DataDomain + Netbackup using as B2D

[Claudio_Veronez]

Hi there,

I would like to use a DD share (CIFS or NFS) mounted at my midia server like /DD

If i add this directory as a backup to disk, is that OK? licencing? performance? best practice?

What is your opinion? does anyone here uses a DD like that?

[Claudio_Veronez]

as long as I know I have to buy a VTL licence for DD and OST to NBU.

is that correct?

[Marianne]

NO NEED to purchase NBU Dedupe option to use DD.

Standard NBU licensing allows you to use DD as Basic disk on NFS or CIFS mount point. I have seen a couple of customers using it this way.

The other option is NetBackup Enterprise Disk option with DD OST plugin to fully utilize DD dedupe capabilities.

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Marianne is correct. NetBackup Dedupe option license enables the use of MSDP or PDDO. It is not required to use a DD.

[Yasuhisa_Ishika]

Dedup option is not required for 3rd party dedup technology. I'll put my previous post right.

[Anton_Panyushki]

According to my expirience https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/sites/default/files/%20%D0%B8%20%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B9%D0%BA%D0%B0%20Optimized%20Duplication%20%D0%BD%D0%B0%20%D1%83%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B9%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%85%20DataDomain.pdf you need OpenStorage Disk Option license on the master and OpenStorage license on a DD appliance to setup OST.

NetBackup dedupe option is not required.

[Claudio_Veronez]

So the best solution is :

DDBOOST at Media Server,

DD using OST

Master Server OST

If I need price: just DD using CIFS and NFS shoult work: (replication made w/ de DD) what is the impact os using that instead of OST.

Am I Right??

Is there some option that I can start the dedup in client? like Avamar?

[teiva-boy]

Whats works, and what is within compliance are two different things.

Yes you could just write to a file share off the DataDomain.  Simple to do.

However, this is against Symantec NBU license guidelines.  The moment you write to a target that is more than just a disk, ,e.g. disks that do replication, VTL, or dedupe; you need to purchase the "Enterprise Disk license."

[Claudio_Veronez]

The problem is, Witch one is the best? VTL Licence (DD) or the Enterprise Disk Licence (NBU)?

What about the price?  I'll study a little bit more of DD and post here. I don't have access to the official NBU Material, so if someone wanna talk about the best ( or $$$) way. Let me know.

[Yasuhisa_Ishika]

> However, this is against Symantec NBU license guidelines. For VTL configuration, that is correct. However, for replication and dedupe appliance use as BasicDisk without OST, Enterprise Disk license is not required. After suggestions from Marianne and Riaan, I reviewed Licensing Guide(available for Symantec and it's partners), and found that 3rd party dedup technology except OST does not require any disk option license on NetBackup.

[sepaterom]

BASIC DISK

Basic Disk backup can be used for backing up to a basic disk storage unit or for temporary staging of data before writing it to tape. Basic disk backup in NetBackup is available at no additional charge and does not require an additional license,see licensing restrictions below. Please note the Storage Lifecycle policies cannot be used with Basic Disk.

The license entitlement related to Basic Disk changed in September 2008. Customers are required to purchase a NetBackup Enterprise Disk license if Basic Disk is used with devices configured to perform deduplication.

Prior to this change certain deduplication devices could be connected to NetBackup using the Basic Disk interface with no additional license required.

[Yasuhisa_Ishika]

(corrected after suggestions from Marianne and Riaan)

There are two options.

• Configure DD share as BasicDisk storage unit. ( incorrect ->) No additional NetBackup license is required for storing data into DD.
• Purchase NetBackup Enterprise Option license and Data Domain OpenStorage license, install OpenStorage plugin into the media server, and configure DataDomain Disk Pool.

Later is better in most case, since you can enable DD boot functionality to avoid transfering un-deduplicated data over network.

As you wrote, DD VTL is another option, but I wonder why do you want to use disk appliance like tape.

----

Added in Aug 23 2011;

I found below in a section of Licensing Guide where it mentions to BasicDisk storage unit.
DD as BasicDisk  configuration does not require NetBackup Deduplication Option license, whereas it requires NetBackup Enterprise Disk Option license.

The license entitlement related to Basic Disk changed in September 2008. Customers are required to purchase a NetBackup Enterprise Disk license if Basic Disk is used with devices configured to perform deduplication. Prior to this change certain deduplication devices could be connected to NetBackup using the Basic Disk interface with no additional license required.

[Claudio_Veronez]

Hello

I got a DD670 for testing,

I'm using a Solaris 10 as Master/Media Server

I'll put another Media Server to control the DD (because I don't want to mess the environment up)

Soo, Wich one is the best way of using that,?? I have 1 week with the DD.

I'll test Oracle / Mssql / Files  in a 55TB month environment and post the results here.

I have the DDBOOST and VTL licensing for the dd. wich one should be the best for performance?

unffortunately I have no NAS for NDMP, I heard about a Solaris NDMP server but as mentioned - No mess

Thanks a lot in advance

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Hi,

If you're running VTL then boost isn't used, its only used with OST connectivity (LAN). 10gbps with OST and boost should be faster than VTL (4gpbs).

[RonCaplinger]

FYI, If you decide to use DD Boost, you will get better performance at first by not enabling DD Boost's distributed segment processing until you have a higher dedupe ratio.  That's because Boost will first send the data packet's hash to the DD appliance to see if it needs to send the whole thing.  If the DD does not have that hash in it's storage, it will then send the full packet.  That resulted in our DD's and media server actually doing more work for data that doesn't dedupe well. 

Once you have a copy of most of your data on the DD, you could enable it at that point and should see more of a benefit from it.

[Claudio_Veronez]

Thanks a Lot, Our DD is shipping this week, I'll put it up and start the testes. I'll post the results here.

Soo

NO Multiplexing

backup to disk plus DDBOOST is better than VTL

If some one wanna do some test, please tell me. I'll keep this DD for 15 days.

[Claudio_Veronez]

Hi there, I'm testing the backup w/ out the DD to make the variables.

I've installed e Media Server w/ 2x1GB (link aggregation) over a Solaris 10 + V240

I'm Backing up a Sun T5240 - 1x10GB file and got just 45mbs,

that new media server is very close to the T5240, this T5240 is connected to a Clariion CX4 480 by 2xFC 4GB, I don't think the Bootleneck is here.

I think the problem is in the media server recently installed, any help? idea? I'm backin this file up to the local disk of this V240.

Best Regards

Next week I'll put the DD in production (B2D) and do the tests.

[Anton_Panyushki]

First, tune network driver settings and TCP/IP stack on your T2000 client.

1. Disable  interrupt blanking by appending the following lines to  /kernel/drv/e1000g.conf:
intr_adaptive=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0;
intr_throttling_rate=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0;
 

2. Increase the number of soft rings, by appending
set ip:ip_squeue_fanout=1
set ip:ip_soft_rings_cnt=8

to /etc/system.

3. Bump up  tcp-window size:
/usr/sbin/ndd -set /dev/tcp tcp_xmit_hiwat 1048576
/usr/sbin/ndd -set /dev/tcp tcp_recv_hiwat 1048576
/usr/sbin/ndd -set /dev/tcp tcp_max_buf 16777216
/usr/sbin/ndd -set /dev/tcp tcp_cwnd_max 8388608

Turning to your media server Sun Fire V420, increase the number of  soft rings and tcp-window.

Finally, use either iperf or plain FTP session to check network transfer speed.

[Marianne]

Check the capabilities of the internal drives on the v240. I get at average of 40 - 50Mb/sec reading and writing our lab V240's internal disks.

These v240's are O-L-D... They are very reliable and provide little more than basic functionality, definately not performance.

[Claudio_Veronez]

Hi there,

I lost te link aggregation today (switches and ports issues)

So, Today test:

I have made some tests:

1 job with 2 streams of only one 10GB file each stream.

first I sent to the local disk (v240) I got a limit of 13Mbs each stream so.. close to 25mbs

then I sent 2 jobs, from the same server, to 2 storage unists (local disk and a Lun from a CX3)

I got the same 25mbs issue

THEN the last and misterious one

I've sent both 2 streams jobs to the same storage unit (local disks) from the same server (t5240)

and I got 13mbs per stream, so.. close to 50mbs

I'll tune my Networke Adapter as Anton told. and I'll send the results here. thanks a lot

Anton, Shoul I add the e1000 lines to the aggr driver too?