A Mortenson Construction & Quantum DXi Case Study

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Mortenson Construction: Building a Better Backup Solution Using Quantum Deduplication and NetBackup

Mortenson Construction & Quantum DXi Case Study

Jose Juniel

Quantum Corp., Solutions Advisor

SYMANTEC VISION 2011

Mortenson Construction

• Established in 1954

• 24th largest contractor in the U.S.

• Offices in eight U.S. cities and one in China

• Specializes in healthcare, sports facilities and renewable energy

• Leads the industry in use of innovative and green construction technologies for projects

• 1,500 employees in frequent communication, sharing design plans, project details and logistical schedules

• A three-person team is responsible for Mortenson’s server administration and backup strategy

• IT Management Mission: to safeguard all the information that flows between the company’s nine offices

2Mortenson Construction & Quantum DXi Case Study


The Challenges

• Symantec NetBackup directly connected to a tape library– Hardware issues with tapes/library hampered backups

– Backup windows not being met

– Certain data (e-mail) only protected every 3rd day• Staggered backups so they would complete within the backup window• One missed backup meant five days with data at risk

– File restore procedures sometimes took days• Had to recall media from off-site, load/import media, and run the restore

– Administrative efforts exceeded staff resources• Up to two hours per day spent managing backup issues

Mortenson Construction & Quantum DXi Case Study 3

What specific challenges were you addressing?


The Challenges


Original Architecture

NetBackup

Windows Servers

1 GB Fiber

Co-lo Mortenson HQ

M.A. Mortenson Company Backup Diagram

Tape Library


Finding the Solution

• Purchase a new library with larger/faster drives– LTO-5 up to 140MB/sec (native)

• Disk-based backup solution – Increased reliability of disk

– Disk-based deduplication appliance to be able to meet RPO and RTO objectives

• Reduce the amount of data on tape• Different backup software was a consideration


What options did you consider?


Evaluating the Solution

• Worked with VAR Datalink to do a backup assessment• Wanted software that worked seamlessly with NetBackup• Conclusion: needed a target-based deduplication appliance to

reduce the need for a large disk system• Goals:

– Retain 1 week of daily backups on the device

– Increase performance and reliability to avoid missed backup

– Reduce administrative efforts; a staff of 3 is already overloaded


How did you evaluate solutions? What were your goals?


Finding the Solution


New Architecture

NetBackup

Windows Servers

1 GB Fiber

Co-lo Mortenson HQ

M.A. Mortenson Company Backup Diagram

Quantum Tape Library

Quantum DXi


Integrating Quantum & Symantec


NBU Master

DXi

Tape Library(NDMP Control)

Direct Path to Tape

Backup Target

RemoteMedia Server

DXi

Optimized Duplication

Start Backup

Backup Complete

Start Duplication

Duplication Complete

Start Tape Creation

Tape Creation Complete

Direct Path to Tape Supports FC attached libraries from most

manufacturers

DXi


Driving Factors

• Value – price and performance• Budget already approved for a new

tape library• Quantum was the only vendor

offering a suitable disk-based backup appliance that fit the budget


What factors led you to choose the Quantum DXi6500?


The Benefits

• Faster restores and quicker access to data – Saves time; reduced administrative time spent monitoring backups

by 95%

• Saves money – less media to buy, store, and transport• Better protection – daily backups now conducted every

night– After installation, able save 30 days of backups on disk


Since installing the DXi6500 what benefits have you realized?


ROI

• One year to achieve ROI• The savings

–Five LTO-3 tapes each night = $125/night ($35K/year)–Cut down to one off-site transport per week =

$5000/year–Support went from 10+ hours per week to less than

1 hour per week


How long did it take to achieve ROI? How did you measure it?


Lessons Learned

• Do a backup assessment to find your issues

• Treat the device as a Proof of Concept (POC)

– Make sure the vendor can deliver on the promises of the product

– Have clearly defined acceptance criteria

– Test the device (in a lab if possible) and make sure it will work and add value in your environment

• Pick a solution that works with your existing backup software

– Symantec OST API provides ability for NetBackup to directly manage the devices

– Storage Lifecycle Policies simplify management

• Plan to save a lot of money on media costs!!


What are your recommendations for others who are evaluating products?

A Mortenson Construction & Quantum DXi Case Study

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