Veritas updates remote-office backup

Software now supports up to 64 concurrent replications.

By Deni Connor, Network World
August 02, 2004 12:08 AM ET

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Veritas Software this week is expected to unveil a new version of its software that provides centralized backup of files for remote office servers and network-attached storage appliances. The upgrade features a new GUI, as well as enhanced scalability and redundancy.

The Veritas Storage Replicator (VSR) software automatically backs up desktops, laptops, Windows file servers and NAS devices located in remote offices based on rules and schedules that a network administrator sets. VSR 3.0 uses asynchronous replication - when a change is made to a file in a remote location, that change is written immediately to the data center. From the data center, the administrator can then use a variety of back-up software to save jobs to disk or tape.

The Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG) estimates that as much as 75% of the data on a network resides outside the data center, where it often is unprotected and where IT staff is in short supply.

"Certainly issues like regulatory compliance have increased user awareness of protecting data out at the edge of the network," says Peter Gerr, an analyst with ESG.

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With Storage Replicator 3.0, network managers can set up replication of data between two servers, many servers to one server or one server to many servers. The software could be used to back up one or more remote offices, or to distribute files to branch offices.

Version 3.0 supports replication between as many as 250 servers. Previous versions were able to support 200 nodes. VSR also now has better tolerance of network outages - replication now resumes automatically after network disruptions. In addition, Storage Replicator has a new GUI based on the company's Backup Exec interface, which makes it easier for network managers to set up replication between servers.

In addition, as many as 64 replication jobs now can run concurrently from the data center. Improvements also have been made to the Replication Management Server so that it can be clustered for redundancy with Microsoft Cluster Server.

VSR consists of the Replication Management Server, the Replication Service Agent, the Administration Console and a command-line scripting component. The Replication Management Server, located in the data center on a dedicated Windows server, controls the replication process - it retains the configuration data and provides a repository for job logs, alerts and histories. The Replication Service Agents reside on each remote file server or NAS box. The Administration Console is a Windows interface that lets IT administrators control from any workstation on the network the servers that will replicate information, the status of jobs and the amount of network bandwidth that will be used to replicate data.

VSR 3.0 starts at $1,500 per Windows server.

Cheat sheet
Early adopters of 802.11a wireless LANs suggest the following:

In doing a site survey, design your WLAN for 802.11a, even if you're starting with 802.11g. You'll have the cable runs you need in place, and many 802.11g access points let you replace or add 802.11a radios.

If the access point supports it, run a second cable from its console port to the wiring closet switch: Tech support staff can plug into the console ports for a whole group of access points right in the closet, instead of climbing up ladders for each one separately.

Connect the access point via a cable to a wall-mounted jack, which then runs back to the wiring closet switch: You can move the access point around without changing anything else and extend it farther just by changing the length of cable to the jack.

If you choose VLANs to segregate WLAN traffic and let WLAN users roam over multiple routers, do it early because the changes will affect your wired infrastructure. If you already have virtual LANs, be prepared for some hard work to adapt them for WLAN users.

Drivers are now available even for Macintosh diehards. One source is Orangeware.

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