I'm planning on implementing a SAN with two or more servers (W2K3 clustered) and using a serverless backup (tape library) architecture. What would be the best way to design this? What hardware would be needed? I?d appreciate it if you could diagram it out for me.
Requires Free Membership to View
When you register for SearchDataBackup.com, you’ll also receive targeted emails from my team of award-winning editorial writers. Because your job never seems to get any easier, it’s our goal to keep you up-to-date on the latest backup tips, trends and technologies that will help you get the job done.
Rich Castagna, Editorial Director
Spend the $20 and buy my book "Storage Area Networks for Dummies". There is a whole chapter with diagrams on simple backup solutions using FC-AL hubs and shared tape drives. You don't need expensive software for a simple solution like this either. You can simply alternate access between the cluster nodes for backup, using the integrated Windows backup utility.
Since you are going to be using a cluster, you will require shared disk for the application resources (this can be a simple shelf of FC-AL based drives through a hub) and an HBA in each server for disk and another for tape (connected to another hub).
This should not run you more than a few grand to implement. Remember that when using hubs, always keep the disk traffic separate from the tape traffic by using dedicated loops for each.
Chris
Editor's note: Do you agree with this expert's response? If you have more to share, post it in one of our .bphAaR2qhqA^0@/searchstorage>discussion forums.
The views and opinions expressed by Christopher L. Poelker are his alone and not necessarily shared by Hitachi Data Systems.This was first published in April 2004