Hi everyone! I'm diving into the world of enterprise storage and backup, but I'm quite new to it all. I'm looking for a comprehensive roadmap that can take me from the very basics up to an advanced understanding of storage and backup systems. Right now, terms like SAN, NAS, LUNs, RAID, zoning, masking, snapshots, and backups are overwhelming for me. I want to make sure I'm learning the right way. Specifically, I'm interested in: understanding core concepts like the differences between SAN, NAS, and DAS; familiarizing myself with RAID levels, LUNs, masking, and zoning; figuring out how enterprise systems such as Dell EMC VMAX operate; the ins and outs of storage provisioning, performance, deduplication, replication, and snapshots; learning about backup types (full, incremental, differential) and concepts like RTO/RPO; discovering popular backup tools like NetBackup, Commvault, and Avamar; understanding what a storage and backup admin does in real-world scenarios; finding hands-on labs or simulations (preferably free or affordable) to practice; and getting recommendations on courses, videos, books, or documentation to follow. I'm ready to invest the time and effort to learn, so any guidance, resource lists, or personal experiences from those in this field would mean a lot! Thanks in advance!
5 Answers
When it comes to backup tools, opinions vary, but Veeam is quite popular, and Nakivo is worth checking out too. Commvault can really save you in tight spots, so it’s a good one to learn. And don’t forget about the different backup types! There’s some really cool stuff like incremental forever backups with synthetic fulls—and knowing which type fits your needs is key as you learn this trade.
I’m no expert, but from what I've seen, terms like zoning and masking usually relate to Fiber Channel, which is kind of on its way out these days in favor of iSCSI. You could set up a TrueNAS server (or a VM) and play around with iSCSI. That's way more beneficial than just reading about it, trust me! Understanding zvols, targets, and LUNs will get you ahead.
One great way to learn is by applying the concepts in real situations. If you're currently managing any storage at work, link up with someone experienced and ask them to explain what they're doing and why. Plus, don’t hesitate to get your hands dirty—run concepts like SAN and NAS through tools like ChatGPT or Copilot for quick explanations.
In my experience, storage and backup admin roles are becoming less common—they often blend into more general admin roles, especially outside large enterprises. For starters, you should get a desktop machine, load it up with different drives, and experiment with RAID setups and various filesystem exports like Samba, NFS, and iSCSI. This will really help you grasp the basics.
This is a fascinating area to delve into! Just remember, it can get pretty complex, and acquiring a deep understanding takes time and experience. My advice? Start somewhere and keep pushing forward. You'll gain more knowledge the more you experiment. Good luck on your journey!
I totally agree! Learning by doing is where the real understanding happens. You’re right; theory is good, but it’s the practical experience that really sticks.