Network Attached Storage

[scm7kag]

Morning Everyone,

Looking for a bit of advice. Im currently investigating the possibility of a 1Tb Network Attached Storage device to our Win2k Active Directory Network.

I have decided to go for the Dell Powervault 725 model.
This device comes with Windows 2003 Storage Server os, what I am a little confused about is:
1) How does the NAS box attach to the network, does it integrate as a normal server would? Is it standalone or does it need to interact with other existing servers to provide file sharing capabilities?
2)What quota software is best used to restrict space for users and groups of users?

Any help will be gratefully recieved.

 

[Chacalinc]

1. Yes, a NAS is a box that you connect to your network (with a valid IP of course) and you will use it as a normal server... on your PC click to the "network" icon, find the name of the NAS and go into it... you will see it as another PC/Server. The big difference is a NAS is *only* filse server, you can not load a database server, backup server, or any software. The reason is: a NAS is created to give you the file sharing/repository service, it serve only that service *with excellent performance* and nothing more else... all CPU power is for network and filesystem.

2. Usually, a NAS have a piece of software installed in order to make quotas. Ask to your provider if the NAS box has that feature.

 

[clonny2]

The DELL PowerVault uses SAK from M$, so it uses standard M$ Win2K3 quotas. If you are familiar with Win2K or W2K3 Server then you should setup the same way. You can always use remote desktop to login to the server and it will look just like a regular win2k3 server.

>---------------------------------------Lawrence Feldman
SR. QA. Engineer SNAP Appliance
lfeldman@snapappliance.com

 

[jaksen112]

I have a 725 windows powered OS "Nas Device"

all it really is, is a server with a huge disk and a stripped down os.

01110000

 

[clonny2]

It is not really stripped down. It is more like only certain functionality is enabled.

SAK is a base Windows Server install then apply the SAK load on top of that which makes it a NAS server.

>---------------------------------------Lawrence Feldman
SR. QA. Engineer SNAP Appliance
lfeldman@snapappliance.com

 

[robward]

After reading this thread, it seems apparent that I am having a similar sort of problem. I have had a HP StorageWorks NAS 1200S dumped on me to be used for file storage. The unit has Windows Storage Server 2003 installed on it.

The question I have is how is this operating system licensed? Can I just attach as many clients as want to this device or do I need to purchase additional licenses over and above the ones received with the unit?

Thanks in advance

Gavin

 

[yumchang]

I got one question for Chacalinc or maybe someone can answer it also. If we can not load any software, how can we backup the whole file server? For example,if I wanna use backup tape,which is attached in backup server, to backup the whole file server. I have to install remote agent on the file server and then I can backup it. Hope someone can answer my question.

 

[Chacalinc]

No agent are need for NAS. You have two options:

1. mount shared folders with a server that has a backup software agent installed.

2. use NDMP. (

http://www.ndmp.org/products/)

NDMP stand for Network Data Management Protocol and is used for the mayority of NAS manufacturers, as Network Appliance, EMC, etc.

 

[yumchang]

But I use Veritas Backup Exec 9.1 for Windows Server on the backup server and it says I have to install Remote Agent on the file server and then allow me to back files on the file server.Moreover, I dont have any other server which has a backup software agent installed.

 

[Chacalinc]

I think Backup Exec does not support NDMP. Veritas NetBackup does support NDMP, so you could see a migration to that.

Take a look to

http://www.veritas.com/van/products/nbundmp.html

Another way (simplest) is to mount your file server from the backup server and back the server up as local drives.

Cheers.

 

[Rols]

yumchang,

You can specify the unc path of the shared folder on the NAS unit by using text mode in the Backup Exec selection lists.

I use use Backup Exec to backup a number of different NAS products that dont have the remote agent installed.

Cheers

 

[hectormz]

We've got a Dell PV745N (Windows 2003Storage) with a PV122T for backups. Dell offered Veritas with the server but we already had ARC Server, so we just installed it on the 745N and have it working with no problems.

Even added some agents for our Exchange and SQL server without troubles.

 

[clonny2]

If you have Backup Exec or another backup package install the agent on to the NAS device to back it up. It will be much faster and better to use the agent instead of SMB mounted backup. As to whether or not BackupExec uses NDMP, yes and no. It uses the NDMP port as the communication channel to the Backup Exec Server, however you can not backup / restore using NDMP.

NetBackup can use NDMP.


There are lots of Backup Packages out there so just find one that meets your needs and price point.