Master Servers or Media Servers? Deploying local backup servers.

[Mister_G_]

Hi there,

to deploy backup servers in following scenario a do appreciate some advices.

We have one main backup server handling all major data backups. (Master & Media Server combination)

Now we need 8 regional backup servers (spread throughout Europe) handling only local data (user files).

There is no need to have this data somewhere else than in that local place. 

Im am not sure if it is a good idea or not to deploy only media servers as regional backup servers

and to connect these to the master server. We do have different domains in different countries in Europe.

What is the main idea in deploying media servers?

Thank You & Regards.

[Mark_Solutions]

Media Severs in remote offices is OK as long as you have reasonable links between sites

The media servers will need to pass the catalog information back to the Master Server during the backup and a backup can only run as fast as its catalog data can be written.

An alerternative, albeit expensive, is to invest in NetBackup de-duplication - by using that you could use client side de-dup[lication whereby you would not need Media Servers on the remote site as the clients could write straight back to the main sites de-duplication pool as relitively small amounts of data would be passed over the link.

If you dont have a huge amount of data in total you may want to look at going capacity licensenced plus the de-dupe option to minimise costs

Perhaps speak to your Symantec account manager about  the cost of this option.

Either way, if your link is OK (100mb or so) you should be OK. If less than 100 mb then client side de-dupe may be the answer

Hope this helps

[Mister_G_]

The line capacities are 2mb.
for me it sounds like we should have regional master servers as there is no need to backup the regional data at a central backup point.

Initially we just wanted to see the policies and the job status through a central backup console.

Are there any known architecture white papers i can use to redefine the backup concept we are heading to?

Thank You & regards.

[Mister_G_]

Do i see this correct:

If i have no need to backup the regional data to the master server connected tape library AND
the network capacity is at about 2 mb, the Media Server construct is not the right choice for me?

In this case we would deploy smaller and mor simple master server to each region, to backup the data locally
and have on master/media server for headquarters, keeping all applications driven data centrally.

Is there any concept white paper, describing the ideas regarding the master - media server construct?

Thank You for your help.