Configuring an NDMP policy to protect a NAS host
By creating a snapshot of a NAS host, NetBackup can protect the client data directly on the NAS host and avoid mounting each client.
Figure: Create a snapshot of the volume on the array to avoid mounting each client shows a disk array that many clients access to store data. Only the array name is listed in the Clients tab of the NetBackup policy, not individual production clients. The volume on the array that the clients use is listed in the Backup Selections tab of the policy.
Note:
The figure below illustrates an example using NetApp Data ONTAP 7-mode.
The following procedure describes how to configure an NDMP backup policy to create a snapshot of a NAS host using NDMP with Replication Director.
To create an NDMP policy to use NDMP with Replication Director
- Before NetBackup can perform NDMP backups:
Make sure that you've added the NDMP host credentials so NetBackup can access the NAS host.
Make sure that NDMP is enabled on the NetApp storage by using the appropriate command. Refer to either of the following topics for more information:
See Software required to use NetApp Data ONTAP 7-Mode with Replication Director.
See Software required to use NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP with Replication Director.
- In the NetBackup Administration Console, create a backup policy.
Do not use the Policy Configuration Wizard to configure a policy for Replication Director.
- Configure the options on the policy Attributes tab. The following items are specific to creating a policy for Replication Director:
Policy type: Select NDMP.
Policy storage: Select the SLP that you want to use that has been configured for snapshot replication.
See Creating a storage lifecycle policy for snapshots and snapshot replication.
Use Replication Director: Enable Use Replication Director to automatically select other options that Replication Director requires.
Click the Options button to see the Replication Director Options dialog box and the default Configuration Parameters as follows:
Auto (default): The OpenStorage partner uses the best snapshot technology available to that partner to create the snapshot.
Differential: The OpenStorage partner creates a snapshot that is completely dependent on the source. This parameter is based on copy-on-write technology. The device creates a cache object to maintain the original blocks of the snapshot when the blocks are modified.
Plex: The OpenStorage Partner creates a snapshot that is completely independent of the source snapshot. This option is based on mirror-break-off technology. When a mirror device is attached to the source, the contents of the mirror device is exactly the same as the source device. When the relationship is broken between the two, the mirror device is separated from the source. The mirror device acts as a point-in-time copy.
Clone: The OpenStorage Partner creates an independent copy of the volume. The copy process can take some time as the entire copy must be complete. The snapshot that is created is independent of the source.
Maximum Snapshots
Sets the maximum number of snapshots to be retained at one time.
The default setting is one. Choose the number of snapshots that is appropriate for your environment. Note that the maximum number of snapshots on a NetApp volume is 255.
When the maximum is reached, snapshot rotation occurs: The next snapshot causes the oldest to be deleted.
See Maximum snapshot limit retention type for SLP operations.
Managed by SLP retention is automatically selected if the Fixed or the Expire after Copy retention is currently selected in the SLP.
- Select the Schedules tab and configure the schedules as you would for any other policy.
- Select the Clients tab. Specify the name of the disk array (the NAS host) for 7-mode.
For Clustered Data ONTAP, specify the name of the SVM that will act as the NAS host.
The following figure pertains to NetApp Data ONTAP 7-Mode and shows the name of a NetApp storage system in the Clients tab:
It may be helpful to refer to Figure: Create a snapshot of the volume on the array to avoid mounting each client.
- Select the Backup Selections tab to indicate the path to the volume on the disk array.
The following figure pertains to NetApp Data ONTAP 7-Mode and shows the Backup Selections tab and the volume that is to be backed up:
- When the policy configuration is complete, click OK.
- NetBackup checks the policy to ensure that it can run successfully. Select Complete to perform the most comprehensive policy validation.
See the NetBackup for NDMP Administrator's Guide for more specific information about configuring NDMP policies.
Only those policy options that are necessary to configure Replication Director are listed in the following procedure. For descriptions of all policy options, see the NetBackup Administrator's Guide, Volume I or the online Help.