Backup data format
Hi,
What formats are the full and incremental dumps from a NetApp OnTAP system in? As in, is the backup data in some proprietary NetApp format? Also, what is the difference between NDMP and SnapMirror? Dvy |
Backup data format
|
Backup data format
On Feb 5, 6:32 pm, Faeandar wrote:
On 5 Feb 2007 13:37:57 -0800, wrote: Hi, What formats are the full and incremental dumps from a NetApp OnTAP system in? As in, is the backup data in some proprietary NetApp format? It's just plain 'ol *nix DUMP/RESTORE. Nothing special or proprietary. It can even be restored from a Solaris machine (restore) if you fsf past the NBU headers. Also, what is the difference between NDMP and SnapMirror? NDMP just uses dump/restore over an NDMP socket. NDMP is a command protocol, not a data format. It merely handles the commands between filer and application, the data format is still dump just like any unix machine. Snapmirror is not a data format either, it is a transport protocol. It just happens to be transporting at a block level, the interface of which is proprietary to WAFL. The difference between them? NDMP is file level, snapmirror is block. This can be a tremendous savings in bandwidth depending on your data set. Snapmirror is configurable on the filer, NDMP has to be managed remotely (ie. cron). Snapmirror has no limits to the number of incrementals it can run. NDMP (because of dump's limitation) can only run 9 incremental levels. There are some variations to this but it's generally true. Snapmirror will delete data on the destination that is removed from the source. NDMP will only append or add, not delete. There may be more differences but those are a quick reference. ~F Thanks When I have a tier 1 and tier 2 NAS environment (tier 1 is the newer FAS equip and tier 2 run older hardware with slower drives), should I run NDMP or SnapMirror to save my dumps on tier 2 for a while before moving them to tape or is it better to go straight from tier 1 to tape? That is, I've heard some people use tier 2 as a staging environment for a while for the backups before they move them to tape. I am just trying to understand best practices here... Dvy |
Backup data format
|
Backup data format
On Feb 6, 12:50 pm, Faeandar wrote:
On 6 Feb 2007 09:55:47 -0800, wrote: On Feb 5, 6:32 pm, Faeandar wrote: On 5 Feb 2007 13:37:57 -0800, wrote: Hi, What formats are the full and incremental dumps from a NetApp OnTAP system in? As in, is the backup data in some proprietary NetApp format? It's just plain 'ol *nix DUMP/RESTORE. Nothing special or proprietary. It can even be restored from a Solaris machine (restore) if you fsf past the NBU headers. Also, what is the difference between NDMP and SnapMirror? NDMP just uses dump/restore over an NDMP socket. NDMP is a command protocol, not a data format. It merely handles the commands between filer and application, the data format is still dump just like any unix machine. Snapmirror is not a data format either, it is a transport protocol. It just happens to be transporting at a block level, the interface of which is proprietary to WAFL. The difference between them? NDMP is file level, snapmirror is block. This can be a tremendous savings in bandwidth depending on your data set. Snapmirror is configurable on the filer, NDMP has to be managed remotely (ie. cron). Snapmirror has no limits to the number of incrementals it can run. NDMP (because of dump's limitation) can only run 9 incremental levels. There are some variations to this but it's generally true. Snapmirror will delete data on the destination that is removed from the source. NDMP will only append or add, not delete. There may be more differences but those are a quick reference. ~F Thanks When I have a tier 1 and tier 2 NAS environment (tier 1 is the newer FAS equip and tier 2 run older hardware with slower drives), should I run NDMP or SnapMirror to save my dumps on tier 2 for a while before moving them to tape or is it better to go straight from tier 1 to tape? That is, I've heard some people use tier 2 as a staging environment for a while for the backups before they move them to tape. I am just trying to understand best practices here... Dvy Well, it truly depends on your budget, your sensitivity to performance degradation and your retention needs. People who stage usualy do one of two things: 1) Snapvault to secondary and NDMP backup to tape from there. 2) Use their secondary as a disk staging unit managed by their backup application. if you are performance sensitive and/or want long retentions, then Snapvault is the way to go (assuming NetApp for both tiers). The incremental block updates take less time and resources to transfer and you can setup a very long retention schedule for snapshots on the tier2 disk providing you have enough of it. Best practices in cases like this are completely based on your business needs. ~F Thanks... I take it then that it is generally a good practice to, in some way or another, use the tier 2 as a stage prior to tape? (assuming we have enough space on tier2) |
Backup data format
|
Backup data format
On Feb 6, 4:15 pm, Faeandar wrote:
On 6 Feb 2007 15:16:55 -0800, wrote: On Feb 6, 12:50 pm, Faeandar wrote: On 6 Feb 2007 09:55:47 -0800, wrote: On Feb 5, 6:32 pm, Faeandar wrote: On 5 Feb 2007 13:37:57 -0800, wrote: Hi, What formats are the full and incremental dumps from a NetApp OnTAP system in? As in, is the backup data in some proprietary NetApp format? It's just plain 'ol *nix DUMP/RESTORE. Nothing special or proprietary. It can even be restored from a Solaris machine (restore) if you fsf past the NBU headers. Also, what is the difference between NDMP and SnapMirror? NDMP just uses dump/restore over an NDMP socket. NDMP is a command protocol, not a data format. It merely handles the commands between filer and application, the data format is still dump just like any unix machine. Snapmirror is not a data format either, it is a transport protocol. It just happens to be transporting at a block level, the interface of which is proprietary to WAFL. The difference between them? NDMP is file level, snapmirror is block. This can be a tremendous savings in bandwidth depending on your data set. Snapmirror is configurable on the filer, NDMP has to be managed remotely (ie. cron). Snapmirror has no limits to the number of incrementals it can run. NDMP (because of dump's limitation) can only run 9 incremental levels. There are some variations to this but it's generally true. Snapmirror will delete data on the destination that is removed from the source. NDMP will only append or add, not delete. There may be more differences but those are a quick reference. ~F Thanks When I have a tier 1 and tier 2 NAS environment (tier 1 is the newer FAS equip and tier 2 run older hardware with slower drives), should I run NDMP or SnapMirror to save my dumps on tier 2 for a while before moving them to tape or is it better to go straight from tier 1 to tape? That is, I've heard some people use tier 2 as a staging environment for a while for the backups before they move them to tape. I am just trying to understand best practices here... Dvy Well, it truly depends on your budget, your sensitivity to performance degradation and your retention needs. People who stage usualy do one of two things: 1) Snapvault to secondary and NDMP backup to tape from there. 2) Use their secondary as a disk staging unit managed by their backup application. if you are performance sensitive and/or want long retentions, then Snapvault is the way to go (assuming NetApp for both tiers). The incremental block updates take less time and resources to transfer and you can setup a very long retention schedule for snapshots on the tier2 disk providing you have enough of it. Best practices in cases like this are completely based on your business needs. ~F Thanks... I take it then that it is generally a good practice to, in some way or another, use the tier 2 as a stage prior to tape? (assuming we have enough space on tier2) Not necessarily. tier2 is great for seldom used data, or archive data, or whatever else you can think of such that it doesn't need to be on expensive tier1 disk. ~F Right... I meant that in addition to staging... I guess I should rephrase my original question... from your reply to an earlier query of mine, which was, should I go from tier1 to VTL or tape or should I go from tier1 to tier2 first (either via snap or ndmp) prior to vtl/tape, I gather that you prefer the later... correct? Thanks... Dvy |
Backup data format
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