WHITE PAPER: ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS Disk-Based Data Protection Achieving Faster Backups and Restores and Reducing Backup Windows
White Paper: Enterprise Security Disk-Based Data Protection Achieving Faster Backups and Restores and Reducing Backup Windows Contents Abstract...........................................................................4 Introduction........................................................................4 Strengths and weaknesses of today s backup media.......................................5 Disk-based backup solutions.........................................................6 Backup-to-disk folders................................................................6 Eliminating backup windows with continuous protection...................................7 Using disk as the primary backup target.................................................8 Advantages of disk-based backup......................................................8 Advanced Disk-Based Backup Option....................................................9 Duplicate backup jobs................................................................9 Configuring duplicate backup jobs.....................................................10 Establishing a disk-to-disk-to-tape backup strategy....................................12 Disk-based backup environments....................................................13 Backup to disk on a local area network.................................................13 Backup to disk on a storage area network..............................................14 Disk to disk to tape with backup-to-disk folders.........................................15 Continuous protection of Exchange servers.............................................16 Continuous protection of remote offices................................................17 Symantec advantage in disk-based backup............................................18 Conclusion........................................................................20
Abstract Today s business climate is experiencing an unprecedented 40 to 50 percent growth in data volumes, necessitating an efficient approach to data backup and recovery. While traditional tapebased backup has proven effective over the years, disk-based backup and recovery provide the essential, instant, and on-demand solution for data inflation. This paper examines traditional and leading-edge data protection strategies. A review of each solution clearly advances the case that Windows based organizations can best manage data growth and speed up data recovery through disk-based backups. Integrating disk-based backups with the latest functionality in Symantec Backup Exec 11d provides businesses with complete and continuous protection of their growing data. Likewise, the continuous data protection capabilities of Backup Exec 11d significantly reduce the restrictive backup windows that typically plague administrators. Introduction Today s Windows based organizations are faced with the challenge of how to effectively protect their data. While industry estimates show data volumes growing 40 to 50 percent each year, users continue to require instant, on-demand data recovery. Traditional tape backup has proven effective over the years, but today s business climate demands a faster, more efficient approach to backup and recovery. This white paper examines three data protection strategies: traditional tape-based, traditional disk-based, and continuous protection disk-based. A review of each solution will make the case that Windows based organizations can best manage data growth and speed up data recovery by integrating disk-based backups with the latest functionality in Symantec Backup Exec 11d for complete and continuous, protection. In addition, complementing a disk-based data protection solution with a disk-based system recovery solution can help ensure that you quickly recover data and systems in the event of loss or failure. Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery 7.0 is a disk-based system recovery solution for Windows servers, desktops, and laptops that allows businesses and IT professionals to recover from system loss or disasters in minutes, not hours or days even to dissimilar hardware platforms, virtual environments, or in remote, unattended locations. From small businesses to larger Windows environments, Backup Exec System Recovery is the gold standard in complete Windows system recovery. For more information about this solution, review the Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery Server Edition white paper at http://www4.symantec.com/vrt/offer?a_id=25182. 4
Strengths and weaknesses of today s backup media To select the right data protection strategy for your organization, it is important to understand the differences between traditional tape-based, traditional disk-based, and continuous disk-based data protection offerings. Traditional tape-based backups Over the years, tape backups have proven to be an effective means for data protection and recovery. Tape is an inexpensive medium on which to store data. It is also a format that can be easily moved offsite, which is a familiar solution for IT administrators. However, tape presents some significant challenges. The first is reliability. Industry reports note that tape can fail 17 to 40 percent of the time. The second is complexity. Tape lacks the flexibility and simplicity that many organizations require in a data protection solution. Then there s speed. As data volumes increase, tape backups take longer. Also, the recovery process can be time-consuming, delaying file delivery and requiring trained administrators to recover data. Traditional disk-based backups Disk-based backups provide several key benefits over tape-based backups. Disk-based backups are typically faster and more efficient and demonstrate dramatic recovery time improvement. Disk also provides a more reliable format for initial data protection and improves overall performance for simultaneous backup jobs (or multistreaming). The drawbacks of disk-based backups include the potential impact on production servers and complexity in managing backup jobs. Also, data is backed up in a format that requires IT intervention for restores. Overall, the benefit of disk-based backup is that data is much faster to restore and the data recovery process is more reliable. There is no need to find the tape, load it, and then reload the data. In addition, disk-based data can still be backed up to tape for long-term archival and offsite storage. 5
Continuous disk-based backups Continuous data protection offers the core benefits of disk-based data protection (faster backups, near-instant restore) while removing some of the key weaknesses. The benefits of continuous data protection include: Data is always protected. Only the changed portions of files (block-level changes) are captured. Multiple file servers can be backed up simultaneously. There is no impact on business servers (no backup windows). Files are in native format, enabling end-user recovery. The main drawback of continuous disk-based protection is that it may not integrate with an organization s current backup solution. Instant granular recovery is the central focus of continuous disk-based protection. This can help reduce IT administration, while improving service levels and end-user productivity. End users can find and retrieve files from the file server backup without contacting IT. Disk-based backup solutions Disk-based backup is a solution whereby data is written to a hard disk instead of a tape drive. In some cases, the disk-based backup may write the same data to a file on a disk volume as to a tape drive. Also, data can be transferred and stored exactly as it exists on the source computer. Symantec Backup Exec for Windows Servers offers two methods for disk-based backup: A software virtual tape library solution called backup-to-disk folders. Continuous protection using the Continuous Protection Server. These backup-to-disk methods can be used separately or together for a complete disk-todisk-to-tape solution. Backup-to-disk folders Backup-to-disk folders are directories on a disk drive or disk drive array that store backup data. They are the Backup Exec version of a virtual tape library. Backups are stored on disk in the same way that a backup would be stored on a tape drive. Backup-to-disk folders allow you to use familiar Backup Exec concepts such as backup sets, media sets, and policies to manage your 6
backups. Using a backup-to-disk folder also enables an administrator to use Granular Recovery Technology an innovative disk-based protection method that allows granular restoration of file server data, Microsoft Exchange data, Active Directory objects, and SharePoint Portal Server documents. Eliminating backup windows with continuous protection While traditional tape- and disk-based backups have proven effective over the years, today s business climate is changing the rules. As a result, IT administrators find it increasingly difficult to back up mission-critical data within available backup windows. Continuous data protection can eliminate these backup windows. A continuous disk-based data protection solution records file changes and makes sure changes are captured and protected. It captures only granular or block-level changes, not the whole file, which reduces the impact on network performance. Not only is the most recent data protected, but multiple versions of files are captured and thus made available for recovery. Also, by using disk as the primary medium for Windows protection and recovery, organizations can still leverage traditional tape backups to provide secondary Windows protection for longer term retention and offsite storage. Symantec Backup Exec now provides continuous data protection not only for Windows file servers but also for Microsoft applications such as Exchange and SQL Server. Microsoft Exchange is often the mission-critical application running in organizations today especially Windows based organizations. IT administrators can now recover individual mailboxes and mail messages with a simple browse-and-check recovery process. In the past, a separate, time-consuming, brick-level backup job had to be run to achieve granular recovery. The Continuous Protection Server uses a Windows feature called Volume Shadow Copy Services (VSS) to take snapshots of data at scheduled intervals. Backup Exec can back up these snapshots and the data they represent for offsite storage. Also, end users or administrators can restore file server files using a unique Web-based restore feature, Backup Exec Retrieve. Such a solution means no more complex full, incremental, or differential backups of business-critical data. To learn more about the benefits of Continuous Protection Server, visit www.backupexec.com/continuous. 7
Using disk as the primary backup target Disk can be significantly cheaper and less complex than equivalent tape drives or libraries. And with the arrival of fast SATA disk drives and disk arrays and iscsi and Serially Attached SCSI (SAS) interfaces, disk is now a viable alternative for cost-effective short-term and midterm data storage. Using disk as the primary backup target has many advantages. The random access nature of disk allows multiple jobs to run at the same time. The Backup Exec Backup-to-Disk feature allows you to create a virtual tape library that enables up to 16 concurrent backup or restore jobs to run simultaneously. And with Continuous Protection Server, as many as 40 source servers can back up data at the same time. Having several backups running at the same time to the same device, called multistreaming, allows you to use existing hardware or share disk space with existing applications. This use of disk can lead to faster backups and restores and can even exceed the data transfer rate of some of the most expensive tape drives. Advantages of disk-based backup Disk-based backup can reduce backup windows, restore time, and expensive tape consumption and allow the use of new Backup Exec 11d features like Granular Recovery Technology. Reduced backup windows Often disk is faster than tape in raw throughput and because of the random access nature of disk technology. Also, with Backup-to-Disk or Continuous Protection Server, backups can take advantage of multistreaming, so that more than one backup job can transfer data at the same time. For example, an organization using Backup Exec 11d to back up Exchange Server 2003 experienced an 80 percent improvement in performance. Prior to implementing Backup Exec 11d, a full backup of Exchange took 30 hours, including database and mailbox backups. By combining disk-based backups with the new innovative imaging technology available in Backup Exec 11d, backup time was reduced to five hours. Reduced recovery times Administrators can enable the new Granular Recovery Technology feature with disk-based backups. Granular Recovery Technology makes data recovery as easy as searching for the file, email message, or object and starting the restore. For Exchange, Granular Recovery Technology 8
eliminates brick-level backups and improves recovery times since individual email messages are extracted from a full or incremental backup. Disk-based backups help ensure that administrators no longer need to look in media cabinets to find a tape or in another media to find a file. No more searching for the tape, and no more swapping tapes in and out of the drive. Continuous protection also allows end users to restore their own file server files using a simple Web browser. Reduced tape cost Disk-based backups reduce tape expenditure, since fewer tapes are needed for daily, weekly, and monthly backups. With Backup-to-Disk or Continuous Protection Server, the disk drive acts as a staging area. Backups to tape can be reduced from once a day to once a week, or even once a month, which greatly decreases the cost of tape in the environment. Advanced Disk-Based Backup Option Backup Exec provides several advanced features for file servers that are used with disk-based backups (with or without Continuous Protection Server). The Advanced Disk-Based Backup Option allows Synthetic Backup, True Image Restore, and Off-Host Backup. Synthetic Backup Synthetic Backup uses a policy to enable a full backup to be assembled or synthesized from a baseline, and then subsequent incremental backups are made that are also contained in a policy. The benefits of using a synthetic backup include: A smaller backup window, since the synthetic backup can be scheduled outside the time-critical backup window. Reduced network traffic, since the synthetic backup does not need access to the network (catalog-driven, clientless backup that doesn t access the agent file system). Fewer problems when performing a restore: Select the latest incremental backup job for restore, and Backup Exec does the rest. 9
True Image Restore True Image Restore enables Backup Exec to restore the contents of directories to their state at the time of any full or incremental backup. Restore selections are made from a view of the directories as they existed at the time of the particular backup. Files that were deleted before the time of the backup are not restored. With True Image Restore, only the correct versions of files are restored from the appropriate full or incremental backups that contain them. Previous versions are not unnecessarily restored and then overwritten. With True Image Restore: Backup sets are processed one by one backwards, starting from the selected set. When all objects of this backup set are restored, the next prior backup set is processed, and so on, until the prior full backup is reached. True image information in catalogs is used to determine the files and directories to restore, and where their backup copies reside. Catalogs of prior backups up to the prior full backup must be present. Only the latest version of every file or directory is restored. Deleted files are not restored. Renamed and moved files are restored at their new locations. The selected volume or directories are restored so that they contain files that were present at the time of the selected backup. Off-Host Backup Off-Host Backup enables the backup operation to be processed on a Backup Exec media server instead of on the remote or host computer. Moving the backup from the remote computer to a media server enables better backup performance and frees up the remote computer. Companies that use storage area networks (SANs) can benefit from using this feature. Duplicate backup jobs The duplicate backup set template enables you to use a multistage backup strategy for backing up data to disk and then copying it to tape. The template does not replace the existing Duplicate Backup Sets option. Instead, it provides an automated alternative for duplicating backup sets, allowing multiple levels of data to be duplicated either within or outside of the backup window. 10
Duplicate backups are useful in the following situations: Staging data. For example, back up data to disk with a 28-day retention (stage 1), copy the data to another disk for three months for longer term storage (stage 2), and then move the data to tape for offsite storage (stage 3). A policy for this staging would include a backup template to back up the data to disk for 28 days, a duplicate backup set template to copy the data from the original disk to the second disk, and another duplicate backup set template to copy the data from the second disk to the tape. Each of these stages may have a different media set to define the data retention period. Reducing the backup window. For example, create a policy that contains a backup job template that uses the Backup-to-Disk option to back up data to disk during the backup window. Then create a duplicate template to copy the backed-up data from disk to tape and schedule the duplication job to occur outside the backup window. Creating a duplicate set of backup tapes to store offsite. For example, create a backup template to back up data to either disk or tape. Then create a duplicate template and either set the duplication job to run immediately after the first backup job is completed or schedule it to run at a specific time. If you need to restore data from duplicate backups, you can restore from the source backup or any of the duplicate backups. Configuring duplicate backup jobs There are two methods to configure duplicate backup jobs: the direct link method and the incremental duplication method. Direct link method The direct link method requires a policy with one backup template and one duplicate backup template. The direct link is established by the After <First Template> completes, start <Second Template> to duplicate the backup set template rule. The <First Template> is the backup template, and <Second Template> is the duplicate template. The template rule provides a direct link between the backup job and the duplication job. 11
To set up duplicate backups using this method, establish a policy and then: Add a backup template with a recurring schedule. Add a duplicate template and set the Run only according to rules for this template schedule option. Backup Exec automatically adds the After <First Template> completes, start <Second Template> to duplicate the backup set template rule to the policy. Incremental duplication method The incremental duplication method requires at least one backup template and one duplicate template. If a policy contains several templates, you can use this method to associate one duplicate backup template to several backup and/or duplicate backup templates. With this method, use the Duplicate all backup sets that were created by <First Template> using <Second Template> as scheduled template rule. To set up duplicate backups using this method, establish a policy and then: Add a backup template with a recurring schedule. Add a duplicate backup template with a recurring schedule. Set up a template rule using the Duplicate all backup sets that were created by <First Template> using <Second Template> as scheduled template rule. Establishing a disk-to-disk-to-tape backup strategy When backup-to-disk technology is combined with a tape backup strategy, considerable synergies can be achieved. Using disk as the primary storage medium, administrators can realize the speed and flexibility of disk-based backups. Additionally, copying less data to tape can result in measurable cost savings over time in terms of tape usage. Backup-to-disk folders can be used to hold data for a short time called staging and then the data is sent to tape for long-term or offsite storage. Backup Exec 11d includes the duplication of backup data functionality. This extends the power of disk-based backup, letting you duplicate a backup job once a disk-based backup job has been completed. For example, the administrator selects a scheduled backup job as the source. The backup job runs first. Once it is completed, the backup sets that were created can be copied to the destination you selected for the duplicate job. 12
Duplication of data makes disk staging simple and easy and ties directly into the disk backup scenarios presented previously. Duplication of data enables basic disk staging and lets IT administrators offload data to tape for true disaster recovery or to open up a temporary disk space being used for that backup job. Used in a disk-based backup strategy, Symantec Backup Exec 11d for Windows Servers helps reduce backup and restore windows while maximizing storage resources. Disk-based backup environments Backing up to disk can benefit almost any environment. Here are some example scenarios in which backing up to disk can be advantageous. Backup-to-disk on a local area network In this example, Backup Exec software backs up data on the local area network (LAN) onto a disk such as a network attached storage (NAS) appliance, Just a Bunch of Disks (JBOD), or a disk array instead of traditional media such as tape or a tape library. Backup-to-disk folders can be placed on direct attached storage running Windows operating systems, such as a disk array, an external USB disk device, or a NAS device (Windows Storage Server or a NetApp appliance) on the network (see Figure 1). File Server Exchange Server Disk Drive SQL Server Backup Exec Media Server SharePoint Server Tape Library Active Directory Figure 1. Backup-to-disk on a LAN 13
Backup-to-disk on a storage area network In this example, Backup Exec backs up data on the LAN via a SAN onto a disk array, instead of traditional media such as tape or a tape library (see Figure 2). When Backup Exec is used in a SAN, Symantec recommends the SAN Shared Storage Option. Refer to the Advanced disk-based backup and Shared storage options sections in the Symantec Backup Exec for Windows Servers Administrator s Guide. Disk Drive File Server Backup Exec Media Server Tape Library Exchange Server Backup Exec (Windows NAS) SQL Server Disk Drive SharePoint Server SAN Active Directory Backup Exec Media Server Tape Library Figure 2. Backup-to-disk on a SAN 14
Disk-to-disk-to-tape with backup-to-disk folders In the LAN example, backup-to-disk folders are used to stage data to a disk array. After the data has resided on the disk or disk array for a predetermined amount of time, it is transferred to tape for long-term storage (see Figure 3). Note: When creating a disk-to-disk-to-tape backup strategy, Symantec recommends that Backup Exec policies be used to help ensure automatic transfer of data to tape. Disk Drive File Server SQL Server Backup Exec Media Server File Server Tape Library Exchange Server Figure 3. Disk-to-disk-to-tape with backup-to-disk folders 15
Continuous protection of Exchange servers Backup Exec 11d introduces the ability to continuously protect Exchange servers. Using Granular Restore Technology and backing up the Exchange database to disk allows an IT administrator to recover individual mail messages, mailboxes, and entire Exchange databases without brick-level or mailbox backups (see Figure 4). Disk Drive Exchange Server Backup Exec Media Server Tape Library Figure 4. Continuous protection of Exchange servers 16
Continuous protection of remote offices A remote office can be protected by a disk array in the central data center. The data can then be backed up to tape for offsite storage (see Figure 5). File Server File Server File Server File Server WAN Disk Drive LAN Backup Exec Media Server Tape Library Exchange Server SharePoint Server File Server Figure 5. Continuous protection of remote offices 17
Symantec advantage in disk-based backup While the basic knowledge of disk-based backup has existed for some time, technical obstacles have prevented widespread adoption of this technology. These obstacles include disk cost, drive spanning, file management, and disk management. Symantec Backup Exec for Windows Servers is the market-leading Windows data protection solution. It provides the functionality needed by today s IT organizations to make disk-based backup effective and cost-efficient (see Table 1). Backup Exec software enables high-speed backups and restores. Consider the following capabilities: File management. Delivers configurable size limits and maximum number of files to be backed up. Media management. Backup-to-disk folders use familiar Backup Exec concepts like media sets and backup sets. Disk management. Provides early warnings to avoid disk-full errors, improving successful backups. Granular recovery. Using backup-to-disk folders or continuous protection can allow the use of Granular Recovery Technology for incredibly fast restores of individual email messages and Exchange folders (without brick-level backups), individual Active Directory objects, and SharePoint documents. Multistreaming. Enables high-speed backups for multiple backup jobs simultaneously to individual backup files (one file per job) on a disk. As indicated previously, multistreaming provides exceptional performance and storage granularity that tape solutions cannot approach, even with the most sophisticated multiplexing, multistreamed solutions. Removable backup-to-disk folder and drive spanning. Supports all rewritable removable media that have a file system driver, including DVD-RW, CD-RW, Iomega REV, and Blu-ray. The Backup Exec administration console is simple and easy to use with wizards that guide novices and seasoned storage professionals alike through the necessary steps to set up a backupto-disk job. 18
Table 1. Summary of benefits of disk-based backup and recovery with Backup Exec Feature Description Benefit Backup-to-Disk Folders Granular Recovery Technology Continuous Protection for Exchange Continuous Protection Server Backup Window Reduction Fast Restores Tape Utilization Reduction Use existing NTFS storage for backup and restore. Create a virtual tape library that can emulate up to 16 tape drives for concurrent operation. Enables multistreaming from a number of different sources locally, over the network, or over the SAN. Restore individual email messages and mailboxes without brick-level backups. Restore individual Active Directory objects. Restore individual SharePoint documents. Back up Exchange transaction logs in near real time for up-to-theminute protection. Back up files as they change for up-to-the-minute protection. Back up Exchange data to disk. Reliably and effectively back up remote offices. Reduce the backup window. Web-based restore method called Backup Exec Retrieve allows end users to restore their own files from a file server backup. Continuously protect Exchange and SQL application servers. Back up critical data to fast disk devices, and then offload to tape. Enjoy an easy-to-use intuitive interface designed for Windows data protection. Enable end users to restore their own files from a file server backup with Continuous Protection Server. Copy less data to tape using diskbased backup methods. Use reliable and redundant modern disks. Use nearly any NTFS device as a backup target SAN, NAS, direct attached storage. Use existing infrastructure to store backups. No need to purchase expensive virtual tape library hardware. Allows administrators to drastically cut backup and restore times. Restore only the Exchange/email data you want without having to perform brick-level backups. Quickly recover the most critical email messages, Active Directory objects, or SharePoint documents. Enables up-to-the-minute recovery of Exchange databases. Eliminates mailbox or brick-level backup. Reduces storage costs by leveraging disk as a staging area. Centralize data from remote offices, eliminating or reducing tape drive, media, and administrative overhead at that remote office. Spreads the backup overhead throughout the day. Backups occur as files change, which can be more efficient than backing up everything at the same time. Reduces administration and training costs. Back up data to disk at night, and then transfer to tape during the day outside of the backup window. Reduces training and administrative costs. Reduces costs by decreasing the number of tapes used. Keep important data on disk longer, reducing the amount of data transferred to tape. 19
Conclusion Disk-based data protection with Backup Exec 11d enables faster backups and reliable granular recovery of critical business data. Whether a company is running continuous or traditional diskbased backups, Backup Exec 11d provides innovative, cost-efficient data protection for today s disk-based Windows business. In addition, Backup Exec software s innovative technology provides the flexibility to grow and protect small offices to an enterprise Windows environment, including departmental workgroups, remote office environments, and critical data on desktops and laptops. Backup Exec 11d is the gold standard in Windows data recovery, providing a reliable, easy-to-manage data protection and recovery solution for companies running tape, disk, or continuous protection backups. 20
About Symantec Symantec is a global leader in infrastructure software, enabling businesses and consumers to have confidence in a connected world. The company helps customers protect their infrastructure, information, and interactions by delivering software and services that address risks to security, availability, compliance, and performance. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has operations in 40 countries. More information is available at www.symantec.com. For specific country offices and contact numbers, please visit our Web site. For product information in the U.S., call toll-free 1 (800) 745 6054. Symantec Corporation World Headquarters 20330 Stevens Creek Boulevard Cupertino, CA 95014 USA +1 (408) 517 8000 1 (800) 721 3934 www.symantec.com Copyright 2007 Symantec Corporation. All rights reserved. Symantec, the Symantec Logo, and Backup Exec are trademarks or registered trademarks of Symantec Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Microsoft, SharePoint, and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. 03/07 10753261