My Nimble Wish List

[pfrisoli27]

• Exchange logs and datapoint recovery: For specific data point extractions, you can manually clone and present the clone as a Recovery DB, and then extract the needed data. Exchange aware recovery points without truncation can be done as long as the verify option is disabled on the Nimble scheduler. Your media server can then be used to provide the verify state. Nimble non-verify backups are considered an Exchange copy backup, whereas a verify is considered full backup which truncates the logs. NOS 2.1 allows for a verify with either database inclusion or exclusion (whereas only the log files would be verified). This allows for a faster verify and log truncation.
• Datapoint VM Recovery: Yes, mount the datastore clone, re-signature the clone, and then extract the necessary files for recovery. You will want to present to alternate guest if original vmdk is online, or remove original vmdk so not to cause a UUID conflict.
• Nimble Snapshot Awareness: Yes, Nimble is application aware with both VMware and Microsoft and you will want to spread out the scheduling so to avoid collisions with either the VSS writer or VCenter (VCenter call to VMTools). If the Volumes are directly mapped to the guest then Nimble and VSS will interact directly, if at the VMDK level and SQL/Exchange are present within the VM, the tools will communicate between the two and the snapshot will be a non-verify and treated as a copy, thus no log truncation.

[warkaj1]

Heck I'm willing to settle for something simple like being able to delete multiple volumes with the checkbox on the manage volumes tab. Right now I have to go into each one and delete it individually... real pain in the rear when dealing with a lot of volumes.

And the per VM snapshot... well we kind of do that now with VMWare replication from our Nimble to the Compellent we have with more space but less horsepower (great for dumping VM replicas, could run them in a pinch which is why it's DR).

[pfrisoli27]

Check with Support - they may have a script that could help with this process. thanks.

[BenLoveday]

Hmm, while I think of it, I'd like to see RBAC with LDAP/RADIUS support, not just the ability to create multiple local accounts. From a security and traceability perspective the local user accounts just doesn't cut it for me...still a step in the right direction though!

[rfenton4]

In a previous role (at a different company) Ben I had much debate around the merits of LDAP and Active Directory - what would your (or others) preference be for integration - Native AD (Most common but Windows only) or LDAP (Unix but requires more configuration to work with AD) ?

[warkaj1]

I prefer the LDAP connection ability. I think that is a great idea.

[marktheblue45]

EDirectory! The best LDAP Directory ever but dying.

Mark

MCNE

[marktheblue45]

I've got a wish that shouldn't be too hard to implement. Allow for a choice between number of snapshots to be kept OR number of days to keep snaps. Particularylt handy if you are using a third party to initiate array based snap and replicate. Commvault keeps snaps in days or cycles or a combination..

[tmcmullin51]

If you're using a 3rd-party tool to initiate snapshots and replication, you probably don't want to use the same Nimble built-in mechanisms at all.  Because the two methodologies are unaware of each other, they don't coexist well - I've seen a number of customers get into bad places when two different mechanisms try to backup Exchange, for example.  Unfortunately, you don't realize the problem exists until you need to do a recovery and then it becomes an RPE.*

* Resume-Producing Event.

[tmcmullin51]

And I'll add onto the wishlist NCM for Linux (to include XenServer).

[amirul93]

Here is a simply request...either give us an easy way to get past the 'License Agreement' on a CLI install or get rid of it altogether!

[tmoore106]

That already exists. Control E

[amirul93]

excellent thanks, will try it on Friday.

[marktheblue45]

Hi Taylor,

                I was thinking more in terms of the replication snapshots. Instead of specifying the number of snaps to keep on the replication array use the number of days/hours. For example let commvault drive the snapshots using its retention in terms of time and then let the replication follow suite. If commvault does a daily with a retention of 7 days then I'd like to be able to keep replicas for seven days rather the 7 snaps. Why? I may take manual backups with commvault for operational reasons within the 7 day cycle so there might be 10 or more snaps within the 7 days and therefore I could end up with only 4 days of snaps on the replication array. Hope I made it clear?

[ageiger3171]

I'd like to see a top 10 list of volumes for IOPS and MB/s, preferably along the right on the performance graphs page.  Makes tracking down high storage consumers quicker when you have a large number of volumes.

[tmcmullin51]

I see what you mean - you weren't talking about using two different mechanisms to create snapshots, you were comparing it to how Simpana has separate retention periods for primary and secondary copies and how each one can be based on number of snapshots and/or cycles.  I wouldn't think that would be too hard to implement.

It's funny how the scheduling Simpana that provides can be one of the harder things to get your head around when you're new to the product.  But once you get it, it's how you want everything to work.

[amirul93]

Todd, Control E did not work.

[tmoore106]

hmm, i thought it was control e, let me check again.

[tmcmullin51]

When the license agreement appears, I just hit spacebar to go straight to the yes/no prompt.  I know this doesn't circumvent it altogether but at least you don't have to page through the whole thing.

[mandersen81]

You can hit "q" and that will bring up the prompt to accept the License Agreement. 

[mandersen81]

On the manage volumes page their is a performance tab that you can sort by those columns.  It uses the last 5 minute averages for reporting.  Not as convenient as your suggestion though.

[epedersen22]

I'd like to see the Windows toolkit have a slightly more automated install.  Having to go through the list of prerequisite hot fixes is tiresome for a lazy administrator like me.