EMC Centera Backup and Recovery Module (CBRM) is a companion product that enables EMC Centera storage system content to be backed up to and restored from tape, at the C-Clip level, by using industry-standard backup products including EMC NetWorker, Symantec NetBackup, and IBM Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM).

As with traditional backup/restore operations, the above-mentioned data protection products will originate backup and restore operations, maintain backup indexes, and manage all tape operations, while CBRM transports the EMC Centera C-Clips between the Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) and the EMC Centera API.

While Centera replication is the primary method for protection of EMC Centera content, CBRM provides an important backup and restore capability for EMC Centera users, as many organizations still require the capability performing an additional backup of Centera content to tape. CBRM enables organizations to maintain consistency with corporate policies that govern data protection, as well as users who simply desire a tape-based solution for added recovery options.

CBRM supports two types of backups for EMC Centera content.  The first method is a manual and non-recurring backup, where start dates and end dates for the backup are independent of a previous backup, while the alternative method is an incremental and recurring backup, where the start date for the new backup is the end date of a previous backup.

In the event data needs to be restored from tape back to an EMC Centera, CBRM provides the ability to restore a single C-Clip, multiple C-Clips, or ALL C-Clips.  Again, the C-Clip contains the stored content and a descriptor file of a single object stored within an EMC Centera.

It is important to note that a C-Clip can ONLY be restored back to its original EMC Centera system from which it was backed up.  It is also important to note that the authenticity of records may be compromised by incomplete tape backup policies and/or processes, and that CBRM is NOT a solution for regulatory compliance.

Summary of Centera Backup and Recovery Module

• Automated or manual backup of content stored on Centera allows organizations to support data protection policies for vaulting and off-site storage
• Full or incremental backup and restore at the C-Clip level allows administrators to use standard backup and recovery policies
• Low-cost alternative to Centera-to-Centera replication which requires two physical EMC Centera storage systems and a robust Wide-Area-Network connection for data transfer
• Supports industry-standard NDMP protocol to provide EMC Centera users with more options for selecting backup applications