SAN Client, SAN Media Server and FT Server.

[abhishek]

Hello All,

I can you please guide me on SAN Client, SAN Media Server and FT Server architecture.

Does it affect licensing requirement.

:)

[abhishek]

Hi Riaan,

Thanks a lot and things are very much clear now. Also I check and found that FT Server is supported only on Solaris and Linux also on x64 platform only. Is that correct.

[RiaanBadenhorst]

That is correct!

[RiaanBadenhorst · Accepted solution]

Hi Abhishek.

This can be a little confusing at first.

Lets talk about the SAN media servers first (now called Enterprise Clients). They are servers that have access to storage devices located on the SAN (tape or disk). They are allowed to backup only there own data to these devices, they cannot accept backups from other clients over the LAN. You need an Enterprise client license for this, and you need to install Netbackup server software.

SAN Clients are almost the same as SAN media servers in the sense that they have access to the SAN, but they send their data to a FT media Server (not a device directly). The FT media servers place the data on the storage devices for them. Only thing differentiating them from a standard client is that they use the SAN, and not the LAN to backup their data, but they both send it to a media server. You also need and Enterprise Client license to use this feature, but you don't have to install the Netbackup server software, only client software.

Then finally a FT media server is a regular media server with some added components. Aside from your FC HBA you use to connect to your storage devices (tape or disk), you need to install additional (supported according to the hcl) FC HBAs to accept connections/data from the SAN clients. These cards are configured in target mode so the SAN clients can send data across the SAN to them. So you'll need some extra hardware but your current Enterprise Server license used for a regular media server is sufficient. This server also needs the NetBackup server software installed.

Hope that makes sense :)

[abhishek]

Hi,

Is there any limitation that single FT Server can handle the clients. How many maximum san clients can connect to FT Server.

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Hi Abhishek,

I'm not sure, there might be some type of limitation from a FC point of view. In general you should still apply the logic you would if the backup was done over the LAN, i.e. the amount of jobs/streams you want to send to the storage units/tapes.