Third-Party Backup Software and WAFS

WAFS/CDP versions 3.5.2.8916 and later are compatible with BackupExec version 12.

One of the most important tasks of an IT manager is to protect data and back it up. With WAFS, each time any user modifies a file or adds a new file, that change is replicated. By having each file replicated n + 1 times (to n other Agents and to one Vault), and having access to previous versions of files, backup becomes far easier and safer.

However, although backup copies of each file are maintained, most IT managers prefer to further backup the data using a traditional backup medium such as tape. Described below are best practices for backup.

Choice 1: Backup Vault

You should run backup for the replicated data (e.g. to a tape) only on the Vault. By default, this is directory C:\Vault Data on the computer running the Vault. The Vault directory is displayed on the Server Configuration page as Working space directory (by default C:\Vault Data).

You can back up the entire directory to get the current files AND the past versions, or just backup the P directory to get just the latest versions.

Backup of the replicating data on your Agents is unnecessary for several reasons:

  1. Backup of the Vault includes the Agents' data, so adding backup of Agents is redundant.

  2. The backup can affect Agents' performance (depending on the backup technology and amount of data), which may adversely affect users and applications.

  3. Each Agent does not necessarily contain all of the data. Central backup of the Vault gets all of the data.

  4. Backup of Agents will not expedite the recovery from hardware problems. If the hardware running an Agent breaks, it is easy to deploy a replacement Agent. The Agent downloads the data from the Vault and makes the data available to users in seconds, even before all of the data is downloaded. So as long as the Vault is up, operations can resume immediately after a problem, without any need to restore from tape.

  5. A backup of the Vault includes past versions of files. Only the Vault keeps past versions.

Choice 2: Back up Data at the Agent

You should back up the data at the Vault computer; however, if you decide to backup the data at the Agent, the important thing to remember is that your backup software will think it sees the same data multiple times. Backup only the AVMF and AVMO directory. Exclude the original data location, and the new drive letter. Restore files from AVMF, which you will see inside the P directories. Do NOT restore AVMF to the original location, or directly replace files into the P. Restore to a different location and then move the files/folders that you want back into the folder in which your users work.

If you decide to backup the data at the Agent, and your specific backup software shows errors in the backup, simply change the exclusions. Exclude (2 at a time): both AVMO and AVMF; any new drive letters; the original mapped folder. Test to make sure the backup AND the restore both work.