SQL Cluster Backup Strategy

[rizwan84tx]

Hi Team,

We have multiple SQL clusters with data size of 15 TB. Our current backup window is 30 hrs over LAN; we would like to implement the backup on FC.

Master & Media : NBU 6.5.6

OS : Windows 2003 EE x64

Implementing SAN clients is not possible here because our master server is media server as well running windows.

Any recommendation is highly appreciated!!

Best Regards,

Rizwan,

[RiaanBadenhorst]

What kind of storage devices do you have in your NBU environment?

What storage arrays do the SQL clusters use?

What speeds are you getting across the LAN?

Do you have more servers to deploy as media servers?

Do you have more budget to purchase Enterprise Client licenses (or do you use platfrom licensing)?

How heavily utilized are the processors on the SQL clusters?

What is the average size of a SQL cluster?

[rizwan84tx]

What kind of storage devices do you have in your NBU environment?

--Tape Library IBM TS3584 (4 drives allocated for SQL Backups)

What storage arrays do the SQL clusters use?

--EMC CLARiiON

What speeds are you getting across the LAN?

--LAN Bandwidth is 1 GB and backup throughput is 10 MB/Sec

Do you have more servers to deploy as media servers?

--Yes

Do you have more budget to purchase Enterprise Client licenses (or do you use platfrom licensing)?

--Yes, Not sure what is Platform Licensing.

How heavily utilized are the processors on the SQL clusters?

-- 50 -70%

What is the average size of a SQL cluster?

-- On average 4 TB per Cluster , we have 5 SQL Cluster.

[RiaanBadenhorst · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Ok so you've got some options.

Your master server is a bottle neck now as all backups have to go through it. I'm assuming the 10mbps figures is when a lot of backups are streaming at the same time, probably 8-10 which would be taken up the theoretical 100mbps available from the master's NIC.

If you're EMC clariion is on the snapshot compat list you can buy enterprise clients for the SQL clusters so you can snapshot them. Instant backups.... Since your SQL servers are a little busy you might want to offload the backup processing to other hosts i.e. more media servers you should install to mount the snaps and back them up.

If you dont want to go the snapshot route you could simply deploy additional media servers and send the data across the LAN. Thereby increasing the bandwidth available to do backups. (possible 4 which would give you 400 mbps extra).

Then, since you're willing to deploy additional media servers you could install FT media servers (Linux or Solaris, Linux being the cheaper option) and configure the SQL clusters to be SAN clients. I don't think there is any limitation on using a cluster as a SAN client, of the top of my head that is.....

Finally you could deploy MSDP or PureDisk so you can make use of client side deduplication which will help with your backup window issue.

[rizwan84tx]

On average, we have 6 clients per policy and One job streams per client at a time; so at an instance 6 streams per policy.

When you say Snapshot based backup, are you referring to BCV method? If yes, then i would have to check if the storage is licensed for snapview.

Deploying additional media server and running backup via LAN, is not what we are looking for now. However this would be the last option, if management is not willing deploy Linux/Unix FT media servers.

For Dedupe, we have no enough storage, probably in future will !!!

Thank you for your advice, Thumbs UP :) !!!!

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Hi,

Yes, you'll need to check if you've got snapview licenses. Alternatively you can use Storage foundation for the SQL clusters if the snapview is too expensive. But that would also mean reconfiguration of the clusters.

Remember that dedupe is not just for storage reduction, client-side (source) dedupe ensures you send less data, so it also reduces your backup window on top of the storage reduction. You ca use this across all your clients.....

From what I see you can get really good speeds from SAN Clients/FT media servers (if your environment is optimized)

[rizwan84tx]

Dedupe at source will really consume more CPU in the client, Could you share how much % of CPU consumed on average for a client in your environment?

Thanks again!!

[RiaanBadenhorst]

Hi,

That is a valid point. I don't have stats sorry, but I think the conversation is leading you to the correct solution.... FT Media Servers.