SEP sesam Glossary

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Any form of reproduction of the contents or parts of this manual is allowed only with the express written permission from SEP AG. When compiling and designing user documentation SEP AG uses great diligence and attempts to deliver accurate and correct information. However, SEP AG cannot issue a guarantee for the contents of this manual.

This SEP sesam glossary contains terms and definitions found in the SEP sesam manuals. Most of the terms are specific to the SEP sesam product.

Terms Description

A

access mode Defines the communication method and access type between the SEP sesam Client and the SEP sesam Server. The following access modes are available: CTRL, SM_SSH (SEP sesam SSH based control communication), PROXY, SSH (Secure Shell), and RSH (Remote Shell). The default access mode is SM_SSH. Access mode is defined when configuring a new client or in the client properties. For details, see Configuring Clients and Client properties.
access rights See user's permissions.
ACL An access control list (ACL) is a list of permissions attached to an object. It specifies the conditions for a particular user or group to access and perform an operation on a specific object (e.g., client, location, backup, etc.). For details, see Using Access Control Lists.
admin Until v. 5.0.0 Jaglion, the admin role is the only user role with full control over SEP sesam. With Jaglion, the superuser replaces the previous admin role and can restrict access for admin(s) to GUI objects by setting ACLs. For details, see About Authentication and Authorization. See also user types.
alarm (sm_alarm) One of the SEP sesam configurable interfaces intended for system administrators. Alarm is executed on the SEP sesam Server to warn the system administrator when an error occurs or in case of a license violation. Alarm interface can be customized and configured as needed. It can only be used if it has been activated before. See also interfaces.
alternate data streams (ADS) A file in NTFS consists of the primary or unnamed data stream where the data is actually contained ($Data), and of alternate data streams that can store additional metadata. ADS are used by many applications for storing file attributes or other non-critical information, such as thumbnails for graphical files, parsing information for program sources, etc. ADS are backed up by default when backing up an NTFS file system, and automatically restored to any ADS-aware system. For details, see Support for NTFS alternate data streams (ADS) for Windows.
archive adjustment A process by which a comparison between media in the loader and the SEP sesam media archive database is made. It performs database synchronization with the selected loader by updating the database with the most current inventory information from the scanned device. It is mandatory whenever the content of a loader has changed. You can run the archive adjustment in GUI: Main Selection window -> Components -> Loader content pane -> option Archive Adjustment. It is also possible to run it as a scheduled media event. For details, see Setting up Archive Adjustment.
ASR Automated system recovery (ASR) is a Windows XP/Windows Server 2003 feature that simplifies recovering from a disaster by performing an automated backup and an automated restore. SEP sesam supports system disaster recovery based on ASR writer. ASR writer is used as part of a VSS backup-and-recovery application that performs disaster recovery. See also VSS.
audit log An audit log (audit trail) is recorded evidence of each action that was triggered by a user. SEP sesam provides the sm_gui_server_requests.log as a source for generating audit logs. Such audit logs contain a time-stamped list of activities triggered by a user in the SEP sesam GUI and Web UI (e.g., triggering a restore or deletion of a data store). Audit logs ensure data integrity by providing a complete track record of the data-related operations, help increase security and compliance. For details, see Audit Logging.
authentication Authentication is a process used to grant and restrict access to SEP sesam Server. It is the first step of authorization process by verifying user credentials (user name and password). For details, see About Authentication and Authorization. See also authorization.
authorization Authorization is used by SEP sesam to validate if an authenticated user has appropriate permissions for accessing a specific resource or operation within SEP sesam Server. It can now be synchronized with directory services, such as Active Directory or LDAP for consistent user management. For details, see About Authentication and Authorization.
autoloader See loader.

B

backup A process that captures and stores a copy of data at a specific point in time. It is created by a backup task that determines what data should be included in the backup (what) and a backup event that specifies the timing of the backup execution (when). The resulting backed-up data is stored as a saveset on a data carrier. Additionally, backups can undergo migration and replication processes, which create additional copies of the saveset.
backup chain When backup tasks are executed with different backup levels, they create a backup chain on the backup storage, which is a sequence of full, differential, and incremental backups. A backup chain starts with a a full backup, which is followed by differential and incremental backups, along with a backup metadata file. Some incremental backups in the chain utilize Changed Block Tracking (CBT), a technology for virtual machines that enables faster and more efficient backups.

An FDI backup chain can contain any number of backups, with each backup depending on other backups in the chain. Additionally, a backup in the chain can depend on any other backup in a number of backups. The backup chain consists of the first (primary) backup and one or more dependent backups, including migrated and replicated backups.

backup client See SEP sesam Client.
backup day A time interval between two NEWDAY events. SEP sesam enables you to define a backup day according to your backup routines. For example, your backups can run after midnight but retain the backup date of the prior day. A backup day is defined by time set in the NEWDAY event. See also NEWDAY.
backup EOL See EOL.
backup level Allows specifying the level of data that is copied from source to destination. Used to define backup strategies with several levels (for example, according to the generation principle). It is defined when configuring a new backup event in the Main Selection window -> Scheduling -> New Backup Event, tab Parameter, option Backup Level (note that the naming was changed from Backup type to Backup level in Grolar). Available backup levels are: FULL, DIFF, INCR and COPY.
backup plans An overview of all configured migrations, task groups, tasks and related backup events. Backup plans overview is selected in the Main Selection window -> Tasks -> Backup Plans. In the Backup Plans window you can also configure a new backup event. For details, see Backup Plans.
backup server See SEP sesam Server.
backup task Used to configure a backup for the selected client. A backup task always contains specification of the backup type, client and source information. Optionally, other parameters can also be specified when configuring a backup task, such as the pre- and post-exec scripts. A backup task or group can be configured as a follow-up event. For details, see Creating a Backup Task.
backup-task encryption Backup-task encryption for savesets is one of the SEP sesam encryption types (also available are LTO and Si3 encryption). It is configured on the backup task level: Main Selection -> Tasks -> By clients -> select a client and a task -> double-click to open the task properties -> select the Encryption & Compression tab. Supported backup-task encryption algorithms are the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256-bit encryption and the Blowfish encryption. For details, see Backup-task encryption. See also encryption.
backup type See task type. Note that that the naming was changed from Backup type to Task type in Grolar.
bare metal recovery (BMR) See disaster recovery.
bare system recovery (BSR) Also called bare metal recovery. See disaster recovery.

C

calendar See calendar sheet and custom calendar.
calendar sheet An overview of scheduled as well as expired events and their current status. Calendar sheet is selected in the Main Selection window -> Scheduling -> Calendar Sheet. In the content pane the day view is displayed, showing all events in the range of 24 hours. The weekly and monthly views are displayed at the upper right side corner. All events are recorded by SEPuler. For details, see Calendar Sheet.
Changed Block Tracking (CBT) An incremental backup technology for VMware and Citrix XenServer (v. ≥ 7.3) that identifies changes on block level and backs up only disk blocks of a VM’s virtual disk that have changed since the last backup; in case of VMware it also backs up the blocks that are in use (on VMFS partitions). SEP sesam uses CBT to perform block level incremental (INCR) and differential (DIFF) backups of VMDKs (VMware) or VDIs (Citrix XenServer) after a full (FULL) backup has been successfully executed. SEP sesam enables CBT automatically by default to optimize backups of VMs. For details, see Changed Block Tracking (CBT).
circular logging Circular logging is a Microsoft Exchange Server method of conserving hard disk space by periodically overwriting the transaction log file contents. In order to perform incremental (INCR) and differential (DIFF) backups of the Exchange databases, circular logging has to be disabled. For details, see Microsoft article that also provides information on disabling circular logging.
clean up A process of cleaning up orphaned savesets from the data stores manually, thus releasing the space that might be occupied by orphaned savesets. You can clean up data store in the Data Stores content pane menu: Main Selection window -> Components -> Data Stores content pane -> option Clean up. For more details, see Clean up orphaned savesets.
client See SEP sesam Client.
cold backup (C) An offline backup of VMs and databases. See also hot backup.
command line The program (under Windows cmd.exe, under UNIX shell console), where commands can be entered.
Command Line Interface (CLI) The command-line interface to execute SEP sesam commands in UNIX and Windows environments. SEP sesam CLI supports all of the commands that are available in the SEP sesam GUI and much more; you can create, modify or delete SEP sesam objects, and generate reports (lists) in different output formats. The CLI may be called from operating system batch files. The CLI description is available at SEP sesam CLI.
command task (command event) Allows the execution of an arbitrary program together with arguments on a SEP sesam Client. For details, see Creating a command event.
complete restore A process by which an entire saveset is restored. The other restore types are selective restore and generation restore.
components The first item in the Main Selection window of the SEP sesam GUI that provides a tree view of the components of the SEP sesam environment. The following components are available: clients, data stores, loaders, drives, media pools, and media. Selecting a component opens the corresponding main window for the selected option. See also GUI.
compression Used for compressing data in savesets. SEP sesam provides data compression for backup tasks and data store Path, and allows for hardware compression of tape devices. Si3 deduplication store always uses compression for the deduplicated data. You can select the backup task compression under the Encryption and compression tab in the backup task properties. You can activate compression for a data store in the sms.ini file on RDS. You can also set compression for a tape device. For details on setting compression, see FAQ: How to set compression. See also encryption.
COPY (C) A backup level in which all data defined by the backup task is backed up (e.g. files), regardless of when it was last changed. The difference from full (FULL) backup is that COPY savesets are not referred by any differential (DIFF) or incremental (INCR) savesets.
custom calendar Can be specified by using a schedule option User defined. The custom calendar can be used to prevent scheduled tasks such as backup, migration or replication (see blocking date) or to perform special tasks. For example, scheduled backups can be blocked on certain days, such as public holidays. Should such an event overwrite another, event priority must be defined higher. You can create a custom calendar in the schedule properties: Main Selection window ->Scheduling -> Schedules -> User defined tab. For details, see Creating a Custom Calendar.

D

daemon A long-lived program that implements a service. For instance, sm_qm_main is a daemon that implements the queuing and execution of the SEP sesam tasks. SEP sesam daemons are specific to the SEP sesam Client/SEP sesam Server/SEP sesam Remote Device Server (RDS) installation.
dashboard See SEP sesam dashboard.
Data Management Application (DMA) DMA controls the NDMP session. NDMP is based on a master-slave relationship. DMA is the session master, which initiates backup and restore operations. NDMP services are the slaves. See also SDMA and SEP sesam NDMP. For details on SEP sesam NDMP integration, see NDMP Backup.
data mover See SEP sesam data mover.
data store A device type used for writing the savesets directly on one or several configured storage locations — into the file system. Data store configuration consists of specifying data store capacity and HWM; the latter defines the upper value for the used storage space. When this value is reached, the status of a datastore changes from OK to Warning, but backups continue to be performed. The default data store type is Path, also available are SEP Si3/Si3 NG deduplication store and (depending on version) NetApp Snap Store, HPE StoreOnce and HPE Cloud Bank Store. SEP EasyArchive data store and FDS deduplication store are no longer supported (≥ SEP sesam 4.4.3). For more details, see Data Store.
data store capacity The space reserved exclusively for the SEP sesam data store. When specifying the capacity value, a dedicated partition must have enough free space. The reserved space is only meant for storing SEP sesam data. If any other data is also stored on the dedicated partition, backup and migration fail even if there is still free space on the partition. See also HWM.
deduplication Deduplication is a data compression technique that eliminates redundant blocks of data by not backing up duplicate data. SEP sesam provides two deduplication solutions — offline and online Si3 deduplication. Si3 deduplication is a hybrid of both, target-based (Si3T) and source-based deduplication (Si3S). See SEP Si3 target deduplication and SEP Si3 source-side deduplication.
device The backup device connected to the SEP sesam Server or SEP sesam Remote Device Server (RDS), used for backing up and recovering client data.
DIFF (D) A differential backup level in which all data specified by the backup task is backed up (e.g. files). A differential backup records only data which was created or changed after the last FULL saveset had been created. See also backup level.
disaster interface (sm_disaster) One of the SEP sesam configurable interfaces intended for system administrators. You have to configure this interface to enable the disaster recovery of SEP sesam Server. For details, see Configuration: Disaster Interface. See also interfaces.
disaster recovery Recovering server data from the savesets after the data was lost due to a disaster. Disaster recovery requires special preparation and configuration. The SEP sesam disaster recovery solutions are Bare Metal Recovery Linux, Bare Metal Recovery MS Windows and SEP sesam Server self-recovery. See also restore. For details on each DR solution, see Bare Metal Recovery Linux, SEP sesam BSR Pro for Windows, and SEP sesam Disaster Recovery.
drive queue Managed sequence of tasks or jobs related to drive read or write operations in a data storage environment. Drive queues are created by SEP sesam during the configuration of drives and are managed by a queue manager (QM). QM coordinates the execution of jobs sent to the drive queues by SEPuler and other internal processes.

During the initialization phase, the QM sets up the queues and determines the order in which tasks gain access to busy devices. The job limit (number of channels) sets the maximum number of tasks that can run simultaneously. When tasks are scheduled to run, they enter the drive queue and are processed based on their priority. If the job limit of the queue is reached, tasks enter a pending state and wait for processing. See also SEPuler.

D2D2T SEP sesam provides disk-to-disk-to-tape (D2D2T) backup and storage technique where data is initially backed up on a disk and then later copied again on tape. See also virtual tape library.

E

encryption SEP sesam provides data encryption types on different levels: backup-task encryption for savesets (set in the backup task), Si3 encryption for Si3 deduplication store (set in the Si3 deduplication store properties), and hardware-based LTO encryption for LTO tape drives (generation 4 and higher), which is done on a media pool level. For every encryption you must create and store an encryption key. For details, see Backup-Task Encryption, LTO Encryption and, Encrypting Si3 NG Deduplication Store.
environment See SEP sesam environment.
EOL End of Lifetime (EOL) specifies the time until which the backed up data on media remains protected and thus defines the expiration date of the backup data. The EOL of a saveset is defined by the date the data is written to the media and the retention time (in days) of the media pool to which the media belongs. Once the EOL of all savesets stored on media has expired, the media can be rewritten. Note that SEP sesam provides dependency-based retention strategy performed by automated EOL adjustment. This means that EOL is automatically adjusted for savesets that, for example, belong to the same backup chain, in order to enable to enable complete restore of data. It is possible to customize retention policy by inserting or modifying EOL-related keys. EOL behaviour may be release-dependent. For details, see Automatic Retention (EOL) Management.

The EOL property can be managed for three object types:

Saveset EOL
This is the expiration date for each individual saveset (for savesets that are stored on tape, see also tape media EOL). If a saveset is part of a backup chain, its EOL follows the rules of dependency-based retention, as described in Automatic Retention (EOL) Management.
Backup EOL
This is the expiration date for all data that belong to the same backup, including migrated and replicated savesets. It is based on the longest EOL of all savesets that belong to the same backup and follows the rules of dependency-based retention, as described in Automatic Retention (EOL) Management.
Tape media EOL
When a saveset is stored on tape, every stored saveset has its own saveset EOL. The expiration date of the tape, which is the tape media EOL, is defined by the maximum expiration date (the longest EOL) identified on the tape. Only when all of the savesets on tape have their retention time expired and the tape is not locked (write-protected), the entire tape is eligible for re-use. Tape media EOL can also be manually extended or reduced. For more details, see Automatic Retention (EOL) Management.
EOL refers only to backups and related migrated and replicated savesets. SEP sesam logs, readability check logs, calendar sheet entries and restore tasks have separate retention parameters, see retention periods.
EOL-related keys Depending on SEP sesam version, EOL-related parameters may be used to change the default EOL policy (backup retention behaviour) by modifying EOL-related keys in the global settings in GUI. For details, see Customizing retention policy.
EOM End of Media (EOM) is a media properties related parameter that specifies whether there is still free space left on the medium or tape. If there is no free space left, the medium or tape is full and can no longer be used for storing data.
event Every task, which is started by the SEP sesam scheduler based on regular schedules, a single execution of a task, or a task triggered by the end of a previous task or by notification. Event can also be configured as a follow-up event. See also SEPuler.
event priority When configuring a new event, such as backup, migration, replication or restore, you can also specify the priority of an event. Event priority is used by SEPuler for resolving scheduling conflicts: tasks scheduled for the same execution time are executed according to their priority parameter. The tasks with the highest priority prevail and are executed first, while the execution referring to the same event with lower priorities is suppressed. You can set the priority for each configured event. Default priority level is 1, which is the lowest priority (the highest is 99). SEPuler always executes the events with higher priority first. The only exception are the events with priority 0 (they are always executed), which override all other priorities and are executed first, but they do not suppress other executions. See also SEPuler.
exclude list Used to specify patterns to exclude items (files, directories or components, e.g., a VSS writer) that you want to exclude from backup. You can specify the exclude list under the Properties dialog of a backup task: Main Selection window -> Tasks -> By clients -> select backup task -> open Properties. For details on additional exclude options, see Creating Exclude List.

F

failed job Every backup, restore, migration, replication, or media action job which fails for various reasons, e.g., file-size issues, insufficient permissions, etc. An overview of all jobs and their status is shown in the Job State. When a job fails, the cause of the failure should be determined. In case of a failed backup, SEP sesam will automatically delete any failed backup after 3 days. It is possible to keep failed backup savesets for a longer time by manually extending their backup EOL. For details, see Manually extending EOL.
failover backup event Failover backup event is started when the original task event cannot be executed successfully because data storage (media pool or data store) is not accessible. If the failover backup event is activated, the data storage settings of the original backup event are replaced with the settings from the failover backup event (media pool, drive, interface, follow up, migration task). The task, backup level and other options (for example, Enforce FULL) of the original backup event are preserved.
failover media pool A failover media pool can be configured for any media pool. In case a media pool isn't available for writing for some reason (out of space, no free media, RDS cannot be reached), a failover media pool can be used for backups or migration.
file index A database which stores information on every backed up file, file system and application specific items, such as emails.
follow-up events Events (migration, saveset verify, replication and other actions) that are started on the SEP sesam Server once the initial event is completed. For details, see Follow-up events. See also SEP sesam Client.
formatting (media) See initialization.
frequency The recurrence of backups and other scheduled tasks performed by SEP sesam. Backup NEWDAY is a daily event set by default when SEP sesam is installed. The task interval is defined in a schedule. See also SEPuler.
FULL (F) A backup level in which all data specified by the backup task is backed up (e.g. files), regardless of whether it has been changed or not. A saveset created as FULL is the basic saveset for subsequent DIFF or INCR savesets. See also backup level.
full restore See complete restore.

G

generation restore A process by which all generations of backed up files – all files and directories from the backup chain fulldifferentialincremental until the selected saveset are displayed and automatically processed for restore. The other restore types are complete restore and selective restore.
GET_OLDEST strategy GET_OLDEST strategy tries to keep backups on media as long as possible. A medium is only overwritten when it is initialized, so it remains usable for restores until then, even if the EOL has expired. The strategy determines which medium to initialize next and use for backups. The medium is selected according to the following criteria: expired EOL, oldest medium (oldest locked until), not write-protected (locked). For details, see GET_OLDEST strategy.
Graphical User Interface (GUI) SEP sesam GUI provides easy access to configuration and management of SEP sesam and its environment. GUI is platform independent and based on Java. SEP sesam also provides web interface – SEP sesam dashboard which constantly tracks SEP sesam operations and their status and provides key metrics of your backup environment, see also SEP sesam dashboard. The GUI options are available according to the type of user. The master GUI is used to administer multiple SEP sesam Server environments from a single location. The GUI description and customization are available at SEP sesam GUI and Customizing GUI. For details on the required Java version, see Java Compatibility Matrix.
guest operating system An operating system that is installed and runs on a virtual machine.

H

high watermark (HWM) The upper value for the used disk space on the data store. When this value is reached, the status of a datastore changes from OK to Warning, but backups continue to be performed.
hot backup (H) An online backup of VMs and databases: IBM DB2, Informix, Ingres, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL. See also cold backup.
HSM-aware solution Data management software which is aware of the Hierarchical Storage Manager (HSM) system. SEP sesam provides HSM-aware backup for Windows from version 4.4.2 onwards. HSM migrates inactive data to lower-cost nearline storage and leaves only stub files in the original location on the primary storage. SEP sesam for Windows recognizes the reparse tags in stub files and performs a backup without retrieving their contents. The backed up stub files can be restored as any other data as long as the restore host has the HSM software installed and can correctly interpret restored reparse points. For details, see HSM-aware Backup for Windows.
hybrid backup solution SEP sesam can back up all physical and virtual environments and provides data security with local backups as well as backups in the cloud.

I

INCR (I) An incremental backup level in which all data specified by the backup task is backed up (e.g. files). An incremental backup records all data, which was created or changed after the last FULL, DIFF or INCR saveset had been created. See also backup level.
initialization A process of preparing backup (tape) media for use with SEP sesam. Once a media pool is configured, SEP sesam automatically labels each medium with a unique media label during initialization. Media can be initialized if it meets the requirements (e.g., new media or old media with expired EOL, media must not be write-protected – locked). During initialization, SEP sesam assigns a new tape label for formatted media and deletes all existing content on these media. At the same time it deletes all information about old backups from SEP sesam system. You can start media initialization by clicking Activities -> Immediate Start -> Media Action or schedule it by creating a media event. For details, see Creating a Media Event and Checking and Labeling Tape Media.
Initial seed This feature does not work in v. 5.0.0 Jaglion, but you can use it in earlier SEP sesam versions.

A process of backing up savesets data and metadata stored on a SEP sesam Si3 deduplication store and seeding this data to another Si3 deduplication store, typically to use it to set up new Si3 deduplication store for replication. The backed up data and its metadata are seeded when the Import Si3 store option is used. Seeding the deduplication store serves the purpose of replication: when replicating from origin to new Si3 store, the savesets on the new Si3 deduplication store are recognized and the content of the new Si3 store is updated in the SEP sesam database. For details, see Seeding Si3 Deduplication Store.

instant VM recovery A process by which a VMware machine can be started instantly from the backup source, without restoring the data. Instant VM recovery uses vMotion capabilities for live migration of running virtual machines from one physical server to another with no downtime. SEP sesam provides simple and flexible instant recovery for VMware based on almost any type of VMware backup, including differential and incremental. To learn what applies to instant recovery, which backup type supports it and how it relates to the disk size usage, see SF & IR support matrix. For details on instant VM recovery, see VMware Instant Recovery. See also single item restore.
interfaces Configurable programs, intended for system administrators. The following interfaces are available: pre (sbc_pre), post (sbc_post), alarm (sm_alarm), disaster (sm_disaster) notify (sm_notify). They can be programmed using any text editor. Before you start using an interface, it has to be activated. Once the interface is activated, it is triggered by certain system events. Interface templates are stored in <SESAM_ROOT>/skel/templates. The templates are activated when they are copied to <SESAM_ROOT>/bin/sesam directory. Interfaces can also be activated in GUI: in the menu bar, click Configuration -> Interfaces. Then click the interface you want to activate, check the interface script, which is opened in a new window, and click Save to activate the interface. The interface is saved to the <SESAM_ROOT>/bin/sesam directory. For details, see SEP sesam Interfaces.

J

job Also called task. An operation that has been scheduled for execution by the SEPuler. Types of jobs are backup, migration, restore, replication and media related actions.
job state An overview of all executed jobs, sorted by job types. Job status is selected in the Main Selection window -> Job State. Job State -> Results provides details on all jobs, such as job ID, event type (backup, command, migration, restore, etc.), job status (successful or not), object (what was processed), task (its name, job's duration (start and end time), and other details. Job State -> Backups provides detailed information on all backup jobs, including the task name, date of the last full backup, backup type, data size, throughput, assigned media pool, etc. Job State -> Restore displays detailed information on performed restores together with relevant restore information. Job State -> Migrations and Replications displays the properties for each processed migration and replication. Job State -> Media Actions provides an overview of performed media-related actions, such as initialization, readability check, purging, etc. Each status view can be customized by using filter and selection options. For job statistics overview, see Web UI. See also last backup state.

K

key See encryption.

L

label An internal identification assigned to a backup volume by backup, which starts with a media pool name and a 5-digit number.
last backup state Provides an overview of the last backup operations and their status. Last backup state is selected in the Main Selection window -> Monitoring -> Last Backup State. It is useful for tracking the backup jobs that have never been backed up. For details, see Last Backup State. See also SEP sesam Web UI.
license Permission to use a SEP sesam solution for a defined period of time. SEP sesam provides various licenses and editions that you can combine according to your needs. The following SEP building blocks are available: SEP sesam Server, SEP GUI, SEP sesam Client, SEP data mover and SEP sesam Remote Device Server, autoloader support, storage pool, database and groupware online modules, SEP services (upgrade, support,...). SEP sesam software and extensions are available at SEP Download Center. See also SEP sesam environment. For details on available licences, see Licensing.
loader Also called tape library. A device that consists of drive(s), a magazine with slots for media and a robotic mechanism that moves media between the slots and drives. There is no dependency in SEP sesam to use specific manufacturer's devices or device types. A list of supported hardware is available at Supported Storage Hardware.
location A parameter used for logical grouping of the SEP sesam clients. Each client is always created within (and assigned to) a location, which can be defined as a group of clients and further specified as sub-locations. Such grouping enables large organizations in different locations to be managed and represented as a group with separate units (tree-like structure) that are managed centrally. New location can be added in the Main Selection window -> Components -> Topology -> New Location. For details, see Configuring Location. See also Topology.
locked media See write-protected media.
locked until Saveset and media related EOL parameter. See EOL.
logging An overview of recorded actions and events for each backup day. The Logging view in GUI (Main Selection -> Logging) and System logs in Web UI provide the backup status (State) overview in chronological order, record a continuous protocol for each backup day (Day Log), and display only error messages of the entire day log separately (Error Log). Log files can be printed or sent by email. They are stored in the <SESAM ROOT>/var/prot directory. As of v. 4.4.3 Beefalo, you can also generate audit logs to record each action that was triggered by a user in the SEP sesam GUI and Web UI. For details, see Logging.
logging level An option that controls the level of details of the of the backup and restore protocol. To change the logging level, use the -v {log_level} under the Additional call arguments (Expert options) in the backup or restore task properties. See also Setting Log Level.
low watermark (LWM) Obsolete. In previous SEP sesam versions LWM represented the lower value for the used disk space on the Path, Si3 and NetApp Snap stores. If set, it has defined how much storage space is available for savesets with expired EOL. If LWM was set to 0, the EOL-free savesets are removed from the data store at the next purge. See also high watermark.
LTO Linear tape open (LTO) is a magnetic tape storage technology that was developed jointly by HP, IBM and Certance (now Quantum Corporation) to provide an alternative standard to proprietary magnetic tape formats. LTO is an open format, which allows for compatible offerings from multiple vendors. The preferred tape format is LTO Ultrium. It is widely used with small and large computer systems for backup and archiving.
LTO encryption LTO encryption for LTO tape drives is one of the SEP sesam encryption types (also available are Si3 and backup-task encryption for savesets). It is hardware based encryption for LTO generation 4 and higher. During the LTO encryption process the data files are taken from the server and pass through the SCSI interface to the tape drive. The tape drive then encrypts and compresses the data before it writes it (or decrypts it if reading data) to or from the tape cartridge. SEP sesam supports the LTO Encryption of tape drives on a media pool level. See also encryption.

M

machine Any computer, including file or compute servers.
master GUI Used as a central management interface for several SEP sesam Servers. The master GUI provides additional options and adjustments that enable the master administrator to access the user interfaces of the other SEP sesam Servers. All local GUIs of the distributed SEP sesam Servers run in parallel and can still be used autonomously. The master GUI description is available at Master GUI.
medium (pl. media) Any medium type (magnetic tape or disk) used for storing backed up data.
media pool The collection of backup volumes, which are recognized and managed by backup and migration tasks, and identified by the media pool name.
migration The process which creates an identical copy of the saveset data to a newly created saveset. Migration can be configured as a follow-up event.
migration task Used to select a saveset and a target media pool for migration.
mount saveset See XPRFS.

N

NDMP Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) is a common protocol for backing up and restoring data on storage devices that do not support the installation of a backup agent. The NDMP architecture separates the network-attached Data Management Application (DMA), data servers and tape servers participating in archival or restore operations. NDMP insures interoperability between NAS file servers and SEP sesam, and is used as an interface that enables SEP sesam to copy data from NAS appliances to SEP sesam Server or Remote Device Server and restore it back to NAS. SEP sesam supports version 4 of the NDMP protocol. See also SEP sesam NDMP. For details on SEP sesam NDMP integration, see NDMP backup.
NDMP host The host computer system that executes the NDMP Server application. Data is backed up from the NDMP host to backup device on a remote NDMP host. See also SNDMP. For details on SEP sesam NDMP integration, see NDMP backup.
NEWDAY A predefined SEP sesam daily event, accessible under schedules: Main Selection window -> Scheduling -> Schedules. It resets the event calendar, which is managed by SEPuler. A NEWDAY event is used by SEP sesam to reorder its database and enable undisturbed activity of the SEP sesam processes. It is used to define a new backup day. For example, if a NEWDAY event is set at 08:00, the backup day is defined from 8:00 AM of the current day to 8:00 AM of the next day. This way the data, which is changed today (day 1), but will only be backed up after midnight (the next day — day 2), is treated according to the actual date change rather than its official time, which would cause the creation of two backups for the same data (one saveset for day 1 and another for day 2). The execution time of the NEWDAY event can be modified according to your needs. Depending on the SEP sesam version, the NEWDAY behavior may be different when it comes to cancelling active tasks by default; see Newday in v. ≥ 4.4.3 Beefalo or Newday in older versions ≤ 4.4.3. Note that completely disabling a NEWDAY event will cause SEP sesam to stop working properly. For details, see Newday Event.
notification Different types of messages, sent from the SEP sesam Server to all open GUIs. It is also possible to be notified and get alerts in the form of RSS feeds. Notifications inform the user about license violations, non-configured interfaces and include other important information, such as release announcements and error alerts. Notifications can be accessed from the upper right corner of the SEP sesam by clicking the item Notification center. See also notification center and RSS feeds.
notify (sm_notify) One of the SEP sesam configurable interfaces intended for system administrators. Notify is executed on the SEP sesam Server. It can be used for reporting on successfully finished events, such as backup, restore, migration, media initialization, and start/finish of a NEWDAY event. Notify interface can be customized and configured as needed. Before you can start using any of the configurable interfaces, you have to activate it. See also interfaces.
notification center Used to dynamically send messages from the SEP sesam Server to all running GUIs. The notification center is displayed by selecting the Window option in the menu bar -> Show Notification Center. Different types of messages are sent to notify a user of important events and announcements, such as information on latest patch, license violations, non-configured interfaces, and all messages send via RSS feeds. See also RSS feeds. For more details on notifications, see Notification Center.

O

open source license A license that allows software to be freely used, modified, and/or shared under defined terms and conditions. See also open source module.
open source module SEP sesam core components, SEP sesam Storage Server and SEP sesam Backup Client (SBC) code, are available under GNU General Public License terms and conditions, allowing users to perform backup and restore of their data.
operator A person with the operator role that monitors the SEP sesam Server backup status. See user types.
overwrite The directive to overwrite data during restore, if the same data, e.g. a file, already exists on the target client.

P

package A SEP sesam collection of installation files for different SEP sesam modules, which can be downloaded from the SEP sesam package repository. See also SEP sesam environment.
parallel backups Also called Sesam Multiplex Stream. Simultaneously backing up multiple data sources onto one drive. Sesam multiplex streaming is an optimized tape backup which uses parallel backup streams for multiple clients. For details, see Parallel Backups. See also Sesam Multiplex Stream Server.
post (sbc_post) One of the SEP sesam configurable interfaces intended for system administrators. Post is executed on the SEP sesam Client (note that SEP sesam Server is always a backup client too) and performs additional actions (such as restarting a database, sending emails) after a backup or restore is finished according to the user specified commands. To use a post interface, you have to activate it first and create your own commands. For details, see Using Pre and Post Scripts. See also interfaces.
pre (sbc_pre) One of the SEP sesam configurable interfaces intended for system administrators. Pre is executed on the SEP sesam Client (note that SEP sesam Server is always a backup client too) and performs additional actions (such as exporting a database, sending messages) before a backup or restore is started according to the user specified commands. To use a pre interface, you have to activate it first and create your own commands. For details, see Using Pre and Post Scripts. See also interfaces.
purge The process of deleting obsolete (EOL-free) savesets from regular Path, Si3 or NetApp Snap store. It is triggered automatically. Purging is done until all EOL-free savesets are deleted. It is also possible to start purging manually in the GUI: Main Selection window -> Components -> Data Stores content pane -> option Purge. For details, see HWM, purge and Si3 repair area.

Q

queued job A job that is submitted in the resource queue of SM_QM_MAIN, but not yet started.
queue manager (qm) A SEP sesam Server service that manages the resources and balances backup and restore jobs.

R

readability check A process that checks the backup data readability. During the check, the data on a medium is read in blocks, and the structure of the tape is checked and recorded. It also checks whether all determined backup sets on the tape are recorded in the database and vice versa. Readability check is configured by a special media event. For details, see Configuring a Readability Check.
recovery See disaster recovery and instant VM recovery.
Remote Device Server (RDS) See SEP sesam Remote Device Server.
replication See SEP Si3 replication.
restore A process that browses for different versions of savesets and copies data from savesets to a client. SEP sesam provides two restore interfaces: GUI restore wizard and web-based Restore Assistant. Restore granularity depends on the selected data type. The following restore types are available: complete restore, generation restore, selective restore. For details, see Standard (GUI) Restore Procedure and Restore Assistant. See also disaster recovery and XPRFS.
Restore Assistant The intuitive web restore interface that allows you to restore your data from anywhere with the appropriate permissions. Compared to GUI restore wizard, it provides a few additional advanced restore options, but does not support all task types. For details, see Restore Assistant.
restore task Used to configure a restore of data from savesets to a client. A restore task always contains browsing and selecting the desired savesets by time and task/filename, selecting restore type and restore target, for example, file system folder. You can configure a restore task in the GUI restore wizard or use the web Restore Assistant.
retention periods The time period for which the SEP sesam retains SEP sesam logs, readability check logs, calendar sheet entries and restore tasks. Once the retention period expires, the data is removed from the database and is no longer available. You can modify retention periods for each item separately: in the menu bar, click Configuration -> Defaults -> Retention Periods.
retention time The retention time (in days) is primarily used and set for the media pool and is applied to all media in the media pool. It specifies the time period for which the backup data is protected after it was written to the medium, thus preserving the savesets and keeping them available for restore. The retention time period starts with the date a saveset is written to the medium and defines the expiration date (EOL) after which the saveset may be deleted. Once the retention time for all savesets stored on media has expired, the media can be rewritten.

The retention time is defined when configuring a new media pool: Main Selection window ->Components -> Media Pools -> New Media Pool, or when editing the selected media pool Properties. You can extend or shorten the expiration date of a single saveset or of all backup-related data (all savesets that belong to the same backup) by adjusting their EOL. In addition, you can use software tape protection to write-protect tape media. See also write-protected media.

Note that the retention time, retention period and EOL terms are also used for specifying the retention time for logs, command events, restore tasks, etc. However, these retention times are typically associated with specific events (and set in the event properties, Expert Options, etc.) and are not related to media pool EOL. For details, see retention periods.

RSS feeds Used to inform about new releases and features (version-specific). Subscription is available online at SEP sesam Notification Center: notification/sepsoftware.com. Current versions of web browsers, such as Firefox or Internet Explorer, allow to directly import and read SEP sesam RSS events. Alternatively, it is possible to subscribe to the SEP sesam RSS feeds with your preferred RSS feed reader. Selecting one of the links opens the RSS feed in the default web browser of the GUI client. See also notification center and notification.

S

saveset A collection of data, including files and directories, that is copied to a backup medium through backup or migration. A backup can consist of multiple savesets, as backup copies are generated through migration and replication. The duration for which a saveset is retained is determined by the set retention time. After the backup process is completed you can configure a follow-up event to verify the integrity of savesets.
saveset EOL See EOL.
saveset ID An internal unique identification assigned to a saveset.
saveset state Saveset state shows the status of a saveset (for example, Successful, Warning, Error). In case of a failed migration or some kind of data store corruption, a saveset may be only incomplete or corrupted. Such savesets cannot be used for restore.
schedule Used for setting events to occur at a specific time. You can set up any kind of task to occur at a specific time, such as backup, migration or restore, thus automating the task execution. When setting up a task, among other parameters a start time, time interval and event priority have to be specified. Schedules always contain one predefined task: a NEWDAY schedule. You can explore and edit the existing schedules or set up new ones: Main Selection window ->Scheduling -> Schedules. As of SEP sesam v. 4.4.3, a new option User defined allows you to create a custom calendar. For more information on schedules and calendars, see About Scheduling. See also SEPuler.
selective restore A process by which only the selected parts of data on the saveset, such as individual files and directories, are restored. The other restore types are complete restore and generation restore.
SEP Cloud RDS SEP Cloud RDS concept is a method of continuous replication of block-based data on a local SEP sesam Si3 deduplication store to a remote (offsite) Si3 deduplication store. The SEP sesam Remote Device Server (SEP Cloud RDS Server) is configured at the offsite location thus providing immediate access to the replicated data. The replicated data is end-to-end encrypted and can be automatically migrated to tape. For details, see SEP Cloud RDS.
SEP EasyArchive (SEA) As of SEP sesam 4.4.3, this module is no longer supported.

A policy-based integrated archival solution, which converts NTFS partitions into WORM drives. Data is archived for a specified amount of time using the predetermined data store. Archived data can be easily accessed by authorized users; it can be encrypted and deduplicated. Data can be stored on disk, tape or off-loaded to a cloud store. SEP EasyArchive requires a SEA license. See also SEP sesam extensions.

SEP FDS VA As of SEP sesam 4.4.3, this module is no longer supported.

SEP File Deduplication System Virtual Appliance is an offline block-level deduplication solution, powered by FalconStor®. It provides a space-efficient repository for the SEP sesam data stores. SEP FDS VA works as a SEP sesam Remote Device Server. It includes 1 TB of repository capacity (requires one repository capacity license), but is expandable up to 5 TB. See also SEP Si3 target deduplication and SEP sesam extensions.

SEP sesam Client (SBC) A system that has a SEP sesam Client package installed is added to the SEP sesam environment as a client and is included for data protection in the backup plans. Clients may be workstations, PCs, virtual machines or file servers with gigabytes of data. The abbreviation SBC (sesam backup client) is used in a more technical sense for programs, which are executing backup, migration and restore tasks. SBC collects and consolidates the backup data on the client system, and delivers it to STPD. The SBC module can be controlled directly without other SEP modules by using SEP sesam SBC CLI. See also SEP sesam environment.
SEP sesam dashboard A web dashboard is an online monitoring tool that constantly tracks SEP sesam operations and their state and provides key metrics of the SEP sesam environment. SEP sesam Dashboard has been extended to offer additional functionality in Web UI, including a more detailed overview of jobs, utilization and performance, and improved monitoring of the SEP sesam environment with various reports, metrics and log files. For details, see SEP sesam Web UI.
SEP sesam Data Management Application (SDMA) A NDMP session master that is responsible for initiating and managing backup and restore operations of NDMP compliant systems. SDMA serves as a remote NDMP client, which establishes and manages connection and communication between the source and the destination NDMP data services. It uses NDMP control connection to issue commands to the servers and NDMP data connection for the data stream, thus ensuring fast and efficient communication between the remote services. See also SEP sesam NDMP.
SEP sesam data mover (SDM) A functional role allowing access to a third-party software API. Depending on a third-party software, a data mover role can be combined either with a SEP sesam Server, SEP sesam Remote Device Server or a client. The following data mover types are available: SEP sesam data mover for VMware vSphere (SDM-VV), for Citrix XenServer (SDM-CX), for Micro Focus (Novell) services (SDM-NS), for NetApp (SDM-NA), and for Nutanix (SDM-NTX). For details, see What is a SEP sesam data mover.
SEP sesam environment A complete SEP sesam environment consists of different modules, which can be combined according to your needs to implement optimized backup. Modules interact with one another through SEP APIs, also used for interaction with another software. Each module is installed separately. Essential modules of each SEP sesam environment are: SEP sesam Server, SEP sesam GUI, SEP sesam Remote Device Server, SEP sesam Client(s), and optionally other modules represented as the SEP sesam extensions. The SEP sesam environment is managed centrally by the SEP sesam GUI. For details, see SEP sesam Components.
SEP sesam extensions Additional modules and functionality that provide consistent backup of databases (Oracle, MS SQL, IBM DB2, Informix, SAP R/3, etc.), applications (like SAP), groupware systems, and virtualization environments. For list of all supported extensions, see Extensions. For details on supported versions, see SEP sesam OS and Database Support Matrix.
SEP sesam NDMP (SBC_NDMP) A system that has a SEP sesam NDMP backup package installed on a data mover to provide NDMP remote configuration where the data from NDMP host is backed up and transferred over a TCP/IP connection to SEP sesam Server's connected storage, e.g., disk storage or virtual tape library. SBC_NDMP consist of SEP sesam Data Management Application – SDMA, which is responsible for initiating and managing backup and restore operations of NDMP compliant systems, and SEP sesam NDMP host – SNDMP, which provides the interface to the SEP sesam storage. See also NDMP. For details on SEP sesam NDMP integration, see NDMP Backup.
SEP sesam Remote Device Server (RDS) RDS is a storage management component that receives data during backup and writes it to the appropriate store (either to the data store or to the attached tape device). During a restore it locates the savesets and sends the data to a client. RDS consists of four components: Sesam Transfer Protocol Server (STPD), Sesam Multiplex Stream Server (SMS), and SEP sesam Client (SBC) and a remote access. The control of the tasks is maintained by the SEP sesam Server. When relating to open source modules, RDS is also called SEP sesam Storage Server. For details, see How to create a Remote Device Server (RDS).
SEP sesam Server The server system with installed SEP sesam Server software, containing the SEP sesam database together with indexes, and providing backup and other data protection related services for one or more clients on a network. SEP sesam Server is always a SEP sesam Client and usually also a RDS. Server module can be installed on any server or workstation (Linux, Windows, etc.). For details, see SEP sesam OS and Database Support Matrix. See also SEP sesam environment.
SEP sesam Storage Server See SEP sesam Remote Device Server.
SEP sesam Web UI Web UI is a comprehensive tool that allows access to SEP sesam to remote clients and provides a great visual overview and real-time monitoring of SEP sesam performance and its entire environment. It provides log management and allows SEP sesam admin to restrict users to tasks they can perform according to their role when logged in. Users can restore their own data online, monitor SEP sesam operations and check their status, restart failed backups and much more.
Web UI features include a web dashboard and an online Restore Assistant. For details, see SEP sesam Web UI.
SEP Si3 deduplication store Special type of data store, required for both Si3 deduplication methods, target-based (Si3T) and source-based (Si3S) deduplication. Si3 NG is a new generation (≥ v. 5.0.0 Jaglion) of the Si3 data store that offers significantly increased performance for backup, restore and migration, as well as direct backups to the S3 cloud and Azure, provides Si3 encryption and can be used to set up SEP Immutable Storage (SiS). A direct upgrade is not supported, but there are several methods for upgrading from the old to the new Si3 NG store. For more details, see Configuring Si3 NG Deduplication Store.
SEP Si3 replication The SEP Si3 replication consistently replicates data between the SEP sesam Server and SEP sesam Remote Device Server, or between two RDSs. You can also use HPE Catalyst stores and HPE Cloud Bank Storage, or S3 cloud storage as replication target. Replication means that only changed data blocks are sent over a network and backed up to the target according to defined schedule. Typically, it is used together with Si3 deduplication. Original deduplication store Si3 (but not Si3 NG!) can be seeded to provide the basis for a new deduplication store for replication. A replication task can be configured under Tasks: Main selection -> Tasks -> Replication Tasks (previously Si3 replications) -> New Replication Task. Replication can be configured as a follow-up event. For details, see About Replication.
SEP Si3 source-side deduplication (Si3S) An inline block-level data deduplication solution that deduplicates data before it is sent across the network and backed up. SEP sesam calculates hashes of data to be backed up on the client and then transfers only changed or unknown blocks of the target Si3 dedup store to the RDS. Source-side deduplication requires a configured Si3 deduplication store, for which a special license is needed. For more details, see Source Side Dedup and Configuring Si3 NG Deduplication Store. See also SEP Si3 target deduplication.
SEP Si3 target deduplication An inline block-level data deduplication solution that writes data directly from the SEP sesam Server or SEP sesam Remote Device Server to the backup media. It can be used together with replication to provide backup redundancy for disaster recovery and reduce the data transferred over the network. SEP Si3 target deduplication is easily configured and ready to use by selecting Si3 deduplication data store type: Main Selection -> Components -> Data Stores -> New Data Store-> Store Types -> SEP Si3 NG Deduplication Store (v. ≥ 5.0.0 Jaglion). Si3 target deduplication requires a configured Si3 deduplication store, for which a special license is needed. For details, see Configuring Si3 NG Deduplication Store. See also SEP Si3 source-side deduplication.
SEP Immutable Storage See SiS.
SEPuler A process that controls scheduling of the SEP sesam backup and restore tasks. It is constantly checking for backup, restore and other predefined tasks to be executed. When such a task is found, a SEPuler initiates the execution of the event. Once the event is started, SEPuler determines the next execution event for a cyclical backup/restore task and rewrites the event to the event calendar. Every configured task is automatically recorded by SEPuler. A schedule is used for any number of events, and a particular task (backup, restore, etc.) can have events in several schedules. To prevent possible tasks conflicts and efficiently manage tasks in execution queue, SEP sesam uses the event priorities. The event calendar provides overview of all, scheduled and the expired events: Main Selection window -> Scheduling -> Calendar Sheet. For details, see SEPuler - an event calendar. See also calendar sheet and schedule.
Sesam day See backup day.
Sesam Multiplex Stream (SMS) Server A service that receives the backup data from STPD and writes the data to the backup media. During a restore it reads the data from the backup media and sends it to STPD.
Sesam Transfer Protocol Server (STPD) A service that requests the backup data from the SMS Server and manages the data flow between the SEP sesam Server and a client. STPD delivers the backup data to SMS Server. During a restore STPD receives the data from SMS Server and sends it to the SEP sesam Client, which then restores the data to the target system.
single file restore See XPRFS and single item restore (VMware specific).
single item restore (VMware specific) A process by which only a single file is restored from a virtual machine, without having to restore the complete saveset. A single item can be restored from a vSphere backup either by attaching a VMDK to a virtual machine (this is the recommended option) or by mounting VMDK to a device server. SEP sesam provides simple and flexible single file restore for VMware based on almost any type of VMware backup, including differential and incremental. To learn what applies to single file restore, which backup level supports it and how affects disk size usage, see SF & IR support matrix. For details on restore procedure, see VMware Single File Restore. See also instant VM recovery.
SiS SEP Immutable Storage, also called Si-Storage or SiS (v. ≥ Jaglion V2), is a file storage feature resistant to ransomware attacks. With SiS, stored data remains in its original and unaltered form throughout its lifetime. Even with full admin access to the SEP sesam backup server, attackers cannot delete, modify, or encrypt data stored on SiS. For details, see SEP Immutable Storage – SiS.
Si3 encryption Si3 encryption for Si3 deduplication store is one of the SEP sesam encryption types (also available are backup-task and LTO encryption). SEP sesam provides encryption for Si3/Si3 NG deduplication store to help ensure compliance with data protection legislation. Si3 encryption is enabled by specifying and confirming the encryption password. If the encryption key is not available, the Si3 encrypted data cannot be read. For details, see Encrypting Si3 NG Deduplication Store. See also encryption.
Si3 purge The process of deleting Si3 files automatically from Si3 repair area (deduplication storage space) after the specified amount of time or when the disk usage threshold is reached (specified in GIB).
Si3 repair area The Si3 repair area, available in advanced UI mode (formerly expert GUI mode), defines space for Si3 files that were identified by a garbage collection job and are no longer used. These files are still kept in the repair area to enable repair of Si3 in case of any problems (e.g., caused by a file system error or by a crash of an operating system). For details, see Configuring Si3 NG Deduplication Store.
SNDMP A SEP sesam NDMP host that provides an interface to the SEP sesam storage. During backup, it writes a data stream to the SEP sesam Server or SEP sesam Remote Device Server. During restore, it reads content from data storage and converts it into a data stream in an NDMP data connection, which is managed by SDMA. SNDMP is able to use SEP sesam backup architecture – RDS, SEP sesam devices, Si3 deduplication stores – to store and retrieve NDMP host backup data. See also SEP sesam NDMP.
socket A slot for computer processors to mount a processor on a motherboard or slot. With SEP sesam, a backup environment is licensed for each socket in the virtualization servers displayed by the Hypervisor API. For details, see Licensing.
source The data source specified in backup or migration tasks.
superuser As of v. ≥ Jaglion, the user type with full control over SEP sesam that can restrict other users' access to GUI objects by setting ACLs. Superuser has replaced the former role Admin. For details, see User Roles and Permissions. See also user types.
system administrator The person responsible for installing, configuring, and maintaining the backup solution.
system state backup Backup of all Windows system state components as a unit by using Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS). For details on system state backup, see Backing up System State.

T

target A specified location for backup/migration of restored data, for example a different media pool (migration) or a folder (restore) on a client.
task Execution of a SEP sesam backup, migration, replication, restore or command task.
task group A group of tasks used for scheduling.
task type (previously called backup type) Used to select the type, according to which the data is backed up. It is defined in the Main Selection window -> Tasks -> By clients, when configuring a New backup task. Possible task types are: Path backup, SAP Hana, Exchange Server, Lotus Notes, MySQL, VMware vSphere etc.
topology Represents the SEP sesam backup environment including the hardware, computers, backup devices, etc. See also SEP sesam locations, clients and servers.

U

UI mode The selected UI mode determines the availability of features and options in the SEP sesam GUI and Web UI. The newer SEP sesam versions provide simplified, unified UI mode types in the GUI and Web UI: simple or advanced. (The former advanced GUI mode is now replaced by simple mode, while the former expert mode is replaced by advanced mode.) For details, see Setting the UI mode in the GUI and UI mode in the Web UI.
user authentication method The policy set by the SEP sesam administrator that specifies how the user is authenticated, through internal SEP sesam authentication (database-based or policy-based) or both internal and external (LDAP/AD) authentication. For details, see About Authentication and Authorization.
user-defined dates A schedule option, used to set up a custom calendar. It allows you to create a calendar which is customized according to your country or company specific requirements. You can define specific dates in the schedule properties: Main Selection window -> Scheduling -> Schedules -> User defined tab. For details, see Creating a custom calendar.
user's permissions The permissions or access rights granted according to user types. They define which users can perform specific SEP sesam operations. Authentication module is used to grant and restrict access to SEP sesam Server. For details, see About Authentication and Authorization.
user types SEP sesam user types are superuser, admin, operator, backup and restore. Note that the available SEP sesam user types are version dependent. The superuser is the only user role with full control over SEP sesam. User rights and available GUI components depend on the user type. For details, see User Roles and Permissions. See also Graphical User Interface, user view and authentication.

Ü

V

vendor independent solution A disclosure of the SEP sesam backup format provides independence from software vendors by providing the users with untroubled access to company data without any other license requirements. See also open source module.
VFSL Virtual file system layer (VFSL) is a feature that allows you to explore (view, browse, copy or restore) individual files and folders. It is similar to XPRFS, see XPRFS for further details.
virtual tape library (VTL) A software appliance that emulates a traditional tape library and provides additional data storage component for backup solution.
virtualization support SEP sesam provides backup and restore for virtual platforms, including VMware, Citrix XenServer, RHV/OLVM, KVM, Hyper-V, OpenNebula, and Proxmox. For details, see Virtualization.
VM A virtual machine.
VMDK A virtual disk file that stores the contents of the VM's hard disk drive.
VSS Volume Shadow Copy Service is a Windows service that allows taking snapshots of computer files or volumes, even when they are in use. SEP sesam uses only the VSS components, which are provided by Microsoft. For details, see SEP sesam Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) for Windows.

W

watermark A parameter used for data store configuration. See high watermark.
Web User Interface (Web UI) See SEP sesam Web UI.
write-protected media A special option Write Protection is used for setting additional software protection for individual tape medium. You can write-protect particular tapes by setting this option ON manually: Main Selection window -> Components -> Media -> column Write Protection (On/Off). This option overrides the retention time of the media pool as well as any individually adjusted EOL and sets permanent protection for savesets on tape. Write-protected tape media cannot be recycled until their protection is ON. You can switch it off manually at any time. When a tape is no longer write-protected, the retention time period of the media pool applies. See also EOL and retention time.

X

XBSA X/Open Backup Services API is used by the SEP sesam backup module to connect to Sesam Transfer Protocol Server (STPD) to send or retrieve data from Sesam Multiplex Stream Server (SMS).
XPRFS Cross-platform recovery file system layer (XPRFS) is an advanced restore feature that allows for mount and restore onto different operating systems and hardware platforms (Windows – MTF <–> Linux/Unix – cpio). It can be used to mount any non-compressed saveset stored to Path data store, Si3/Si3 NG deduplication store or HPE StoreOnce, thus enabling single file restore. It is recommended for restoring specific data, such as Exchange, Hyper-V and V-Sphere backups to achieve faster restore time and performance. For details, see XPRFS.

Z