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Veritas NetBackup™ Deduplication Guide

Last Published: 2019-09-18

Product(s): NetBackup (8.1.2)

MSDP storage path properties

NetBackup requires that the storage is exposed as a directory path. The following table describes the storage path properties for a Media Server Deduplication Pool on the storage server:

Table: MSDP storage path properties

Property	Description
Storage path	The path to the storage. The storage path is the directory in which NetBackup stores the raw backup data. Backup data should not be stored on the system disk. Because the storage requires a directory path, do not use only the root node (`/`) or drive letter (`E:\`) as the storage path. (That is, do not mount the storage as a root node (`/`) or a drive letter (`E:\`). For a 96-TB Media Server Deduplication Pool, you must enter the path name of the mount point for the volume that you consider the first 32-TB storage volume. The following is an example of a volume naming convention for the mount points for the backups: /msdp/vol0 <--- The first volume /msdp/vol1 /msdp/vol2 NetBackup supports 96-TB deduplication pools on a subset of supported systems. You can use the following characters in the storage path name: Any of the 26 letters of the International Standards Organization (ISO) Latin-script alphabet, both uppercase (capital) letters and lowercase (small) letters. These are the same letters as the English alphabet. Any integer from 0 to 9, inclusive. A space character. Any of the following characters: UNIX: `_-:./\` Windows: `_-:.\` (a colon (`:`) is allowed only after a drive letter (for example, `G:\MSDP_Storage`) NetBackup requirements for the deduplication storage paths may affect how you expose the storage. See About MSDP storage and connectivity requirements.
Use alternate path for deduplication database	By default, NetBackup uses the storage path for the MSDP database (that is, the MSDP catalog) location. The MSDP database is different than the NetBackup catalog. Select this option to use a location other than the default for the deduplication database. For a 250-TB Media Server Deduplication Pool, you must select this option. For performance optimization, Veritas recommends that you use a separate disk volume for the deduplication database than for the backup data.
Database path	If you selected Use alternate path for deduplication database, enter the path name for the database. The database should not be stored on the system disk. For a 96-TB Media Server Deduplication Pool, you must enter the path name of the partition that you created for the MSDP catalog. For example, if the naming convention for your mount points is `/msdp/volx`, Veritas recommends the following for the MSDP catalog directory: `/msdp/cat` For performance optimization, Veritas recommends that you use a separate disk volume for the deduplication database than for the backup data. You can use the following characters in the path name: Any of the 26 letters of the International Standards Organization (ISO) Latin-script alphabet, both uppercase (capital) letters and lowercase (small) letters. These are the same letters as the English alphabet. Any integer from 0 to 9, inclusive. A space character. Any of the following characters: UNIX: `_-:./\` Windows: `_-:.\` (a colon (`:`) is allowed only after a drive letter (for example, `F:\MSDP_Storage`)

Property

Description

Storage path

The path to the storage. The storage path is the directory in which NetBackup stores the raw backup data. Backup data should not be stored on the system disk.

Because the storage requires a directory path, do not use only the root node (/) or drive letter (E:\) as the storage path. (That is, do not mount the storage as a root node (/) or a drive letter (E:\).

For a 96-TB Media Server Deduplication Pool, you must enter the path name of the mount point for the volume that you consider the first 32-TB storage volume. The following is an example of a volume naming convention for the mount points for the backups:

/msdp/vol0  <--- The first volume
/msdp/vol1
/msdp/vol2

NetBackup supports 96-TB deduplication pools on a subset of supported systems.

You can use the following characters in the storage path name:

Any of the 26 letters of the International Standards Organization (ISO) Latin-script alphabet, both uppercase (capital) letters and lowercase (small) letters. These are the same letters as the English alphabet.
Any integer from 0 to 9, inclusive.
A space character.
Any of the following characters:
UNIX: _-:./\
Windows: _-:.\ (a colon (:) is allowed only after a drive letter (for example, G:\MSDP_Storage)

NetBackup requirements for the deduplication storage paths may affect how you expose the storage.

See About MSDP storage and connectivity requirements.

Use alternate path for deduplication database

By default, NetBackup uses the storage path for the MSDP database (that is, the MSDP catalog) location. The MSDP database is different than the NetBackup catalog.

Select this option to use a location other than the default for the deduplication database.

For a 250-TB Media Server Deduplication Pool, you must select this option.

For performance optimization, Veritas recommends that you use a separate disk volume for the deduplication database than for the backup data.

Database path

If you selected Use alternate path for deduplication database, enter the path name for the database. The database should not be stored on the system disk.

For a 96-TB Media Server Deduplication Pool, you must enter the path name of the partition that you created for the MSDP catalog. For example, if the naming convention for your mount points is /msdp/volx, Veritas recommends the following for the MSDP catalog directory:

/msdp/cat

For performance optimization, Veritas recommends that you use a separate disk volume for the deduplication database than for the backup data.

You can use the following characters in the path name:

Any of the 26 letters of the International Standards Organization (ISO) Latin-script alphabet, both uppercase (capital) letters and lowercase (small) letters. These are the same letters as the English alphabet.
Any integer from 0 to 9, inclusive.
A space character.
Any of the following characters:
UNIX: _-:./\
Windows: _-:.\ (a colon (:) is allowed only after a drive letter (for example, F:\MSDP_Storage)

If the directory or directories do not exist, NetBackup creates them and populates them with the necessary subdirectory structure. If the directory or directories exist, NetBackup populates them with the necessary subdirectory structure.

Caution:

You cannot change the paths after NetBackup configures the deduplication storage server. Therefore, decide during the planning phase where and how you want the deduplicated backup data to be stored and then carefully enter the paths.