Who has exp. with the new Storagenode build in in EMC DL7x0

[Novelli]

Hi,

the new CDL Series (Virtual Tape Libary) of EMC (710,720,740) with Software Version 2.2 has a build in Networker Storgenode to clone tapes from the CDL to a real tape Libary or a second cdl.

Has anybody already exp. with that ?

Cheers Novelli
Novell Master CNE + CDE

http://www.eckertweb.de

 

[oldnixguy]

I've got a DL710 with the storage node feature. It's capable of more than just cloning. What would you like to know, I'll answer if I'm smart enough!

 

[Novelli]

Hi,

the storagenode is ONLY for cloning purposes to a real libary or a second DL connected to the 4 spare dl ports.

Whatr iam looking for is sombody who did that already, especially when compression on the dl is enabled.

I dont think that the box (Dell 2850 Server with the Suse Linux on it) is fast enought to do the decompression on read from the dl and do the cloning in paralell, especially when then in paralell some writings to the dl will happen.

Cheers Novelli
Novell Master CNE + CDE
EMC Networker LCNS

http://www.eckertweb.de

 

[oldnixguy]

I was part of the beta on the CDL 2.2 with a dl710 (build 1315) and now have it in production (build 1320).

During the beta I tested the direct to VTL backups using the storage node. I had two VTL's configured, one assigned to my NetWorker server and one assigned to the Storage Node. We took two phyiscal libraries and attached one to the Storage Node and one to the primary NetWorker server. We made some logical assumptions based on network location and then created save groups and assigned them (based on those assumptions) to backup either to the VTL on the Storage Node or the VTL on the NetWorker server. I tested the automatic cloning save group features from VTL to Phyiscal tape from both the Storage Node and the NetWorker server. It worked quite well in my environment. As a further test I took and configured the clone target for the savegroups backed up the Storage Node and directed them to go to the physical library attached directly to the NetWorker server. This also worked, but was not something I would do in production unless there was an issue with a physical library.

I will comment that the cloning to physical tape can take some time depending on your save group / schedule configuration. I see a lot of "waiting for Tape XXXXX" messages if I have a savegroup that is writing to VT while a savegroup is waiting to read from that same VT to clone. In my environment that wait is not currently an issue.