Gregory Demilde wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I would like to have a feedback about NBU and EMC Symmetrix 
> TimeFinder. According to the documentatio, it is possible to backup 
> BCV's using NBU Advanced Client Option. Has anyone of you had 
> experienced with this kind of configuration? Are there any pitfalls, ...?
>
> Thank you in advance,
> Greg
>
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I tried setting this up in 4.5 MPsomething but Veritas wasn't sure about 
which licenses I needed or not based
on off host backups and all the other bits-n-pieces that went into the 
package known now as advanced client.
I ended up writing a bunch of software to manage the process instead for 
various reasons.    Keep a few things in mind
when you architect this.

-Know how long it takes to resync the BCVs one they have been 
re-attached.  This can be critical depending on
your backup windows.

-If you are backup up some sort of database or live data that needs some 
process done before the split of the
BCV takes place, then know how long that takes.

-on the same line as above, if the durations of the processes leading up 
to the backups takes a bunch of time, consider
an external scheduler with inteligence that can veto the entire process 
if one of the dependents fail.

-Understand the architecture of the Symetrix as far as how the BCVs were 
assembled.  Are the intermixed with
the primary spindles?  What bandwidth can you truly get through the back 
end pipe.   If you are basing your
backup schedules on high performance tape drives, know what the weakest 
link in the chain is, it may be
the I/O performance related to the BCVs.  Test if you can.

-I'll heavily assume you are using VxVM or Storage Foundation on the 
back end, make sure if you are doing off host
backups that the media server has the same version of VxVM or SF as the 
primary server.


Lots of other gotchas, but those were some of the bigger ones I 
remember.  I know things are much better in 5.1 for
advanced client and they include a few new features.  Hope this helps as 
there are different ways to run with
advanced client.



Thanks
Peter DrakeUnderkoffler