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FalconStor® VirtualTape Library Quick Start GuideWith Single Instance Repository

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VirtualTape Library with SIR Quick Start Guide

Contents

Introduction

VTL/SIR components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Deploying SIR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2This guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Zoning

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Determine how many zones to use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

VTL/SIR zoning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Zoning examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Single-node cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Multi-node cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Replication between clusters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Installation

Set network information for your appliances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Install VTL software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Install SIR software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Install the VTL Console on an administrative computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Install the SIR Console on an administrative computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

VTL Configuration

Launch the VTL Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Connect to your VTL appliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Configure your VTL server using the configuration wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Step 1: Enter license keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Step 2: Setup network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Step 3: Set hostname . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15Step 4: Enable Fibre Channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Step 5: Switch to target mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Step 6: Prepare devices for virtual libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Step 7: Create VirtualTape Library database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17Step 8: Assign physical libraries/drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17Step 9: Create virtual libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Step 10: Add SAN clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Step 11:Assign virtual library to clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Perform a device scan on your backup server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20Change default password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

VirtualTape Library with SIR Quick Start Guide i

Contents

SIR Configuration

Launch the SIR Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Connect to your SIR appliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Configure your SIR server using the configuration wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Step 1: Enter license key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22Step 2: Set up network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23Step 3: Set hostname . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Step 4: Configure IPMI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Enable Fibre Channel target mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25Prepare physical storage devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26Enable SIR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27Create SIR clusters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Data De-duplication

Add/modify de-duplication policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30Perform backups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33Special note for NetBackup users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Perform de-duplication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35Monitor de-duplication from the SIR Console and view statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

SIR Console statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36VTL Console statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Data Replication

Replication requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41Add a target SIR server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42Configure replication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43When replication occurs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49Check replication status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50Access data on a replicated tape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51Export a replicated tape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51Manually start the replication process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52Change your replication configuration options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52Suspend/resume replication schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52Stop a replication in progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52Remove a replication configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Appendix

Changing IP addresses of your VTL/SIR appliances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53Assigning virtual tape libraries to backup servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Grant open access to a backup server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55Grant secure access to a backup server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Setting up email alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57Working with virtual tape libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

VirtualTape Library with SIR Quick Start Guide ii

Contents

Create a new virtual tape library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58Create virtual tapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Importing tapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62Before you begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62Import instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Directly connecting VTL/SIR without a switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64Upgrading VTL 4.0 to VTL 4.5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65Support, questions, and feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Index

VirtualTape Library with SIR Quick Start Guide iii


Introduction

The Single Instance Repository (SIR) data de-duplication solution integrates seamlessly with VTL to eliminate redundant data without impacting your established backup window. SIR offers as much as a 30:1 reduction of backup data, minimizing replication time and storage requirements.

The SIR process scans virtual tape cartridges, analyzes the data, and determines whether data is unique or has already been copied to the SIR repository. The process then passes only single instances of unique data to the SIR repository. The original virtual tape is replaced with a virtual index tape (VIT) pointing to SIR storage, freeing considerable space for more data.

SIR is implemented on a separate appliance. The connectivity between the VTL and SIR appliances can be direct or through a Fibre Channel switch.

SIR can be deployed as a single node (one active SIR server) or as a multi-node cluster (two or four active SIR servers).

SIR includes mirroring capability for protection from local storage failure. In addition, replication capability is offered: if replication is configured, the attached SIR also replicates its repository and metadata, effectively performing global data de-duplication. Any data duplicated across remote sites is de-duplicated at the central site, enabling only globally unique data to be replicated to the disaster recovery site.

Typically, backup jobs to the VTL are performed during the night-time “backup window,” and once backup is completed, de-duplication is performed during the day. Since de-duplication is a separate, off-line process, the normal backup window is not affected and you will continue to enjoy high-performance backup to virtual tapes. While it is typical to run de-duplication during the day, active jobs never interfere with backup or restore jobs. De-duplication jobs are automatically suspended when the

VirtualTape Library with SIR Quick Start Guide 1

Introduction

tape being de-duplicated is needed for backup or restore; when the backup application finishes using that particular tape, the de-duplication job automatically resumes from where it left off.

SIR de-duplication is controlled by policies managed in the VTL. You can set policies for all tapes in a library, groups or ranges of tapes, or just an individual tape. De-duplication is performed in the background without user intervention. During normal use, the de-duplication option is transparent to the backup operation.

A separate management console for the SIR Server appliance can be used for storage management tasks that are directly related to that appliance, such as adding additional storage capacity. The SIR Console also displays real-time and historical statistics related to de-duplication.

VTL/SIR components

SIR is composed of the following components:

• VTL appliance - The server that manages the VTL system and lets you set up de-duplication policies.

• SIR appliance - The server that manages the SIR system.• Storage - Storage is used by VTL and SIR. SIR index and repository disks

are shared among all servers in the cluster.

Deploying SIR

SIR can be deployed in the following ways:

• Single-node cluster - Single SIR node• Multi-node cluster - Two or four SIR nodes

Each cluster will have one or more VTL nodes.

Optionally, replication can be configured between clusters.


Introduction

This guide

This guide walks you through the steps needed to quickly get started with SIR. It covers how to do the following:

• Configure zoning or direct-connect your appliances• Install VTL and SIR software• Install the management consoles• Configure your VTL server• Configure your SIR server• Create de-duplication policies• Perform backups• Perform de-duplication and check de-duplication statistics during the

execution of the de-duplication policy • Configure replication of de-duped virtual tapes

The Appendix provides details about other functions you may need to perform:

• Change IP addresses of your VTL/SIR appliances• Set up email alerts• Import tapes• Upgrade your VTL server



Zoning

If your VTL/SIR deployment involves a Fibre Channel (FC) switch, you must zone your system so that one initiator is zoned to one target in order to minimize I/O interruptions by non-related FC activities, such as port login/out, reset, etc.

This section provides zoning recommendations. You should already understand Fibre Channel and zoning concepts and know how to configure your FC switches. Refer to your FC switch hardware documentation for more information.

If you are connecting your appliances without a switch, refer to ‘Directly connecting VTL/SIR without a switch’.

Overview

There are two types of zoning that can be configured on a FC switch, soft zoning (based on World Wide Port Numbers (WWPNs)) and hard zoning (based on port number). While the type of zoning chosen is your decision, FalconStor recommends soft zoning because it simplifies the port assignments on the switch.

Hard zoning Hard zoning is based on the port numbers of a FC switch. This is usually easier to set up than soft zoning, but it can be harder to maintain. To illustrate this point, suppose a zone has two ports (0 and 1). If port 0 goes down, the administrator will need to remove the current zoning configuration, move the plug to another valid port, re-zone, and then enable the new zoning configuration.

Soft zoning Soft zoning is based on the WWPN of the FC device. The WWPN will remain the same in the zoning configuration regardless of the port location. In the event that a port fails, the administrator will simply move the cable from the failed port to another valid port without having to reconfigure any zones on the switch.

Determine how many zones to use

Upstreamzoning

Upstream zoning refers to zoning from the VTL appliance to a backup server.

It may be tempting to create a single zone that includes all ports. However, this can cause undesirable side effects due to the lack of isolation among the initiators and targets. A multi-zone method is generally safest because it does not allow multiple client initiators or multiple VTL target ports to see each other, eliminating potential problems, such as initiators trying to log in to each other under certain conditions.

Downstreamzoning

Downstream zoning refers to zoning from an appliance to storage.

As with upstream zoning, it is preferable to use multiple zones. For example, if there are two initiators and two storage targets on the same fabric, you should use four zones.


Zoning

VTL/SIR zoning

VTL/SIR can be deployed in the following ways:

• Single-node cluster - Single SIR node• Multi-node cluster - Two or four SIR nodes

Each cluster will have one or more VTL nodes.

Optionally, replication can be configured between clusters using Fibre Channel or iSCSI.

Zoning examples

Single-node cluster

A single-node cluster contains a single SIR node with one or more VTL nodes. For example:

All nodes can be in the same zone or you can use multiple zones, as described in the table below. The ports listed for each zone must be zoned together. For example, as shown below, ports 1 and 2 must be zoned together. However, the ports from multiple zones can be combined into a single zone.

Zone Member (Port #) Description

A 1, 2 Backup server to VTL target port.

B 2, 5 VTL target port to SIR initiator port. Used for data de-duplication.

C 3, 4 VTL initiator port to SIR target port. Used for data restoration.

D 3, 6 VTL initiator port connected to its disk storage.

E 5, 7 SIR initiator port connected to its disk storage.


Zoning

Multi-node cluster

A multi-node cluster contains two or four SIR nodes with one or more VTL nodes.

Two-node SIR cluster

In this example, each server has its own storage. Each server’s initiator is zoned with its own storage.

All nodes can be in the same zone or you can use multiple zones, as described in the tables below. The ports listed for each zone must be zoned together. For example, as shown below, ports 1 and 2 must be zoned together. However, the ports from multiple zones can be combined into a single zone.



B 2, 5, 7 VTL target port to SIR initiator ports. Used for data de-duplication.

C 3, 4, 6 VTL initiator port to SIR target ports. Used for data restoration.

D 4, 5, 6, 7 SIR initiator ports to SIR target ports. Used for offering data storage to each other.

E 3, 8 VTL initiator port connecting to its disk storage.

F 5, 9 SIR 1 initiator port connected to its disk storage.

G 7, 10 SIR 2 initiator port connected to its disk storage.


Zoning

Four-node SIR cluster

In this example, the SIR servers are sharing storage. Each server’s initiator is zoned with the storage.




B 2, 5, 7, 9, 11 VTL target port to SIR initiator ports. Used for data de-duplication.

C 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 VTL initiator port to SIR target ports. Used for data restoration.

D 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

SIR initiator ports to SIR target ports. Used for offering data storage to each other.

E 3, 12 VTL initiator port connected to its disk storage.

F 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 SIR initiator ports connected to their disk storage.


Zoning

Replication between clusters

Replication occurs between SIR clusters via Fibre Channel or iSCSI. Each cluster can contain one, two, or four SIR nodes. The clusters can each have a different number of SIR nodes. For example, a two-node cluster can replicate to a one-node cluster, and vice versa.

Replication can occur in a one-to-one configuration or in a many-to-one configuration. In a one-to-one configuration, one cluster replicates to one cluster. In a many-to-one configuration, multiple clusters replicate to a single cluster, which would be the case where remote offices replicate data to a corporate data center.

In the following example, a single-node cluster is replicating to a single-node cluster.



A 1, 4 VTL 1 target port to SIR 1 initiator port. Used for data de-duplication.

B 2, 3 VTL 1 initiator port to SIR 1 target port. Used for data restoration.

C 5, 8 VTL 2 target port to SIR 2 initiator port. Used for data de-duplication.

D 6, 7 VTL 2 initiator port to SIR 2 target port. Used for data restoration.

E 3, 4, 7, 8 SIR initiator ports to SIR target ports. Used for offering data storage to each other for replication.

F 2, 9 VTL 1 initiator port connected to its disk storage.

G 4, 10 SIR 1 initiator port connected to its disk storage.

H 6, 11 VTL 2 initiator port connected to its disk storage.

I 8, 12 SIR 2 initiator port connected to its disk storage.



Installation

This section explains how to do the following:

• Set network information for your appliances• Install VTL software• Install SIR software• Install VTL management console• Install SIR management console

Set network information for your appliances

1. Contact your network administrator to obtain the following for each of your appliances:

• IP address • Netmask• Default gateway• Primary name server information

2. Power up your appliances and log in.

You will need to have a monitor and keyboard to access the appliances.

Log into your appliances using the default user name and password (case sensitive).

• Default user name - root• Default password - IPStor101

3. Change the IP address, netmask, default gateway, and primary name server to what your network administrator provided to you.

On Linux, you can type netconfig to load the utility that allows you to change them.

4. Reboot each appliance by typing reboot.


Installation

Install VTL software

Do the following to install VTL software on your VTL appliance:

1. Log in to the VTL appliance.

2. Mount the installation CD.

3. At the # prompt, type ./vtlinstall.

4. Type Y to continue.

5. Click Enter to configure the maximum number of LUNs per adapter.

6. On the next screen, click Enter to configure the maximum number of SCSI disks to scan.

7. On the next screen, type the number representing the target mode HBAs and click Enter.

8. On the summarization screen, type Y to accept the VTL appliance configuration.

Install SIR software

Do the following to install SIR software on your SIR appliance:

1. Log in to the SIR appliance.

2. Mount the installation CD.

3. At the # prompt, type ./sirinstall.

4. Click Enter after verifying the identity of the SIR server.

5. Type Y to continue.

6. Click Enter to configure the maximum number of LUNs per adapter.

7. On the next screen, click Enter to configure the maximum number of SCSI disks to scan.

8. On the next screen, type the number representing the target mode HBAs and click Enter.

9. On the summarization screen, type Y to accept the SIR appliance configuration.


Installation

Install the VTL Console on an administrative computer

The VTL Console is where you can manage your VTL server and configure your de-duplication policies.

The Console is a Java application that can be run on many platforms that support the Java 2 Runtime Environment (JRE) version.

The installation CD includes Windows and Java versions of the VTL console.

Windowsversion

To install the Windows version of the Console, you must be a Power User or Administrator.

1. Insert the installation CD into a CD/DVD drive.

2. Select Install Products --> Install VTL Console.

Java version To install the Java version:

1. Insert the installation CD into a CD/DVD drive.

2. Copy the \ConsoleVTL\Java directory to your C drive.

Install the SIR Console on an administrative computer

The Console is where you configure SIR, add storage capacity, and monitor de-duplication processes.

The Console is a Java application that can be run on many platforms that support the Java 2 Runtime Environment (JRE) version.

The installation CD includes Windows and Java versions of the SIR Console.

Windowsversion

To install the Windows version of the Console, you must be a Power User or Administrator.

1. Insert the installation CD into your CD/DVD drive.

2. Select Install Products --> SIR Console for Windows.

Java version To install the Java version:

1. Insert the installation CD into your CD/DVD drive.

2. Copy the \ConsoleSIR\Java directory to your C drive.



VTL Configuration

Launch the VTL Console

• To launch the Windows version of the Console, select Start --> Programs --> FalconStor --> VTL --> VTL Console or click the VTL Console shortcut on your desktop.

• To launch the Java version of the Console, run the vtlconsole.bat file from the directory where you copied the Console files. You may find it convenient to create a Desktop shortcut for the Console.

Connect to your VTL appliance

1. Right-click on VTL Servers and select Add.

2. Log in:

• Type the VTL Server address (for example, 10.7.12.91)• Type root (all lower case) for the User Name• Type IPStor101 (case sensitive) for the Password.

Once you are connected to a server, the server icon will change to show that you are connected:

Note: Multiple administrators can access a server at the same time. Changes to the server’s configuration are saved on a first-come, first-served basis.

The VTL Console remembers the VTL Servers to which the Console has successfully connected. If you close and restart the Console, the VTL Servers will still be displayed in the tree but you will not be connected to them.

After connecting to the server, the configuration wizard launches.


VTL Configuration

Configure your VTL server using the configuration wizard

The configuration wizard leads you through your VTL configuration.

Press Next to begin the steps in the wizard.

If you want to skip a step, press Skip.

Step 1: Enter license keys

Click the Add button and enter your keycodes.

Be sure to enter keycodes for any options you have purchased. Each VTL option requires that a keycode be entered before the option can be configured and used.

You can register your keycodes online if you have an Internet connection.

To register offline, you must save the registration information to a file on your hard drive and then email it to FalconStor’s registration server. When you receive a reply, save the attachment to your hard drive and send it to the registration server to complete the registration.

Configuration note: After completing the configuration wizard, if you need to add license keys, you can right-click on your VTL server appliance and select License.


VTL Configuration

Step 2: Setup network

1. Enter information about your network configuration.

Domain name - Internal domain name.

Append suffix to DNS lookup - If a domain name is entered, it will be appended to the machine name for name resolution.

DNS - IP address of your DNS server.

Default gateway - IP address of your default gateway.

NIC - List of Ethernet cards in the server.

Enable SSH - Enable/disable the ability to use the SSH protocol. The VTL server must have “openssh” installed in order to use SSH.

Enable FTP - Enable/disable the ability to FTP into the server. The VTL server must have “vsftp” installed in order to use FTP.


VTL Configuration

2. Click Config NIC to configure each NIC.

If you select Static, you must click the Add button to add IP addresses and subnet masks.

MTU - Set the maximum transfer unit of each IP packet. If your card supports it, set this value to 9000 for jumbo frames.

Configuration note: After completing the configuration wizard, if you need to change these settings, you can right-click on your VTL server appliance and select System Maintenance --> Network Configuration.

Step 3: Set hostname

Enter a valid name for your VTL appliance.

Valid characters are letters, numbers, underscore, or dash.

Configuration note: After completing the configuration wizard, if you need to change the name again, you should refer to ‘Changing IP addresses of your VTL/SIR appliances’ in the ‘Appendix’.


VTL Configuration

Step 4: Enable Fibre Channel

This step takes just a few seconds and there are no additional screens to go through.

Step 5: Switch to target mode

Target mode allows a port to receive requests from your backup server(s).

In order to identify your ports, you need to know the WWPN of each. One way to find the WWPN is through the SNS table at your Fibre Channel switch.

Alternatively, for QLogic HBAs, you can find the WWPN in the BIOS (press Ctrl+Q during boot up).

Note: If a port is in initiator mode and has devices attached to it, that port cannot be set for target mode.

Select which ports should be in target mode.

You will get a Loop Up message on your VTL server when a QLogic port has successfully been placed in target mode.

Configuration note: After completing the configuration wizard, if you need to switch a port’s mode, you can right-click on the adapter and select Enable/Disable Target Mode.

Step 6: Prepare devices for virtual libraries

Select which devices you want to use with VTL.

Configuration note: After completing the configuration wizard, if you add new hardware that you need to prepare, you can right-click on Physical Resources and select Prepare Devices. Hard drives should be set to Reserved for Virtual Device while tape libraries/drives should be set to Reserved for Direct Device.


VTL Configuration

Step 7: Create VirtualTape Library database

1. Select how you want to create the VirtualTape Library database.

The VirtualTape Library’s Database Resource needs 200 MB of disk space. The Database Resource contains the configuration information for the VTL.

Custom lets you select which physical device(s) to use and lets you designate how much space to allocate from each.

Express automatically creates the resource for you using an available device(s).

2. If desired, enable disk compression for VTL.

This option can save disk space because it compresses the data that is being written to your virtual tapes. It does not affect data that is exported to physical tapes because that is controlled by the tape drive.

Configuration note: After completing the configuration wizard, if you want to enable disk compression, right-click on the Virtual Tape Library System object and select Properties.

3. (Tape Caching only) Set the global disk capacity threshold.

When this threshold value is reached, migration from virtual tape to physical tape will be triggered for all virtual libraries using the disk capacity threshold.

4. Click Finish to create the database.

Step 8: Assign physical libraries/drives

If you will be importing data from physical tapes into your virtual tape library or exporting virtual tapes to physical tapes, you must assign your physical tape libraries/drives to VTL.

This step also inventories the physical tapes in your library/drive so that you can create virtual tapes that match your physical tapes.

Configuration note: After completing the configuration wizard, if you need to assign new physical libraries/drives and inventory slots again, you can right-click on VirtualTape Library System and select Configuration wizard.


VTL Configuration

Step 9: Create virtual libraries

Select the tape library that you are emulating.

If you have a physical tape library, you need to create a virtual tape library that resembles it. This way the virtual tapes will use the same format as those of the physical tapes. This is important for importing and exporting functions and guarantees that your backup application will accept the tapes.

If you are using the Automated Tape Caching option, you will only see your physical tape libraries listed. Select the check box and the system will automatically match your physical library.

You will have to enter information about the tape drives in your library, including:

• Barcode information• Tape properties such as Tape Capacity On Demand and maximum tape

capacity. If you are using SIR, it is highly recommended that you use the Tape Capacity On Demand option.

• If you are using the Automated Tape Caching option, you will have to select the type of data migration triggers that you want to set and specify when the data that has been migrated to physical tape can be deleted to free up cache disk space.

• If you are not using the Automated Tape Caching option, you will need to determine if you want to use auto archive or auto replication for this virtual library.

Refer to ‘Create a new virtual tape library’ for information about creating virtual tape libraries and refer to your FalconStor VTL User Guide for information about configuring the Automated Tape Caching option.

After you create a virtual tape library you will be prompted to create new virtual tapes. Refer to ‘Create virtual tapes’ for detailed information.


VTL Configuration

Step 10: Add SAN clients

This step allows you to select the type of clients (backup servers) to which you will be assigning a tape library.

Refer to your VTL User Guide for detailed information about adding clients.

Configuration note: After completing the configuration wizard, if you need to add new clients, you can right-click on VirtualTape Library System and select Configuration wizard or you can right-click on the SAN Clients object and select Add.

Step 11:Assign virtual library to clients

1. Select a backup server to assign.

Refer to ‘Assigning virtual tape libraries to backup servers’ in the Appendix for more information about assigning virtual tape libraries to backup servers.

2. Click Finish when you are done.

Configuration note: After completing the configuration wizard, if you need to assign new virtual libraries, you can right-click on VirtualTape Library System and select Configuration wizard or you can click on a virtual tape library or a client and select Assign.


VTL Configuration

Perform a device scan on your backup server

After configuring VTL, you should perform a device scan on your backup server. The steps to do this vary according to the server’s operating system.

For Windows, Control Panel --> Computer Management --> Device Manager --> right-click on the device in the right pane --> Scan for hardware changes.

Change default password

Once VTL has been configured, you should change the default configuration password. To do this:

1. Right-click on your VTL server and select Change Password.

2. Enter the original password (IPStor101), new password, and then confirm the new password.



SIR Configuration

The SIR server performs de-duplication jobs that are triggered by the VTL server's SIR policy engine. Under normal operation, these jobs do not require administrator action. However, it may become necessary to use the SIR server to perform storage management tasks, such as adding additional capacity or to obtain performance statistics.

Therefore, it is necessary to install the IPStor/SIR Console (referred to as the SIR Console) and become familiar with it.

Launch the SIR Console

• To launch the Windows version of the Console, select Start --> Programs --> FalconStor --> IPStor --> IPStor Console or click the IPStor Console shortcut on your desktop.

• To launch the Java version of the Console, run the ipstorconsole.bat file from the directory where you copied the Console files. You may find it convenient to create a Desktop shortcut for the Console.

Connect to your SIR appliance

1. Right-click on IPStor Servers and select Add.

2. Log in:

• Type the IPStor Server address (for example, 10.7.12.91)• Type root (all lower case) for the User Name• Type IPStor101 (case sensitive) for the Password.

Once you are connected to a server, the server icon will change to show that you are connected:

Note: Multiple administrators can access a server at the same time. Changes to the server’s configuration are saved on a first-come, first-served basis.

The SIR Console remembers the SIR Servers to which the Console has successfully connected. If you close and restart the Console, the SIR Servers will still be displayed in the tree but you will not be connected to them.

After connecting to the server, the configuration wizard launches.


SIR Configuration

Configure your SIR server using the configuration wizard

The configuration wizard leads you through your SIR configuration.

Select Next to begin the steps in the wizard.

If you want to skip a step, select Skip.

Step 1: Enter license key

In the License Information dialog, click the Add button and enter your keycodes. Each option requires that a keycode be entered before the option can be configured and used.

Configuration note: After completing the configuration wizard, if you need to add license keys, you can right-click on your SIR server appliance and select License.


SIR Configuration

Step 2: Set up network

Enter information about your network configuration.

Domain name - Internal domain name.

Append suffix to DNS lookup - If a domain name is entered, it will be appended to the machine name for name resolution.

DNS - IP address of your DNS server(s).

Default gateway - IP address of your default gateway.

Enable Telnet - Enable/disable the ability to Telnet into the server.

Enable FTP - Enable/disable the ability to FTP into the server.

Allow root to login to telnet session - Log in to your telnet session using root.

Time Service (Network Time Protocol) - Allows you to keep the date and time of your SIR server in sync with Internet NTP servers. Click NTP to enter the IP addresses of up to five Internet NTP servers.

Configuration note: After completing the configuration wizard, if you need to change these settings, you can right-click on your SIR server appliance and select System Maintenance --> Network Configuration.


SIR Configuration

Step 3: Set hostname

Enter a valid name for your SIR appliance. Valid characters are letters, numbers, underscore, or dash.

Configuration note: After completing the configuration wizard, if you need to change the name again, you should refer to ‘Changing IP addresses of your VTL/SIR appliances’ in the ‘Appendix’.

Step 4: Configure IPMI

Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) is a hardware level interface that monitors various hardware functions on a server. If IPMI is provided by your hardware vendor, you must follow the vendor’s instructions to configure it.

Set IPMI information, including the channel number and IP address that the IPMI connection is using. You can click the Setting button to see the current settings. If they are all correct, you do not have to enter anything


SIR Configuration

Enable Fibre Channel target mode

1. In the Console, right-click the SIR server and select Options --> Enable FC Target Mode.

You can now set a port on the SIR server to target mode. This is necessary to allow the VTL to access the repository in order to restore data.

2. In the Console tree, expand the Physical Resources object and then expand Physical Adapters so you can see the Fibre Channel Adapters in the list.

In order to identify your ports, you need to know the WWPN of each. One way to find the WWPN is through the SNS table at your Fibre Channel switch.

Alternatively, for QLogic HBAs, you can find the WWPN in the BIOS (press Ctrl+Q during boot up).

3. Select a port that does not have devices attached to it.

4. Right-click the port and select Switch to Target Mode.

Note that the adapter mode changes from initiator to target.

Note: If a port is in initiator mode and has devices attached to it, that port cannot be set for target mode.

Configuration note: After completing the configuration wizard, if you need to switch a port’s mode, you can right-click on the adapter and select Switch to Initiator Mode.


SIR Configuration

Prepare physical storage devices

This step virtualizes unassigned physical disks so that you can create logical resources for SIR storage.

1. In the Console tree, expand the Physical Devices object and then expand Fibre Channel Devices so you can see the available disks.

2. Right-click the Fibre Channel Devices object and select Prepare Disks.

The Physical Devices Preparation Wizard launches.

3. In the Select Preparation Operation dialog, select Virtualize and then click Next.

4. In the Select Physical Devices dialog, select two unassigned disks to be virtualized and then click Next.

• The Prepare Disks dialog identifies the disks you selected. If the selections are correct, click Finish.

• Type Yes in the warning message to acknowledge the message and then click OK.

• When the virtualization process completes, a status window displays. Click OK.


SIR Configuration

Enable SIR

This step configures the virtualized disks to serve as SIR storage.

1. In the Console, right-click the SIR server and select Options --> SIR --> Enable.

The Single Instance Repository Wizard launches.

2. Select the Physical Device storage type and then click Next.

3. In the Select Devices for Index dialog, select the virtualized disk that will serve as the index to data in the repository.

The minimum size for the index is calculated in GB as: Number of CPUs on SIR x 20 + 10.

4. In the Select Devices for Data dialog, select the device(s) that will be used for data storage.

5. In the confirmation dialog, select Finish to complete the wizard.


SIR Configuration

Create SIR clusters

Creating a SIR cluster is required regardless of how many nodes you have.

1. In the Console, right-click the SIR server and select Options --> SIR --> Cluster --> Enable.

The Single Instance Repository Cluster Wizard launches.

2. Select the SIR server.

3. Type a name for the cluster.

4. Type a root password and then confirm the password by typing it again.

The root user password for all nodes in the cluster must be the same. The root password you enter will replace any pre-existing password for all machines in the cluster.

5. On the confirmation screen, select Finish to complete the wizard.

When SIR storage preparation is complete, the wizard closes.


SIR Configuration

In the SIR Console, the SIR cluster appears in the Console tree below the IPStor Servers object and above your SIR server object.



Data De-duplication

The following information explains how to set up your de-duplication policies and perform normal backup and restore operations using the VTL so that SIR can reduce your disk capacity requirements.

Add/modify de-duplication policies

De-duplication policies specify which virtual tapes need to have de-duplication and when it should occur. All SIR policies are defined at the virtual tape library level. You must have at least one virtual tape library and one virtual tape in order to create a policy or associate servers.

Note: Once you set your de-duplication policies, you should not change the IP address of either appliance. If you need to change the IP address, do it BEFORE setting your policies.

1. In the VTL Console, right-click on the virtual library to which you are backing up and select SIR Policy Setting from the menu.

2. To create a new policy, click the New button on the SIR Policies dialog.

To modify an existing policy, select the policy name and click the Edit button.

If this is the first policy to be created, you will need to associate one SIR server in the cluster with VTL before you can create de-duplication policies. (You do not need to associate every SIR server in a cluster.)

Click Add to add the SIR server. Enter the server’s IP address, the user name (root) and password.


Data De-duplication

3. On the General tab, accept or change the default policy name or the name of the existing policy.

General tab - Lists all SIR clusters currently associated with VTL. You can add and remove SIR clusters from this dialog.

Schedule tab - Displays the schedule options for the policy.

Tapes tab - Lists the virtual tapes that can be associated with this policy.

4. Select the Tapes tab and select the virtual tape(s) that you want to cover in this policy.

A virtual tape can be part of only one SIR policy at a time.

If a tape has already been associated with another policy, it will appear to be grayed out.


Data De-duplication

5. Select the Schedule tab and click Set Schedule.

6. Enter the date and time (in 24-hour format) when the de-duplication policy should be launched.

Set the de-duplication policy to a time after the backup job will be completed for the virtual tape associated with the policy. By default, the policy will repeat every day indefinitely.

7. (Optional) You can modify the repetition frequency by selecting Hourly, Daily, Weekly, or Monthly from the drop-down menu and setting the details to your preferences.

Note: If the job is not completed by the time the next de-duplication job should begin, the policy will wait the selected time after the current de-duplication job is complete. For example, if you choose to de-duplicate every two minutes and the de-duplication policy is running for more than two minutes, the policy will continue until completion and then wait two minutes before starting again.

8. (Optional) To end the repetition by a certain day, check the End by box and select the last day of the policy.

9. (Optional) To exclude certain days from the repetition, click the Exclude button and enter the appropriate times, dates, days, months, or holidays to exclude.

10. Click OK to finalize the schedule.

11. Click OK to finalize the policy.

The policy is enabled and will execute at the next scheduled time. To execute the policy right now, regardless of the time, click the Run button.

If a policy is running and you want it to stop, click the Stop button.

To completely remove a policy, select the policy and click the Delete button. You cannot delete a policy that is currently running.


Data De-duplication

From the SIR Console, you can view the status of the policy while it is running. Refer to ‘Monitor de-duplication from the SIR Console and view statistics’ for more information.

Perform backups

Once your backup server software can discover and access the virtual tape library/drives defined in the VTL Server, you can start to use the VTL as if it were a real tape library.

The preparation required to start a backup job successfully is identical whether you are using a real tape library or a virtual one. You simply configure the backup software to use the VTL just like you would a physical tape library.

Overview

Generally, in order to perform a backup to a newly acquired/configured tape library, you need to:

1. Add new tape media.

• Real library: Buy new tapes and insert into the mail slot followed by a sequence of keys pressed on the keypad of the tape library.

• VTL: Virtual tapes are typically created when you create a virtual tape library. Additional virtual tapes can be created as needed. Refer to ‘Create virtual tapes’ for more information.

2. Start a "tape inventory" process in your backup software.

3. Format the tapes and assign them into various "tape pools".

4. Define backup jobs and associate tapes with each job.

When one or more backup jobs start to kick-off, tapes are allocated by the backup software and are loaded into the tape drives. Backup data is then sent to the tapes until the backup job is done. The backup software then sends commands to unload the tapes and return them to their assigned slot within the library. All of the above actions are emulated by VTL.

When it is time to remove a tape from a physical library and to store it onto a nearby tape shelf, the administrator must physically walk over to the library, use a key pad/console to select the tape to be removed, and then catch the tape as it is physically being ejected from the "mail slot". The above can sometimes be done via commands from within the backup software.

For a VTL server, obviously there is no keypad or physical mail slot for this purpose. However, the FalconStor VTL server has a Virtual Tape Vault to hold all the virtually "ejected" tapes from any virtual tape library. In the case where an "eject" is performed by the backup software, the ejected virtual tape will be automatically placed in the Virtual Tape Vault. This can be confirmed using the VTL Console (select the Virtual Tape Vault object and verify the virtual tape is


Data De-duplication

indeed there). If tape removal is not done using the backup software, the equivalent of a "keypad" is to use the VTL Console and right-click on the virtual tape and select Move to Vault.

Typically, after the backup is complete, the backup software will automatically remove the tape from the drive and store it back in its assigned library slot. When the de-duplication policy executes at the designated time, or when you click Run manually at the VTL Console for the selected policy, you can use the SIR Console to confirm that the de-duplication policy is running. To do this, highlight the SIR server and select the Scanner processes tab in the right panel to see a list of currently running policies.

Special note for NetBackup users

To prevent a backup from going to the same tape more than once, when you are configuring backup jobs for Microsoft Exchange, DO NOT span your policies across tapes.


Data De-duplication

Perform de-duplication

If your de-duplication job has not started yet, you can use the VTL Console to force it to run now by clicking Run in the Policies dialog (right-click on a virtual library and select SIR Policy Setting).

Before de-duplication, the virtual tape’s backup data is stored on the disks of the VTL Server. When the de-duplication policy runs at the SIR server, an intelligent “Tape Scanner” process analyzes the backup data to perform de-duplication. Upon completion, the entire virtual tape will be free of any backup data, and instead, an “index” to the real data is stored. All truly unique data blocks found during the de-duplication process are stored on the SIR server disk space.

Therefore, you can describe the de-duplication process as a “data block mover” that moves all blocks from the VTL storage space to the SIR storage space, except that redundant blocks are discarded. A virtual tape that has been de-duplicated is called a “Virtual Index Tape” because it contains only the pointers to the data, instead of the actual data.


Data De-duplication

Monitor de-duplication from the SIR Console and view statistics

The SIR Console offers a variety of statistics to measure the performance of your de-duplication efforts. From the SIR Console, you can view the following:

• Statistics for policies that are currently running• Historical statistics• Repository size

SIR Console statistics

Statistics forrunning policies

To view statistics for policies that are currently running, highlight the server and select the Scanner processes tab in the right panel.

Here you can view the progress of the job. You can see which virtual tape is being de-duplicated, how large the tape is, how much has been processed, and the performance, measured in MB per second.


Data De-duplication

Historicalstatistics

To view historical statistics, highlight the server and select the Scanner history tab in the right panel.

You will see the history of the virtual tapes that were de-duplicated.

Under MB Processed you will see the amount of original data sent from the tape, and under MB Stored you will see the amount of unique data on that tape that has been stored in the SIR.

You will also see the amount of time required for each tape's de-duplication and the start time, from which you can determine the time that de-duplication completes.


Data De-duplication

Repositorystatistics

For the entire repository's statistics, highlight the cluster icon and select the SIR Statistics tab in the right panel.

You will see the amount of Data written, which is incoming data from the VTL, and Data stored, which is the amount of disk space used.

The de-duplication ratio is automatically calculated as well.

The charts both have Refresh buttons that you can use to update the statistics. The SIR Statistics in the bottom section of the screen are automatically updated every 30 seconds. You can click the Reset button to restart the values back to zero and re-start the time at the current time.


Data De-duplication

VTL Console statistics

The VTL does not use a file system for storage, so to measure a virtual tape's size you should use the VTL Console.

1. Under a virtual library, expand the Tapes icon.

A list of virtual tapes is displayed.

2. Select a virtual tape.

The tape's information is displayed in the right panel.

VIT shows whether the tape is a Virtual Index Tape.

Used Size shows the amount of space the virtual tape is using. If it is a VIT, the Used Size will be small relative to the original size of the virtual tape.

Data Written shows the amount of data that was written from the backup host to the VTL. If the tape is a VIT, or if you are using compression, Data Written and Used Size will be different.

Compression Ratio is the ratio between Used Size and Data Written and does not necessarily mean you are using compression.

3. If you would like to run a report to get information for all virtual tapes, right-click on Reports, select New and select the Virtual Tape Information report.


VirtualTape Library User Guide

Data Replication

Replicating data protects the information on a virtual tape by maintaining a copy of the virtual tape on the same server or on another server.

Replication between SIR clusters occurs via Fibre Channel or iSCSI. Each cluster can contain one, two, or four SIR nodes. The clusters can each have a different number of SIR nodes. For example, a two-node cluster can replicate to a one-node cluster, and vice versa.

Replication can occur in a one-to-one configuration or in a many-to-one configuration. In a one-to-one configuration, one cluster replicates to one cluster. In a many-to-one configuration, multiple clusters replicate to a single cluster, which would be the case where remote offices replicate data to a corporate data center.

Because SIR replicates its virtual index tape and metadata, data duplicated across remote sites is de-duplicated at the central site, enabling only globally unique data to be stored.

When replication begins, the virtual index tape (VIT) from the primary server is transmitted to the replica resource on the target server and a foreign virtual index tape (FVIT) is created. This FVIT is then used to determine which unique blocks of data need to be replicated to the target server. After replication of the data, the source and target are synchronized and the replicated virtual tape is moved to the target server’s virtual vault. The VIT on the target contains pointers to these replicated blocks of data.

The target server is usually located at a remote location. If a disaster occurs and the replica is needed, the administrator can move the replicated tape from the virtual vault to its virtual tape library or export the replicated tape to a physical tape so that it can be accessed by backup software.

VirtualTape Library User Guide 40

Data Replication

Replication requirements

The following are the requirements for setting up a replication configuration:

• The virtual tape you want to replicate must be included in a policy. • While you can configure replication for a virtual tape that has not been de-

duplicated, replication will not run until at least one de-duplication has taken place.

• You must have enough space on the target server for the replica resource. • (Remote Replication) You must have at least two functional SIR clusters.• (Remote Replication) You must enable replication between the SIR clusters

by adding the target cluster to the primary cluster. Refer to the ‘Add a target SIR server’ section for more information.

• (Remote Replication) Just as you had to associate your SIR server with VTL before you could create de-duplication policies, the servers on the target side must be associated before you can configure replication.

• (Remote Replication) You must have write access to both servers.


Data Replication

Add a target SIR server

Before you can configure replication for a tape, you must enable replication between the SIR clusters. To do this:

1. In the SIR Console, right-click on the primary cluster and select SIR --> Replication --> Add Target.

2. Select the target cluster.

3. Select which protocol to use for replication.

4. Confirm the information and click Finish.


Data Replication

Configure replication

You must enable replication for each virtual tape that you want to replicate.

1. In the VTL Console, right-click on a virtual tape and select Replication --> Add.

Each virtual tape can be replicated to a single target only.

2. Indicate whether you want to use remote replication or local replication.

3. Select the server that will contain the replica.

If the server you want does not appear on the list, click the Add button.


Data Replication

4. Confirm/enter the target server’s IP address.

5. Configure how often, and under what circumstances, replication should occur.

Start replication when the amount of new data reaches - If you enter a watermark value, when the value is reached, replication of the changed data will begin as soon as the virtual tape is back in the library. This option is not valid for replicating a VIT with SIR.

Start an initial replication on mm/dd/yyyy at hh:mm and then every n hours/minutes thereafter - Indicate when replication should begin and how often it


Data Replication

should be repeated. Be sure to allow enough time for the de-duplication policy to complete before replication should begin. If a tape has data that has not been de-duplicated, the data will not be replicated.

If a replication is already occurring when the next time interval is reached, the new replication request will be ignored.

6. Indicate what to do if a replication attempt fails.

Replication can only occur when the virtual tape is in the library and is not in use. Indicate how long the system should attempt to replicate data before timing out and how often it should attempt to retry before skipping a scheduled replication.


Data Replication

7. Indicate if you want to use the Compression and/or Encryption options.

The Compression option provides enhanced throughput during replication by compressing the data stream.

The Encryption option secures data transmission over the network during replication.

The Compression and Encryptions options are not recommended for replicating a VIT with SIR.

8. Select how you want to create the replica resource.


Data Replication


Express automatically creates the replica for you from available hard disk segments.

Note: All data on the target will be overwritten.

If you select Custom, you will see the following screens:

Only one disk can be selected at a time from this dialog. To create a replica resource from multiple physical disks, you will need to add the disks one at a time. After selecting the first disk, you will have the option to add more disks.

Indicate how much space to allocate from this disk.

Click Add More if you need to add another physical disk to this replica resource.You will go back to the physical device selection screen where you can select another disk.


Data Replication

9. Enter a name for the replica resource.

The name is not case sensitive.

10. Confirm that all information is correct and then click Finish to create the replication configuration.

An initial replication will occur according to the policy you set during configuration. This policy included a watermark value and/or a fixed start time.

Note that while you can configure replication for a virtual tape that has not been de-duplicated, replication will not run until at least one de-duplication has taken place.

Note: Once you create your replication configuration, you should not change the hostname of the primary server. If you do, you will need to recreate your replication configuration.


Data Replication

When replication occurs

When replication occurs, the VIT from the primary server is transmitted to the replica resource on the target server and a foreign virtual index tape (FVIT) is created. This FVIT is then used to determine which unique blocks of data need to be replicated to the target server.

After replication of the data, the source and target are synchronized and the replicated virtual tape is moved to the target server’s virtual vault. The VIT on the target contains pointers to these replicated blocks of data.

Virtual tapes in thethe Virtual Vaultafter replication

Foreign virtualindex tapes under

Replica Resources


Data Replication

Check replication status

You can check the status of replication of virtual tapes. For VITs, you will see the status of the replication of the VIT itself, not the status of the unique data that is replicated.

There are several ways to check replication status: • Replication tab of the primary virtual tape - displays the policies set for

replication as well as the replication status.• General tab of the Replica Resource on the target server - displays status of

replication in progress.• Event Log - displays status and operational information, as well as any

errors.• Replication Status Report - can be run from the Reports object. It provides a

centralized view for displaying real-time replication status for all tapes enabled for replication. It can be generated for an individual tapes, multiple tapes, primary server or target server, for any range of dates. This report is useful for administrators managing multiple servers that either replicate data or are the recipients of replicated data. The report can display information about existing replication configurations only or it can include information about replication configurations that have been deleted (you must select to view all replication activities in the database). The following is a sample Replication Status Report:


Data Replication

Access data on a replicated tape

If a replicated virtual tape is needed (due to a failure at the primary site), the administrator can do one of the following so that the data can be accessed by backup software:

• Move the virtual tape from the virtual vault to a virtual library on the target server.

• If the primary cluster has been repaired, you can replicate the virtual tape back to that server. This replicates the entire tape, which can be time consuming.

• Export the data on the virtual tape to a physical tape. The following section provides details on exporting tapes.

Export a replicated tapeYou can export data from a virtual tape to a physical tape. This process builds a full physical tape and is useful for long-term data archiving and disaster recovery. To export a tape:

1. Right-click on the virtual tape under Virtual Vault and select Export Tape.

2. Select the physical tape library to which you want to export.

3. Select how you want the data exported and if you want the physical tape exported to the import/export slots.

Move Mode - Copies the contents of the virtual tape to its physical counterpart and then removes the virtual tape from the system. Specify a grace period if you want to keep the virtual tape for a time before deleting it.

Copy Mode - Copies the contents of the virtual tape to its physical counterpart and retains the virtual tape after the data is transferred.

4. Determine if you want to Export physical tapes to I/E slots after export.

5. Select Encrypt data when exporting to physical tape with the selected key if you want to encrypt the data on the tape.

You can select this option only if at least one key has been created. If you select this option, you must select the key to use. All the data on the tape will be indecipherable until is imported back to a virtual tape library and decrypted using the same key.

6. Select the virtual tape(s) you want to export.

If your physical tape drive/library uses barcodes, we highly recommend that you select to use the same barcode as the physical tape.

If your physical tape drive/library does not use barcodes, you can then select which slot to use for the physical tape.

7. Verify the information and then click Finish to export the tape.


Data Replication

Manually start the replication process

To force a replication that is not scheduled, select Replication --> Synchronize.

Change your replication configuration optionsYou can change the following for your replication configuration:

• Static IP address of your target server• Policies that trigger replication (watermark, interval, time)• Timeout and retry policies• Data transmission options (encryption, compression)

To change the configuration:

1. Right-click on the primary virtual tape and select Replication --> Properties.

2. Make the appropriate changes and click OK.

Suspend/resume replication scheduleYou can suspend future replications from automatically being triggered by your replication policies (watermark, interval, time). This will not stop a replication that is currently in progress. You can still manually start the replication process while the schedule is suspended. To suspend/resume replication, right-click on the primary virtual tape and select Replication --> Suspend (or Resume).

You can see the current settings by checking the Replication Schedule field on Replication tab of the primary virtual tape.

Stop a replication in progressTo stop a replication that is currently in progress, right-click on the primary virtual tape and select Replication --> Stop.

Remove a replication configurationRight-click on the primary virtual tape and select Replication --> Remove. This allows you to remove the replication configuration on the primary, deleting the replica resource on the target server at the same time. The replicated virtual tape in the virtual vault is not deleted.



Appendix

Changing IP addresses of your VTL/SIR appliances

This section describes how to change IP addresses via the management consoles.

1. Launch the VTL Console and log in to your VTL server.

2. Remove all existing SIR policies.

To do this:

• Right-click on each virtual tape library and select SIR Policy Setting.• Highlight each of your existing policies and click Delete.

3. From the Policy dialog, select New, click Remove to remove the SIR server with the old IP address, and then click Cancel (because there are currently no servers).

4. Launch the SIR Console and log in to your SIR server.

5. Change the IP address of the SIR server.

To do this:

• Right-click on the SIR Server and select System Maintenance --> Network Configuration.

• Select eth0 and then click Configure to modify.• Click Edit to change your static IP address.

6. Remove the SIR-Cluster by right-clicking on the cluster and selecting Remove.

7. Right-click on IPStor Servers and select Add.

Be sure to enter the new IP address.

8. Go back to your VTL Console.

9. Change the IP address of the VTL server.

To do this:

• Right-click on the VTL Server and select System Maintenance --> Network Configuration.

• Select eth0 and then click Configure to modify.• Click Edit to change your static IP address.

10. Double-click on your VTL server and log back in.

11. Add back the SIR server with its new IP address and create new policies on the VTL server.


Appendix

To do this:

• Right-click on your virtual tape libraries and select SIR Policy Setting.• Select New. • Click Add to add the SIR server with the new IP address - You will have

to enter the user name and password.• Create your policy - Refer to ‘Add/modify de-duplication policies’ for more

information about creating policies.

Note: If an error should occur while connecting to the SIR Server, try again and make sure you are typing the correct (new) IP address, user name, and password.


Appendix

Assigning virtual tape libraries to backup servers

There are two methods for assigning virtual tape libraries to your backup servers.

• In the "Open Access" scheme, access is controlled purely by zoning: A virtual tape library must be assigned to the Everyone_FC client. Refer to the ‘Grant open access to a backup server’ section below for more details.

• In the “Secured Access” scheme, access is dictated by creating specific FC clients to represent specific backup server, refer to the ‘Grant secure access to a backup server’ section below for more details.

Grant open access to a backup server

For a simple environment where zoning and host-side masking can effectively control which backup server can see the VTL Server, the simplest scheme is to use the pre-defined Everyone_FC client for the VTL Server to represent the backup server.

Any virtual tape library or virtual tape drive not associated with a virtual tape library can be "assigned" to the Everyone_FC client, and the backup server that is zoned with any of the target WWPNs of the VTL Server can then access the assigned VTL and virtual tape drives.

Grant secure access to a backup server

For an environment where multiple backup servers are sharing a VTL server, it is necessary to ensure that each backup server can access only its own designated virtual tape library/drives.

To achieve this level of separation, you must create a FC SAN Client within the VTL server to represent each backup server and then create and assign distinctive virtual tape library/drives to each backup server. The steps to do this are as follows:

1. Right-click on the SAN Clients object and select Add.

2. Select Fibre Channel for your backup server.

3. Enter the actual server name of your backup server (without the domain prefix).

For example: Backup1.

You can then click Find to discover the machine. Click Next.

4. Select the initiator WWPN for the client.

Note that if client FC initiator ports are already zoned with VTL’s target port and are properly connected/powered up, they will automatically be listed and the VTL Console will let you select the specific initiators. In addition, if there is only one initiator WWPN found, VTL will automatically select it for you and the selection dialog will not be displayed.


Appendix

5. Click Next and select the target WWPN for this initiator.

The target WWPN is the VTL server.

6. Click Next and, if needed, select Enable Volume Set Addressing.

This may be required for particular Fibre Channel clients, such as HP-UX clients that require VSA to access storage devices.

7. Assign your virtual tape library to Backup1 by right-clicking on the Backup1 SAN Client and selecting Assign. Then, select the library and click the Assign button.

8. The backup server must now discover the assigned virtual tape library and drives.

The steps to do this vary according to the backup server’s operating system.

For Windows, launch Computer Manager by right-clicking on My Computer and selecting Manage. Highlight Device Manager and perform a Scan for hardware changes by right-clicking on the name of the Windows Server.

New devices representing the specific VTL resources will appear and if the appropriate tape drive and tape library device drivers are installed on the Windows server, the correct device name and type are associated and the devices will become ready for use by the backup software.

For all other platforms, such as Unix and Linux, consult the appropriate reference material that came with your backup software for details on how to load drivers and how to perform discovery for hardware changes.


Appendix

Setting up email alerts

FalconStor has a unique email alert utility that proactively identifies potential system or component failures and automatically notifies system administrators via email. This "CallHome" feature can be enabled via the VTL Console by right-clicking on the VTL Server and selecting Options --> Enable CallHome.

Using pre-configured scripts (called triggers), CallHome monitors a set of predefined, critical system components (SCSI drive errors, offline device, etc.). With its open architecture, administrators can easily register new elements to be monitored by these scripts.

When an error is triggered, CallHome uses the built-in X-ray feature to capture the appropriate information, including the event log, as well as a snapshot of the appliance's current configuration and environment. The technical information needed to diagnose the reported problem is then sent to a system administrator.

With CallHome, system administrators are able to take corrective measures within the shortest amount of time, ensuring optimum service uptime and IT efficiency.

Refer to the “CallHome” chapter in the FalconStor VTL User Guide for information about how to configure CallHome. We recommend setting the CallHome monitoring interval to be 15 minutes rather than the default.

Note: For CallHome's SMTP configuration, the user account should be a valid user account on the SMTP server. If your system does not require a user account, use the space bar to put a space in the User Account field. This is because the VTL Console requires an entry in the User Account field.

The Target Email account should be the administrator's email address that needs to receive CallHome messages.

To validate your CallHome setup, exit and re-launch the VTL Console. Try to log in to the VTL Server with an invalid password. You should receive a CallHome email within 15 minutes (assuming this is what you set for the monitoring interval).


Appendix

Working with virtual tape libraries

This section explains some common VTL functions. You should refer to your FalconStor VTL User Guide for additional tasks.

Create a new virtual tape library

To create a virtual tape library and assign it to your backup server, perform the following steps:

1. In the VTL Console, right-click on the Virtual Tape Libraries object and select New.

2. Select the tape library that you are emulating.

If you will be importing tapes into your VTL server, you need to create a virtual tape library that resembles your current library. This way the virtual tapes will use the same format as the physical tapes.

3. Enter information about the tape drives in your library.

Virtual Drive Name Prefix - The prefix is combined with a number to form the name of the virtual drive.

Total Virtual Drives - Determines the number of virtual tape drives available. This translates into the number of concurrent backup jobs that can run. Backup software licensing considerations may affect the number of tape drives you wish to present to each client server. This number can exceed the standard number of drives for the library as long as the backup software supports it.

4. Indicate if you want to use Automated Tape Caching for this library.

Selecting this option here means that the virtual library will act as a cache for your physical tape library, providing transparent access to data regardless of its location.

Note that Automated Tape Caching is outside the scope of this Quick Start Guide. If you would like to use Automated Tape Caching, refer to FalconStor’s VTL User Guide for more information.

5. (Non-Tape Caching environments) Determine if you want to use auto archive/replication for this virtual library.

You can select either Auto Archive or Auto Replication for a virtual library, but not both.

Auto Archive writes data to physical tape whenever a virtual tape is moved to an IE slot from a virtual library (by a backup application or other utility after a backup). In order to use Auto Archive the physical tape library must support barcodes because when VTL attempts to export to physical tape it must find a matching barcode in a physical library (you do not need to specify which physical library). If you select Auto Archive, determine if you want the virtual tape copied (retained) or moved (removed) after the data is transferred. If you select Move,


Appendix

indicate how long to wait before deleting it. Also, indicate if you want to eject your physical tapes to the library’s import/export slots after exporting. You can encrypt the data while exporting as long as you have created at least one key.

Auto Replication replicates data to another VTL server whenever a virtual tape is moved to an IE slot from a virtual library (such as from a backup application or other utility). If selected, determine whether you want the virtual tape copied (retained) or moved (removed) after the data is replicated. If you select Move, indicate how long to wait before deleting it. Also, select the remote server from the list of existing target servers. You can also click Add to add another VTL server.

6. Enter barcode information for the virtual library.

Barcode Starts/Ends - Indicate a range of barcodes that will be used when creating virtual tapes. By default, barcodes increment in an alphanumeric sequence; for example, XXX0009 to XXX000A. In order to set the barcode to increment in a numeric sequence (XXX0009 to XXX0010), you have to set the last three digits of the Barcode Ends field to 999; for example, XXX0999

Note that for IBM libraries, the default barcode range is set to six characters.

Slot - Maximum number of tape slots in your tape library.

Import/Export Slots - Number of slots used to take tapes in and out of the bin.

7. Enter the guidelines for expanding virtual tape capacity and using encryption for virtual tape data.

Note: You will only see this dialog if the Advanced Tape Creation method is enabled (set in Tools --> Console Options). If Advanced Tape Creation is not enabled, Tape Capacity On Demand will automatically be set for you.

Tape Capacity On Demand - Allows you to create small resources for your tapes and then automatically allocate additional space when needed. This can save considerable amounts of disk space without affecting system performance. If you do not select this option, VTL will allocate each virtual tape at the full size of the tape you are emulating. If you are using SIR, it is highly recommended that you use the Tape Capacity On Demand option.

Initial Tape Size/Incremental Size - Enter the initial size of each resource and the amount by which it will be incremented.

Maximum Capacity - Indicate the maximum size for each tape.

• If you will not be exporting data to physical tape, you can enter any maximum capacity.

• If you will be exporting data to physical tape but you will not be using VTL’s hardware or software compression, you can enter any maximum capacity, but if you enter a capacity that exceeds the native uncompressed capacity for the media, you may not be able to export to physical tape.

• If you will be exporting data to physical tape and you will be using VTL’s hardware or software compression, you should set the maximum capacity to 10-15% less than the uncompressed capacity of the selected media. This is


Appendix

because VTL’s compression algorithm can vary depending upon the dataset; certain file types (ZIP, PDF, GIF, RAR, etc.) are already compressed and cannot be compressed further.

Encrypt virtual tape data with the selected key - Specify if you want to protect the data on virtual tapes with encryption while it is stored on disk. You must have previously created at least one encryption key.

8. Verify all information and then click Finish to create the virtual tape library.

You will be prompted to create virtual tapes. Answer Yes to continue and follow the instructions below.

Create virtual tapes

The Create Virtual Tape wizard will vary depending on whether or not you have enabled the Advanced Tape Creation method.

1. (Advanced Tape Creation only) Select how you want to create the virtual tape(s).


Express automatically creates the resource(s) for you using an available device(s). If you select Express, you can create multiple virtual tapes at the same time.

2. (Advanced Tape Creation only) Specify which physical device should be used to create the virtual tapes.

Storage space is allocated from the local server even if this server is part of a multi-node group.

3. If Auto Archive is enabled for the virtual library, select the physical tape(s) you want to match.

This enables you to have a physical tape with a barcode that matches your virtual tape. This is important for exporting functions.

4. If Auto Replication is enabled for the virtual library and you want it enabled for this/these tapes, select the target server.

You will be asked to confirm the hostname/IP address and indicate how long the system should attempt to replicate data before timing out and how often it should attempt to retry before skipping a scheduled replication.

Then, indicate if you want to use the Compression and/or Encryption options (a license keycode is required for each). The Compression option provides enhanced throughput during replication by compressing the data stream. The Encryption option secures data transmission over the network during replication.

5. Depending upon which method you selected, specify the size of the tape(s), name, and number of tapes to create.


Appendix

6. (Advanced Tape Creation only) If desired, set a barcode range for the virtual tapes you are creating.

7. Verify all information and then click Finish to create the virtual tape(s).

8. Assign the newly created virtual tape library to your backup server by right-clicking on the Everyone_FC SAN Client and selecting Assign. Then, select the library and click the Assign button.


Appendix

Importing tapes

One of the advantages of using a virtual tape library is that you can protect data on your existing physical tapes by importing them into your virtual tape system.

You can also import data from virtual tapes being used by another FalconStor virtual tape library.

Before you begin

You must verify the following before you can import tapes:

• The drive type (i.e. IBM:ULTRIUM-TD3) and the media type (i.e. Ultrium3) of the library you are importing from must match the library to which you are importing.

• If you are connecting through a switch, the VTL server must be in the same zone as the physical tape library or other VTL server from which you are importing.

Import instructions

To import tapes:

1. If you are importing from another FalconStor virtual tape library, assign that virtual tape library to the Everyone_FC client.

2. On the VTL server to which you are importing tapes, highlight Physical Resources --> Storage HBAs and select Rescan.

Select the Discover New Devices option.

3. After re-scanning, verify that the tape library and drives you are importing from appear under Storage Devices --> Fibre Channel Devices.

4. Right-click on your physical tape library under VirtualTape Library System and select Assign.

5. Right-click on the physical tape library and select Assign.

6. Select all tape drives and click Assign.

7. Right-click on the physical tape library and select Import Tape.

8. Select the virtual library to which you want to import.

9. Select Copy Mode to copy the data.

Copy Mode copies the entire contents of a physical tape onto a virtual tape and leaves the physical tape unchanged.

10. Select the physical tape(s) you want to import.


Appendix

You can select a tape based on its barcode or slot location. You can then use the same barcode for the virtual tape or you can enter a new barcode. You can also select a slot for the virtual tape.

11. Indicate how you want to create the virtual tape.


Express automatically creates the resource(s) for you using an available device(s). If you select Express, you can create multiple virtual tapes at the same time.

12. Specify which physical device should be used to create the virtual tapes.

13. Specify a name, size, starting number for the tape(s).

14. Verify the information and then click Finish to import the tape(s).

You can view status by highlighting the job in the Import/Export Queue. You will see a Percent Complete progress bar in the right-hand frame.

When completed, the virtual tape will be automatically moved to the virtual tape library.

15. You can now create or modify existing SIR policies to de-duplicate the data on the tapes you imported.


Appendix

Directly connecting VTL/SIR without a switch

While most customers choose to use a Fibre Channel switch to connect their VTL and SIR appliances, it is also possible to direct-connect the appliances.

If you are direct-connecting the appliances, your VTL server must have at least two target ports and you must connect the appliances in the following way:

• Target port on the VTL server with the initiator port on the SIR server• Initiator port on the VTL server with the target port on the SIR server• Target port(s) on the VTL server with the initiator port(s) on the backup

server

In order to direct connect the appliances, you must modify the fshba.conf file and set the value of Connection_Option to 0. This must be done on both appliances. The path for the file on each appliance is as follows:

• SIR - /usr/local/ipstor/etc/fshba.conf• VTL - /usr/local/vtl/etc/fshba.conf

The following is an example of a directly-connected single-node cluster with internal storage:

If your VTL/SIR deployment involves a Fibre Channel switch, refer to ‘Zoning’ for more information.


Appendix

Upgrading VTL 4.0 to VTL 4.5

In order to use SIR with VTL, you must be running version VTL 4.5. This section explains how to upgrade your VTL system.

1. Insert the SIR CD into the target server’s CD-ROM.

2. Execute the following command to mount the CD.mount /dev/cdrom /media/cdrom

3. Change your directory to the mount point and execute the following installation script:vtlinstall

4. Follow the step-by-step instructions from the script.

5. Reboot the machine once the upgrade completes successfully.

6. Once the machine is up, start VTL 4.5 by executing the following command:vtl start

7. Use the latest 4.5 VTL Console to connect to your VTL server.

8. Check the configuration of all existing virtual libraries, licenses, SAN clients, storage, and physical devices.

Your configuration should be the same as before the upgrade.


Appendix

Support, questions, and feedback

Email your questions and feedback about this document to:

[email protected] and specify the subject as VTL-SIR-Quickstart.

To contact our Technical Support, please refer to information at:

www.falconstor.com/support

or call:

U.S. 631.777.3332

Europe +33 820 399 866

Asia Pacific +886-4-2302-8988 or +886-4-2305-6888 ext. 203

Japan +81-3-3556-0211



IndexAAssign

Backup servers 55SAN Client 56, 61virtual tape libraries 55Virtual tape library 56, 61

Auto archive 58Auto expansion 59Auto Replication 59

BBackup server

Assign 55Device scan 20Discover assigned libraries/drives 56Open access 55Secure access 55

BackupsOverview 33Perform 33

CCallHome 57Client

Add 19Clusters 2

Create 28COD

Virtual tapes 59Components 2Compression 17Configuration wizard

SIR Console 22VTL Console 13

Configurations 2Connect appliances

Direct connect 64Without a switch 64Zoning 4

DDatabase 17De-duplication

Monitor 36Perform 35

De-duplication policies

Modify 30Device scan 20Direct connect 64Disk compression 17

EEmail alerts 57eth0

Change IP address 53Everyone client 55

FFeedback 66Fibre Channel Target Mode

Enable 16Fibre Channel target mode 25

HHostname 15, 24

IImport tapes 62Installation

VTL software 10Introduction 1IP address

Change 53

JJumbo frames 15

LLicensing 13, 22

MMTU 15Multi-node cluster 6

NNetwork configuration 14, 23

OOverview 1

PPasswords

VirtualTape Library with SIR Quick Start Guide i

Index

Change default 20Physical device

Assign 17Physical storage device

Prepare 26Policies 30

Modify 30Ports

Fibre Channel target mode 25Target mode 16

Prepare physical storage devices 26Prepare virtual devices 16

RReplication

Access data on tape 51Add target server 42Change configuration options 52Compression 46Configure 43Enable 42Encryption 46Export 51Force 52FVIT 40, 49Overview 40Primary tape 40Process 49Remove configuration 52Replica resource 40Requirements 41Resume schedule 52Setup 43Start manually 52Status 50Stop in progress 52Suspend schedule 52Synchronize 52VIT 40

SSAN Client

Add 19Assign 56, 61Create 55

Single-node cluster 5Single-node clusters with replication 8SIR Console

Configuration wizard 22

Connect to appliance 21Launch 21Statistics 36

Software installationInstallation

Software 9Statistics

Historical 37Repository 38Running policies 36SIR Console 36VTL Console 39

Support 66

TTape capacity-on-demand 59Tapes

Import 62Target mode 16

UUpgrade VTL 65

VVirtual device

Prepare 16Virtual tape libraries

Assign 19, 55Create 18

VTL ConsoleConfiguration wizard 13Connect to appliance 12Launch 12Statistics 39

WWWPN

Determining 16, 25

ZZoning 4

Determine how many zones to use 4Downstream 4Examples 5Hard 4Multi-node cluster 6Single-node cluster 5Soft 4Upstream 4

VirtualTape Library with SIR Quick Start Guide ii

Index

With Replication 8

VirtualTape Library with SIR Quick Start Guide iii

Documents

FalconStor - Computable.nl · Change default password ... Changing IP addresses of your VTL/SIR appliances