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Using NDMP to backup volumes on Dell EQL PS4000 array
Hi Team,
One of my existing customer is looking forward to use NDMP to backup the volumes and vsphere datastores both exists on Dell Eql PS4000 array.
a) How can we use NDMP with EQL?
b) What are the components required to enable this functionality for do i need FS7500 or any backup software?
c) Procedure and configuration of enabling NDMP with EQL?
Please advice possible options.
Thanks
Anonymous
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December 11th, 2013 05:00
NDMP isn't supported by the array itself. The array is block storage, NDMP requires access to the filesystem. The host connecting to the storage would have to support NDMP.
With a FS7500 you could do that. You would have to create NFS based datastores and migrate all the VMs there.
Have they looked at existing backup software for VMFS datastores? Since the backup software has to support NDMP anyways.
Origin3k
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December 11th, 2013 06:00
EQL is a block (ISCSI) storage with a great and deep integration into VMware vSphere. Think about:
- VAAI/VASA
- MeM
- VSM
- Well certified for ISCSI a long time....
In small or medium sized invironments you would like to use a backup product which use the VMware VADP to keep benefit of CBT, VSS Snapshots and so on. So take a look to Dell vRanger or Veeam B&R.
To offer file storage like NFS/CIFS you need an addon which is called FS7600 (FS7500 is the old one). This unit take storage from the EQL backend, place its own filesystem on and present this as file storage over NFS and CIFS. This (File)data can be backuped through NDMP and we use a Symantec product for this job.
Yes, vSphere ESXi supports NFS but iam sure its not on the VMware HCL and you also lose all the great stuff mention above. It doesnt make "real" sense to connect an FS7600 to VMware vSphere.
We build an EQL Group for a customer which provides storage to the vSphere Cluster and offer CIFS/NFS trough a FS7610 for the Clients (Windows 7) and special (Linux)Servers.
For VMs you would like to backup you have to create a VMware Snapshot first to get a consistent state. Just selecting the data and copy it isnt enough and does not work well. NDMP isnt the right one for this job. A backup programm which know about VMware VMs is needed.
Regards
Joerg
jaju
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December 11th, 2013 05:00
NO they havent finalized any backup software yet. Also is it possible to use NDMP without using any backup software where we can just MAP the NFS volumes to the server and colpy volumes to a File Server..?
Anonymous
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December 11th, 2013 07:00
NDMP is not a backup solution, its a way for any NDMP compliant backup software to work with that device and do backups. NDMP is a Protocol not an application.
en.wikipedia.org/.../NDMP
NDMP, or Network Data Management Protocol, is a protocol invented by the NetApp and Legato companies, meant to transport data between network attached storage (NAS) devices and backup devices. This removes the need for transporting the data through the backup server itself, thus enhancing speed and removing load from the backup server.
Most contemporary commercial, multi-platform backup software, such as Bacula, Amanda, CA ARCserve, EMC NetWorker, EMC Avamar, Symantec NetBackup, Backup Exec (since v11d), CommVault Simpana, Virtos S.O.S Backup, IBM Tivoli Storage Manager, Hitachi Data Systems (HDS), Dell Software NetVault Backup, Syncsort DPX, Zmanda, HP Data Protector and others support this protocol
As Joerg mentioned you lose alot moving away from iSCSI just to get NDMP.
You can't just mount iSCSI VMFS volumes to a Windows server because Windows doesn't understand the VMFS v3/v5 filesystem. It will look like a blank disk to Windows.
If you mount NFS volumes, it will see the VMDK virtual disk files, not what's inside them. Since they are active, backing up that way won't provide a consistent quieted state to back them up.
There are a number of integrated backup solutions for VMware out there. That will do what they want with iSCSI based storage.
jaju
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December 11th, 2013 22:00
Thanks DON and JOERG for your support... you guys are always very helpful...
Best Regards