If you need to back up large amounts of data and the backup window presents a problem, consider backing up to disk-based devices and using advanced backup strategies such as synthetic backup and disk staging.

•How can I prepare running applications for backups? Many applications keep files open, so running a backup would produce an inconsistent backup. This can be avoided by using pre-exec and post-exec scripts that can be used to synchronize the status of applications with the backup activities.

Duplicating backed up data

Duplicating backed up data brings several benefits. You can copy data to improve its security and availability, or for operational reasons.

Data Protector provides the following methods of duplicating backed up data: object copy, object mirror, and media copy. See Table 9 on page 112 for an overview of the main characteristics of these methods.

Table 9 Data Protector data duplication methods

 

Object copy

Object mirror

Media copy

Smart Media

 

 

 

 

Copy

 

 

 

 

 

What is

Any

A set of objects

An entire

 

duplicated

combination of

from a backup

medium

 

 

object versions

session

 

An entire

 

from one or

 

 

medium

 

several backup

 

 

 

 

sessions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time of

Any time after

During backup

Any time after

Any time after

duplication

the completion

 

the completion

the completion

 

of a backup

 

of a backup

of a backup

 

 

 

 

 

Media type of

Can be different

Can be different

Must be the

Are different as

source and

 

 

same

disk-based

target media

 

 

 

storage is

 

 

 

 

combined with

 

 

 

 

tape-based

 

 

 

 

storage

 

 

 

 

 

Size of source

Can be different

Can be different

Must be the

Must be the

and target

 

 

same

same

media

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

112

Planning your backup strategy