About Backup Exec media server storage options

The following options let you extend Backup Exec’s capabilities to use larger or more efficient media storage devices or share storage resources over a SAN.

Table: Backup Exec media server storage options

Item

Description

Deduplication Option

Provides the following features to support a data reduction strategy:

  • Reduces the amount of disk storage that is required for backups by storing only unique data.

  • Reduces backup network usage by sending only unique data across the network.

See About the Deduplication Option.

Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Archiving Option

Lets you archive Microsoft Exchange Server emails that have been backed up. After data is archived, it is deleted from its source location, which reduces the amount of data on the Exchange Server.

The Archiving Option uses Enterprise Vault technology to move archive data to disk-based vault stores. Only data that is already backed up is archived so that there is little affect on the Exchange server. End users can retrieve current and previous version of files by browsing a web interface called Backup Exec Retrieve.

See About the Archiving Option.

File System Archiving Option

Lets you archive Windows NTFS data that has been backed up. After data is archived, it is deleted from its source location, which reduces the amount of data on the file server.

The Archiving Option uses Enterprise Vault technology to move archive data to disk-based vault stores. Only data that is already backed up is archived so that there is little affect on the file system server. End users can retrieve current and previous versions of files by browsing a web interface called Backup Exec Retrieve.

See About the Archiving Option.

Symantec Backup Exec NDMP Option

Enables Backup Exec to use the Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) to initialize and control backups and restores on supported devices.

See About installing the NDMP Option.

Symantec Backup Exec Library Expansion Option

Enables support for each additional drive in a robotic library. When you install Backup Exec, support for the first drive in every robotic library is included.

See About the Library Expansion Option .

Symantec Backup Exec Virtual Tape Library Unlimited Drive Option

Enables support for all additional drives after the first drive in each virtual tape library. When you install Backup Exec, support for every single-drive virtual tape library is included.

See About the Virtual Tape Library Unlimited Drive Option .

Symantec Backup Exec Central Admin Server Option

Maximizes your Backup Exec investment by providing centralized administration and load balanced job processing functionality for existing or newly configured media servers.

See How CASO works.

Symantec Backup Exec SAN Shared Storage Option

Lets Backup Exec operate in a Storage Area Network (SAN), providing a high performance LAN-free backup solution. SAN Shared Storage Option lets multiple distributed media servers share common, centralized storage devices connected over a SAN. This configuration provides greater efficiency and fault tolerance. In addition to increasing performance and backup speeds in the SAN environment, the SAN Shared Storage Option load balances backup activity across multiple Backup Exec media servers and centralizes management tasks while lowering the total cost of hardware ownership.

See About installing the SAN Shared Storage Option.

Symantec Backup Exec Advanced Disk-based Backup Option (ADBO)

Provides the following features:

  • Synthetic backup assembles, or synthesizes, data from one previous full or incremental backup and subsequent incremental backups. This feature eliminates the need to run full backups. The synthesis is performed on the Backup Exec media server without accessing the remote computer. The overall backup window and the network bandwidth requirements are reduced.

  • True image restore enables Backup Exec to restore the contents of directories to what they were at the time of a full backup or incremental backup.

    You choose restore selections from a view of the directories as they existed at the time of the backup. Files that were deleted before then are not restored. Only the correct versions of files are restored from the appropriate full or incremental backups. Previous versions are not restored and then overwritten.

  • Offhost backup moves the backup operation away from the remote computer to a Backup Exec media server in a fiber-connected SAN environment. When the backup is moved to the media server, the remote computer is free for other operations. Offhost backup for Exchange Server backups that have the Granular Recovery Technology (GRT) option enabled are also supported.

See What’s new in Backup Exec agents and options.

See About the synthetic backup feature.

See About true image restore.

See About offhost backup.

Symantec Backup Exec Storage Provisioning Option

Lets you configure, manage, and monitor a storage array that is attached to the media server. A wizard guides you through the configuration of the storage array. The wizard creates the virtual disks t
hat Backup Exec uses as job destination devices on the storage array. The Storage Provisioning Option monitors disk usage trends to send alerts when low disk space occurs on the storage arrays. Disk usage trends also provide information about whether the current disk space is sufficient, and when you should add disk space.

See About the Storage Provisioning Option.

About Backup Exec media server storage options