NetApp file server backup using NDMP

[hy92]

I'm trying to implement TSM backup of NetApp using NDMP.



Here's the environment:



NetApp ONTAP

TSM 5.2.2 on AIX machine

3575 tape library



The TSM Impl guide is a bit short on how to make a physical connection between NetApp and TSM/LTO. It describes making a direct connection to a drive in LTO, but we're trying to connect NetApp to TSM server instead. Since a NetApp tech said this was possible and we're not using fibre channel, we're trying to go this route.



Is it even possible to directly connect NetApp to TSM server instead of LTO drive?



I'm beginning to think this NetApp tech is blowing hot air to the management, since he can't even produce any documentation?



Any information regards to configuring NDMP operation will be appreciate.



Thanks in advance.



Joe

 

[chad_small]

The only way I have ever seen it done is through fiber channel connecting the NetApp to the the SAN Fabric the library is on and zoning the drives to the NetApp then pathing them as DATAMOVERS in TSM. NDMP cannot dump over the network through TSM as far as I know.

 

[hy92]

Chad,



Thanks for the reponse. I just spoke to someone from TSM and I guess I now know what that NetApp tech guy was referring to.



TSM support told me that I can mount a drive on Windows server and dump NetApp backups there and use regular TSM operation to backup the Windows server. But, I won't be using NDMP and w/o the benefit of using NDMP.



He said I would have to directly connect NetApp to a dedicated or shared LTO drive in order to take advantage of NDMP.



Am I correct?



Any documentation on configuring TSM to share the LTO drive with NetApp and TSM?



Thanks,

Joe

 

[ebaracco]

ndmp backup very slow and only uses 1 process

Anyone happen to have ANY documentatation regarding best practices for setting this up? We are having issues with the backups taking a long time and for some reason, can only run two backup processes at a time. Only 1 tape - copy process at a time so getting the data offsite for DR is impossible.

 

[jliehr]

Actually with 5.4 NDMP is no longer constrained to FC, it can now backup over ethernet as well.

In 5.4 they added the ability to run NDMP through the server also.

http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg27011821

If you are looking to set it up in 5.4 or 5.5 I would recommend reading this redbook (chapter 10 deals with NDMP)

http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks/pdfs/sg247447.pdf