NDMP for Filer backups

[davisr651]

I am looking into using NDMP protocol with  CommVault backup.

I am told that Netapp's version of NDMP will only  allow 9 incremental backups. After the 9th incremental,  you must perform a full backup. Is this true?...  What will happend if i go beyond 9 inc. will ndmp not allow commvault not do backups?...

and ifso, is there a way around this?..

Also, is there any documentation on the disadvantages/restrictions of using NDMP over fiber drectly connected to a NetApp 3140R filer

Thanks

Rob Davis

[scottgelb]

It's not really documented but from memory and my experience, if you repeat level 9, then each repeat of 9 is a differential of 8.  So you can repeat 9, but I wouldn't recommend it.  You could do a level 1 diff off of 0 and start 2-9 again for another week of incrementals.  Commvault (and any other backup software) will just keep a differential of 8 and it will work if you repeat 9.  Commvault does have an extra feature (license) that other ndmp vendors (subject to change but no other I know of) don't do which is the ability to restore a file from an ndmp backup to a non-ndmp node.  That is pretty slick to restore a file directly to a server instead of the nas device.

Most customers of ours with large data sets direct attach tape to their FAS controllers.  If they use the network for ndmp, we recommend a separate dedicated backup network.  For direct san attached you can license san device sharing from the backup vendor that way you don't have to have tape drives dedicated to the FAS controller, but idle drives available for sharing with other devices as needed.

[jb2cool01]

Scott Gelb wrote:
Commvault does have an extra feature (license) that other ndmp vendors (subject to change but no other I know of) don't do which is the ability to restore a file from an ndmp backup to a non-ndmp node.  That is pretty slick to restore a file directly to a server instead of the nas device.

Scott,

Do you know what this particular license is called? We are looking into CommVault now and this certainly sounds interesting.

[scottgelb]

I would have your sales rep work out the details since the licenses can  be confusing (for all backup vendors) and there are now some bundles  that include certain things.  The license is called NDMP Restore Enabler  for Windows but the Commvault folks can tell you if bundled or if you  need to add it...and if it is based on the ndmp tier (typically by TB  backed up).

[jb2cool01]

Thanks Scott, I found it on our backup quotation as DA-NAWRE-UT NDMP Restore Enabler. Looks like it's already in this proposal.