Serverless backup

[Roberto Fabretti]

Hello

I have several linux servers connected to a MSA1000 and a backup server running DataProtector 5.1. Is it possible to set up the software in order to achieve serverless backup?
Is there another backup software which allows this?

[Duncan Edmonstone]

(I'm assuming your tape drives are SAN attached as well as your disks and hosts)Depends what you mean by serverless backup...

If you mean backup straight from the MSA1000 to a tape drive across the SAN, without touching any hosts (this is also known as SCSI 3rd party copy, SCSI Xcopy, and direct backup) then NO. The I don't believe the MSA1000 has a SCSI xcopy engine to do this, and anyway its not qualified with Data Protector for this kind of operation.

If you mean servers backup direct to SAN-attached tape drives without going over the LAN, then YES, you can achieve this with Data Protector, although your tape drive licenses need to be UNIX/NAS/SAN licenses rather than Windows/Linux licenses.

Tell us a little more about what you are trying to achieve, and your configuration...

HTH

Duncan

[Ashwani Kashyap]

Moving the data directly from the storage array to the tape drives without involving the host is not possible in this set up with data protector .

You need a data mover and some special configuration in the storage itself to do that .

large storage arrays like EMC Symmetrix/DMX support it on there arrays by configuring special gatekeeper kind of devices called storage groups or STG which is easily recognised by there proprietary backup software called EDM which also acts as the data mover and moves the data directly through the STG onto the tape , without involving the hosts at all . But it involves a lot of EDM/Symm/DMX integration and its difficult to manage too , plus a very costly solution and it only works on EMC , that too symmetrix/DMX arrays .
Now that EMC has bought Legato may be they will port this feature there too .

But until that , you need to find a third party data mover that is compatible with and can support your Array , the tape devices and your SAN .