What is your primary interest in Advanced Client?

In order to best advise on the appropriate technology and Advanced Client methods, we need to understand the main problems you wish to solve for the client in question.


Use snapshots to perform 'hot' backup to reduce downtime
The client and its applications are a mission-critical system that cannot be taken offline for a time-consuming backup. I am interested in using a snapshot technology to reduce the time the system is down and users are inconvenienced.
Reduce traffic on the network
I want to eliminate sending backup data across the LAN. I want to move the processing to another backup agent such as another server or a third-party copy device.
Utilize special hardware
I want to learn how I can take advantage of special hardware such as disk arrays, data movers or filers within my SAN.
Keep snapshots on the client for instant recovery
I want point-in-time snapshot copies on disk that can be restored quickly.

Describe The Client to Protect

What is the granularity of the asset you wish to protect?
A database
A file system
Raw partition
Logical volume

Select the database to protect:
Oracle
SQL Server
Exchange Server
Other

Select the client's operating system:
Solaris
HP-UX
Windows
AIX
Other

Select the file system:
What is the client's file system? If multiple file systems are accessible to the client, do this exercise separately for each file system. If you have a database where the executables and datafiles are installed on separate systems, specify the file system where the datafiles reside.
VERITAS File System (VxFS)
UNIX File System (UFS)
Online JFS
NTFS
NAS
Other file system

Do you have a preference for a snapshot method?
File system snapshot
Volume snapshot
Hardware snapshot
Replication snapshot
I have no preference. Select whichever matches the system capabilities or is appropriate.

How much change activity occurs in the database files on a daily basis?
The database is hundreds of gigabytes or terabytes in size and less than 10% of the database content changes on a daily basis.

Characterize the file system:
Over 70% of the file system blocks on my UNIX client are allocated.
The file system on my Windows client contains over 200,000 files and over 40% of the
file system blocks are allocated.

What additional capabilities are available?
The client's data is configured over a VERITAS Volume Manager (VxVM).
The client's data is configured over a VERITAS Volume Manager (VxVM) with FlashSnap mirroring capabilities.
The client's data is replicated using VERITAS Volume Replicator (VVR).

Specify Protection Software and Hardware

What software does the client have? What hardware does the client have connectivity to? If this is a purchasing analysis exercise, what software are you considering buying?


Do you have any of the following disk arrays with the indicated mirroring options?
If you have one of the systems listed below, but prefer not to utilize it, then leave the item unchecked.
EMC Symetrix disk array with TimeFinder
Hitachi Data System array with ShadowImage
HP XP series array with Business Copy
Other - I have another disk array or I have one of the disk arrays above but without the associated snapshot option.


What additional systems are available for moving the data?

If you have one of the systems listed below, but prefer not to utilize it, then leave the item unchecked.

A NetBackup media server with read access to the client disk
An alternate client with read access to the client disk
A device on the SAN with Third Party Copy capabilities and with read access to the client disk.