Does Backup Exec for Windows Servers support Virtual Tape Libraries (VTLs) ?
Details:
Yes, Backup Exec for Windows Servers does support Virtual
Tape Libraries. This document provides details on the licensing
requirements and general usage guidelines. For compatibility information on
specific VTL models, please see the Related Documents section of this TechNote
below.
Licensing requirements for using Backup Exec with a Virtual
Tape Library
A Virtual Tape Library is typically a disk array
that mimics the behavior of a tape library. These disk-based systems emulate a
library with multiple tape drives. Because Backup Exec (tm) does not know they
are not actual tape libraries, in a typical SAN environment where the virtual
tape Library is connected via Fibre Channel technology, a Shared Storage Option
(SSO) license is functionally required for virtual drive sharing purposes
between different media servers.
In addition to the SSO licensing
requirement, Backup Exec must also be licensed with a Library Expansion Option
(LEO) license for each additional virtual drive, in the same manner an actual
tape library would be. Please check the Shared Storage Option (SSO) Hardware
Compatibility List (HCL) for Backup Exec for Windows Servers in the Related
Documents section of this TechNote.
General Usage Guidelines of
Backup Exec for Windows Servers and Virtual Tape Libraries with
Drives
The virtual tape device support information is listed
below. This information is organized by vendor and provides information on the
level of software tested, inquiry string (vendor ID + product ID), and any other
important notes about the hardware and its compatibility.
Please Note:
1.
The virtual tape device software listed in this section are the only software
levels that are supported.
2. Configure the virtual device with the unique
inquiry string as listed in this document. Emulating other devices is not
supported. The inquiry string should not be that of a real device even if that
device is supported by Backup Exec.
3. For each virtual library only the
virtual tape drives that are listed are supported. This information can be found
with each virtual library in the below section. Other virtual tape drive types
are not supported even if the real device it is emulating is supported with
Backup Exec.
4. Do not fill up the disk space on a virtual device. Doing so
may cause unpredictable behavior of the device. The device vendor will then have
to recover from any errors that result from a full disk.
5. When moving
virtual volumes to physical media it works best if the virtual device has a
volume size that is dynamic. Make sure that the virtual volume is slightly
smaller than the physical volume. When you migrate the data to physical media
you will need to ensure that there is enough space on the physical device in
order to accommodate the virtual volume size.
6. It is highly recommended
that Backup Exec move virtual volumes to physical media so that the data can be
restored directly from physical media rather than needing to utilize the virtual
device as an intermediary restoration point. If the virtual tape library moves
virtual volumes to physical media Backup Exec is not aware of the physical media
and may not be able to recover that data directly from that physical
media.
7. When a virtual volume becomes overwriteable, the virtual device is
not aware that the data is no longer needed. When Backup Exec overwrites that
virtual volume the virtual library is aware that the rest of the data is not
needed and it can free up the disk space. Because of this, the virtual device
may appear to be much closer to capacity than it really is.
8. Tested iSCSI
versions of virtual tape devices (if any) are listed in the "iSCSI
Configurations" section. Please reference the limitations listed in that
section.
9. The Drive Manufacturer, Drive Model, and other details for the
drive are that of the emulated tape device. The media type in actuality is a
disk type.
Related Documents:281669: Symantec Backup Exec for Windows Servers (tm) 10.0 Hardware Compatibility List. Includes HCL information for supported drives, libraries, virtual tape devices, fibre-channel HBAs, switches, routers/bridges, and iSCSI components. For printing purposes, the latest version of Acrobat is recommended. http://support.veritas.com/docs/281669281670: Symantec Backup Exec for Windows Servers (tm) 10d (10.1) Hardware Compatibility List. Includes HCL information for supported drives, libraries, virtual tape devices, fibre-channel HBAs, switches, routers/bridges, and iSCSI components. For printing purposes, the latest version of Acrobat is recommended. http://support.veritas.com/docs/281670282249: Symantec Backup Exec for Windows Servers (tm) 11d (11.0.6235 and 11.0.7170) Hardware Compatibility List. Includes HCL information for supported drives, libraries, virtual tape devices, fibre-channel HBAs, switches, routers/bridges, VSS, NDMP and iSCSI components. For printing purposes, the latest version of Acrobat is recommended. http://support.veritas.com/docs/282249294294: Symantec Backup Exec for Windows Servers (tm) 12 Hardware Compatibility List (HCL). Includes HCL information for supported drives, libraries, virtual tape devices, fibre-channel HBAs, switches, routers/bridges, VSS, NDMP and iSCSI components. http://support.veritas.com/docs/294294306831: Symantec Backup Exec for Windows Servers (tm) 12.5 Hardware Compatibility List (HCL). Includes HCL information for supported drives, libraries, virtual tape devices, fibre-channel HBAs, switches, routers/bridges, VSS, NDMP and iSCSI components. http://support.veritas.com/docs/306831
Products Applied:
Backup Exec 10.0, 10.0 5484, 10.0 5484 SP1, 10.0 5484 SP2, 10.0 5520, 10d (10.1), 10d (10.1) 5629, 11d (11.0), 12.0, 12.5, 9.0, 9.1
Subjects:
Backup Exec
Application: Device Management, Faq, Robotic Library Support, Shared Storage
Device Management: Install
Languages:
English (US)
Operating Systems:
Windows 2000Advanced Server, Server
Windows NT
4.0 Server SP6a
Windows Server 2003
Enterprise Server, Standard Server
Windows Small Business Server 2003
Premium Edition, Standard Edition
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