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Dell EMC ProtectPointVersion 4.7

Solutions Guide302-005-226

REV 02

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Published January 2019

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Published in the USA.

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2 ProtectPoint 4.7 Solutions Guide

5

ProtectPoint Family 9ProtectPoint family overview......................................................................10

File system agent........................................................................... 10Database application agent and Microsoft application agent...........11

ProtectPoint and traditional backup............................................................12Host considerations.................................................................................... 12

ProtectPoint for VMAX 13ProtectPoint for VMAX overview................................................................14

Basic backup workflow................................................................... 17Basic restore workflow...................................................................18

ProtectPoint for VMAX environment.......................................................... 21ProtectPoint for VMAX prerequisites......................................................... 22

File system agent prerequisites..................................................... 22Database application agent and Microsoft application agentprerequisites..................................................................................22VMAX prerequisites.......................................................................23Data Domain prerequisites............................................................. 24

FAST.X.......................................................................................................26SnapVX...................................................................................................... 26Solutions Enabler........................................................................................27ProtectPoint for VMAX supported replication topologies........................... 27

Supported VMAX Symmetrix Remote Data Facility replicationtopologies...................................................................................... 27Supported Data Domain replication topologies.............................. 34Supported VPLEX replication topologies....................................... 34

ProtectPoint for XtremIO 35ProtectPoint for XtremIO overview............................................................36ProtectPoint for XtremIO topology requirements.......................................36ProtectPoint for XtremIO components.......................................................38ProtectPoint for XtremIO prerequisites......................................................38

File system agent prerequisites..................................................... 38Database application agent and Microsoft application agentprerequisites..................................................................................38RecoverPoint prerequisites........................................................... 39XtremIO prerequisites....................................................................39Data Domain prerequisites.............................................................40

ProtectPoint for XtremIO supported replication topologies........................42Supported RecoverPoint replication topologies............................. 42Supported Data Domain replication topologies.............................. 43

ProtectPoint for XtremIO basic backup workflow...................................... 46ProtectPoint for XtremIO basic restore workflow...................................... 47

Preface

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

CONTENTS

ProtectPoint 4.7 Solutions Guide 3

Application Storage Configuration 49Application storage configuration overview................................................50Data Domain sizing considerations............................................................. 50Discovering application storage...................................................................51VMAX storage configuration....................................................................... 51

Provisioning LUNs on the VMAX array to the application recoveryhost................................................................................................51Encapsulating Data Domain devices on the VMAX array................52

RecoverPoint and XtremIO storage configuration...................................... 54Configure the XtremIO cluster.......................................................54Configure the RecoverPoint cluster.............................................. 54Configure the Data Domain system............................................... 54

Chapter 4

CONTENTS


Preface

As part of an effort to improve product lines, periodic revisions of software andhardware are released. Therefore, all versions of the software or hardware currently inuse might not support some functions that are described in this document. Theproduct release notes provide the most up-to-date information on product features.

If a product does not function correctly or does not function as described in thisdocument, contact a technical support professional.

Note

This document was accurate at publication time. To ensure that you are using thelatest version of this document, go to the Support website https://www.dell.com/support.

To access the ProtectPoint user documentation:

1. Go to https://support.emc.com/products.

2. In the search box, type ProtectPoint, and then select the product name thatappears.

3. Click Documentation.

PurposeThis document includes conceptual and overview information about the ProtectPointsolution.

AudienceThis document is intended for application administrators, backup administrators,storage administrators, and IT decision-makers that are looking for information aboutthe ProtectPoint solution to determine if it is the right fit for their environments. Thisdocument is relevant for both the ProtectPoint file system agent and ProtectPointapplication agents.

Revision historyThe following table presents the revision history of this document.

Table 1 Revision history

Revision Date Description

02 January 4, 2019 Removed all references to ProtectPoint for virtualmachines, as the feature is not supported in thisrelease.

01 December 14, 2018 Initial release of the ProtectPoint Solutions Guideversion 4.7.

The following publications provide additional information:

l ProtectPoint Solutions Guide

l ProtectPoint Primary and Protection Storage Configuration Guide

l File System Agent Installation and Administration Guide


https://www.dell.com/support


https://support.emc.com/products

l File System Agent Release Notes

l Database Application Agent Installation and Administration Guide

l Database Application Agent Release Notes

l Microsoft Application Agent Installation Guide

l Microsoft Application Agent Exchange Server User Guide

l Microsoft Application Agent SQL Server User Guide

l Microsoft Application Agent Release Notes

For compatibility information, including specific backup software and hardwareconfigurations, visit:

http://compatibilityguide.emc.com:8080/CompGuideApp/

The documentation for the following products provides additional information:

l Data Domain

l Data Protection Manager (DPM)

l VMAX

l XtremIO

l RecoverPoint

Special notice conventions that are used in this documentThe following conventions are used for special notices:

NOTICE

Identifies content that warns of potential business or data loss.

Note

Contains information that is incidental, but not essential, to the topic.

Typographical conventionsThe following type style conventions are used in this document:

Table 2 Style conventions

Bold Used for interface elements that a user specifically selects or clicks,for example, names of buttons, fields, tab names, and menu paths.Also used for the name of a dialog box, page, pane, screen area withtitle, table label, and window.

Italic Used for full titles of publications that are referenced in text.

Monospace Used for:

l System code

l System output, such as an error message or script

l Pathnames, file names, file name extensions, prompts, andsyntax

l Commands and options

Monospace italic Used for variables.

Monospace bold Used for user input.

Preface



Table 2 Style conventions (continued)

[ ] Square brackets enclose optional values.

| Vertical line indicates alternate selections. The vertical line means orfor the alternate selections.

{ } Braces enclose content that the user must specify, such as x, y, or z.

... Ellipses indicate non-essential information that is omitted from theexample.

You can use the following resources to find more information about this product,obtain support, and provide feedback.

Where to find product documentation

l https://www.dell.com/support

l https://community.emc.com

Where to get supportThe Support website https://www.dell.com/support provides access to productlicensing, documentation, advisories, downloads, and how-to and troubleshootinginformation. The information can enable you to resolve a product issue before youcontact Support.

To access a product-specific page:

1. Go to https://www.dell.com/support.

2. In the search box, type a product name, and then from the list that appears, selectthe product.

KnowledgebaseThe Knowledgebase contains applicable solutions that you can search for either bysolution number (for example, KB000xxxxxx) or by keyword.

To search the Knowledgebase:


2. On the Support tab, click Knowledge Base.

3. In the search box, type either the solution number or keywords. Optionally, youcan limit the search to specific products by typing a product name in the searchbox, and then selecting the product from the list that appears.

Live chatTo participate in a live interactive chat with a support agent:


2. On the Support tab, click Contact Support.

3. On the Contact Information page, click the relevant support, and then proceed.

Service requestsTo obtain in-depth help from Licensing, submit a service request. To submit a servicerequest:


2. On the Support tab, click Service Requests.

Preface



https://community.emc.com






Note

To create a service request, you must have a valid support agreement. For detailsabout either an account or obtaining a valid support agreement, contact a salesrepresentative. To get the details of a service request, in the Service RequestNumber field, type the service request number, and then click the right arrow.

To review an open service request:


2. On the Support tab, click Service Requests.

3. On the Service Requests page, under Manage Your Service Requests, clickView All Dell Service Requests.

Online communitiesFor peer contacts, conversations, and content on product support and solutions, go tothe Community Network https://community.emc.com. Interactively engage withcustomers, partners, and certified professionals online.

How to provide feedbackFeedback helps to improve the accuracy, organization, and overall quality ofpublications. You can send feedback to [email protected].

Preface



https://community.emc.com

mailto:[email protected]

CHAPTER 1

ProtectPoint Family

Topics include:

l ProtectPoint family overview............................................................................. 10l ProtectPoint and traditional backup................................................................... 12l Host considerations............................................................................................ 12

ProtectPoint Family 9

ProtectPoint family overviewThe ProtectPoint family consists of the file system agent, the database applicationagent, and the Microsoft application agent.

ProtectPoint for VMAX provides data protection for application data that is hosted onVMAX storage systems.

ProtectPoint for XtremIO uses RecoverPoint to provide data protection forapplication data hosted on XtremIO storage systems.

The following terms describe the supported replication topologies:

Backup

Data protection method that provides block movement of the application data onprimary storage LUNs to a Data Domain system. Also used to refer to the copiescreated on the Data Domain system.

Full application rollback restore

Block movement of the data from the copies on the Data Domain system to therestore destination LUNs on primary storage.

Object level restore

Makes the copies that are on Data Domain available for mount to the recoveryhost. The database application agent and the Microsoft application agent alsorestore the files that are required for recovery automatically.

File system agentThe file system agent includes the following features:

l Provides commands that you can use to trigger the primary storage to DataDomain workflow for backup and restore operations.

l Provides commands for lifecycle management of the backups.

l Triggers backup and restore operations on the primary storage system and DataDomain system through the use of primary storage system features and DataDomain block services (called Data Domain vdisk) for ProtectPoint managementlibraries, respectively.

l Operates on the device level. ProtectPoint works with primary storage LUNs andData Domain block services for ProtectPoint devices, not with file system objects.

Note

The file system agent cannot operate in a non-English environment or locale, and doesnot support any non-ASCII input or output.

Use the file system agent to perform the following operations:

l Create a snapshot of the production application LUNs on the primary storagesystem.

l Trigger the movement of data that is created from the backups on the primarystorage system to the Data Domain devices.

l Create a static image for each LUN in the dataset on the Data Domain system.

l Securely manage the credentials for the Data Domain systems and RecoverPointcluster.

ProtectPoint Family


l Scan the Data Domain system for backups that other ProtectPoint applicationscreate in addition to backups created by the file system agent.

l Roll back a specified backup to its original source devices.

l Restore a backup to the restore devices.

l Manage the ProtectPoint backup and scan catalog.

l Manage the lifecycles of the data backups by listing and optionally deletingexisting backups.

l Display the ProtectPoint version number.

l Validate the content and format of the configuration files.

Configuration fileThe file system agent configuration file specifies information about:

l The file system agent protected environment, including the Data Domain name andusername.

l Backup and restore source devices or groups.

l Performing restores and rollbacks.

The file system agent provides the following template configuration files:

l ProtectPoint for VMAX environments

l ProtectPoint for RecoverPoint environments

Select a template, make a copy of the template, and then modify the copy as required.After you make the copy of the configuration template file, specify the environmentinformation in the copy. When you set up the file system agent on the applicationrecovery host, modify the configuration file to include the specific details about thedevices. You can have any number of configuration files.

You must also update the lockbox with the Data Domain and optionally theRecoverPoint passwords.

Database application agent and Microsoft application agentThe database application agent includes the following features:

l Provides the ability to perform backups and restores of DB2, Oracle, or SAP withOracle database data that resides on the primary storage system to protectionstorage on a Data Domain system.

l Provides an integrated experience by using the database specific backup andrecovery tools, such as DB2 CLI, Oracle RMAN, or BR*Tools.

The Microsoft application agent includes the following features:

l Provides the ability to perform backups and restores of Microsoft Exchange andMicrosoft SQL database data that resides on the primary storage system toprotection storage on a Data Domain system.

Note

Both agents cannot operate in a non-English environment or locale, and do notsupport any non-ASCII input or output.

Both agents include the following features:

l Provide application consistent ProtectPoint backups without manual interventionby the application administrator.

ProtectPoint Family

Database application agent and Microsoft application agent 11

l Operates on the database level, so the database application agent softwareautomatically discovers the primary storage devices where database objectsreside.

l Restores automatically from a replicated backup on a secondary Data Domainsystem when the primary Data Domain system is unavailable.

l Supports listing and lifecycle management of backups using the native databasebackup functionality, and deletion of backups that are no longer required.

l Discover corresponding backup devices. To discover the corresponding backupdevices, the agents use the backup link that is established with the VMAX primarystorage.

l Provides the ability to perform backups and restores over an Ethernet (IP) or FibreChannel (FC) connection.

l Supports Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) for backups and restores.

l Supports the Data Domain IPv6, IPv4, and mixed IPv4 and IPv6 networks.

ProtectPoint and traditional backupThe ProtectPoint workflow can provide data protection in situations where moretraditional approaches cannot successfully meet the business requirements. Thebusiness demands can include small or non-existent backup windows, demandingrecovery time objective (RTO) or recovery point objective (RPO) requirements, or acombination of both.

Unlike traditional backup and recovery, ProtectPoint does not rely on a separateprocess to discover the backup data and additional actions to move that data tobackup storage. Instead of using dedicated hardware and network resources,ProtectPoint uses existing application and storage capabilities to create point in timecopies of large data sets. The copies are transported across a SAN to Data Domainsystems to protect the copies while providing deduplication to maximize storageefficiency. ProtectPoint minimizes the time that is required to protect large data sets,and enables backups to fit into the smallest of backup windows to meet demandingRTO or RPO requirements.

Host considerationsThe following host considerations can impact the ProtectPoint performance:

l For Fibre Channel (FC) multipathing, verify that enough FC ports are available onthe primary storage system, the Data Domain system, the host, and the FC switch.

Note

The number of paths that are required depends on the I/O load and theenvironment performance requirements.

l For IP network redundancy, verify that enough Ethernet ports and interfaces areavailable to create the redundant configuration.

ProtectPoint Family


CHAPTER 2

ProtectPoint for VMAX

Topics include:

l ProtectPoint for VMAX overview....................................................................... 14l ProtectPoint for VMAX environment..................................................................21l ProtectPoint for VMAX prerequisites.................................................................22l FAST.X.............................................................................................................. 26l SnapVX.............................................................................................................. 26l Solutions Enabler............................................................................................... 27l ProtectPoint for VMAX supported replication topologies...................................27

ProtectPoint for VMAX 13

ProtectPoint for VMAX overviewProtectPoint for VMAX integrates the primary storage on VMAX and the protectionstorage on the Data Domain system. ProtectPoint provides block movement of thedata on application source LUNs to the Data Domain system.

ProtectPoint requires both IP network (LAN or WAN) and FC storage area network(SAN) connectivity. The following table lists the required topologies for connectingeach component.

Figure 1 ProtectPoint for VMAX environment

Table 3 ProtectPoint topology requirements

Connected components Connection type

Primary application host to primary storage system FC SAN

Primary recovery host to primary storage system FC SAN

IP LAN (andoptionally FC SAN)

Primary recovery host to primary Data Domain system

Primary storage system to primary Data Domain system FC SAN

(Optional) Secondary recovery host to secondary storage system FC SAN

(Optional) Secondary recovery host to secondary Data Domain system IP LAN (andoptionally FC SAN)

(Optional) Secondary storage system to secondary Data Domainsystem

FC SAN

(Optional) Primary application host to secondary Data Domain system IP WAN (andoptionally FC SAN)



Table 3 ProtectPoint topology requirements (continued)


(Optional) Primary Data Domain system to secondary Data Domainsystem

IP WAN

The following figure displays a sample primary site topology.

Figure 2 Sample primary site ProtectPoint topology

In this figure the numbers represent the following:

1. Application host

2. Recovery host

3. Primary storage production device 0001A

4. Primary storage production device 0001B

5. Backup device 000BA (Data Domain vdisk device that is encapsulated to theprimary storage system)

6. Backup device 000BB (Data Domain vdisk device that is encapsulated to theprimary storage system)

7. Primary storage restore destination device 0001C

8. Primary storage restore destination device 0001D

9. Restore device 000BC (Data Domain vdisk device that is encapsulated to theprimary storage system)

10. Restore device 000BD (Data Domain vdisk device that is encapsulated to theprimary storage system)

11. Data Domain vdisk device for backup device 00BA


ProtectPoint for VMAX overview 15

Figure 2 Sample primary site ProtectPoint topology (continued)

12. Data Domain vdisk device for backup device 00BB

13. Data Domain vdisk device for restore device 00BC

14. Data Domain vdisk device for restore device 00BD

ProtectPoint works with the features on the Data Domain system and the primarystorage system to provide primary storage to Data Domain protection. ProtectPointuses the following features:

l On the Data Domain system:

n Block services for ProtectPoint

n FastCopy

l On the VMAX storage array:

n FAST.X

n SnapVX

The following figure displays the data movement from the application host to theVMAX array, and then to the Data Domain system.

Figure 3 Data movement


1. Application hostApplication host software:2. Application3. Host file system4. Host operating system5. Solutions EnablerVMAX system:6. Primary storage software features that work with Data Domain features7. Primary storage production device8. Primary storage backup device9. Copy changed blocks to the Data Domain systemData Domain system:10. Data Domain block services for ProtectPoint device



Figure 3 Data movement (continued)

11. Data Domain static image

ProtectPoint enables an application administrator to leverage the ProtectPointworkflow to protect applications and application data. The storage administratorconfigures the underlying storage resources on the primary storage system and theData Domain system. With this storage configuration information and theProtectPoint software executable, the application administrator can trigger theworkflow to protect the application. Before triggering the workflow, the applicationadministrator must quiesce the application to ensure that an application consistentsnapshot is preserved on the Data Domain system.

Note

The ProtectPoint database application agent and Microsoft application agent workwith the application to quiesce the application automatically.

In addition to backing up and protecting data, the application administrator must retainand replicate copies, restore data, and recover applications. The applicationadministrator can use ProtectPoint to complete all these operations.

For restoring data, ProtectPoint enables the application administrator to select aspecific backup and make that backup available to the application host. TheProtectPoint file system agent provides a copy of the data, but not any applicationintelligence, and therefore the administrator must perform the mount and restoremanually on the recovery host. However, the ProtectPoint database application agentand Microsoft application agent provide full application integration and end-to-endrestore operations.

Basic backup workflowIn the basic backup workflow, data is transferred from the primary storage system tothe Data Domain system. ProtectPoint manages the data flow, but does not modifythe data.

To create a copy or backup of application data, the application administrator or otherappropriate user must ensure that the copy or backup is application consistent. Theapplication administrator or other appropriate user must quiesce the applicationbefore initiating the backup operation. Using ProtectPoint to create a snapshot on theprimary storage system while the application is quiesced enables the applicationadministrator to minimize the disruption to the application.

After creating the snapshot, the application administrator uses ProtectPoint to movethe snapshot to the Data Domain system. The primary storage system tracks the datathat has changed since the last snapshot was moved to the Data Domain system, andonly copies the changed data. After all the data that is captured in the snapshot issent to the Data Domain system, ProtectPoint creates a static image on the DataDomain system. The static image contains the data that reflects the applicationconsistent copy that is initially created on the primary storage system.

The static image and any additional metadata can be managed separately from thesnapshot on the primary storage system, and can be a source from which to createadditional copies of the backup. Static images that are complete with metadata arecalled backup images. ProtectPoint creates one backup image for every protectedLUN. Backup images can be combined into backup sets that represent an entireapplication point in time backup.

With the file system agent, the backup workflow consists of the following steps:


Basic backup workflow 17

1. On the application host, the application administrator quiesces the application.

2. The administrator uses ProtectPoint to create a snapshot of the primary storagedevice. It is safe to unquiesce the application when this step is complete.

3. The administrator uses ProtectPoint to analyze and copy the changed data to anencapsulated Data Domain storage device.

The following figure displays the basic backup workflow.

Figure 4 Basic backup workflow


1. Application host2. Primary storage production device 0001A3. Primary storage production device 0001B4. Backup device 000BA5. Backup device 000BB6. Data Domain vdisk device for backup device 000BA7. Data Domain vdisk device for backup device 000BB

Basic restore workflowThe application administrator can perform three types of restores:

l Object level restore from the backup image on Data Domain by using FAST.Xencapsulated devices.

If the restore is from the last backup, ProtectPoint first tries to use the localsnapshot that is retained for the ProtectPoint backup, to optimize the restoreperformance.

In this type of restore, the ProtectPoint file system agent provides an instantaccess to the backup image on Data Domain or the local snapshot. Then the



application administrator can import the volume group and mount the file systemof that backup image, and restore one or more files from the backup image to thefinal destination. The ProtectPoint database application agent and Microsoftapplication agent perform all the steps required to restore the database filesautomatically.

l Full application rollback restore from the backup image on Data Domain by usingFAST.X encapsulated devices.

If the restore is from the last backup, ProtectPoint first tries to use the localsnapshot that is retained for the ProtectPoint backup, to optimize the restoreperformance.

In this type of restore, ProtectPoint rolls back the entire image of the target LUNsto the backup image by using a VMAX LUN level restore. This restore type is mostoptimized when you restore to the original devices where the backup originated. Inthat case, VMAX only copies the blocks that are different from those on DataDomain, which is called a differential restore. Otherwise, VMAX copies every blockfrom Data Domain to the final destination.

l Last resort restore directly to the host from Data Domain restore devices.

If you have a VMAX on the site where you restore the data, use one of thepreceding types of restore. Use a last resort restore only if there is no VMAX onthe target site that supports ProtectPoint operations and you have only a recoveryapplication host and Data Domain. As long as you have FC SAN connectivity to theData Domain, ProtectPoint enables you to instantly access the backup images andrestore the data to any target storage platform. However, for this restore type,you need the FC SAN connectivity from the recovery application host to DataDomain and the configuration of additional vdisk restore devices.

For any type of restore, the application administrator selects the backup image torestore from the Data Domain system.

The object level restore from a backup image on Data Domain by using FAST.Xencapsulated devices consists of the following steps:

1. The Data Domain system writes the static image to the encapsulated storagedevice, making it available on the primary storage system via the FAST.X restoredevice.

2. With the ProtectPoint file system agent, the application administrator manuallymounts the FAST.X restore device on the host. The application administrator usesOS and application specific tools and commands to restore specific objects to anyrequired restore destination device.

With the database application agent or Microsoft application agent, the agentautomatically mounts the FAST.X restore device on the host. The agent uses OSand application specific tools and commands to restore specific objects to anyrequired restore destination device.

The following figure displays the object level restore from Data Domain by usingFAST.X.


Basic restore workflow 19

Figure 5 Object level restore workflow


1. Recovery host2. Primary storage production device 0001C3. Primary storage production device 0001D4. Recovery FAST.X device 000BC5. Recovery FAST.X device 000BD6. Data Domain vdisk device for recovery FAST.X device 000BC7. Data Domain vdisk device for recovery FAST.X device 000BD

The full application rollback restore to the original production source LUN by usingFAST.X encapsulated devices consists of the following steps:

1. The Data Domain system writes the static image to the encapsulated storagedevice, making it available on the primary storage system.

2. The FAST.X restore devices are copied to the target production devices,overwriting the contents of the target devices.

The following figure displays the full application rollback restore workflow to theVMAX production devices.



Figure 6 Full application rollback restore to the production devices


1. Application host2. Primary storage production device 0001A3. Primary storage production device 0001B4. Recovery FAST.X device 000BC5. Recovery FAST.X device 000BD6. Data Domain vdisk device for recovery FAST.X device 000BC7. Data Domain vdisk device for recovery FAST.X device 000BD

ProtectPoint for VMAX environmentThe ProtectPoint for VMAX environment consists of the following components:

l Data Domain:

n A Data Domain system with a supported Data Domain operating system.

n Data Domain block services for ProtectPoint.

n (Optional) Data Domain replication license.

l VMAX:

n A VMAX array.

n A VMAX license is required for ProtectPoint.

n Solutions Enabler in local mode on the application recovery host.

l Application:

n Application host.


ProtectPoint for VMAX environment 21

n ProtectPoint agent on the application host.

To view the supported versions of components, go to:


ProtectPoint for VMAX prerequisitesThe following are prerequisites for all ProtectPoint for VMAX operations.

File system agent prerequisitesThe following are file system agent prerequisites for VMAX operations:

l The required software licenses must be installed for ProtectPoint, for example, thelicense for Solutions Enabler or any other software component for VMAX. Contactyour sales representative for more details about the required licenses for yourenvironment.

l The file system agent can be installed on any host that has access to VMAX orRecoverPoint, and is configured to operate the agent.

l The vdisk service must be enabled, and the vdisk user account must be created.You can run the vdisk status command to confirm that the vdisk service isenabled. For example:

vdisk status

VDISK admin state: enabled, process is running, licensedl DD Boost must be enabled, and the DD Boost user account must be created. You

can run the ddboost status command to confirm that DD Boost is enabled. Forexample:

ddboost status

DD Boost status: enabledl Solutions Enabler must be installed on the file system agent host.

If you have a user that is not root, the Solutions Enabler documentation providesinformation about how to configure a user account without root access.

l Solutions Enabler requires gatekeepers that are configured and masked to theapplication host. The ProtectPoint Primary and Protection Storage ConfigurationGuide provides more information about configuring gatekeepers.

l The Solutions Enabler configuration database must be up-to-date on any hostwhere a backup or recovery might run. To update the database with the completeVMAX information for the host, run the symcfg discover command prior to abackup. The Solutions Enabler documentation provides more information.

Database application agent and Microsoft application agent prerequisitesThe database and Microsoft application agent prerequisites for ProtectPointoperations are as follows:




l The required software licenses must be installed for ProtectPoint. Contact yoursales representative for more details about the required licenses for yourenvironment.

l The application agent must be installed on the production host and recovery host.

l The vdisk service must be enabled, and the vdisk user account must be created.

l DD Boost must be enabled, and the DD Boost user account must be created.

l The Solutions Enabler database must be up-to-date on any host where a backup orrecovery might run. To update the Solutions Enabler database, type the symcfgdiscover command. The Solutions Enabler documentation provides moreinformation.

l Solutions Enabler requires gatekeepers that are configured and masked to theapplication host. The ProtectPoint Primary and Protection Storage ConfigurationGuide provides more information about configuring gatekeepers.

VMAX prerequisitesThe following are VMAX prerequisites for all ProtectPoint for VMAX operations:

l A VMAX array.

l Solutions Enabler in local mode on the application recovery host.

l The required VMAX source capacity licenses.

l DX directors on the VMAX system are available to encapsulate the Data Domainprotection storage.

l If the application data is located on LUNs from multiple VMAX arrays, the restoredevices are configured in the same Data Domain vdisk pool.

l SAN zoning between the VMAX FA and DX ports and the application recoveryhosts:

n Ensure that one DX emulation exists on each director within the same engine.Each DX emulation requires two ports exclusively for zoning to the DataDomain system.

n For FC zoning with a single SAN switch, create zones between four VMAX DXports and two Data Domain ports.

n For FC zoning with two SAN switches, create zones between four VMAX DXports and four Data Domain ports.

The following figure displays an example of a single SAN switch zoningconfiguration.


VMAX prerequisites 23

Figure 7 SAN zoning example

Data Domain prerequisitesThe following are Data Domain prerequisites for all ProtectPoint for VMAX operations:

l A Data Domain system that ProtectPoint supports.

l IP connectivity to the Data Domain systems on TCP port 3009.

l DD Boost service is enabled and then a storage unit is created.

l Block services for ProtectPoint are enabled on the Data Domain system.

Data Domain block services for ProtectPoint allow you to create devices, devicegroups, and device pools. The DD Boost service allows you to configure storageunits. Block services also provide additional functionality, such as creating staticimages (snapshots) and replicating data.

The Data Domain Operating System Command Reference Guide provides moreinformation about the block services for ProtectPoint and the vdisk commandsthat control them.

The following topics provide more details about the block services prerequisites.

l The Data Domain file system (DDFS) stores the block services for ProtectPointobjects. For example, a block services static image can be treated as a file thatresides within the DDFS. Therefore, replicating a static image is the same asreplicating a file. By leveraging the services that are provided by the DDFS, theblock service for ProtectPoint can efficiently create static images of LUNs.

Note

The DDFS automatically defragments backups that are created in a ProtectPointenvironment to prevent performance degradation over time.

The Data Domain Operating System Administration Guide provides more informationabout the DDFS.



Data Domain block services prerequisites

The prerequisites for Data Domain block services operations are as follows:

l Configure a username and password for ownership of the Data Domain blockservices for ProtectPoint devices.It is recommended that you create this user with the none role. If required, otherroles can be configured.

l Apply a Data Domain block services for ProtectPoint license.

Block services for ProtectPoint object hierarchy

To plan the ProtectPoint configuration, use the object hierarchy mappings in thefollowing table.

Table 4 Block services for ProtectPoint object hierarchy mappings

Storage object Mapping level

Pool Department

Device group Application

Device Device

By default, access control is implemented at the pool level. If additional granularity isrequired, create the pools based on the access control requirements.

Data Domain storage layout

The following figure displays the storage layout of the Data Domain File System(DDFS).

Figure 8 DDFS storage layout


1. /data2. /data/col13. /data/col1/backup


Data Domain prerequisites 25

Figure 8 DDFS storage layout (continued)

4. /data/col1/MTree25. /data/col1/MTree3

The following table describes each element of the DDFS storage layout.

Table 5 DDFS storage elements

DDFS directory Description

/data Top level directory of the Data Domain storage file system. Thisdirectory cannot be changed.

/data/col1 Represents a collection of data, and enables the expansion of thefile system by creating additional collections, col2, col3, col4, andso on.

/data/col1/backup Contains backups of the data and directory structure of thecollection. This MTree cannot be deleted or renamed.Subdirectories can be created to organize and separate the data.

/data/col1/MTree<X> Represents the lowest level of the Data Domain storage filesystem. Each MTree is an independently managed directory. DataDomain allows up to 100 MTrees to be created, but performancedegradation occurs when more than 32 MTrees are active at onetime.

FAST.XFAST.X provides the ability to attach external storage to a VMAX array. Attachingexternal storage enables storage administrators or other users to use the physical diskspace on a storage system that is not a VMAX array while gaining access to VMAXfeatures. These features include local replication, remote replication, storage tiering,data management, and data migration. In addition, FAST.X simplifies the managementof storage arrays.

ProtectPoint uses the encapsulation functionality of FAST.X to preserve the existingdata on the Data Domain storage, and enables a user to access the external LUNsthrough the VMAX array. The Data Domain devices are encapsulated and exportedfrom the VMAX array as thin devices.

ProtectPoint supports FAST.X intelligent pairing to allow the VMAX to automaticallychoose the encapsulated devices to use for a restore operation.

The Solutions Enabler Symmetrix Array Controls CLI Product Guide provides moreinformation about FAST.X.

SnapVXSnapVX is a snapshot mechanism that is available on the VMAX array. The VMAX toData Domain workflow uses SnapVX technology to create snapshots on the VMAXarray and efficiently move data to the Data Domain system without impacting the hostapplication.

TimeFinder SnapVX provides very low impact snapshots for VMAX data volumes.Users can assign names to identify their snapshots, and can optionally set automatic



expiration dates on each snapshot. SnapVX provides the ability to manage consistentpoint in time copies for storage groups with a single operation.

The Solutions Enabler TimeFinder Family CLI User Guide provides more informationabout SnapVX.

Solutions EnablerSolutions Enabler is an interface that enables the application administrator or otheruser to configure storage resources, take snapshots, and perform other operations onthe VMAX array. To perform supported operations on the VMAX array, such as takinglocal data snapshots, a script or external management entity can use SolutionsEnabler.

The Solutions Enabler Array Management CLI User Guide provides more informationabout Solutions Enabler.

Note

When you install Solutions Enabler, configure it to use the same user account on theapplication recovery host as the ProtectPoint file system agent. The Solutions Enablerdocumentation provides information on how to configure a user account without rootaccess.

ProtectPoint for VMAX supported replication topologiesProtectPoint for VMAX supports several replication topologies.

Supported VMAX Symmetrix Remote Data Facility replication topologiesProtectPoint supports several Symmetrix Remote Data Facility (SRDF) configurationsand topologies.

The online software compatibility guide, available at http://compatibilityguide.emc.com:8080/CompGuideApp/, provides details about supportedenvironments and platforms.

Note

The first full backup after a full restore triggers a full SRDF replication.

The following VMAX documentation provides details about the interaction betweenSRDF and SnapVX:

l Appendix B SRDF operations and TimeFinder sessions of the Solutions EnablerSRDF Family CLI User Guide

l Appendix B SRDF State Rules Reference of the Solutions Enabler TimeFinder FamilyCLI User Guide

The following tables display whether the specified ProtectPoint operations aresupported on the corresponding site when there is a VMAX SRDF in synchronousmode (SRDF/S), asynchronous mode (SRDF/A), or SRDF/Metro from site 1 to site 2.

Any site that has the backup or restore supported requires:

l A physical Fibre Channel connection to Data Domain.l Primary and protection storage that is provisioned correctly.

For information about provisioning, refer to the ProtectPoint Primary and ProtectionStorage Configuration Guide.


Solutions Enabler 27



Table 6 SRDF/S support

Operation Site 1 Site 2

File system agent backup Supported Supported

Database application agent backup Supported Supported, exceptwith Oracle ASM

File system agent full application rollback restore Supported Supported

Database application agent full application rollbackrestore

Supported Supported, exceptwith Oracle ASM

File system agent object level restore Supported Supported

Database application agent object level restore (point-in-time restore)

Supported Supported, exceptwith Oracle ASM

Table 7 SRDF/A support



Database application agent backup Supported Not supported


Database application agent full application rollback restore Supported Not supported



Supported Not supported

Table 8 SRDF/Metro support



Database application agent backup Supported Supported


Database application agent full application rollback restore Supported Supported



Supported Supported

SRDF/SThe file system agent is agnostic to SRDF/S. A user can decide what sites to backupand what sites to restore to. To perform a rollback restore at site 2, a user mustsuspend SRDF/S, perform the rollback restore, and then restore the link.

Different from the file system agent, the database application agent discovers theSRDF/S link and corresponding site 2 devices. In addition to backing up from site 1devices, the database application agent can perform backups from site 2 automaticallywhen configured to do so. The database application agent can also perform rollback



from site 2 to site 1 automatically when the agent is running from the application hostat site 1.

Note

The database application agent cannot perform backups concurrently at site 1 and site2 in the same backup job.

It does not matter which site a backup is taken from, the file system agent or thedatabase application agent can enable or perform an object level restore to a recoveryhost on any site. Restore devices must be provisioned to the recovery host.

Note

With the database application agent, rollback restore at site 2 is not supportedbecause data is always rolled back to the original VMAX source devices at site 1.

In the following diagram, a source LUN referred to as R1 on the site 1 array isassociated with a source LUN referred to as R2 on the site 2 array. The SRDF/Ssoftware maintains continuous synchronization of the two sources by copying allchanges from the R1 LUN to the R2 LUN.

Refer to the File System Agent Installation and Administration Guide and DatabaseApplication Agent Installation and Administration Guide for configuration details.

Figure 9 ProtectPoint backup from site 2


Supported VMAX Symmetrix Remote Data Facility replication topologies 29

In the following diagram, a source LUN referred to as R1 on the site 1 array isassociated with a source LUN referred to as R2 on the site 2 array. The SRDF/Ssoftware maintains continuous synchronization of the two sources by copying allchanges from the R1 LUN to the R2 LUN. Also, site 1 and site 2 have a Fibre Channelconnection to their own Data Domain Restorer (DDR). There is no Data Domainreplication between the DDRs.

In this topology, frequent backups can be taken at site1, and less frequent backupscan be taken at site 2 using the SRDF/S link.

Figure 10 ProtectPoint backup from site 1 and site 2

SRDF/AThe file system agent is agnostic to SRDF/A. A user can decide what sites to backupand what sites to restore to. To perform a rollback restore, a user must suspendSRDF/A, and then restore the link.

The database application agent can back up and roll back from site 1.

It does not matter which site a backup is taken from, the file system agent or thedatabase application agent can enable or perform an object level restore to a recoveryhost on any site. Restore devices must be provisioned to the recovery host.



NOTICE

If a snapshot and backup are performed using a site 2 device, the data is a lagged copyof the production data. Therefore, if the application data flushes any data duringquiesce mode, data may not be captured on site 2 when a snapshot is taken from site2. In this case, to ensure that the remote target datafile is updated with quiesced databefore a snapshot and backup are performed on the R2 device, use a SRDFcheckpoint command.

SRDF/MetroProtectPoint provides limited support for SRDF/Metro. For an overview of SRDF/Metro and information about best practices, refer to the SRDF/Metro Overview andBest Practices Technical Notes.

The following figure displays the only SRDF/Metro topology that ProtectPoint agentssupport.

Figure 11 SRDF/Metro topology



Note

If the application host is a single host, multipathing is required.

In the diagram, a source LUN referred to as R1 on the site 1 array is associated with asource LUN referred to as R2 on the site 2 array.

ProtectPoint supports a SRDF/Metro topology that has the following characteristics:

l Both VMAX arrays have a Fibre Channel network connection to the same DataDomain.

l ProtectPoint FAST.X backup and restore devices are configured for both VMAXarrays.

l ProtectPoint is aware of the SRDF/Metro device status and can perform a backupfrom the suitable device in the pair.

l Restores are performed from the Data Domain or VMAX local snapshot to the R1device that is read/write accessible at the time of the restore.

l On the application host systems, Solutions Enabler 8.4 or later is installed.

l ProtectPoint supports all SRDF/Metro witness configurations. Refer to theSolutions Enabler SRDF Family CLI User Guide for more information about witnessconfigurations.

To configure SRDF/Metro for ProtectPoint, the storage administrator must createthe initial SnapVX link from both R1 and R2 devices to their FAST.X encapsulatedbackup devices.

Note

The file system agent is completely agnostic to multipathing or anything else in thehost I/O stack, for example, applications, file system, volume managers, and so on.The database application agent is not agnostic to multipathing.

The following are additional configuration considerations and requirements forProtectPoint file system agent and database application agent operations.

File system agent backup operations

l The ProtectPoint file system agent configuration file must specify the R1 orR2 SYMID and DEVID or the device group that contains these identifiers.Refer to the File System Agent Installation and Administration Guide forinformation about how to specify devices or groups in theBACKUP_SOURCE_DEVICES section of the VMAX configuration file.

l The file system agent checks whether a specified device is a part of a SRDFgroup and whether that group is part of a Metro configuration.

l When an application data is on one or more devices that are part of a SRDF/Metro group, the file system agent automatically discovers the R1-R2 pair forthe devices, and then uses the R1 device for the rest of operations.

File system agent rollback operations

l Before performing a rollback, the SRDF link must be manually suspended.

l The file system agent always rolls back to the R1 device that is associatedwith the devices that are backed up. The file system agent can be configuredto filter the rollback operation. Refer to the File System Agent Installation andAdministration Guide for information about how to filter devices with theRESTORE_SOURCE_DEVICES section of the VMAX configuration file.



l If a device is no longer part of the SRDF/Metro, the rollback behavior is thesame as a non-SRDF/Metro configuration and the rollback is performed tothe original source device that was backed up.

l If the goal is to restore to a different SYMID:DEVID than the R1 device, thefile system agent must be configured to specify the different rollback targetdevices. Refer to the File System Agent Installation and Administration Guide forinformation about how to specify rollback target devices with theROLLBACK_TARGET_DEVICES section of the VMAX configuration file.

l Rollback operations use the local SnapVX snapshot only when the localsnapshot on the restore target VMAX is the same as the one that was usedduring the backup for the specified backup identifier. Otherwise, the rollbackuses the copy on the Data Domain.

l After performing a rollback, the SRDF link must be re-established.

l The file system agent can be configured to disable SRDF/Metro support.Refer to the File System Agent Installation and Administration Guide forinformation about how to update the ProtectPoint file system agentconfiguration file to disable SRDF/Metro support.

File system agent object level restore operations

l During an object level restore through a FAST.X encapsulated restore device,the restore workflow by default always allocates the restore device from theVMAX array where the backup is taken from, that is the R1 site at the backuptime.

ProtectPoint 4.6 introduced support for the object level restore from theother VMAX system when you setVMAX_FASTX_RESTORE_SG=[<SymmID>]:<storage_group>.

Database application agent backup operations

l If the application data is on one or more devices that are part of a SRDF/Metro group, the database application automatically discovers the R1-R2 pairfor the devices, and then uses the R1 device for the rest of the operations.

Database application agent rollback operations

l Before performing a rollback, the SRDF link must be manually suspended.

l The database application agent discovers the R1 at the time of the restore androlls back to R1 regardless of which site was used during the backup. If thedevice is no longer part of the SRDF/Metro, the rollback behavior is the sameas a non-SRDF/Metro configuration and the rollback is performed to theoriginal source device that was backed up.

When the operation is a rollback to alternate LUNs, the rollback is performedto the specified destination. The Database Application Agent Installation andAdministration Guide provides more details.

l Rollback operations use the local SnapVX snapshot only when the localsnapshot on the restore target VMAX is the same as the one that was usedduring the backup for the specified backup identifier. Otherwise, the rollbackuses the copy on the Data Domain system.

l After performing a rollback, the SRDF link must be re-established.



Database application agent object level restore operations

l During an object level restore through a FAST.X encapsulated restore device,the restore workflow by default always allocates the restore device from theVMAX array where the backup is taken from, that is the R1 site at the backuptime.

The database application agent 4.6 introduced support for the object levelrestore from the other VMAX system when you setVMAX_FASTX_RESTORE_SG=[<SymmID>]:<storage_group>.

Supported Data Domain replication topologiesThe following table displays the restore operations from Data Domain thatProtectPoint agents support in a ProtectPoint for VMAX configuration when there is aData Domain replication from site 1 to site 2.

Table 9 Data Domain replication support



Database application agent full application rollback restore Supported Supported

Microsoft application agent full application rollback restore Supported Not supported


Database application agent object level restore Supported Supported

Microsoft application agent object level restore Supported Not supported

Supported VPLEX replication topologiesVPLEX support for VMAX is only available through a Request Price Quotation (RPQ).

The ProtectPoint For File Systems with VMAX3 and VPLEX: Offloading Backup andRecovery White Paper includes additional information.



CHAPTER 3

ProtectPoint for XtremIO

Topics include:

l ProtectPoint for XtremIO overview................................................................... 36l ProtectPoint for XtremIO topology requirements.............................................. 36l ProtectPoint for XtremIO components.............................................................. 38l ProtectPoint for XtremIO prerequisites............................................................. 38l ProtectPoint for XtremIO supported replication topologies............................... 42l ProtectPoint for XtremIO basic backup workflow..............................................46l ProtectPoint for XtremIO basic restore workflow.............................................. 47

ProtectPoint for XtremIO 35

ProtectPoint for XtremIO overviewProtectPoint for XtremIO is a physical hardware solution that integrates the primarystorage on XtremIO and the protection storage on the Data Domain system.

ProtectPoint provides block movement of the data on application source LUNs to theData Domain system.

ProtectPoint for XtremIO works with the features on the Data Domain system, theRecoverPoint appliance, and the XtremIO cluster to provide primary storage to DataDomain protection. ProtectPoint uses the following features:

l On the Data Domain system:

n Block services for ProtectPoint

n FastCopy

n DD Boost

l On the RecoverPoint appliance:

n Catalog for RecoverPoint appliance

n Consistency groups

l On the XtremIO cluster:

n Snapshots

ProtectPoint for XtremIO enables an application administrator to leverage theProtectPoint workflow to protect applications and application data. The storageadministrator configures the underlying storage resources on the primary storagesystem and the Data Domain system. With this storage configuration information,RecoverPoint, and the ProtectPoint software, the application administrator cantrigger the workflow to protect the application. Before triggering the workflow, theapplication administrator must quiesce the application to ensure that an applicationconsistent snapshot will be preserved on the Data Domain system.

Note

The ProtectPoint database application agent works with the application to quiesce theapplication automatically.

In addition to backing up and protecting data, the application administrator must retainand replicate copies, restore data, and recover applications. The combination ofProtectPoint and the primary storage to Data Domain workflow enables theapplication administrator to complete all of these operations.

For restoring data, ProtectPoint enables the application administrator to select aspecific backup and make that backup available to the application host. With the filesystem agent, the operations to mask, mount, and restore the data must be performedmanually on the primary storage system. The file system agent provides a copy of thedata but not any application intelligence.

ProtectPoint for XtremIO topology requirementsProtectPoint for XtremIO requires both IP network (LAN or WAN) and Fibre Channel(FC) storage area network (SAN) connectivity.

The following table lists the required topologies for connecting each component.



Table 10 ProtectPoint topology requirements


Primary application host to primary storage system FC SAN

Primary application host to RecoverPoint cluster IP LAN

Primary recovery host to primary storage system FC SAN and IP LAN

IP LANPrimary recovery host to RecoverPoint cluster

Primary recovery host to primary Data Domain system FC SAN

Primary storage to RecoverPoint cluster FC SAN and IP LAN

RecoverPoint cluster to primary Data Domain system FC SAN and IP LAN

(Optional) Primary Data Domain system to secondary DataDomain system

IP WAN

The following figure displays a sample primary site topology.

Figure 12 Sample primary site ProtectPoint topology

Note

The thin gray lines represent IP connections, and the thicker blue lines represent FCconnections.


1. Application host

2. XtremIO system

3. Primary Data Domain system


ProtectPoint for XtremIO topology requirements 37

4. RecoverPoint appliance

5. Recovery host (optional)

6. Secondary Data Domain system (optional)

7. Secondary recovery host (optional)

ProtectPoint for XtremIO componentsA ProtectPoint for XtremIO solution consists of the following components:

l Data Domain:

n A Data Domain system with a supported Data Domain operating system.

n Data Domain block services for ProtectPoint.

n DD Boost.

n (Optional) Data Domain MTree replication.

l RecoverPoint:

n A RecoverPoint cluster with two to eight RecoverPoint appliances.

l XtremIO:

n An XtremIO cluster running storage array software.

l Application:

n Application host.

n ProtectPoint agent on the application host.

To view the supported versions of components, go to:


ProtectPoint for XtremIO prerequisitesThe following are ProtectPoint for XtremIO prerequisites.

File system agent prerequisitesThe file system agent prerequisites for all ProtectPoint for XtremIO operations are asfollows:

l User accounts for block services for ProtectPoint, and DD Boost must be createdon the Data Domain system.

l (Optional) On the RecoverPoint appliance (RPA), create a user account.

l The file system agent must be installed on the application host.

Database application agent and Microsoft application agent prerequisitesThe database and Microsoft application agent prerequisites for ProtectPointoperations are as follows:

l A valid license for the ProtectPoint environment.

l The application agent must be installed on the production and recovery host.




l User accounts for block services for ProtectPoint, and DD Boost must be createdon the Data Domain system.

l (Optional) Create a user account on the RecoverPoint appliance (RPA).

RecoverPoint prerequisitesThe RecoverPoint prerequisites for all ProtectPoint for XtremIO operations are asfollows:

l A RecoverPoint backup (BK) license.

l A RecoverPoint cluster with RecoverPoint appliances, running RecoverPointsoftware.

l Port 443 must be open between the RecoverPoint appliances, the XtremIOManagement System, and the XtremIO System-wide Management (SYM) moduleon X1-Storage Controller 1 (X1-SC1) and X1-Storage Controller 2 (X1-SC2) IPaddresses.

l Port 11111 must be open between the RecoverPoint appliances and XtremIO SYMmodule on X1-SC1 and X1-SC2.

l IP connectivity must be configured between the RecoverPoint appliance and theData Domain system.

For IP connections between the RecoverPoint appliances and the Data Domainsystem, the Data Domain ifgroup feature provides improved network performanceby spreading the network traffic across multiple network interfaces. The DataDomain Operating System Administration Guide provides more details aboutifgroups.

l FC zoning between the RecoverPoint appliance and the XtremIO cluster.

FC zoning is optional between the RecoverPoint appliance and the Data Domainsystem, and is only required if DD Boost over FC is used for communicationbetween the RecoverPoint appliance and the Data Domain system:

n Zone at least two initiators from the RecoverPoint appliance to the DataDomain system.

n One zone per fabric between the RecoverPoint appliance and the XtremIOcluster. Include all the RecoverPoint appliance ports that are intended forXtremIO connectivity, and all the XtremIO ports that are intended forRecoverPoint appliance connectivity in the zone.

n Zone the RecoverPoint initiators to multiple targets on the Data Domainsystem or XtremIO cluster in accordance with RecoverPoint best practices.

XtremIO prerequisitesThe XtremIO prerequisites for all ProtectPoint operations are as follows:

l An XtremIO cluster running XtremIO software.

l Fibre Channel (FC) zoning must be configured between the XtremIO cluster andthe application host:

n Use a single initiator per single target (1:1) zoning scheme or use multipathingbetween XtremIO and the hosts for failover and redundancy. If the FCswitchzone count limitation has been reached, it is also possible to use singleinitiator per multiple target (1:many) zoning scheme.


RecoverPoint prerequisites 39

n The optimal number of paths depends on the operating system and serverinformation. To avoid multipathing performance degradation, do not use morethan 16 paths per device.

n Enable Multipath I/O (MPIO) if two or more paths are zoned to a Windowsapplication recovery host.

Data Domain prerequisitesThe Data Domain prerequisites for all ProtectPoint for XtremIO operations are asfollows:

l A Data Domain system that ProtectPoint supports.

l DD Boost service is enabled and then a storage unit is created.

l Block services for ProtectPoint are enabled on the Data Domain system.

Data Domain block services for ProtectPoint allow you to create devices, devicegroups, and device pools. The DD Boost service allows you to configure storageunits. Block services also provide additional functionality, such as creating staticimages (snapshots) and replicating data.

The Data Domain Operating System Command Reference Guide provides moreinformation about the block services for ProtectPoint and the vdisk commandsthat control them.

The following topics provide more details about the block services prerequisites.

l The Data Domain file system (DDFS) stores the block services for ProtectPointobjects. For example, a block services static image can be treated as a file thatresides within the DDFS. Therefore, replicating a static image is the same asreplicating a file. By leveraging the services that are provided by the DDFS, theblock service for ProtectPoint can efficiently create static images of LUNs.

Note

The DDFS automatically defragments backups that are created in a ProtectPointenvironment to prevent performance degradation over time.

The Data Domain Operating System Administration Guide provides more informationabout the DDFS.

l Data Domain Cloud Tier can be enabled, but the Data Domain storage unit thatProtectPoint uses cannot have a data movement policy.

Data Domain block services prerequisites

The prerequisites for Data Domain block services operations are as follows:

l Configure a username and password for ownership of the Data Domain blockservices for ProtectPoint devices.It is recommended that you create this user with the none role. If required, otherroles can be configured.

l Apply a Data Domain block services for ProtectPoint license.

Block services for ProtectPoint object hierarchy

To plan the ProtectPoint configuration, use the object hierarchy mappings in thefollowing table.



Table 11 Block services for ProtectPoint object hierarchy mappings

Storage object Mapping level

Pool Department

Device group Application

Device Device

By default, access control is implemented at the pool level. If additional granularity isrequired, create the pools based on the access control requirements.

Data Domain storage layout

The following figure displays the storage layout of the Data Domain File System(DDFS).

Figure 13 DDFS storage layout


1. /data2. /data/col13. /data/col1/backup4. /data/col1/MTree25. /data/col1/MTree3

The following table describes each element of the DDFS storage layout.

Table 12 DDFS storage elements


/data Top level directory of the Data Domain storage file system. Thisdirectory cannot be changed.


Data Domain prerequisites 41

Table 12 DDFS storage elements (continued)


/data/col1 Represents a collection of data, and enables the expansion of thefile system by creating additional collections, col2, col3, col4, andso on.

/data/col1/backup Contains backups of the data and directory structure of thecollection. This MTree cannot be deleted or renamed.Subdirectories can be created to organize and separate the data.

/data/col1/MTree<X> Represents the lowest level of the Data Domain storage filesystem. Each MTree is an independently managed directory. DataDomain allows up to 100 MTrees to be created, but performancedegradation occurs when more than 32 MTrees are active at onetime.

ProtectPoint for XtremIO supported replication topologiesProtectPoint for XtremIO supports several replication topologies.

Supported RecoverPoint replication topologiesThe following tables display the RecoverPoint replication topologies that theProtectPoint agents support at site 1 and site 2.

Any site that is supported requires:

l The recovery host to have a Fibre Channel connection to Data Domain where thebackup copies exist.

l Restore devices from that Data Domain that are provisioned correctly to therecovery host.

For information about provisioning, refer to the ProtectPoint Primary and ProtectionStorage Configuration Guide.

Table 13 RecoverPoint local replication


File system agent backup Not supported Not applicable

Database application agent backup Not supported Not applicable

Microsoft application agent backup Not supported Not applicable

File system agent full application rollback restore Not supported Not applicable

Database application agent full application rollback restore Not supported Not applicable

Microsoft application agent full application rollback restore Not supported Not applicable

File system agent object level restore Not supported Not applicable

Database application agent object level restore Not supported Not applicable

Microsoft application agent object level restore Not supported Not applicable

RecoverPoint does not support local replication for the specified set of source deviceswhen those devices are configured to back up to Data Domain with ProtectPoint.



Table 14 RecoverPoint remote replication


File system agent backup Supported Not applicable

Database application agent backup Supported Not applicable

Microsoft application agent backup Supported Not applicable

File system agent full application rollback restore Supported Not applicable

Database application agent full application rollback restore Supported Not applicable

Microsoft application agent full application rollback restore Supported Not applicable

File system agent object level restore Supported Not applicable

Database application agent object level restore Supported Not applicable

Microsoft application agent object level restore Supported Not applicable

For RecoverPoint remote replication, at site 1, ProtectPoint backup and restore fromsite 1 is supported. At site 2, RecoverPoint supports remote replication but does notsupport Data Domain backup on the replication site.

If a given RecoverPoint consistency group has local copies to Data Domain, and aremote replica to a disk volume, ProtectPoint can protect the application data at site1.

The advantage of this topology is that the RecoverPoint administrator can performthe RecoverPoint consistency group failover in case of a site 1 failure and provideservice immediately from site 2.

Supported Data Domain replication topologiesThe following table displays the restore operations from Data Domain thatProtectPoint agents support in a ProtectPoint for XtremIO with RecoverPointconfiguration when there is a Data Domain replication from site 1 to site 2.

Table 15 Data Domain replication support


File system agent full application rollback restore Supported Not supported

Database application agent full application rollback restore Supported Not supported

Microsoft application agent full application rollback restore Supported Not supported


Database application agent object level restore Supported Supported

Microsoft application agent object level restore Supported Supported


Supported Data Domain replication topologies 43

Data Domain replication without a RecoverPoint appliance at site 2ProtectPoint supports a disaster recovery configuration that includes Data Domainreplication without a RecoverPoint appliance (RPA) at site 2.

ProtectPoint agent backups are stored on the Data Domain Restorer (DDR) at site 1.The backups are replicated to a site 2 DDR with Data Domain MTree or Data DomainCollection replication.

Figure 14 Data Domain replication without a RecoverPoint appliance at site 2

To configure the Data Domain replication, use the Data Domain management userinterface or the Data Domain Operating System (DDOS) CLI.

The following list includes the benefits of this configuration:

l At site 1, restores can be performed from the site 1 DDR. Object level restores androllbacks are supported.

l At site 2, after a site 1 failure, an object level restore can be performed to arecovery host from the site 2 DDR.

l At site 1, a restore to a recovery host can be performed from a site 2 DDR.



Data Domain replication with a RecoverPoint appliance at site 2ProtectPoint supports a disaster recovery configuration that includes Data Domainreplication with a RecoverPoint appliance (RPA) at site 2.

In this configuration, each RPA consistency group has a production volume on anXtremIO, a site 1 copy on a Data Domain, and a site 2 copy. A ProtectPoint agentbackup is initiated from site 1 and stored on the site 1 Data Domain. A benefit of thisconfiguration is that RecoverPoint remote replication makes it possible to provideservice immediately from site 1 in case of a disaster at site 1.Figure 15 Data Domain replication with a RecoverPoint appliance at site 2

At site 1, the following tasks can be performed:

l RecoverPoint product restores from the site 2 copy.

l ProtectPoint agent object level or rollback restores from the site 1 Data DomainRestorer (DDR).

At site 2, the following tasks can be performed:

l ProtectPoint agent object level restores from the site 2 DDR.

l After a site 1 failure, RecoverPoint consistency group failovers can be performedto the RPA site 2 copy.


Supported Data Domain replication topologies 45

ProtectPoint for XtremIO basic backup workflowIn the basic backup workflow, data is transferred from the primary storage system tothe Data Domain system. ProtectPoint manages the data flow, but does not modifythe data.

To create a copy or backup of an application, the application administrator or otherappropriate user must ensure that the source LUNs are in an application consistentstate. The application administrator must quiesce the application before initiating thebackup operation. Using ProtectPoint to create the backup on the primary storagesystem enables the application administrator to minimize the disruption to theapplication.

After the snapshot creation on XtremIO, RecoverPoint moves the snapshot to theData Domain system. The primary storage system tracks the data that has changedsince the last update to the Data Domain system, and then only copies the changeddata. After all the data that is captured in the snapshot is copied, the Data Domainsystem creates a static image of the data. The static image of the data reflects theapplication consistent copy that is initially created on the primary storage system.

The backup workflow consists of the following steps:

1. On the application host, the application administrator quiesces the application.

2. On the primary storage system, the administrator uses ProtectPoint to create asnapshot of the primary storage device. It is safe to unquiesce the applicationwhen this step is complete.

3. RecoverPoint analyzes the data, and then copies the changed data to a DataDomain storage device.

4. The Data Domain system creates, and then stores a static image of the snapshot.

The following figure displays the basic backup workflow.

Figure 16 Basic backup workflow



Note

In the figure, D1 C-t1, D1 C-t2, D1 C-t3, and so on are static images in the vdisk pool.Each column represents one backup operation.

ProtectPoint for XtremIO basic restore workflowProtectPoint for XtremIO allows application administrators to restore data directlyfrom the restore devices on the Data Domain system to the application recovery host,without involving the primary storage or the RecoverPoint cluster.

ProtectPoint for XtremIO supports object level restores and rollback restores.

The object level restore workflow with the file system agent consists of the followingsteps:

Note

The database application agent automates the object level restore and performs all thesteps required to restore the database files.

1. The application administrator selects the backup image on the Data Domainsystem.

2. The application administrator uses ProtectPoint to restore the data to a new set ofData Domain block services for ProtectPoint devices (restore devices) that arevisible to the application recovery host.

3. The application administrator mounts the storage device to the host.

4. The application administrator uses operating system and application specific toolsand commands to restore specific objects.

The following figure displays the basic restore workflow for an object level restore.


ProtectPoint for XtremIO basic restore workflow 47

Figure 17 Basic restore workflow



CHAPTER 4

Application Storage Configuration

Topics include:

l Application storage configuration overview....................................................... 50l Data Domain sizing considerations.....................................................................50l Discovering application storage.......................................................................... 51l VMAX storage configuration...............................................................................51l RecoverPoint and XtremIO storage configuration..............................................54

Application Storage Configuration 49

Application storage configuration overviewApplication storage is the primary storage for application data. This storage oftenconsists of a number of separate LUNs that have file systems. Mount points or driveletters make the storage available to the application host. These LUNs are the sourcefor any ProtectPoint backup. The following sections provide information aboutconfiguring or discovering LUNs, and using that information to create the equivalentsnapshot target and recovery LUNs.

If it is not necessary to provision new application storage. Discovering applicationstorage on page 51 includes information about discovering the existing applicationstorage.

When configuring application storage, complete the following high level processes:

l Provision primary storage LUNs to the application recovery host.

l For VMAX configurations, connect Data Domain devices to the primary storagesystem.

l For XtremIO with RecoverPoint configurations, register the Data Domain toRecoverPoint.

Provision the LUNs on the primary storage system to the application recovery hostfirst. Then connect the Data Domain devices to the primary storage system.

The second procedure, connecting the Data Domain devices to the primary storagesystem, requires storage management visibility into both system environments. Youcomplete some tasks in the primary storage environment and other tasks in the DataDomain environment. Therefore, you must have one window open to the primarystorage environment and one window open to the Data Domain environment. Youswitch between environments as you connect the Data Domain devices to the primarystorage system.

Data Domain sizing considerationsTo plan for provisioning the primary storage for ProtectPoint, use the best practicesand limits that are defined in the documentation for the primary storage system.

The following guidelines apply to provisioning an appropriate amount of storage on theprimary Data Domain system, and if applicable, providing an appropriate amount ofstorage at the secondary site:

l To accommodate all the application recovery hosts in the deployment, verify thatsufficient capacity is available on the primary Data Domain system. Each primarystorage LUN requires block services devices of equal or greater size on theprimary Data Domain system. One device is for backups, and the other device isfor restores.

l If applicable, verify that the primary storage system and Data Domain system atthe secondary site have available storage capacity that is greater than or equal tothe storage capacity at the production site.

To estimate the required logical capacity on the Data Domain system, use thefollowing values:

l Number: The number of LUNs to back up.

l Size: The size of each LUN to back up.

l Copies: The number of backups to keep.



To account for copies of the data on both the backup and restore devices, add twoto the number of backups to keep.

The formula for calculating the logical capacity is: (Number * Size) * (Copies + 2)

The following table displays an example with 10 LUNs that are each 10 GB, keepingfive backups.

Table 16 Sizing calculation example

Element Value

Number 10

Size 10 GB

Copies 5 + 2

Required capacity 700 GB

Note

Logical capacity is calculated before compression and deduplication. Compression anddeduplication reduce the actual amount of capacity consumed.

Capacity monitoring is available at the following levels:

l Logical capacity is reported at the system, MTree (block services for ProtectPointpool), and file (static image) levels.

l Actual capacity is reported at the system level.

Discovering application storageConfigure ProtectPoint after storage provisioning is complete by identifying all theexisting application storage and computing the Data Domain storage requirements.

The information that is required includes, but is not limited to, the number of devicesallocated to the application, the geometry of the devices created, and awareness ofthe masking views, ports used, and storage area network (SAN) zoning. The processto provision the Data Domain storage and connect the storage to the primary storagesystem is identical to provisioning new storage.

VMAX storage configurationVMAX storage configuration for ProtectPoint includes provisioning VMAX storage tothe application recovery host, and encapsulating Data Domain restore devices on theVMAX array.

Provisioning LUNs on the VMAX array to the application recovery hostProvisioning VMAX storage for the application recovery host consists of the followingtasks:

l Create a storage group.

l Add the devices to the storage group.

l Create a port group.

l Add the front end ports to the port group where the server is zoned.


Discovering application storage 51

l Create an initiator group.

l Add the initiator WWNs of the application recovery host to the initiator group.

l Create a masking view.

l Discover newly provisioned LUNs on the application recovery host.

Note

These tasks are for provisioning VMAX storage for new installations. Some of thesetasks might not be required in all cases.

Encapsulating Data Domain devices on the VMAX arrayEncapsulating Data Domain storage devices on the VMAX array consists of thefollowing prerequisites and tasks.

Note

The following tasks are for encapsulating Data Domain storage on the VMAX array fornew installations. Some of these tasks may not be required in all cases.

PrerequisitesThe following are prerequisites for encapsulating Data Domain storage devices on theVMAX array:

l Before you begin, to determine the devices in use, use the commands in the DataDomain Operating System Administration Guide and the Solutions Enablerfunctionality. Then use that information to complete the tasks in this section, asapplicable.

l You must have already provisioned LUNs on the VMAX array to the applicationrecovery host.

l You know or can obtain the geometry of the devices that are created on theVMAX array.

l You are logged in to the host where Solutions Enabler is installed.

l You complete some tasks in the VMAX environment, and other tasks in the DataDomain environment. Therefore, you must have one window open to the VMAXenvironment and one window open to the Data Domain environment.

l On the Data Domain system, complete the following tasks:

1. Log in to an SSH session on the Data Domain system.

2. Enable block services for ProtectPoint if not already enabled.

3. Create a block services for ProtectPoint device pool.

4. Create a block services for ProtectPoint device group.

5. Create block services for ProtectPoint devices that have the equivalent orlarger geometry as the VMAX primary LUNs. Create two block services forProtectPoint devices for every device that is created on the VMAX array, onefor backups and one for restores.

6. Create an access group on the Data Domain.

7. Add the block services for ProtectPoint devices to the access group on theData Domain.



8. Verify that the VMAX DX ports and the Data Domain endpoint ports are zonedtogether.

9. View the list of VMAX initiators on the Data Domain.

10. Add the VMAX initiators to the access group on the Data Domain.

l To complete the following steps on the VMAX array, use Solutions Enabler:

1. View the back end ports (DX ports) on the VMAX array and display the WWNs.

2. Display the LUNs that are visible for a specific WWN.

3. List the disk groups that are available on the VMAX array.

4. Use the FAST.X functionality to encapsulate the Data Domain disks on theVMAX array.

l Encapsulating an external LUN creates the VMAX LUN that enables access to theexternal LUN. Manually set the encapsulated LUN as the snapshot target.Encapsulating the block services for ProtectPoint restore LUNs is required forrestoration operations.

l The VMAX array must have four paths to the Data Domain system to correctlyenable the relationship between the two systems. ProtectPoint for VMAXprerequisites on page 22 provides more information about path requirements.

Configure the Data Domain system

Procedure

1. Log in to an SSH session on the Data Domain system.

2. Enable block services for ProtectPoint if not already enabled.

3. Create a block services for ProtectPoint device pool.

4. Create a block services for ProtectPoint device group.

5. Create block services for ProtectPoint devices that have the equivalent or largergeometry as the VMAX primary LUNs. Create two block services for ProtectPointdevices for every device that is created on the VMAX array, one for backups andone for restores.

6. Create an access group on the Data Domain.

7. Add the block services for ProtectPoint devices to the access group on the DataDomain.

8. Verify that the VMAX DX ports and the Data Domain endpoint ports are zonedtogether.

9. View the list of VMAX initiators on the Data Domain.

10. Add the VMAX initiators to the access group on the Data Domain.

Configure the VMAX array

To complete the following tasks on the VMAX array, use Solutions Enabler.

Procedure

1. View the back end ports (DX ports) on the VMAX array and display the WWNs.

2. Display the LUNs that are visible for a specific WWN.

3. List the disk groups that are available on the VMAX array.


Encapsulating Data Domain devices on the VMAX array 53

4. Use the FAST.X functionality to encapsulate the Data Domain disks on the VMAXarray.

RecoverPoint and XtremIO storage configurationRecoverPoint and XtremIO storage configuration for ProtectPoint consists ofprovisioning storage on the XtremIO cluster, integrating the XtremIO cluster with theRecoverPoint cluster, and creating the backup and restore devices on the DataDomain system.

The following tasks are for configuring storage for new installations. Some of thesetasks might not be required in all cases.

Configure the XtremIO clusterProcedure

1. Create an Initiator Group, and register all the RecoverPoint cluster FC ports tothe Initiator Group.

2. Provision Volumes on the XtremIO cluster, and make the Volumes available tothe application recovery host.

Configure the RecoverPoint clusterProcedure

1. On the RecoverPoint cluster, register the XtremIO Management Server.

2. On the RecoverPoint cluster, register the Data Domain system.

3. Create a RecoverPoint consistency group that contains all the XtremIOVolumes created for the ProtectPoint environment.

Configure the Data Domain systemProcedure

1. On the Data Domain system, log in to an SSH session.

2. If block services for ProtectPoint is not already enabled, enable block servicesfor ProtectPoint.

3. If DD Boost is not already enabled, enable DD Boost.

4. Create a block services for ProtectPoint pool where the ProtectPoint staticimages are to reside.

5. Create a storage unit on the ProtectPoint MTree.

This storage unit is the destination for restore data from the RecoverPointcluster.

6. Create two block services for ProtectPoint device pools. One pool is forbackups and the other pool is for restores.

Note

After creating the block services for ProtectPoint device pool, RecoverPointautomatically creates the block services for ProtectPoint device groups anddevices that are required for ProtectPoint with RecoverPoint backups.



7. Create a block services for ProtectPoint device group for restores that residesin the restore pool.

8. Populate the restore device group with restore devices of the same size as theproduction LUNs you are backing up.


Configure the Data Domain system 55

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