Client Servers and Agents
A client server is any production system that is protected by Commvault® software. Client servers use agents to protect the production data by installing the agent directly on the server or using an access node to protect the data. When an agent is deployed to a server, the client server appears in the Server section of the Commvault Command CenterTM or under the Clients entity in the CommCell® Browser.
Agents can be deployed in several ways:
- Physical clients can have agents installed directly on them.
- Virtual clients can have agents installed directly on them or protected by the Virtual Server Agent (VSA) which would be installed on a physical or virtual access node.
- Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices, which cannot have software installed directly on them, are managed and protected by installing NAS agents on access nodes.
Backup Sets and Subclients
A backup set is a master container which manages all data the agent is responsible to protect. Subclients define data that will be protected and how it will be protected. Each subclient container manages specific content within a backup set. Each backup set can have one or more subclients.
Plans and Storage Policies
The Commvault® software suite offers a wide range of features and options to provide great flexibility in configuring and managing protected data. Protection capabilities such as standard backup, snapshots, archiving and replication can all be incorporated in a single environment for a complete end-to-end data protection solution. No matter which methods are used within a Commvault® environment, the concepts used to manage the data remain consistent.
