The NetBackup Media Server Deduplication Option exists in the Symantec OpenStorage framework. A storage server writes data to the storage and reads data from the storage; the storage server must be a NetBackup media server. The storage server hosts the core components of deduplication. The storage server also deduplicates the backup data. It is known as a deduplication storage server.

For a backup, the NetBackup client software creates the image of backed up files as for a normal backup. The client sends the backup image to the deduplication storage server, which deduplicates the data. The deduplication storage server writes the data to disk.

The NetBackup Media Server Deduplication Option is integrated into NetBackup. It uses the NetBackup administration interfaces, commands, and processes for configuring and executing backups and for configuring and managing the storage. Deduplication occurs when NetBackup backs up a client to a deduplication storage destination. You do not have to use the separate PureDisk interfaces to configure and use deduplication.

The NetBackup Media Server Deduplication Option integrates with NetBackup application agents that are optimized for the client stream format. Agents include but are not limited to Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft SharePoint Agents.

Figure: NetBackup media server deduplication shows NetBackup media server deduplication. The deduplication storage server is a media server on which the deduplication core components are enabled. The storage destination is a Media Server Deduplication Pool.

A PureDisk storage pool may also be the storage destination.