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Technical Report

E-Series in a CommVault Simpana 10 Environment Reference Architecture and Storage Best Practices

Erik Kemp, NetApp

August 2014 | TR-4320

Implementation Overview and Usage Considerations

This document outlines the reference architecture of E-Series storage in a CommVault

Simpana 10 environment and best practices for operating in such an environment.

2 E-Series Reference Architecture and Storage Best Practices in a CommVault Simpana 10 Environment

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Executive Summary.............................................................................................................................. 4

1.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................................................4

1.2 About NetApp ..................................................................................................................................................4

1.3 About CommVault ...........................................................................................................................................4

2 Reference Architecture Overview ....................................................................................................... 5

2.1 Solution Configuration Options .......................................................................................................................5

2.2 Backup Storage Capacity Sizing ................................................................................................................... 14

2.3 Backup Read Performance Goals ................................................................................................................. 15

3 E-Series E2700 Storage System ........................................................................................................ 15

3.1 E-Series Storage System Features ............................................................................................................... 16

3.2 SANtricity 11.10 ............................................................................................................................................ 16

4 CommVault Simpana 10 ..................................................................................................................... 17

5 Simpana 10 Design Considerations and Best Practices ................................................................ 19

5.1 Infrastructure Design ..................................................................................................................................... 19

5.2 Deduplication Design .................................................................................................................................... 20

5.3 Virtual Server Agent Design .......................................................................................................................... 21

6 E-Series Storage Configuration Guidelines ..................................................................................... 22

7 E-Series E2700 Storage System Specifications .............................................................................. 22

7.1 E2700 Hardware Using SANtricity 11.10 ...................................................................................................... 23

8 Architectural and Sizing Tools .......................................................................................................... 29

8.1 Assessment Tools ......................................................................................................................................... 29

8.2 Design Tools ................................................................................................................................................. 30

8.3 E-Series Capacity and Performance Tools ................................................................................................... 31

9 Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 31

Appendix .................................................................................................................................................... 31

References ................................................................................................................................................. 35

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1) Options for a small, single-node configuration. ................................................................................................6

Table 2) Options for a medium, single-node configuration. ............................................................................................7

Table 3) Options for a large, single-node configuration. .................................................................................................9


Table 4) Options for a large, multimode configuration. ................................................................................................. 11

Table 5) Options for an extended-mode configuration with multiple copies and long-term retention. ........................... 14

Table 6) Backup storage capacity sizing. ..................................................................................................................... 15

Table 7) Backup read performance goals..................................................................................................................... 15

Table 8) CommVault Simpana 10 components. ........................................................................................................... 17

Table 9) Deduplication terminology. ............................................................................................................................. 20

Table 10) E2700 technical specifications. .................................................................................................................... 27

Table 11) SANtricity software boundaries for E2700-based storage systems. ............................................................. 28

Table 12) CommVault Simpana 10 terminology and definitions. .................................................................................. 31

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1) Small configuration: single node (graphic provided by CommVault). ..............................................................5

Figure 2) Medium configuration: single node (graphic provided by CommVault). ..........................................................7

Figure 3) Large configuration: single node. ....................................................................................................................9

Figure 4) Large configuration: multinode. ..................................................................................................................... 11

Figure 5) Cross-site replication (large, multinode). ....................................................................................................... 13

Figure 6) Long-term retention. ...................................................................................................................................... 13

Figure 7) CommVault Simpana backup and recovery components. ............................................................................. 19

Figure 8) E2712 12-drive tray. ...................................................................................................................................... 23

Figure 9) E2760 60-drive tray. ...................................................................................................................................... 24

Figure 10) E2700 optional HICs. .................................................................................................................................. 25

Figure 11) E2712 front view without bezel.................................................................................................................... 25

Figure 12) E2712 rear view. ......................................................................................................................................... 26

Figure 13) E2760 front view without bezel.................................................................................................................... 26

Figure 14) E2760 rear view. ......................................................................................................................................... 27


1 Executive Summary

Streamlined backup and recovery solutions are no longer just on customers’ wish lists; they are business

imperatives. Shrinking data-protection backup windows continue to challenge all customers as the need

to store, manage, and manipulate data grows exponentially—whether for competitive gain or for

regulatory or policy compliance. Fast and consistent recovery is paramount.

This solution is targeted at opportunities that scale from several terabytes to multiple petabytes of primary

data under management. The purpose of this document is to serve as a reference architecture for

enabling a collaborative backup and recovery solution on NetApp® E-Series storage with CommVault

®

Simpana® 10 data protection software.

1.1 Introduction

CommVault and NetApp have jointly developed this reference architecture to provide guidance for

successful Simpana 10 deployments with E-Series storage that will accelerate time to application for this

solution.

E-Series with Simpana 10 provides a true best-in-class backup and recovery solution with a tightly

coupled and thoroughly tested reference architecture from industry leaders NetApp and CommVault. This

solution is optimized for disk-to-disk backup and recovery that rely on the policy-based management and

deduplication features of Simpana 10 and the flexible, high-capacity storage performance of NetApp E-

Series storage arrays. This solution provides customers with superior performance and functionality at a

competitive price.

This solution features the following benefits:

Tape backup completely eliminated by secondary, off-site backup copies

Enhanced scalability on the front end enabled by additional Simpana media servers (dedupe)

Enhanced scalability on the back end enabled by online capacity expansion of E-Series arrays (raw capacity)

Reduced complexity achieved through off-site replication

Archiving and stubbing included to mitigate future storage capacity needs

Efficient, direct-to-disk backups (known as Deduplication Accelerate Streaming Hash [DASH] copies) deduplicated to the remote site to be used for disaster recovery

World-class support provided by NetApp and CommVault

1.2 About NetApp

NetApp creates innovative storage systems and software that help customers around the world to store,

manage, protect, and retain one of their most precious assets: data. NetApp is recognized throughout the

industry for pushing the limits of today’s technology so that customers don’t have to choose between

saving money and acquiring capabilities for success.

NetApp finds ways to enable its customers to do things they couldn’t do before, at a speed they didn’t

think possible. NetApp partners with industry leaders to create the most efficient and cost-effective

solutions, optimized for customers’ IT needs, and delivered and supported worldwide. Discover NetApp’s

passion for helping global companies win, at www.netapp.com.

1.3 About CommVault

A singular vision—the belief in a better way to address current and future data and information

management needs—guides CommVault in the development of Singular Information Management®

solutions for high-performance data protection, universal availability, and simplified management of data

on complex storage networks. The CommVault-exclusive, single-platform architecture gives companies

http://www.netapp.com/


unprecedented control over data growth, costs, and risks. CommVault Simpana software modules were

designed to work together seamlessly from the ground up, sharing a single code and common function

set, to deliver superlative backup and recovery, archive, replication, search, and resource management

capabilities. Every day, more companies join those that have discovered the unparalleled efficiency,

performance, reliability, and control that only CommVault can offer. For more information about

CommVault, refer to www.commvault.com.

2 Reference Architecture Overview

This section provides details about the reference architecture, ranging from small environments that

protect a few terabytes of data to enterprise-size environments that manage petabytes of data.

2.1 Solution Configuration Options

Small Configuration: Single Node

A small, single-node configuration is targeted at small businesses that create local backups at remote or

branch offices. The initial configuration for a small, single-node environment should be sufficient for a

typical 30- to 90-day retention period with expansion options for long-term retention. For long-term

retention, additional expansion shelves and drives must be added. Figure 1 shows a small, single-node

architecture.

Note: Simpana Application Data Management (ADM) is limited to 15TB for long-term retention configurations.

Figure 1) Small configuration: single node (graphic provided by CommVault).

Table 1 displays options for a small, single-node configuration.

http://www.commvault.com/


Table 1) Options for a small, single-node configuration.

Option Description

Scope Up to 15TB (FET) of production data

Operating system Microsoft® Windows

® (64-bit) for a CommServe and MediaAgent

combination, or Windows or Linux® (64-bit) for MediaAgent only

Simpana Version 10, Service Pack 6

ADM bundle capacity

CommServe and MediaAgent, or MediaAgent only

Server configuration (1 server required)

CPU/RAM 6–8 cores

6GB–32GB RAM

650W power supply

Internal storage 2 600GB 10K RPM drives for operating system and Simpana installation

200GB–300GB solid-state drive (SSD) (or flash I/O storage) for dedupe database

NIC Dual port, 10GbE card or quad, 1GbE ports

HBA cards Dual-port SAS adapter

Optional: dual-port HBA for tape out

Backup storage configuration

Storage 2U, E2712, 12 drive slots

2TB, 3TB, or 4TB 7.2K RPM spindles

Storage expanded by way of DE1600 expansion trays

Medium Configuration: Single Node

A medium, single-node configuration is targeted at medium-sized businesses and smaller data centers.

The initial configuration for a medium, single-node environment should be sufficient for a typical 30- to 90-

day retention period with expansion options for long-term retention. For long-term retention, additional

expansion shelves and drives must be added. Figure 2 shows a medium-sized, single-node architecture.

Note: Simpana ADM is limited to 30TB–40TB for long-term retention configurations. For additional capacity, purchase new nodes for the same cell.


Figure 2) Medium configuration: single node (graphic provided by CommVault).

Table 2 describes options for a medium, single-node configuration.

Table 2) Options for a medium, single-node configuration.

Option Description


Operating system Windows (64-bit) for a CommServe and MediaAgent combination, or Windows/Linux (64-bit) for MediaAgent only


ADM capacity

CommServe and MediaAgent, or MediaAgent only

Server configuration (CommServe and MediaAgent combination or dedicated MediaAgent)

Software Windows (64-bit) for a CommServe and MediaAgent combination, or Windows/Linux (64-bit) for MediaAgent only

Form factor 2U rack mount with minimum of 12 small form factor (SFF) (2.5") drive bays

CPU/RAM 8 cores

32GB RAM

2 650W power supplies

Internal storage 2 600GB 10K RPM drives in RAID 1 for operating system and Simpana installation


Option Description

2 600GB 15K RPM drives in RAID 1 for index cache

4 400GB+ value SSDs in RAID 5+1 hot spare for dedupe database




Server configuration (dedicated CommServe—physical or virtual)

Operating system Windows (64-bit)

CPU/RAM 8 cores

32GB RAM


Internal storage 2 600GB 10K RPM drives in RAID 1 for operating system and Simpana installation

Back-end storage configuration



Storage expanded through DE1600 expansion trays

Large Configuration: Single Node

A large, single-node configuration is targeted at enterprise data centers. The initial configuration for a

large, single-node environment should be sufficient for a typical 30- to 90-day retention period with

expansion options for long-term retention. For long-term retention, additional expansion shelves and

drives must be added. Figure 3 shows a large, single-node architecture.


Figure 3) Large configuration: single node (graphic provided by CommVault).

Table 3 describes options for a large, single-node configuration.

Table 3) Options for a large, single-node configuration.

Option Description


Operating system Windows (64-bit) for CommServe and MediaAgent combination, or Windows/Linux (64-bit) for MediaAgent only


ADM capacity

CommServe and MediaAgent

Server configuration (dedicated MediaAgent)

Software Windows/Linux (64-bit) for MediaAgent

Form factor 2U rack mount with minimum 12 SFF (2.5") drive bays

CPU/RAM 12 cores,

64GB RAM


Internal storage 4 400GB+ value SSDs in RAID 5 for operating system, Simpana installation, and index cache



Option Description




Server configuration (dedicated CommServe—physical)



CPU/RAM 8 cores

32GB RAM


Internal storage 2 400GB+ value SSDs in RAID 1 for operating system and Simpana installation





Large Configuration: Multinode with Global Dedupe Across Nodes

A large, multinode configuration with global deduplication across nodes is targeted at enterprise data

centers. This type of configuration enables node-level high availability (HA) and resiliency and provides

global deduplication across all nodes in the cluster. The initial configuration for a large, multinode

environment should be sufficient for a typical 30- to 90-day retention period with expansion options for

long-term retention. For long-term retention, additional expansion shelves and drives must be added. For

additional capacity, purchase new nodes for the same cell. Figure 4 shows a large, multinode

architecture.

Note: As with this configuration, small- and medium-capacity nodes can also be clustered together for HA, resiliency, and capacity benefits.


Figure 4) Large configuration: multinode (graphic provided by CommVault).

Table 4 describes options for a large, multinode configuration.

Table 4) Options for a large, multimode configuration.

Option Description

Scope Up to 120TB (FET) of production data per MediaAgent pair

Operating system Windows (64-bit) for CommServe, or Windows/Linux (64-bit) for MediaAgent only


ADM capacity



Operating system Windows/Linux (64-bit) for MediaAgent


CPU/RAM 12 cores

64GB RAM




Option Description





Server configuration (CommServe)



CPU/RAM 8 cores,

32GB RAM


Internal storage 2 400GB+ value SSDs in RAID 1 for operating system and Simpana installation





Extended-Mode Configuration: Multiple Copies and Long-Term Retention

In extended-mode configurations, each MediaAgent hosts two deduplication databases (DDBs), each

pointing to a copy of itself on the other MediaAgent. Use cases for this configuration include:

Multiple copy support. An example of multiple copy support is cross-site replication in which each site creates local backups and then replicates the backups to a remote site. The first copy is used for primary backups and the second copy is used to host replicated data that comes from the local site.

Long-term retention. In long-term retention scenarios, primary backups are retained for short periods of time, usually 30 to 90 days. Monthly backups, however, must be hosted for longer durations, often for years. The first copy is used for primary backups. A DASH copy of selective backups from the primary copy is replicated to the secondary copy with long-term retention.

Note: MediaAgent of any size (small, medium, or large) can be used in long-term retention mode as long as each DDB is hosted on a dedicated volume.

Figure 5 shows an extended-mode architecture featuring multiple-copy, cross-site replication.


Figure 5) Cross-site replication (large, multinode) (graphic provided by CommVault).

Figure 6 shows long-term retention.

Figure 6) Long-term retention (graphic provided by CommVault).


Table 5 describes options for extended-mode configuration with multiple copies and long-term retention.

Table 5) Options for an extended-mode configuration with multiple copies and long-term retention.

Option Description

Scope Support of multiple copies and long-term retention

Operating system Windows (64-bit) for a CommServe, or Windows/Linux (64-bit) for MediaAgent only


ADM capacity



Software Windows/Linux (64-bit) for MediaAgent


CPU/RAM 12 cores,

64GB RAM



4 400GB+ value SSDs in RAID 5+1 hot spare for dedupe database for copy 1

4 400GB+ value SSDs in RAID 5+1 hot spare for dedupe database for copy 2








Simpana IntelliSnap Configuration

In a Simpana IntelliSnap® configuration, MediaAgent acts as a proxy to locally mounted NetApp

Snapshot™

copies created on E-Series primary storage for creating LAN free backup copies. MediaAgent

requires either iSCSI or Fibre Channel (FC) access to the array to access the Snapshot copies. iSCSI

access can occur over a 10GbE network card, but for FC access, a dual-port, 8Gbps FC card is required

on the server configurations already listed.

2.2 Backup Storage Capacity Sizing

In a Simpana 10 environment, backup capacity sizing for a storage system is calculated based on what

CommVault refers to as terabytes of front-end protection size (or FET), which is the capacity size of the

data being protected. Table 6 lists examples of front-end data and the resulting back-end capacity sizing


to plan for storage. The general rule is to plan backup storage capacity at 1.5–2 times FET depending on

the desired retention time frame.

Table 6) Backup storage capacity sizing.

Terabytes of Front-End Protection Size

Backup Storage Capacity Sizing at 1.5x

Backup Storage Capacity Sizing at 2x

15TB 22.5TB 30TB

30TB 45TB 60TB

60TB 90TB 120TB

120TB 180TB 240TB

2.3 Backup Read Performance Goals

Table 7 lists the backup read performance targets for the following configurations.

Table 7) Backup read performance goals.

Configuration Backup Read Performance Goal

Small configuration: single node 500GB/hr restore

Medium configuration: single node 750GB/hr restore

Large configuration: single node 1TB/hr restore

Large configuration: multinode 2TB/hr restore

3 E-Series E2700 Storage System

The NetApp E-Series E2700 storage system delivers configurable, streamlined performance for midsize

application-driven SAN storage environments.

The scalable E2700 provides application-driven storage for remote, branch, and midsize organizations. It

is configurable with the 2U/12 or 4U/60 drive shelf and three forms of connectivity: FC, iSCSI, or SAS.

The E2700 integrates with key applications such as VMware®, Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft SQL

Server®, and Oracle

® systems.

With the E2700, you can:

Gain best-in-class performance efficiency for a wide range of database and other transactional applications.

Reduce cost and complexity of high-throughput data management through a configurable architecture that is easy to use and install.

Attain streamlined high performance with low latency and high bandwidth and input/output operations per second (IOPS).

Achieve seamless operations with flexible application integration.

Scale capacity as needed to support business growth.

Like all NetApp E-Series systems, the E2700 uses the robust, easy-to-use, and lightweight NetApp

SANtricity® storage management software, which enables performance efficiency, dynamic drive

rebalancing, RAID management, intelligent cache tiering, and extended data protection, including data

replication and disaster recovery (DR).


3.1 E-Series Storage System Features

E-Series storage systems have the following benefits and features:

Highly scalable capacity and performance

Maximum density with optimal space utilization and reduced power and cooling requirements

Dynamic Disk Pools (DDPs) that enable dynamic rebalancing of drive-count changes to easily expand storage capacity as backup requirements grow, as well as provide added data protection with faster rebuild times in the event of a drive failure

Easily integrate with multiple host interfaces, drive technologies, and disk shelf options for a flexible deployment

Full disk encryption with LSI SafeStore™

encryption services, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 128-bit encryption, and simplified key management protect data throughout the drive’s lifecycle without sacrificing performance

No-cost application add-ins that enable easy storage management in a single pane of glass within the native application

Tighter economics:

Better price-per-gigabyte

Lower total cost of ownership (TCO)

Reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) help minimize support costs

Enterprise Reliability and Availability

Field-proven technology protects your valuable data

The right choice for peace of mind:

Leverages knowledge from over 700,000 systems in the field

Backed by worldwide support organization

Architected for the highest reliability and availability:

Fully redundant I/O path with automated failover

Online configuration, expansion, and maintenance

Advanced monitoring and diagnostic features enable timely problem resolution

Proactive SSD tracking to monitor wear life and alerts

Enterprise data protection

Robust disaster recovery (sync and asynch)

Local protection with high-efficiency Snapshot copies

3.2 SANtricity 11.10

NetApp SANtricity software offers a powerful, intuitive interface for administering NetApp E-Series storage

systems.

With NetApp SANtricity Storage Manager software, storage administrators can achieve maximum

performance and utilization of their storage through extensive configuration flexibility and custom

performance tuning. Plus, the software’s online administration, advanced data protection features, and

extensive diagnostic capabilities keep data available and fully protected on the storage system.

SANtricity software:

Simplifies storage management through an intuitive, wizard-based interface

Delivers best-in-class reliability with automated features, online configuration options, state-of-the-art RAID, proactive monitoring, and NetApp AutoSupport

™ capabilities


Features extended data protection through FC- and IP-based remote mirroring, DDPs, enhanced Snapshot copies, data-at-rest encryption, data assurance to validate data integrity, and extensive diagnostic capabilities

4 CommVault Simpana 10

CommVault Simpana software helps you better protect ever-growing data volumes, efficiently manage

information assets, and quickly find, recover, and access data. With a truly unified and innovative data

management solution you can transform your approach to data protection, allowing you to transcend the

limitations of traditional backup and eliminate the complexity brought on by point products.

CommVault Simpana software is a single, efficient, scalable platform that supports a complete range of

data management functions. Simpana software provides multiple application-aware backup and recovery

options; a flexible IT infrastructure for data protection across physical and virtual servers; and fast, cost-

effective disaster recovery to enable business continuity. CommVault Simpana software includes backup,

recovery, archive, data resource management and replication, and IntelliSnap technology-enabled

snapshot management. When used in combination, these capabilities help radically simplify data

protection and data management while exponentially accelerating data protection and recovery

operations.

With Simpana software, you can solve your data and information management challenges while

dramatically reducing costs and increasing the value of your information:

Cut storage-related costs by up to 50%.

Reduce administrative overhead by up to 80%.

Lower aggregated annual support costs by up to 35%.

Protect and archive data two times faster by using Simpana OnePass™

.

Spend up to 50% less time managing operations with new automation features.

Gain up to a 50% increase in productivity with self-service recovery.

Reduce discovery time from hours to seconds.

Reduce data retrieval time from days to seconds with secure self-service access.

With Simpana 10, you can empower your organization with a modern IT infrastructure. From there, you

can scale to a shared services structure, enable a mobile enterprise, dramatically increase productivity,

and enable the continuity of your business with efficient replication for disaster recovery. The functions of

components that comprise a Simpana 10 CommCell are described in Table 8.

Table 8) CommVault Simpana 10 components.

Component Description

Backup set A group of subclients that includes all the data backed up by the iDataAgent

Clients Hosts running iDataAgents for which data is protected

CommCell A single instance of the Simpana backup environment

CommCell console The Simpana management graphical user interface application

CommServe Command and control center that handles all requests for activity between MediaAgent and iDataAgent components, including:

Administration of configuration, security, licensing, policies, and scheduling.

Disaster recovery database configuration and media association .


Component Description

Reporting that provides details about the general health and welfare of the environment, including the health of the data itself.

Event orchestration that houses the centralized event and job managers to handle various operations within a CommCell. Includes an instance of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Enterprise for the internal database. Requires installation on Windows 2008 or greater.

CommServe database Handles scheduling, storage policies, activity metadata, media management, reporting, security role-based privileges, and encryption key management.

ContentStore A hardware-agnostic, virtual repository. The back-end repository for all information managed by Simpana. ContentStore consolidates protection and archive data to eliminate inefficient data silos that waste resources and infrastructure. An intelligent index provides global awareness for your data so you can quickly find what you need, when you need it. Simpana software has a single, deduplicated index across the ContentStore, making it the only enterprise-class solution like it in the market. Having a reusable, common repository facilitates better control of applications, processes, and data workflows; enhances productivity; improves collaboration; and helps you make smarter decisions that can transform your business.

Disk library A storage resource with an associated mount path that is used in the Simpana backup environment to store index information backups.

Intelligent Data Agent (iDA) Agent that controls data consistency during backup operations.

MediaAgent The software module that transmits data between clients and backup media. The MediaAgent manages the data that is stored on the media.

Storage Policy A logical object through which a subclient is protected; the storage policy defines how data is backed up and replicated, as well as retention requirements.

Subclient A management layer within a backup set; a client can have multiple subclients, each of which can be associated with different source data.


Figure 7) CommVault Simpana backup and recovery components (graphic provided by CommVault).

5 Simpana 10 Design Considerations and Best Practices

The following sections describe design considerations and best practices for Simpana 10 environments.

5.1 Infrastructure Design

Infrastructure design is a key component of realizing all of the benefits that Simpana 10 has to offer.

Before setting up an environment, obtain answers to the following questions.

How many sites exist in the current environment? A site is any location where data that requires protection exists or where protected data resides. Laptops outside of the protected network count as additional sites.

For each site, where do protected copies reside? What are the protection requirements for each site? Consider whether local copies are made and the location to which any remote copies are sent.

How many clients must be managed? For scaling purposes, it can be helpful to break this information down by site, especially for larger environments.

How much data is managed at each site? This information is used to address sizing and scaling issues.

Design the Infrastructure

To design the infrastructure, complete the following steps:


1. Based on client limitations, determine the proper number of and specifications for the CommServe servers.

2. Determine the best location for the CommServe server and the disaster recovery CommServe server.

3. Determine which sites require MediaAgents.

4. Make sure that each site has a sufficient number of MediaAgents with the specifications necessary to support the client’s data size and throughput requirements.

5.2 Deduplication Design

Table 9 describes items to consider when designing for deduplication in your backup environment.

Table 9) Deduplication terminology.

Deduplication Component Description

Source-side deduplication Only unique blocks not present in the dedupe database are transferred from the client to the MediaAgent.

Target-side deduplication (MediaAgent)

All data is sent from the client to the MediaAgent. Only unique blocks are transferred to disk.

DASH full Deduplication-optimized full backup allows all backups from the client to be incremental only after initial full.

DASH copy Deduplication-optimized copy of backup jobs from one storage copy to another.

Deduplication database Database located on high-speed disk volume that stores information on all deduplicated blocks.

Global deduplication Policy that allows all storage copies on one or multiple MediaAgents to dedupe together.

Building-Block Design

Before setting up an environment, obtain answers to the following questions.

How much data is stored at each site?

What type of data must be protected at each site? Break the data types down into the following categories:

Uncompressed files or file systems

Compressed or uncontrolled data

Note: Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) data or zipped files fall into this category.

Note: Any databases protected at the application level, as opposed to databases dumped by the application, would be categorized together as well.

What is the data retention policy for deduplicated disk copies? How long must the data be retained on disk? Are there any special retention considerations?

Will secondary copies of deduplicated data be created? Where will they be created?

Design the Deduplication Environment

To design the deduplication environment, complete the following steps.

1. Determine the following for data that must be protected at each site:

Data type


Data retention policy

Necessity for secondary copies of the data

2. Using the deduplication calculator, determine the required disk capacity. If the number of back-end terabytes exceeds the limits of the MediaAgents, increase the number of MediaAgents accordingly.

Note: Remember to consider throughput and client count when calculating the number of required MediaAgents.

3. Determine whether to use standalone building-block nodes or partitioned deduplication. Size the number of required MediaAgents based on the amount of front-end data that must be protected.

Note: Partitioned deduplication requires the use of SAN disk shared disk libraries.

Best Practice

Use the settings recommended in the CommVault deduplication guidelines to enhance deduplication

performance. For more information, refer to the Deduplication to Disk Best Practices.

5.3 Virtual Server Agent Design

The following section covers key considerations when designing for a virtualized environment. Before

setting up an environment, obtain answers to the following questions.

Will you use a VMware or Hyper-V® hypervisor environment?

How much virtual machine (VM) data is protected at each site? Include the number of guests and data sizing in the estimate.

Are there any physical raw device mappings (RDMs) or pass-through devices at any of the sites?

Advanced Data Protection Best Practices

Microsoft Active Directory Protection

Observe the following best-practice guidelines when using Microsoft Active Directory® (AD).

Install a file system agent on each domain controller with the possible exception of Read-Only Domain Controllers. Perform full-system protection.

Install an AD agent on a single domain controller in each domain of the forest that requires granular recovery.

If you do not want to perform an additional AD backup, use the offline mining feature.

Microsoft Exchange Protection

Observe the following best-practice guidelines when using Microsoft Exchanges: Determine which mailbox servers should be used for backup or recovery and install the file system and Exchange database agent.

Configure a database availability group (DAG) pseudoclient and set the backup selection rules.

If granular recovery is required, install the Exchange Mailbox agent. If performance or licensing is a concern, use the offline mining feature.

Microsoft SQL Server Protection

Observe the following best-practice guidelines when using Microsoft SQL Server:

For single-server deployments, perform all operations locally.

For SQL failover clusters, install the agents on all nodes and then configure Windows cluster clients for each cluster group.

http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v10/article?p=features/dedup_disk/best_practice.htm


For Always-On Availability Groups, perform all protection activity from the primary replica.

Microsoft SharePoint Protection

Observe the following best-practice guidelines when using Microsoft SharePoint®.

Use the file system agent or VSA to provide full server protection of all SharePoint servers.

Use the SharePoint farm backup feature to protect all critical SharePoint elements except for the content database.

Use the SQL Server agent to protect the content database.

If granular recovery is required, perform document level and site collection backups. If performance is a concern, use IntelliSnap and the offline mining feature.

6 E-Series Storage Configuration Guidelines

The following sections describe the NetApp E-Series storage configuration guidelines for Simpana 10

disk libraries.

E2712 (Small Configuration—Single Node)

Create a single RAID 6 volume group out of the 12 drives in the system with no hot spares.

Create LUNs from the volume group consisting of 2TB, regardless of the spindle size installed in the system (2TB, 3TB, or 4TB),

Select 64KB segment sizing to match Simpana’s 64KB workload.

E2712 (Medium Configuration—Single Node)

Create two RAID 6 volume groups out of the 24 drives in the system with no hot spares.

Create LUNs from the volume group consisting of 2TB, regardless of the spindle size installed in the system (2TB, 3TB, or 4TB).


E2712 (Large Configuration—Single Node)

Create either multiple RAID 6 volume groups out of the drives in the system with no hot spares or create a single DDP.



For a DDP: The default segment size (file system typical) is 128KB.

E2760 (Large Configuration—Multinode)

Create either multiple RAID 6 volume groups out of the drives in the system with no hot spares or create a single Dynamic Disk Pool.


For RAID 6 volume groups: Select 64KB segment sizing to match Simpana’s 64KB workload.

For a DDP: The default segment size (file system typical) is 128KB.

7 E-Series E2700 Storage System Specifications

The following sections describe the hardware and software specifications for the E2700 storage system.


7.1 E2700 Hardware Using SANtricity 11.10

NetApp E2700 storage systems address wide-ranging requirements with balanced performance that is

equally adept at handling throughput for sequential I/O applications and high-IOPS requirements for

transactional databases. The E2700 brings together the following advantages:

Modular host interface flexibility (SAS, FC, and iSCSI)

Excellent storage density

High reliability

Intuitive management

Together, these features create an entry to a midrange storage system that is perfectly suited for data-

intensive solutions, high bandwidth–intensive streaming applications, transaction-intensive workloads,

and high-performance file system requirements without sacrificing simplicity or efficiency. In addition, its

fully redundant I/O paths, advanced protection features, and extensive diagnostic capabilities deliver a

high level of availability, integrity, and security.

E2700 Controller Packaging Options

The E2700 controller is available with the following tray options for this solution: E2712 and E2760. These

packaging options support both spinning media and solid-state drives (although SSD is not supported in

the E2712) to meet a wide range of customer performance and applications requirements.

Both tray types support dual controller packs, dual power supplies, and dual fan units for redundancy.

The trays are sized to hold 12 drives and 60 drives, respectively, as shown in Figure 8 and Figure 9.

Figure 8) E2712 12-drive tray.


Figure 9) E2760 60-drive tray.

The E2700 controller canister supports multiple optional host interface cards (HICs), shown in Figure 10.

The controller canister must be removed from the storage system to install an optional HIC.

The iSCSI functionality labeled in Figure 10 refers to the combination FC/iSCSI optical HIC, which is not

available with the SANtricity 11.10 release. However, the two-port iSCSI copper HIC does provide iSCSI

functionality in this release.


Figure 10) E2700 optional HICs.

E2712 Controller-Drive Tray

The E2712 is a 2U tray that holds up to 12 3.5" drives. It features dual RAID controllers, dual power

canisters, and dual fan canisters with two fans in each canister. An E2712-based storage system

supports a maximum of 192 drives and a mix of expansion drive tray models.

Refer to Table 10 for details about the E2712 technical specifications. The E2712 has a proven track

record of reliability in remote dedicated environments. Figure 11 and Figure 12 show the front and rear

views of the E2712 controller-drive tray.

Figure 11) E2712 front view without bezel.


Figure 12) E2712 rear view.

E2760 Controller-Drive Tray

The E2760 is a 4U tray that holds up to 60 3.5" or 2.5" drives in 5 horizontal drawers (12 drives per

drawer). It features dual RAID controllers, dual power canisters, and dual fan canisters with two fans in

each canister.

An E2760-based storage system supports a maximum of 180 drives by using only 60-drive trays or 192

drives by using a mix of expansion drive tray models. A minimum of 20 drives must be installed in the

E2760 controller-drive tray (and in each 60-drive expansion drive tray that is added to the system). These

drives must be installed in the four front drive slots in each drawer.

Operating the storage system without populating all four front drive slots in each drawer can lead to

overheating concerns. The bezel must be installed during normal operation.

Refer to Table 10 for details about the E2760 technical specifications.

Figure 13 and Figure 14 show the front and rear views of the E2760 controller-drive tray.

Figure 13) E2760 front view without bezel.


Figure 14) E2760 rear view.

E2700 Hardware Specifications

The E2700 controller has the following base hardware features:

Dual Ethernet ports for management-related activities

SAS, FC, or iSCSI ports for host connection

Note: One of the host I/O port options must be ordered when the controller is purchased.

Table 10 lists the technical specifications of E2700-based storage systems.

Table 10) E2700 technical specifications.

Specification E2712 Storage System E2760 Storage System

Maximum raw capacity 768TB 768TB

Maximum number of drives 192 192

Form factor 2U, 12 drives 4U, 60 drives

Drive types supported 2TB, 3TB, or 4TB 3.5" 7.2K RPM SAS

2TB, 3TB, or 4TB 3.5" 7.2K RPM SAS

600GB 3.5" 15K RPM SAS (restricted to add-on for existing system only – EOL)

1.2TB, 900GB or 600GB 2.5" 10K RPM SAS

800GB 2.5" SSD (max 25 per tray; max 75 per storage system)

Memory 2GB per controller canister (upgradable to 4GB or 8GB per controller)

On-board I/O 2-port 12Gb SAS per controller canister

Optional I/O 2-port or 4-port 12Gb SAS per controller canister

2-port or 4-port 16Gb FC per controller canister

2-port 10Gb iSCSI per controller canister

Drive trays supported for expansion—drive offering

DE1600 (2U, 12 drives): max 16 trays; supports the same drive types as E2712

DE6600 (4U, 60 drives): max 3 trays; supports the same drive types as


Specification E2712 Storage System E2760 Storage System

E2760

HA features Dual active controllers with automated I/O path failover

Support for RAID levels 0, 1 (10 for 4 drives or more), 5, 6, and DDP

Redundant, hot-swappable storage controllers, disk drives, power supplies, and cooling fans

SANtricity proactive drive health monitoring to identify problem drives before they create issues

Automatic drive fault detection, failover, and rebuild by using global hot-spare drives

Mirrored data cache with battery backup and destage to flash

SANtricity Persistent Monitor for creating periodic copies of the storage system configuration

For more information, refer to the NetApp E2700 Technical Specifications.

SANtricity Software Specifications for E2700 Hardware

Table 11 lists the SANtricity software specifications for E2700-based storage systems.

Table 11) SANtricity software boundaries for E2700-based storage systems.

Component Maximum

Storage hardware

Trays (system and expansion) 16

Drives 192

SSD cache capacity 5TB

Logical

Partitions 128

Volumes 512

Volumes per consistency group 32

Thin volumes per system 512

Disk pools per system 20

Snapshot copies

Per Snapshot group 32

Per volume 128

Per storage system 512

Snapshot volumes

Per Snapshot copy 4

http://www.netapp.com/us/products/storage-systems/e2700/e2700-tech-specs.aspx


Component Maximum

Per system 256

Mirrors

Legacy mirrors per system 16 (synchronous only)

Mirrors per system 32

Mirrors per volume +1

Mirrors per asynchronous mirror group 32

Asynchronous mirror groups per system 4

8 Architectural and Sizing Tools

The following architectural and sizing tools are available to facilitate the implementation of this solution.

8.1 Assessment Tools

CommVault External Data Connector Toolkit

CommVault has made it easy for customers to switch from Symantec® NetBackup

™, EMC Networker, and

IBM TSM to Simpana software. Just ask any of the more than 16,000 CommVault users who left their

costly legacy backup software behind for the singular modern approach of Simpana software that saves

them time and money and adds value back to their business.

With the CommVault External Data Connector (EDC) toolkit, customers can make the switch with

confidence and ease. The toolkit is comprised of three important components: EDC software, the EDC

cloud, and migration services.

The EDC toolkit eases the transition to Simpana software by:

Enhancing functionality

Collect information from legacy backup product.

Stage an environment on a VM.

Size and report on the environment.

Use case

Replace an existing backup solution with Simpana 10.

How to access the EDC toolkit

Refer to cloud.commvault.com.

Import Settings from Symantec, EMC, and IBM

Simpana EDC software connects with Symantec NetBackup, EMC Networker, and IBM TSM master

servers to collect legacy client attributes, policies, and job history. That metadata can then be imported to

the Simpana software platform for reporting, modeling, and automated conversion into your new Simpana

software installation.

Safely Configure and Test in the Cloud

CommVault EDC cloud is a web-based platform that allows customers to trial-run Simpana software in a

sandbox before they begin implementation in their environment. This capability helps demonstrate the

https://cloud.commvault.com/


benefits of using Simpana software and enables customers’ configurations and policies to be optimized

before they start their implementation.

Leverage CommVault’s Team of Product Experts

The CommVault services team is available to help customers with each step of their migration to Simpana

software. Using best-practice guidelines, migration operations services include proactive risk identification

and planning, which reduce the time to upgrade.

CommVault System Discovery and Archive Analyzer Tool

The Discovery and Archive Analyzer tool is another helpful tool that provides details and sizing on a

customer environment.

Functionality

Collects host and file information from a list of servers

Stage on a virtual machine

Size and report on the customer environment

Use Cases

Alternative to EDC tool

Performed detailed file-level archive assessments

How to Access

Refer to cloud.commvault.com

8.2 Design Tools

The following design tools can assist in properly sizing opportunity configurations.

Simpana Software Configurator

Simpana Software Configurator is an online survey–based configuration tool that generates a basic

solution design and provides license model comparisons. For more information about Simpana Software

Configurator, refer to https://pic.commvault.com.

Deduplication Calculator

The deduplication calculator can reduce backup times while saving on storage and network resources.

Functionality

Excel-based deduplication and WAN calculator

Use Cases

Estimate the number of backup disks required to support Simpana deduplication

Estimate the amount of time it will take to replicate data over the WAN in DASH copy or continuous data replicator solutions

How to access the deduplication calculator

Download from partners.commvault.com

https://cloud.commvault.com/

https://pic.commvault.com/

https://partners.commvault.com/


8.3 E-Series Capacity and Performance Tools

E-Series Performance Sizing Tool

The E-Series Performance Sizing Tool provides performance and capacity results based on the

performance and workload configuration, as requested. For more information, refer to the E-Series

Performance Sizing website.

E-Series Capacity Calculator

The E-Series Capacity Calculator is a storage capacity sizing tool that can be downloaded from the

NetApp Field Portal.

9 Summary

The E-Series E2700 series storage system and CommVault Simpana 10 software solution provides the

capacity, throughput, IOPS, and response times needed to meet the performance requirements of

demanding backup windows without sacrificing data reliability. The modular architecture of the E2700

series storage system allows you to meet even the most demanding performance, scale, and rack-density

requirements. E2700 series hardware is flexible and versatile; it can be configured with 2TB, 3TB, or 4TB

hard-disk drives (HDDs) in a 2U 12 HDD or a 4U 60 HDD enclosure. More than just an upgrade to

industry-leading software, Simpana 10 is an exponential leap forward in protecting, managing, and

accessing corporate information. It is a single backup solution that can scale to meet the demands of any-

size enterprise. Together, the E-Series E2700 series storage system and Simpana 10 software provide

an unmatched solution to address your data management needs.

Appendix

Table 12 lists CommVault Simpana 10 terminology and definitions.

Table 12) CommVault Simpana 10 terminology and definitions.

CommVault Terminology Definition

Application data management Integrated backup, recovery, and archive capabilities in a single bundle that eliminates the need to install and manage separate data management applications. The ADM bundle integrates CommVault Simpana 10 software modules for backup, recovery, and archive with predefined application reference architectures and operational guidelines to simplify deployment and protection.

Backup series Archived files on a given backup media that originate from the same subclient.

Backup set A group of subclients that includes all the data backed up by the iDataAgent.

Client compression A feature that compresses data on a client computer before sending the data to backup media.

Client computer A computer in a CommCell management group that has agent software installed on it.

Client computer group A logical grouping of client computers in which selected options can apply to all member clients.

https://eseries-sizer.netapp.com/sizer/main.php

https://eseries-sizer.netapp.com/sizer/main.php

https://fieldportal.netapp.com/e-series.aspx#150496



CommCell administration A user group capability that allows members of the user group to administer a CommCell management group.

CommCell browser The window in the CommCell console that displays all of the objects in the CommCell management group in a tree structure.

CommCell console The Simpana management graphical user interface application.

CommCell management group The basic organizational unit of a data management system. A CommCell management group contains one CommServe StorageManager and at least one client.

CommCell survey An automatic reporting service that collects information about the CommCell management group, such as overall wellness of the managed components, license usage, and job statistics, and uploads the information to the secure cloud site for customer service monitoring. This service is enabled through the diagnostics and usage dialog box located in the control panel.

Common technology engine Consists of the CommServe StorageManager and the MediaAgent software modules that provide the necessary tools to manage and administer the client agents and also manage the storage media associated with the CommCell management group.

CommServe database engine A SQL Server database used by the CommServe StorageManager that contains all of the information related to the CommCell management group. For CommServe database engine specifications, refer to System Requirements - CommServe StorageManager.

CommServe StorageManager The software module that communicates with all clients and MediaAgents and coordinates operations (such as data protection, data recovery, administration operations, job management, event management, and so on) within a CommCell management group. There is only one CommServe StorageManager per CommCell management group.

Compliance archiving An operation that moves data from a journaling mailbox on the client computer to secondary storage media to comply with legal or business regulations.

Content indexing A feature used to search archived data of supported file and message types by content.

Data replication Enables you to create secondary copies of production data by using a combination of host-based replication and snapshot technologies. These real-time data replication copies can be accessed immediately for fast recovery. They can also be used to create multiple recovery points or to perform traditional backups without affecting server performance.

Data stream A data channel through which client data flows to backup media.

Differential backup A backup of all of the data on a subclient that has changed since the subclient’s last full backup.

Disaster recovery The planning for and the implementation of a strategy to respond to failures, such as total infrastructure loss or the failure



of computers (CommServe StorageManager, MediaAgent, client, or application computers), networks, storage hardware, or media. A disaster recovery strategy typically involves the creation and maintenance of a secure disaster recovery site and the day-to-day tasks of running regular disaster recovery backups.

Disaster recovery backup Backs up metadata and Windows registry data in two phases: In the first phase, the data to a local or network path is backed up. In the second phase, the data is backed up to media by using a disaster recovery backup storage policy. This data can then be restored by using the CommServe recovery tool.

Disaster recovery backup storage policy A storage policy that is used to store metadata to media. This metadata contains information about the CommCell database and the backed-up data. In case of a system failure, disaster recovery backup data can be retrieved using this storage policy.

Disk library A storage resource with an associated mount path that is used in the Simpana backup environment to store index-information backups.

Drive pool Logical entities used to facilitate the sharing of a library’s drives between multiple MediaAgents; see also master drive pool.

Full backup A backup of all of the data on a subclient. A full backup provides the baseline for subsequent incremental and differential backups. This is known as a level-0 backup in Oracle.

Incremental backup A backup of all of the data from a subclient that has changed since the subclient’s last full, incremental, or differential backup.

Index cache A storage location maintained by a MediaAgent that contains the index data generated by the system when backups are conducted.

Instance The level in the CommCell browser tree that represents the database that must be backed up. All subclients for the database are defined under an instance.

Instance (file archiver for Windows) A file archiver for Windows instance exists as a level in the CommCell browser under the client and agent levels and represents the type of file system that must be backed up. The four types of instances include: Local File System, Celerra, Network File Share, and the FPolicy

® feature. An instance is

user-defined rather than created by default after installing the agent.

Intelligent DataAgent (IdataAgent) Agent that controls data consistency during backup operations.

IntelliSnap backup A feature that enables point-in-time snapshot creation of the application data to be used for various data protection operations.

Job controller The window in the CommCell console that can be used to monitor and manage the active jobs in the CommCell management group.

Master drive pool A logical entity that is used to facilitate the sharing of a library’s



drives between multiple MediaAgents; see also drive pools.

MediaAgent The software module that transmits data between clients and backup media. The MediaAgent manages the data that is stored on the media.

Network agent A feature that can be used to increase the data transfer throughput from a client during data protection operations.

Network bandwidth throttling A feature that can be used to control the amount of data transferred in a network during a data protection operation.

Primary storage Refers to data in active use from computer hard disks and/or volumes; see also secondary storage.

Replication policy A centralized template through which configuration of replication sets or replication pairs within a CommCell management group can be accomplished. A replication policy consists of a common configuration for replication set and replication pairs that can be applied to target replication set and replication pairs within the CommCell management group.

Replication set A group of replication pairs.

Schedule policy A feature used to associate a schedule or groups of schedules and attach the schedules to any number of clients, backup sets, subclients, or storage policies within the CommCell management group.

Secondary storage Secondary storage refers to backup or archival data moved to storage media, such as tape media, disk volumes, and so on; see also primary storage.

Service-level agreement (SLA) Measures the data protection coverage aspects in short-term and various long-term intervals to determine whether the data protection coverage for CommCell client, application, or subclient content is within an acceptable level or not.

Snapshot copy A Snapshot copy of the storage policy is an additional copy of the protected data that is used in IntelliSnap operations. The Snapshot backup copy stores the metadata information related to the IntelliSnap feature.

Storage policy A logical entity through which data from a subclient is backed up. A storage policy consists of one or more copies that associate data with a particular physical media.

Stubs Stubs are files that point to backed-up and archived data; they are functionally similar to a Windows shortcut, Macintosh

® alias,

or UNIX® symbolic link.

Subclient A layer of management within a backup set. A client can have multiple subclients, each of which can be associated with different source data.

Subclient policy A logical entity through which configuration of multiple file-system subclients within a CommCell management group can be accomplished from a centralized template. A subclient policy consists of one or more subclient templates that contain a



common configuration that is applied to target subclients within a CommCell management group.

Synthetic full backup An operation that combines the most recent full backup of the selected data with all subsequent incremental or differential backups and stores the result in a single archive file.

Virtualization Virtual Server iDataAgent, Microsoft Hyper-V backup software and VMware backup software are products that allow you to control all aspects of data management from a single console in virtualized environments for both Microsoft Hyper-V and VMware. This includes data protection, archive, replication, and reporting.

References

For more information about NetApp E-Series SANtricity, refer to the SANtricity ES Storage Manager documentation on the NetApp Support site: http://support.netapp.com/documentation/productlibrary/index.html?productID=61197.

For more information about CommVault Simpana 10, refer to the CommVault Simpana 10 software

documentation: http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v10/article.

http://support.netapp.com/documentation/productlibrary/index.html?productID=61197

http://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v10/article


NetApp provides no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, reliability, or serviceability of any information or recommendations provided in this publication, or with respect to any results that may be obtained by the use of the information or observance of any recommendations provided herein. The information in this document is distributed AS IS, and the use of this information or the implementation of any recommendations or techniques herein is a customer’s responsibility and depends on the customer’s ability to evaluate and integrate them into the customer’s operational environment. This document and the information contained herein may be used solely in connection with the NetApp products discussed in this document.

Refer to the Interoperability Matrix Tool (IMT) on the NetApp Support site to validate that the exact product and feature versions described in this document are supported for your specific environment. The NetApp IMT defines the product components and versions that can be used to construct configurations that are supported by NetApp. Specific results depend on each customer's installation in accordance with published specifications.

© 2014 NetApp, Inc. All rights reserved. No portions of this document may be reproduced without prior written consent of NetApp, Inc. Specifications are subject to change without notice. NetApp, the NetApp logo, AutoSupport, FPolicy, SANtricity, and Snapshot are trademarks or registered trademarks of NetApp, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft, Windows, SQL Server, Active Directory, and Hyper-V are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group. VMware is a registered trademark of VMware, Inc. Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation. Symantec and NetBackup are trademarks of Symantec Corporation. Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Inc. All other brands or products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders

and should be treated as such. TR-XXXX-MMYR

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