HP’s OpenView Storage Data Protector is the tip of the iceberg for a wide variety of HP storage applications.
HP’s backup-and-restoration philosophy is similar to that of most of the other products tested, where online (disk and SAN-based) storage — as opposed to near-line (tape and mountable media) storage — produces faster restoration results. Storage Data Protector supports a generous variety of tape and SAN media, and while it supports HP’s operating systems and older versions of Linux and Microsoft Windows systems, it was notably bereft of support for Apple’s MacOS.
The installation of HP’s products was by far the most difficult of the products we tested, but that was caused in part by its numerous setup options. Storage Data Protector puts comparatively deep connectivity and backup and restoration options into place during installation, putting devices into cells, where a Cell Manager application is installed as the main backup server for the domain. Storage Data Protector’s internal proprietary database keeps track of where files are, to whom they belong, and what interation or form they have.
The GUI, which is available to administrators and users with the authority to access backup files, communicates with the Cell Manager, which can run on Unix or Windows systems. The client-side GUI is sensitive to DNS settings, which could produce unusual error messages if the DNS is incorrectly configured.
In turn, each client needing backup-and-restoration services has a backup or (for specific applications such as Exchange or SAP) application agent software installed. Clients with backup storage devices attached also have a media agent installed that’s controlled by the Cell Manager.
The Cell Manager also serves as an Installation Server, holding various applications for either Unix or Windows systems, and two separate servers are needed if both operating-system platforms are to be supported by Storage Data Protector.
The cells that are developed for backup-management purposes are managed by a manager-of-managers GUI that sends signals from a two-tier hierarchy (data center and branch cells) to manage backups remotely.
Our branch simulation showed the potential benefits of cellularlike management via the manager of managers methodology. It’s tougher to set up initially and requires planning, but should pay handsomely in administrative benefit.
We were dismayed to find encryption and compression turned off by default, but at least they’re available. There’s also no rapid-restoration methodology available unless it’s purchased as a separate “Enhanced Automated Disaster Recovery” module.
HP offers four levels of logging capabilities. The highest level logs every detail in every file. The next level logs basic file information. The third level logs only directory information. The last level is no logging at all. The product’s reporting capabilities focus on administrative and performance-monitoring information. These reports can be scheduled and delivered via e-mail, SNMP and Windows messaging, or written to a file.
