Welcome

System Administration
Introduction
 Agenda
1.Common Technology Engine.
2.User Administrator.
3.Library Management.
4.Media Management.
5.Storage and Scheduled Policy
6.Client.
7.Job Management.
8.Restoration.
9. Monitoring
  Common Technology Engine

• CommServe
• CommCell Console
• Media Agent/Index/Data Paths
• Libraries
• Client Agent
CommCell
 CommServe
• Maintains CommCell
SQL DB
configuration info and
high level index
• Manages user
Security and Module
Security
Licensing
• Manages all jobs
• Supported on
CommServe Job Control
Windows Server
platforms

CommCell Console
 CommCell Console

Summary
Summary

Job
JobController
Controller

CommCell
CommCellBrowser
Browser
Event
EventViewer
Viewer
 Index
Cache

Media Agent
Writes/reads data to/from data storage
Maintains Index Cache space
MediaAgent
Supported on Windows, UNIX, Linux,
and Netware systems Data Storage
 Index
• Dual Level for Scalability
and Performance

• Level I Job summary

– Maintained by CommServe CommServe data
– Tracks jobs to media

• Level II Index
– Maintained by Media Agent Cache
– Tracks objects within job
Media Agent
– Cached for performance
– Copied to media for scalability
Index
written
to
 Data Paths
• High Performance Data Mover
• Also referred to as Data Pipe
• Two types of streams:
– Job Stream
– Device Stream

Job Streams Device Streams

SD
0 2 4 6 8 10 ! !
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 3 5 7 9 11

PowerVault
650F

Media Agent
Client Magnetic RAID/JBOD
 Libraries
Magnetic Tape
• Media Container
0
0 2 4
1 3 5
1
6 8 10
7 9 11
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
! !
SD

• Direct-Attached,
Shared, Dynamic
PowerVault
650F

(SAN), or IP-based
PowerVault
128T

Magnetic RAID/JBOD Tape Library

• Tape, Optical (MO,

Mount Paths Master Drive Pool UDO, DVD), PnP or
D:\CV_Magnetic
Drive Pool Magnetic disk
\\ServA\CV_Magnetic
• Robotic or manual
Writer
(default - 5 per mount Tape Drive Tape Drive • Barcode-ed or
path)
Blind
 Client Agent
• AKA Intelligent DataAgent

• Different Agents used for

different Data Types Client
– File System, messages, Agent
documents, database, etc. Backup/Archive Set
and operation SubClient
SubClient
– Backup, Archive, and Agent
Replication DB Instance
• One client can host SubClient
multiple Agents SubClient
User Administration
  Overview
• CommCell Security Basics
• Users and User Groups
• Using Client Computer Groups
• CommCell Administration Options
  CommCell Security
Basics
• CommCell Console Access Options
• User Identification
 User Identification
• CommCell User
– SMTP Address (for Alerts &
Notifications)
– Password Aging
• External User
– Associated Active Directory Group
– Single Sign On capable
  Users and User Groups
• Understanding User and User Groups
• Understanding Capabilities & Managed
Objects
• Command Line Access
 Understanding
Capabilities & Managed
ObjectsMust be
Member of

Has

Performs
To Perform

TASK Associated to

To/with
 Command Line Access
• Supported on any CommCell
component host
• Single Login/Logout required
• Encrypted Password required
  CommCell Administration
Options
• E-mail & IIS Configuration
• User Preferences
• Automatic Update Configuration
• DR Backup Settings
Library Management
  Overview
• Understanding Libraries
• Configuring Media Agents
• Configuring Magnetic Libraries
• Configuring Removable Media
Libraries
 Understanding Libraries

• Types of Libraries
– Media
– Connection
 Media
• Magnetic Disk
– Read/Write
– WORM
• Removable Media
– Tape
– Magnetic Optical
– USB Storage Device
 Connection
• Dedicated
Media Changer

• Shared
MediaAgent

– Static
– Dynamic
MediaAgent

• IP-based
MediaAgent

MediaAgent
  Configuring Media Agents
• Data Movement Options
– Data Transfer Limit
– Data Integrity Checks
• Index Cache Options
– Local or Shared
– Management Thresholds
  Configuring
Magnetic Libraries
• Library Level Settings
– Usage pattern
– Managed Disk Space
– Allocation Policy
• Mount Path Usage Options
• Mount Paths Settings
 Mount Path Usage Options

1
2 Fill & Spill
3 4
5
Media Agent

1
4
2 Spill & Fill
5
Media Agent
3
Media Management
  Overview
• Understanding Media Management
• Using Media Options
• Managing Internal and External
Media
  Understanding Media
Management
• How data is stored
• Basic Media Cycle
• Removable Media Pools
• Managing Media Content
• Job States on Media
 How Data is Stored
 Data stored in Chunks
 Magnetic vs. Removable

Media ID

OML
File marker Bytes
offset

…
chunk
 Basic Media Cycle
Discovery
Undiscovered
Undiscovered
Spare
Spare

Exceeds Media
Retention Requested
Criteria

Appendable Active
Active
Appendable

Full
Full
Exceeds
Retention Exceeds
Criteria Usage/Error
Retired
Retired Bad Thresholds
Delete Bad
 Removable Media Pools

• Physical
– Media In Library
– Exported
• Logical
– Scratch  Foreign
– Cleaning  Retired
– Assigned  Overwrite Protect
 Media Labeling
• Auto Stamping
• Barcode Patterns
• Updating Barcodes
  Managing Internal
and External Media

• Exporting Media
• Importing Media
 Importing Media
• Discovering new Media
• Verifying Existing Media
 Discovering new Media
• Robotic vs. Manual
• Blind vs. Barcoded
• Standalone
• 3rd party media
Storage Policies
  Overview

• Understanding Storage Policies

• Data Retention, Management,
and Aging
• Roles of Verification, Encryption
and Content Indexing
  Understanding Storage
Policies
• Design and Philosophy of
Storage Policies
• Types of Storage Policy copies
• Updating Secondary copies
• Managing Data Streams
 Design and Philosophy
of Storage Policies

Drive Pools
Media Agent(s) Copies
Libraries
Day
s
Cycles
Streams
Data Paths Retention

Storage Policy basic components

Types of Storage Policy Copies

• Primary Primary Copy

• Secondary
– Synchronous
Synchronous Secondary
– Selective Contains Copy
All Data

Selective
Contains
Selected Data
Only
 Updating Secondary Copies
Subclient Subclient

• Inline
• Auxiliary copy
Primary

Inline C
MediaAgent

o
Auxiliary

py
Copy

Secondary
 Managing Data Streams
• Managing Streams
• When should you Multiplex?
• Combine Streams
 Managing Streams
• Job and Device Streams can parallel and
combine data. Managing Streams is
THE most critical operational task next to
managing media.

Job Streams Device Streams

Client Media Agent Tape Library

 When should you Multiplex?
• Tape Streams Only
• Single Input stream
is insufficient to drive
tape I/O as
maximum speed
• Restores infrequent
and primarily
individual files and
folders
Combine Streams
Auxiliary Copy

A A A
B Magnetic B
Library
C C
B

Auxiliary Copy

A A
B Magnetic A, B, C
Library
C
B

C
  Data Retention,
Management, and Aging
• Determining Data Retention
Requirements
• Managing Backup and Archive
Retention
• Understanding Cycles and Days
• Data Aging
• Retention Variants
 Determining Data
Retention Requirements
Legal Requirements Customer Company Requirements
Confidence

Retention
Risk Reputation
Policy
Assessment

Government Requirements Industry Requirements

Cost
 Managing Backup and Archive
Retention
• Backup
– Cycles
– Days
• Archive
– Days
Understanding Cycles and Days
Example
S M T W T F S

• Basic Retention set

FULL

Cycle 1 for 2 Cycles/14

INC
INC
INC
INC
INC
INC
Days
FULL

Cycle 2
• Full backups
INC
INC
INC
INC
INC
INC

scheduled every
FULL

Cycle 3
INC
INC
INC
INC
INC
INC

Sunday
• Incremental
FULL

12 noon Cycle 4
INC
INC
INC
INC
INC
INC

12noon

backups scheduled
all other days
 Data Aging
• Frees storage media for re-use
• Evaluates stored data against retention
rules and copy requirements
• For data that exceeds retention
– Erases data on magnetic storage (default)
– Use managed disk space to preserve data in
magnetic libraries
– Flags data on removable storage as “Aged
Data” until overwritten or erased
– Index for erased or overwritten jobs are
deleted
 Retention Variants
• Data not copied to secondary storage
• Transactional log data
• Failed jobs
• Manually retained/disabled/pruned Jobs
• De-configured or re-associated
subclients
• Incremental Storage Policy
  Roles of Encryption and
Verification
• Encryption
• Data Verification
 Encryption
Inline Offline
Subclient Subclient

A,B A,B
A B A B
C

C Encrypt C Magnetic
C Magnetic
Primary Copy
Primary Copy
Secondary(A,B)
Secondary(A,B)
Secondary (C)
Secondary(C) Encrypt
 Data Verification
• Verifies that all selected data is valid for
restoring and for being auxiliary copied
• Data Verification can be scheduled or
executed on demand
• Verification options can be set on Storage
Policy copy
• User can also select individual backups for
verification and/or select individual media
for verification
Clients
  Overview
• What are Clients?
• Understanding the role of Agents
• Backup and Archive Sets
• Configuring Subclients
  What are Clients?
• Host system
– Physical machines
– Clustered Systems and Applications
– Virtual machines
• Properties
  Understanding the
role of Agents

• Agent Roles
– File System
– Application
– Archive
• Indexed or Non-indexed Based
  Backup and Archive Sets
• Understanding Backup and Archive
sets
• Using Data Classification
 Understanding Backup
and Archive Sets
Backup/Archive
set
• Logical grouping of all
subclients
• Provides for Distinct
Management
• Defines Data access Subclient Content

and/or Collection
Method
 Using Data Classification
for Archive and Backup
• Define data based
on attributes Files A*.*
After created by
*.txt >1G

2/1/07

• Minimizes scan
time
  Configuring Subclients

• Defining Content Options

• Using Filters
• Pre/Post Process Commands
• Setting Storage Options
• Using Subclient Policy
 Defining Content Options

• Content is mutually
exclusive within a
backup set
• Can use wildcards
in defining content
– Limited to last level
of data path
• Archive Content
 Using Filters
M De e
e s le h
sa te a c s
• Global Filters ge d C ile
s F
– Unix, Windows, Netware /T
M
P a k
• Local Filtering b
*.

– Exclusion
– Exception
• Subclient policy filters
Inbox

User Files

System Files
 Pre/Post Process Commands

• Available on Data Protection and

Restore jobs
• Supports executable and
scripts/batch commands
• Return code evaluated
– Exception: Netware
• No timeout limit
 Setting Storage Options
• Data Storage Policy
• Data Transfer Options
• Deduplication
 Using Subclient Policy

• Used as a scalability tool

• Defines/Manages set of
Subclients for Agent Backupset
• Filters, security, compression
and storage policy can be
altered independently
Job Management
  Overview

• Configuring Data Protection Tasks

• Executing Data Protection Tasks
• Task Management Tools
  Configuring Data
Protection Tasks

• Types of Data Protection

• Understanding Synthetic Full
 Types of Data Protection
• Backup
– Full
– Incremental
– Differential
– Synthetic Full
• Archive
Understanding Synthetic Full
DA

Latest Image Synthetic

Full

Incremental
from client
before or
after
Synthetic
Full

Full Inc Inc Inc Inc

Tape 1 Tape 2 Tape 3
 Executing Data Protection
Tasks
• Job Initiation Options
• Advanced Backup/Archive
Options
• Creating a Schedule Policy
• Using Command Line
 Job Initiation Options

• On Demand (Run immediately)

• Schedule
• Schedule Policies
• Command Line
• Automatic (Aux Copy)
 Creating a Schedule Policy
• Template for bulk
scheduling jobs
• Scalability tool
• Granular control
down to Subclient
level
 Job Management
Control
• Queue Options
• Pre-emption Control
• Priorities
• Restarts
• Job Status Updates
 Using the Job Controller
• Manage
– Data Protection operations
– Data Recovery operations
– Administration operations
Restore
  Overview
• Understanding Restore and Recovery
 Find/Search
• Find
– Available at backup/archive set level
– Spans indexes
• Search
– Available at all levels
– Uses content indexing
– End user or Compliance
– CommCell console or Web-based
  Understanding Restore and
Recovery
• Restore/Recall Options
• Full System/Application Restore
 Restore/Recall Options

• Restore by Job
• Recall Archived Objects
• Copy Precedence
• Restore from anywhere
• Out-of-Place Restores
• Mapped Restores
• Restore to Non-Client hosts
 Restore Methods
• Restore (Direct)
– Known path and filename.
– Supports Wildcards
• Restore By Job
– Multi-stream restore capable.
– Can include aged, killed, or failed jobs
• Restore Browse
– Questionable path and filename
• Key Common Options
– Destination, Copy Precedence, Filters, and Mapped Files
 Restore From Anywhere
iDA ?
Client
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Tape Library
MA

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Tape Library
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 Understanding Full System
Recovery
• Similar/Different Hardware Issues
– Configuration and size of Mass Storage devices
– Dealing with device driver issues
• Windows System State
– Optional and partial restore supported
– Domain Controller/Active Directory
restore modes
• UNIX/Linux Root Partition
– Default install on different partition
 Out-of-Place Restores
• Same Client/Different path or name
• Cross-platform
– Compatible File System
• Windows <-> UNIX/Linux - Yes
• Netware <-> any other FS - No
• Cross-application
– Exchange Mailboxes on any version
– All Databases – Exact version only*
• System State
– Use Browse Options
– Restore to different client is supported
Restores to Non-client hosts

UNC Path
DA Non-client DA

Impersonate
User
Restore

Backup
MA
 Full System/Application
Restore
• Recovers data files, directories
and system state
• Performed via Browse at
backup set level
• Restores System files and/or
Data Files
Monitoring
  Overview
• Monitoring Options
• Alerts
• Reports
  Monitoring Options
• CommCell Explorer
• Job Controller
• Resource View
• Event Viewer
 CommCell Explorer
• Client Views
• Job Views
• Media Views
• Configuration Views
• Database Views
 Job Controller
• Job status updates every n minutes
• Displays job information and any
errors
• Filter job
• Optional display by job
– Current media
– Associated events
– Log files entries
 Resource View

• Drives in Library
• Media currently used
 Event Viewer
• Used to monitor CommCell environment
activities
• Filter display by:
– Severity Levels
– # of Events available
• Search events by:
– Time Range
– Severity
– Job ID
– Character pattern
  Alerts
• Understanding Alerts
• Alert Output Options
• Recommended Alerts
Understanding Alerts
 Alert Output Options
• Methods
– E-Mail/Pager
– SNMP Trap
– Application Log
– Command Line
• Variable data support (Tokens)
• Customizable content
• Escalation
 Recommended Alerts
• Insufficient Storage
• Phase or Network Failure
• <Device> went Offline
  Reports
• Understanding Reports
• Recommended Reports
Understanding Reports
Simpana
Monitor
CommServe
Output Formats

HTML
CommServe
TEXT

Job XML

Metadata Output Methods

Storage
E-mailed
User
VaultTracker CommCell Group
Explorer
Saved

Folder/File
Template
 Recommended Reports
• CommCell Configuration Report
• Job Summary Report
• Data Retention Forecast and
Compliance Report
• Media Information Report
• CommCell Readiness Report