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Ted Saul, Technology Consultant
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ABS/MDMS and Data
Protector have the same basic purpose: to provide an automated method of
managing backups, volumes, and devices in a user-friendly manner. Some of the
areas where the two applications parallel each other are outlined below.
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Both products are
software that automates backups in an unattended, lights-out environment saving
staffing costs particularly in the non-primetime schedules. These products also
allow for backups to take place 24 x 7 x 365 and with the flexibility to
schedule around holidays and other special days where backups are not required.
The products can also run on a predetermined schedule so that different
interval backups are performed including weekly, monthly, and yearly.
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Both ABS/MDMS and
Data Protector provide data protection by backing up critical data and system
files on a regular and predetermined basis. The applications also provide a
method of rebuilding a system from the ground up in case of catastrophic
outage. Each product has built-in flexibility and methods for saving data. For
example, ABS/MDMS can provide image and incremental frequency of backups to
ensure the most complete protection with the least amount of recovery time
required.
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Each application
manages the data that it backs up via a system of catalogs so that data is easy
to find. Once the requested data is located within a catalog, a restore can
easily be initiated. These restores can be scheduled for unattended processing
as well. ABS/MDMS and Data Protector both use a system of catalog databases
that can be created as needed on each system. These files not only allow for
easy lookup but also provide a method for retaining data for a predetermined
length of time.
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Both Data Protector
and ABS/MDMS manage the media that are used for backup operations. This assures
that only the volumes that you require are used, stored, and recycled at their
proper times. In the case of Data Protector, it also manages volumes used from
different platforms.
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Both products are
considered scalable in that backups can be accomplished from small servers to
large clusters of systems. Also, disks connected via SCSI to large disk arrays
and data farms can be protected. Disks out on the network, disks located on a
SAN, or any other device that can be seen from OpenVMS DCL can be backed up
using these products. Both products will manage when and how each of the
available devices will be used.
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As well as using
different types of interconnects for access to drives and libraries, these
products are able to implement backups to the latest high-performance drives.
This allows for the smallest backup window possible. They can also execute
backups to drives simultaneously so that peak performance can be achieved using
all resources within a large library.
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These applications
provide support for high-performance tape devices as well as a large number of
tape libraries, most of which are the latest shipping products available.
Qualification is done on both products as soon as a new device is released to
ensure that the product keeps running successfully when equipment is upgraded
or replaced. Libraries also provide a method for developing a lights-out
facility.
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ABS/MDMS and Data
Protector provide systems manager the ability to manage backup operations from
a single point. At its server level, Data Protector provides a cell manager and
a cell client. This strategy allows for the grouping of servers and portions of
the environment for backups. At the enterprise level, Data Protector provides
access via the OpenView Operation Console or through a distributed GUI.
ABS/MDMS provides the DCL interface to manage its policies and objects along
with a GUI that can be viewed from an OpenVMS system or a Windows-based
workstation. ABS/MDMS groups its environment by domain allowing for security
boundaries and backup granularity throughout the datacenter.
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For faster backups,
both Data Protector and ABS/MDMS can stage their backups to disk. Once the data
is on disk, normal production can resume and the staged data backup then sent
to tape. Writing to disk is always faster then sending off to tape and this
method of backup reduces the typical bottleneck caused by IOs to tape.
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Both products are
designed to recover a data center in case of catastrophic outage regardless of
cause. Documentation and suggestions for setting up a DR strategy are included
and the ability to test a recovery is also possible. The key to any DR is the
amount of time it takes to recover. Which product is faster is dependent on the
current environment and the availability of backup equipment.
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These products have
some flexibility. But that flexibility is limited to prevent users from getting
themselves into trouble by over-customizing their environments. The ability to
shutdown and startup applications prior to backup is available as well as the
ability to execute some DCL programming via pre- and post-processing command
procedures. This functionality typically gives users the flexibility to
accomplish backups according to their company policy.
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Data Protector has a -lock
option that can allow the backup of files that have been opened and locked for
write. This coincides with the OpenVMS backup qualifier /ignore=interlock,
which allows as much of the open files to be backed up as possible.
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Data Protector uses
the -skip and -only options to parallel the OpenVMS backup syntax of /include
and /exclude. These qualifiers allow for selecting or omitting certain files
from the dataset. Both products can use "*" and "$" for wildcarding within
files specifications.
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Both backup
applications are fully supported on the Intel® Itanium® platform. Data
Protector's latest OpenVMS client has been ported to Itanium® as well as the
latest versions of ABS/MDMS. This is important to consider as some of the older
backup application such as SLS are not being moved to Itanium®.
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ABS/MDMS and Data
Protector both have the ability to perform hot backups of Oracle 9i and 10i
databases with 11i now being qualified. Backups can be written to tape or disk
and information about the backup tracked in catalogs for easy restore.
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When it comes to
concepts of a backup and archiving application, ABS/MDMS and Data Protector
have many similarities. However the functionality and process of how the backup
is achieved is different. This section attempts to show many of these
differences and how they may affect the backups of a particular environment.
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The first difference
seen between the two products is how each one is viewed on the OpenVMS system.
Data Protector views OpenVMS systems within cells as an agent. Agent software
needs to be loaded on any OpenVMS system to be backed up. From the Data
Protector Cell manager these nodes show up as OpenVMS agents and backups can be
initiated from this point. There is also a CLI available on the OpenVMS agent. Note
that an additional software kit is required to be loaded for CLI access.
Information about backups performed on the OpenVMS system is kept on the Data
Protector Server. Data Protector runs its server software on HP-UX, Windows, or
Linux operating systems. One of these servers will need to be available in a
datacenter in order to use Data Protector to back up OpenVMS nodes.
The advantage for
Data Protector is evident in environments where there are numerous operating
systems that require backup. Data Protector can manage many different operating
system agents from one location including HP-UX, Windows, and Linux. It can
also back up numerous application agents including Informix, SQL, Exchange, and
Oracle. Note that at this time the Oracle agent is not available for the OpenVMS
operating system.
ABS/MDMS uses the
OpenVMS system as a server and performs all its management from a selected
OpenVMS node. All ABS/MDMS databases are stored on the server. The ABS/MDMS GUI
runs on the OpenVMS machine or a Windows server and accesses these databases.
Only one node is required to be a server at one time. However, ABS/MDMS has the
ability to have standby nodes making failover possible and preventing downtime
should the primary server become unavailable.
The advantage for
ABS/MDMS comes in environments where OpenVMS is the predominate operating
system. This is particularly helpful at sites where user skills are primarily
OpenVMS. It also makes it easier to back up data domains where the only
operating system is OpenVMS. No other platform is required to complete the
backup.
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ABS/MDMS uses the
standard OpenVMS syntax when entering file specifications in either the command
line or the GUI. For example, backing up a users login.com file from a disk
might look like:
$1$DGA100:[USERS.DOE]login.com;1
ABS will expect to see the file specification in this format.
Data Protector uses a
UNIX style file specification for OpenVMS backups. In the case of the above
file specification, Data Protector requires the following format:
/$1$DGA100/Users/Doe/login.Com.1
Unlike the OpenVMS
standard, Data Protector has no explicit version number. A version number
always has to be defined or no file will be backed up.
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Which software to use in a particular environment will be dependent on a number of factors:
- What operating system is predominant in the
environment? Environments that have mostly OpenVMS servers may find ABS/MDMS
more feasible for them.
- Are your libraries and devices used by more than
one operating system? Data Protector will be the application that can manage
multiple systems to a library or device. ABS/MDMS will require that a library
be dedicated to an OpenVMS system.
- On which operating system does most of the data
reside? If it is mostly on OpenVMS, ABS/MDMS may prove most efficient. However,
if there are large SQL, Exchange, or other applications or databases on other
operating systems, Data Protector can back those up along with your OpenVMS
system.
- What type of operating skills does your staff
have? If your staff is OpenVMS centric, then ABS/MDMS may prove to be the best
choice. You should do an analysis of how much it will cost to hire new skills
such as those required for HP-UX.
- How fast must a disaster recovery take place? If
OpenVMS is the primary operating system in the datacenter and quick, flexible
restores are required, ABS/MDMS may be the best choice. If there are other
operating systems, however, their restore time and criticality need to be
considered.
- Is there particular OpenVMS backup functionality
that is needed or required? Data Protector will be somewhat of a cultural
change for users and the list of qualifiers that backup owns is not available.
You should carefully consider what types of backups and their associated
functionality are required before deciding on an application.
Another deciding
factor is the cost of the application. Your choice of one product or the other
depends on your environment, current applications running, and future growth considerations.
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