Scaling LAN Throughput using TSM Proxy Servers

1
Scaling LAN Throughput using TSM Proxy Servers

• PETER LUDLOW
• LEAD ARCHITECT BACKUP INFRASTRUCTURE
• Thomson Reuters Markets
• June 5th , 2009

2
Setting the Scene

• This presentation is based on theory and
  practice (mostly practice)
• Derived from trying to design a NetBackup Media
  Server equivalent using an NFS filestore
• Found that the steps required were not well
  publicised especially the NFS filestore
  connection details
• Tested in a Development Lab, so no real world
  scaling throughputs available
• Not used in Production yet

3
Agenda

• What problem are we trying to fix?
• What is a Proxy Server?
• Examining a classic TSM LAN Client setup
• Add a Storage Agent (STA) with SAN Shared
  Storage (VTL)
• Configuring the STA as a Proxy Server
• Configuring the STA to use an NFS filestore
• Additional Thoughts
• Issues

4
What Problem are we trying to Solve?

• Pre TSM V6, TSM Servers were often scaled out
  based on TSM DB size ( 100GB /TSM Service)
• If additional Physical TSM Servers are required
  to scale out the DB size, then this gives
  automatic network scaling (each has Additional
  NICs)
• With V6 , the TSM DB size could grow to 500GB,
  this results in fewer TSM Servers, but this may
  restrict the network throughput.
• Some sites may have Secure Network Cells,
  multiple firewalls, restricted 1Gb connections.
• Additional TSM Servers that can be the target of
  LAN backups from local clients could be deployed
  but increases the mgmt overhead.
• Proxy Servers can offload the network load from
  the TSM Server

5
What is a Proxy Server?

• A Proxy Server is a Storage Agent that acts as a
  target for local TSM Clients
• Backup Data is sent to the Proxy Server, the
  Proxy Server then directs the data LANfree to
  shared storage devices.
• Data is stored on the TSM Server as if it had
  been backed up directly by the TSM Client.
  Including UNC filespace names.
• Client OS agnostic (a Windows Client can use a
  Solaris Proxy Server)
• Additional options required on TSM Client
• enablelanfree yes
• lanfreecommmethod TCPip
• lanfreetcpport 1500
• LANFREETCPServeraddress ltname or IP of Proxy
  Servergt

6
TSM Classic LAN based backup environment
TSM Client
Firewall
TSM Server
Classic LAN based Backup TSM Client send data
direct to Server via LAN, Server stores on SAN
attached PTL/VTL
VTL
7
Add a Storage Agent
TSM Client
Firewall
TSM Server
STA
Add a Storage Agent Storage Agent Configured to
send backup data to SAN attached PTL/VTL
VTL
8
Configure Client to use Proxy Server
TSM Client
Metadata path
Firewall
TSM Server
Data path
STA
Configure Client to use Proxy TSM Client now
sends its data to the Proxy. This performs
LANfree write of data to shared storage devices
VTL
9
Adding a High Speed NFS connection
Add a 10GigE Backend Backup LAN Connect the Proxy
Servers and Shared Storage Device to the Backend
Backup LAN.
TSM Client
Firewall
BackendBackup LAN
TSM Server
STA
VTL
Use High Speed LAN connection (NFS) Instead of
SAN connected STA, use NFS, with FILE type
Library.
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TSM LAN Throughput Scaling

• Additional Thoughts
• What if the NFS device deduplicated data
  (Quantum DXi3500/ Data Domain DD690G) (Turn off
  compression)
• Use a Proxy Server in Secure Network Cells
  (use SAN for storage)
• Use Grant Proxy and asnode for filespace name
  consistency e.g.
• WINDXTEST name of client performing backup
• WINDXTEST2 cluster name that you want to
  own all data
• grant proxy targetwindxtest2 agentwindxtest
• On client WINDXTEST dsmc asnodeWINDXTEST2
• Node Name Filespace FSID Platform
  Filespace Is Files- Capacity Pct
• Name Type
  pace (MB) Util
• 
  Unicode?
• --------------- ----------- ---- --------
  --------- --------- ----------- -----
• WINDXTEST2 \\windxtes- 1 WinNT NTFS
  Yes 38,154.3 76.2
• t2\c

11
Issues

• If using std SAN VTL/PTL, need to have enough
  mount points available
• If using NFS file library number of directories
  needs to match mountlimit of devclass needs to
  match required concurrent load
• Watch load on STA and backend I/O on NFS device
• Path definitions need to be managed
• VTL/PTL requires paths for both Server and Proxy
• File Library only needs paths for Proxy
• TSM Server still needs to create the offsite
  copies (unless replicating the shared storage
  device to another location)