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  1. Home
  2. Veritas NetBackup™ Deduplication Guide
  3. Configuring deduplication
  4. About MSDP optimized duplication within the same domain
Veritas NetBackup™ Deduplication Guide

About MSDP optimized duplication within the same domain

Optimized duplication within the same domain copies the deduplicated backup images between Media Server Deduplication Pools within the same domain. The source and the destination storage must use the same NetBackup master server.

The optimized duplication operation is more efficient than normal duplication. Only the unique, deduplicated data segments are transferred. Optimized duplication reduces the amount of data that is transmitted over your network.

Optimized duplication is a good method to copy your backup images off-site for disaster recovery.

The following table describes the supported sources and targets.

Table: MSDP optimized duplication source and targets

Source storage

Target storage

Media Server Deduplication Pool

Media Server Deduplication Pool

Media Server Deduplication Pool

PureDisk Deduplication Pool

PureDisk Deduplication Pool

PureDisk Deduplication Pool

PureDisk Deduplication Pool

Media Server Deduplication Pool

Note:

A PureDisk Deduplication Pool in NetBackup represents the storage on a NetBackup 5000 series appliance. NetBackup supports PureDisk Deduplication Pool storage on NetBackup 5000 series appliances only.

By default, NetBackup does not retry failed optimized duplication jobs invoked by NetBackup Vault of the bpduplicate command. You can change that behavior.

See Configuring NetBackup optimized duplication or replication behavior.

You can use a separate network for the duplication traffic.

Review the following requirements and limitations.

About MSDP optimized duplication requirements

The following are the requirements for optimized duplication within the same NetBackup domain:

  • The source storage and the destination storage must have at least one media server in common.

    See About the media servers for MSDP optimized duplication within the same domain.

  • In the storage unit you use for the destination for the optimized duplication, you must select only the common media server or media servers.

    If you select more than one, NetBackup assigns the duplication job to the least busy media server. If you select a media server or servers that are not in common, the optimized duplication job fails.

    For more information about media server load balancing, see the NetBackup Administrator's Guide, Volume I:

    http://www.veritas.com/docs/DOC5332

  • The destination storage unit cannot be the same as the source storage unit.

About MSDP optimized duplication limitations

The following are limitations for optimized duplication within the same NetBackup domain:

  • If an optimized duplication job fails after the configured number of retries, NetBackup does not run the job again.

    By default, NetBackup retries an optimized duplication job three times. You can change the number of retries.

    See Configuring NetBackup optimized duplication or replication behavior.

  • NetBackup does not support MSDP optimized duplication to storage unit groups. If you use a storage unit group as a destination for optimized duplication, NetBackup uses regular duplication.

  • Optimized duplication does not support multiple copies. If NetBackup is configured to make multiple new copies from the (source) copy of the backup image, the following occurs:

    • In a storage lifecycle policy, one duplication job creates one optimized duplication copy. If multiple optimized duplication destinations exist, a separate job exists for each destination. This behavior assumes that the device for the optimized duplication destination is compatible with the device on which the source image resides.

      If multiple remaining copies are configured to go to devices that are not optimized duplication capable, NetBackup uses normal duplication. One duplication job creates those multiple copies.

    • For other duplication methods, NetBackup uses normal duplication. One duplication job creates all of the copies simultaneously. The other duplication methods include the following: NetBackup Vault, the bpduplicate command line, and the duplication option of the Catalog utility in the NetBackup Administration Console.

  • For optimized duplication between two PureDisk Deduplication Pools, NetBackup reports that the deduplication rate is 100%. However, deduplication does not occur during optimized duplication. Therefore, ignore the deduplication rate statistics.

    Note:

    NetBackup supports PureDisk Deduplication Pool storage on NetBackup 5000 series appliances only.

  • The copy operation uses the maximum fragment size of the source storage unit, not the setting for the destination storage unit. The optimized duplication copies the image fragments as is. For greater efficiency, the duplication does not resize and reshuffle the images into a different set of fragments on the destination storage unit.

  • If the destination is a PureDisk Deduplication Pool, that PureDisk storage domain can be the destination of duplication from one NetBackup domain only. If you try to duplicate from MSDP storage in more than one NetBackup domain, optimized duplication does not function correctly.

    Note:

    NetBackup supports PureDisk Deduplication Pool storage on NetBackup 5000 series appliances only.

More Information

About a separate network path for MSDP duplication and replication

Configuring MSDP optimized duplication within the same NetBackup domain

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