A logical backup typically involves a backup server and a target server. The backup server hosts the backup application and possibly the tape device as well. The target server contains the data that needs to be protected and is also known as the backup target.
A backup target, in turn, can be a file system or an application. With a file system target, entities that are backed up are files and directories along with their associated metadata. With an application target, application-specific objects are exposed for backup. For example, a User object maybe exposed to determine backup of a particular mailbox.
A typical backup must allow for selection, filtering and control of what entities are backed up. This processing granularity provides tremendous benefits during a restore operation where an administrator has the ability to restore specific entities, such as a file or an application-specific object.
SMS provides a framework that can provide this functionality. The most significant property of SMS is its definition of a single consistent interface for all file systems and applications across NetWare and SLES. Backup applications can thus provide the backup administrator with selection and filtering operations in a consistent manner across all backup targets.