Avamar integration with Data Domain to protect vBlock

Hello Prateek,

I have very less experience of working on VMware proxy backups. I hope following user guide should be helpful to get answers of your questions -

https://support.emc.com/docu48233_Avamar-7.0-for-VMware-User-Guide.pdf?language=en_US

Regards,

Pawan

Thanks Pawan, but I have already gone through various documents and they do not help.

I am just an end user - but here is what I understand.

1) How many backups can run simultaneously per proxy ? We are going to use Avamar 7.0/7.1

     when you make NEW proxies with the 7.0 OVA (they told me the upgrade does not work as well as a new build and you should make new ones - and they are so easy!)  when you add 1 proxy you actually get 8 proxies - so figure how many you need based on the 8

     server1-proxy-1

     server1-proxy-2

     ....

     server1-proxy-8

EDIT:  so you make ONE proxy in VCenter you get 8 in avamar, and each of those only runs 1 backup at a time.

     so for a VCenter proxy you get 8, but looking at it from Avamar where each of the 8 is listed individual , its one.

2) How many vCenter servers can be integrated in Avamar ?

     I don't know but I know you can do more than one

3) Is auto-discovery of newly built VMs possible in Avamar 7.0/7.1 ?

     I believe yes that is a new option in 7 - but I have not yet setup any containers  (more info is in the VM manual)

4) How does the data flow from VM to Data domain while it is backed up? I need to understand where are the snapshots stored and how they are deduped ?

EMC Avamar and Data Domain Integration Guide  might have more info for you.

my understanding is a vm snapshot is made on the proxy and then Avamar does the backup, sending the data to store on the DataDomain (in a special dir that Avamar owns does not mingle with other MTrees)  Avamar is in charge of the replication and expiration of all data it stores on DataDomain.

Thanks J.H. - end user. This info does help.

I was looking for some videos or e-learning module which could help me understand the VMware-proxy alliance to take backups.

Avamar-DD integration process is clear to me, just wanted to understand how VADP backups go through them.

I also have a question. Can we protected applications like Oracle, SQL etc via VMware backups. I am talking about the VADP and not guest level backups. Can avamar proxy detect the presence of databases files inside the servers (mdf,ldf) and backup them along with vm image ?

NO!

you could restore the WHOLE server and the DB might work. might might might - never tried - would never try. and most likely will not work.  you would then have to do the db restore.

but you really cannot restore a RUNNING database - due to caching in memory and open processes.

you cannot restore a mdb and have it work.

when you have a DB - ALWAYS  follow the backup rules for backing up the db, never rely on a FS backup for the database.

thats my point - you cannot

you cannot restore a running database and have it work.

the db would be running when backed up,

it won't work when you rebuild the vm

and they won't work if you restore just the mdb with FLR.

Whenever working with a database - follow the softwares instructions for proper backup.

That is what I have ALWAYS been told by my DBA's  you cannot restore a running database and have it work.

Well backup products like CommVault, TSM, Symantec Netbackup offer the capability to protect SQL/Oracle server data with VMware backups. The recovery process is also very fruitful and users can easily restore database from the vmware backups.

May be Avamar 7 should have the same offerings.

Hi Ian Anderson / Adam Kirkpatrick

Awaiting your responses on this one. Is this feature available on avamar 7.0/7.1 ?

If yes, what would you recommend to backup SQL/Oracle DBs - using the respective plugin or through vmware image level ?

Note that this is vBlock 720 model where data for all the VMs will be protected. There will be no dedicated backup VLAN and as far as I know database backups if done through plugins will eat up entire resources of the VM

Correct me if I am wrong.