> From: psoni <networker-forum AT BACKUPCENTRAL DOT COM>
> Reply-To: <NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU>
> Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:42:22 -0500
> To: <NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU>
> Subject: [Networker] Networker : Enhanced Software Support
>
> Hi,
>
> Our initial support period has ended with EMC for the networker software.
>
> I have got a new quote for an enhanced support from EMC , but i would like to
> know what can possibly go wrong with the software itself.
>
> Seems like it doesn't include much more then their online support .
>
> Any suggestions ?
> Has anyone experienced any problems where EMC support would be better to have?
I agree with Preston de Guise, but this really boils down to a business
decision. The answer to your question depends a lot on your NetWorker
environment and your budget. For a very small environment with one data zone
and just a few clients, renewing software and update support might be
something to skimp on, but even then, if something goes wrong and you can't
figure it out ...
My NetWorker environment is probably medium size. I run two NetWorker data
zones and around 350 clients with one or two more clients added per month. I
for one would not want to go without EMC's support for NetWorker. I have
relied upon EMC's tech support several times over the past year for problems
that haven't been discussed on this list.
For example, for several months after upgrading from 7.2.1 to 7.4, I had a
problem where cleaning tape management was ... mismanaged. EMC did resolve
the issue, although not nearly as fast as I would have preferred. Right now,
I am dealing with EMC with an issue doing Windows 2008 VSS backups for a
problem that has been discussed on this list, but has not yet been resolved.
Another time recently, I was at our DR site doing an exercise where I had to
recover one of our NetWorker servers. I ran into a glitch where I couldn't
recover the CFI data despite trying everything I could think of. After about
an hour of trying on my own, I raised a flag of surrender, and I called EMC
for help. An EMC engineer solved the problem and there is no way I would
have thought to try what the engineer had me do.
Some of the most complex software in a typical data center is network-based
backup software. There is a lot that goes right with NetWorker, but when
something goes wrong and you're in a hurry to resolve an issue, do you
really want to go it alone? Not me.
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