Keeping An Eye On Backups

In the past, many third-party backup technology vendors have failed to provide the proper analytical reporting that administrators need to gauge network performance. But New York-based DPM software vendor WysDM has an all-encompassing solution: WysDM for Backups.

The DPM utility, when used in conjunction with existing infrastructure, is responsible for collecting data from every aspect of the backup environment and providing practical comprehensive reports for coordinating, monitoring and controlling backup methodologies.

It is extremely difficult to consistently determine if a service-level agreement (SLA) is being met in an enterprise security environment—and if not properly met, it can lead to compromises to network integrity. The WysDM utility will help solve this by locating undiagnosed problems with network availability. It also can create SLA-compliance policies and provides per-device performance management.

Pricing for the software begins at $15,000 based on 50 client seats. The per-seat cost decreases as volume goes up. CRN Test Center engineers found the software to be quite expensive for a reporting tool—yet after evaluating it deemed the cost more justifiable.

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Installation of the product is wizard-driven once the binaries are downloaded from WysDM’s FTP site. Product manuals also can be downloaded.

Setup requires a license key generated by the company, and once the key is added, administrators can start adding nodes through the software’s administrator view. The WysDM for Backups utility does not come with an auto-discovery feature. According to the company, many of its customers prefer to not use such a feature—they prefer to specify what they want monitored rather than letting the software control that functionality.

The software can be used in conjunction with Windows, Linux and Solaris. For testing purposes, the Test Center set up the utility in a Windows environment. WysDM for Backups integrates with other backup applications such as EMC/Legato, NetWorker, Hewlett-Packard’s DataProtector and IBM Tivoli Storage Manager.

The DPM software also can track open files that have not been backed up yet.

The utility monitors in two ways. The first is monitoring directly off the backup server. The administrator will install what is called a collector, which can be installed directly on the backup server or via a proxy server. When administrators install the collector via a proxy, it also can be installed on another server. The backup server application can put binaries on the server box and talk to the backup servers remotely.

One thing to note: Administrators need to ensure that the servers are assigned different requests for the collector on each installed server.

The second method of monitoring is on the client side. For Windows boxes, WysDM uses Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), which is an API in the Windows operating system that enables devices and systems in a network to be managed and controlled.

One feature that CRN Test Center engineers found unique is what WysDM refers to as soft grouping, which consists of taking bits of each node and putting them into one node.

For example, administrators can take the network port of one node and a driver from another and combine it into one application. This is more for end-to-end application reporting than anything else.

The company has a significant channel presence with OEMs and resellers. Solution providers can generate a consistent stream of revenue from the initial installation of WysDM for Backups all the way down to providing annual maintenance contracts through the vendor.

A typical—and enormous—problem with many backup environments is they are made up of so many different technologies that it is difficult for administrators to keep tabs on data protection analytics, business process optimization, backup SLAs and application recovery management across all platforms. Using the WysDM for Backups software solution will allow all applications to be monitored off of just one interface, which will be a tremendous tool for network administrators.