ADSM-L

Re: [ADSM-L] Tape or NFS? (DataDomain specifically)

2011-11-15 14:43:27
Subject: Re: [ADSM-L] Tape or NFS? (DataDomain specifically)
From: "Huebner,Andy,FORT WORTH,IT" <Andy.Huebner AT ALCONLABS DOT COM>
To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:20:20 -0600
We run two DDs with VTL and 4 TSM servers.  I have had no real problems with 
the setup.  The VTL cost was not an issue due to the AS/400 requiring it.  We 
do push data to the systems faster than 10GbE, also our Ethernet network is not 
built to handle the data load from where the TSM servers are to where the DDs 
are located.  About 1 mile.
With that said we are currently building a new TSM server that will use CIFS.  
In this case the network was built with DD in mind.
Happiness may come from what is comfortable for you to manage.  For us it was 
easier to transition to a VTL than to NFS.  It took about an hour to point TSM 
to new tape pools. (4 months to move the data)
DDs do have a stream limit, so we always build a disk pool in front to handle 
the hundreds of incoming streams and to handle incoming data when the DD is 
down for maintenance.

Andy Huebner

-----Original Message-----
From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU] On Behalf Of 
Nick Laflamme
Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2011 6:45 AM
To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Subject: [ADSM-L] Tape or NFS? (DataDomain specifically)

We've been told by consultants (these particular consultants shouldn't throw 
stones) that DataDomain customers running TSM are far happier running NFS than 
VTL, because DDRs are built primarily as file servers and the VTL function is 
an add-on.

I can see the financial motive for staying with NFS (those VTL licenses aren't 
cheap!), but I'm skeptical about the implication that there's a functional or 
performance advantage to using NFS over VTL for a TSM server, in our case on 
AIX.

Would anyone who's run both or chosen NFS care to comment? How much does it 
depend on your infrastructure or your needs for LAN-free?

Thanks,
Nick

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