Netbackup 6.5.4 in a Virtual Environment

[j083418]

I'm been ask to investigate if a Netbackup Media Server (Windows 2008 server, NB version 6.5.4) can be installed within a VMWare enviroment and use a VTS as its backup device.

I've found a document relating to NB version 7.0 but would like to know if it can be done in version 6.5.4

[Marianne]

Statement of Support for NetBackup 6.x in a Virtual Environment ( Virtualization Technologies :(     http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH64542

Long story short - virtual media server is supported with Disk Storage only. No tape.

[RiaanBadenhorst · Accepted solution]

Hi,

It only support disk storage units. http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH64542

Virtual media server
The NetBackup media server is supported within a virtual machine, as stated in the “General guidelines for support” on page 2. Support, however, is limited to disk storage units.
The following disk storage units are supported within a virtual machine:

■    Basic Disk
■    Advanced Disk without sharing

Refer to the following document for a list of supported NetBackup 6.x media server platforms: http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/325328.htm

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Snap

[Marianne]

What can I say - great minds think alike! Age makes me slow....

[j083418]

Thanks for the quick responses.

So I am right in thinking that using a VTS with the virtual media server will be fine?

[RiaanBadenhorst]

No, VTS (or VTL) will be a tape storage unit. I'm assuming its configured as VTL, and I'm assuming VTS is a model name.

You can only configure it if its presented to the OS as disk, i.e. can be configured as a disk storage unit (advanced or basic).

[j083418]

The VTS isn't a virtual tape server it's more like a NAS and will be presented as disk to the Media server

[Marianne]

Make, Model, or URL with details?

[j083418]

It's a Data Domain DD690:

http://www.datadomain.com/products/appliances.html 

[Nicolai]

iSCSI initiator in a virtual host may cause peformence issues. If you plan to go fast I don't think a virtual host is the answer. For low bandwith/test it's just fine.

My 0.02$

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Hi,

The DD690 will be supported if you run it as an OST device (even though the statement of support says basic, or advanced disk storage units, I'm sure an OST storage unit should be fine too).

I would however agree with Nicolai about the performance.

One thing to consider here is your current licenses, are you using traditional or capacity based licensing? If its capacity based then you can simply install Enterprise Clients on all your high data volume servers and backup straight to the DD. No need to send it to a media server. Since the DD uses LAN connections you also don't need to invest in FC cards. A teamed Gigabit NIC on your enterprise clients should work well.

[j083418]

I was hoping to use NDMP backups as the unit has fibre cards installed. Would this be possible?

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Hi,

If your unit has fibre cards installed then it was probably originally decided that you're going to use it as a VTL (hence the fibre cards). If you were going to use it as an OST device, it would have 10gbps or 1gpbs NICs.

I'm not sure if the DD can do both at the same time (I know quantum can).

Having said that (and assuming its only FC i.e. VTL) then you can still create VTLs and configure / assign them to the NDMP hosts. This is called NDMP local backup

The NetBackup for NDMP server initiates the backup. The data travels from the NDMP host’s disk to a storage device that is attached to the same host. Or the storage device is available on a SAN.

You dont need to assign these libraries/drives to a media server at all, hence you don't need to have virtual media servers.

Now the rest of your servers still need to be covered, which brings me back to my question about your licensing, and also the fact whether the DD has only FC or FC and IP (OST backups)