HP StoreOnce Backup System Concepts and Configuration Guidelines (BB877-90913, November 2013)

During the seeding process it is recommended that no other operations are taking place on the
source StoreOnce Backup system, such as further backups or tape copies. It is also important to
ensure that the StoreOnce Backup system has no failed disks and that RAID parity initialization is
complete because these will impact performance.
When seeding over fast networks (co-located StoreOnce devices) it should be expected that
performance to replicate a cartridge or file is similar to the performance of the original backup.
Replication models and seeding
The diagrams in Replication usage models (VTL and NAS) (page 78) indicate the different replication
models supported by HP StoreOnce Backup systems; the complexity of the replication models has
a direct influence on which seeding process is best. For example an Active – Passive replication
model can easily use co-location to quickly seed the target device, where as co-location may not
be the best seeding method to use with a 50:1, many to 1 replication model.
NOTE: HP StoreOnce Catalyst copy seeding follows the same processes outlined below with the
added condition that for multi-hop and one to many replication scenarios the seeding process may
have to occur multiple times.
Table 8 Summary of seeding methods and likely usage models
CommentsConcernsBest forTechnique
Seeding time over WAN is
calculated automatically
This type of seeding should
be scheduled to occur over
Active -- Passive and Many
to 1 replication models with:
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Seed over the WAN link
when using the Sizing tool
for StoreOnce.
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weekends where at all
possible.
Initial Small Volumes of
Backup data
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It is perfectly acceptable for
customers to ask their link
OR
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Gradual migration of larger
backup volumes/jobs to
StoreOnce over time
providers for a higher link
speed just for the period
where seeding is to take
place.
Seeding time over LAN is
calculated automatically
This process involves the
transportation of complete
StoreOnce units.
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Active -- Passive, Active --
Active and Many to 1
replication models with
significant volumes of data
Co-location (seed over LAN)
when using the Sizing tool
for StoreOnce
This method may not be
practical for large fan-in
(> 1TB) to seed quickly and
where it would simply take
implementations e.g. 50:1
too long to seed using a
WAN link ( > 5 days)
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because of the time delays
involved in transportation.
This process can only really
be used as a “one off” when
replication is first
implemented.
This is really co-location
using a spare StoreOnce.
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Careful control over the
device creation and
co-location replication at the
Many to 1 replication
models with high fan in
ratios where the target must
Floating StoreOnce
The last remote site
StoreOnce can be used as
the floating unit.
target site is required. See
example below.
be seeded with several
remote sites at once.
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Using the floating StoreOnce
approach means the device
is ready to be used again
and again for future
expansion where more
remote sites might be added
to the configuration.
Seeding and why it is required 85