About file and volume mapping methods

The NetBackup media server and Third-Party Copy Device backup agents are unaware of logical organizations of data such as file systems and volume managers. The agent can access the data only from the physical disk address location. In order for NetBackup to perform this type of backup, it must translate the logical representation of the data to its physical disk addresses. This logical-to-physical translation process is referred to as mapping the data. During the backup, the mapping information is transmitted to the media server.

The mapping methods are installed as part of the NetBackup Snapshot Client product. Depending on whether the backup data is configured over physical devices, logical volumes, or file systems, NetBackup automatically selects the correct mapping method.