backup Windows File Server through SAN

[D__C_]

I am new to the SAN world. I wonder if this can be done.
We plan to run NetBackup on a Linux or Windows server that connect to the LAN and SAN.
An ExaGrid (can be consider as local tape driv) is connect directly to the NetBackup.
And the Windows File Server is connected to both LAN and SAN.
A NetApp filer is connected to both LAN and SAN. The filer will be the main storage for the Windows File Server.
When do backup to the ExaGrid, the normal pass of the data travel from Filer to WFS through SAN, then to NetBackup through LAN then to ExaGrid.
Is it possible to have the data go directly from Filer to NetBackup though SAN?

              
    __________________________ LAN
       |                      |                    |
NetBackup      WFS           NetApp
      |  |________|_________|______ SAN
      |
ExaGrid

[Marianne · Accepted solution]

The tape library will have to be connected to the SAN as well.

Good reading matter is the Shared Storage Admin Guide:
http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/290238.htm

As well as NBU for NDMP Admin Guide:
http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/290205.htm

[D__C_]

Thanks.
However, ExaGrid is not really a tape drive. It is harddisk based. (And somewhere in the literature it says it acts like tape drive to NetBackup.) And the instuction is that it needs to attached directly to the NetBakup server through bundled GigE (no FC support.).

[Marianne]

If your backup device is network attached, it is impossible to direct traffic via the SAN.

[D__C_]

Thanks.
I thought it would be neat if we can send backup data from SAN to NetBackup server, instead thought WFS then LAN then NetBackup.

[teiva-boy]

 Exagrid is going to present a CIFS share for NBU, and there is a plug-in that is installed on the master server to know that it's a dedupe box with OST capabilities.  There is no SAN connectivity for the Exagrid, but you dont really need it if you ask Exagrid.

[Omar_Villa]

Netbackup 6.5 haves a new functionality called SAN Client with FT Media Server, what this does is connect your clients straight to a Media Server through the SAN Architecture, for what I now there is no licensing on the client side for SAN Client, but not sure for the media server.

Based on what you presented with SAN Client/FT Media configuration your WFS box will connect straight to the Netbackup FT Media Server through the SAN acting as a DataMover pushing all the data from your Filer, where you still need to think that your data will still travel through the LAN to your WFS box, if you wan to make your NetApp box to connect to the SAN directly than a NDMP configuration will be need a Virtual or Physical Tape Drive that you dont have, because your dont have a Library in your architecture. So I will say SAN Client gives you the best option

                          _________________ LAN
                             |                    |
NetBackup      WFS           NetApp
      |  |________|                     |______ SAN
      |
ExaGrid


On this small chart I remove the Netbackup-WFS LAN connection as the WFS-Netapp SAN, showing how the data will travel once you configure SAN Client.


http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/293110.htm

http://entsearch.symantec.com/search?p=R&srid=S10%2d6&lbc=symantec&w=san%20client&url=http%3a%2f%2ff...


Hope this helps.
Regards.

[Omar_Villa]

Dont know about ExaGrid but you can consider to implement a VTL configuration which will virtualize a Tape Library, once you have this your data can go straigh to the virtual tape drive (falconstor) acting as data mover to the exagrid SAN. With this you can configure a virtual Tape Drive under the NetApp box and use an NDMP configuration to send the data through the SAN to your Exagrid, but still you need a man in the middle (FalconStor) to virtualize the library, but the data will not travel through the LAN for any backup.


       |                     |                     |
NetBackup        FS            NetApp
       |_________|_________|______ SAN
                             |
                             |
                       ExaGrid


On this topology the windows client is no longer required to perform the backup, but a new box is needed to virtualize the library (Falconstor VTL), which is now directly connected to the ExaGrid (NBU is no longer directly connect to ExaGrid Storage) and virtualized Tape Drives through the SAN for Netbackup and NetApp.


This is an other option, but means a bit bigger investment than the SAN Client Architecture.

[Marianne]

San Client is not a bad idea, Omar, but not supported with NetApp.
Extract from doc id 293110:

1) Operating System – The SAN Client is supported on the following operating systems:
Solaris, Windows, AIX, HP-UX and Linux. Please refer to the release notes and HCLs for details of the operating system versions supported. Note that the SAN Client is generally supported on the same operating system versions as a Media Server, not a LAN Client.

The way I interpret this doc is that the backup storage must be SAN connected as well. As per teiva-boy's post: "Exagrid is going to present a CIFS share for NBU.... There is no SAN connectivity for the Exagrid".

[Omar_Villa]

Hi Marianne,

          There is no SAN Client support for NetApp because the Netbackup Client and SAN Client cannot be install under any NetApp box, what I mentioned on the SAN Client option was to perform the backup through the Windows box (who does support SAN Client) and thats why I mentioned that the data will still travel trough the LAN from the NetApp filer to the Windows box and from the Windows box to the FT Media Server through the SAN using the SAN Client but your are right the CIFS piece I think is the problem there is no Cross Mount Point for CIFS shares, so not much options are left because NDMP can only go to Tape Drives no DiskSTU, leaving the VTL option has only posibility.

          I realy dont know how ExaGrid works Im thinking a normal SAN device has a EMC Clariion which is direct attach to a NBU Media server where DSSU is used to backup the data, but I think that in order to clear this question D.C. needs to share a bit more of he's architecture and some specs of how the ExaGrid Storage is mounted under NBU, because if there is no SAN connection also the FalconStore option will not work because iSCSI will need to be configured and that is LAN.


Thanks for the heads up and hope this helps D.C.
Have a good one.

[teiva-boy]

I think ultimately, with NBU Enterprise Server, and the correctly licensed Enterprise Disk and an Exagrid device, all you need to do is send your backup via the LAN to the NBU server which saves to the Exagrid that shows up as a storage unit due to the OST plugin that is installed.

Exagrid will then accept the data stream, stage it, and process it in off-peak hours.  Although I think you can configure it to start dedupe within minutes of receiving the file.

If you wish, you could have a SAN client(needs enterprise client licensed for the WFS), where the data is sent over the SAN fabric through the media server, and ultimately to the exagrid device.

Currently Exagrid cannot dedupe NDMP.  Which was your original question, can you go direct from Filer through NBU through SAN.

If you need more speed, you can look at the NBU tuning guide on the support kb pages, and possibly add some trunked NIC's to your WFS, and to your NBU server.  Going to 10GigE on the media server or at least two dual port NIC's (trunked) is becoming really popular these days...

[Omar_Villa]

The deal with the windows box is that netbackup cannot backup CIFS shares and if it does is something new for me. Only UNIX NFS mount points are supported for Cross backups.