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NetBackup IT Analytics User Guide

Last Published: 2023-03-01

Product(s): NetBackup IT Analytics (11.0)

Introduction
1. Overview
2. Licensed modules
3. NetBackup IT Analytics components
Understand the Portal
1. Overview
2. Portal access
3. Portal overview
4. Navigating with search
5. Valid entries for search
6. Search results view: Narrowing the scope
7. Filtering data in management grids
8. Advanced filtering
9. Customizing advanced filter logic
10. Saving advanced filters (Inventory)
11. Advanced filtering examples
12. Advanced filter operators
13. Clear advanced filters
14. Delete saved advanced filters
15. Select columns on management pages
16. Detect alerts in the inventory
17. About the Inventory tab
18. About the Reports tab
19. Reports tab keyboard shortcuts
20. Reports tab basics
21. Templates, reports, and dashboards overview
22. About the Alerts tab
23. About the Admin tab
  1. Users
  2. Domains
  3. Chargeback
  4. Solutions
  5. Data Collection
  6. Reports
  7. Advanced
Explore your inventory
1. Exploring your inventory
2. Inventory privileges
3. Getting started with the Inventory navigator
4. Hierarchy toolbar to organize your data
  1. Attribute value limitations
  2. Selection combinations
  3. Inventory object limits
5. Show objects
  1. Backup Servers in the Inventory
  2. Count values
6. Reset inventory defaults
7. Host groups
8. Use attributes to organize your data
  1. System attributes
  2. Attribute value limitations
9. Use host groups to organize your data
10. Create custom object lists
11. Working with the inventory reports view
12. Accessing inventory reports
13. Choose reports to display
14. Filter within available reports by category
15. Pin reports - saving reports with inventory objects
  1. Rename pinned tabs
  2. Reset default report names on pinned tabs
16. Inventory reports and the action menu
17. Work with the inventory list view
18. Filter the inventory list view
19. Manage objects in the inventory list view
20. Assign attributes in the inventory list view
  1. About attributes
  2. Attribute limitations
21. Set attribute values in the inventory list view
22. Import host attribute values
23. Export objects from the inventory list view
24. Delete objects using the inventory list view
25. Customize columns in the inventory list view
Get acquainted with reports
1. Overview
2. Reports and templates
3. Cloud reports and templates
4. Report library
5. Report orientation
6. Shared reports and dashboards
7. About dashboards
8. Work in the Reports tab
9. New badge
10. About caching
11. Sections in the navigation panel
12. About badging
  1. Home section
  2. Cloud section
13. About the action bar
14. Reports tab keyboard shortcuts
15. Folder types
16. Report template icons
17. Navigate through reports
Generate and maintain reports
1. Report Scope
2. Select Report Scope
  1. Time Period Considerations
3. Configure report scope with attributes
4. Group hosts by attributes
  1. Host attributes examples
  2. Find hosts without an attribute value set
5. Search for hosts in the report Scope Selector
  1. Find hosts example
6. Alert scope selector settings
7. Amazon Web Services (AWS) scope selector settings
8. Backup Manager scope selector settings
9. Backup Manager advanced scope selector settings
  1. Examples of Advanced Options Job Types
10. Capacity Manager scope selector settings
11. Data Collection Status Details scope selector settings
12. Host scope selector settings
13. Solution reports scope selector settings
  1. Cascade to Sub-Domains
  2. Storage Optimization Scope Selector
  3. Risk Mitigation Scope Selector
14. System health check scope selector
15. Generate reports
16. Generate reports from the Cloud
17. Units of Measure in Reports
  1. Detail Reports
18. Advanced Filtering for Tabular Reports
19. Customize report filter logic
  1. Report Filter Operators
  2. Filtering Indicators, Multiple Expressions, Dates, Percentages, Yes/No
20. Sort columns in reports
  1. To sort columns in a table report
21. Refresh and set refresh intervals
22. Modify Reports
23. Convert tabular report to chart
  1. Convert a chart into a tabular report
24. Add and remove custom header and footer to a report or dashboard
25. Set or edit the drill down preference
26. Access NetBackup web interface from the IT Analytics Portal
27. View report statistics
28. Interact with Reports
29. Work with Topology
30. Add a note to a Backup Job Details Report
31. Use new and updated User Report Templates
32. Use new and updated System Report Templates (Super User only)
33. Save Reports
34. Save Cloud Reports
35. Delete Reports
Distribute, share, schedule, and alert
1. Exporting Reports and Dashboards
2. Known Limitations for Donut Charts
3. Scheduling Exported Reports and Dashboards
  1. To schedule an export of a report and dashboard
  2. Using the Expression Builder
4. Emailing Reports and Dashboards
5. Scheduling Emailed Reports and Dashboards
6. Viewing and Managing Your Scheduled Reports
7. Schedule Types
8. Deleting Scheduled Reports and Dashboards
9. Setting Up Alerts for Tabular Reports
10. Configuring an alert
11. Deleting Report-Based Alerts
12. Share Reports, Dashboards, and Folders
13. Working with Shared Reports
Organize reports
1. Work with dashboards
2. Understand the dashboard Icons
3. About Cached Reports on Dashboards
4. Create new dashboards and add reports
5. Add reports to an existing dashboard
6. Save a dashboard with a different name
7. Customize a Dashboard
8. Edit the scope for a report on a dashboard
9. Edit the dashboard scope
10. Expand a report to full size on a dashboard
11. Set the dashboard layout
12. Delete a dashboard
13. Remove reports from dashboards
14. Create a custom report folder
15. Create shortcuts to reports and templates
16. Manage My Home Pages
17. User Home Pages and User Group Home Pages
Work with the dynamic template designer
1. Dynamic Template Designer Overview
2. Dynamic Template Designer Cheat Sheet
3. Modify an Out-of-the-Box Dynamic Template
4. Dynamic Template Designer Quick Start
  1. Quick Start Step 1: Create a Basic Table Dynamic Template
  2. Quick Start Step 2: Format Fields
  3. Quick Start Step 3: Create a Calculated Field
  4. Quick Start Step 4: Configure Table Column Totals
  5. Quick Start Step 5: Define the Scope Selector
  6. Quick Start Step 6: Generate a Report and View the Automatically Generated Help
5. Steps to Create Dynamic Templates
6. Working with Enterprise Objects and Fields
7. Select an Enterprise Object
8. Configure General Dynamic Template Designer Components
9. Converting to a Homogeneous, Product-Specific Template
  1. Copy from All
10. Add Fields and Methods to a Dynamic Template
11. Alias Names for Fields
12. Conditions When Hidden Fields are Included by Default
13. Dynamic Template Field Configuration
14. Valid Formatter Patterns
15. Examples of Dynamic Templates Containing Graphics Tool Tips
16. Dynamic Template Drilldown Configuration
17. Custom Drilldowns and Examples
18. Drilldown Parameters
19. Examples of Dynamic Templates Containing Drilldowns
20. Using Groups in Dynamic Templates
21. Add a Group to Create Separate Line Charts in a Report
22. Add a Group to Create a Double Header in a Tabular Report
23. Dynamic Template Function Configurations
  1. Aggregation Functions
  2. Comparison Functions
  3. Numeric Functions
  4. Character Functions
  5. Date Functions
  6. Character String Returning Numeric Values
  7. Null Function
  8. Decode Function
  9. Unique Function
24. Examples of Dynamic Templates Containing Functions
25. Create User-Defined Fields with the Field Builder
26. Create Fields with the Field Builder
  1. Convert Dates to Numbers in the Field Builder
  2. Syntax for Calculated Fields
  3. Examples of Calculated Fields in a Dynamic Template
27. Configure a Static Filter
28. Filter on Date Fields
29. Static Filter vs. Tabular Report Filter
30. Configure the Field Sort Order
31. Return Unique Results
32. Dynamic Template Scope Selector Components
33. Scope Selector Component - Custom Filter
  1. Define a Custom Filter at Run Time
  2. Custom Filter Operators for Numeric Fields
  3. Custom Filter Operators for String Fields
34. Data Domain Enterprise Object Scope Selector Components
35. Host Enterprise Object Scope Selector Components
36. Job Enterprise Object Scope Selector Components
37. Storage Array Enterprise Object Scope Selector Components
38. Customize and Export Dynamic Templates
39. Export/Import Dynamic Templates Containing Custom Attributes
40. Export a dynamic template that contains attributes
41. Import a dynamic template that contains attributes
42. Save a Dynamic Template After Edits
43. Format the Dynamic Template Output
44. Configure a Bar Chart Dynamic Template
  1. Best Practices
45. Steps to Create a Bar Chart Dynamic Template
  1. Bar Chart Dynamic Template: Use Case
  2. Bar Chart Dynamic Template Step 1: Create a Dynamic Template
  3. Bar Chart Dynamic Template Step 2: Configure Basic Field Functionality
  4. Bar Chart Dynamic Template Step 3: Configure Functions for a Field
  5. Bar Chart Dynamic Template Step 4: Configure Drilldowns for a Field
  6. Bar Chart Dynamic Template Step 5: Configure a Line Field
  7. Bar Chart Dynamic Template Step 6: Define the Scope Selector
  8. Bar Chart Dynamic Template Step 7: Save and Run the Report Template
46. Examples of Bar Chart Dynamic Templates
47. Configure an Area/Stacked Area Chart Dynamic Template
  1. Area/Stacked Area Chart Dynamic Template Step 1: Create a Dynamic Template
  2. Area/Stacked Area Chart Dynamic Template Step 2: Configure Basic Field Functionality
  3. Area/Stacked Area Chart Dynamic Template Step 3: Configure Functions for a Field
  4. Area/Stacked Area Chart Dynamic Template Step 4: Define the Scope Selector
  5. Area/Stacked Area Chart Dynamic Template Step 5: Save and Run the Report Template
48. Configure a Donut Chart Dynamic Template
49. Example of a Donut Chart Dynamic Template
50. Configure a Horizontal Bar Chart Dynamic Template
51. Example of a Horizontal Bar Chart Dynamic Template
52. Configure a Horizontal Stacked Bar Chart Dynamic Template
53. Example of a Horizontal Stacked Bar Chart Dynamic Template
54. Configure a Line Chart Dynamic Template
55. Line Charts for Performance Metrics
  1. Identify Array Performance Data Fields for a Template
  2. Rules and Guidelines for Performance Line Charts
56. Steps to Create a Line Chart Dynamic Template
57. Line Chart Field Requirements
  1. Line Chart: Caption Field
  2. Line Chart: Line Field
  3. Line Chart: Group by Object Field
  4. Line Chart: Hidden Field
  5. Line Chart: Exclude Field
58. One Object Per Line Chart, One or More Metrics Per Chart
  1. Configure One Object Per Line Chart
  2. Field Configuration for One Object Per Line Chart
  3. Scope Selector Configuration for One Object Per Line Chart
59. Multiple Objects Per Line Chart, One Metric Per Chart
  1. Field Configuration for Multiple Objects Per Line Chart, One Metric Per Chart
60. Format Line Chart Fields
61. Line Chart Scope Selections
62. Examples of Line Chart Dynamic Templates
63. Configure a Pie Chart Dynamic Template
64. Examples of Pie Chart Dynamic Templates
65. Configure a Stacked Bar Chart in a Dynamic Template
66. Example of a Stacked Bar Chart Dynamic Template
  1. Configure a Line in a Bar Chart
67. Configure a Table Dynamic Template
68. Examples of Tabular Dynamic Templates
69. Create a Sparkline Chart in a Tabular Dynamic Template
  1. Example of a Client Backup Sparkline Chart in a Dynamic Template
  2. Example of Using a Method to Create a Sparkline Chart in a Dynamic Template
  3. Client Failure Sparkline Method
70. Configure Chart Axes
71. Using Methods in Dynamic Templates
72. Overview of Method Creation
73. System Methods
74. Stand-Alone Methods
75. Viewing Methods
76. Adding or Editing Methods
  1. User-Defined Methods
  2. System Methods
  3. Accessing Methods
77. Tokens for Methods
78. Exception Tables for a Method's Join Clause
79. Validate and Save a Method
  1. Method Validation
80. Delete a Method
81. Troubleshooting Dynamic Templates
Work with the SQL template designer
1. SQL template designer overview
2. Database Published Views
  1. Access the Database Published Views from the CLI
  2. Access the Database Published Views from the SQL Template Designer
3. Steps to Create SQL Templates
4. Create a SQL Template
  1. Configure SQL Template Scope Selector Components
  2. Construct the SQL Query
  3. Help for Database Views
  4. Accessing the Published Database Views from the CLI
  5. Special Characters in SQL Queries
  6. Sample SQL Queries
5. Use Functions in Queries
6. Format the SQL Template Output
  1. Number, Size, Date, and Time Formatting
    1. Examples of Negative Value Formatting
    2. Status Icon Values
  2. Alignment, Aggregation, Bar Type, and Bar Type Color
    1. Configuring a Header and Footer in a Custom Report Template
  3. Area, Line or Column Sparkline Format for a SQL Tabular Report Template
7. Configure a Bar Chart SQL Template
8. Example of a Bar Chart SQL Template: Host CPU Performance
9. Configure a Line Chart SQL Template
10. Configure a Donut Chart SQL Template
11. Example of a Donut Chart SQL Template: NetBackup Job Size by Job Type
12. Configure a Gauge Chart SQL Template
13. Example of a Gauge Chart SQL Template: Allocated Capacity
14. Configure a Horizontal Bar Chart SQL Template
15. Example of a Horizontal Bar Chart SQL Template: Host CPU Performance
16. Configure a Horizontal Stacked Bar Chart SQL Template
17. Example of a Horizontal Stacked Bar Chart SQL Template: Available/Allocated Capacity
18. Configure an Area Chart SQL Template
19. Example of Area Chart SQL Template: Allocated Available
20. Configure a Pie Chart SQL Template
21. Example of a Pie Chart SQL Template: Overall Job Status Summary
22. Configure a Pivot Table SQL Template
23. Example of a Pivot Table SQL Template: NetBackup Job Size
24. Configure a Stacked Bar Chart SQL Template
25. Example of a Stacked Bar Chart SQL Template: Host CPU Performance
26. Configure a Table in the SQL Template Designer
  1. Example of a Table SQL Template: Host Group Membership List
  2. Example of a Table SQL Template: Exposed Clients
27. Save and Share Report Templates
28. Advanced SQL Report Template Options
  1. Creating Drilldowns
  2. Using SQL Templates for Drilldowns
  3. Create mouse-over hovers
  4. Add an External Reference
  5. Inventory Report Configuration
  6. About the Reports in the Inventory
  7. Edit a Custom Report Template
29. Export/Import SQL Templates
  1. Export a SQL Template
  2. Import a SQL Template
Pipelined functions for report query building
1. About Pipelined Functions
2. General Functions
3. APTlistOfDates
  1. Example Query
4. aptStringConcat
  1. Example Query
5. collectString
6. getLicenseClientDetail
7. getServerAttributeValue
  1. Example Query
8. getObjectAttributeValue
  1. Example Query
9. getChildServerGroupContextById
  1. Example Query
10. getServerGroupContextById
  1. Example Query
11. secsToHoursMinSecs
  1. Example Query
12. Backup Manager Functions
13. APTgetJobTypeName
14. APTgetTapeDriveStatusName
  1. Example Query
15. getFullPathname
  1. Example Query
16. listJobSummaryAfterRestart
  1. Example Query
17. listJobSummaryAfterRestartNBW
  1. Example Query
18. listJobSummaryAfterRestart for NetWorker Backup Jobs
  1. Example Query
19. listOfBackupWindowDates
  1. Explicitly Supply the Backup Windows
  2. Example Query
20. listOfBackupWindowDates (by Backup Window ID)
21. Policy Auditing Functions
22. listClientChanges
23. listPathnameChanges
24. listPolicyChanges
25. listScheduleChanges
26. Capacity Functions
27. listChargebackCatByVOLSDetail
  1. Example Query
28. listChargebackCatByNcVolDetail
  1. Example Query
29. listChargebackCatByFSDetail (for HNAS)
  1. Example Query
30. listChargebackCatByFSDetail (for EMC Isilon)
  1. Example Query
31. listChargebackByLUNSummary
  1. Example Query
32. listChargebackByLUNDetail
  1. Chargeback in Cluster and Virtualization Environments
  2. Example Query
33. listChargebackCatByLUNSummary
  1. Example Query
34. listChargebackCatByLUNDetail
  1. Example Query
Alert configuration
1. Overview
2. Alert rules
  1. Scheduled Rules vs. Run Time Rules
  2. Alert rules sample set
3. Managing alert policies
  1. Add/Edit an Alert Policy
  2. License Usage Alert Rule
4. ServiceNow: Job finalized alert rule
5. Managing alert notifications
  1. Adding an Alert Notification Delivery Method
  2. Deleting an Alert Notification Delivery Method
6. Report-Based alerts
7. Syslog configuration
8. Detect alerts in the inventory
9. Suppress alert notifications
  1. View suppressed alerts
Manage hosts, backup servers, and host groups
1. About hosts, backup servers, and host goups
2. Plan your host group hierarchy
3. Manage host groups
4. NetBackup Master Servers
  1. Configure the Time Zone for a NetBackup Master Server
  2. Default Host Group Hierarchy for Veritas NetBackup
5. About the Master Servers Group
6. Identifying Inactive Clients (For Veritas NetBackup)
7. Managing hosts and backup servers
Manage attributes and objects
1. About attributes
2. Attribute example
3. Host groups vs attributes
4. Bulk load utilities and attributes
5. System attributes
6. Attribute inheritance
7. Manage attributes
8. Set attributes on hosts
9. Add attributes
10. Edit or rename attributes
11. Delete attributes
12. Attribute naming rules
13. Examples of attributes and values
14. Understanding the attribute management view
15. Attribute management view (Top-Level domain)
16. Attribute management view (Sub-Domain)
17. Export/Import dynamic templates with custom attributes
18. About object maintenance
19. Product specific objects for reporting
20. Maintaining objects
21. Assign attributes using object maintenance
22. Search for objects by type in object maintenance
23. Customize library objects
24. Permanently remove devices, libraries, and drives
Provide Portal access and user privileges
1. Providing user access to the portal
2. Creating portal user accounts
3. About user types
4. Selecting user groups for users
5. Working with user groups
6. Creating user groups
7. Assigning users to user groups
8. About user privileges
9. Assigning user privileges
10. Setting user group privileges
11. Enabling new product report templates
12. Importing reports
13. Enabling cloud privileges
14. Granting access to template designers
15. Enabling all privileges in a category
16. Managing users and user groups
17. Searching for users and user groups
18. Editing user accounts
19. Impersonating user accounts
20. Setting / Resetting passwords
  1. Password notes
21. Account lockout
22. Managing user group home pages (Administrator)
  1. My Home pages and user group home pages (Administrator)
23. Removing portal users
24. Deactivating user accounts
Configure master schedules and backup windows
1. About master schedules
2. Configure master schedules
3. About custom backup windows
4. Custom backup window requirements
5. Configure custom backup windows
Add, edit, and move policies
1. Add/Edit a Cloud Policy to share performance statistics
2. Configure community performance profiling
3. Add/Edit a threshold policy
  1. Threshold Example
4. Add/Edit a capacity billing and usage policy
5. Capacity Chargeback policy types
  1. Example of Capacity Billing and Usage Policy Logic
  2. Drive Types for Capacity Chargeback
6. Add/Edit a backup SLA policy
7. Add/Edit a SAN Fabric Chargeback policy
8. NetBackup IT Analytics Billing and Chargeback policies
9. Add/Edit a Billing and Chargeback policy
Solutions administration
1. Storage Optimization solution overview
2. Understand the value of Storage Optimization historical data
3. Configure Storage Optimization rules
  1. Edit Storage Optimization Rule Example
  2. Common storage optimization parameters
4. Enable Storage Optimization rules
5. Storage optimization rule prerequisites and logic
6. Risk Mitigation solution overview
7. Configure Risk Mitigation rules
Manage and monitor data collection
1. Data collection overview
2. Data collection component configuration
3. About data collection tasks
  1. Backup collection tasks
  2. Backup event data collector
4. Data collection installation summary
5. Update the Local Hosts file for data collection
6. Data Collector security and data encryption
7. Manage Data Collectors and collection policies
8. About validation and status
9. Add/Edit data collectors
  1. Data Collector Encryption
10. Enable/Disable data collectors
11. Enable and disable data collection policy schedules
12. Review collectors and collection status
  1. Known Limitations for Policy States in Collector Administration
13. Deleting a data collector
14. Upgrade Data Collectors
  1. Upgrade aptare.jar
  2. Update Upgrade Manager
15. Monitoring data collection status
16. Organize the collection status view
17. Quick Filters
18. View data collection status
19. Troubleshoot data collection status
20. Use reports to monitor data collection status
Work with Capacity Manager host data collection
1. Understand the host data collection process
2. Host resources prerequisites and configurations
3. Host Access Privileges, Sudo Commands, Ports, and WMI Proxy Requirements
  1. Access Requirements by OS
4. Host access requirements
  1. For Linux Hosts Only
  2. For Windows Hosts Only
5. Command path verification
6. Host discovery and collection configuration steps
7. Host discovery and collection setup overview
8. Host discovery and collection maintenance overview
9. Before discovering hosts
10. Configure/Search
11. Manage credentials
  1. Example of credentials for Windows hosts
12. Manage WMI Proxy
13. Manage paths
14. Manage access control
15. Host management
16. Configure host discovery policies to populate the host discovery and collection view
  1. Discovery policy considerations
  2. Configure a Discovery policy
17. Execute and monitor host discovery
18. Discovery processes
  1. Method 1
  2. Method 2
19. Validate host connectivity
  1. Validate hosts
  2. Validation history
20. Show errors
21. Filter the host discovery and collection window - Hide/Unhide, remove
22. Search and export in host discovery and collection
  1. Basic Search
  2. Pre-Defined Search
  3. Advanced Parameters
23. Export in host discovery and collection
24. Configure and edit host probes
25. Propagate probe settings: Copy probes, paste probes
  1. Example of Probe Copy/Paste
  2. Probe Settings
Discovery policies for Veritas NetBackup
1. Task overview: Configure and monitor discovery policies
2. Discovery policies overview
3. About Discovery types
4. Activate a discovery license
5. Exclude devices from discovery policies
6. Activate discovery probes in the NetBackup Data Collector policy
7. Monitor discovery processes
8. View client protection status
9. Reset Discovery Data
View and manage system notifications
1. Overview
2. Viewing system alerts
3. Defer or suppressing notifications
Customize with advanced parameters
1. Overview of advanced parameters
2. Use cases for advanced parameters
3. Adding an advanced parameter
4. Access control advanced parameters
5. General Data Collection advanced parameters
6. Cloud data collection advanced parameters
  1. Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  2. Microsoft Azure
7. Host discovery and collection advanced parameters
8. Backup Manager advanced parameters
9. Capacity Manager advanced parameters
10. File Analytics advanced parameters
11. Virtualization Manager advanced parameters
  1. VMWARE_COLLECT_UNUSED_PROPERTIES
  2. VMWARE_DATASTORE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS
Manage your Portal environment
1. Root folder and domains
2. Add/Configure a domain
3. Configure alerting for a domain
4. Community performance statistics for a domain
5. Manage your profile and set a language preference
6. Change your login password
Analyze files
1. Overview
2. File categories
3. Adding/Editing file categories
4. File list export
5. File list export output in CSV format
Troubleshoot the Portal
1. Support tools
2. Requesting a support package
3. File selector wildcards
4. Retrieving log files
  1. On a Windows platform
  2. On a Linux platform
5. Archiving script
6. Debug
  1. Debugging Level Scope
7. Login errors
8. Add notes to failed jobs
9. Host name processing - Filters and aliases
10. Change the Portal server's IP address
11. Changing the port for Portal server communication
12. Determine report rendering statistics
13. Clearing the inventory and report cache
14. Troubleshoot Oracle performance issues in NetBackup IT Analytics
Attribute inheritance overrides
1. Overview
2. Override inherited attribute values
  1. Use case 1
  2. Use case 2
Understanding report data caching
1. Understand report data caching
2. How reports and caching work together?
3. Store and purge data
4. Disable optimistic caching with portal.properties

NetBackup IT Analytics components

When you install NetBackup IT Analytics, you are installing the following components:

Portal Server. The physical server on which the NetBackup IT Analytics Portal Server software resides.
Portal Server Software. The binaries, SQL scripts, configuration files, and open-source and third-party software products needed to retrieve and render reporting data from the Reporting Database.
Reporting Database. The Oracle database stores all report data. The Reporting Database is usually installed on the Portal Server, but you can just as easily install it on a separate server, preferably a dedicated database server. These binaries are installed during the first step of the installation procedure.
Data Collectors. The software that collects report data about your backup servers and storage arrays. The Data Collector is usually installed on a separate server.

Because of the relationship between the Portal Server, the Portal Server software, and the Reporting Database, you need to install these Portal Server components at the same time. However, you can install the Data Collector separately.

Portal Server Software

When you install Portal Server software, you install a compilation of software:

Open-Source and Third-Party Software to provide framework components.
Binaries to provide intelligence and functionality. These binaries include the Portal engine, the Data Receiver, and stored procedures.
- The Portal engine drives the Portal user interface.
- The Data Receiver accepts data from the Data Collector, then saves the data to the Reporting Database.
- The stored procedures retrieve data from the Reporting Database, input data into the Reporting Database, and perform calculations and analysis.
Database SQL Scripts to instruct the Oracle SQL scripts to create the object module and database schema.

Reporting Database

The Reporting Database stores all report data (as metadata) that it receives from the Data Receiver. You can install the Reporting Database on a standalone server or on the same server as the Portal Server. The preferred configuration is to have the database on the same server as the Portal. If you use a Managed Services Provider, the Reporting Database and Portal Server are usually off site and hosted by that third-party provider.

Data is managed in the Reporting Database with automatic purging scripts that run, with specific retention periods per product and even data type. Some reports are more valuable when they have access to historical data. Because the Reporting Database only stores metadata, the amount of data on the Reporting Database is relatively small (GBs).

Data Collectors

A Data Collector is a centralized and remotely managed data collection mechanism. This Java application is responsible for interfacing with enterprise objects, such as backup servers, storage arrays, and switches, gathering information related to storage backup and recovery, and capacity management.

The Data Collector continuously collects data and sends this data, using an http or https connection, to another Java application, the Data Receiver. The Data Receiver runs on the Portal Server and stores the data that it receives in the Reporting Database. When you use the Portal to generate a report, the Portal requests this information from the Reporting Database, then returns the results in one of the many available reports.

The Data Collector obtains all of its monitoring rules from a Data Collector Configuration File. This file resides in the Reporting Database in XML format. When the Data Collector first starts, it downloads this file from the Reporting Database. The Data Collector uses this file to determine the list of backup servers, hosts, or storage arrays that are to be monitored and included in its data collection process.

A single installation of the Data Collector supports any number of servers. The only real limitation is the memory and CPU processing power of the server on which the Data Collector resides.