EMC NetWorker

EMC NetWorker (formerly Legato NetWorker) is a suite of enterprise level data protection software that unifies and automates backup to tape, disk-based, and flash-based storage media across physical and virtual environments for granular and disaster recovery. Cross-platform support is provided for Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, NetWare, OpenVMS and Unix environments. Deduplication of backup data is provided by integration with EMC Data Domain (DD Boost) and EMC Avamar storage solutions.

A central NetWorker server manages a datazone that contains backup clients and NetWorker storage nodes that access the backup media. Platforms supported by the core NetWorker server are: AIX, HP-UX PA-RISC & Itanium, Linux (fully featured on x86, x86-64, Itanium, client only on PowerPC and zLinux), Mac OS X (client only), Solaris SPARC & x64, SGI IRIX (client only), Tru64 and Windows.

The Java based NetWorker Management Console (NMC) software, which is bundled with the NetWorker distribution, provides a user interface for functions such as client configuration, policy settings, schedules, monitoring, reports, and daily operations for deduplicated and non-deduplicated backups.

The core NetWorker software backs up client file systems and operating system environment. Add-on database and application modules provide backup services for products such as Oracle, DB2, SAP, Lotus, Informix, and Sybase, as well as Microsoft Exchange Server, SharePoint, and SQL Server. Client backup data can be sent to a remote NetWorker storage node or stored on a locally attached device by the use of a dedicated storage node.

NetWorker PowerSnap modules automate the generation of point-in-time data snapshots and cloning on supported storage arrays such as EMC CLARiiON, and Symmetrix. The NDMP module can be used for client-less backups of NAS Filers like EMC Celerra or Netapp.

VMware virtual machines can be directly backed up either by installing the NetWorker client on the virtual machine or through the VMware vStorage APIs for Data Protection (VADP) provided by VMware.

NetWorker also supports backup and recovery of Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and Hyper-V virtual servers by using the Volume Shadow Copy Services interface. This support protects the parent and child partitions (guests) as well as applications running within the virtual machines.

History

NetWorker came to EMC by the acquisition of Legato in October 2003. Legato was founded in 1988 by four individuals who worked together at Sun Microsystems: Jon Kepecs, Bob Lyon, Joe Moran and Russell Sandberg.

NetWorker for UNIX was first introduced in 1990.

Release History

• Release 1.0 – June 1990
• Release 2.0 – 1992
• Release 3.0 – 1993
• Module for Oracle - January 1994
• Release 4.0 - April 1994
• Release 4.1 - December 1994
• Release 4.2 - February 1996
• Module for SAP - April 1996
• Module for Informix - June 1996
• Release 4.3 - October 1996
• Release 4.4 for Windows NT - March 1997

Basically 4.3 on Windows

• Release 5.0 - May 1997

Staging

Storage nodes

• Release 5.5 - November 1998

Improved cloning

Directed recover

consolidation

• Release 6.0 - October 2000

NDMP

Cluster support

• Release 6.1 - June 2001

Drive sharing

Enhancement to NDMP

• Release 6.2 - March 2003

Windows only release of 6.1 UNIX release

NDMP support for Windows

• Release 7.0 - March 2003

Advanced DiskBackup™ Option (Adv File Type Device)

SnapImage™ for Windows

Linux enhancements

Support for Mac OS X (10.2) Client

Support for Microsoft Windows 2003 Server & Sharepoint Portal Servers

NDMP Support

Media Indexing Enhancements

Directed Cross-platform Browse and Recover

• Release 7.1 - February 2004

VMware Qualification with NetWorker 7.1.x

Support for Solaris 64-bit

Firewall Enhancement

Supported Virtual Devices When Dynamic Drive Sharing is Used

PowerSnap Module Support on Solaris 7, 8, 9

DiskXtender UNIX/Linux Data Manager Integration

• Release 7.2 - January 2005

NetWorker Configuration Wizards

Direct File Access with Advanced File Type Devices

Increased Device Support Limits for Power Edition

Data Service Agent

Firewall Support Enhancements

NDMP Index Processing Improvements

NetWorker Storage Node Support for NDMP Clients

• Release 7.3 - March 2006

First release of NetWorker to be branded as EMC NetWorker, previously Legato NetWorker.

NetWorker Management Console (NMC) released across all supported platforms to replace nwadmin and winadmin

reporting

SymmConnect support

I18N

Client Push

Enhanced VSS support

Dial/e-mail home

Improved support for devices, especially on a SAN

Improvements in core focused on scalability and backup to disk

GSS authentication

• Release 7.4 - June 2007

Internationalization and localization

• Release 7.5 - December 2008

VMware integration

IPv6

LDAP for NMC

• Release 7.6 - November 2009

Integration of Data Domain features and services

Enhancements for Advanced File Type Devices (AFTDs)

Increased VMware support, such as the ESX Server vSphere 4

Backup to EMC Atmos-based cloud storage

Solaris 10 Support (x86/SPARC)

• Release 7.6 SP1 - 2010

Data Domain Boost integration

Scheduled cloning

Checkpoint restart

AFTD enhancements

Capacity-based licensing option

• Release 7.6 SP2 - 2011

VMware vStorage API integration

Windows disaster recovery

NDMP incrementals

Data Domain Boost at the application server

• Release 7.6 SP3 - November 2011
• Release 7.6 SP4 - June 2012
• Release 7.6 SP5 - December 2012
• Release 8.0 - June 2012
• Release 8.0.1 (SP1) - January 2013
• Release 8.0.2 (SP1) - June 21, 2013
• Release 8.1.3 (SP3) - May, 2015
• Release 8.2 - June 18, 2014
• Release 8.2 (SP1) - January 28, 2015
• Release 8.2 (SP3) - March 28, 2016
• Release 9.0 - July 1, 2016

See also

• List of backup software

External links

• EMC NetWorker Product Page
• NetWorker FAQ/Wiki
• EMC NetWorker Online Community
• Mailing List
• EMC Legato NetWorker Commands Reference
• EMC Legato NetWorker Links