Need to know about VTL

[Zahid_Haseeb]

Need to know about VTL

1.) Does Netbackup Server required License ?

2.) Does Virtual Tape Library has to buy OR any open source there VTL is available ?

3.) Any hardware required for VTL or its just a software which simply needs a PC/Machine ?

4.) Few benifits of VTL 

[AnotherUnknownV]

1.) Does Netbackup Server required License ?

VTL is seen by the sever just as a real tape library, so you need the same licence as for a physical tape library, and its tape drives (unless you're under the volume licence)

2.) Does Virtual Tape Library has to buy OR any open source there VTL is available ?

For production environment, only Professional solutions should be used. You have to pay for them.

For test environment, you can have a look at the free mhvtl, downloadable from here :

http://sites.google.com/site/linuxvtl2/

3.) Any hardware required for VTL or its just a software which simply needs a PC/Machine ?

The VTL is either installed/bundled on its proprietary hardware, or installed in a vmware environment.

VTL can be accessed either through fibre channel, or iscsi, depending on the solution.

If installed in a vmware environment, that will be iSCSI.

For test purpose, you could use a vmware workstation started on the media server itself, but you still need a connection through iSCSI, and with the iSCSI initiator.

4.) Few benifits of VTL

Fast access, positioning, load and unload.

No mechanical pieces subject to failure.

Many replication/duplication solutions available on professional solutions.

Vaulting still available on real tapes on some professional solutions.

Real visibility of available/consumed space

...

[Zahid_Haseeb]

The link which you provided to download VTL is http://sites.google.com/site/linuxvtl2/

Its a rpm which means it will install on Linux/Unix platform but my NBU Server is on windows2003 R2. Any how I installed this on a Centos 5 platform. Now my question is :

How can I connect this VTL with my NBU Server ?

[AnotherUnknownV]

Your windows machine needs the iSCSI initiator.

This is installed as a service by default under latest versions of Windows, or you'll need to download it from Microsoft : iSCSI initiator 32/64b.

Execute it as a service, get connected to the IP address of the VTL, through port 3260 (default) ... and your windows system will see the Devices as if they were plugged directly to it.

You'll need drivers for the tape drives ... mhvtl comes with 3 different type of drives, which need different drivers, available from the web. Tape lib/changer does not need tape drives.

There is a forum for the mhvtl.

Good luck

[Zahid_Haseeb]

You'll need drivers for the tape drives ...

What does mean ?

[Zahid_Haseeb]

One more ting I would like to update :

Query no 1

Not able to see the contents when I created the below file

[root@zahidlinux ~]# touch /etc/mhvtl/library_contents

[root@zahidlinux ~]# cat /etc/mhvtl/library_contents

[root@zahidlinux ~]# 

the result should be like below as mention on the below link

(   http://nsrd.info/blog/2009/07/13/carry-a-jukebox-with-you-if-youre-using-linux/      )

[root@tara mhvtl]# cat library_contents
# Define how many tape drives you want in the vtl..
# The 'XYZZY_...' is the serial number assigned to
# this tape device.

Drive 1: ZF7584364

# Place holder for the robotic arm. Not really used.
Picker 1:

# Media Access Port
# (mailslots, Cartridge Access Port, <insert your favourate name here>)
# Again, define how many MAPs this vtl will contain.
MAP 1:
MAP 2:
MAP 3:
MAP 4:

# And the 'big' on, define your media and in which slot contains media.
# When the rc script is started, all media listed here will be created
# using the default media capacity.
Slot 1:    800843S3
Slot 2: 800844S3
Slot 3: 800845S3
Slot 4: 800846S3
Slot 5: 800847S3
Slot 6: 800848S3
Slot 7: 800849S3
Slot 8: 800850S3
Slot 9: 800851S3
Slot 10: 800852S3
Slot 11: 800853S3
Slot 12: 800854S3
Slot 13: 800855S3
Slot 14: 800856S3
Slot 15: 800857S3
Slot 16: 800858S3
Slot 17: 800859S3
Slot 18: 800860S3
Slot 19: 800861S3
Slot 20: 800862S3
Slot 21:
Slot 22:
Slot 23:
Slot 24:
Slot 25:
Slot 26:
Slot 27:
Slot 28:
Slot 29:
Slot 30:
Slot 31: CLN001L1
Slot 32: CLN002L1

But I can see via this

[root@zahidlinux mhvtl]# ls

device.conf       library_contents.10  mhvtl.conf

library_contents  library_contents.30

[root@zahidlinux mhvtl]# cat library_contents

[root@zahidlinux mhvtl]# cat library_contents.30 

Drive 1:

Drive 2:

Drive 3:

Drive 4:

Picker 1:

MAP 1:

MAP 2:

MAP 3:

MAP 4:

# Slot 1 - ?, no gaps

# Slot N: [barcode]

# [barcode]

# a barcode is comprised of three fields: [Leading] [identifier] [Trailing]

# Leading "CLN" -- cleaning tape

# Leading "W" -- WORM tape

# Leading "NOBAR" -- will appear to have no barcode

# If the barcode is at least 8 character long, then the last two characters are Trailing

# Trailing "S3" - SDLT600

# Trailing "X4" - AIT-4

# Trailing "L1" - LTO 1

# Trailing "TA" - T10000+

# Trailing "JA" - 3592+

# Trailing "JB" - 3592E05+

# Trailing "JW" - WORM 3592+

# Trailing "JX" - WORM 3592E05+

#

Slot 1: DD3001S3

Slot 2: DD3002S3

Slot 3: DD3003S3

Slot 4: DD3004S3

Slot 5: DD3005S3

Slot 6: DD3006S3

Slot 7: DD3007S3

Slot 8: DD3008S3

Slot 9: DD3009S3

Slot 10: DD3010S3

Slot 11: UD3011L4

Slot 12: UD3012L4

Slot 13: UD3013L4

Slot 14: UD3014L4

Slot 15: UD3015L4

Slot 16: UD3016L4

Slot 17: UD3017L4

Slot 18: UD3018L4

Slot 19: UD3019L4

Slot 20: UD3020L4

Slot 21: CLN300S3

Slot 22: CLN301L4

[root@zahidlinux mhvtl]# 

Query no 2

[root@zahidlinux ~]# /etc/init.d/mhvtl start

FATAL: Module mhvtl not found.

No kernel module loaded to feed these daemons.

Need mhvtl kernel module version at least 0.16.0

Please see http://sites.google.com/site/linuxvtl2/

[root@zahidlinux ~]# cat /etc/mhvtl/library_contents

[root@zahidlinux ~]# /etc/init.d/mhvtl start

FATAL: Module mhvtl not found.

No kernel module loaded to feed these daemons.

Need mhvtl kernel module version at least 0.16.0

Please see http://sites.google.com/site/linuxvtl2/

[AnotherUnknownV]

As I said sooner, the mhvtl was an example of free VTL you can use for test purpose.

It's not maintained by Symantec, and you should use their own forum to get all the required help. It's quite complete.

Cheers

[Zahid_Haseeb]

Thanks for your kind help

[Zahid_Haseeb]

I have started two discussion on the mhvtl forum. I hope this may be benificial for other people too. I will be very happy if these discussion may help someone. See the below two links for reference:

http://mhvtl-linux-virtual-tape-library-community-forums.966029.n3.nabble.com/Problem-faced-in-confi...

http://mhvtl-linux-virtual-tape-library-community-forums.966029.n3.nabble.com/ERROR-WHILE-RUNNING-TH...

[Jim-90]

Hi

According to Symantec

"NetBackup support for physical tape drives controlled by a robotic library is licensed per physical tape drive; regardless of the manufacturer, type of device, or number of servers attached to the library. There is no charge for stand-alone, nonrobotic tape drives directly attached to a NetBackup Master/Media Server or NetBackup Server. This is not applicable to licensing virtual tape libraries (VTLs). Please see the Enterprise Disk Option for licensing of virtual tape libraries (VTLs)."

I.E You need an Enterprise Disk Option, from memory it is a front end license i.e the total size of the data you want to backup.  IF you have a capacity license you may already be covered because capacity lics include a lot of stuff that people do not use.

My 2 cents on VTLs

I have never understood why people persist with VTLs and NBU becasue they add no value at all to the backup solution.  NBU can work directly to disk a VTL ony adds another unnecessary layer.   Apparently MainFrames backups like VTL in the unix and windows side the only reason for the existance in an enterprise backup solution is for vendor to make money.  They shoulde decouple dedupe engines from VTLs and have then as dedupe disk appliances.

[gustav]

I have never understood why people persist with VTLs and NBU becasue they add no value at all to the backup solution.  NBU can work directly to disk a VTL ony adds another unnecessary layer.   Apparently MainFrames backups like VTL in the unix and windows side the only reason for the existance in an enterprise backup solution is for vendor to make money.  They shoulde decouple dedupe engines from VTLs and have then as dedupe disk appliances.

I totally agree - I once worked with one of these - still gives me sleepless nighte now - lol. I personally wouldn't touch one with a barge pole.

[Kev_Lamb]

I have two HP VLS12000 systems in my backup environment which provide the deduplication and low bandwidth replictaion between two sites these are in adition to the two EML's which we now only use once a month for off-site tape storage with retentions of 12 months.

The VLS had it's teething problems when we first had them but they have settled down and now provide a valuable service to the business with quicker restores as there is less shoe-shining than with physical tape also with the replication in place our DR is quicker as we do not have to wait for delivery of the tapes....