Deduplication appliance

[matteu]

Hello,

I would like some advices about how do you configure deduplication appliances to use fastclone :

-StoreOnce
Create catalyst and dedicated account for veeam


-Datadomain
I need to check what I do.


-Dxi
Enable SSH with ServiceLogin and use it for connection ?
enable vdms
Create NAS share as repository

fast clone will be used natively or not ?
I have a warning when I add it to managed server for the "collecting hardware info"


-Exagrid
I don't know it

[Mildur]

Dedup appliances do not use FastClone.
They have built in deduplication.

Use this kb for best practice:
https://www.veeam.com/kb1745

[matteu]

Thanks for this link I already saw it and it's good for "veeam" configuration but nothing about storage vendor configuration to integrate it with veeam.
When you use nas, is it better to use smb or nfs or we don't care ?
In this link I can see nfs is recommended as primary storage and CIFS for secondary http://qsupport.quantum.com/kb/flare/Co ... cation.pdf

Then, for fast clone, I write it because it seems possible here : https://blog.quantum.com/2020/08/19/loo ... o-further/
"Our new DXi 4.1 software with advanced features for our DXi backup appliance enables fast clone synthetic full backups with Veeam 10"

[Mildur]

Thanks, wasn‘t aware of that. Then they must use a filesystem with fastclone support.

For dedup appliances and the protocol, i would recommend to never use nfs or smb.
I know that for datadomain you should buy the ddboost license. And for StoreOnce the catalyst license.

If there is a FastClone feature, then smb or nfs will not work with that. Exagrid and Quantum should be added as a Linux Server Backup Repo.

For best practice, i would contact the vendor directly. They know how to optimize their appliances for various workloads.

[matteu]

I totally agree for ddboost and catalyst. I will try to find more documentation about dxi and exagrid.
I see lot of documentation with dxi where I need to enable veeam data mover service on the DXi, create share on the dxi with NFS and then on Veeam add it as a linux repository yes.

Ok, I will try to open ticket on each one if I can and write the answer here

[Mildur]

create share on the dxi with NFS and then on Veeam add it as a linux repository yes.

You don‘t need a nfs share on the quantum to add it as a linux repo. I don‘t know what you need todo on the quantum itself, but a nfs share is not needed.
Veeam needs to deploy the data mover to the quantu device.

Quantum has an installation Guide to use it as Veeam Integrated Backup Repo. Looks like a special license is needed. But without this license you wont get FastClone Support. You need the license to use the quantum without nfs or smb.

https://qsupport.quantum.com/kb/flare/C ... _Guide.pdf

[Andreas Neufert]

For StoreOnce:
- Enable Catalyst (license) and create a store
- Add the store as Dedupication Repository (own StoreOnce menu item) to Veeam.
- It will use FastCloning within the Catalyst deduplication process (and more).


For DataDomain
- Enable DDBoost (license) and create a store
- Add the store as Dedupication Repository (own DataDomain menu item) to Veeam.
- It will use FastCloning within the Deduplication deduplication process (and more).
- (Optionaly) enabled DataDomain immutability (transparent for Veeam) with the FastCopy Immutability method. A fast copy (similar to a snapshot) of the data is regularly created and protected by Immutability, this is processed within the storage itself.

For Quantum DXi
- Select a Quantum DXi that support Veeam fast cloning (higher models)
- Enable the Veeam Integration in the Quantum DXi (I think you need additional Memory Kits depending on configuration).
- Create a store within the Quantum DXi and Enable the Veeam processing.
- Add the store as Dedupication Repository (own Quantum DXi menu item) to Veeam.
- It will use FastCloning within the Veeam Enhanced DataMover that will run directly on the Quantum DXi (+ of cause their own deduplication).

For Exagrid
- There is no FastCloning support yet. The Exagrid has a landing zone where Veeam Enhanced DataMover will run directly on the storage and will write into this undeduplicated landing zone. Over time the data is then deduplicated. All Synthetic Full processing is done without deduplicated data and so it will run fast.
- (Optionaly) Enable Exagrid Immutability (transparent for Veeam)

For Storages with block based deduplication (HPE Nimble,...)
- Create a block volume (iSCSI/FC/...) and mount it to a Repository Server.
- Format the filesystem with ReFS (win) or XFS.
- Enable block cloning when you add it as Windows or Linux Repository.

For (Dedup) Storages with SMB protocol that support block cloning.
- Create a SMB share and enable Fast Cloning and verification processing.
- Add the SMB share to Veeam as SMB Repository. Enable FastCloning in the wizard.

[matteu]

Wow !!!

Thank you very much for your answer
It's exactly what I would hope to see

About dxi when you talk about : veeam integration you mean VDMS right ? (veeam data mover service).
If this is what you mean, on the appliance I needed to upgrade memory to 16GB yes. I suppose there is a minimum memory requirement with real hardware too!

If I understand correctly, exagrid is a mix between primary repository and dedup repository but without any fastclone. All synthetic full are as slow as they were on previous version without fast clone on standard repository (no dedup appliance).

[Andreas Neufert]

DXi
Yes, I think they use the VDMS wording. In Veeam we talk about the "Veeam Enhanced DataMover" that is running on the storage, while the marketing of the vendor use maybe other wording. Quantum allow us to run our datamover there which optimizes network usage and overall write speed.
Quantum has a switch that can enable on top of this the Veeam usage for fast cloning (block cloning). So Quantum controls based on firmware and hardware model which models they can allow the fast cloning feature. You need to contact Quantum and ask them about which models they have eneabled this.

Exagrid
Yes, this is correct. We write uncompressed to the storage on the non deduped landing zone. All Synthetic Fulls are processing as on any other standard storage system. Older restore points are then deduplicated for long term storage.
So you have fast backup, fast restore and fast classic synthetic full processing for actual restore points, plus it can store long backup chains very cost effectively with deduplication.

[matteu]

Yes, it's VDMS because on DXI it create veeam user name for it and it's dedicated to this backup product :p
Good to know fast clone is not on all models !

Sorry for my probably bad english but at least you can understand
Exagrid is really good for short and long storage I suppose ^^ but we have to follow 3-2-1 (1-0) rules and copy data on external site too !

Thank you VERY much for all your answer

[Andreas Neufert]

When you use the Veeam Backup Copy Job with Exagrid there is no issue as the data that you need to copy is still undeduplicated sitting on the Exagrid landing zone.

[tommyo]

If I'm not mistaken, I believe the DXi4800 and DXi9000 support Fast Clone as long as you are licensed and running DXi software 4.1.

I'm a big fan of the Quantum and Veeam partnership. We write all our backups to one DXi4800 in one datacenter, replicate copies to a DXi4700 in another datacenter and use Quantum's Scalar i3 Tape Library for our air-gapped copies. We just purchased Active Vault so tapes in the library are untouchable except through the library console. Works like a charm!

Throw in SafeMode snapshots by our Pure storage arrays and I sleep pretty good


Edit by Moderator: Changed DXi900 => DXi9000

[matteu]

In my case, it's dxi 4700. It will be use as backup copy.