In regard to: Re: [Networker] NetWorker + DD Boost vs. NetWorker & Avamar,...:

Hi Tim - I'll add a couple of perspectives...

Hey Mark, thanks for chiming in!  It's nice to have some EMC insight
on these questions.

One of the enhancements in the enw NetWorker 8.0 is an efficient process
to copy backups from an Avamar Data Store to tape. NetWorker 8.0 does
this by recovering both data and meta data and saving the recovered
backup in standard saveset format to tape... Works as advertized. A
couple of notes:

1) This new capability is not based upon cloning. When talking about this I 
inentionally avoid using the term' cloning' because...
2) The new capability uses freshly engineered Synthetic Full code. This does 
not use nsrconsolidate or the saveset consolidation feature.
3) Operation: The new process creates a new savest ID for the tape copy. (=not 
a clone). It's controlled via CLI, which is explained in the admin guide. Time 
will tell if demand warrants porting the controls to NMC.

Thanks for the clarification on NW8 + Avamar tapeout.  If we eventually
add Avamar in our environment I don't think that tapeout from it is going
to be a big deal for us and I'm certainly comfortable with the command
line if it does become something we need, but I know that poor tapeout
has been a deal-breaker for other customers.  The addition of this
functionality will be a big win for them.

5) The one use
case where NW+AV still makes sense is remote office protection. I think
Matt's comparison of Avamar and Data Domain was spot on.

When I started my research a few weeks ago, the information I found, even
from EMC's data sheets, made it seem like if I wanted source dedupe (and
I really do), Avamar was the best option.

I'm really happy to find that NW 8 + DD Boost may get us nearly everything
we need, including comparable (?) source dedupe.

Since you're listening, I'll ask the original question again: are there
any documents, either public or on powerlink, that compare NW 8 + DD Boost
to Avamar, including the technical details (like whether they both
now have variable block dedupe, global dedupe, etc)?

Thanks again,

Tim
--
Tim Mooney                                             Tim.Mooney AT ndsu DOT 
edu
Enterprise Computing & Infrastructure                  701-231-1076 (Voice)
Room 242-J6, IACC Building                             701-231-8541 (Fax)
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105-5164