Re: [Veritas-bu] D2D or Tape Libraries

We have appx 1.2PB spread out across 9 NBU domains that we use just for a backup target. The goal is to have 7-10 days of all backup images available on disk at these larger sites. These arrays are all mid-range, big vendor names, all SATA and can handle running 150 or so jobs simultaneously. We also manage a bunch of small, customer dedicated domains that go directly to tape.

To figure out how much space you would need on the array, you just need to determine how long you want to keep images on disk. IMO it's at least a week or it isn't doing you much good. Once you have that number, figure out how much you backup during this time frame, add in some for growth and you're good. Keep in mind that you will want more spindles, not larger disks, for better performance. You may have trouble writing more than a handful of streams to the disk array at once if it doesn't have enough drives. For example, 1 tray of 1TB SATA will give you 15TB of storage (raw), but that may not perform well when you start writing 40 or 50 jobs at a time. Also, keep in mind that you get what you pay for.

This would be a very good time for you to investigate utilizing client side de-dupe, Pure Disk, Media Server De-Dupe, one of the NBU appliances (which have storage built in), or a Data Domain.

Rusty Major, MCSE, BCFP, VCS ▪ Sr. Storage Engineer ▪ SunGard Availability Services ▪ 757 N. Eldridge Suite 200, Houston TX 77079 ▪ 281-584-4693
Keeping People and Information Connected® ▪ http://availability.sungard.com/
P Think before you print
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"WEAVER, Simon (external)" <simon.weaver AT astrium.eads DOT net>

10/08/2010 01:05 AM

To	<Rusty.Major AT sungard DOT com>
cc	<veritas-bu AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu>, <veritas-bu-bounces AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu>
Subject	RE: [Veritas-bu] D2D or Tape Libraries

Hi Rusty
Just how much Disk Space do you have available? Are we talking 5TB+ here? or More like 40TB+ of space you have?
Simon

From: Rusty.Major AT sungard DOT com [mailto:Rusty.Major AT sungard DOT com]
Sent: Thursday, October 07, 2010 4:17 PM
To: WEAVER, Simon (external)
Cc: veritas-bu AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu; veritas-bu-bounces AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu
Subject: Re: [Veritas-bu] D2D or Tape Libraries

We have several D2D2T system currently, running Advanced Disk and SLPs. I would never go back if I had the choice. There's nothing wrong with disk, in fact it cures many of the ills of a tape system, like slow backups which kill tape drives, speed to restore, etc. Even with dedupe, tape is still cheaper (I don't have numbers to prove this, but disk isn't cheap and neither is a dedupe system or the power to run it). If you design it right, it should work well. I would recommend making a second copy on tape because it's cheap and your a$$ will be saved when/if there's a problem with the disk array. To save some money, you could design it so that all of your images are on disk for the first week as this is when most restores occur. Keeping ALL imags on disk and not tape, and not deduping, is going to be expensive.

Remember, the more times you handle a tape and take it out of the climate controlled space of the data center, your probability for issues rises. There was someone who made a presentation at the NBU customer forum who went to a mostly disk solution, but still had tape though tapes never left the library. They had one media error in a year. Now THAT would be nice to have in any environment!

As many people have been saying for years, tape is not dead - it still has it's place.

Rusty Major, MCSE, BCFP, VCS ▪ Sr. Storage Engineer ▪ SunGard Availability Services ▪ 757 N. Eldridge Suite 200, Houston TX 77079 ▪ 281-584-4693
Keeping People and Information Connected® ▪ http://availability.sungard.com/
P Think before you print
CONFIDENTIALITY: This e-mail (including any attachments) may contain confidential, proprietary and privileged information, and unauthorized disclosure or use is prohibited. If you received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender and delete this e-mail from your system.

"WEAVER, Simon (external)" <simon.weaver AT astrium.eads DOT net>
Sent by: <veritas-bu-bounces AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu>

10/07/2010 05:45 AM

To	<veritas-bu AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu>
cc
Subject	[Veritas-bu] D2D or Tape Libraries

All
Just wanted some views on this....

Been using Tape backups + Robots for years, and only lately things have been going wrong!
Decisions seem to be made about removing tape backups (maybe using them for monthly) and going to D2D solutions only.

Anyone got views on this? Pros or cons?

I do not mind D2D but I also like the "feel" of Tapes and storing them outside a site in a secure safe! Cannot do that with a EVA System !

Note: D2D is not to go to tape, remains on disk until it expires.

Regards

Simon

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