Rapid Recovery 6.1.3 - User Guide

Opening an existing DVM repository

As the primary repository technology for Rapid Recovery, the DVM repository contains snapshot data (in the form of recovery points) from the machines protected on a specific Rapid Recovery Core. You can open an existing repository from one Core (for example, Core A) on a second Core (Core B).

NOTE: Opening a repository from another Core changes ownership of the repository. When you open an existing repository, the information is then accessible only to the second Core.

In the case of a DVM repository, the original Core (Core A) must not be in current use. For example, the machine must be turned off, not accessible to the network, or the Core services must be stopped.

The repository can be on a shared network location, or on a storage device accessible to the second Core.

Complete the following procedure to open an existing repository.

2.	On the icon bar, click (More), and then select Repositories.

The Repositories page appears.

The DVM Repositories pane also appears.

About the Repository Optimization Job

When using a DVM repository, the data you capture in each snapshot is deduplicated. This deduplication occurs incrementally, as snapshots are saved to the repository. One occurrence of each string of information is saved to the repository. When an information string is duplicated, a reference to the original string in the deduplication cache is used, saving storage space in the repository.

If the DVM deduplication cache is filled, only snapshot data that is already referenced in the cache is deduplicated. As deduplication occurs, the cache continues to update with new unique values, overwriting the oldest values in the cache. This results in less than optimal deduplication.

For more information about deduplication, see Understanding deduplication cache and storage locations.

You can choose to increase your DVM duplication cache before it is full, which ensures continued optimal deduplication of your data in that repository. For more information, see Configuring DVM deduplication cache settings.

You can also increase your deduplication cache after it is full. If you want to reclaim space in the repository after increasing your cache, you can optimize the repository. This action forces a comparison of the data in your snapshots to the information in the deduplication cache. If any repeated strings are found in the repository, that data is replaced with references to the data, which saves storage space in the repository. This is sometimes referred to as off-line deduplication, since this deduplication process occurs upon your request, instead of incrementally as snapshot data is transferred.

The optimization process is processor-intensive. The amount of time it takes to run this job depends on several factors. These factors include the size of your repository; the amount of data in your repository; available network bandwidth; and existing load on the input and output of your system. The more data in your repository, the longer this job runs.

The following actions are superseded or canceled when the Repository Optimization Job is occurring.

The following actions are superseded or canceled when the optimization job is occurring.

For steps on optimizing an existing DVM repository, see Optimizing a DVM repository.

You can interrupt the Optimize Repository job for a limited time if required. For more information, see Interrupting or Resuming the Repository Optimization Job.

Optimizing a DVM repository

You must have a DVM repostiory in your Core to perform this procedure.

You can perform offline deduplication of data saved to an existing DVM repository. This is accomplished by launching the Repository Optimization Job.

NOTE: Quest recommends performing the Optimize Repository job only after increasing your deduplication cache size. This action lets you reclaim repository space and more effectively use the DVM deduplication cache.

Complete the steps in this procedure to optimize a DVM repository.

2.	On the icon bar, click (More ), and then select Repositories.

The Repositories page appears.

3.	In the DVM Repositories pane, from the row representing the repository you want to optimize, click and then select Perform Optimization Job.

A warning prompt appears asking you to confirm the optimization.

The optimization job takes precedence over most other jobs. If necessary, you can interrupt an optimization job in progress. For more information on interrupting or resuming this job, see Interrupting or Resuming the Repository Optimization Job.

Interrupting or Resuming the Repository Optimization Job

When you initiate the Optimize Repository Job, the selected DVM repository is deduplicated. This deduplication optimization is a processor-intensive job intended to save space in the repository. For more information, see About the Repository Optimization Job.

Once this job has been initiated, you can interrupt the job using the following procedure. This pauses deduplication. If you have already interrupted a optimization, you can resume the process using this procedure.

NOTE: This procedure applies only to DVM repositories and only when the repository optimization job has been initiated.

Complete the steps in this procedure to interrupt or resume a repository optimization job.

2.	On the icon bar, click (More), and then select Repositories.

The Repositories page appears.

The DVM Repositories pane appears.

a.	In the repositories summary table, from the row representing the appropriate repository, click and then select Interrupt Optimization Job.

A warning prompt appears asking you to confirm the interruption.

a.	In the repositories summary table, from the row representing the appropriate repository, click and then select Perform Optimization Job.

A warning prompt appears asking you to confirm the interruption.