NDMP
Complementing the StoreVault with tape devices and tape management software
The high availability and flexibility of StoreVault devices makes them ideal for disk-based backup. Consolidating data into one central location reduces server management costs, licensing costs and network traffic when performing backup jobs. Network Appliances's scalable RAID, Replication and high-performance, high efficiency Snapshot technologies make backup and recovery simple and powerful when data is consolidated onto one device.
Many environments have already made significant investment in tape devices and management software. How does a StoreVault effectively integrate into an existing environment, leveraging current investment in backup tape technology and tape management software? The answer is NDMP.
The Network Data Management Protocol was created in 1996 by Network Appliance and Legato (now EMC) and has been used in datacenters for many years. It provides a standard "language" for backup software to "talk" to devices and appliances from various vendors, revising two of the rules used in traditional backup scenarios. First, there is no longer a need to install a software-specific agent on the StoreVault. Second, data is not required to move over the network through the backup server.
This means that any NDMP-enabled software package can control and direct backup jobs using tape device(s) that are attached to that StoreVault. Since data is usually already centralized on the StoreVault, network traffic is nearly eliminated, yet backup jobs are still managed by the existing software package. NDMP backups use StoreVault's Snapshot technology to increase the efficiency of the data backup process. Snapshots on the disk, as an intermediate point before tape, provide multiple instantaneous recovery points. Thus, a StoreVault, a tape autoloader and an NDMP-enabled backup software package result in an intelligent disk-based backup scheme that still includes tape for offsite and long term archiving. Most backup packages will even manage the backup to disk and later migration off to tape, all from one console.
Most major backup software packages offer NDMP standard or as an upgrade option. Vendors with a Small and Medium Business product focus include:
- BakBone NetVault: Backup for StoreVault (standard)
- CA BrightStor ARCserve (optional)
- CommVault Galaxy Express for StoreVault (standard)
- Symantec Backup Exec 11d (optional)
- A complete list is available at www.ndmp.org
White papers illustrating specific vendors' product features are available at www.storevault.com.
| StoreVault NDMP Specifications | |
NDMP |
Standard on every StoreVault |
Version |
v4 |
Backup Software Tested and Approved for StoreVault: |
- BakBone NetVault: Backup for
StoreVault |
Additional NDMP-Compliant Backup Software: |
- SyncSort Backup Express |
