EMC NetWorker (formerly Legato NetWorker) is a suite of enterprise level data protection software that unifies and automates backup to tape, disk-based, and flash-based storage media across physical and virtual environments for granular and disaster recovery. Cross-platform support is provided for Linux, Windows, macOS, NetWare, OpenVMS and Unix environments. Deduplication of backup data is provided by integration with EMC Data Domain (DD Boost) and EMC Avamar storage solutions.
A central NetWorker server manages a datazone that contains backup clients and NetWorker storage nodes that access the backup media. Platforms supported by the core NetWorker server are: AIX, HP-UX PA-RISC & Itanium, Linux (fully featured on x86, x86-64, Itanium, client only on PowerPC and zLinux), macOS (client only), Solaris SPARC & x64, SGI IRIX (client only), Tru64 and Windows.
The Java based NetWorker Management Console (NMC) software, which is bundled with the NetWorker distribution, provides a user interface for functions such as client configuration, policy settings, schedules, monitoring, reports, and daily operations for deduplicated and non-deduplicated backups.
The core NetWorker software backs up client file systems and operating system environment. Add-on database and application modules provide backup services for products such as Oracle, DB2, SAP, Lotus, Informix, and Sybase, as well as Microsoft Exchange Server, SharePoint, and SQL Server. Client backup data can be sent to a remote NetWorker storage node or stored on a locally attached device by the use of a dedicated storage node.
NetWorker PowerSnap modules automate the generation of point-in-time data snapshots and cloning on supported storage arrays such as EMC CLARiiON, and Symmetrix. The NDMP module can be used for client-less backups of NAS Filers like EMC Celerra or Netapp.
VMware virtual machines can be directly backed up either by installing the NetWorker client on the virtual machine or through the VMware vStorage APIs for Data Protection (VADP) provided by VMware.
NetWorker also supports backup and recovery of Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and Hyper-V virtual servers by using the Volume Shadow Copy Services interface. This support protects the parent and child partitions (guests) as well as applications running within the virtual machines.
NetWorker came to EMC by the acquisition of Legato in October 2003. Legato was founded in 1988 by four individuals who worked together at Sun Microsystems: Jon Kepecs, Bob Lyon, Joe Moran and Russell Sandberg.
NetWorker for UNIX was first introduced in 1990.
Release 1.0 – June 1990
Release 2.0 – 1992
Release 3.0 – 1993
Module for Oracle - January 1994
Release 4.0 - April 1994
Release 4.1 - December 1994
Release 4.2 - February 1996
Module for SAP - April 1996
Module for Informix - June 1996
Release 4.3 - October 1996
Release 4.4 for Windows NT - March 1997
Basically 4.3 on Windows
Release 5.0 - May 1997
Staging
Storage nodes
Release 5.5 - November 1998
Improved cloning
Directed recover
consolidation
Release 6.0 - October 2000
NDMP
Cluster support
Release 6.1 - June 2001
Drive sharing
Enhancement to NDMP
Release 6.2 - March 2003
Windows only release of 6.1 UNIX release
NDMP support for Windows
Release 7.0 - March 2003
Advanced DiskBackup™ Option (Adv File Type Device)
SnapImage™ for Windows
Linux enhancements
Support for Mac OS X (10.2) Client
Support for Microsoft Windows 2003 Server & Sharepoint Portal Servers
NDMP Support
Media Indexing Enhancements
Directed Cross-platform Browse and Recover
Release 7.1 - February 2004
VMware Qualification with NetWorker 7.1.x
Support for Solaris 64-bit
Firewall Enhancement
Supported Virtual Devices When Dynamic Drive Sharing is Used
PowerSnap Module Support on Solaris 7, 8, 9
DiskXtender UNIX/Linux Data Manager Integration
Release 7.2 - January 2005
NetWorker Configuration Wizards
Direct File Access with Advanced File Type Devices
Increased Device Support Limits for Power Edition
Data Service Agent
Firewall Support Enhancements
NDMP Index Processing Improvements
NetWorker Storage Node Support for NDMP Clients
Release 7.3 - March 2006
First release of NetWorker to be branded as EMC NetWorker, previously Legato NetWorker.
NetWorker Management Console (NMC) released across all supported platforms to replace nwadmin and winadmin
reporting
SymmConnect support
I18N
Client Push
Enhanced VSS support
Dial/e-mail home
Improved support for devices, especially on a SAN
Improvements in core focused on scalability and backup to disk
GSS authentication
Release 7.4 - June 2007
Internationalization and localization
Release 7.5 - December 2008
VMware integration
IPv6
LDAP for NMC
Release 7.6 - November 2009
Integration of Data Domain features and services
Enhancements for Advanced File Type Devices (AFTDs)
Increased VMware support, such as the ESX Server vSphere 4
Backup to EMC Atmos-based cloud storage
Solaris 10 Support (x86/SPARC)
Release 7.6 SP1 - 2010
Data Domain Boost integration
Scheduled cloning
Checkpoint restart
AFTD enhancements
Capacity-based licensing option
Release 7.6 SP2 - 2011
VMware vStorage API integration
Windows disaster recovery
NDMP incrementals
Data Domain Boost at the application server
Release 7.6 SP3 - November 2011
Release 7.6 SP4 - June 2012
Release 7.6 SP5 - December 2012
Release 8.0 - June 2012
Release 8.0.1 (SP1) - January 2013
Release 8.0.2 (SP1) - June 21, 2013
Release 8.1.3 (SP3) - May, 2015
Release 8.2 - June 18, 2014
Release 8.2 (SP1) - January 28, 2015
Release 8.2 (SP3) - March 28, 2016
Release 9.0 - July 1, 2016
