Appendix B: Glossary - VERITAS NetBackup White Paper

Appendix B
Glossary
administrator: a user granted special privileges to configure, install, and manage VERITAS NetBackup.
archive: duplicating a primary storage file in secondary storage, then deleting the file from primary storage. Performed in
order to retain data for a long period of time (see "backup").
backup: duplicating a primary storage file in secondary storage without deleting it from primary storage. Performed to
protect data from system failures and accidental loss (see "archive").
backup image: the collection of data VERITAS NetBackup saves for a client during each backup or archive operation,
including all the associated files, directories, and catalog information.
backup window: the time period during which automatic backups and user-directed backups and archives can occur.
class: (see "client class").
client class: a group of clients designated by the administrator that shares common backup characteristics. Sometimes
referred to as a policy.
command line interface: the client-based user interface provided by VERITAS NetBackup to control backup and restore
operations by means of individual commands and shell scripts (see "graphical user interface," "menu interface").
software compression: the act of reducing the backup image size on the client to minimize data storage requirements and
network traffic (see "decompression").
configuration database: the VERITAS NetBackup database containing server, client, and storage unit definitions, client class
definitions, and schedules.
daemon: a UNIX process, apart from the kernel, that performs a particular task.
decompression: the act of reconstructing compressed data during a restore operation (see "compression").
device database: the Media Manager database containing information about the tape and optical disk storage devices
included in the VERITAS NetBackup configuration (see "robotic database," "volume database").
file database: the VERITAS NetBackup database containing information describing past backups and archives.
frequency: the designated time that should elapse between successful backups for a particular VERITAS NetBackup schedule.
full backup: a backup of every specified file on a client (see "incremental backup").
graphical user interface (GUI): the administrator or client-based user interface provided by VERITAS NetBackup conforming
to OSF/Motif conventions (see "menu interface," "command line interface").
incremental backup: a backup only of those specified client files that have been changed since the previous backup
operation (see "full backup").
master server: server that performs all administrative actions and is responsible for all backup scheduling (see "media server").
media server: a server operating under control of the master server that manages additional secondary storage units (see
"master server").
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