Hello everyone,
I'm reaching out to the Commvault community with a request for guidance as I embark on a new challenge. I've been in IT since the early 90s with a focus on SAN, NAS and Object storage, but I'm relatively new to Commvault administration and engineering.
I've recently joined a team tasked with migrating our backup environment to new hardware, including Nutanix. While I'm eager to learn, the lack of existing architecture planning and the potential for misconfiguration have me concerned (most of the CV people we have are admin not engineers). My goal is to design a solution that optimizes our resources and avoids leaving performance on the table.
Here's a brief overview of our situation:
- Current: Mostly SAN/DAS targets, primarily backing up VMs.
- Future: Incorporating Nutanix which I understand may introduce new considerations. We also have new DAS hardware which, if I understand, means that there are features that Commvault will have to supply (vs a dedicated storage array that might have those features built in).
- Team: My colleagues have limited experience with Commvault's advanced features.
- Hardware: New equipment was purchased with minimal input on Commvault configuration.
I'm actively gathering information about our current environment and requirements, and I'm advocating for engaging with our partners for expert guidance. In the meantime, I'm hoping to tap into the collective wisdom of this community. The better I understand the challenges of what we’re trying to do and the consequences of poor decision making in the early stages, the better chance I have to pry $$$ away for PS hrs.
Specific questions:
- High-Level Considerations: Beyond the obvious data collection, what are some critical high-level factors I should be aware of when architecting a Commvault solution in this type of environment?
- Nutanix: Are there any specific Commvault best practices or potential pitfalls to watch out for when integrating with Nutanix?
- Optimization: What are some of the "low-hanging fruit" in terms of Commvault features or configurations that can significantly impact backup performance and efficiency?
Any insights or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!