Re: BRMS backup target options other than VTL -- MIDRANGE-L

The adapter connects to a Fibre Channel switch at 4 Gb, 8 Gb or 16 Gb. It
can directly attach to a device without a switch at 16 Gb. Attachment
without a switch is not supported at 4 Gb or 8 Gb.
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/power8/8286-42A?topic=8286-42A/p8hcd/fcen0a.html
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/power8/8286-42A?topic=8286-42A/p8hcd/fcen0b.html

These two 16gb cards do not mention "Attachment without a switch is not
supported at 4 Gb or 8 Gb."
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/power8/8286-42A?topic=8286-42A/p8hcd/fcel5b.html
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/power8/8286-42A?topic=8286-42A/p8hcd/fcel43.html

On Mon, Jan 29, 2024 at 3:29 PM Rob Berendt <robertowenberendt@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

But, WTH, if you do try it and it fails look on the bright side. At least
you got the expense of the updated cards out of the way. That reduces the
expense of the card and switch combo hitting all at once.
We'll piecemeal your upgrade in one way or another.

"One Piece At A Time" by Johnny Cash

On Mon, Jan 29, 2024 at 3:25 PM Rob Berendt <robertowenberendt@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Reread some of the posts. Even with a 16GB card it may not work if you
go directly and do not use a switch.
From Larry:
"If you have no switch, then you can't go above 8G speed on the server.
No direct attach with 16G critters."

On Mon, Jan 29, 2024 at 10:44 AM Bob Schwartz <rschwartz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Larry & everyone following, thank you for your posts, I appreciate the
input and opportunity to learn.

We do not have a fiber switch between the Power 8 and the Data Domain
6300
(DD).
For now direct attachment is my simplest and easiest option now.
I can/will order the new Power 10 server with a 16Gb HBA card.

I know that for DD to simulate the DD file system into a tape library
(VTL)
it must be through the HBA FC port.
I do not want to add one or more fiber switches at this time.

We could move to another type of backup other than VTL, but I can't do
that
now.

For now ...
1.) Find/buy a 16 Gb HBA card for the Power 8 to connect to the new
DD6400
- this will get me through until the Power 10 gets here.
2.) Keep the Power 8 on the DD6300 until we get the Power 10. Then
connect
it to the new DD6400 at 16 Gb.

Bob Schwartz
Director of Technology Services
Glynn County Board of Education
5505 Altama Ave
Brunswick, GA 31525

On Sat, Jan 27, 2024 at 8:08 PM Larry "DrFranken" Bolhuis <
midrange@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Well in theory the DD device might support iSCSI (I don't know, not a

DD

guy) but that would let you connect to it via Ethernet instead.

Don't know why the fiber channel card won't talk. Given you have a
number of devices backing up to the DD I figure you have a switch so
that should handle speed differences.

If you have no switch, then you can't go above 8G speed on the server.
No direct attach with 16G critters.

- L

On 1/26/2024 9:53 AM, Bob Schwartz wrote:

Can BRMS backup to something other than tape/VTL?

Question for the group:
I was wondering if BRMS can backup to a backup appliance such as a

Dell-EMC

DataProtect DD6400?
similar to what Veeam does, using the network, over Ethernet? Or,

does

BRMS

have to see a VTL on ISCSI or FiberChannel?
I don't want to go to the cloud - at least not now.

A little background:
We are in the middle of upgrading our DataDomain backup appliance(s)

to

DD6400, along with other data center hardware.
The Power 8 is scheduled to go to Power 10 in a few months.

Currently our IBM Power 8 server is running IBM i/OS V7R4. We use

BRMS

for

all backup functions.
BRMS writes to a VTL hosted on a Dell-EMC DataDomain DD6300. The

DD6300

is

attached to the Power 8 by fiber channel
The DD6300 also is a backup target for Veeam. We use Veeam to backup
everything, but the IBM i (Windows, Linux SQL ...etc.).
The DD6300 replicates everything to an offsite DD6300 in another

facility.

Problem or obstacle:
The new DD6400 fiber channel card can't talk to the existing fiber

channel

card in our Power 8 server.
I can keep backing up the Power 8 to the DD6300 until the new Power

10

server is up and running.

Thank you in advance,

Bob Schwartz
Director of Technology Services
Glynn County Board of Education
5505 Altama Ave
Brunswick, GA 31525

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