CommVault Galaxy 3.7 simplifies managing backups across a wide range of platforms and storage devices, but gaps remain MANAGING DATA backup ranks among the trickiest parts of an IT administrator’s job. Part of the difficulty is that so much depends on variables, such as as the data structure of the files involved, the architecture of the storage devices, and the OS being used. Then consider the fact that bandwidth between data devices and tape libraries is always limited, and you’re left with a task as complex as air traffic control. That’s why an administrator needs tools that provide a comprehensive view of the company’s environment. Many big-name vendors have recently enriched their backup solutions to offer a single point of management for different network topologies, data structures, and operating systems. But CommVault Systems takes a different approach to the same problem, providing a modular solution that includes data agents for multiple platforms and data structures, media agents that control the operations of backup devices, and a common management server that links these data and media agents. In its latest iteration, CommVault Galaxy 3.7 delivers numerous improvements such as data agents for IBM AIX and Compaq Tru64, media agent support for tapes attached to Network Appliance NAS (network-attached storage) devices, and a handful of simplified management options across the board. In our tests, Galaxy 3.7 turned out to be a potent, easy-to-use backup tool, with the only significant drawback being a few holes in its otherwise vast range of supported platforms and technologies. One of Galaxy’s better features is its flexibility. Administrators can install components such as media agents, data agents, and the CommServe control server across different computers, maintaining a centralized view from a management console. CommServe, a Windows-based backup manager that centralizes rules and backup data for all clients, requires a dedicated Microsoft SQL Server database. But other Galaxy components, such as media and data agents, can be installed on machines with different OSes, depending on the location of backup devices and application data. Unfortunately, however, Galaxy 3.7 only supports media agents on Windows, Sun Solaris, and HP-UX platforms, which somewhat restricts your flexibility. Interestingly, you can define a Galaxy media agent to manage direct backup operations of Network Appliance NAS filers to attached tape devices, using NDMP (Network Data Management Protocol). Yet Galaxy target media for backups are not limited to tape devices. For example, the solution also supports the EMC Fastrax architecture, which lets you take instant snapshots of data on EMC Symmetrix SAN environments. Moreover, Galaxy hides the complexity of the solution, presenting each media agent in a common, easy-to-use GUI. Galaxy data agents are the bridges between application data and target media agents. The solution supports the backup of basic files and directories via data agents on major Unix, Windows (NT 4.0 or higher), Red Hat Linux, and Novell Netware servers. Galaxy data agents also support more complex data structures, such as databases (including Oracle, Informix, and SQL Server) and e-mail servers (such as Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Notes). For example, to back up an Oracle database on Solaris, Galaxy requires that the basic OS and Oracle data agents be installed on the Sun machine. Surprisingly, however, Galaxy 3.7 does not support data agents for IBM DB2, which should obviously raise a red flag for DB2 shops. Defining Galaxy data backups is a slightly more involved process than it is with other software, because an administrator must first define a storage policy, a set of rules that governs access to a pool of tape devices or cartridges. For each data agent, an admin must specify which files to back up and then assign a storage policy. Galaxy will back up that set of files only, and do so on tapes and cartridges selected according to those rules. It may sound complicated, but Galaxy’s interactive wizards simplify the process significantly. More importantly, Galaxy’s approach provides a great degree of flexibility, because the solution can automatically select a backup device from a pool, rather than being restricted to a predefined unit. Moreover, administrators can use the same consistent GUI for any supported data or media agent, regardless of which OS or storage technology is being used. Our tests ran without a hitch. After setting our storage policies and creating basic rules for each client, we scheduled a full round of backups for our three servers. Galaxy managed the priorities according to our rules, just as advertised. Overall, Galaxy 3.7’s flexibility to adjust for different operating systems, storage technologies, and data structures helped it earn high marks. And when CommVault extends support for IBM AIX and Informix, as the company has promised it will, Galaxy will move one step closer to being an ideal storage solution for all enterprises.