy if you want to do some maintenance on one of the storage boxes too, just remove it from the STU group, stop/suspend running jobs, do the magic, return it to STU group ... all done. No need to edit SLPs or policies.