Lots of interesting new features and support in 9.02

• Data Protector can now back up mainframes: IBM System z running z/OS version 2.1. If there was any doubt whether HP is targeting IBM customers during IBM's current implosion, I think this should put it to rest. HP is obviously trying to position DP against TSM.
• There is now VMware 3PAR integration. I haven't researched this in any depth, but I presume what this means is that it is now possible for Data Protector to snapshot 3PAR arrays which are using LUNs to store VMFS volumes. If it works like Oracle, filesystems, MS-SQL, etc. then Data Protector should be able to mount this onto another system and back it up, and also restore snapshots instantaneously.
• Data Protector introduces support for pausing the lower priority backup sessions when the scheduled higher priority jobs share the same device. The paused jobs are resumed once the device is available.
• Viewing the names of VMs (rather than UUIDs) in VEagent backups is available again
• Catalyst over fibre channel
• I didn't see it documented, but it looks like this is the release where cloud backups [link to blog post] were introduced.
• The VMware Granular Recovery Extension has a new user interface, and a new way of being installed.

As a reminder, I keep a list of all the latest patches (including the 9.02 patch bundle) at http://www.ifost.org.au/Documents/dp-patch-list.html.

And as another reminder, if you are going to upgrade to 9.02 by running a new cell manager alongside an old cell manager, then you will want to buy my book on migrating and cloning cell managers ( http://www.ifost.org.au/press/#dp ) which looks like it was the best selling book on business software by an Australian author on Amazon Australia last week.

Greg Baker is an independent consultant who happens to do a lot of work on HP DataProtector. He is the author of the only published books on HP Data Protector (http://www.ifost.org.au/press/#dp). He works with HP and HP partner companies to solve the hardest big-data problems (especially around backup). See more at IFOST's DataProtector pages at http://www.ifost.org.au/dataprotector