Is Linux good as Master and media server?

[johnny99]

Hi

I have been thinking about what we could gain from migrating our Master and media server from Windows 2003 servers to Linux.

Since we don't have that much experience with Linux (or Unix for that matter) I realy have to think about this before we do it (or even surgest it to anyone in our company)
I am the only one who has run Linux before and also is the only one who doesn't run screeming away when somebody say Unix.

What I am looking for is basicly performance, not cost.
I would use the same servers (at least same model/specs) as I do today.
Servers are Dell 2850 with 3-4 GB ram, 2 x 3,2-3,6 Ghz, 2 x Emulex LP10000.
Tapedrives are STK9940B's
Tapedrives are shared using SSO.
Ethernet NIC's are teamed to a BlackDiamond 6808 switch.

I have always been told that blksize of more then 64Kb is not possible on Windows (at least safely), and this is basicly why I would like to migrate away from Windows and where I would expect to get most performance.

But all other performance gains are welcome.

And what about master/media migration from Windows to Linux.

SunOS could also be an option.

I look forward for your comments

Johnny

 

[lenski]

We use UNIX as the platform of choice for Master and Media servers. We believe that it provides a more stable and robust system. NBU is historicly a UNIX based software. So it seems to work better there then Windows. UNIX does let us monitor and administor the system better. You don't have to do a reboot everytime somebody choughs in the office. Performance I could not say as the Windows stuff we have is quite different in set up.

 

[enterprisebu]

We're also moving our master from windows to unix (aix) BUT for the migration to be supported from Veritas you must hire their consulting services to migrate the catalog info from one platform to the other.

 

[johnny99]

If I go for the migration I will use a Veritas consultant.

But what about the general what I will get out of the migration.

I don't have a need to run Unix/Linux just to run it.
Will I realy get something from doing this migration?

If (and it is a big if) I will go for the migration I will go for Linux(SuSe) or SonOS on the Dell servers.

/johnny

 

[creakyjoe]

i wouldn't have thought there's too much to a migration like that. I've done a few Solaris to Solaris conversions, ie when upgrading to newer faster boxes, but not across OS's; but as i say i bet there's not much to it.
As for Veritas consultant's there are good and atrocious, i've had both. You'll get enough out of the migration if you sit with them, you'll need to be there to detail your system & requirements anyhow.
I myself prefer Solaris to Linux anyday (though i'd pick Linux if my only other choice was Windows).

Youve mentioned sunos a few times, surely you dont mean Solaris as it dont run on Dell servers ?

 

[msleeper]

I'm running NB 5.1 mp1 under Redhat Enterprise Linux 3.0. I have a master server with a library attached as well as a media server with another library. Until NB 5.0 I honestly felt as if I were beta testing Veritas' software for them. It took them six months to fix a problem that made bpsched core dump (turns out it was a problem with calendar based backups). I've been to several classes at the Denver office, but they've all been for Solaris, no linux classes have been offered. I felt like the red-headed step child because a lot of my questions had no relevance to Solaris. However I did get a lot of good info out of the classes and would recommend them if you're thinking of switching.
Since the upgrade to version 5 things have been working very smoothly. Their tech support is much better versed in linux specific problems now too.
I can only imagine that, from a support perspective, you'll get better support for windows vs linux because of the large number of windows servers out there.
I can't comment as to the performance differences between the two platforms since I've never had a NB windows server.

Mark

 

[creakyjoe]

I have always kept Veritas consultants at bay; in the 5yrs i've been using NetBackup (self-taught myself back in the 3.1.1 days) there's only 1 migration a Veritas bod has done (i've done all the rest and all other mgmt of our setup) and he broke it. Took 3 weeks !! to fix and it wasn't Veritas who solved it (it was Fujitsu). Anyway, as to Solaris courses instead of Linux, it's all the same difference. What's more important is knowing NetBackup inside and out, or as best as you can. If i had my way i'd probably still be using 3.4. But 4.5FP6 is pretty good, well until we started getting loads of position errors and a failed (tape restore) Production system migration. Had to copy all 600GB of data manually. Turned out we have an MPX bug that's fixed in FP8 so i'm in the last throes of upgrading..

Rich

 

[Qdog]

I agree w/the other posters.
However, you state the reason for migration from Windows to Linux is the Windows default 64kb buffer size written to tape. FYI - Adaptec 39160/3960D cards can do 128K (thats the ceiling) but it requires a Windows reg hack. For the reghack, see:

http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/270178.htm

FYI - most fiber HBA drivers allow 128k or 256k buffer sizes on Windows w/o a reghack.

Something to consider...

 

[johnny99]

HBA's are Emulex LP1000exDC

But I haven't found any documents on how to safely use 256KB buffer size on Windows

/johnny