Bringing Remote and Mobile Workforce

Backup and Data Retrieval to the Enterprise

 

 

 

 

 

RemoteWorx™ for ADSM

(ADSTAR™ Distributed Storage Manager)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White Paper

 

 

 

September 1998

Table of Contents

 

 

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

 

ADSM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

 

Remote and Mobile User Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

 

IS Management Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

 

RemoteWorx for ADSM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

 

RemoteWorx Space Manager for ADSM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

 

RemoteWorx and ADSM Integration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

 

RemoteWorx Files Stored in ADSM Archive Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

 

RemoteWorx Auto Client Installer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

 

Conclusions: Remote and Mobile User Issues Are Addressed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Conclusions: IS Management Issues Are Addressed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

 

RemoteWorx and ADSM: Helping to Achieve Complete
Data Protection for the Enterprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7

 

RemoteWorx for ADSM Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

 

 

 

Introduction

The goal of this paper is to provide information that may be used to evaluate RemoteWorx for ADSM as a viable means of protecting the data on the growing number of remote and mobile PCs in business enterprises worldwide.

According to IDC, worldwide mobile PC shipments exceeded 14.7 million units in 1997 and are expected to grow to nearly 27 million units or more in 2002. According to Gartner Group, IS (Information Systems) budgets for mobility solutions are expected to increase from 3% of corporate IS budgets to over 25% by 2000. And by 2001, over 60 million workers will work without access to dedicated high-speed networks.

As the remote and mobile worker population grows, so does the amount of critical data they hold on their PCs. Professional services firms have indicated that as much as 80% of the data on their mobile workforce PCs is intellectual property of the enterprise. The nature of the work performed by remote and mobile users has increased the importance of their data to the corporation. Lost PC data can dramatically impact the productivity of the user and collectively impact the organization.

Most remote and mobile workers connect to a corporate network using a low bandwidth modem limiting their access to network services and data transmission performance. Bandwidth will likely become an even more significant issue in the near future as growth in the amount of data will increase much faster than the performance of modems connected to corporate networks.

Corporate IS organizations are looking for effective ways to provide the growing remote and mobile workforce with storage management services. New approaches are essential to serving the remote and mobile workforce that address:

    1. a common lack of local IS assistance
    2. low bandwidth
    3. intermittent connections that work with existing data storage management infrastructures

This paper focuses on the issues IS professionals using ADSM face as they seek approaches to help them support growing numbers of users with intermittent connections within their existing data storage management infrastructure---ADSM. Approaches on how these managers can enhance and extend the reach of their existing ADSM site to also store, manage and protect data outside of their local and wide area networks are explored.

 

ADSM

ADSM is a powerful, industry leading client/server storage management product providing administrator controlled, highly automated, centrally scheduled, network-based backup for workstations and LAN file servers. The goal of ADSM is to provide protection and management of distributed client data throughout the enterprise. Based on sales success, excellent customer satisfaction ratings and a high adoption rate (tens of thousands of enterprises worldwide), ADSM is achieving its goals!

 

Remote and Mobile User Issues

The Need for Speed

ADSM is a scalable family of software products that run on a very broad spectrum of client and server platforms. The products provide an industry-unique incremental-only file backup feature that only backs up files that have changed since the last backup. This minimizes the amount of full file data that must be transmitted across the network as well as the amount of storage media needed.

While incremental-only file backup can dramatically reduce data transmission, it can still take a very long time to transmit files over modems and TCP/IP connections that connect intermittently to the LAN. Remote and mobile users are reluctant to backup to the corporate network because the process is too slow and expensive. Backup over a LAN can be fast, and scheduled via ADSM during off-peak times--- typically at night so workers are not affected. Not so for remote and mobile users limited by modem dial-up capabilities and dramatically slower bandwidth. This is bandwidth limitation, not an ADSM limitation.

The Need for Automation, Convenience

ADSM is the data storage industry’s most comprehensive software solution for enterprises. Using ADSM, networked PC users can easily perform scheduled backups to a LAN or WAN as long as they remember to leave their PCs on at night. However, many remote and mobile PC users travel, have varied work schedules with no set times on when they will be actively connected to the network. Unless the client PC is continuously connected to the network, client backup schedules usually do not work.

 

IS Management Issues

If Remote and Mobile Users Can’t Abide by the Established Network Backup Schedules, They Shouldn’t be Supported

Since intermittently connected clients are not able to adhere to ADSM’s network backup schedules, they can’t be supported.

Remote and Mobile Users Take Up Too Much Phone and Modem Pool Time

The added expense of more modems and higher phone bills are difficult for enterprise information managers to justify.

Remote and Mobile Users Need to be Trained on Backup Procedures Since They Can’t Abide by the Rules and Policies

The added expenses of training and instilling user discipline to dial-in and backup are difficult for enterprise managers to justify.

Software Distribution and Installation Issues

Distributing new software and updated ADSM Client software to remote and mobile users can be an expensive and administratively complex IS responsibility. Version control hassles, duplication, distribution and documentation can also be expensive to implement. What’s easy over a LAN or WAN isn’t always easy over intermittent network connections.

Client Software Installation and Configuration Issues

If or when remote and mobile users receive backup software from IS management will they be able to properly configure the ADSM Client software over intermittent, low-bandwidth network connections? Will appropriate information be backed up to the appropriate server? Will software be installed in the appropriate directory folder? Can IS management rely on the user to configure the client software per IS’ instructions to ensure a standardized configuration for each client or for groups of clients? If not properly configured, what impact will this have on the corporate Help Desk call volumes?

If or when remote and mobile users receive ADSM Client software from IS management will they take the time to load the software on their disk? Run the installation program? Will IS management need to follow up to remind or ensure the users are installing the backup software? Travel to the site to install the software?

Space Management Planning Issues

If the previous IS issues can be resolved and management is able to provide storage management services for remote and mobile PCs, more data will be backed up to ADSM from these PCs. With the added data, IS managers must estimate the number of additional users who will backup. How much data will they backup? How much available disk space and network backup media will IS need to support the added data?

 

RemoteWorx for ADSM

RemoteWorx for ADSM enables IS managers to extend the reach of corporate data backups to include remote and mobile PCs using intermittent, low-bandwidth network connections. Unlike other backup software RemoteWorx for ADSM uses CoreData’s patent-pending "byte-level change detection" technology, providing an efficient and automated means to backup and retrieve critical data. Rather than transmitting and storing entire files, RemoteWorx transmits only the specific bytes of changed data for each file. This results in hundreds of hours per year in saved data transmission and staff time, reduced data storage costs.

The RemoteWorx backup operation can be ‘automatic and invisible,’ so the user can focus on their real work, avoiding normally time-consuming, disciplined backup operations. File retrieval can be accomplished from a remote, mobile or desktop PC, with a point and click of the mouse, achieving complete data recovery.

 

RemoteWorx Space Manager for ADSM

RemoteWorx Space Manager for ADSM, together with RemoteWorx for ADSM efficiently extends the reach of ADSM, to include backup and data protection for remote, mobile and Windows®95 or NT PCs.

Traditionally, backup programs store whole file data onto streaming tape. There is typically very little persistent data stored on the hard drives of the Client or the Server. RemoteWorx retains past revisions in order to compute deltas (byte-level changes to files). While using deltas is key to making RemoteWorx backup efficient, creating and storing deltas over time can increase overall storage requirements. RemoteWorx Server (which coexists with ADSM Client on any NT 4.0 computer) stores only the most current version of the file and the revisions as byte-level change deltas, not whole file revisions.

 

RemoteWorx Server disk storage availability could be potentially depleted as RemoteWorx Clients continually backup data to the server. CoreData developed RemoteWorx Space Manager for ADSM, utilizing the ADSM API to migrate data from the RemoteWorx Server to ADSM and ensure data storage availability. Space Manager monitors the RemoteWorx Server’s hard drive and migrates RemoteWorx data

 

 

to ADSM according to pre-defined administrator parameters. Migration of RemoteWorx data files excludes essential user and server files required for RemoteWorx operation. Please refer to the following illustration:

To configure RemoteWorx Space Manager for ADSM on the ADSM Client machine, the user must:

  1. Provide an ADSM Client user name and password.
  2. Establish off-line thresholds (when to migrate data from the RW-Server to the ADSM Server). The user can select one of the following threshold types:

When the amount of free space drops below a user specified percentage of the total drive space, file migration begins and continues until the free space reaches a second user specified percentage. Once configured, RemoteWorx Space Manager for ADSM performs all actions automatically. As the RemoteWorx Server fills its disk with data from RemoteWorx Clients, RemoteWorx Space Manager continually monitors the RemoteWorx Server until the threshold is reached. Then, RemoteWorx migrates data to the ADSM Server.

When a RemoteWorx Client needs to restore data, RemoteWorx checks first to see if the files to restore are available on the RemoteWorx Client machine. If not, RemoteWorx checks the RemoteWorx Server. If the files have migrated from the RemoteWorx Server to ADSM, then the files that must be restored are automatically retrieved from ADSM and returned to the RemoteWorx Server. The RemoteWorx Server now has the ADSM data needed to fulfill the RemoteWorx Client’s data restoration request.

NOTE: RemoteWorx Space Manager for ADSM moves only RemoteWorx Client data to ADSM. It does not backup any the RemoteWorx Server’s configuration data to ADSM. Therefore, CoreData suggests that you use the ADSM Client and existing ADSM policies on the ADSM Client to back up the RemoteWorx Server including all the configuration settings.

 

RemoteWorx and ADSM Integration

RemoteWorx uses ADSM to extend the storage capacity of the RemoteWorx Server. RemoteWorx performs this size extension by utilizing the function level API provided by IBM. With the API, RemoteWorx can control the functionality of ADSM. RemoteWorx keeps individual databases for each backed up file from each client. These databases contain all the versions of a backed up file. With the RemoteWorx Space Manager for ADSM Manager addition to the RemoteWorx Server, these databases are automatically off-lined to ADSM according to threshold rules. When RemoteWorx moves a database into ADSM, that database contains all revisions of the file. Thus, all revisions of a single file move as a single unit through RemoteWorx and ADSM. As RemoteWorx needs any revision of a file, it removes the appropriate database from ADSM and places it back on the RemoteWorx Server. When this process happens, the database is deleted from ADSM.

The current thresholds that define when databases are migrated from the RemoteWorx server to ADSM are as follow:

Note: RemoteWorx integration with ADSM is accomplished by utilizing the function level API provided by IBM. We do not use DOS commands to invoke ADSM, nor does RemoteWorx or Space Manager run as DOS applications.

 

RemoteWorx Files Stored in ADSM Archive Pools

RemoteWorx enables remote and mobile users to back up and retrieve files quickly and efficiently, particularly over low-bandwidth, intermittent network connections. RemoteWorx files are stored in ADSM archive pools. Archive pools enable users to easily retrieve files and delta revision files from on-line or


near-line storage devices quickly, easily and directly. Backup pools include data that is stored off-line and is thus not readily available for user retrieval.

Stored files from RemoteWorx Clients include a compressed file copy together with the most current file revision and the byte-level delta revisions. Both the current file and any previous file revisions of that file can be retrieved by the client from the archive pool. Since archived RemoteWorx files also include byte-level revisions, there is no need to have an administrator search for off-line backup tapes to find needed files. Backup offers no advantage over archive for storing and retrieving multiple revisions of backed up files.

RemoteWorx Auto Client Installer

Automatic RemoteWorx Client software configuration and distribution with easy, one-step double-click client installation

RemoteWorx Auto Client Installer software enables network managers to quickly configure, distribute, and install RemoteWorx Client software on mobile and remote PCs across town and around the world. With RemoteWorx Auto Client Installer, there’s no need to go on-site to install RemoteWorx Client software! Electronically add RemoteWorx Client software to new remote and mobile PCs from the RemoteWorx Server as the network grows.

Network managers can customize settings for individuals or standardize settings for groups of RemoteWorx clients and distribute via e-mail to all clients. All the client needs to do once they receive the e-mail is double-click the attached, self-extracting file which automatically installs in a pre-designated area on the client’s local disk drive! With the RemoteWorx Client software installed, remote and mobile PC data backup with RemoteWorx becomes "automatic and invisible." The critical data on a client’s PC is safeguarded against loss, damage, theft or PC defects.

Flexible Configuration and Setup Features

Client configuration and setup are easy with point and click configuration settings for individual or groups of RemoteWorx clients. Administrators can designate hard disk directory locations for software installation.

Fast, Easy Client Software Distribution using Electronic Mail

Auto Client Installer creates e-mail messages for each new RemoteWorx client that includes a compressed, self-extracting client software file attachment for fast software distribution and installation. The system uses administrator-defined e-mail address lists for automatic user name assignment and for RemoteWorx Client software distribution. It can ensure e-mail receipt of Client software for each client, using the Return Receipt Requested feature of your e-mail system.

Easy, One-step Double-click Client Installation

Once the remote or mobile user receives the e-mail message with attached RemoteWorx Client software file, all they need to do is double-click their attached, self-extracting e-mail file. Then, software automatically installs at the administrator-designated location on the user’s local disk drive, complete with all pre-set client configuration settings.

It’s Easy to Customize and Distribute RemoteWorx Client Software Configurations

Just select asset management options that meet your information management needs and view the size of client software distribution package you would distribute as you configure each client package.

Conclusions: Remote and Mobile User Issues Are Addressed

The Need for Speed

RemoteWorx detects, records, transmits and stores only the specific bytes of changed data for each file. This results in hundreds of hours per year in saved data transmission and staff time, reduced data storage costs and an efficient means of business and disaster recovery. The bandwidth issue highlighted earlier in the paper is addressed. RemoteWorx customers are reporting yield time and data transmission savings of 90-97%!

The Need for Automation, Convenience

The RemoteWorx backup operation is ‘automatic and invisible,’ so the user can focus on their real work, avoiding normally time-consuming, disciplined backup operations. Simultaneously login to your company intranet, e-mail server or access the Internet while sending RemoteWorx backups and data transmissions. IS managers can pre-set the Auto TCP/IP configuration or have the clients set it after installation. File retrieval can be accomplished using a remote, mobile or desktop PC, achieving complete data recovery with merely a point and click of the mouse. Backup and retrieval are automatic and convenient.

 

Conclusions: IS Management Issues Are Addressed

Changing some of the Rules so that Remote and Mobile Users Can Be Supported Without changing ADSM’s Rules and Policies.

The primary goal of RemoteWorx for ADSM software is to provide IBM ADSM customers with highly configurable policies management that’s consistent with ADSM policies, combined with the benefits of remote and mobile PC offline processing, byte or block level file differencing and server management capabilities.

With RemoteWorx, intermittently connected remote and mobile clients can backup automatically and invisibly when they connect to the network. Data on the RemoteWorx Server (ADSM Client) is then protected and managed under ADSM’s rules and policies.

 

Remote and Mobile Users Take Up Less Phone and Modem Pool Time.

Since users are backing up just the changes to files and often not the entire files, backups are fast and minimize any added expense of more modems and higher phone bills.

 

Remote and Mobile Backup Operation Training Is Unnecessary Since Backup Can Be "Automatic and Invisible"

With RemoteWorx, there’s no added expense for training or for reminding users to dial-in and backup. Backup "just happens!"

 

RemoteWorx Client Software Distribution and Installation Is Easy

Distributing new software and updated ADSM Client software to remote and mobile with RemoteWorx Auto Client Installer is fast, easy, and inexpensive, since distribution is typically done via e-mail. Also, a RemoteWorx software update feature can automatically apply software updates to RemoteWorx Clients during their intermittent network connection. Version control hassles, diskette duplication, distribution and documentation expenses are eliminated. This can all be done all over intermittent network connection, LAN or WAN connection.

For more general software updating processes independent of RemoteWorx, CoreData offers a RemoteSync SDK (Software Developer’s Kit), a powerful tool for software developers and OEMs designed to enhance their applications with high performance byte-level data synchronization. RemoteSync SDK includes CoreData’s "byte-level change detection" processes that will enable software developers and OEMs to efficiently and automatically distribute updated, byte-level information within their applications.

No Client Software Installation and Configuration Issues

With RemoteWorx Auto Client Installer, IS managers have total control over the client backup software installation process and configuration settings. And since the process is automatic, they needn’t be dependent on remote or mobile clients to properly install or configure their RemoteWorx Client software.

 

Space Management Planning Issues

With the added data from the remote and mobile PCs, IS managers must assume that a percentage of users will backup and configure the RemoteWorx Server accordingly. However, RemoteWorx Server disk storage availability can be potentially depleted as RemoteWorx Clients continually backup their data to the server. CoreData developed RemoteWorx Space Manager for ADSM, which utilizes the ADSM API to automatically migrate data from the RemoteWorx Server to ADSM and ensure data storage availability.

 

Other IS Management Benefits

With RemoteWorx Space Manager for ADSM:

 

RemoteWorx and ADSM: Helping to Achieve Complete Data Protection for the Enterprise

RemoteWorx for ADSM, along with ADSM helps customers to avoid the pain and expense of losing critical data on PCs. RemoteWorx goes well beyond just PC backup. By automatically delivering data from remote, mobile and desktop PCs to RemoteWorx Servers which co-exist as ADSM Clients, administrators can now optimize the full spectrum of critical data activities, from backup to storage to disaster recovery. MIS managers can have solid control of all critical data and easy access to key management information. Remote and mobile users with critical corporate data can have this data protected automatically and invisibly and then retrieve it directly, easily and quickly so that they can continue doing their work.

 

RemoteWorx for ADSM Process

 

  1. Capture (Backup) sets are defined for each RemoteWorx Client. The Client captures each new or changed file for each set definition. Captured files are sent to the RemoteWorx Server.
  2. The RemoteWorx Server stores a copy of captured files and file revisions in a compressed and encrypted state. Captured files are available for immediate retrieval by the user. The administrator can also retrieve the Client’s data if they have the Client’s password.
  3. Using ADSM API calls, RemoteWorx Space Manager for ADSM migrates files from the RemoteWorx Server to the ADSM Server, then ultimately migrated by ADSM to an Archive Pool. Migration is based on file age and available disk space on the RemoteWorx Server. RemoteWorx Space Manager for ADSM sets a stub file in place of the migrated file, enabling the user to retrieve the file at a later date.
  4. An Archive Pool is defined by the ADSM administrator. The Archive Pool manages file storage on the available storage devices.
  5. The ADSM administrator may also define a Backup Pool containing the rules for storing backup files from each Client. This backup of the RemoteWorx server is for Disaster Recovery only. Note: this doesn’t not include files that migrated to the Archive Pool by RemoteWorx Space Manager for ADSM. All user data files backed up and stored on RemoteWorx Servers are contained in a database. This database includes the latest version of the each file in compressed form and also includes byte-level changes for each previous revision. As a result, it’s not necessary to maintain extra backup copies of these files, since revisions are available by combining the latest version of the file with byte-level changes to reconstruct the requested revision.
  6. ADSM storage consists of disk pools and tape pools in the storage hierarchy. Based on availability and rules set by the administrator, files are moved from on-line storage in disk pools to near-line tape pools, creating an accessible storage reservoir for data retrieval.
  7. Backup storage consists of disk pools and tape pools. This ensures the ability to rebuild a RemoteWorx Server to a point in time.

 

 

 

 

CoreData and RemoteWorx are trademarks of CoreData, Inc. IBM is a registered trademark and ADSTAR is a trademark of the International Business Machines Corporation. All other company and product names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

NOTE: Specifications and interface illustrations in this document are preliminary and subject to change without notice