Storage pools

Backup/recovery appliances store data in these types of pools:

  • Cloud: Cloud type pools represent Cloud credentials used to back up Compute Engine instances, These pools are automatically created when a Cloud credential is created. They don't represent a pool of disk managed by the backup/recovery appliance. Only specify this type of pool in a resource profile that is being used to back up Compute Engine instances.

  • OnVault: OnVault pools provide long-term storage using Cloud Storage buckets.

  • Snapshot: Snapshot pools contain your most recent backups and restored images. They enable instant access to your data. For more on the snapshot pool, see Snapshot pools.

You can view the storage pools by navigating to Manage > Storage Pools. From there, you can do the following:

OnVault pools

OnVault pool storage is typically used for long-term retention of data. When sending data to Cloud Storage buckets defined by an OnVault pool, the OnVault pool's compression option is on by default to minimize network traffic and storage consumption.

OnVault pools can use Google nearline, coldline and archive class storage. To create an OnVault pool, see Use OnVault pools. You can also adjust the pool warning and safe percentages. See Configure the alert levels for storage pools and resource profiles.

After the initial ingest of the full backup, only the changes to data are sent to the OnVault Pool. This is the same incremental forever model used by other Backup and DR policies.

When accessing data in an OnVault pool's storage:

  • Backup/recovery appliances can create clones.

  • Backup/recovery appliances can mount data.

  • Backup/recovery appliances can perform restores.

  • LiveClones cannot be created.

Mirror pool, snapshot pool for replicated data

Use these instructions to select the destination snapshot pool that is to be used to store the incoming StreamSnap replication data:

  1. Click Manage and select Appliances from the drop-down menu.
  2. Select an appliance.
  3. Click Configure Appliance to open the Appliance Configuration page.
  4. Go to System > Configuration > Storage Pools.
  5. Click the Storage tab. A drop-down menu appears where you can select the destination snapshot pool for replicated data that comes to this backup/recovery appliance.
  6. Click the gray Save Settings button.

View storage pool information

Use the instructions to view information for the storage pools associated with each backup/recovery appliance:

  1. Click Manage and select Storage Pools from the drop-down menu.

    The Storage Pools page opens.

  2. To modify the display, you can do the following:

    • Adjust Fields: To modify the fields that appear in the table, right-click within the table header row and click the checkboxes for the fields you want displayed—or those fields you don't want to view.
    • Sort Content: To sort the content listed in a table column by alphanumeric order, select a column header and then click the up or down arrow to change the order.
    • Adjust Column Width: To adjust the width of a table column to show more content in the table, drag the column divider in a column header to the left or right to resize the column width. Column dividers are marked by a pair of thin gray lines.

    • Filter By: To filter the list, enter one or more filter criteria as appropriate. If you don't see the Filter By area, click show filter. To clear a filter, click the x to the right of the applied filter.

  3. Click the export icon to export the storage pools list. You can export in PDF format.

  4. Select from the drop-down list at the bottom of the table to modify the number of rows displayed in a table page, you can. Choices include 10, 25, 50, 100, or 500 rows per table page.

Configure the alert levels for storage pools and resource profiles

You can configure two usage alert levels, warning and safe mode, for the snapshot pools.

When the snapshot pool reaches its safe limit, the backup/recovery appliance:

  • Issues an alert that the stored data exceeds the configured warning limit.
  • Stops running new jobs that writes to the snapshot pool.

Use these instructions to configure the usage level:

  1. Click Manage and select Appliances from the drop-down menu.

    The Appliances page opens.

  2. Select an appliance.

  3. Click Configure Appliance to open the Appliance Configuration page.

  4. Go to System > Configuration > Storage Pools.

  5. Select the Snapshot or Primary tab.

    The default warning level is 80% for the snapshot and primary pools. When this level is exceeded, warnings are displayed.

  6. Set Safe Mode to an appropriate level of usage. The default value is 90% for the snapshot and primary pools. When this value is exceeded, the backup/recovery appliance stops writing to storage.