The best solution -?? - allow the customer to tell
ndmp what backup/dump program to use.
ndmp everywhere !!?!
On Wed, 27 Jun 2001, W. Curtis Preston wrote:
> Grant,
>
> Thanks for the information. I'd like to comment on a few things. First,
> let me say that I am a fan of NDMP, as it is giving us a valid solution for
> backing up all these NetApps I keep seeing everywhere. ;) Before valid
> NDMP server and client software was in place, all we had was NFS. I have a
> lot of respect for NetApp and the other backup and recovery options you
> have (Snapshots, SnapMirror, etc.), but I would like this one issue addressed.
>
> At 11:45 AM 6/27/2001 -0700, Melvin, Grant wrote:
> > NetApp's dump is no stranger to this, we have added support
> > for qtree metadata, NT ACLs, Unicode, NT Streams. However, a
> > standard BSD restore compatible application such as Solaris'
> > ufsrestore can still restore the data, but will only restore
> > NFS attributes. So should you have zero filers in 10 years
> > (heaven forbid) and a pile of NDMP/dump tapes to restore from
> > then as long as you have access to a dump compatible restore
> > program you should be able to manually retrieve your data.
>
> The key for the original poster to understand is the word _manually_. This
> means that you can load the tape into a Solaris box (or any box that can
> read BSD dump, such as HP, AIX, Linux), do some manual tape manipulation,
> and be able to restore the data (without the NT-specific info). This is a
> far cry from being able to point and click your restores into existence.
>
> > Legato's BudTool product proved that NetApp data could be
> > restored on non-NetApp storage either in a disaster recovery
> > scenario or because that is what the customer wants. We'd like
> > to think that some if not all of the current 7 NDMP-compliant
> > backup software applications that support NetApp could add the
> > same capability.
>
> Yes, they could, and I wish they would. I wonder if some of us should just
> write a tool that does that? Hmmm.. Gears churning....
> I wonder if we could figure out a way to feed these tapes to AMANDA, and
> have AMANDA automate the restores.
> Or just write our own utility... Hmm.... Anyone interested in this project?
>
> > Marion asks for a standard backup tape format that can be
> > interchanged between NDMP-compliant vendors and we applaud
> > her for it. However, that is beyond the current scope of the
> > NDMP community or the SNIA Backup working group in general.
> >
> > We think its going to take an awful lot of persuading to get
> > all the current backup software vendors to define a single
> > format and then have all the possible system vendors support
> > it. Most companies have chosen their solution based on
> > trying to differentiate themselves from all the others and
> > we see that continuing for some time.
>
> Yes, it would take some doing to accomplish that. However, we've got to
> start somewhere. My biggest issue with NDMP is that it allows the OS
> vendor (in this case NetApp) to determine the backup format. I understand
> that it would be a lot of work to get this accomplished, but I don't think
> it's outside the realm of possibility.
>
> Trying to differentiate yourself in the backup world is a bad thing. (I
> submit for your perusal IRIX's XFSDUMP.) I'm glad to hear that NetApps
> tapes can at least be read by a dump-knowledgeable box. But you're not the
> only vendor out there.
>
> Yes, I know that it says right in the V5 spec that backup format is out of
> scope. Yes, I know that getting a bunch of vendors to get together is not
> an easy thing. But I'll keep saying that this should be in scope until
> somebody listens:
>
> OS-SPECIFIC BACKUP COMMANDS BAD
>
> I do wish that Veritas would make their multiplexed backup format a little
> more open, and make a command that can easily read a NetBackup multiplexed
> tape if NetBackup is dead, but at least their backup format is the same on
> every box. The idea of going back to the days when I had Solaris, HP,
> and Ultrix dump tapes, and 3B2 cpio tapes, and VAX backup tapes gives me
> chills. And, given the upcoming prominence of the NAS industry, we may
> have just that. (Assuming you're in a shop that has more than one NAS
> vendor.) That would stink.
>
> Anybody that agree with me, feel free to send a "me too" message.
>
>
> ---
> W. Curtis Preston
> Principal Consultant for Storage Designs, your storage experts
> Webmaster: http://www.backupcentral.com Phone: 760 653 1007
>
> _______________________________________________
> Veritas-bu maillist - Veritas-bu AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu
> http://mailman.eng.auburn.edu/mailman/listinfo/veritas-bu
>
--
-
Richard Bond (rbond AT mbt.washington DOT edu (206) 605-3561
System Administrator K-351, Health Sciences Center
Department of Molecular Biotechnology Box 357730
University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195
|
