Trying to get my head around NetBackup

[ntinlin]

Hi all,

Has anyone got a PROPER getting started or quick guide to NetBackup on Windows?

Been dumped with the task of changing from BackupExec to NetBackup as quickly as possible and it's quite different.

Anybody got any hints or tips, especially on the concepts of policies, storage lifecycle policies etc.?

I'm trying to wade my way through the documentation but a 784 page Admin guide which is just the first volume is a little bit excessive. I feel I'm missing an overall picture so to speak.

Thanks
Neill

 

[Stumpr]

I have not seen any "primer" for NetBackup. However, the GUI is pretty easy to figure out and it is equipped with a help button. I suggest attending a structured class or getting the online training that is available through the symantec website

Bob Stump
VERITAS - "Ain't it the truth?"

 

[ntinlin]

Well if I could get the org. to pay for training I wouldn't need a primer. :-(

Thanks anyway.
Neill

 

[Frbutler]

you should lay it out on paper first....
What you want your clients retention to be...
What you want your schedules to look like
I have always worked in reverse for backups, rather than install a client and then create a policy for it and create schedules for it... I like to create a policy with all the schedules,retention and backup selections (/) and then assign clients to those policies.

This will allow you to know what is backing up when and what is being backed up.

You can create a "Specials" policy for those clients that have odd backup selections other than the default

for example you could create a policy called "Robot 1 7pm" and then make the daily, weekly, monthly,yearly schedules with the appropriate retention times for each and then assign clients to it. Then make one for 9pm and 11pm. Thus spreading out your client backups across the night.
Some exceptions would be user initiated backup policies and application specific (SQL,ORA,DB2,Exchange)

I have seen some people create a policy for each client also... though that seems a bit extreme to me.

This is just a thought.... you can do it however you think is logical for you. but the key is, you have a blank slate to work with and can set it up right the first time.

Good luck and let us know how it goes

 

[ntinlin]

That is what I want to do. i.e. Get it right the first time. Org is more of a, well let's just replicate what we have now and go from there. With 'have now' being pretty dire.

I found some whitepapers on Symantec site that to me should have been in documentation area which have clarified things a bit.

It's more a this bit of NetBackup goes into that, then into that, then into that, rather than the retention policies, schedules etc.

Hey ho. Will get their eventually.

Neill

 

[slayml]

Get your boss to send you to the Veritas NetBAckup 6.x Troubleshooting Techniques for Windows class. If possible, go to Denver and schedule it with an instructor named Todd Thielen. He was great! The "fog" just lifted when I went.