Nimble, Intellisnap or veeam?

[stevnu66]

Looking to the future of backups including offsite archiving, what's your opinion on the best product to extend Nimble snapshots?

[lindy37]

"what's your opinion on the best product to extend Nimble snapshots"

Nimble   If you have a second offsite Nimble to replicate too.

After I got our Nimble's (primary site and DR) I continued to use Symantec Backup Exec at my primary site to backup data with lots of changes (file servers, SQL, Exchange).  The primary Backup Exec server then replicated over to another Backup Exec Server at our DR site that also has our second Nimble.  I was also running Nimble snap/replication for the same data as well.

I have since gotten rid of the Backup Exec completely.  My environment is 100% virtual on VMware.  So at each site I recover data by cloning snapshots and extracting the data.

For the average VM (little data change, web/app servers) and Windows File servers I use crash consistent snaps and this tool to extract data...

UFS Explorer Professional Recovery

For SQL and Exchange servers I use application consistent VSS snapshots, via in-guest iSCSI.  For SQL I just access the cloned snapshot from the SQL server in question and copy the data out.  For Exchange we can do the same for an entire database or use this tool...

http://www.lepide.com/exchange-manager/

to extract mailboxes or individual email items.

I also have an old server at each location that has these tools on them, plugged into the iSCSI network so I can mount cloned volumes on these server to get at data if I don't want to do it from a production server.

I have read for years that snap shots are not backups.  I agree if you are not copying the snap-shots to another device, preferably at another location.  If you are snapping at one site and replicating those snaps to another, it is a backup to me.  I could have a complete Nimble failure at my primary site and be with in 24 hours of my last replication to my DR site of all of my data.  I don't EVER want to experience that day but I am ready if it comes.

[#3]

Chris,

What do you do for long term retention?

Tim

[lindy37]

We don't have any long term requirements.  I work for a private company.  Right now I keep 14 days of snap shots for stuff that changes a lot (file servers, SQL, Exchange).  I keep two replication snap shots at DR.

That said I will probably extend that out to 30 days since the snap shots with Nimble are so efficient in terms of size.  We don't really do many restores a year.  Probably 4-6 file restores a year for file server data.  Almost never with Exchange since we keep the dumpster data for 30 days and users pull from that.  The SQL people here clone snapshots and copy a database to the Dev side of things on a regular basis.

[aarumugam16]

Hi Steve,

             Nimble array supports application synchronized snapshot creation which can be replicated  from one array to another for applications that support Microsoft VSS and Vmware vCenter Synchronized Virtual machine backups natively.

Nimble also has intellisnap partnership with commvault and support both Commvault Simpana version 10 and 11 with its array for integration for application consistent backups for all types of application supported by commvault.

Nimble Array is also supported for Hyper V Backups using Nimble VSS Hardware Provider using Veeam Backup and Replicate for Hyper V Virutal Machines.

Regards

Adai

[vtonapi131]

I would suggest a cost-analysis on whatever solution versus keeping it on-array/remote-array as well as review your business requirements. We have found that replicating to our DR site with snapshots is as cost-effective if not better than investing in an add-on solution with licensing and additional storage costs with a 30-day retention. Unfortunately we had issues using Nimble's VSS integration with FiberChannel storage (works fine with iSCSI) when performing Application Consistent Snaps. The result is that we use Commvault Intellisnap for on-array snaps for 3 days, and perform a Backup Copy to an off-array storage array for 30 days. Full disclosure, we are a "big" Commvault shop prior to purchasing our Nimble arrays. However, we planned on not using Commvault for Nimble since it performs VSS consistent snaps and replication and use that only.

[aarumugam16]

Hi Vijay,

              Sorry to hear, you had problems with Nimbles VSS integration for FC.

Can you elaborate more on the issue that you encountered ?

As to what it was, which application ? What was the backup software used if any ? etc...

Also with commvault for nimble, Nimble VSS provider is not at all used. The option of using or not using VSS is commvault feature controlled at the subclient level.

Depending upon the iData Agent being used.

Regards

Adai

[vtonapi131]

Adai,

In researching my old emails about this issue, you were involved. The configuration was Virtualized Exchange, with vmdk storage (not rdm's), on fiberchannel. On iSCSI, the design works fine. Fiber was the limiting factor per Nimble Support. We ended up using Commvault directly to Exchange (in-guest) bypassing the VM-layer entirely.

[aarumugam16]

Hi Vijay,

             I found the email thread. One quick question, how are you or were you planning to backup the configuration using Nimble and Commvault.

Meaning, did you try to backup using iVirutalServerAgent the VM or by installing Exchange Database Agent in the Guest OS ?

Did not get this information last time.

Regards

Adai

[vtonapi131]

We are doing in-guest Commvault agent in our Exchange servers. It feels like we took a few steps back, but it works for all the requirements we had. If the VSS provider starts to work with FiberChannel attached Vmware hosts with virtual guests, we will rip it back apart. Maybe with VMware 6.0 but that would be a major change/redeployment.