Help deciding on backup and restore options

natrian_maxwell — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 07:10:22 GMT

Hello,

I am new to the Netapp world and trying to get a better understanding of some backup and restore options. Can someone help me clarify these concepts a little bit more please?

1) Dump and Restore. This option is a quick method to backup files locally on a host?

2) Vol Copy - This method is used for filer to filer copies of volumes and files and from a local host to a local host?

Which method would you prefer to use Dump and Restore or Vol Copy?

Also there is Snap Restore and Snap Mirror.

1) Snap Restore is very fast and does not interfere with the network connection and can be used for file replication or volume replication as well?

2) Snap Mirror is used for moving a large amount of data across the network. This method uses VSM and QSM and can be used for remote sites right?

What scenarios would you use Dump and Restore, Vol Copy, and Snap Restore?

Re: Help deciding on backup and restore options

ogra — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:55:03 GMT

natrian.maxwell wrote:

Hello,

I am new to the Netapp world and trying to get a better understanding of some backup and restore options. Can someone help me clarify these concepts a little bit more please?

1) Dump and Restore. This option is a quick method to backup files locally on a host? Well quick but it's still a Disk-to-Disk/Tape Copy process. Hence, will go at it's own speed and take time. ( It uses NDMP Protocol).

2) Vol Copy - This method is used for filer to filer copies of volumes and files and from a local host to a local host? This is again the same Block-Block Copy operation. It's just gives you a flexibility of copying a volume b/w NetApp Controllers or within. They won't work outside this domain & certainly not on Tape. For Tape Dump will be the only command.

Which method would you prefer to use Dump and Restore or Vol Copy? I hope this is now answered.

Also there is Snap Restore and Snap Mirror.

1) Snap Restore is very fast and does not interfere with the network connection and can be used for file replication or volume replication as well? It's because of the NetApp snapshot Technology. Which doesn't do a Block-Block Copy for Fast Backup's. Its a point in time copy of the Active File System. Hence, your Backup is instantaneous and so are the restore. Now, the process of Backup Creation is called 'Snapshot' Creation and 'SnapRestore' is the process to only restore from a backup already present. For Snaprestore to work there should be a 'Snapshot'

2) Snap Mirror is used for moving a large amount of data across the network. This method uses VSM and QSM and can be used for remote sites right? Yes. Actually if you are looking for sending Data over n/w across remote sites NetApp has 2 offerings : SnapVault & SnapMirror. It's just SnapVault is a Backup/Recovery solution.This allows remote site to have older version of data. ( Vaulting of data ). Whereas SnapMirror is for Disaster/Recovery solution. If your sites are pretty far apart you may wish to choose SnapMirror which keeps the same version of data on both sites.

for SnapMirror both VSM/QSM offers functionality. both have advantages and disadvantages. For details refer TR3446 in www.netapp.com : http://www.netapp.com/us/library/technical-reports/tr-3446.html

What scenarios would you use Dump and Restore, Vol Copy, and Snap Restore? I hope this is answered.

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Help deciding on backup and restore options

Re: Help deciding on backup and restore options