VCB and backuping up large RDMs

[policeman51]

Hi,

We are having some issues backuping up large RDM luns.

We are using Netbackup 6.5.3 and we have a VCB server for staging and then be backup to tape. I know, it's not the greatest solution, but it works... sort of.

Sometimes we get snapshot errors on a few VMs that have 2TB luns connected to them using RDM. We can back them up over the network, but that takes forever. And when the snapshot works, that takes forever to snap as well.

When these were physical machines, we had them as SAN Media Servers in Netbackup, but that isn't possible now that they are VMs.

Is there anyway using this backup scenario, and if so, how do you backup the large RDM luns.

[AndreTheGiant]

You have these errors both with FullVM and FileLevel mode?

Those RDM contains files or DBMS files?

Andre

[policeman51]

They occur on both FullVM and Filelevel.

The RDMs contain lots of .tif files, which could be the problem.

Just trying to find some sort of solution with the products we have. A product like vRanger and deduping would be great, but the money just isn't there.

[AndreTheGiant]

Do you have SAN snapshot feature? It could be a solution.

But with some storage it require another license.

Andre

[policeman51]

No, I wish we did.

We have an EMC CX3-40, but no snap or mirror licenses.

[AndreTheGiant]

Are you using vSphere?

Data Recovery could be a simple solution.

Andre

[policeman51]

Nope, just plane old VMare Infrastructure 3.5. we have 3 hosts in the cluster.

[AndreTheGiant]

Just to be sure, do you have enough free space on your datastore to hold the shapshot?

Maybe is only this problem.

Andre

[policeman51]

I think there is a bottle neck with the VCB storage.

We have a Dell Poweredge 2950 and an MD1000 array connected to it. The VMware snapshot goes to the MD1000 array, which has enough space, but has to travel over the SAS cables.

Not sure if that's a bottleneck or not, but it could be.

Basically we just need a solution to backup large RDMs cause the product we have now is not doing it effectively.

[AndreTheGiant]

Using file level mode the destination storage could be not a problem.

Cause mount of vmdk does not make copy at all, and you can choose what to backup, and also use incremental or differential (but you must based on timestamp, not on archive bit).

You also need free space on your datastore to handle the snapshot delta for all the backup time window.

Andre