A CommCell environment is the logical grouping of all software components that protect, move, store, and manage data and information. A CommCell environment contains one CommServe server, one or more MediaAgents, and one or more clients.
Note
The Command Center uses the term "server" instead of "client."
CommServe Server
The CommServe server is the central management component of the CommCell environment. It coordinates and executes all CommCell operations, maintaining Microsoft SQL Server databases that contain all configuration, security, and operational history for the CommCell environment. There can be only one CommServe server in a CommCell environment. The CommServe software can be installed in physical, virtual, and clustered environments.
User Interfaces
Command Center
The Command Center is a simple web-based interface that you can use to configure backups and restores, define data protection policies, schedule tasks, and monitor operations. The Command Center uses smart defaults to minimize configuration, and can provide an operational interface for tenants in a multi-tenant environment.
CommCell Console
The CommCell Console provides an advanced user interface for managing the CommCell environment. The CommCell Console supports advanced configuration, monitoring and controlling active jobs, and viewing events related to all activities.
Web Console
The Web Console is a web-based application that allows end-users to manage their data, as well as to perform other operations such as reporting, downloading software packages, and managing virtual machines. You can have multiple Web Console components associated with the same Web Server or with different Web Servers.
MediaAgents
The MediaAgent is the data transmission manager in the CommCell environment. It provides high performance data movement and manages the data storage libraries. The CommServe server coordinates MediaAgent tasks. For scalability, there can be more than one MediaAgent in a CommCell environment. The MediaAgent software can be installed in physical, virtual, and clustered environments.
Server or Client
The Command Center defines servers as computers that are part of the backup infrastructure. Servers can be computers that have Commvault software components installed, including the primary backup server where you install the Commvault software, additional computers that have the MediaAgent package installed, and computers that support a specific solution such as Virtualization. Servers can also be computers that have Commvault components installed to protect file system data or applications such as databases.
The Command Center also creates records for logical entities that you can back up and restore, such as virtual machines or database instances.
The CommCell Console defines clients as entities that are part of the backup infrastructure and includes some entities that are backed up and restored, such as virtual machines. In broad terms, a client is any logical grouping of software agents that facilitate the protection, management, and movement of data associated with a client.
Solutions (Agents)
An agent is a software module that is installed on a client computer to protect a specific type of data. Different agent software is available to manage different data types on a client, such as Windows file system data and Oracle databases. Agent software can be installed in physical, virtual, and clustered environments, and can be installed either on the computer or on an access node (proxy server).
The Command Center does not expose agents directly, but uses agents to provide solutions such as backup and recovery of file systems, applications, databases, and virtual machines.
Access Nodes (Proxies)
Some solutions use access nodes (also called "proxies") to communicate with entities and back them up. Access nodes can be used to back up entities such as virtual machines, avoiding the need to install Commvault software components on the entities.
In some cases, access nodes might also stage backup data for file recovery or other operations, or function as MediaAgents to facilitate data movement to storage.
Storage
You can configure storage for backup data to refer to cloud libraries, disk libraries, tape libraries, storage arrays (also called "filers"), or storage pools that use logical collections of storage resources across different devices.
Storage for backups should be separate from storage for production assets. Some storage types support fast recovery of backed up data, while other types are more appropriate for long-term archiving of data that does not require frequent or rapid access.
You should design your storage tiers to ensure that they support your Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for data recovery.
Multi-Tenant Environments
In a multi-tenant environment, a Managed Service Provider (MSP) administrator can mirror real-world organizations by setting up logically separate companies within a single instance of the Commvault software. For each company, the MSP administrator can assign separate recovery point objectives (RPOs) so that the agreed upon level of data protection is offered to each tenant.
Tenant administrators can view jobs, events, alerts, reports, and resources only for the company they are associated with. Tenant administrators have control over their own users and branding.
Indexing Servers
The Commvault software automatically indexes backup metadata that is used to locate and perform operations on backup data.
You can also deploy indexing servers to create detailed indexes of backup data. The Commvault software uses detailed indexes to provide advanced search and analytics for backup data.
Web Server
The Web Server is the web service that can process requests from one or more web-based applications, such as the Command Center and the Web Console. The Web Server communicates with the CommServe server to support end-user operations on the web.
By default, the Web Server and Web Console components are installed with the CommServe server. You can accept the installation of these components on the CommServe host, but you can also install them on a different host. To provide better security and scalability, you can host the Web Server on multiple platforms. For example, in a multi-tenant environment, each tenant would have their own security domain. In such cases, you can install a Web Server and Web Console component in each tenant’s domain.
Metrics Reporting Server
The Metrics Reporting Server allows you to access reports that help you to monitor one or more CommCell computers from a single location on your Web Console.
Workflow Engine
Workflow is a tool that automates business processes by putting together a set of tasks in a specific order. Workflows help you automate both Commvault tasks and external tasks.