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What is NDMP file history and how is it communicated?

  1. Last updated
    Jun 10, 2024
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Last Updated:
6/10/2024, 3:07:44 PM

Applies to

  • ONTAP 9
  • NDMP

Answer

  • File history is generated during an Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) backup of a volume hosted on NetApp storage using the dump engine
  • File history enables a backup application or Data Management Application (DMA) to build an index database of all the files in a backup
  • This database enables users to locate which backup contains a particular file, when that file was modified, and other useful metadata
  • The purpose of collecting and storing file history is to:
    • Provide a human-readable user interface to backup data
    • Provide a basis for Direct Access Recovery (DAR). DAR allows a DMA to access files / directories directly on tape without having to traverse the entire backup. This allows for quicker file and directory recovery operations.
  • How file history is communicated:
  1. During a backup, ONTAP's dump process generates file history in phase 3 and 4 of a backup. For more information on dump phases, see Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) dump phases description.
  2. dump communicates file history information to the NDMP Server running in ONTAP. This communication is internal to the storage controller running the backup.
  3. The NDMP Server in ONTAP communicates the file history to the backup application / DMA through the NDMP control connection over the network.
  4. The backup application / DMA receives the file history from the network, ingests the data, and writes it to the file history index database.

Additional Information

FAQ: NDMP File history

 

 

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