PowerProtect Data Manager 19.14 Storage Direct User Guide

About the Storage Direct agent

Storage Direct uses snapshot backup technology to protect data on VMAX and PowerMax storage arrays by moving storage group data from the array to protection storage.

PowerProtect Data Manager enables application administrators to configure the Storage Direct agent and create centralized or self-service protection policies to set up backups for new environments and import existing environments into PowerProtect Data Manager.

PowerProtect Data Manager also enables you to restore the snapshot backup data with the following options:

• Restore from backups (restore to original, restore to an alternate location on the same storage system, and restore to a different storage system).
• Instant access to Storage Direct backups on any host.

You can use the installation wizard to install the Storage Direct agent on the host that you plan to protect. Installing or updating the Storage Direct agent provides instructions.

When you install and configure the agent, Storage Direct creates a snapshot of the data on storage groups and transfers the data to protection storage. Using FTS technology, the host running your applications accesses the source LUNs from the storage array where the storage group data resides. A link is established between FTS devices on the array and the destination protection storage system, which enables you to create a virtual disk (vDisk), vDisk pool, and MTree on the DD system.

After the SMIS server and DD system are added and discovered, then the Storage Direct agent must be approved and registered in the PowerProtect Data Manager UI. PowerProtect Data Manager can discover the storage groups in the storage arrays and you can assign unprotected storage groups to a protection policy.

The E-Lab Navigator provides software compatibility information for the PowerProtect Data Manager software and the Storage Direct agent.