MSDP pool replication

[briggsy]

Hi all,

I'm implementing a new netbackup solution and am after some advice please !

Service consists of 1 Master (vm) and 4 physical media servers, all running windows 2008r2 and netbackup 7.5.0.6. - all are on the same Domain.

The media servers are split across 2 datacentres ( 2 in each dc) and each media server has a 25TB MSDP pool.

The design I've been given to work from states that each MSDP pool in one datacentre is to replicate to a pool in the other datacentre, and also that the reverse is true ....eg.

----------------

datacentre 1

MediaA with MSDP-A   and MediaB with MSDP-B

datacentre 2

MediaC with MSDP-C and MediaD with MSDP-D

----------------

The design has all MSDP pools being used as Backup targets, but also ...

MSDP-A replicates to MSDP-C

MSDP-B replicates to MSDP-D

MSDP-C replicates to MSDP-A

MSDP-D replicates to MSDP-B

I don't think this is possible ? all are on the same domain and managed by the same Master, and the help states "

Caution: Choose the target storage server or servers carefully. A target storage server must not also be a storage server for the source domain.

Can someone confirm please ?, and also suggest another way of achieving this ....i did think of setting up an SLP with a secondary operation of either Replication or Duplication ?

any help appreciated !  

[Yasuhisa_Ishika]

This caution states that Auto Image Replication can not replicate backups to the server in same domain. "replication" operation in SLP means that you indicate backup to be replicared to other NetBackup domain by AIR.

If you want to duplicate backups inside the domain, specify "duplication" instead.

[Mark_Solutions · Accepted solution]

What you want is perfectly possible but as Yashikura says use duplication and not replication

Just add each of the stages you want into Storage Lifecycle policies - based on what you say you need at least 4 SLP's (but bear in mind you may want daily, weekly and monthly versions of those)

As they are all MSDP they will all use optimised de-dupe when they copy data between each other.

You may find you need to give each media server access to the other media server via the storage server credentails section

[briggsy]

Hi, thanks for the reply ..

...been reading up on this and it looks like AIR (Auto Image Replication) isn't going to achieve what we're after ...as they're on the same domain and are managed by the same Master server.

I also thought that 'duplication' as a secondary operation on an SLP should be ok, except that *I think* we would lose the benefit of de-duplication to the duplication target (not the backup target), also wouldn't we bypass the duplication target MSDP pool and it would be just a 'un' de-duplicated disk image, rather than an MSDP pool image ?

I'm currently looking at 'MSDP Optimized Duplication' which intially looks like it might be what we're after ie. duplication of de-duplicated MSDP images to another MSDP pool on the same Domain.

..All advice and suggestions welcome !

regards

[Mark_Solutions]

If you duplicate from a MSDP pool to another MSDP pool on the same domain it will automatically use optimised de-dupe - so very little will pass a cross the link

It is the same as AIR in effect but all within one domain

[Konstantinos · Accepted solution]

Hi briggsy,

from what you are saying, having one NetBackup Domain the AIR is not applicable here.

What you need to do is Duplications between two MSDP servers using a secondary operation in an SLP.

note that every duplication between two MSDP's is a Optimised-Duplication, meaning that only the unique data (data segments not yet stored at the destination) is transferred every time.

hope this clears things a bit.

Kind Regards,

[briggsy]

Thanks guys, appreciate the help ,

As this is a new implementation and I'm the implementor I have the freedom to test this, so if i mess up an MSDP pool I can just blitz it and recreate !

so will test Duplication via an SLP and monitor spoold etc on the duplication target media server.

One thing slightly worries me though ...if its as simple as an SLP with a Duplication secondary operation ...why have 'MSDP Optimized Duplication'' at all .....?

thanks again, will reply with how i get on..

regards

[Konstantinos]

briggsy,

i don't really understand your worries? Optimised Duplication is still a Duplication but a "special" one! :)

and dont worry, setting up SLP and Duplications you will not break the MSDP...

Regards,

[briggsy]

Hi mate,

..I'm not really worried, because I built it and its not 'live' ..I can just rebuild it    ...

I guess its that there are pages and pages about 'MSDP optimized duplication' in the Dedupliocation guide ...so if its really as simple as an SLP with a secondary Duplication operation what are the differences ?

regards

[Mark_Solutions]

If you duplicate from MSDP to MSDP it will just do optimised duplication for you - just note what i said about adding the other media servers to the storage servers properties

But that really is all there is to it

If you are in a test environment just try it...

One SLP with backup target as local MSDP and duplication to remote MSDP

Run a backup and look at the rates you get when it duplicates - it should look to exceed the network speed (depending what that is of course)

It will also show you the de-dupe stats in the job details to prove what it is doing

[briggsy]

Hi,

I set up a test last night ...

backed up 20 clients to MSDP-A with duplication to MSDP-B

Backed up another 20 clients to MSDP-B with duplication to MSDP-A

Ran both policies at the same time and it all worked perfectly.

In fact it was so easy i'm embarrassed to have asked the question !  , as it all looks so obvious now.

Thanks guys, appreciate the advice.

[Konstantinos]

Hi briggsy,

i'm really glad you got it working. don't worry about asking, that's why we are here :)

have a great day,

let me know if you need any other clarifications on Duplications

Regards,