SAN Option

[taneujin]

I am quite puzzled on how the SAN option in BEB works, can someone direct me a link to where I can have a more detailed readup on it? eg: Why is there a ned for SAN option? Is it because it allows a direct tape drive to be attached to the SAN Switch? Or does it enable a capture of all filesystems in the SAN without mounting them at all?

I would like your opinion of this layout:

UNIX NT-------Tape Drive
| |
| |
-------------------------
| SAN Switch |
-------------------------
| |
Harddisk Harddisk

With a shared storage, can NT (master backup server loaded with SAN option) backup UNIX? If yes, NT has to mount the UNIX filesystem first. Is that possible?

2nd solution

UNIX NT
| |
| | |-------Tape Drive
-------------------------
| SAN Switch |
-------------------------
| |
Harddisk Harddisk

My alternative would be to have the tape drive attached to the SAN switch. This is why I need to know how does the SAN option works. Does it allow a tape drive to be connected to the SAN switch? or does it allow all data from the shared storage be backed up into the tape drive without mounting. If mounting is required, which server will mount the FS?

Sorry for the lengthy question. But couldn't get much help from the website so seeking professional opinions and advice.
Thanks!

 

[ACiDelic]

The SAN options allows a number of servers to coordinate using the library/devices on the same SAN.

For example, if you have two servers that want to run backups to the same library. Without the SAN option they won't know about each other and may try to use the device at the same time.

With the SANO you set one machine as the primary and all others as distributed. The purpose of the primary is to coordinate the jobs. If a distrbited wants to use the library it contacts the primary which gives it access.

I don't believe the SANO lets you backup other files systems on the SAN. If you have BEB then you can have a cross platform SAN, which coordinates between NT and UNIX servers. So your UNIX box can use the same library as your NT.

There is more information in the SANO guide: ftp://ftp.ca.com/pub/brightstor/docs/BEBWN_StorageAreaNetwork.pdf

 

[taneujin]

Thanks for the link!

But may I ask if my 2nd solution is feasible?

That is to say, install the SAN option in my NT machine as the primary and UNIX as the distributed and then from NT run backups that will store in the tape drive directly attached to the SAN Switch?

 

[davidmichel]

Crossplatform SAN is supported. BEB is installed on each of the systems you want to backup. In this case there will be two BEB Primary servers, one NT and one UNIX. All the Distributed NT BEB servers will send their requests to move tapes to the NT BEB Primary server. The NT Primary server will send the commands to the UNIX Primary server.

In your two setups the first will not work because the library is direct attached to the NT box. In the second because it is attached to the switch it is available to all the servers.

 

[Cyklops]

When using cross-platform SAN, what is the best way to set up a tape library with more than one drive ?? Since Device configuration works differently with UNIX and NT (device based vs. slot based) how is the configuration saved from one platform to the other.

regards

 

[davidmichel]

It works pretty much the same as a Windows only SAN installation. Groups are setup per slots and not the drives. Reqests to move tapes from any Windows server goes to the Windows Primary server, which then sends the request to move tapes to the UNIX or NetWare Primary server. Any available drive is used. If none are available the job will run as soon as one is available, just like with a regular installation.