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Commvault Complete Data Protection previously known as Simpana is an enterprise level, integrated data and information management solution, built on a single platform and unified code base. The Commvault architecture first requires discussing the various components and their functions. The iDataAgent software is deployed on all servers, workstations, and laptops where backups are needed.
The MediaAgent software is deployed on dedicated servers, maintains the deduplication databases, and manages the transfer of data between the clients and the DD series appliance. Multiple MediaAgents are used to distribute the load. The DD series appliance is set up as a storage target using CIFS or NFS, DD Boost, or DD VTL, and is a backup target. Depending on the size of the environment or the network and physical boundaries, there can be multiple CommCell servers within an organization and multiple DD series appliances can be added as backup target.
Some of the main components of Commvault backup solution are as follows:
The CommCell Console is the central management user interface for managing the CommCell group—monitoring and controlling active jobs, and viewing events related to all activities. The CommCell Console allows centralized and decentralized organizations to manage all data-movement activities through a single, common interface.
The CommServe host is the central management component of the CommCell group. It coordinates and performs all CommCell group operations, maintaining Microsoft SQL Server databases that contain all configuration, security, and operational history for the CommCell group. There can be only one CommServe host in a CommCell group. The CommServe software can be installed in physical, virtual, and clustered environments but only on a Microsoft Windows host. Commvault supports high availability by replicating data to a standby CommServe host.
The MediaAgent is the data-transmission manager in the CommCell group. It provides high-performance data movement and manages the storage libraries. The CommServe server coordinates MediaAgent tasks. The MediaAgent software can be installed in physical, virtual, and clustered environments. A MediaAgent can be installed on a Windows or UNIX host.
A client is a logical grouping of the software agents that facilitate the protection, management, and movement of data associated with the client.
An agent is a software module that is installed on a client computer to protect a specific type of data. Different agent software is available to manage different datatype on a client, such as Windows file-system data or Oracle databases. Agent software can be installed in physical, virtual, and clustered environments, and may be installed either on the computer or on a proxy server.
Storage policies act as a channel for backup and restore operations. They map data from its original location to physical media. A policy can be used for either data protection and archiving or disaster recovery. Retention and reduplication properties can also be defined here.
Subclients are logical containers that define the specific production data (virtual machines, drives, folders, files, databases, mailboxes) to be protected on a client.