LAN-Free Backups

Updated

Virtual Server Agent (VSA) clients can use proxies to send backup data directly to shared connected storage, without using the local area network (LAN) to route backup data through another proxy. This approach simplifies library configuration, automatically distributes jobs across all proxies for load balancing, significantly reduces the amount of time required for backups, and minimizes the impact on the network and other resources.

lan_free_vmware

Note

This feature is only concerned with how backup data is routed by proxies to backup media. For a fuller discussion of transport throughout the VMware data protection environment, see Transport Methods for VMware.

To enable VSA clients to perform LAN-free backups, configure proxies and shared storage resources:

  • Install the Virtual Server Agent (VSA) and MediaAgent on each proxy. For more information, see Getting Started.

  • Configure a library to use directly connected storage. Identify a MediaAgent for the proxy that will act as the coordinator for job streams directed to the library, and add a mount path for the library.

  • Configure sharing for the mount path properties, using the same mount path for each MediaAgent that is selected for sharing.

  • Create a storage policy to be used for LAN-free jobs, identifying the library and MediaAgent. Add the data paths for all proxies to the Primary copy for the storage policy.

  • Add all proxies to the Proxies tab for the VMware virtual server instance.

  • Ensure that all subclients point to the LAN-free storage policy.

When a client initiates a job for a virtual machine, the coordinator proxy determines which MediaAgent is local to the VM. The job stream is moved to the local MediaAgent, which sends data directly to shared storage without routing it through the LAN. Index updates for all clients are managed at the coordinator proxy.

Note

If data multiplexing is enabled but there are not enough streams available, backups might not be able to use LAN-free transport.

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