On Aug 12, 2010, at 11:11 AM, Kinnison wrote:

> Now that EMC has been selling Avamar for a few years, it seems that Networker 
> has been more and more pushed into the background. Do you see any future for 
> this product? What features or improvements would you like to have added if 
> you think there is a future for Networker? For example, it makes sense that 
> revamping the nwrecover command would seem to apparent.
 
NetWorker will be around for several more years, at least. EMC has a good 
roadmap for NetWorker. Even in shops where Avamar is in heavy use, NetWorker 
also has a vital role because it integrates with Avamar nicely. As a result, 
the learning curve to manage Avamar backups, revise locally written scripts, 
update training materials, etc. is minimized. 

You didn't mention anything about Data Domain, but even with that product, 
NetWorker integrates nicely. I expect over the next few years to see a 
convergence of all three products, and maybe also RSA for some sort of 
encryption key management. NetWorker can play a role in tapeless backups due to 
its ability to manage backup devices and backup schedules. NetWorker also needs 
to be around for a while just because tape isn't going away any time soon for 
many companies. For medium size data centers, NetWorker may be depreciated in 
favor of Avamar and/or Data Domain technologies, but small data centers might 
still find tape to be their most cost-effective backup option for several more 
years and large companies still depend heavily on tape, but I suspect are 
moving more toward a hybrid model of data protection that relies upon 
intelligent disk-based backup and tape, especially in companies where federal 
regulations or litigation holds require that they hold onto backup data for m!
 any years.

If you have concerns regarding the continued viability of NetWorker in your 
shop, I suggest you contact your local EMC account team to arrange a meeting to 
discuss your concerns and NetWorker's roadmap.

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