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Solstice Backup 5.1 - A Product Family Positioning White Paper

May 1998

Introduction

Solstice Backup products have proven to be strategic in Sun's efforts to deliver enterprise-level solutions to customers. The purpose of this paper is to explain the Solstice Backup product structure in simple terms that makes it easier to understand and configure Solstice Backup products during a customer's purchase phase.

This document contains the following sections:

The first step in understanding the product structure is to realize that all the functionality of the products is made available to the user via a proprietary enabling mechanism. Sun sells enablers that give the products their function.

All the software (with the exception of the ClientPaks and Solstice Backup Database Modules) is included on each and every Solstice Backup CD that Sun ships. This also includes evaluation products. It is through the enabler mechanism that the products take on their functional characteristics.

Product Structure: Solstice Backup 5.1

The designated Solaris network backup solution, Solstice Backup is based on a client/server model so common in our industry today. Solstice Backup is a family of products delivering the best data protection available for heterogeneous, enterprise computing environments. Solstice Backup provides consistent, reliable data protection, minimizes backup time, and reduces cost of ownership.

As shown in FIGURE 1, The Solstice Backup product line structure is designed in a modular fashion to accommodate varying customer needs -- both today and in the future. Solstice Backup lays the foundation and provides the point of integration for all add-on options and applications.

FIGURE  1 Solstice Backup 5.1 Product Structure

Solstice Backup comes in three basic flavors. Each is associated with a product-specific enabler. In addition to the basic flavors of the base products, there are also bundles of enablers available at special prices.

By applying the enabler associated with one of the three basic flavors, the software takes on its basic functional characteristics.

The three basic flavors of Solstice Backup are:

  • Server Edition -- Solstice Backup Server Edition is a highly-reliable, enterprise-strength storage management solution for individual servers. Solstice Backup is highly scalable, with superior manageability, availability, and performance. Server Edition supports options that deliver advanced data management services, including archiving, HSM, SNMP manageability, and support for databases and applications using the Solstice Backup Database/Application Modules.

  • Network Edition -- Solstice Backup Network Edition is a highly-reliable, enterprise-strength storage management solution for distributed networks. Solstice Backup is highly scalable, with superior manageability, availability, and performance. Network Edition supports 10 client connections and includes client software to protect systems with the same operating system as the server. Any system with a local hard disk -- ranging from a single PC to a multiprocessor UNIX® server -- can serve as a client to a Solstice Backup server. Network Edition supports options that add client connections, expand client platform coverage, and deliver advanced data management services, including Storage Nodes, archiving, HSM, SNMP manageability, and Solstice Backup Database/Application Modules support.

    Both Solstice Backup Server and Network Edition options provide the following powerful capabilities:

    • Unmatched Performance: A unique parallel-streaming feature supports up to 32 simultaneous client backup/recover sessions per Solstice Backup server or storage node in a Network Edition data zone.

    • Superior Reliability: The Solstice Backup industry-standard OpenTape format supports data multiplexing for backup and recover operations, giving unmatched performance and data reliability.

    • Concurrent Device Support: Provides support for concurrent backup and recovery operation using up to 16 backup devices per Solstice Backup server or storage node, including multiple jukeboxes.

    • Jukebox Ready: Systems can be extended to operate with the industry's widest range of tape and optical jukeboxes through the addition of the appropriate Jukebox Software Module.

    • Archive Ready: Solstice Backup can be expanded with the addition of the Solstice Backup Archive Application Modules.

    • Solstice Backup Database Module Ready: The capabilities of the Server and Network Editions can be extended to provide online data protection for business-critical databases and applications with the addition of Solstice Backup Database Modules. Sun offers Solstice Backup Database Modules for Oracle, Informix, Sybase, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Exchange Server, Lotus Notes, and SAP   R/3 with Oracle.

  • Power Edition -- Solstice Backup Power Edition is a high-performance storage management solution for customers with very large servers, or the requirement to drive select high-speed devices. Power Edition features an enhanced local architecture to dramatically increase local throughput while minimizing use of system resources. Power Edition supports up to 10 client connections, is capable of accepting additional network connections, and supports all standard Solstice Backup options, including Solstice Backup Database Modules.

    Customers with the following requirements should consider Power Edition:

    • Using high-speed devices - StorageTek Redwood, Ampex DST, Sony DTF, and IBM 3590 Magstar drives.

    • Restricted backup window necessitating data throughput in excess of 100 gigabytes per hour through a local server.

One and only one of these three basic flavors of enablers can be applied to any single backup server.

Add-On Modules

Once the basic functional identity of the backup server has been established via the enabling mechanism, it is then possible to apply additional enablers in order to get other useful levels of functionality.

Modules Supported by Server Edition, Network Edition, and Power Edition

  • Solstice Backup Archive is an advanced data management application that delivers file-level archiving and file-grooming services for authorized clients on the network.

  • Solstice Backup Hierarchical Storage Management (HSM) is an advanced data management application that delivers automatic file-migration services to Solaris clients on the network. With HSM, data is automatically migrated to the server based on policies and recalled when referenced.

  • Jukebox Software Modules enable hands-free, automated data protection using a wide variety of jukeboxes. Modules are licensed according to the number of slots supported by the robotic device.

  • Silo Software Module allows Solstice Backup software to interface with mainframe class storage systems from IBM, StorageTek, and EMASS. Modules are licensed by the number of pieces of media (volumes) they will manage inside the silo. Other applications and servers may use the silo simultaneously with Solstice Backup.

  • Solstice Backup Database Modules provide high-performance, online protection for popular databases and applications.

  • SNMP Module supports an enterprise system management strategy by providing seamless integration of Solstice Backup 5.1 with network management applications such as Solstice Domain Manager, Solstice Site manager, and Solstice SunNet Manager.

Modules Supported by Network Edition and Power Edition Only

  • Client Connections increase the number of defined connections between clients and the Solstice Backup server in increments of 5, 25, and 100.

  • Solstice Backup Storage Node is functionality that exploits remote storage devices while maintaining centralized control and monitoring. Deploying distributed Storage Nodes expands capacity, enhances performance by localizing data transfer operations, and provides for automatic fail-over of storage management operations.

  • ClientPak Software provides the Solstice Backup client software for operating systems -- in addition to the operating system used for the Solstice Backup server. This enables enterprise-wide data protection for heterogeneous environments from a Solstice Backup server. In addition, Solstice Backup clients can initiate select file backup and recovery as well as a Solstice Backup server administration node.

    • ClientPak for UNIX: Enables protection of desktop and server data for AIX, Solaris, SunOS, HP-UX, SGI IRIX, SCO UNIX, and UnixWare environments via TCP/IP.

    • ClientPak for PC Desktops: Enables protection of desktop data for OS/2 Warp, Microsoft Windows 3.1x, Windows NT Workstation, Windows for Workgroups, and Windows 95 via TCP/IP.

    • ClientPak for NetWare: Enables protection of server data for NetWare 3.11, 3.12, 4.1, and 4.11 file servers via TCP/IP.

    • ClientPak for Windows NT: Enables protection of Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server data via TCP/IP.

    • ClientPak for Macintosh: Enables protection of desktop and server data for MacOS computers via MacTCP or OpenTransport.

Product Options Table

TABLE 1 describes the capabilities and available add-on modules for each flavor of Solstice Backup software.

TABLE  1   Solstice Backup 5.1 Product Options  
Solstice Backup Version 5.1
 Server Edition

 Network Edition

 Power Edition

Number of Client Connections 

0

 10

 10

Number of Simultaneous Parallel Data Streams 

32 per server

 32 per server/storage node

 64 per server/storage node

Number of Devices 

16 per server

 16 per server/storage node

 32 per server/storage node

High-Speed Device Support 

No

 No

 Included

Options Supported 

Additional Client Connections 

No

 Yes

 Yes

Jukebox Software Modules 

All

 All

 All

Silo Software Module  

All

 All

 All

Storage Node for UNIX 

No

 Yes

 Yes

Solstice Backup Database Modules 

Yes

 Yes

 Yes

Archive Support 

Yes

 Yes

 Yes

HSM Support -- Solaris 

Yes

 Yes

 Yes

SNMP Support 

Yes

 Yes

 Yes

ClientPak Support 

No

 Yes

 Yes

Server Edition Upgrade Path

Customers who require a more robust backup solution than offered with Server Edition can upgrade by purchasing either Solstice Backup Network or Power Edition. The configuration upgrade process is simple and does not require a de-install and re-install of the product. If a backup server is configured as a single server, and an upgrade is desired, take the following steps:

  • Purchase Solstice Backup Network or Server Edition to obtain appropriate enabler.
  • Upgrade to new base product.

    In the command line interface, run nsrcap -u xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx using the new base enabler.

Solstice Backup StorageSuite

In addition to the three basic flavors of Solstice Backup, Sun also offers a bundle of Solstice Backup enablers in the Solstice Backup StorageSuite solution.

Solstice Backup StorageSuite contains Solstice Backup enablers that will enable the following functionality:

  • Solstice Backup 5.1 Network Edition (includes support for 10 client connections)
  • Solstice Backup Archive Module
  • Solstice Backup HSM Module
  • Solstice Backup SNMP Module
  • Jukebox Software Module (1 - 16 slots)

Solstice Backup StorageSuite is being offered at a fairly substantial discount from Sun.

The Solaris Data Backup Utility

But doesn't the Solaris operating environment come with backup capabilities?

The answer is yes -- and no. The Solaris operating environment does include a simple backup utility capable of backing up a single system to a single tape device. But for multiple system backup over the network, or automated backup devices such as jukeboxes and libraries, Solstice Backup software is the answer.

Enablers

Since Solstice Backup software is implemented using a client/server model, the task of providing backup services to a heterogeneous computing environment becomes tractable. Sun sells Solstice Backup specifically for Solaris server systems. The Sun systems then become the backup servers in the heterogeneous shop, while the PCs, NetWare systems, NT systems, HP systems, RS-6000s, SunOS systems, and the like become backup clients.

All enablers and licensing referenced in this document are specific to the backup servers. Specifically, enablers are applied to the backup server software as opposed to the software running on the backup clients. All software for Solstice Backup servers is contained on the product CD. The client software for supported system types (those clients other than SunOS or Solaris) is available in the ClientPaks.

The functionality of the products is made available to the user via an enabling mechanism. Sun sells enablers that, once applied to the software, give the products their functional characteristics. An enabler is an 18-digit hexadecimal code. Sun ships enablers to customers when fulfilling orders for products purchased. The following is an example of an enabler:

74b5ef-012845-678a9c

Each enabler is applied to the software during the licensing process for the Solstice Backup solution.

Licensing

Solstice Backup products are licensed products. These products must be properly licensed in order to function. The licensing (and enabling) of Solstice Backup products is a three-step process, spanning three distinct phases of the products during post-installation:

  1. 45-day evaluation period -- Each CD comes complete with all the software for all the functional areas of the products (with the exception of ClientPaks and Solstice Backup Database Modules; see "Add-On Modules" on page 5). A 45-day evaluation period (30 days plus an additional 15-day grace period) is allowed by the software, during which all components and capabilities of Solstice Backup can be freely used.
  2. 45-day enabling period -- Sun sells enablers for the various components as described in the Product Structure section of this paper. These enablers allow the components to be used for an additional 45 days beyond the evaluation period before authorization is required.
  3. Product Authorization -- In order to permanently authorize the software components, it is necessary to apply the authcode to the server. The authcode is generated by the Sun licensing center. In order to generate an authcode, the hostid of the server system plus the enabler in question must be provided to the license center. An authcode will then be returned to the customer. The authcode ensures that the backup server remains on the same hostid upon which the authcode was built. It also ensures that the same enabler will not be used twice on the same network.

Examples

Scenario #1: A customer has a Solaris system that they would like to use as a backup server. All file systems are NFS mounted; all the mission-critical data is on the server itself. The customer also has a 4mm stacker they'd like to use as the backup device.

Solution: This is a clear case for Solstice Backup Server Edition. Since all the data resides on the server and no clients require backing up, and since the customer has a small robotic device they wish to employ, the most cost-effective solution would be Solstice Backup Server Edition.

Scenario #2: A customer has designated a Solaris system as the backup server, but a number of Solaris clients (14) will require backup as well. In addition, disk space is getting low. The work is structured on a project-by-project basis in terms of disk usage.

Solution: This will require Solstice Backup Network Edition plus an additional 5-client license in order to backup all 15 systems (the 14 clients, plus the server itself is counted as a client). In addition, this customer should probably buy Solstice Backup Archive to help manage the hard disk utilization issues by archiving old projects.

Scenario #3: A customer has 200 clients that are physically distributed and wishes to centralize the administration of backup and storage management operations. 100 of these clients systems are Solaris, 50 are NetWare, another 30 are HP/UX, and 20 are Macintosh systems. One of the Solaris clients is dedicated to the Human Resources function. In addition, disk space on many of the client systems is always in need, but there are no projects that might be archived away.

Solution: This will require Solstice Backup Network Edition. For the 200 clients, 8 of the 25 client connection licenses will be required. This customer will also need one each of the ClientPak for UNIX, ClientPak for NetWare, and ClientPak for Macintosh. The customer should use Solstice Backup Storage Node for the HR system. Solstice Backup HSM will go a long way toward solving the disk space problems they encounter.

Scenario #4: A customer runs a critical application on a large Oracle database server. Due to the nature of the customer's business, the server backup window is limited. To make matters worse, the volume of data to protect is enormous. The customer has a high-speed silo device, and wants to use this device to recover data fast in the event of a restore.

Solution: This will require Solstice Backup Power Edition. For the database application, the Solstice Backup Database Module for Oracle will solve the hot backup needs of the Oracle database server. The Silo Module software will enable the customer to use the storage silo to provide fast data recovery when coupled with the immediate restore feature of Solstice Backup Power Edition.
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