SnapCenter overview

SnapCenter Software is a simple, centralized, scalable platform that provides application-consistent data protection for applications, databases, host file systems and VMs running on ONTAP systems anywhere in the Hybrid Cloud.

SnapCenter leverages NetApp Snapshot, SnapRestore, FlexClone, SnapMirror, and SnapVault technologies to provide the following:

• Fast, space-efficient, application-consistent, disk-based backups
• Rapid, granular restore and application-consistent recovery
• Quick, space-efficient cloning

SnapCenter includes both the SnapCenter Server and individual lightweight plug-ins. You can automate deployment of plug-ins to remote application hosts, schedule backup, verification, and clone operations, and monitor all data protection operations.

SnapCenter can be deployed in the following ways:

SnapCenter includes the following key features:

• Centralized, application-consistent data protection

  Data protection is supported for Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle Databases on Linux, SAP HANA database, Windows Host Filesystems, and VMware VMs and Datastores running on ONTAP systems.

  Data protection is also supported for other standard or custom applications and databases by providing a framework to create user-defined SnapCenter plug-ins. This enables data protection for other applications and databases from the same single-pane-of-glass. By leveraging this framework, NetApp has released SnapCenter custom plug-ins for IBM DB2, MongoDB, MySQL etc. on the NetApp Automation Store.

• Policy-based backups

  Policy-based backups leverage NetApp Snapshot copy technology to create fast, space-efficient, application-consistent, disk-based backups. Optionaliy. you can automate protection of these backups to secondary storage by updates to existing protection relationships.

• Back ups for multiple resources

  You can back up multiple resources (applications, databases, host file systems, or VMs) of the same type, at the same time, by using SnapCenter resource groups.

• Restore and recovery

  SnapCenter provides rapid, granular restores of backups and application-consistent, time-based recovery. You can restore from any destination in the Hybrid Cloud.

• Cloning

  SnapCenter provides quick, space-efficient, application-consistent cloning, which enables accelerated software development. You can clone on any destination in the Hybrid Cloud.

• Single user management graphical user interface (GUI)

  The SnapCenter GUI provides a single, one-stop interface for managing backups and clones of a resource in any destination in the Hybrid Cloud.

• REST APIs, Windows cmdlets, Linux commands

  SnapCenter includes REST APIs for most functionality for integration with any orchestration software, and use of Windows PowerShell cmdlets and a Linux command-line interface.

• Centralized data protection Dashboard and reporting
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) for security and delegation.
• Repository database with High Availability

  SnapCenter provides a built-in repository database with High Availability to store all backup metadata.

• Automated push install of plug-ins

  You can automate a remote push of SnapCenter plug-ins from the SnapCenter Server host to application hosts.

• Load balancing and High Availability

  Load balancing and High Availability for the SnapCenter Server is provided by an integration with Application Request Routing (ARR) and Microsoft Windows Network Load Balancing (NLB), with support for horizontal scaling.