Commvault

Professional
Foundations
Student Guide
Module 2 – Storage
Copyright
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Storage Overview

Commvault software logically addresses storage systems to allow virtually any storage target to be used.
The three primary target types are disk, cloud, and tape.

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Disk Storage

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Disk Storage Design

A Commvault disk storage is a logical container which is used to define one or more paths to storage
called backup locations (mount paths). These paths are defined explicitly to the location of the storage as
a drive letter or a UNC path. Within each mount path writers are allocated that define the number of
concurrent streams for the mount path.

Disk Storage Types

 Dedicated disk storage is one or more backup locations that are configured as shared disk
devices. The shared disk device in a dedicated disk storage has only one primary sharing folder.
 Shared disk storage is a target with more than one primary sharing folder configured on a shared
disk device. This enables other MediaAgents access to the same shared volume resource.
Common Internet File System (CIFS) protocol is used to manage multiple MediaAgent access to
the same directory. For UNIX hosted MediaAgents, Network File System (NFS) protocol can be
used. NFS shared disks appear to the MediaAgent as local drives.
Disk storage can be configured as network-attached storage (NAS), storage area network (SAN), or
direct-attached storage (DAS).

Disk Storage Best Practices

 If using DAS or SAN, format mount paths (backup locations) using a 64KB block size.
 If using DAS or SAN, create multiple backup locations (mount paths). For instance, if there are 10
mount paths, and there is a maintenance job, such as a defrag job running on one, the mount
path can be set to read-only, leaving 90% of the storage available for backup jobs.
 Share the disk storage if required.
 For best results, enable Commvault deduplication.

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Network Attached Storage (NAS)

Network-attached storage provides the best connection method for resiliency since the storage is
accessed directly through the NAS device. This means that by using a Common Internet File System
(CIFS) or a Network File System (NFS), Universal Naming Convention (UNC) paths can be configured to
read and write directly to storage. In this case, the target can be configured as a shared disk storage,
where all MediaAgents can see stored data for data protection and recovery operations.

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Storage Area Network (SAN)

Storage area networks or SANs are common in data centers. SAN storage can be zoned and presented
to MediaAgents using either Fibre Channel or iSCSI. The zoned storage is presented directly to the
MediaAgent providing read/write access to the disks.
When using SAN storage, each building block should use a dedicated MediaAgent, DDB and Commvault
disk storage. Although the back-end disk storage in the SAN can reside on the same disk array, it should
be configured in the Commvault software as two separate Commvault disk storage where logical unit
numbers (LUNs) are presented as mount paths (backup locations) in dedicated targets for specific
MediaAgents.

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Direct-Attached Storage (DAS)

Direct-attached storage physically attaches the disk storage to the MediaAgent. Each building block is
completely self-contained. This provides high performance but does not provide resiliency. If the
MediaAgent controlling the building block fails, data stored in the disk storage cannot be recovered until
the MediaAgent is repaired or replaced. All data in the disk storage is still completely indexed and
recoverable, even if the index directory is lost. Once the MediaAgent is rebuilt, data from the disk storage
can be restored.

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Add Local or Network Disk as Storage

Before adding a Commvault disk storage, the operating system must have access to the storage. For
SAN or DAS storage, volumes must be created and formatted in the operating system. For NAS, access
the storage CIFS shares using the credentials.
1. Select Storage > Disk
2. This window displays the disk storage currently configured in the CommCell environment
3. Click Add

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 4. Enter a name
5. Click Add

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 6. Select the MediaAgent used to reach the target storage
7. Select the type
 Local for DAS and SAN targets
 Network path for NAS targets
8. Browse to the location of the first backup location (mount path)
9. Toggle Use deduplication to enable or disable deduplication for the disk storage
10. Click Save to create the disk storage

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 11. Click Save to complete the disk storage configuration

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Add Backup Locations to the Disk Storage

Creating the disk storage also defines the first backup location (mount path). Any additional backup
location will need to be defined.
1. Select Storage > Disk
2. This view displays the disk storage currently configured in the CommCell environment
3. Click the name of the disk storage for which you want to add a mount path

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 4. This section displays usage information
5. This section displays mount path information
6. Click Add to add a new mount path

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 7. Select the MediaAgent that has access to the mount path
8. Select a local or network path
9. Browse for the mount path location
10. Click Save to add the mount path

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Share Disk Storage

If the Commvault storage is using NAS, it can be shared with other MediaAgents. Sharing storage is
achieved by sharing its backup location. Apply the sharing procedure on each backup location (mount
path).

Enter Security Credentials in the Credential Manager

1. Select Manage
2. Select Security
3. Click the Credential manager tile

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 4. Click Add

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 5. Enter a name
6. Enter a security account from the account type selected
7. Select the CommCell® user account to be owner of the credentials
8. Select the CommCell® security group which is allowed to manage the credential
9. Click Save to create the new credential

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Share Disk Storage

1. Select Storage > Disk

2. Displays the disk storage currently configured in the CommCell environment
3. Click the name of the disk storage for which you want to share the backup locations (mount
paths)

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 4. Configured backup location (mount paths) are displayed
5. Click the name of the first backup location

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 6. This view displays the paths accessing the disks. In this example, only one MediaAgent has
access to the disk
7. Click Add MediaAgent

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 8. Select the MediaAgent with which the backup location (mount path) will be shared
9. Click Save to add the MediaAgent

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 10. The second access path is added to the list. Repeat the same process to all other backup
locations

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Page 24 of 42 11.26.2
Cloud Storage Design

Cloud storage is built on Azure Cloud storage services and managed through the Commvault Command
Center Commvault solutions include Metallic SaaS and Metallic Cloud Storage Service MCSS to simplify
your cloud storage needs.
These are popular options for their availability and, in some cases, lower cost. Some of the drawbacks for
using cloud storage for DR include limited bandwidth and data security.
Using advanced features such as Commvault deduplication can greatly reduce the bandwidth
requirements. However, in a disaster situation where a significant amount of data must be restored,
bandwidth can become a serious bottleneck.
Data transfers are achieved using secured channels (HTTPS) and are optionally encrypted to further
secure the data sent to the cloud.

Cloud Storage Best Practices

 Properly plan and analyze if the cloud storage scenario meets the needs (e.g., restoring an entire
data center).
 If the link is shared with users, consider throttling Commvault bandwidth usage during business
hours.
 If the MediaAgent does not have direct access to the Internet, define the access nodes settings in
the cloud storage access nodes configuration page.
 If the cloud storage is accessed through a high-speed internet link (1GB or higher), consider
tuning the connection. For more information, refer to the Commvault Online Documentation,
'Cloud Connection Performance Tuning' section.
Go to https://www.commvault.com/supported-technologies to view the current list of supported cloud
vendors.

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Add Cloud Storage

1. Select Storage > Cloud

2. View the existing cloud storage, if any
3. Click Add to add cloud storage

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 4. Select the type of cloud storage to use
 Metallic cloud storage – Commvault provided storage
 Cloud storage – Your preferred cloud storage provider

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 5. Enter a name
6. Choose the cloud provider
7. Select the MediaAgent with access to cloud storage
8. Choose the address of the cloud provider service
9. Choose the authentication type
10. Select a saved cloud credential set from the list. If it does not exist, click + to create one
11. Enter the name of the bucket to store backup data
12. Define a storage class if required by the vendor
13. Click Save

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Page 29 of 42 11.26.2
Deduplication Overview

It is common for duplicate data to exist on storage-based media, networks, and virtual servers. Some
examples include identical DLL files existing on different servers, or multiple users working on the same
document, where each user modifies different blocks in the file while other blocks remain unchanged.
Traditionally this redundant data is stored on disk or tape, which requires a significant amount of space.
With Commvault deduplication storage techniques a single copy of data and any subsequent references
to the same data is stored only once, reducing the amount of space needed to save and protect it.

Benefits and Features

Commvault software has a unique set of deduplication features that are not available with most third-party
deduplication solutions. Reduce storage and network resource requirements, shrink backup windows,
efficiently copy data to off-site locations, and copy deduplicated data to tape, disk, or to a cloud
environment. Benefits include:
 Efficient use of storage media
 Efficient use of network bandwidth
 Fast Synthetic Full operations
 Fast auxiliary copy operations
Resilient indexing and restoration

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Efficient Use of Storage Media
Commvault deduplication provides processes that are used to efficiently move large amounts of data.

Efficient Use of Network Bandwidth

Client-side deduplication is used to deduplicate block data before it leaves the client. From that point
forward, only changed blocks are sent over the network. This greatly reduces network bandwidth
requirements after the first successful full backup is complete.

Faster Synthetic Full

A Synthetic Full backup synthesizes full backup operations by copying previously backed up data into a
new full backup job. Deduplication Accelerate Streaming Hash (DASH) Full backup reduces the time to
perform Synthetic Full and traditional full backup operations. The DASH Full runs as a read-optimized
Synthetic Full operation, which does not require traditional full backups to be performed. Once the first full
backup has completed, blocks that have changed are protected during incremental or differential
backups. A DASH Full runs in place of a traditional full or Synthetic Full, does not require movement of
data, and updates the index files and deduplication database (DDB) when a full backup has completed.

Fast Auxiliary Copy Operations

The DASH Copy operations are optimized auxiliary copy jobs that require only modified blocks to be sent
to a second disk target. Because secondary copies do not require high bandwidth requirements, this is an
ideal solution for sending off-site copies to secondary disaster recovery facilities.

Resilient Indexing and Restoration

Although the deduplication database (DDB) checks signature hashes for deduplication purposes, it is not
required during restore operations. Instead, the standard indexing methodology is used. This includes
using the index directory and index files written at the conclusion of the job. This resiliency ensures that
deduplicated data is restored even during unforeseen events, such as disaster recovery.

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Deduplication Process and Data Protection

Production data is read from the source location and written into a memory buffer. This memory buffer is
filled based on the defined block size. Note that the block size is referred to as a data block with a default
of 128KB. A signature is then generated on the data block. The signature uniquely represents the bit
makeup of the block. The signature is compared in the DDB to determine if the data block already exists.

Partitioned Databases and Network-Attached Storage (NAS)

If partitioned deduplication is implemented using two MediaAgents, it is recommended to use a shared
disk library with a NAS device. NAS storage allows either MediaAgent to recover data even if the other
MediaAgent is not available.

Partitioned Database for Scalability

The primary purpose for partitioned DDBs is to provide higher scalability. By balancing signatures
between database partitions, you can scale up the size of a single deduplication store. If you have two
partitions, the size of the store doubles; four partitions quadruple its size.

Partitioned Database for Resiliency

Using partitioned databases ensures resiliency. For instance, if one MediaAgent hosting a DDB goes
offline, the other MediaAgent continues data protection jobs as the available DDB continues signature
lookups. However, with the loss of one database, all signatures previously managed by the off-line
database would now be looked up in the remaining online database. This causes existing signatures
managed in the off-line database to be compared in the online database, which results in the signatures
being treated as unique data written to the library.

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Enable Deduplication

When configuring storage, you can enable deduplication with a simple click. The deduplicated storage
can then be selected in a plan so that that all subclients protected by this plan will have their datasets
stored in the same storage and will deduplicated against each other. When enabling deduplication, the
location for the DDB partition must be defined. If more than one MediaAgent is sharing the storage unit
(NAS or cloud), up to four partitions can be created for scalability.
The DASH Copy operations are optimized auxiliary copy jobs that require only modified blocks to be sent
to a second disk target. Deduplication can be enabled for primary storage as well as secondary storage.
When enabling deduplication on a secondary copy, the data transfer leverages deduplication by sending
only the new blocks. All existing blocks are simply dropped from the source, avoiding unnecessary
transmission of data.

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Configure Deduplication for Storage

Deduplication is only available during the storage initial configuration and cannot be turned on later. It is
important to collect information on the location of the DDB. It should be a dedicated set of disks,
preferably SSD, located on the same MediaAgent to which the storage is configured.
1. Select Storage > Disk
2. This window displays the existing configured storage
3. Click Add to create new disk storage

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 4. Enter a name
5. Click Add to configure the storage target

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 6. Select the MediaAgent with access to the storage
7. Choose the storage connectivity
 Local is used with DAS or SAN
 Network is used with NAS
8. Browse or enter the path of the first storage mount path
9. Toggle on Use Deduplication to enable deduplication
10. Browse or type the path to the location to host the deduplication database
11. Click Save

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Page 37 of 42 11.26.2
Tape Storage Design

A tape storage is a target where media can be added, removed, and moved between multiple targets.
The term “removable media” is used to specify various types of removable media supported by
Commvault software, including tape and USB disk drives, which can be moved between MediaAgents for
data protection and recovery operations.

Tape Storage Best Practices

 Configure the tape storage cleaning method to use. Software cleaning (Commvault) or hardware
cleaning (tape unit) can be used, but not both.
 Share the tape storage if required.
 Create a barcode pattern for cleaning tapes and assign it to the Cleaning Media group
(CommCell Console).
 If using multiple scratch media groups, create scratch groups and barcode patterns to use
(CommCell Console).
 Validate drive speed (from the CommCell Console) and document for future reference.

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Tape Storage Types

 Standalone – A standalone tape drive has no robotic media changer and no internal storage
slots. Multiple standalone drives controlled by the same MediaAgent can be pooled together to
support multi-stream jobs or cascade of a single stream job without having to respond to media
handling requests. Media used by a standalone tape target can be pre-stamped or new and will
be prompted for use by backup or restore jobs as necessary.
 Blind – A blind tape target has no barcode reader and is supported by the Commvault software
maintaining the map/inventory externally in the CommServe server metadata.
 Dedicated – A static configuration where the drives and media changer are connected to only
one MediaAgent.
 Static Shared – A static configuration where the drives and media changer are connected to only
one of several MediaAgent hosts.
Example: In a target with four tape drives, one MediaAgent may have control of the media
changer and two drives within the target while another MediaAgent may have control over the
other two tape drives. A drive connected to one MediaAgent host is not accessible from the
other MediaAgent hosts. Should the MediaAgent component having media changer control
fail, no further loading/unloading of media can occur until that MediaAgent is active again.
Shared tape storage with SAN is not common.
 Dynamic Shared – In a Dynamic Shared tape storage, the drives and media changer are on a
SAN and can be accessed by multiple MediaAgent hosts. Drives not being used by one
MediaAgent can be assigned to and used by another MediaAgent. If the MediaAgent with control
of the media changer fails, the control can be automatically passed to another MediaAgent. The
primary advantage of a Dynamic Drive tape target is the use of multiple MediaAgents for
processing reads/writes. Dynamic Drive capability is referred to as GridStor Technology. GridStor
technology is an option that enables load balancing and failover of data protection jobs.
 Virtual Tape Library (VTL) – A virtual tape library (VTL) is a disk-based target that emulates the
traditional tape devices and formats and can be installed onto any disk space. Refer to the
manufacturer's documentation to see if a disk-based storage subsystem supports VTL emulation
mode. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to create the virtual tape library and make sure that
the MediaAgent can detect the virtual arm changer and the drives created.
 USB Devices – For some environments with remote office locations connected to a main data
center with limited bandwidth such as 'fractional T1' or 'satellite,' USB backup devices may
provide the best protection solution. USB devices are configured and recognized by Commvault
software as standalone tape devices. This allows data to be protected to USB devices using
MediaAgents at remote locations, removed and sent to another location and connected to a
different MediaAgent where the data can be accessed and restored. Since the USB device is
detected as a tape device it is considered portable and any Windows MediaAgent within the
CommCell environment can recognize the device and access and restore the data. This method
can also be used for seeding stores when using Commvault deduplication for remote office
protection.

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Add Tape Storage

Before you configure a tape storage in Commvault software, it first must be attached or zoned to be seen
by the MediaAgent operating system. The device manager should detect one medium changer and one
or many drives. It is recommended to install the vendor drivers specific to the target storage.
1. Select Storage > Tape
2. All existing tape storage are displayed in this view
3. Click Add to configure a new tape storage

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 4. Select the MediaAgent from the list
5. Click Scan hardware to scan the hardware connected to the selected MediaAgent
6. View configured and unconfigured hardware; select the unconfigured tape storage and its drives
(recognizable by the red exclamation mark in a yellow circle)
7. Click Save to configure the tape storage

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 8. The newly configured tape storage is displayed in the window

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