vblock systems backup and recovery best practices - VCE

VCE Word TemplateTable of Contentswww.vce.comVBLOCK SYSTEMS BACKUP AND RECOVERYBEST PRACTICESJuly 2012WHITE PAPERC© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.EC© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

ContentsExecutive summary ................................................................................................................. 4Benefits .................................................................................................................................. 4Objectives ............................................................................................................................... 5Use cases: backup and recovery ........................................................................................... 5Audience................................................................................................................................. 5Feedback ................................................................................................................................ 5Technology overview ............................................................................................................... 6Vblock Systems ................................................................................................................... 6EMC Avamar .......................................................................................................................... 7EMC Avamar virtual machine image proxy ............................................................................. 7EMC Avamar file-level recovery proxy .................................................................................... 7VMware vCenter Server .......................................................................................................... 7VMware ESXi ......................................................................................................................... 7VMware VADP ........................................................................................................................ 8VMware Changed Block Tracking ........................................................................................... 8VMware VMDK ....................................................................................................................... 8Data Domain target hardware ................................................................................................. 8Data Domain Boost ................................................................................................................. 9Architecture overview .............................................................................................................10Avamar architecture with Vblock systems ..............................................................................12Avamar and Data Domain architecture with Vblock systems..................................................13Avamar architecture and best practices ...............................................................................14Integration of EMC Avamar with Vblock systems ...................................................................15Recovery ............................................................................................................................15Replication ..........................................................................................................................19Avamar with Data Domain architecture and best practices .................................................20Integration of Avamar and Data Domain with Vblock systems ...............................................20Recovery ............................................................................................................................21Replication ..........................................................................................................................21Using Avamar/Data Domain centralized control and management .....................................22Example One: Configure a Data Domain system within the Avamar Administrator interface..............................................................................................................................................22© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.2C

Example Two: Specify a dataset policy within the Avamar Administrator interface .............27VCE-recommended solutions for daily data Protection .......................................................30VCE Vblock Data Protection Cabinets ...................................................................................30Avamar-only single cabinet .................................................................................................31Avamar-only multi-cabinet ..................................................................................................32Avamar and Data Domain 670 single cabinet .....................................................................33Avamar and Data Domain 890 multi-cabinet .......................................................................34Avamar and Data Domain 890 multi-cabinet .......................................................................35VCE-supported configuration rules for Avamar with Vblock systems, and for Avamar and DataDomain with Vblock systems .................................................................................................37Conclusion ..............................................................................................................................38Next Steps .............................................................................................................................38References ..............................................................................................................................39© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.3C

Executive summaryMost corporate Information Technology departments are tasked with protecting an ever-increasingvolume of business applications and data. At the same time, budgets are not expanding to match thisgrowth. The only way to meet these business requirements is to “do more with less.” In a drive forgreater efficiency, the IT industry has moved rapidly toward server virtualization. Having now realizedthe benefits of virtualization, the industry has moved to the next step for even greater efficiency:converged infrastructures such as VCE Vblock Systems.During the move to server virtualization, early adopters quickly discovered that the use of traditionalbackup, recovery, and archiving solutions for daily data protection creates bottlenecks in a virtualizedinfrastructure. Those bottlenecks not only extend the required backup window, but they also set a capon the number of virtual servers that can exist on each physical server blade.The EMC Avamar data protection product on VCE Vblock systems directly addresses and resolvesthe “backup bottleneck” problem in virtual environments. Avamar is extremely effective at deliveringbackups in less time, using fewer network resources and fewer virtual server resources than otheroptions. In addition, it is tightly integrated with VMware. All of this translates into real capital savingsand operational benefits. For these reasons, Avamar is an excellent choice to be used with Vblocksystems.When used along with EMC Data Domain on Vblock systems, Avamar will, in many scenarios,expand backup scalability and further lower the cost per terabyte of data backup.This VCE-recommended backup solution includes two options, along with best practices for each:• An Avamar-only solution on Vblock systems• A highly effective combination of Avamar and Data Domain on Vblock systemsUsing the Avamar interfaces and workflows, one can quickly and easily direct enterprise-widebackups to both of these EMC deduplication platforms, while simplifying the backup managementinfrastructure. This combination offers the benefits of Data Domain’s scale and performance andAvamar’s simplicity and efficiency, as well as Vblock systems’ power and scalability.This paper highlights the specific features of these integrations, and explains how the integration ofData Domain systems into the Avamar management framework can enhance the management andoptimization of backup operations without additional management overhead.Described are the solutions architectures’ hardware, software, and best practices for each solution, aswell as the cabinet modules offered for these solutions.This paper also explains how to use the Avamar Administrator management tools to control dataflow, and provides two examples with steps for using Avamar Administrator.BenefitsThe benefits of using the data protection solutions and best practices described in this paper include:• The best of breed compute, networking, storage, and virtualization technologies© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.4C

• A fully virtualized environment with the inherent efficiencies and flexibilities of VMware• Elimination of bottlenecks that hamper scaling up• Greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the customer’s Vblock systems investmentObjectivesThis white paper explains best practices and the Avamar Administrator tool use through scenariosand steps for two options:1. Avamar-only on Vblock systems2. Avamar and Data Domain combined on Vblock systemsUse cases: backup and recoveryAvamar is a backup-and-recovery software solution and a backup data target, whereas Data Domainis a backup data target that requires backup-and-recovery software to function. Together, Avamar andData Domain support once-per-day backups and daily movement of a backup copy to an offsitearchive without the risk inherent in transporting physical media. The products have tight integrationwith VMware deduplication capabilities, which reduces network I/O requirements, and have modulesthat support databases and Microsoft Exchange.The Avamar “target hardware” (where the backup data is stored) and the Data Domain targethardware are both de-duplication technologies, but the way they perform the deduplicated backups isdifferent. As a result, Avamar and Data Domain targets have different advantages. Rather than havingto choose one type of technology over the other, customers can use a combination of the two types oftargets, resulting in the fastest and most cost effective solution possible.AudienceThis white paper is intended primarily for backup systems administrators and IT administrators whoare responsible for architecting and deploying data protection solutions across the virtualizedenterprise. Knowledge of basic data deduplication concepts is assumed.FeedbackTo suggest documentation changes and provide feedback on this paper, send email todocfeedback@vce.com. Include the title of this paper, the name of the topic to which your commentapplies, and your feedback.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.5C

Technology overviewThis solution uses the following components and technologies:• Vblock Systems• EMC Avamar v6.1• EMC Avamar virtual machine image proxy• EMC Avamar file-level recovery proxy• VMware vCenter Server• VMware ESXi• VMware VMware vStorage API for Data Protection (VADP)• VMware Changed Block Tracking• VMware Virtual Machine Disk (VMDK)• EMC Data Domain target hardware• EMC Data Domain BoostVblock SystemsVblock systems are enterprise- and service-provider-class IT infrastructure units that are preengineered,tested, and validated with pre-defined performance, capacity, and availability servicelevels. The standardized converged infrastructure of Vblock systems is a foundation block for cloudcomputing that helps customers realize the benefits of applications running in a virtualizedenvironment.Vblock systems are characterized by:• Repeatable units of construction based on matched performance, operational characteristics,and discrete requirements of power, space, and cooling• Repeatable design patterns that facilitate rapid deployment, integration, and scalability• An architecture that can be scaled for the highest efficiencies in virtualization and workloadmobility• An extensible management and orchestration model based on industry-standard tools, APIs,and methods• A design that contains, manages, and mitigates failure scenarios in hardware and softwareenvironmentsVblock systems provide pre-engineered, production-ready (fully tested) virtualized infrastructurecomponents, including industry-leading technology from Cisco, EMC, and VMware. Vblock systemsare designed and built to satisfy a broad range of customer implementation requirements.Note: Refer to the Vblock Infrastructure Platform Architecture Overview for detailed information on theVblock systems architecture.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.6C

EMC AvamarEMC Avamar is a deduplication backup-and-recovery software and system solution. It performsdeduplication on the client, which eliminates data from backup streams before it crosses the network.Client deduplication realizes savings on bandwidth, storage, and backup windows. VMware’svStorage API (in vSphere as deployed in Vblock systems) also provides the ESXi hypervisorarchitecture.EMC Avamar virtual machine image proxyAvamar image proxy servers are a key element of image-level protection. They are delivered asvSphere-deployable Open Virtualization Archive (OVA) templates. An OVA template contains apackaged image proxy virtual machine that includes both VMware and Avamar code for the purposeof image-level backups and recoveries. This machine is configured with a single CPU and consumes1 GB of memory. Avamar image proxy machines use the VMware vStorage APIs to mount the virtualmachine files that require protection. The administrator has the flexibility to deploy multiple proxiesbased on the operating system environment requirements. Multiple proxy deployments allowsimultaneous backups and recoveries. During the initial deployment, the administrator assignsseparate proxy servers to protect Windows and Linux virtual machines (VM)EMC Avamar file-level recovery proxyAn Avamar file-level recovery proxy is a VM that allows a single file to be recovered into a VM from afull image backup. Avamar file-level recovery proxies require a VM that is running Windows Server2003 SP2. EMC recommends one CPU and 1 GB of memory for this VM. This proxy VM leveragesthe Avamar Virtual File System (AvFS) to create a browseable view within a VM’s VMDK file for easy,selectable recovery.VMware vCenter ServerVMware vCenter Server provides a scalable and extensible platform that forms the foundation forvirtualization management. It centrally manages VMware vSphere environments and allows ITadministrators to dramatically improve control over the virtual environment. It manages the ESXiserver, VMs, and user access, and helps provide Avamar with the information it requires. Thisinformation can encompass anything from a simple list of VMs within the environment to theinformation needed to configure VMs for backup and recovery.VMware ESXiVMware vSphere is the virtualization platform that provides the foundation for the private cloud. Thecore VMware vSphere components are the VMware ESXi enterprise hypervisor and VMware vCenterServer for management. The VMware vSphere ESXi hypervisor runs in the Vblock systems.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.7C

VMware VADPVMware VADP produces in-depth details of sizing, deployment, and data flow, providing a totalVMware data protection plan that can be used in conjunction with Avamar on Vblock systems.VMware Changed Block TrackingVMware Changed Block Tracking is a VMware feature that helps perform incremental backups.VMware Data Recovery uses this technology, and so can developers of backup and recoverysoftware. Avamar leverages this feature for efficient backup of VMware guest servers.VMware VMDKVMware VMDK is a file format used for virtual appliances developed for VMware products. The formatis a container for virtual hard disk drives to be used in VMs like VMware Workstation or Virtualbox.VMDK is an open format.A VM is a tightly isolated software container that can run its own operating system and applications asif it were a physical computer. A VM behaves exactly like a physical computer and contains it ownvirtual (software-based) CPU, RAM, hard disk, and network interface card (NIC). A VM is composedentirely of software and contains no hardware components whatsoever. As a result, VMs offer anumber of distinct advantages over physical hardware. An operating system can’t tell the differencebetween a VM and a physical machine, nor can applications or other computers on a network. Eventhe VM thinks it is a “real” computer.Data Domain target hardwareEMC Data Domain is a storage target for deduplicated backup savesets. Data Domain targetsprovide:• High-speed deduplication of backup data, with a consistent ingestion rate, regardless of howwell any particular data set will deduplicate. A good example is deduplication of unstructureddata backups. Even though databases do not typically deduplicate very well, a Data Domaintarget does not bog down while ingesting and storing the backup.• More backups, and faster completion of backups, which relieves pressure on already tightbackup windows.• Network-efficient replication. Data Domain sends only deduplicated and compressed dataacross the network, requiring a fraction of the bandwidth, time, and cost of traditional replicationmethods.• End-to-end data integrity. Data Domain and its Data Invulnerability Architecture (DIA) providesafe and reliable continuous recovery verification, fault detection, and healing.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.8C

Data Domain BoostData Domain Boost significantly increases database backup performance by distributing parts of thededuplication process to the application clients.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.9C

Architecture overviewThe VCE-recommended backup solution includes two options, along with best practices for each:• Avamar on Vblock systems• Avamar with Data Domain on Vblock systemsProductDefinitionAvamar 1 Avamar is backup and recovery software.2 Avamar is also a hardware platform where deduplicated backup data is stored.3 It is “client side,” also referred to as “source-based,” deduplication technology.Data Domain 1 Data Domain is a hardware target that deduplicates and stores backup data.2 Data Domain requires backup and recovery software. Avamar is the VCErecommendedsoftware to use with a Data Domain target.3 Data Domain performs in-line deduplication (as the data is streaming into thetarget).4 Certain Data Domain models are suitable for meeting archival backuprequirements.The Avamar and Data Domain targets have different backup advantages. Which of them is best for aparticular customer situation depends on the backup workload. Where certain low commonalityworkloads (data that does not deduplicate well) could bog down an Avamar-only solution, the additionof Data Domain as a target for storing the backups allows for an integrated solution that takesadvantage of each product’s strengths.With Avamar, client-side deduplication of the data is done right in the server whose data is beingbacked up. During the backup, the Avamar deduplication process only sends variable-length blocksof data that have not previously been backed up to the Avamar target. This process dramaticallyreduces the nightly backup load on shared network components within the virtual infrastructure. Atypical server backup runs in minutes instead of hours. Therefore, more backups can be run in paralleland completed within a given backup window.Alternatively, Data Domain target-based deduplication requires the files that are being backed up toflow through shared network components to the backup hardware, where it is deduplicated in-line.The advantage of Data Domain target-based deduplication is its consistent and predictable ingestionrate, regardless of whether the data has high commonality, making it easy to deduplicate, or lowcommonality, which means there is less to deduplicate. Large databases are the most commonbackup workload with low-commonality characteristics.The architectures for the two solutions are shown in Figures 1 and 2.EMC Avamar NDMP AcceleratorThe EMC Avamar NDMP Accelerator is a dedicated single-node Avamar client. When used as part ofan Avamar system, the accelerator provides a complete backup and recovery solution for supportedEMC VNX IP storage systems by using Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) to communicatewith the storage devices.Data from the storage device is not stored on the accelerator. The accelerator performs NDMPprocessing and real-time data deduplication, then forwards that data to the Avamar server. The© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.10C

accelerator is a full peer to other Avamar clients (for example, Avamar for Linux Clients, Avamar forWindows Clients, and so forth) with one exception: whereas the Avamar Administrator graphicalmanagement console can be used to browse the live filesystems of most other clients, it cannotbrowse the live filesystem of storage devices; it can only browse to the volume level (Avamar 6.1 andearlier).© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.11C

Avamar architecture with Vblock systemsThe following figure depicts the high-level architecture, configuration, and integration of Avamar onVblock systems.Figure 1. Vblock systems solution with AvamarIn Figure 1, Datacenter 1 has Avamar clients and proxies running on Vblock systems. During nightlybackups the Avamar agents copy the changed variable-length blocks from the Avamar grid and createa virtual full backup from just the changed variable-length blocks.To enable data recovery in the event of a site disaster, all data in the Avamar grid in Datacenter 1 isreplicated to an offsite Avamar grid. Not only is transmission fast and efficient, but it is much moresecure than shipping physical tapes to an offsite location.The Avamar software is used to schedule the backup jobs and to monitor and report on both backupand Avamar system status.Also shown in Figure 1 is a single-node Avamar solution backing up the remote location. To protectthe data in the event of a total loss of the remote office, the single-node Avamar replicates its data toDatacenter 1.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.12C

Avamar and Data Domain architecture with Vblock systemsThe following figure depicts the high-level architecture, configuration, and integration of the combinedAvamar and Data Domain on Vblock systems solution.Figure 2. Vblock solution with Avamar and Data DomainIn the combined Avamar with Data Domain solution, the backup jobs with low data commonality (largedatabases, video files, audio files, and so forth) are routed to the Data Domain device. The metadatafor the backup is stored in the Avamar grid. Backups with high-commonality profiles are targeted tothe Avamar grid. This combined Avamar and Data Domain solution allows the backup administratorthe flexibility to use the best backup target for each backup workload.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.13C

Avamar architecture and best practicesAvamar is backup-and-recovery software and it is also the hardware where the backup data is stored.Used with Vblock systems, Avamar data deduplication technology seamlessly integrates and providesrapid backup and restoration capabilities.Avamar is integrated with VMware vSphere beginning with version 4.0. VMware has features thatprotect VM images, called VMware‘s vStorage APIs for Data Protection (VADP). VADP produces indepthdetails of sizing, deployment, and data flow, providing a total VMware data protection plan thatcan be used in conjunction with Avamar on Vblock systems.The two most common recovery requests made to backup administrators are:• File-level recovery: File-level recoveries account for the vast majority of user support requests.Common actions that require file-level recovery are individual users deleting files, applicationrecoveries, and batch-process-related erasures.• System recovery: Although complete system recovery requests are less frequent than filelevelrequests, this capability is vital to the enterprise. Some common causes for full systemrecovery requests are viral infestation, registry corruption, or unidentifiable unrecoverableissues.The Avamar integration with VMware delivers capabilities for both backup and recovery for either filelevelrecovery or system-level recovery. Integration with vStorage API, virtual proxy server pools, andchanged block tracking allow Avamar to deliver extremely efficient data protection for Vblock systems.There are several ways to implement the VCE data protection solutions for daily backup. The “bestpossible method” really depends upon the exact customer requirements. The most commonrecommendations would be:• For specific applications that require it, use the Avamar guest-level agents to backup dailyThe Avamar agents ensure application-consistent data recovery.• Perform daily backup of each VMware guest server, also known as VMDK-level backup, usingCBT.This provides rapid restore capability in the event of a server crash. It also supports single filelevelrestore.The following illustrates how combining both guest-level backup and server-level backup would be avery smart way to protect a database:• Use the Avamar agent to backup the database once per dayThis assures that the database is recoverable. Backing up a database more than once per dayis often not practical.• To speed up fully recovering a database, use the Avamar agent to backup the database logfiles several times per day (staying outside of the Avamar daily maintenance windows)• Back up at the server-level the VM that hosts the database.This assures a rapid restore in the event the server malfunctions.• Proxy server considerations:© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.14C

- In Avamar 6.1 there needs to be one proxy server for backup and recovery- If single-file Windows recovery is desired, a second proxy server is neededIntegration of EMC Avamar with Vblock systemsFigure 1, in the “Architecture overview” section, depicts the high-level architecture of the Vblocksolution with Avamar. See the “References” section to find information on configuration and setup.Avamar backup-and-recovery software provides integrated source/global data deduplication. AnAvamar agent on the client system deduplicates the data and then backs it up to an Avamar server,such as an Avamar data store. Unlike traditional backup software, Avamar deduplicates backup databefore it is transferred across the network and stored to disk. And, Avamar deduplicates data globallyby storing a single instance of each subfile, variable-length data string, or data segment that itidentifies as unique across all of its protected sites and servers. Thus, Avamar enables rapid, daily fullbackups even across congested or slow WAN/LAN links and virtual infrastructures.Avamar is used in this solution not only to store the backup data, but also because its softwareprovides integration with vCenter to manage, monitor, and configure the backup of the virtualinfrastructure from a single administrative interface.Avamar image proxy machines use the VMware VADP, and in particular the SCSI hot-add capability,to mount the VM files that require protection. The administrator has the flexibility to deploy multipleproxies based on the requirements of the operating system environment. Multiple proxy deploymentsallow simultaneous backups and recoveries. During the initial deployment, an administrator assigns aseparate proxy server to protect either Windows or Linux VMs.RecoveryAvamar file-level recovery proxyAn Avamar file-level recovery proxy is a VM that allows a file, or files, to be recovered into it from a fullimage backup. Avamar file-level recovery proxies require a VM that is running Windows Server 2003SP2, and EMC recommends one CPU and 1 GB of memory for this VM. This VM leverages the AvFSto create a browseable view within a VM’s VMDK file for easy, selectable recovery.Recovery options with Avamar include guest-level recovery and image-level recovery.Guest-level recoveryThe process of guest-level recovery is the same in this solution for VMs as it is for traditional recoveryfrom a backup application. The administrator has the ability to recover directories, files, andapplications in the Avamar Administrator GUI.Image-level recoveryThere are three options for recovering data from an image-based backup:• Recover to original machine© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.15C

• Recover to existing machine• Recover to new virtual machineThe administrator may often choose either Recover to original machine or Recover to existingmachine. However, choosing Recover to new virtual machine gives the administrator the ability tocreate a new VM on the fly without having to create it with vCenter first. Recovery to a new VM isunique to Avamar, as it incorporates a second process to also protect and store the .VMX files neededto create a new VM container and register it with vSphere.When recovering a VM to its original location, the Avamar Administrator window displays the sourcejust as it appears currently within vCenter, and also shows how it will look after a recovery.To recover to a new VM:1. In the Avamar Administrator GUI select New Virtual Machine (Figure 3).2. In the Virtual machine name field specify a name for the new machine.3. From the Host/Cluster list select the folder location within vCenter for the new virtual machine.4. Click Next.Figure 3. Choosing a name and location for the new virtual machine© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.16C

5. Select a Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS) cluster location for the new VM.Figure 4. Choosing the DRS cluster for the new VMOnce a host/cluster is selected in the GUI, Avamar queries vCenter and allows the administrator toselect a different VMware data store. The administrator can choose a different destination and adifferent device for housing the VM’s data. See Figure 5.This recovery method permits the administrator to choose a different storage platform and/or drivetype (to the current source) for the destination of the new VM.Figure 5. Selecting the VMware data store where each VMDK will reside© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.17C

A system’s boot drive and its data drive have different performance and storage requirements. Thiswizard addresses both in one GUI, and it permits a single-step recovery to multiple locations.Avamar also configures the creation of the container for a VM. Avamar’s approach to protectionprotects the .VMX file of a VM, the configuration container for a VM. If Avamar did not create thecontainers as it does, and should a disaster occur, the administrator would have to log on to vCenterand create all the containers needed before conducting any recoveries. This Avamar capability issuperior to the traditional approach that relied on detailed tracking via spreadsheet listings of the VMto-containermappings.File-level recovery from an image backupThe administrator can do file-level recoveries (FLR) for Windows VMs from the image-based backup.To do this, Avamar leverages the VMware VM tools along with an Avamar Windows FLR proxy. Theproxy is a Windows 2003 server provided by the administrator, with code provided by Avamar. Noagents are needed within the VM for this recovery type. The key is that Avamar moves no data untilthere is a need to recover data, and that no other interface nor client-side software is needed for thisrecovery.The Avamar Administrator console is used to manage and monitor FLR jobs.When backups are selected for recovery, the FLR proxy server reads the VMDK data from theAvamar system and creates a browse tree, as shown in Figure 6 in the Avamar Administrator -Backup and Restore window.Figure 6. File-level recovery: selecting files and directories to restore.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.18C

An administrator can recover the data in place, in order to move the data back to its original location. Or, theadministrator can perform an out-of-place recovery, which restores to a different location. As a prerequisite, theVMware Tools need to be installed on the VM that the administrator would like to restore to. In the followingscenario there is no Avamar agent on the guest level. Therefore, the administrator logs on to that VM and usesthe browse tree for recovery. See Figure 7.To recover the data to a different VM:1. Log on to the VM and use the browse tree for recovery2. Select the VM you want to recover.3. Navigate the Browse for Folders or Directories window and select a destination for the data.Figure 7. File-level recovery: browse for out-of-place recoveryRestore requests pass from the Avamar system, through the Windows FLR proxy, to the machine thatis being protected. Recovery speed depends on the FLR proxy’s ability to read in the data and send itto the machine that is the recovery destination. Consequently, large data recoveries by means of theFLR proxy recovery are unadvisable. An image-level out-of-place recovery is more efficient.ReplicationReplication for Avamar is also managed through the Avamar Administrator console.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.19C

Avamar with Data Domain architecture and best practicesThe combination of Avamar and Data Domain permits deduplication algorithms to operate at both theclient and the storage system levels. From the Avamar Administrator management console, theadministrator can direct a backup data set to target either the Avamar server or the Data Domainsystem.Protection of Vblock systems with the combination of Avamar and Data Domain involves anunderstanding of the differences and benefits of client-side deduplication and in-line deduplication.Client-side deduplication and in-line deduplication trade-offsA decision whether to deduplicate at the client or at the storage system relates to protecting a growingamount of data within a certain time objective:• Deduplication at the client offers the benefits of network traffic reduction and back-end storageoptimization.However, this implementation can be less effective for high-change-rate environments, whichcan negate some of its savings in backup time and network bandwidth.• Deduplication in-line at the storage system offers the benefit of massive scale and very rapidingestion of data.However, this implementation is not optimized for network-bandwidth utilization because the fullbackup payload must be moved across the network to the storage system before it isdeduplicated.Integration of Avamar and Data Domain allows some of the deduplication processes normallyrun at the storage system to be distributed to a backup server. This can provide some of thenetwork relief offered by client-side deduplication, while retaining the data ingestion and scaleattributes of deduplication at the storage system.Today, two challenges that face IT backup administrators are:• Deploying two separate solutions to optimize for varying workloads• Minimizing administrative costs for management of two solutions separatelyWith the features and implementation details highlighted in the sections below, one can clearly seehow the newly introduced integration of Avamar with Data Domain on Vblock systems addressesthese challenges.Integration of Avamar and Data Domain with Vblock systemsFigure 2 in the architecture overview section depicts the high-level architecture of the combinedAvamar and Data Domain solution on Vblock systems.At a high level, starting in Avamar v6.1, the administrator can direct whether specific datasets in anAvamar backup policy will target an Avamar server or a Data Domain system.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.20C

When an Avamar data store is the backup target, the Avamar client installed on each host works as atypical Avamar client that is performing client-side deduplication. It processes and sends capacityoptimizedblocks, and any required metadata, over the WAN/LAN to the Avamar server. This dataflowis not a change from the well-known implementation in previous versions of Avamar.When specifying a Data Domain system as the backup target of a particular dataset from withinAvamar Administrator, the same Avamar client leverages Data Domain Boost (DD Boost) softwareto redirect this data directly to a Data Domain system. DD Boost extends the optimization capabilitiesof Data Domain solutions. It significantly increases performance by distributing parts of thededuplication process to the backup server, and simplifies disaster recovery procedures.Rather than performing intensive deduplication processing only on the client, DD Boost transfers thesource data in an efficient transfer method for processing by the Data Domain system.Besides transferring backup payload data optimally to the Data Domain system, the Avamar clientsimultaneously sends the relevant metadata it has generated to the Avamar server for storage. Thismetadata allows the Avamar management system to direct the client in performing restore operationsdirectly from the Data Domain system without going through the Avamar server. This functionality,implemented within the Avamar client software, is the same DD Boost API and technology that aresupported on many other Data Domain implementations today.RecoveryThe process of data recovery, whether from an Avamar data store or from a Data Domain system, iscompletely transparent to the backup administrator. The backup administrator uses the samerecovery processes that are native to previous Avamar versions. The Avamar front end automaticallyretrieves datasets that are stored on Data Domain systems. No special retrieval mechanisms orprocesses are required.ReplicationAs shown in Figure 2 in the architecture section, replication between primary and replica Data Domainsystems is also integrated into the Avamar management feature set. This is controlled by thereplication policy applied to each dataset in Avamar Administrator. All typical Avamar replicationscenarios are supported for datasets targeted to Data Domain. These include:• Many-to-one, one-to-many, cascading replication• Extension of data retention times• Root-to-root replicationLike the recovery process, the replication process normally configured within the Data Domainplatform is automated within the Avamar framework and is transparent to the backup administrator.This replication functionality requires that a remote Avamar server exists, along with the remote DataDomain system.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.21C

Using Avamar/Data Domain centralized control andmanagementThis section presents two examples that show how some of the processes highlighted in the previoussections are controlled from within the Avamar Administrator GUI:• Example One: Configure a Data Domain system within the Avamar Administrator interface• Example Two: Specify a dataset policy within the Avamar Administrator interfaceExample One: Configure a Data Domain system within the AvamarAdministrator interfaceThis example shows the procedure for using the Avamar Administrator GUI to configure aDataDomain system for use with SQL database backups.1. Log on to Avamar Administrator.2. Access the Avamar Administrator main menu.Here, the administrator can provision either a new or currently deployed Data Domain systemwithin the Avamar environment, in order to specify it as a backup target when backing uppolicy datasets.3. Click the Server icon to access the Avamar backend system configuration settings, as shown inFigure 8.Figure 8: Avamar Administrator main menu© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.22C

4. Select Server Management.5. Click the icon in the toolbar (Figure 9) to display the Data Domain system configuration dialogbox.Note: Here, we can provision a Data Domain system for use by the Avamar client. To configure a DataDomain system within an Avamar environment there is no need to launch the Data Domain Enterprise ManagerGUI or CLI interface.Figure 9: Specify a target Data Domain system from within Avamar© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.23C

The Add Data Domain System window appears (Figure 10).Figure 10: Add Data Domain System dialog box: System tab6. Select System (Figure 10) and enter the system name (or IP address) for the Data Domainsystem to be targeted for backup.7. Enter the DD Boost User Name. It is used for authentication. It specifies for the Avamarenvironment the credentials needed to access the Data Domain system and to authenticate theAvamar clients to write backups to the Data Domain backup target.The DD Boost account name is created in the Data Domain Enterprise Manager during the setupof the Data Domain system.For systems that are already implemented and have the DD Boost license installed, thisauthentication account is configured on the Data Domain system. For newly implemented DataDomain systems with a DD Boost license, reference EMC Data Domain documentation for theprocedure to configure this account.8. Complete the Max Streams field.This setting indicates to the Data Domain system the total number of client backup streamslaunched simultaneously from Avamar clients managed by this Avamar server. This setting isespecially important in deployments where the Data Domain system is being targeted by backupapplications besides Avamar, such as EMC Networker.This setting assures that Avamar backup streams do not oversubscribe the Data Domain systemif other backup jobs are being targeted to it within the same backup window.9. Click Okay.10. Click SNMP (Figure 11). The Add Data Domain System window appears.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.24C

11. In the Getter/Setter Port Number field, the default value is usually used.This number tells the Avamar server the port on the Data Domain system from which to receiveand on which to set SNMP objects.12. Next, complete the SNMP Community String field.This indicates to Avamar which community string will allow read/write access to the Data Domainsystem from an SNMP perspective.13. Enter the Trap Port Number.This indicates the port on the Avamar server that Data Domain will use to send SNMP traps to theAvamar server. The default number usually does not need to be changed. Refer to the Avamarserver SNMP configuration for the proper settings.14. Click OK.Figure 11: Add Data Domain System: SNMP tab© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.25C

15. Click Events (Figure 12).This window shows all the events that will be passed to Avamar Administrator from the DataDomain system.Figure 12: Add Data Domain System: Events tab16. To complete the provisioning of a Data Domain system for use by Avamar, verify the entries andclick OK.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.26C

Figure 13: Avamar Administrator: Server ManagementThe process of provisioning a Data Domain system for use with Avamar is easily and intuitively done.Repeat this process for multiple Data Domain systems that may be required for a particularAvamar/Data Domain joint solution. After adding a system, the administrator can return at any time tothe Server window (Figure 13) from the main menu for a quick dashboard view of Data Domainsystem statistics such as capacity, DDOS version, and model number.Example Two: Specify a dataset policy within the AvamarAdministrator interfaceThis example illustrates the procedure for setting a dataset policy within Avamar. The dataset policy isneeded in order to target backups.For use in illustrating this procedure we have created a policy dataset named DDSQLDataset forbackup of a production SQL database.Note:Refer to EMC Avamar Administrator documentation for creating datasets from scratch.The example re-directs the backups of this dataset from the Avamar Data Store to the Data Domainsystem provisioned in Example One.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.27C

Use the Avamar Administrator policy configuration feature, as shown in Figure 14, to edit thedataset that is to be retargeted. Click Options on the Edit Dataset window to bring up theconfiguration settings in the New Dataset dialog box, as shown in Figure 15.Figure 14: Avamar Administrator: Edit Dataset window© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.28C

Figure 15: Avamar Administrator - New Dataset dialog box1. Click the checkbox Use Data Domain system. From the drop-down list, select the Data Domainsystem target for this dataset.The drop-down list shows all the available Data Domain systems. We have pre-provisioned onlyone Data Domain system, so there is only one option in the box. If more Data Domain systemswere provisioned then multiple selections would appear.2. Click OK.The SQL dataset will be processed by the Avamar Windows SQL plug-in to target its data to the DataDomain system. Upon the next backup policy execution (either manual or scheduled), the SQLdataset will be sent to the Data Domain system for deduplication and storage.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.29C

VCE-recommended solutions for daily data ProtectionThis section describes the Data Protection Cabinets directly available from VCE. These are VCErecommended and tested solutions. Supported configuration rules are also provided.VCE Vblock Data Protection CabinetsThe VCE Vblock Data Protection Cabinets include a variety of implementation choices for thesolutions described in this paper. These solutions have been architected and tested by VCE toseamlessly integrate into a Vblock system. They are available directly from VCE, delivered in VCEcabinets. The VCE Data Protection Cabinets contain the scalable solutions and provide the correctamount of cabinet space for expansion devices.The Data Protection Cabinets comprise two solution groups: Avamar in a VCE cabinet and Avamarwith Data Domain in a VCE cabinetAvailable VCE Vblock Data Protection Cabinets:Solution typeAvamar-only single cabinetAvamar-only multi-cabinetAvamar and Data Domain 670 single cabinetAvamar and Data Domain 890 multi-cabinetDescriptionAvamar with Vblock systems solution in 1 cabinet(Figure 16)Avamar with Vblock systems solution in multiplecabinets. Figure 17 shows an example of 3 singleAvamar instances, although 3 cabinets is not a limit.Avamar and Data Domain 670 with Vblock systemssolution in 1 cabinet (Figure 18)Avamar and Data Domain 890 with Vblock systemssolution in 2 to 9 cabinets (Figures 19 and 20)© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.30C

Avamar-only single cabinetThe single cabinet Avamar-only VCE Vblock data protection module has 1 cabinet with Avamarswitches, Cisco switches, data nodes and utility nodes with built-in networking, and two externalconnection cables to the Vblock systems. The minimum configuration is 3 data nodes and 1 utilitynode. Expansion space is provided in the cabinet for up to 14 additional nodes in any combination ofdata nodes (up to 13 additional for a 16 total maximum), NDMP accelerator nodes, and/or mediaaccess nodes.Figure 16. Avamar –only single cabinet module© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.31C

Avamar-only multi-cabinetThe Avamar-only multi-cabinet Vblock data protection module provides three times the capabilities ofthe Avamar-only single cabinet, as it has 2 additional cabinets each containing the same capabilities.The module also has three times the expansion capabilities as the Avamar-only single cabinet.Note: If backing up multiple Vblock systems to a single Avamar and Data Domain Data Protection Cabinet,each Vblock system must be connected to a group of dedicated uplink ports from the Data Protection Cabinet.Figure 17. Avamar-only multi- cabinet module© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.32C

Avamar and Data Domain 670 single cabinetThe Avamar and Data Domain 670 single cabinet Vblock data protection module has 1 cabinet withAvamar switches, Cisco switches, 1 DD670 Head Unit, and 1 ES30 storage shelf. The minimumconfiguration comprises 3 data nodes and 1 utility node. It has built-in networking, and 2 externalconnection cables to the Vblock systems. It contains 3 expansion spaces providing room for anadditional Head Unit, and an additional storage unit, as well as an additional 10 nodes in anycombination of data nodes, accelerator nodes, and/or media access nodes.Note: If backing up multiple Vblock systems to a single Avamar and Data Domain Data Protection Cabinet,each Vblock system must be connected to a group of dedicated uplink ports from the Data Protection Cabinet.Figure 18. Avamar and Data Domain single-cabinet module© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.33C

Avamar and Data Domain 890 multi-cabinetThe Avamar and Data Domain 890 multi-cabinet Vblock data protection module has 2 cabinets withinter-cabinet connections that permit the cabinets to be placed at an unlimited distance from eachother within the data center. Cabinet 1 is configured in an identical manner to the single Avamar andData Domain cabinet, with the addition of inter-cabinet connections. The interconnected cabinets havebuilt-in networking, and two external connection cables from cabinet 1 to the Vblock systems. Cabinet2 contains 1 Data Domain ES30 Drive Shelf, 1 Data Domain 890 Head Unit, and 2U space for a futureHead Unit upgrade. Expansion Space #1 can hold 2 additional ES30 Drive Shelves. ExpansionSpace # 2 can also hold up to 9 additional storage trays.Note: If backing up multiple Vblock systems to a single Avamar and Data Domain Data Protection Cabinet,each Vblock system must be connected to a group of dedicated uplink ports from the Data Protection Cabinet.Figure 19. Avamar and Data Domain multi-cabinet module© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.34C

Avamar and Data Domain 890 multi-cabinetThe Vblock Protection Avamar and Data Domain 890 maximum multi-cabinet configuration can haveup to 9 cabinets, with connections from each cabinet directly to Cabinet 1. (No other interconnectionsexist among the additional cabinets.)Cabinet 1 is identical to the Cabinet 1 contained in the first Avamar and DD 890 multi-cabinetconfiguration (Figure 19).Cabinets 2, 3, 4, and 5 in the example (Figure 20) are identical.Note: If backing up multiple Vblock systems to a single Avamar and Data Domain Data Protection Cabinet,each Vblock system must be connected to a group of dedicated uplink ports from the Data Protection Cabinet.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.35C

Figure 20. Avamar and Data Domain multi- cabinet configuration© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.36C

VCE-supported configuration rules for Avamar with Vblock systems,and for Avamar and Data Domain with Vblock systemsVCE Seamless Support is provided for configurations that adhere to the following rules:• Backup and recovery using only Avamar software and hardware with Vblock systems usingVCE-provided modules• Backup and recovery using Avamar software and hardware, plus Data Domain hardware usingVCE-provided modules• A dedicated Data Protection system for each Vblock system. No sharing is permitted• Current Avamar Gen 4 hardware• Current Avamar V 6.0 software• Vblock systems NAS backup via Avamar Accelerator nodes• Remote office Vblock systems backup with single node Avamar, but only if replicated to Avamarin a different site• Avamar and Data Domain on Vblock systems in Datacenter 1 must be replicated to Avamarand Data Domain on Vblock systems in Datacenter 2. Only Vblock systems can be connectedto VCE Avamar and Data Domain backup systems. Connecting any other servers to the VCEAvamar and Data Domain system voids VCE Seamless Support.• Datacenter 1 and Datacenter 2 are cross-replicating. Only Vblock systems can be connected toVCE Avamar and Data Domain backup systems. Connecting any other servers to the VCEAvamar and Data Domain system voids VCE Seamless Support.• A single Vblock system is required per VCE Avamar and Data Domain backup system. OnlyVblock systems can be connected to VCE Avamar and Data Domain backup systems.Connecting any other servers to the VCE Avamar and Data Domain system voids VCESeamless Support.• Virtual desktop backup/restore• Guest-level agent for crash-consistent backups• Virtual machine server image backups using proxies• Virtual machine server image backups using proxies and Change Block Tracking• Avamar Tape-out for archive, if compliant with EMC support rules• “Retrofit” to existing Vblock systems 300 and 700 customers• Bare metal servers in Vblock systems are supported only where they are fully compliant withEMC Avamar rules. VCE Support will be limited to Avamar and Vblock systems and does notextend to operating system issues on bare metal servers.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.37C

ConclusionWith the integration and control of EMC Data Domain systems within the EMC Avamar client onVblock systems, the backup administrator can now eliminate separate backup processes and manageenterprise-wide backup workloads associated with each dataset from a single management interface.Furthermore, backups of VMware virtual machines, desktops and laptops, remote offices, NASsystems, and enterprise applications are all optimized for faster backups, maximum deduplication,and efficient recoveries.VCE offers on Vblock systems both Avamar and Data Domain because these data targets havedifferent advantages. The combination of the two addresses a broader set of data protectionrequirements and delivers the most cost effective solution.There are several ways to implement the VCE data protection solutions for daily backups. The “bestpossible method” depends upon the exact customer requirements. The most commonrecommendations are:• Use guest-level backups daily to ensure crash-consistent data recovery. Restoration ofindividual files is a far more common occurrence than full server restoration.• Backup the server VMDK once per week, or whenever a virtual machine server has beenupdated. This provides rapid restore capability in the event of a server crash.Using Avamar and Data Domain as described in this white paper is a VCE-recommended solutionbecause it simplifies data protection AND it is a critical element for getting the maximum return-oninvestmentfrom Vblock systems.Next StepsTo learn more about this and other solutions, contact a VCE representative or visit www.vce.com.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.38C

ReferencesVCE• Vblock Infrastructure Platforms 2010 Vblock Platforms Architecture OverviewEMCNote: To access this documentation EMC requires that you have registered and have a user id and password.Contact EMC to set up your user id.• EMC Avamar 6.1 Administration Guide• Data Domain OS 5.1 Administration Guide© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.39C

ABOUT VCEVCE, formed by Cisco and EMC with investments from VMware and Intel, accelerates the adoption of converged infrastructure andcloud-based computing models that dramatically reduce the cost of IT while improving time to market for our customers. VCE,through the Vblock system, delivers the industry's only fully integrated and fully virtualized cloud infrastructure system. VCEsolutions are available through an extensive partner network, and cover horizontal applications, vertical industry offerings, andapplication development environments, allowing customers to focus on business innovation instead of integrating, validating andmanaging IT infrastructure.For more information, go to www.vce.com.THE INFORMATION IN THIS PUBLICATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS." VCE MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIESOF ANY KIND WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PUBLICATION, AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS IMPLIEDWARRANTIES OR MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.Copyright © 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All rights reserved. Vblock and the VCE logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of VCE Company, LLC, and/or itsaffiliates in the United States or other countries. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.© 2012 VCE Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved.C