Veritas-bu

[Veritas-bu] Backup NetApp With Win2K NBU Server

2003-03-13 12:03:20
Subject: [Veritas-bu] Backup NetApp With Win2K NBU Server
From: maddenca AT myrealbox DOT com (Chris Madden)
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2003 18:03:20 +0100
You can either back it up via NDMP, 3-way NDMP, or via a client that in turn
has the Netapp volumes mounted.  In more detail:

1) Use standard NDMP.  The most basic NDMP setup would require you to
connect a drive to the NetApp, or connect the NetApp to the SAN and assign a
drive to it.  My guess is this option isn't going to work for you since you
don't have a free drive sitting around and likely don't do SAN backups
either.  Oh yeah, you need a license for your NB server to do this as well.

2) Use 3-way NDMP.  This method requires an NDMP server somewhere to be
connected to a drive (directly or via a SAN as above) and the NetApp you
want to backup will send its data over IP to this NDMP server who will write
it to drive.  This NDMP server could be another NetApp (allowing you for
example to use to backup several NetApps to a single NetApp connected to a
tape drive) or in the case of NB 4.5 the NB server itself.  This feature is
called "Remote NDMP" and there are various opinions to be found in this
listserv archive and of course the workings of it in the NDMP user guide.
Apparently it improved with MP3 (Maintenance pack 3) so if you do try it be
sure to use 4.5 MP3.  Even with "Remote NDMP" you will need to dedicate a
drive (this time connected to a NB or Media Server) for NDMP use.  More
licenses, and again you have to have another drive available.

3) Backup via the client.  This setup means that you are backing up the
files from the perspective of the client that has the NetApp mounted.  So in
your case I'd think you'd put in the NB filelist the mounted drive letters
of the NetApp.  In this case this checkbox you speak of doesn't matter since
you are explicitly telling NB what you want to backup.  Keep in mind that
the NetBackup Client service on the Windows box must run as a domain userid
that has access to the share otherwise when NB goes to read the files it'll
fail because the local system account doesn't have network access rights.

There are MANY more details that I haven't gone into above, but in general
those are your options.  From your scenario my guess is the best solution
would be 3) above but mount the volumes on your backup server directly under
the same drive letter as they are on the "real" client host.  So in your
case you'd be backing up the backup server J:\ drive for example.  You won't
have impressive performance but my guess is it'll be good enough.  And oh
yeah, in a DR scenario (or if your NetApp dies) you can just do a normal
restore to some Windows host to get your data back instead of mucking around
with NDMP.

Cheers,
Chris Madden


----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron Lyman" <ron AT linux DOT ca>
To: <veritas-bu AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu>
Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2003 4:07 PM
Subject: [Veritas-bu] Backup NetApp With Win2K NBU Server


> Good Day,
>
> Sorry about the long mail, but I tend to go on about things.  :)
>
> SUMMARY:  How can I back up a NetApp CIFS share using a Win2K NBU 3.4.1
> server, over the LAN, without NDMP?  Do I need NBU 4.5?  Must NDMP be
> used?
>
> NBU server: NBU 3.4.1 on Win2K Server, direct attached SDLT backing up
> local filesystem.
> Intended Target: NetApp Filer F810, with CIFS only.
>
> I have been struggling with getting a new NetApp fully into production for
> a while now.  I have the files migrated and need to back them up
> (currently using robocopy to mirror the snapshot onto the NBU server's
> drives, but that is running very low on space).  We are not using NDMP for
> a couple of reasons I went into a while back, one being I was informed it
> is possible to backup a CIFS share without having the NBU client installed
> on the NetApp.  After trying to nail someone down for specific info, this
> is what they (a NetApp tech) sent me from one of their other clients:
>
> > > "You are correct you can still backup a share in NBU 4.5. We don't
> > > really care that it's a filer. Just make sure that in the Backup
> > > Policy you click on the radio button to follow shares, otherwise by
> > > default we'll only look at locally mounted file systems."
>
> We are running NBU 3.4.1 and I do not see the option described (unless
> they're talking about cross mount points and that didn't seem to work).
> The source at NetApp has told me to go to Veritas.  My Veritas guy at our
> support company has not handed me the answer yet - he seems a little burnt
> out and is giving me strange responses, I may be calling Veritas directly
> soon.
>
> If there is anyone on this list who knows how to backup a share, I would
> love to know how!  I have a license available, it is just not possible to
> install a client on the NetApp.  For most intents (I believe), it looks
> like a Windows file server on the network.  I tried selecting the NBU
> server as the client and then for the pathname (of course mapped drives
> are not in the list to select) I just typed in j:\nightly.0.  Not
> surprisingly, this didn't work. :)
>
> I am considering upgrading to NBU 4.5 if that will work or going to NDMP.
> I'm sure in terms of backup performance NDMP is a great way to go, but the
> NetApp hardware requirement for restoration in a DR situation has me a
> little concerned - we can't get by with a generic Windows server and would
> have to source a NetApp.  <vent> And it ticks me off that I purchased some
> GigE infrastructure to back this NetApp up over the network... not a
> Veritas problem of course, but I'm a little POed with the NetApp rep who
> assured me this could be done and now has left me high and dry. </vent>
>
> Thanks for reading this far!
>
> Regards,
> Ron Lyman
> Network Support
> Moen Incorporated
> (905) 829-3400 x 253
>
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