r
Network Data Management
Protocol Prime
A discussion of the technology that
standardizes network backup in the enterprise
White Paper
May17, 2000
Tel: 949-856-7800
Tel: 800-248-5101
Fax: 949-856-7799
Introduction
Overview
NDMP Primer White Paper
The common goal of enterprise storage management systems is to provide centrally
managed enterpr ise-wide data protec tion for users in a heter ogeneous environment. For
the enterprise, the ability to backup and restore data is as obligatory as a dial tone.
Unfortunately, the heterogeneous nature of the network storage environment requires
backup solutions to comply with a myriad of operating system platforms and media
devices. This daunting task is one of the driving forces behind the Network Data
Management Protocol (NDMP), a scalable solution that defines a common architecture
for backing up data located on heterogeneous file servers in the enterprise.
This white paper examines NDMP and its features and benefits. At the end of this white
paper is a glossary of terms.
NDMP is an open-standard protocol for conducting network-based backup of storage
devices in the enterprise. NDMP offers the first opportunity to achieve true enterprisewide heterogeneo us storage management solutions.
Currently, storage management vendors adapt (or ‘port’) their architecture to the
operating systems and hardware they support. This approach results in bloated
implementations strewn with layers of operating system and hardware dependencies.
Organizations that use these backup solutions are forced to work around these
dependencies to accommodate departmental systems across the enterprise.
NDMP is designed to address these issues by creating a “universal agent” that can be
used by all centralized backup applications and file servers. This plug-and-play approach
lets administrato r’s backup data thro ughout the enterprise using a ny co mbi nation of
NDMP-compliant network-attached servers, backup devices and management
applications. In this way, NDMP shifts the current paradigm so that backup is driven at
the enterprise level while platforms can be driven at the departmental level.
By deviating from the current backup model, NDMP:
! Addresses the need for centralized control of enterprise-wide network data
management across disparate operating systems and hardware platforms.
! Minimizes network traffic, reduces costs and eliminates concessions to
departmental systems in the enterprise.
! Allows backup and network-attached storage (NAS) vendors to concentrate on
their core competencies.
! P r ovides users with an unparalleled level of choice and interoperability.
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The information contained in this document represents Quantum|ATL's best understanding of the features and prices of any
competitive products mentioned in this document at the time of publication. Information is subject to change without notice.
Quantum|ATL makes no claim regarding the accuracy of this competitive information and specifically disclaims any and all
liability for loss or damages of any kind resulting from decisions made or actions taken by any party based on this
information.
NDMP Primer White Paper
Answering the Challenge of Increasing Data Storage Requirements
In today’s information-rich society, spiraling amounts of information are streaming into
organizations from the Internet, e-commerce sites, extranets, intranets, Unix
Windows NT
®
-based networks, and other data-rich conduits. This avalanche of
information is causing enterprise storage to grow at phenomenal rates.
The following trends illustrate the increasing amounts of data in the workplace:
! Industry experts predict that organizations will double their storage every 12 to
18 months.
! Some e-commerce (.com) organizations are expanding their data storage
capacities by as much as 100% each month .
! According to International Data Corporation (September 1998): “Multiuser disk
storage grew significantly from approximately 10,000 trillion bytes in 1994 to
approximately 116,000 trillion bytes in 1998, and will reach approximately
1,400,000 trillion bytes in 2002. This expansion is driven by the growth in dataintensive environments and applications such as the Internet, e-commerce, data
warehousing, data mining, and enterprise resource planning.”
®
and
! A recent report by Strategic Research estimated the cost of managing storage to
be over 10 times the initial cost of the storage device itself.
! According to Dataquest, the worldwide RAID storage market for the UNIX and
Windows NT operating platforms was approximately $15.0 billion in 1998 and is
expected to grow at an annual compound rate of 22% to a pproximately $39.8
billion by 2003.
With these daunting statistics, today’s enterprise requires a comprehensive, centralized,
and simplified solution for backing up data residing on disparate operating systems and
NAS devices (or dedicated file server “appliances”). To address these issues efficiently
and effectively, backup solutions must:
! Support backup of all operating systems and media device platforms used for
storing data in the enterprise.
! Be scalable.
! Meet or exceed an organization’s performance expectations and requirements.
NDMP meets the strategic need to centrally manage and control distributed data, while
minimizing network traffic. As an embedded protocol, NDMP separates the data path
and the control path so network data can be backed up locally and yet managed from a
central location.
3
Confidential Information
The information contained in this document represents Quantum|ATL's best understanding of the features and prices of any
competitive products mentioned in this document at the time of publication. Information is subject to change without notice.
Quantum|ATL makes no claim regarding the accuracy of this competitive information and specifically disclaims any and all
liability for loss or damages of any kind resulting from decisions made or actions taken by any party based on this
information.
NDMP Primer White Paper
p
Answering the Challenges of Network Backup
Backup is an issue that affects the following solution providers:
! Server vendors
! Backup software vendors
! Backup device vendors
! Tape library (jukebox) vendors
Backup also effects users who demand best-of-breed solutions for their particular
requirements. User demands can best be filled by defining, promoting and adopting an
open-standard network-backup protocol within the backup community. Agreeing to
support a well defined, standard network protocol allows solution providers to create
products that interoperate with all other products that adhere to the same standard. As a
result, vendors can eliminate interoperability efforts and concentrate on their core
competencies. For this reason, an increasing number of solution providers are turning to
NDMP to provide centrally managed, enterprise-wide data protection solutions for users
in heterogeneous environments.
The following table summarizes the key challenges faced by vendors and users, and
shows how they are met by standardizing on NDMP.
Category The Challenge NDMP’s Answer
File Server
Vendor
Backup
Software
Vendor
NAS Vendor
To meet customer demands, file server
vendors must support a wide range of backup
media devices and backup software
applications. To achieve this, file server
vendors work with other vendors and
develop proprietary APIs to ensure
interoperability with backup hardware and
software. These ancillary development and
support efforts impact development and
support cycles that could be used to develop
new features and improve performance.
To ensure complete compatibility and
interoperability with various platforms and
versions, vendors must expend large amounts
of time, manpower, and expertise. These
requirements lengthen product development
timelines, and redirect resources from feature
enhancements and support to compatibility
assurance.
Because NAS devices are dedicated
appliances designed to optimize file service,
they do not usually support backup software
solutions. Also,
erforming NFS (or CIFS)
Standardizing on NDMP allows
vendors to focus on performance
enhancements, without concern for
backup or interoperability. It also
eliminates the need to divert valuable
resources fo r developing APIs.
Standardizing on NDMP minimizes the
need for cross-platform porting and
allows vendors to focus on improving
features and functions. It also shortens
product development timelines,
allowing vendors to improve their
products’ time-to-market schedules.
NDMP provides a direct disk-to-tape
backup path right out of the box,
eliminating installation procedures,
network traffic, and the overhead
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The information contained in this document represents Quantum|ATL's best understanding of the features and prices of any
competitive products mentioned in this document at the time of publication. Information is subject to change without notice.
Quantum|ATL makes no claim regarding the accuracy of this competitive information and specifically disclaims any and all
liability for loss or damages of any kind resulting from decisions made or actions taken by any party based on this
information.
NDMP Primer White Paper
Category The Challenge NDMP’s Answer
mounts of their file systems and backing up
over the network is inefficient and is a time
and resource consuming activity.
associated with NFS Mount. This also
eliminates much of the traditional
server overhead associated with backup
operations.
Tape Library
Vendor
The heterogeneous nature of the enter prise
requires vendors to ensure their tape devices
work with a myriad of operating systems and
media devices.
NDMP standardizes the interface by
leveraging the SCSI-2 interface or
allowing for network-attached tape
devices.
Users
The enterprise is extremely heterogeneous.
Operating systems are routinely upgraded
and there is a broad range of backup media
devices and technologies. Backup software
solutions must be fully compliant with all
platforms on which the data is stored and
with the media devices being used.
Standardizing on NDMP provides users
with plug-and-play solutions for their
heterogeneous environments. Users can
choose the servers, backup devices, and
backup software solutions be st suited
for their net wor k environment, with
interoperability assured.
Comparing Conventional and NDMP Architectures
To appreciate the NDMP standard, it is important to understand the complexities
involved with enterprise backup.
The current procedure for backing up data on enterprise servers involves copying data
stored in file systems to a backup device, such as tape in a tape library. The backup
software controls the data being backed up and manages the database or catalog of the
data being backed up. Individual backup software vendors implement their own
protoco l s to manage this data transfer. Therefore, a lthough this architecture remains
constant, the system calls differ by software package and, sometimes, by server platform.
Also, the data format on tape varies from vendor to vendor.
NDMP is an open network protocol that standardizes the functional interfaces used for
data transfers conducted during the backup-and-resto re process. With NDMP, vendors
follow common interfaces for common architecture data transfers. In this way, file
system data is copied from the file system to the backup device using a common
interface, regardless of the platform or device. Similarly, control or file meta data (such
as index data) uses common commands to be passed to and from the backup software,
regardless of the software package being utilized.
Because NDMP integrates with a standard “dump” backup program on the NDMP server,
the data format on tape is consistent no matter which backup vendor is acting as the
NDMP client. In traditional backup systems, by contrast, each backup application writes
its own proprietary format to tape.
Figures 1 and 2 compare the common backup architecture using NFS or CIFS with
NDMP-based backup. In figure 1, file systems on the Network Appliance™ (NetApp
®
)
filers are backed up to the backup server by first being mounted (via NFS or CIFS),
creating a lot of overhead and heavy traffic on the LAN. This traditional method does
not use NDMP.
5
Confidential Information
The information contained in this document represents Quantum|ATL's best understanding of the features and prices of any
competitive products mentioned in this document at the time of publication. Information is subject to change without notice.
Quantum|ATL makes no claim regarding the accuracy of this competitive information and specifically disclaims any and all
liability for loss or damages of any kind resulting from decisions made or actions taken by any party based on this
information.
NDMP Primer White Paper
Client Client Client
LAN
NetApp Filers
IDC
SCSI
SD
Home
Back Forward
ATL
+
OverviewDataset Operatorservice
ATL
Standby
PRODUCTS
Load Pan
Prism P1000
Load Pack
Stop
ATL
PRODUCTS
Backup
Server
ATL P1000
Library
Figure 1: Traditional Backup Over the LAN
In Figure 2, only NDMP commands flow on the LAN, providing significantly faster
throughput to tape. However, it is expensive and error prone when staff has to manually
change tapes on a daily basis.
Client Client Client
LAN
NetApp Filers
IDC
SCSI SCSI
Backup
Server
DLTtape
Drive
DLTtape
Drive
Figure 2: NDMP-Based B ackup Using Individual Tape Drives Connected to Filers
More about NDMP Architecture
NDMP is a network protocol that defines communication between a server and backup
software. Communication is achieved using a series of defined interfaces. These
interfaces are XDR-encoded messages that pass over a bi-directional TCP/IP connection.
The NDMP architecture follows a client/server model, where the backup software is a
client to the NDMP server. For every connection between the client on the backup
6
The information contained in this document represents Quantum|ATL's best understanding of the features and prices of any
competitive products mentioned in this document at the time of publication. Information is subject to change without notice.
Quantum|ATL makes no claim regarding the accuracy of this competitive information and specifically disclaims any and all
liability for loss or damages of any kind resulting from decisions made or actions taken by any party based on this
information.
Confidential Information
software host and the NDMP host, there is a virtual state machine on the NDMP host that
is controlled using NDMP. This virtual state machine is referred to as the NDMP server.
NDMP History and Roadmap
Intelliguard™ and Network Appliance jointly developed NDMP several years ago,
writing the initial NDMP specification and implementing the first version of the protocol.
From there, support from other solution providers was sought to make NDMP an openstandard backup protocol. Initially, 17 vendors backed the initiative. The complete
NDMP specification was submitted to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) in
October, 1996 through the Internet Draft and Re quest for Comment (RFC) proce sses.
Version 2 of the protocol has been approved by the IETF and version 3 has been posted
to gather input. Now becoming a standard sponsored by the Storage Networking
Industry Association (SNIA), NDMP will continue to grow and attract solution providers.
A working group of SNIA has no w star t ed developing NDMP version 4. As a result,
solution providers will be implementing an increasing number of NDMP-compliant
solutions in their future product releases. The full NDMP specification and additional
information is published at www.ndmp.org.
NDMP Primer White Paper
Quantum|ATL’s NDMP-Compliant Product Offerings
Quantum|ATL is proud to embrace NDMP and believes its endorsement of NDMP will
increase the protocol’s acceptance among industry leaders as an open approach to
building enterprise storage networking and backup solutions. During calendar year 2000,
two NDMP-based solutions will be brought to market by Quantum|ATL.
Figure 3 illustrates Quantum|ATL’s initial NDMP-compliant product offering. In this
figure, data residing on two Network Appliance storage arrays is backed up to an
Quantum|ATL P1000 tape library. The P1000 supports 4 tape drives and 5 Logical Unit
Numbers (LUNs); one LUN corresponds to each drive, with the one additional LUN
reserved for the robot.
Client Client Client
LAN
NetApp Filers
IDC
Fibre
Channel
Backup
Server
Vixel
Switch
7
Confidential Information
The information contained in this document represents Quantum|ATL's best understanding of the features and prices of any
competitive products mentioned in this document at the time of publication. Information is subject to change without notice.
Quantum|ATL makes no claim regarding the accuracy of this competitive information and specifically disclaims any and all
liability for loss or damages of any kind resulting from decisions made or actions taken by any party based on this
information.
Channel
Fibre
Fibre Channel
Home
Back Forward
-
ATL +
Overview DatasetOperatorservice
ATL
Standby
PRODUCTS
Load Pan
Prism P1000
Load Pack
Stop
ATL
PRODUCTS
ATL P1000
Library
SD
NDMP Primer White Paper
Figure 3: Quantum|ATL’s NDMP-Compliant Backup Solution
The backup data path is a 100 MB/sec Fibre Channel Storage Area Network (SAN) that
traverses a Vixel™ switch. The P1000 library connects to port 8 on the Vixel switch.
The entire backup process is externalized from the Ethernet® network.
The Application Manager on the messaging network is responsible for managing the
backup operation. It maintains the stat us and media inventory, making sure cartridges are
in the correct slots or drives and are available when needed. The Application Manager
sends its control commands across the network to the Network Appliance filers that route
the commands appropriately. The filers also receive information from the storage array
and forward it to the Application Manager.
UNIX Server
Ethernet
NT Server
ATL
GbE
Backbone
NetApp 760
P3000
Cisco Switch
NetApp 740
● ● ●
LAN
Figure 4: Quantum|ATL’s Revolutionary NDMP Operated Tape Library
Figure 4 illustrates Quantum|ATL’s second NDMP initiative. This new technology was
announced at Networld+Interop in Las Vegas on May 10, 2000 with participation from
Network Appliance, Cisco Systems™, Foundry Networks™, VERITAS® and Legato®.
The Quantum|ATL P3000 enterprise library (or any other library incorporating
Quantum|ATL’s Prism Storage Architecture™) is directly addressable as a NDMP
storage unit. Network Appliance filers can send data via their native “dump” command
to the library at high speed over Ethernet (100 baseT or Gigabit Ethernet) upon being
commanded to do so via NDMP. Use of NDMP in this way provides the following
benefits:
● ● ●
! Based on the maturity and interoperability of Ethernet.
8
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The information contained in this document represents Quantum|ATL's best understanding of the features and prices of any
competitive products mentioned in this document at the time of publication. Information is subject to change without notice.
Quantum|ATL makes no claim regarding the accuracy of this competitive information and specifically disclaims any and all
liability for loss or damages of any kind resulting from decisions made or actions taken by any party based on this
information.
Conclusion
NDMP Primer White Paper
! Leverages existing infrastructure, tools and skills, thereby ensuring investment
protection.
! Permits heterogeneous data and device shar i ng.
Every software and hardware backup product interacts with other management tools and
applications in various ways. A standard protocol can facilitate the interoperability of
these products, allowing them to operate more efficiently and with greater simplicity.
That is the objective of NDMP.
NDMP is designed to ease the burden of backup and restore operations and provide
interoperability in the heterogeneous enterprise. To achieve this, NDMP sets forth a
series of well-defined interfaces that address the transfer of file system and control data
for backup and restore activities. Defining such a standard accelerates the deployment of
interoperable backup solutions and fosters a cooperative environment in which all
solution providers work toward the same goal. It also frees solution providers from
dedicating resources to ensure interoperability, allowing them to redirect efforts to their
areas of expertise.
NDMP ensures that compliant products can be used by all customers, regardless of
operating system and media device platforms. NDMP's intelligent, open-standards
approach also encourages users to take full advantage of the latest architecture, while
protecting their investment in their existing data management solution.
NDMP compliance provides true plug-and-play interoperability to users that are
accustomed to plug-and-play solutions. As a result, users can now select the best
enterprise-wide backup software solutions and hardware to meet the demands of their
particular environment, without concern for interoperability.
Examples of products that can benefit from the interoperability afforded by NDMP
include NDMP-compliant servers and tape libraries that can be delivered “backup-ready”
to users. Once attached to the network, the NDMP-compliant backup software provides
backup protection to the servers as part of an enterprise-wide solution.
For more information about NDMP, visit www.ndmp.org
. For additional information
about Quantum|ATL’s NDMP-compliant enterprise storage solutions, please contact
Quantum|ATL via phone at (800) 284-5101 or 949-856-7800, via e-mail at
atlinfo@atlp.com
9
The information contained in this document represents Quantum|ATL's best understanding of the features and prices of any
competitive products mentioned in this document at the time of publication. Information is subject to change without notice.
Quantum|ATL makes no claim regarding the accuracy of this competitive information and specifically disclaims any and all
liability for loss or damages of any kind resulting from decisions made or actions taken by any party based on this
information.
, or by visiting our web site at www.QuantumATL.com.
Confidential Information
NDMP FAQs
NDMP Primer White Paper
This section provides answers to frequently asked questions about NDMP.
What is NDMP?
An abbreviation for Network Data Management Protocol, NDMP is an open-standard
protocol for enterprise-wide backup of heterogeneous network-attached storage. NDMP
was jointly developed by Network Appliance and Intelliguard software (now Legato) and
submitted to the IETF for approval.
What NDMP resources are currently available?
You can click the URL http://www.ndmp.org/download/ to sign up for the NDMP
technical discussion group and the NDMP announcement list, request that your company
join the NDMP initiative and download the following documentation and software:
! NDMP specification document
! NDMP workflow analysis document
! NDMP rp cgen input (.x) file
! NDMP software development kit (SDK)
You can also contact the following FTP site (ftp.ndmp.org
) to download the
documentation and SDK mentioned above.
What tape format does NDMP use?
The NDMP data server produces an NDMP stream that the NDMP tape server writes
directly to tape. Controlling this stream of data and control characters controls the format
on the tape.
How does NDMP control a tape library?
NDMP has a SCSI interface that allows an NDMP client to pass SCSI command data
blocks to a tape library attached to the NDMP server via SCSI or Fibre Channel.
How does NDMP control a tape?
NDMP has a tape interface that allows an NDMP client to perform tasks such as
positioning the tape and reading and writing tape labels.
10
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The information contained in this document represents Quantum|ATL's best understanding of the features and prices of any
competitive products mentioned in this document at the time of publication. Information is subject to change without notice.
Quantum|ATL makes no claim regarding the accuracy of this competitive information and specifically disclaims any and all
liability for loss or damages of any kind resulting from decisions made or actions taken by any party based on this
information.
Glossary
NDMP Primer White Paper
The following glossary defines the technical terms in this white paper. A bold italicized
word is itself defined in this glossary.
Backbone A network transport system (such as Ethernet or Fibre Channel)
that interconnects intermediate systems (bridges, switches, and/or
servers).
Bandwidth The amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of
time. For digital devices, the bandwidth is usually expressed in bits
per second (bps) or bytes per second. For analog devices, the
bandwidth is expressed in cycles per second, or Hertz (Hz).
Bit Short for binary digit, the smallest unit of information on a
machine. A single bit can hold a value of 0 or 1. Combining
consecutive bits produces more meaningful information. For
example, a byte comprises 8 consecutive bits.
Byte Abbreviation for “binary term,” a unit of storage capable of
holding a single character. On nearly all computers, a byte equals 8
bits. Large amounts of memory are indicated in terms of kilobytes,
megabytes, and gigabytes. For example, a disk that can hold 1.44
megabytes can store approximately 1.4 million characters (about
3,000 pages of information).
Client The client part of a client-server architecture. Typically, a client is
an application that runs on a personal computer or workstation and
relies on a server to perform some operations. For example, an email client is an application that enables you to send and receive
electronic mail.
Client-server
Architecture A network architecture in which each computer or process on the
network is either a client or a server. Clients rely on servers for
resources, such as files and devices.
Cluster A group of independent computers managed as a single system for
higher availability, easier manageability, and greater scalability.
CIFS Common Internet File System. Used by Windows NT for the same
purpose as NFS is used by Unix systems.
Ethernet A Local Area Network (LAN) protocol developed by Xerox
Corporation, DEC, and Intel. Ethernet uses a bus or star topology
and supported data transfer rates of 10. Newer versions of
Ethernet include 100Base-T (or Fast Ethernet) which supports data
transfer rates of 100 Mbps and Gigabit Ethernet, which supports
data transfer rates of 1000 Mbps.
Fabric A network topology composed of switches. Each switch port
provides full bandwidth. Since concurrent conversions bet ween
ports may occur on each switch in the fabric, the total capacity is
measured in multiple hundreds of megabytes per second.
11
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The information contained in this document represents Quantum|ATL's best understanding of the features and prices of any
competitive products mentioned in this document at the time of publication. Information is subject to change without notice.
Quantum|ATL makes no claim regarding the accuracy of this competitive information and specifically disclaims any and all
liability for loss or damages of any kind resulting from decisions made or actions taken by any party based on this
information.
NDMP Primer White Paper
Fast Ethernet A networking standard that supports data transfer rates up to 100
megabits per second. Fast Ethernet is based on the older Ethernet
standard and is officially referred to as 100BASE-TX.
12
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The information contained in this document represents Quantum|ATL's best understanding of the features and prices of any
competitive products mentioned in this document at the time of publication. Information is subject to change without notice.
Quantum|ATL makes no claim regarding the accuracy of this competitive information and specifically disclaims any and all
liability for loss or damages of any kind resulting from decisions made or actions taken by any party based on this
information.
NDMP Primer White Paper
Fibre Channel A serial data transfer architecture developed by a consortium of
computer and mass storage device manufacturers. Fibre Channel
was designed for new mass storage devices and other peripheral
devices that require very high bandwidth. Using optical fiber to
connect devices, Fiber Channel supports full-duplex data transfer
rates of 100. Fiber Channel is compatible with, and is expected to
eventually replace, SCSI for high-performance storage systems.
Fibre Channel –
Arbitrated
Loop topology A Fibre Channel topology where the Fibre Channel is connected in
a loop with devices all connecting to the loop. This topology has a
similar structure to a Token-Ring network. Up to 126 nodes can be
connected to the loop.
Host Bus
Adapter (HBA) A device that is similar to SCSI host bus adapters and Network
Interface Cards (NICs). HBAs are available for copper and fiber
optical media. A typical Fibre Channel PCI HBA is half-length,
and utilizes a highly integrated Fibre Channel ASIC for processing
the Fibre Channel protocol and managing the I/O with the host.
Adapters are also available for EISA, GIO, HIO, MCA, PCI, PMC,
SBus, and Compact PCI.
Hub Devices that connect nodes in a loop. Logically, the hub is similar
to a Token Ring hub with “ring in” and “ring o u t.” Hubs are
generally used in arbitrated loop topologies, and can be used in
complementary roles to switches in fabric topologies. Each port on
a hub contains a port bypass circuit (PBC) to automatically open
and close the loop. Hubs support hot insertion and removal from
the loop. If an attached node is not operational, a hub will detect
this and bypass the node. A typical hub has seven to 10 ports and
can be stacked to the maximum loop size of 126 ports.
Local Area
Network (LAN) A computer network that spans a relatively small area. Most LANs
are confined to a single building or group of buildings. However,
one LAN can be connected to other LANs over any distance via
telephone lines and radio waves. A system of LANs connected in
this way is called a Wide Area Network (WAN). Most LANs
connect workstations, personal computers, and devices such as
printers. This allows a single device, such as a printer, to be shared
by many users. Users can also use a LAN to communicate with
each other by sending e-mail. There are many types of LANs,
Ethernet being the most common for personal computers.
Mbps An abbreviation for megabits per second. When used to describe
data storage, a megabit refers to 1,024 kilobits or one million bits.
Networks are often measured in megabits per second.
MBps An abbreviation for megabytes per second. Data transfer to and
from storage devices is often measured in megabytes per second.
NFS Network File System. A method of sharing files across a computer
network. Pioneered by Sun Microsystems, it is now a defacto
standard in the Unix environment. NFS is built on Transmission
Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and Ethernet.
100Base-TX A networking standard that supports data transfer rates up to 100
Mbps. 100BASE-TX is based on the older Ethernet standard.
Because it is 10 times faster than Ethernet, it is often referred to as
Fast Ethernet. Officially, the 100BASE-TX standard is IEE802.3u.
13
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The information contained in this document represents Quantum|ATL's best understanding of the features and prices of any
competitive products mentioned in this document at the time of publication. Information is subject to change without notice.
Quantum|ATL makes no claim regarding the accuracy of this competitive information and specifically disclaims any and all
liability for loss or damages of any kind resulting from decisions made or actions taken by any party based on this
information.
NDMP Primer White Paper
Point-to-point
Topology A topology that provides a simple, direct connection between just
two nodes. This topology is the closest approximation to the
traditional SCSI topology.
Protocol A common set of rules and signals that computers on the network
use to communicate. A couple popular protocols for Local Area
Networks (LANs) are Ethernet and Token-Ri ng.
Router An interface device that allows legacy storage systems (layer 2 and
/or 3 devices) to use Fibre Channel as a reliable, gigabit backbone.
SCSI Abbreviation for Small Computer System Interface, pronounced
“scuzzy.” SCSI is a parallel interface standard for attaching
peripheral devices to computers. SCSI interfaces provide for faster
data transmission rates (up to 80 megabytes per second) than serial
and parallel ports. In addition, you can attach many devices to a
single SCSI port.
Segment A section of a network that is bounded by bridges, routers, hubs, or
switches. Dividing an Ethernet network into multiple segments
increases bandwidth on the Local Area Network (LAN). If
segmented correctly, most network traffic will remain within a
single segment, enjoying the full 10 Mbps bandwidth. Hubs and
switches are used to connect each segment to the rest of the LAN.
Server A computer or device on a network that manage s network
resources. Servers are often dedicated, meaning that they perform
no other tasks beside s their server tasks. For example, a file server
is a computer used to store files, while a network server is a
computer that manages network traffic.
Static Switch A device that provides point-to-point connections. A static switch
(or link switch) offers a low-cost alternative for applications that
do not require the fast, dynamic switching capability inherent in
the Fibre Channel protocol.
Storage Area
Network (SAN) A high-speed subnetwork of shared storage devices.
Switch A device used to create Fibre Channel fabrics. Switches provide
more resiliency features than hubs and enable the fabric’s
aggregate bandwidth to scale as nodes are added. With hubconnected Storage Area Networks, aggregate bandwidth remains
constant as nodes are added, but bandwidth per node decreases as
more nodes share a fixed amount of bandwidth. With switched
fabrics, bandwidth per node remains constant as nodes are added,
but the aggregate bandwidth of the fabric increases proportionally
to the number of nodes.
Tape A magnetically coated strip of plastic on which data can be
encoded. Storing data on tapes is considerably less expensive than
storing data on disks. Tapes also have large storage capacities,
ranging from a few hundred kilobytes to several giga bytes.
Accessing data on tapes, however, is much slower than accessing
data on disks. Tapes are sequential-access media: to get to a
particular location on the tap e, the tape must go through al l the
preceding points. In contrast, disks are random-access media
because a disk drive can access any point at random without
passing through intervening points. Tapes come in a variety of
sizes and formats.
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Confidential Information
The information contained in this document represents Quantum|ATL's best understanding of the features and prices of any
competitive products mentioned in this document at the time of publication. Information is subject to change without notice.
Quantum|ATL makes no claim regarding the accuracy of this competitive information and specifically disclaims any and all
liability for loss or damages of any kind resulting from decisions made or actions taken by any party based on this
information.
NDMP Primer White Paper
10Base-T One of several Ethernet adaptations for Local Area Networks
(LANs). The 10Base-T standard uses a twisted-pair cable with
maximum lengths of 100 meters.
Topology The logical and/or physical arrangement of stations on a network.
Wide Area
Network
(WAN) A computer network that spans a relatively large geographical
area. Typically, a WAN consists of two or more Local Area
Networks (LANs) Computers connected to a WAN are often
linked through public networks, such as the telephone system.
They can also be connec t e d through leased lines or satellites. The
largest WAN in existence is the Internet.
15
Confidential Information
The information contained in this document represents Quantum|ATL's best understanding of the features and prices of any
competitive products mentioned in this document at the time of publication. Information is subject to change without notice.
Quantum|ATL makes no claim regarding the accuracy of this competitive information and specifically disclaims any and all
liability for loss or damages of any kind resulting from decisions made or actions taken by any party based on this
information.
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