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Serverless Backup is an application that allows data to be copied between two storage devices (Fibre
Channel disks, SCSI disks and SCSI tapes) with minimal intervention from a server. Serverless backup
is not available for the FibreBridge 2400.
As the volume of data on a network grows, the
resources required to back up this data also grow.
Data protection requires that large volumes of
data be copied from on-line storage devices to
dedicated archive devices which places a heavy
load on the host processors, I/O busses, memory
busses, and front-end network.
Serverless Backup uses the Extended Copy
command compliant with T10/99-143rl to allow a
copy manager (the FibreBridge) to execute all of
the read and write operations necessary to move
data. Blocks of data are moved directly from the
Fibre Channel storage through the bridge to SCSI
tape or from SCSI storage through the bridge to
the SCSI tape, all at Fibre Channel and SCSI
speeds.
The ATTO FibreBridge will execute Extended
Copy commands to and from SCSI tape drives
connected directly to the FibreBridge. The hard
drives you are backing up or restoring to can be
anywhere on the Storage Area Network, including
SCSI drives attached to the bridge. The Extended
Copy command contains target and segment
descriptors used to define which data is to be
moved between which devices.
Target Descriptors allow the host to describe the
devices involved in the Extended Copy. To be
compatible with all copy agent application
packages, the FibreBridge implementation
supports World Wide Name, N_Port ID, and
WWN plus N_Port ID descriptor types.
Segment Descriptors describe the data to copy
and how much of it to copy. The FibreBridge
supports the two most common types of Segment
Descriptors, block (disk) to stream (tape) and
77
ATTO Technology Inc. FibreBridge Installation and Operation Manual
4.0 Serverless backup support
stream (tape) to block (drive) and the following
descriptors: block to block, stream to stream,
inline to stream, and stream to discard.
The FibreBridge will support copying up to 830
MB of data in a single Extended Copy command.
Larger files must be backed up or restored using
additional operations. The bridge can support up
to eight simultaneous Extended Copy commands.
How it works
1
A copy agent on the server provides a user
interface to begin a backup or restore operation
as well as manage and synchronize the
movement of data sets. This copy agent is
either included or available as an add-on with
many high-end tape backup software
applications on the market.
2
The server sends a single Extended Copy
command to the FibreBridge or to a SCSI
device beyond the bridge.
3
The bridge interprets the segment descriptors
and issues read commands to the appropriate
devices.
4
Once enough data is read, the bridge will issue
write commands to the appropriate device.
5
Once all of the segment descriptors have been
executed, the bridge will send status to the
copy agent running in the server. The data
never passes through the server, thus freeing
the CPU and Memory to process other
requests.
Procedure
1
Enter the Command Line Interface. Refer to
Using the serial port
2
After the Ready prompt, type set Fcinitiator
enabled.
3
Type saveconfiguration restart.
on page 7.
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