disk storage and backup software on unix world

[Shivkumar]

Hi,

Who is world the leader in SAN disk storage and Backup software in unix world ? What are the names of these products ?

Thanks,
Shiv

[Michael Steele_2 · Accepted solution]

EMC (disk arrays), Hitachi, (disk arrays), HP XP, (disk arrays), Brocade (SAN switches), Netbackup, (veritas backup), omniback, (HP backup).

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom Shiv,

I think HP's EVA-4000 and EVA-6000 products are some of the best we've worked with. EMC is also in this shop and has proven itself if one is careful with updates.

Veritas Netbackup is the product we restored all our systems with after an unmentioned disk array at my prior job failed.

It is very important to test DR recovery on any of these combinations because it was discovered due to lack of testing in the aforementioned disaster that the chosen backup method was incorrect. Though fast from the creation side, we were forced to single task the restoration of data, which at least doubled the data recovery time.

Shame on us for not testing, though some of us (me) had been advocating a test for many months.

SEP

[Arunvijai_4]

HI Shiv,

EMC produces Symmetrix, Clariion, Invista, Celerra products for Large, medium and small customers. These are Storage arrays and can be configured to any windows or unix hosts.

Check this for more information, http://www.emc.com/products/platforms.jsp

On Backup software, EMC has Legato, Veritas has Netbackup, HP has Omniback. Check this for more information http://www.emc.com/dsp/DisplayProducts

-Arun

[Darrel Louis]

Shivkumar,

All products have there pro's and cons.'

Do you know how much data you want to store, backup etc.
Also have a look at your DR solutions, this is important when you need to recover(how fast).

We used to work with OBII, but using Legato now. Not because legato is better, but more a political solution.

Darrel

[Ninad_1]

I believe HP(EVA and XP) , HDS(AMS and USP) , EMC (Symmetrix and Clariion) are the top ones and even Netapp (FAS series) are making their way.
Backup - Veritas (Netbackup) , HP (Data Protector - previously know an Omni backup)
We had backup software Alexandria from CA but now are looking at Veritas Netbackup

I agree with Darrel. There is product range from so many vendors but you should decide storage array depending on what is your storage need - do you need high performance arrays or just more capacity, how many hosts you are planning to connect , what is the availabiliy you require , do you need file level access (Can use NAS) or block level access (SAN).
For backup you need to check how much data you will be backing up - how much outage period you are willing or rather will get from business/criticality of application.
Are you looking at fast restores ?
Will you be using tape backups for all application/databases or you need any Nearline strorage (Less expensive disk storage arrays used to backup data instead of tapes to enable fast restorations)

I recommend you to suggest a strategic storage solution - and use Tiered storage - using high performance, high available storage at top tier for production , less expensive storage arrays for your development, backup environments.

Hope this paves a way for more study , planning and design for your storage needs.

Regards,
Ninad

[sathish kannan]

On Storage arrays - EMC is the leader followed by Hitachi and then by HP and IBM.

Each of them have their uniquenes and better than others in different product range. Ex. EMC is better in Hignend arrays like Symmetrix. HP is better in HP EVA markets.

Nowadays storage means more to the customer's than in olden days. People are not looking storage arrays as just a storage box itself, they are looking for the value add products DR solutions,business continuance solution, remote synchronisations etc etc..


Regards
Sathish

[Shivkumar]

What way Disk Storage products are useful in DR (Disaster Recovery) solutions ?

Regards,
Shiv

[Arunvijai_4]

Hi Shiv,

It depends on your budget, Symmetrix are quite good in DR but, implementation cost will be more. Clariion on the other hand offers you a cost effective DR planning, limitation size and fail over.

You can take a look at this,
http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid5_gci1057496,00.html
http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/tip/1,289483,sid5_gci903971,00.html

-Arun

[Victor BERRIDGE]

Hi Shiv,
> What way Disk Storage products are useful in DR (Disaster Recovery) solutions ?

Most of the big bays ( EMC HDS HP-XP and SUN euivalent...) offer (at extra cost of course...) from fast low level copy to mirroring between bays, in different locations connected via FC....


All the best
Victor

[sathish kannan]

Hello Shiv,

By replicating data from your local storgae to remote storage, you can keep your data in sync. If your local (source) has any issues like any natural disaster, you can turn all your servers in the DR site and access data from remote storage.

As mentioned earlier some of fellows, EMC has product called SRDF and I hope Hitachi may have similar to that.

http://www.emc.com/products/networking/srdf.jsp

Visit the above link to get more details about SRDF product.

All the best.

Regards
Sathish