You can back up large NetApp file systems by using the
NetApp SnapMirror to Tape feature. Using a block-level copy of data
for backup, the SnapMirror to Tape method is faster than a traditional
Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) full backup and can be used
when NDMP full backups are impractical.
Use the NDMP SnapMirror to Tape feature as a disaster recovery
option for copying large NetAppfile systems to auxiliary storage.
For most NetAppfile systems, use the standard NDMP full or differential
backup method.
Using a parameter option on the BACKUP NODE and RESTORE
NODE commands, you can back up and restore file systems
by using SnapMirror to Tape. There are several limitations and restrictions
on how SnapMirror images can be used. Consider the following guidelines
before you use it as a backup method:
- You cannot initiate a SnapMirror to Tape backup
or restore operation from the Tivoli® Storage
Manager Operations Center, web client,
or command-line client.
- You cannot perform differential backups of SnapMirror images.
- You cannot perform a directory-level backup using SnapMirror to
Tape, thus Tivoli Storage
Manager does
not permit an SnapMirror to Tape backup operation on a server virtual
file space.
- You cannot perform an NDMP file-level restore operation from SnapMirror
to Tape images. Therefore, a table of contents is never created during
SnapMirror to Tape image backups.
- At the start of a SnapMirror to Tape copy operation, the file
server generates a snapshot of the file system. NetAppprovides an
NDMP environment variable to control whether this snapshot should
be removed at the end of the SnapMirror to Tape operation. Tivoli Storage
Manager always sets
this variable to remove the snapshot.
- After a SnapMirror to Tape image is retrieved and copied to a
NetAppfile system, the target file system is left configured as a
SnapMirror partner. NetAppprovides an NDMP environment variable to
control whether this SnapMirror relationship should be broken. Tivoli Storage
Manager always "breaks"
the SnapMirror relationship during the retrieval. After the restore
operation is complete, the target file system is in the same state
as that of the original file system at the point-in-time of backup.