San Media Server & Media Server question

[AlGon]

OK, this may be a bit of a silly question but here goes,

We have an Enterprise server environment with several Media servers and a few SAN media servers.  They are all attached to a VTL.  Each server has a certain amount of drives allocated to it.

My understanding is that a SAN media server can only backup itself (across the SAN) and a Media server can backup itself ((across the SAN) and also a number of network clients.

Most of our environment was installed by a 3rd party.  What I would like to know is what stops me from using a SAN media server from also backing up a selection of network clients?  Is this just a Licence issue?

Thanks

[Anton_Panyushki]

It is just a matter of licensing.

[Mouse]

First limitation - SAN Media Server's Storage unit can be in "on demand mode" only.
Second limitation (I haven't tested it, but this is how it should work) - this storage unit will not accept backups coming from other clients.

Once you change license to normal MediaServer and re-cycle NBU services on that SAN Media Server, it will act as a regular media server without further reconfiguration (this I have tested and it works)

[AlGon]

Thanks for your replies.

Mouse, I tried testing this and even though the SAN media servers storage unit was set to "on demand only" it still let me back up network clients once I added them to the policy (for testing only).  I'm not sure I fully understand the "on demand only setting"

[Mouse · Accepted solution]

"On demand only" means that this storage unit will not be included in the election list if some policy uses "any available" storage unit.
It does not mean of course that you cannot explicitly specify this storage unit in the policy's properties

[AlGon]

Makes sense, thanks mouse.

[Nicolai]

If you try to backup a client via a SAN media server, the operation should fail with status code "159 Server is not licensed for Remote Client Option".

Best Regards

Nicolai