VCB Proxy Server Hardware Specification

[vmproteau]

We've been testing VCB and are pleased with its integration with our current backup solution (Netbackup). It's time to buy hardware for the production VCB Proxy.

For our Windows 2003 VMs, I originally planned on just doing a full backup of the system volume for DR purposes and file level for all other volumes however, it seems there is not yet a way to do a full VMDK backup of just the system VMDK. When you choose the Full VM backup it backs up all VMDKs. So for DR purposes, our larger file systems will take up quite a bit of space on the VCB Proxy. I'm estimating we'll need a 2-3TB of disk on the VCB Proxy to be safe.

I've been looking at an HP Storage Server with mirrored SAS drives for the OS and 6-750GB SATA drives for data. I was originally told SATA or FATA would be fine for the VCB proxy but, I've since read contrary information on I/O requirements.

Is anyone currently using SATA drives in the VCB proxy? Are you concerned about SATA duty cycles or seeing any performance issues?

[Cotay]

If you're using a SAN, you could just redirect it back to a backup volume. No local storage required. This setup works great for us and only required a 1U Dell Poweredge 1850 with mimimal local storage.

[vmproteau]

Thanks and we may do that but my main concern isn't where the storage is but the type of storage used. Specifically, if slower ATA drives (FATA or SATA) are fast enough for the processing used during VCB backups.

[atbnet]

When you do a file level backup you mount the filesystem on the VCB server.

So If you have a 1TB drive that you want to file-level backup, you will need at least 1TB free space on the VCB server before sending that to a tape device?

VCP