Nakivo backup & Replication supports the EMC Data Domain with DD Boost protocol to increase backup speed and optimize disk space.
DD Boost is a protocol that optimizes performance since offloads part of the Data Domain deduplication to the backup application side:
- Less network load - data deduplication occurs on a source side then less data are copied over network to the repository.
- Better speed - since data are deduplicated on a source side, less data needs to be sent to the repository.
- Space optimization - DD Boost allows to reduce storage consumption by up to 17X.
Configure the EMC Data Domain
Login to the Data Domain using the sysadmin credentials. Click Log in.
Go to Protocols > DD Boost area to configure the protocol.
Select Settings tab and click un the + (plus) icon to add a new user.
Select Create a new Local User from the Select or Create User drop-down menu and specify User and Password. Click Add to create the user.
The new user has been created.
Now access the Storage Units tab and click the + (plus) icon to create a new Storage Unit.
Enter the Storage Unit's Name and specify the user used to access the unit. Click Create.
The new Storage Unit has been created successfully.
Install the BoostFS plugin
To leverage DD Boost capability, the BoostFS plugin has to be installed in the Nakivo appliance used as Transporter.
Download the BoostFS plugin from EMC-Dell website and save it anywhere in your computer. Download the Ubuntu version since the appliance runs Ubuntu 18.04 64-bit.
Using a tool like WinSCP, copy the plugin to the Nakivo appliance that acts as Transporter (/tmp folder in the example). Use the following credentials to log in to the appliance:
Username: root
Password: QExS-6b%3D
Using a tool like PuTTY, SSH the Transporter using the root credentials.
Install the package on the Nakivo machine by running the following command:
# dpkg -i /tmp/DDBoostFS_7.5.0.5_676215_amd64.deb
Now go to /opt/emc/boostfs/bin/ directory.
# cd /opt/emc/boostfs/bin/
We need to create a lockbox file that the Data Domain storage will use to store system information (DD Boost storage unit name and storage unit credentials). Run the following command and enter storage unit user password twice when prompted:
./boostfs lockbox set -u <user> -d <backup_appliance> -s <storage_unit>
# ./boostfs lockbox set -u DDBoost_nakivo -d 192.168.10.35 -s StorageUnit02
Create Data Domain with DD Boost Repository
Login to Nakivo and go to Settings > Repositories area. Click Add Backup Repository button and select Create new backup repository.
Select Deduplication Appliance and click Next.
Select Dell EMC Data Domain Boost option and click Next.
Enter repository's Name, Assigned transporter and Path to share. Click Next.
Leave default values since recommended settings are applied. Click Finish to save the new repository.
The Data Domain backup repository has been created successfully.
Create a Backup Job
From the Nakivo's main Dashboard click Create and select VMware vSphere backup job.
Select VMs to backup and click Next.
From the Destination drop-down menu, select the new created Data Domain repository and click Next.
Define a Schedule for the backup then click Next.
Specify the desired Retention then click Next.
Enter a Job name then click Finish & Run to save the Backup Job and run the backup immediately.
Select Run for all VMs option and click Run.
The backup is being executed.
Depending on the size of VMs to backup, after some minutes the backup completes successfully.
Configuring Nakivo Backup & Replication to use the Data Domain with DD Boost as Backup Repository, allows to increase backup performance, reducing network load and saving space disk.
