NDMP requirements
To use NDMP for operations with NAS file servers, you must have Tivoli® Storage Manager Extended Edition installed and your file server environment must meet certain requirements.
- NAS file server
- The operating system on the file server must be supported by Tivoli Storage
Manager. See technote 1054144 for information about the NAS file servers that are supported.
The combination of file server model and operating system must be supported by the NAS file server. For more specifics, consult the product information for the NAS file server.
- Tape libraries
- This requirement is necessary only for a backup to a locally attached NAS device. The Tivoli Storage
Manager server supports the following types of libraries
for operations that use NDMP:
- SCSI
- A SCSI library can be attached directly to the Tivoli Storage Manager server or to the NAS file server. When the library is attached directly to the Tivoli Storage Manager server, that server controls the library operations by passing the SCSI commands directly to the library. When the library is attached directly to the NAS file server, the Tivoli Storage Manager server controls the library by passing SCSI commands to the library through the NAS file server.
- ACSLS
- An automated cartridge system library software (ACSLS) library can be directly connected only to
the Tivoli Storage
Manager server. The Tivoli Storage
Manager server controls the library by passing the library
request through TCP/IP to the library control server.Restriction: The Tivoli Storage Manager server does not include External Library support for the ACSLS library when the library is used for NDMP operations.
- VTL
- A virtual tape library (VTL) can be attached directly either to the Tivoli Storage Manager server or to the NAS file server. A virtual tape library is essentially the same as a SCSI library, but is enhanced for virtual tape library characteristics and allows for better mount performance.
- If you are defining a VTL, your environment must not include mixed media. Paths must be defined between all drives in the library and all defined servers, including storage agents, that use the library. If these conditions are not met, the overall performance can degrade to the same levels as the SCSI library type, especially during times of high stress.
- 349X
- A 349X library can be directly connected only to the Tivoli Storage Manager server. The Tivoli Storage Manager server controls the library by passing the library request through TCP/IP to the library manager.
Library sharing: The Tivoli Storage Manager server that runs NDMP operations can be a library manager for either an ACSLS, SCSI, VTL, or 349X library, but cannot be a library client. The Tivoli Storage Manager server can also be a library client in a configuration where the NAS file server sends data to the server by using TCP/IP rather than to a tape library attached to the file server. If the Tivoli Storage Manager server that runs NDMP operations is a library manager, that server must control the library directly and not by passing commands through the NAS file server. - Tape drives
- A tape drive is necessary only for backup to a locally attached NAS device. The NAS file server
must be able to access the drives. A NAS device is not supported in a mixed device library. The
drives must be supported for tape backup operations by the NAS file server and its operating system.
For complete NDMP device support, refer to the NAS file server product documentation.Drive sharing: The tape drives can be shared by the Tivoli Storage Manager server and one or more NAS file servers. Also, when a SCSI, VTL, or a 349X library is connected to the server and not to the NAS file server, the drives can be shared by one or more NAS file servers. The drives can also be shared by one or more Tivoli Storage Manager library clients and storage agents.Drive reservations: When tape drives are attached to NAS devices and the RESETDRIVES=YES parameter for the DEFINE LIBRARY command is specified, the following limitations apply:
- If a tape drive is shared by a Tivoli Storage Manager server and a NAS device, drive reservation preemption is supported when the NAS device supports persistent reserve and it is enabled. For more information about setting persistent reserve, see the documentation for your NAS device.
- If a tape drive is attached only to a NAS device and not shared with a Tivoli Storage Manager server, drive reservation preemption is not supported. If you enable persistent reserve on the NAS device for these drives and a reservation is set by the NAS device but never cleared, you must use another method to clear the reservation.
Tip: Tivoli Storage
Manager supports NDMP Version 4 for all NDMP operations. Tivoli Storage
Manager continues to support all NDMP backup and restore operations with a NAS device that runs NDMP version 3. The Tivoli Storage
Manager server negotiates the highest protocol level (either Version 3 or Version 4) with the NDMP server when it establishes an NDMP connection. If you experience any issues with Version 4, you might want to try Version 3.