Mark.Donaldson AT cexp DOT com wrote:
> Netapp presented their VTL to me.  It's pretty good but I'm also interested
> in possible automated D2D offsites.

I'm using several NearStore VTL (NSVTL) units.

> What I want is a block-oriented duplication to a remote device, 1000 miles

This is why I chose the NSVTL. Although they don't support block-level 
replication between NSVTLs, the hardware can be converted back to a 
regular NetApp via a software load. Then, you get access to SnapMirror 
and SnapVault technologies. Perhaps they will add some of that stuff to 
the VTL product as they integrate the Alacritus work into their 
portfolio better. Although, the VTL is not using WAFL which means that 
they might have to redo a bunch of code. Heck, I don't know; I'm purely 
speculating at this point.

You might be able to simulate this functionality now by putting network 
accelerators at either end of an FCIP link between two NSVTLs that are 
set up in a tape cloning configuration.

> Netbackup would still be the software layer.  I'd like an appliance head or
> just software solution I can hang in front of anybody's disks.  

My strategy also works nicely with NetBackup due to the tight 
integration between the companies' products. I'm looking at VTLs as a 
transitional technology as we redesign our backup processes to be more 
accommodating to something purely disk-based.


-- 
Michael L. Barrow
michael at michaelbarrow dot name
(Free security available at CAcert.org!)