Ransomware attackers specifically target and attempt to destroy backup systems to increase the probability of payment. Hardening your system is critical. Please ensure you have reviewed your platform security using the Security Hardening Checklist
Cohesity

COHESITY Documentation

Explore our documentation to get started, discover products & new features, access troubleshooting guides, register sources, platforms support.

Products
Data Security Alliance
Visit Cohesity.com
Demos
Support
Blogs
Developers
Partner Portals
Cohesity Community
© 2026 Cohesity, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use|
Privacy Policy|
Legal|
  1. Home
  2. Veritas NetBackup™ Deduplication Guide
  3. Configuring deduplication to the cloud with NetBackup CloudCatalyst
  4. Configuring source control or target control optimized duplication for CloudCatalyst
Veritas NetBackup™ Deduplication Guide

Configuring source control or target control optimized duplication for CloudCatalyst

Optimized duplication requires the source storage server and the destination storage server to have at least one media server in common. For example, in a NetBackup CloudCatalyst environment that includes an MSDP media server (the source storage server) and one CloudCatalyst storage server (destination/target), either of these hosts could be the shared media server to perform optimized duplication.

The shared media server requires credentials for both the source storage server and the target storage server. (Credentials are granted in the Media Servers tab of the storage server properties for each storage server.) This point is important in determining whether your environment can support a source control or a target control operation.

The media server which manages the duplication operation determines whether the operation is a source controlled or a target controlled operation, as follows:

  • If the MSDP media server manages the duplication operation, it is source controlled duplication. The CloudCatalyst storage server must allow access from the MSDP media server. (See Example source controlled configuration: Source media server must be RHEL and NetBackup 8.1 or later.)

    • The CloudCatalyst can allow access only if the MSDP media server is RHEL (any version) and NetBackup 8.1 or later.

      • If the MSDP media server is non-RHEL, it appears as a selection, but upon applying the credential, it fails with an Add credentials failed message.

      • If the MSDP media server is non-8.1, it does not appear in the Media Servers tab.

    • If the MSDP media server is not RHEL or is not at NetBackup 8.1 or later, a target control operation must be used instead.

  • If the CloudCatalyst media server manages the duplication operation, it is target controlled duplication. The MSDP media server must allow access from the CloudCatalyst media server. (See Example target controlled configuration: Source media storage server is not RHEL or is pre-8.1.)

    The MSDP media server can be of any supported platform or NetBackup version.

See the considerations that are listed in Table: Considerations for using source controlled or target controlled optimized duplication for CloudCatalyst.

Table: Considerations for using source controlled or target controlled optimized duplication for CloudCatalyst

Control of optimized duplication

Advantages and disadvantages

Source controlled

Advantage: The NetBackup Disk Manager (bpdm) runs on the source media server, which prevents overloading the CloudCatalyst storage server during duplication jobs.

Disadvantage: Requires that the MSDP storage server be of a specific platform and NetBackup version.

Target controlled

Advantage: The MSDP media server can be of any supported platform or NetBackup version.

Disadvantage: The NetBackup tape manager (bptm) may run on the CloudCatalyst media server during backups. NetBackup may inadvertently use the CloudCatalyst storage server for load balancing during backups.

Note:

In MSDP optimized duplication, the spad process on the source pool reads the source side data and sends the data to the target pool.

Note about credentials on media servers

There must be at least one media server which has credentials to both the MSDP storage server and the CloudCatalyst storage server for jobs to be successful.

  • If there is no media server which has credentials to both storage servers, jobs fail.

  • If the common media server is the same host as the source MSDP storage server, it's a source control operation. (Example source controlled configuration: Source media server must be RHEL and NetBackup 8.1 or later)

  • If the common media server is the same host as the CloudCatalyst storage server, it's a target control operation. (Example target controlled configuration: Source media storage server is not RHEL or is pre-8.1)

  • If the media servers for both have credentials in common, the NetBackup Resource Broker (NBRB) chooses a media server at job time. Some jobs can be a source control operation and some can be a target control operation.

Example source controlled configuration: Source media server must be RHEL and NetBackup 8.1 or later

In Figure: Source controlled configuration, the source media server (the MSDP storage server) is configured for a source control duplication to the target. Note that the source is Red Hat Enterprise Linux and has NetBackup 8.1 installed.

Two configuration items allow for source controlled duplication:

  • The target (the CloudCatalyst storage server) allows access from the source media server. The credential is granted in the storage server properties of each.

  • The storage unit settings on the source and the target specifically point to the source media server. (Enable Only use the following media servers and select the source media server.)

Figure: Source controlled configuration

Source controlled configuration: Source MSDP storage server as load balancing media server

Note:

Do not uncheck the box for the CloudCatalyst host credentials. Only uncheck the box when directed by technical support staff.

Example: In Figure: Source controlled configuration, do not uncheck the box next to CCat_st_server when configuring the storage unit properties on target.

See Note about credentials on media servers

Example target controlled configuration: Source media storage server is not RHEL or is pre-8.1

In Figure: Target controlled configuration, the target media server is configured for a target control duplication. Note that the source is Windows and has NetBackup 8.0 installed.

Two configuration items allow for target controlled duplication:

  • The source (the MSDP storage server) allows access from the target media server. This is configured in the storage server properties of each.

  • The storage unit settings on the source and the target specifically point to the target media server. (Enable Only use the following media servers and select the target media server.)

Figure: Target controlled configuration

Target controlled configuration

Note:

Do not uncheck the box for the CloudCatalyst host credentials. Only uncheck the box when directed by technical support staff.

Example: In Figure: Target controlled configuration, do not uncheck the box next to CCat_st_server when configuring the storage unit properties on target.

See Note about credentials on media servers

Feedback

Was this page helpful?
Previous

Controlling data traffic to the cloud when using CloudCatalyst

Next

Decommissioning CloudCatalyst cloud storage

Feedback

Was this page helpful?