We are about to move our ClearCase storage to the Celerra and are sorting out the backup options.

As we are using ClearCase we need to lock the VOBs, take a snapshot / checkpoint and then unlock the VOBs again. I have a script that can either be called by NetBackup or run on a scheduled basis that will do this. It uses the Celerra API to refresh and existing checkpoint. My understanding is that this checkpoint is a VSS checkpoint.

Our backup guy wants to use VBB backup instead but it is my understanding that this effectivly creates it's own checkpoint, does the backup and then removes the checkpoint - is that correct? If it is then it is no good to us as the VOBs will either be locked for the duration of the backup therefore negating the use of checkpoints or we cannot guarantee the VOBs will be locked.

Is there a way to trigger a VBB checkpoint and tell the NetBackup that the checkpoint is there and it can backup when it wants, in the meantime return to the script that unlocks the VOBs?

Thanks

Alastair